FrenchDuck UK - Latest

The port cities of Bordeaux and Bristol both played a distinguished role in the history of the wine trade, such that even in the 13th century more than 85 per cent of all imported wine came from South West France and as much as 3,000 tons (750,000 gallons) was being landed in Bristol.
The trade with Bordeaux fluctuated, dependent on our relationship with France (war, peace, occupation) but key names in the UK wine trade were established in Bristol, such as Harveys and Averys. Both Bristol and Bordeaux have the advantaghe that navigable rivers reach right into the heart of the city. In Bordeaux the “Quai des Chartrons” on the Garonne river front. In 2007 the cities of Bristol and Bordeaux celebrated the 60th Anniversary of their twinning.

Sadly little there remains little of that trade physically - no cargo ships leave the Chartrons quayside, and in Bristol only Averys of the long-established merchants remains in the city centre.
However, all that could change with a shipping company (CTMV - Compagnie de Transport Maritime a Voile) starting to use sailing ships to transport wine from Bordeaux, initially to Ireland, but later to Bristol. Initial consignments are of Languedoc wines, which are initially transported by barge on the Canal du Midi to Bordeaux and then loaded onto the sailing ship Belem for the 4-5 day crossing to Ireland. This trip with a load of 60,000 bottles will save over 18,000 lbs of carbon emissions - so a veritable eco-friendly wine.

UPDATE

The Telegraph (25 July 2008) has a report on the same company bringing a “Green Energy” wine to Ireland:-

The first commercial cargo of wine shipped from France by sail since the late 1800s arrived in Ireland on Friday aboard a British schooner, with almost zero petrol costs and carbon emissions.
Some 30,000 bottles of “green energy” wine, arrived in Dublin aboard the 108-year old Kathleen and May - the last wooden hull three-masted topsail schooner in existence - after leaving Brest a week ago with a stop at Penzance.

Each bottle carried has saved 4.9 oz of carbon dioxide emissions compared with a regular shipment. The wines come with the label: “Carried by sailing ship, a better deal for the planet.”

Furthermore the return trip is planned to be with an equivalent cargo of crushed glass for re-making into wine bottles back in France - sounds clever to me!

For all that Bordeaux is synonymous with fine wine around the world, the city has not had a decent wine museum in recent years. To some extent you could argue that with so many great vineyards in the area who needs a wine museum?? Yet Bordeaux can be a little difficult to come to terms with, and some of the best vineyard cellars can feel a little intimidating.
Whilst the ultimate key to Bordeaux is the quality of its wines, the wines would not have been a success without the history and geography of the city and its rivers, nor without the entrepreneurial structures of the wine trade and the relationships with countries such as England and the Netherlands.
So it has to be good news that a new Musee des Negociants will be opening in the Spring of 2008 in the historic Chartons area of Bordeaux, along the banks of the Garonne river, where barrels of wine were loaded onto sailing ships in earlier times.
The museum is being developed by a young wine merchant (negociant) under the banner of Bordeaux Historia Vini. Negociants were (and to some extent still are) a key feature of the Bordeaux wine trade, buying from, or acting on behalf of the vineyard and selling on to merchants at home and abroad. In some cases they would blend wines to produce a consistent blend which would be widely marketed. This undoubtedly helped the Bordeaux wine trade to consolidate its predominant position in the wine markets of the world.
Musée des Négociants, 41, rue Borie, Bordeaux

For more info on visiting Bordeaux see www.bordeaux-tourisme.com

I have previously been a little cynical about the tendancy of the French to imbue elements of their gastronomic heritage with just a tad too much pomp and often doubtful history and ceremonials. If they had such things, I am sure there would be the equivalent of “The Worshipful Company of the Most Glorious and Authentic Pickled Onion or Shallot”, (oignons conservés au vinaigre?) enriched by elaborate costumes and rituals - and a history dating back to 1992! Having said that I admire their pride in their local produce and agree that it should be celebrated.

However, one august body to which my fond cynicism should not apply is the Jurade de St Emilion, who do have elaborate red robes, a spectacular procession through the town and a banquet which does justice to the fine wines of St Emilion. Every autumn they celebrate their “Ban des Vendanges” to mark the official start of the grape harvest, and many years ago I was lucky enough to accompany members of the Jurade on an extensive itinerary of tastings, a series of lavish meals with grand cru wines and the grand banquet. Although we were often only tasting young wines at the chateaux, some wonderful and mature vintages were brought out for the banquet.

As Timothy Hartley kindly informs me, the Jurade de St Emilion has a rich and important history in the development of the wines of St Emilion:
LA JURADE DE SAINT-ÉMILION

The roots of the Jurade lie deep in both French and English history - as its Arms, Great Seal and banners, which bear both the Lilies of France and the Lions of England, show. Saint-Émilion, together with the rest of Acquitaine, formed part of the dowry of Eleanor of Acquitaine on her marriage to King Henry II. The Jurade goes back at least as far as 1199, when their son, King John, confirmed privileges apparently earlier granted by Richard, Coeur de Lion. Saint-Émilion became effectively a free City under the Crown with the Jurade having control of its legal and economic affairs. The Jurats’ duties included the control of production, and sale of, wine, closely monitoring its quality, branding approved casks and destroying any which were unworthy. Under Edward I, in 1289, the area of the Jurisdiction was enlarged to cover what is still the wine growing area composing the appellations of Saint Émilion. In return for these privileges, the Crown required that regular, and very large consignments, of wine be tasted, judged, its good quality assured, and then be consigned to England in casks quality assured by the Jurade’s seal. After Saint-Émilion reverted to the French Crown, the Jurade’s rights and duties were confirmed by French Royal Charters but, in the French Revolution, Jurats lost both their heads and their privileges.
The Jurade no longer has its extensive former civic and legal powers but its Grand Council still sits once a year, in Spring, to conduct a blind tasting of the wines of Saint-Émilion to assess their merits and pronounce a Jugement du Vin Nouveau. In September, it authorises the start of picking, in a ceremonial Ban des Vendanges from the top of the Tour du Roi, the Jurats wearing the scarlet and white robe of their mediaeval predecessors and calling upon their spirits to witness the continuation of over 800 years of tradition, passion, experience and skill.
The Jurade honours its historic links by giving us the privilege of two Chancelleries, based in the two ancient leading cities of England, York, serving the north of England and Scotland, and London, for the south of England and Wales. They organise tastings for those who would like to know more about the Jurisdiction’s wines, often in combination with charitable fund raising. They also arrange visits to Saint-Emilion for members of the Association de la Jurade in England for the important festivals in Saint-Emilion’s calendar, the Fête de Printemps and the Ban des Vendanges. More information about their activities, and contact details, are on their website - www.jurade.org.uk. They are always happy to welcome new members and to introduce them to Saint-Émilion’s renowned hospitality, its beauty and its enormous range of wines.

St Emilion produces some of the best Bordeaux red wines, wines which in the Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes dominate. The town and vineyards of St Emilion (33, Gironde, Aquitaine) are to my mind the most interesting to visit, the town being on an outcrop and the vineyards stretching down to the Dordogne river. The Spring celebration “Fete de Printemps” takes place on the 3rd Sunday in June, whilst the harvest celebration “Ban des Vendanges” takes place on the 3rd Sunday in September.

For more info on St Emilion see www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com

UPDATE: The St Emilion Ban des Vendanges takes place on Sunday 21 September 2008

For a classy B&B in the region see www.chezkelly.eu

With our friends at www.rjsw.co.uk we have made available a small collection of high quality prints of France from our archives (and a couple from talented wine and food photographer Andrew Barrow). They produce professionally printed, beautifully mounted and backed prints ready for framing in sizes up to 16″ x 24″. These can make an ideal Christmas gift for a francophile (or anyone else) and will grace any wall or room.
RJSW’s prime selection is of beautiful images of South West England which is well worth a browse - I’m trying to persuade them to extend their range to the South West of France!!

For more info see www.rjsw.co.uk

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, the city of Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) is making a serious claim as a tourist desitnation. I must admit most of my visits have been fleeting - on the way to the airport or to the vineyards beyond the city centre. The Times (26 Nov 07) provides a new look at the city:

The region is one of the most vaunted wine producers in France but until recently many of visitors gave the city itself a pass. Prostitutes and shady characters strolled its rundown waterfront, black grime obscured the architecture.
But a recent regeneration project, backed by mayor (and former French Prime Minister) Alain Juppe, has scoured buildings, turned the area by the Garonne River to a sweeping promenade with a shallow pool reflecting the Place de la Bourse and resurrected its graceful beauty.
Multimedia

A new whisper-quiet tram, free from overhead lines in the central city, whisks visitors and locals around its 35kms tracks (expanding to 45kms).

For more info see Times Online
Bordeaux Tourist Office

Watching the Tour de France last week, I noticed that one stage finished in the town of Briancon (05 Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes–Cote d’Azur, which claims to be the highest city in France, and features an impressive defensive Citadel designed by Vauban. Napoleon’s treasured Military architect.

2007 is the three hundredth anniversary of his death, and hence numerous events are planned to celebrate this master of military invention. His physical legacy is of course the list of imitimidating fortresses to defend le Hexagone - the defensible boundaries of France from the northern border with Belgium down to the Alps, along the Mediterranean and up the Atlantic Coast. However, his military reputation initially was more concerned with planning and implementing sieges - so in many ways he was a poacher-turned-gamekeeper - if you are good as breaking sieges, then who better to design defenses to repel them? The hallmark of Vauban is his impressive use of massive angular pentagonal walls which prevented attackers targetting one section of wall without being at risk of counter-attack from an adjacent section. The classic examples are the Citadel at Lille, Briancon and Besancon, although many other examples exist.

My favourite is on the island of Belle-Ile off the coast of Brittany, where the fortifications adjacent to the small harbout of Le Palais are most impressive. More familiar to visitors to France will be the fortifications at St Malo and la Rochelle. Vauban left his mark on most of the land and sea frontiers of France, although he was born in Burgundy which hosts only one of his constructiona. On the Côte d’Azur, Antibes, Villefranche, Cannes and St.Tropez. Toulon, Marseille, Collioure on the Mediterranean;

other sites are at Arras, Auxonne, Barraux, Bayonne, Belfort, Bergues, Bitche, Blaye, Bouillon, Calais, Cambrai, Colmars-les-Alpes, Douai, Entrevaux, Givet, Gravelines, Huningue, Joux, Kehl, Landau, La Rochelle, Le Quesnoy, Lusignan, Le Perthus (Fort de Bellegarde), Luxembourg, Maastricht, Maubeuge, Metz, Mont-Dauphin, Mont-Louis, Montmédy, Namur, Neuf-Brisach, Perpignan, Plouezoc’h (Château du Taureau), Rocroi, Saarlouis, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Saint-Omer, Sedan, Toul, Valenciennes, Verdun, Villefranche-de-Conflent. For more info see www.vauban2007-bourgogne.org and www.sites-vauban.org

The City of Bordeaux has been officially recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and so joins a large section of the Loire Valley and the medieval city of Carcassonne as some of France’s most prestigious and important sites - see the others at www.frenchduck.co.uk
For me the most significant aspect of Bordeaux has always been the Quai des Chartrons Chartrons - a curved facade of wine trading houses and warehouses along the banks of the Garonne river set back from the cranes and ship wharves - not so long ago seeming very delapidated, but recently spruced up. This is in many ways the heart of Bordeaux’s prestige, being the port from where wine (both local and from the Haut Pays) was exported to England, northern France and Holland over many centuries.

Certainly in recent years the city seems to have become more vibrant and less stuffy.

“With over 350 historic monuments in a protected area of 147 hectares, as well as 3 churches (Saint-André, Saint-Michel, and Saint-Seurin) that were already listed as World Heritage sites on the pilgrim road to Santiago de Compostela, Bordeaux had a number of assets to convince the jury.

Bordeaux’s successful bid as a World Heritage site also relied on several ambitious urban renewal projects begun in 1996 under the impetus of mayor Alain Juppé. These include development of the quays along the Garonne River, the restoration of many façades, and a light rail transit system.”

For more info see www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/

Markets in the Gironde (33, Aquitaine)

Arcachon for oysters and seafood, Bazas for beef.and almost everything in Bordeaux.

The following list is provided as an indicator of what markets take place whenin good faith, but bear in mind that some markets will only take place in the summer, others may be 2-weekly or monthly - always check with the local tourist office.

Andernos Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Arcachon daily
Ares Tuesday
Audenge Tuesday
Bazas Saturday
Blaye Wednesday, Saturday
Bordeaux - Aubiers Friday
Bordeaux - Bacalan Friday
Bordeaux - Belcier Tuesday
Bordeaux - Capucins Monday-Saturday
Bordeaux - Chartrons Tuesday-Saturday
Bordeaux - Grand Parc Saturday
Bordeaux - Grands Hommes daily exc Sunday
Bordeaux - La Bastide Thursday
Bordeaux - Lerme Wednesday, Saturday
Bordeaux - Pins-Francs Wednesday
Bordeaux - pl St-Amand Saturday
Bordeaux - pl St-Pierre Thursday
Bordeaux - Quais Sunday
Bordeaux - Royal Saturday
Bordeaux - St-Martial Wednesday
Bordeaux - St-Michel daily
Bordeaux - St-Suerin Friday
Bordeaux - St-Victor-Dupeux Tuesday
Bordeaux - Victor Hugo daily
Bourg-sur-Gironde Sunday
Cap-Ferret Wednesday
Captieux Monday
Castillon-la-Bataille Monday
Coutras Wednesday, Saturday
Creon Wednesday
Gujan-Mestras Wednesday
Hourtin Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
La Teste Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Lacanau Tuesday
Lacanau-Ocean Wednesday
Lege Saturday
Lesparre-Medoc Tuesday, Saturday
Libourne Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Monsegur Tuesday, Friday
Pauillac Saturday
Sauveterre-de-Guyenne Tuesday
Soulac-sur-Mer daily
St-Andre-de-Cubzac Thursday, Saturday
Ste-Foy-la-Grande daily
Villandraut Thursday

Bordeaux can be overpriced and boring! If you separate out some of the finest and most expensive wines in the world, the remaining huge bulk of Bordeaux wines can have a tendency to rely on history, name recognition and reputation with a certain gallic arrogance. That has to be an outrageous over-simplification, but I have so often been disappointed with affordable Bordeaux that I have tended to look elsewhere in France to excite my palate and save my bank balance.
But inevitably something stirs, and the problem then comes for the few adventurous, passionate wine makers in Bordeaux to grab the attention of an increasingly sceptical consumer. Fancy packaging can help, but then I suspect that “modern” labels and garish colours can be just a marketing ploy which disguises an otherwise unremarkable wine.
So it was with some relief that I came across Terra Burdigala - Burdigala being the Roman name for Bordeaux. Certainly the packaging looks modern and funky, the website is swish, but does this necessarily imply that the contents of the bottles are any different?
Well, for a start this is not a traditional chateau operation. Two young Frenchmen, Stéphane Derenoncourt & François Thienpont, create wines by selecting grapes from chosen vineyards (sometimes from some of the less fashionable appellations) and determining precisely how the grape is vinified into wine - a sort of local verion of the flying winemaker crossed with the best negociant approach.

We launched this venture in the spring of 2001 and are involved every step of the way, from the vine to the bottle, so that our wines are a true testimony of our concept of Bordeaux: fruit, balance and pleasure

Another reason to believe that these Bordeaux wines stack up is that Andrew Chapman at www.surf4wine.co.uk is stocking them. Surf4Wine has a strong leaning towards the New World, so any Old World wine has to compete directly with some really exciting wines from Australia and South America to get a place on the list.

www.surf4wine.co.uk stocks half a dozen of these Terra Burdigala wines from a Bordeaux AC at £6.99 up to a St Emilion Grand Cru at £18.99.

Of course, the other interesting thing in Bordeaux this week is the bi-annual wine trade exhibition - VINEXPO - probably the biggest wine gathering with exhibitors and buyers from around the world. Probably not a good week for visiting French vineyards, as many winemakers will have deserted their domaines and have decamped to Bordeaux for the 3-day event! Also probably not a good week to try to find a hotel room in Bordeaux either!

In general I am not a huge fan of Bordeaux because there is a lot of over-priced claret certainly at the lower bulk end, and also I suspect at the fine vintage wines end of the spectrum.The problem is that there are so many great value, under-rated wines in other parts of France. But it would be churlish to dismiss the many great wines Bordeaux has to offer, and I do confess to great memories of some superb St Emilions (Chateau Figeac, Chateau Carteau Cotes Daugay) and an unforgettable Château Gruaud-Larose, St Julien AC.

Hence for mere mortals who face the difficult choices of what to buy from Bordeaux on a tight budget there is some good advice and an interesting article on visiting Bordeaux by Laurence Marks in the Telegaraph (6 May 07)

“If you are running to a budget, always buy a poor year from a great château, and never a great year from lesser châteaux”. So slowly I built up a wine collection from some of the great châteaux of Bordeaux, and have enjoyed the pleasures of fine wine ever since.

I have to confess that I do not find the Bordeaux vineyards the most picturesque in France (that accolade probably goes to Alsace) - but I can recommend St Emilion - it is a pretty, interesting and historic village which is worth visiting even if you are not interested in wine.
One great way to discover St Emilion this summer would be through the St Emilion Tourist office:-

Every Friday from May 18th to September 14th. Appointment at the tourist office. A whole day spent discovering Saint-Emilion and the vineyards along with a lunch shared with the wine-maker.

Recommended reading:-
Dordogne, Bordeaux and the Southwest Coast (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Bordeaux: Medoc & Graves v. 1 (Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library)
Robert Parker’s Bordeaux

If you are a serious wine lover, then the city of Bordeaux is the place to be from 12-13 May 2007.

The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux invites you to spend a weekend meeting the men and women behind the Grands Crus de Bordeaux.
An exceptional event: the Grands Crus will provide a warm welcome to Grands Amateurs, offering them the opportunity to taste “just like the experts”.
Meeting the people behind the wine: this weekend offers an ideal occasion to discuss with representatives of the famous châteaux of Bordeaux in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.A treat for the senses: discover new taste sensations and share in the mystery of Bordeaux.
A trip combining tradition and modernity: become acquainted with the expertise and quest for excellence that have always been a feature of Bordeaux.

NB: The French term “Amateur” means “lover” (from “amour”) rather than inexpert, with the meaning that someone does something more from love than duty or profession. Hence I am sure there are wine trade experts who would also be quite happy being referred to as “amateurs” in France!

All the big name Bordeaux Grand Cru Chateaux will be there offering tastings of their wines at a Grand tasting on the Saturday along the Quai des Chartrons by the river - where all the old wine merchants and negociants were based. Tickets for the tasting cost €53 - which is less than an equivalent tasting in London with fewer wines on offer!!! You need to book in advance at http://www.ugcb.net/commerce/wga/programmeEN.html
In the evening there is a series of grand dinners held in various chateaux around Bordeaux - the cost includes transport from the city centre to and from the selected chateau! Sounds positively extravagant.
On the Sunday most of the major Chateaux have open days and there are conducted tours of the appellations of St Emilion, Sauternes, Graves and Medoc - transport and lunch included.

All this sounds quite wonderful and a superb way of learning and tasting more of the great chateaux of Bordeaux - and it need not be expensive as an all day pass to the Chateaux on the Sunday will only cost €15.00 - and gives you access to up to 40 of the major Chateaux!! And that itself is great, as some of the big Chateaux can be a little sniffy about “visitors” whilst others treat everyone like a tourist rather than wine lovers. On this day the welcome should be good - especially as the ticket proceeds will be going to charity.

Links:-
Full details on the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux website
Bordeaux Tourist Office

Recommended Reading
Dordogne, Bordeaux and the Southwest Coast (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Wine Regions of France Green Guide (Michelin Green Guides)
Wines of Bordeaux (Mitchell Beazley Wine Guide to the Wines of Bordeaux)
Bordeaux Chateaux: A History of the Grands Crus Classes 1855-2005

For 5 weeks this Autumn France hosts the Rugby World Cup Tournament, starting with the initial match on 7 September 2007 in Paris and ending with the Final on the Stade de France in Paris on 20 October.Teams from across the World will be competing, and they may be a little surprised to find that some of the early round matches are being played in Cardiff and Edinburgh!!
However, the majority of matches are to be played in France including Lens (Nord Pas-de-Calais), Nantes (Brittany/Loire), Bordeaux (Aquitaine), Toulouse (Midi-Pyrenees), Montpellier (Languedoc- Roussillon), Marseille (Provence) St Etienne and Lyon (Central France) and of course Paris.
So be warned that roads and hotels are likely to be busier than normal in the Autumn, especially in Paris (throughout) and in the host towns and cities near match days.
As always with such events it is worth planning ahead and booking tickets, travel and hotel arrangements as early as possible.
Rugby Union (Rugby à 15) is very popular in certain pockets of France - particularly the South West. On the A61 Autouroute between Toulouse and Castelnaudry there is a motorway service area (aire) that is worth visiting - and its not often we would recommend such a place. At Port Lauragais there is the Ovalie - a rugby museum, as local teams such as Toulouse, Agen and Castres are amongst the elite European teams.
The “aire” also has a museum and display on the adjacent Canal du Midi which has a marina mooring on the site. So well worth a break in your journey see map
See our web calender for the dates and locations of the World Cup matches this Autumn

LINKS:-
www.rugbyworldcup.com for news, details of teams, fixtures etc

Rail Europe has some attractive offers when tickets go on sale in May - e.. London to Lyon from £99 return - and that is city centre to city centre.

RECOMMENDED READING:-
Le Guide Vert: Midi-Pyrenees
France on the T.G.V.: How to Use the World’s Fastest Train to Get the Most Out of France
Grand Tour De France: A Rugby Supporter’s Guide to the World Cup - France 2007

easyjet has announced more flights to Bordeaux, this time from Bristol, starting in June 2007. This re-establishes a link between the two twinned cities, arising from the close relationship developed in the 19th Century with wine shipping. Numerous important wine merchants and importers were established in Bristol (e.g. Averys), with the facility of ships moving wine barrels directly from the heart of Bordeaux on the Garonne to the city centre of Bristol on the Avon.
Meanwhile www.flybe.com is offering Avignon as a destination from both Exeter and Southampton next summer, and nearby Marseille gets a www.ryanair.com service from London Stansted. Both these destinations are in a perfect position to allow you to indulge in the food and wine of Provence - Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras, Gigonas, Lirac, Cotes du Rhone, Tavel, Cotes de Provence, Les Baux de Provence…..
For more on French flight destinations see www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel/flights.html

Every autumn sees the publication of the annual “Guide Hachette des Vins de France“, something which winemakers and merchants await with interest. It is in many ways something of a bible as far as French wines are concerned, being a description and rating of some of the best wines from across France, selected at blind tastings - less than 1 in 3 of the wines offered get through. This year’s edition is even bigger running to 1400 pages - and a hefty €26.00 price tag. But there is much to gain - updates on the regions, selected “favourites”, a guide to grape varietals and new this year are details of B&Bs (Chambres d’Hotes) and self-catering accommodation (Gites Ruraux) on vineyard estates. The only problem is that the guide is in French - not available currently in English.

Within the pages the panel selects its “Coups de Coeur” (favourites) which represent some of the best wines tasted (at all price levels) - and these are distinguished by the display of the wine label on the page. So this year I find the Saussignac AC from Clos d’Yvigne is rewarded as a Coup de Coeur - made by Patricia Atkinson, author of “The Ripening Sun: One Woman and the Creation of a Vineyard and La Belle Saison - an author and an increasingly accomplished English wine producer in the Bergerac region, South West France.
Saussignac is a dessert wine from the western part of Bergerac which is made from botrytised Semillon and sometimes Muscadelle grapes. The one we know best is from Guy Cuisset at nearby Chateau Grinou. Recognition has also come from UK wine writers such as Jane McQuitty in the Times - “It’s amber-gold colour and rich, honeyed, butterscotch-scented style delivers classy, creamy fruit - just right with strawberries and cream. …”.
To cap it all, the domaine also offers on-vineyard accommodation - 2 rather splendid looking houses (they look a bit grand to be called “gites” situated amongst the vines.
For more info see www.cdywine.com/

You can order the Le guide Hachette des vins online direct from France

With autumn fast approaching we console ourselves by looking ahead to our main holiday in France in 2007. Yes, its the Rugby World Cup (in September) but we prefer peaceful rural France, probably in the SouthWest, Midi-Pyrenees - great landscapes, pretty villages, small markets, interesting wine and superb food.
But looking at how to get there is complicated, trying to calculate exchange rates, motorway tolls, the price of fuel, cross-channel ferry crossing and the route across France - and that assumes we dismiss the other options of budget flights (see www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel/flights.html), car hire or great train services.
Dover still dominates as a port of departure - with recently improved routes to Boulogne and Dunkerque but the cessation of the Hoverspeed services - and the western Channel has seen a loss of P&Os services to Le Havre and Cherbourg. There are other options including Dieppe and Le Havre (see www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel/ferry.html)
However even having got across the Channel the autoroute system in France continues to improve with fast new routes available which help you to avoid Paris and some of the other traditional pinch points on your journey south (see www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel/autoroutes.htm)
Whilst things can change over the next 8 months or so, a little research offers the following snapshot of some of the options.
Based on typical hypermarket fuel prices as at 1 October 2006 and a tourist exchange rate of £1=€1.405:-

Unleaded Petrol (sans plomb 95) is €1.17/litre (83p)
Unleaded Petrol (sans plomb 98) is €1.20/litre (85p)
Diesel (Gazole) is €0.999 (71p)

Autoroute options
Dunkerque - Paris toll (péage):£11.17; 293km(183miles) journey time 03h00
Boulogne-Paris via A16 and Amiens toll: £12.03; 254km (159m) time 02h37
Calais - Paris via A26/A1 toll:£13.17; 289km (180m), time 02h50
St Malo - Bordeaux tolls:£17.30; 539km (337m); time 05h12
Paris - Toulouse via A20 tolls: £20.78 678km (424m); time 06h20
St Malo - Toulouse - tolls £28.26; 772km (483m); time 07h21
Calais - Strasbourg - tolls £29.04; 622km (389m); time 05h28
Paris - Bordeaux tolls £33.74; 590km (369m); time 05h31
Calais - Avignon via Reims tolls £36.80; 988km (618m);time 08h49
Calais-Nice via Reims tolls £62.70; 1238k, (774m);time 11h02

For more on travelling in and to France CLICK HERE