The choice includes Brittany, Normandy, Western Loire and Aquitaine; Hotels, gites, villas. cottages, apartments, camping etc.

For more info see Brittany Ferries

“L’Oignon Rose de Roscoff” is now protected as an Appellation Controllée (AOC from 2009) due to its specific character (delicate skin, long life, intense flavour and good size – and only grown in and around Roscoff). If you are deeply interested in the history of this vegetable and its connection to the UK , visit the La maison des Johnnies et de l’Oignon de Roscoff – the Onions Johnnies museum in Roscoff.  Festivities include an onion market, music , torchlit parade  and a  bicycle race!  Food based on the oignon feature of course – onion tarts, onion bread and onion soup – together with a dispay of impressive onion strings!!

Beyond Onions and Johnnies, I still consider Roscoff one of the pleasantest ports of arrival/departure in France – close to the town and retaining most of its medieval and maritime character it is a delightful place to spend an hour or so (or longer).

For more info on Roscoff and its Onion Festival see www.roscoff-tourisme.com

Brittany Ferries run services from Plymouth and Cork.
Find the best rates for Hotels in Roscoff

Although it is a coastal port, the city is protected from the sea with by the Golfe de Morbihan which provides many opportunities for water sports and sailing.

But for this one week there are some great Jazz perforances from the likes of the Buena Vista Social Club and the Carla Bley Big Band.

The festival is also an opportunity to discover emerging young talents and for amateur and professional musicians to express themselves through the springboard and jam sessions. The entire town lives in step with jazz during the daytime entertainment, the concerts in the Auditorium des Carmes and the “jazz off” event, with evenings of improvisation and concerts organised throughout the city.
The 30th Festival will begin with the traditional free evening event in the Place de Hôtel de Ville and at the new esplanade on the right bank of the harbour.

More info on the Jazz à Vannes Festival
Find the best rates for Hotels in Vannes

Meanwhile budget airline Easyjet starts flights from London Luton to Montpellier in southern France from 7 July 2009 – well-positioned for the mediterranean beaches and the other joys of Provence and the Languedoc. – see www.easyjet.com

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Carhaix is just an hour by road from the port of Roscoff (Brittany Ferries) and can also be reached from Brest (Ryanair from London Luton and Dublin) and has good bus and train links with the rest of Brittany.

For more info see www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr

The state-of-the-art €120 million cruise ferry Armorique has been designed specifically for use between Plymouth and the Breton port of Roscoff. Entered service in February 2009, it incorporates the very latest technology and will be particularly fuel efficient as well as environmentally-friendly by keeping CO2 emissions to a minimum.

Roscoff (29 Finistere, Brittany)  is a delightful point of entry into France. albeit the most westerly. Ideal for Brittany and with good road access in the UK. The new ferry , built in Helsinki, can carry 1500 passengers and 470 cars and even offers wi-fi internet access on board! as well as a range of accommodation and dining options.

Armorique is the ancient name for coastal north-western France (or Gaul) meaning “the country which faces the sea” as well as the name of a national park in Brittany-le Parc Naturel Régional d’Armorique.

Brittany Ferries are also introducing a new route from Portsmouth to Santander on Spain’s northern coast – very convenient for access to the Pyrenees and south west France. This route is in addition to the existing route to Santander from Plymouth and avoids the long drive down from the South and South East of England.

Certainly the ferry to northern Spain is the most civilised way of getting to South West France (even if the Bay of Biscay can be a little frisky at times) – but it still seems perverse that the port city of Bordeaux cannot or will not offer a car ferry option – admittedly Santander already has car ferry facilities. Bordeaux would seem to potentially offer both a shorter crossing than Spain with direct access to some of the most popular areas of France.

For more info see www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

So as an example there are 82 venues/events in Brittany including  from the lyrically titled “Museum of Passion and Wings” (Musee des Passions et des Ailes) in the village of Baden (56 Manche, Brittany) which is a small museum dedicated to a pioneer of aviation; the Museum of Fine Arts in Brest (Musee des Beaux Arts; the National Maritime Museum in Brest

Guided tours, workshops, music all help to make this a memorable and potentially surprising night – if you cannot get to France there are also events in the UK

For more info on Nuit des Musees in France see http://nuitdesmusees.culture.fr

For example Brittany Ferries on the western Channel offers early booking offers which can save up to 25% on selected cottages right through the rest of the year and 10% on gite holidays in Normandy!

Or for those planning a camping holiday there is the option of Chalet Camping with one night FREE! (Great for families with children of all ages or active couples, they offer plenty of on site activities and entertainment)

Save up to 25% on selected apartments in France

Also check out the following:-

Day Trips to France & Cruises -Whale & Dolphin Cruise – Hotel breaks from only £79
2 night Cherbourg Break
2 night Ouistreham Break
2 night Roscoff Break
2 night St Malo Break

For more details see www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/offers

In April 2008, 22 students from the Photographic department were welcomed each in one of the 22 participating cities. The participants ranged in age between 20 and 35 years old, as well as originating from 15 different countries. Each student was given an “emotional passport” to express their own talent and sense and to capture the daily life of France. Their only requirement: let the dreams and emotions of the people and places be the guide!

The venues include Aix-en-Provence, Amiens, Angers, Avignon, Bordeaux, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Havre, Lille, Marseille, Metz, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Nice, Nimes, Reims. Rennes, Rouen, Toulouse and Versailles.

For more info see www.franceemotion.com/

The town has a number of good hotels, and even the Ibis, which I usually expect to be another functional forumula businessman’s hotel is in the heart of the town, with rooms offering a view over the harbour and beyond.

It has its tourist attractions, including boat trips to the Ile de Batz and the Onion Johnnies Museum ( La maison des Johnnies et de l’oignon de Roscoff), which features the history of the local pink onions and the farmers who went far and wide to sell their onions. often off the back (or front) of a bicycle. Every August the town celebrates this local delicacy with a 2–day Fete de l‘Ognon Rose (21–21 August in 2008) It has its share of tourist shops selling souvenirs and “genuine” local specialities and novelties.

Compare the town of Concarneau on the southern coast of Finistere – another busy fishing port in a favoured position and with a world-renown medieval walled city – the Ville Close. A little separate from the modern town over a narrow moated entrance (for defensive purposes) the historic city looks impressive from the outside. However, on entering the Ville Close, there is little sign of any civic pride or care – weeds abound, the walkway along the city walls is closed at points because it is dangerous; grassy areas which would make attractive parkland or picnic areas have been left as scrub. The superificially smarter parts are along the main street with its wealth of tourist shops which dominate the place.

I fo not want a Disney-type sanitised townscape, but compared to other smaller and less well-endowed places in France, the lack of any evident civic care, other than a few plants at the entrance, left me seriously under-impressed – indeed heartily disappointed. Which is why Roscoff made such a good impression.

To check Brittany Ferries timetables and fares for Roscoff and other French destinations CLICK HERE

The peninsula is an attractive spur of land with sandy beaches and marinas – and is the departure point for Belle-Ile (beautiful island), the largest and one of the most beautiful islands off the Brittany coast.

For more info on the Solex see www.frenchduck.com
For more info on Belle-Ile see www.belle-ile.com

For more info on the Rally see http://www.stations-bretagne.com

Several major extensions of the network include:-

Tours to Bordeaux via Poitiers and Angouleme, bringing Bordeaux within 2 hours of Paris. Utlimately the high speed line will extend south to Bayonne and into Spain!

Le Mans to Rennes in Brittany – bringing Brest within 3 hours of Paris!

Bordeaux to Toulouse in South West France, reducing the travel time to 1 hour!

Marseille to Nice will complete the line to Provence and the Côte d’Azur

Montpellier to Perpignan and on to Barcelona in Spain!

It’s a great example of why domestic air travel in France becomes less and less viable with city centre to city centre times such as these in the offing – speedy and green!
You can book any train journey to and within France including Eurostar, TGV and local lines through RailEurope

Your knowledge of French pronunciation will be of little use in trying to articulate some of the place names (e.g. LE RELECQ-KERHUON on this year’s Tour de France route from Brest) – its can be indecipherable as Welsh appears to non-Welsh speakers.

Fortunately Lorient (56 Morbihan, Brittany) is easier to say, and will be the venue for the 2008 Interceltic Fesitval (Festival Interceltique) which runs from 1-10 August 2008.

This year Wales in the “guest of honour” and music and musicians from the Principality will feature throughout the event.

There will be a wealth of folk and traditional music and dancing from across the Celtic world, including the Chieftains, However, do not assume that this is all about folk music – there is rock, bagpipes, Welsh Male Voice Choirs, theatrical presentations (including one about the history of the Canal from Nantes to Brest) masterclasses – all promising to offer entertainment to suit most tastes.

For more info see www.festival-interceltique.com

Lorient is a significant port in southern Brittany with plenty of decent beaches in the area – see www.lorient-tourisme.com ( (A word of warning – the site offers an English language version but this is generated through Google’s translation tool – which often results in some rather strange phrases – so treat it with caution!)

With 25 nations represented, some 2000 mainly traditional boats, 15,000 sailors the event promises much over the 7 days – moored boats, parades of boats, racing, music and dance plus the launch of a newly-restored cutter ship.

Once again, Brest will be bringing together boats and crews from around the world and attracting all the fans. Nowhere else can you find such a variety of sailing boats, such a large number of small and large craft.

The crews that have been invited are the major contributors to the event, all true volunteers, who come along to enjoy meeting each other and sharing their great experience of the sea and the festival. The visitors are completely right. They like to find out about the sea, they love these magnificent or charming boats, which are so very different from those you see in today’s marinas, and in Brest, they can see them under sail moving around the harbour. They can find in Brest the authentic atmosphere of a real living port, as well as the emotion of a rare occasion. They can really feel like they are at the heart of maritime history…

For more info see www.brest2008.fr

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Information on domestic flights in France is not easy to come by, one reason being that Air France has such a dominant position in France and already have flights on most internal routes.
Plus the French market is not as competitive. The French Railway system between major cities is both fast and competitive, especially if starting from Paris.
I have only been able to uncover a couple of airlines which offer domestic flights in France:-
http://www.easyjet.com/ – Toulouse to Lyon, Paris, Nice to Paris; Lyon to Biarritz, Bordeaux; Biarritz to Paris

http://www.twinjet.net/
Toulouse (32 Haute-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) to Metz/Nancy, Mulhouse, Brest; Marseille to Metz/Nancy, Mulhouse; Paris - Perigueux, Cherbourg

http://www.airlinair.fr/ Brest,(29 Finistere, Brittany) Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine), Agen (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine), Lyon (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes), Poitiers (86 Vienne, Poitou-Charentes), Brive (19 Correze, Limousin) Beziers (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) etc

http://www.ryanair.com/ now also has links from Marseille (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) to Lille (59 Nord, Nord-Pas de Calais) and Brest (29 Finistere, Brittany)

You can try sites like http://www.expedia.fr/ but even a price comparison site like http://www.baisse-de-prix.com/voyages.php seems to offer little new – it looks like Air France have cornered the market with little opportunity for discounting.

A car & minibus hire company in Port Vallières (37 Indre-et-Loire, Centre) just west of Tours on the Loire offers self-drive hire of the Citroen TA which could offer a great way to explore the vineyards and chateaux of Touraine (Touraine AC, Vouvray AC, Cheverny, Cour-Cheverny AC etc).

Quart de Tours, 184 Quai des Bateliers, Port Vallières, 37320 Fondettes

Other options for drving classic cars in France can be found at the  Chateau Hotel de la Barre near Le Mans (72 Sarthe, Val de Loire) :

Test drive your dream car across 200 km of scenic roads and reach full acceleration and performance during two laps on the legendary 24 hours Le Mans circuit. Or go straight to the track for any number of laps from 4 to 24! A Ferrari 430 or 599 GTB, a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera 530, a Porsche 997 GT3)

Or for a more british experience see www.the-classic-route.com where you can hire a classic Morgan sports car from the British owners and tour the delightful roads of SouthWest France(32 Haute Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees).

And in Brittany (and  other locations including Paris and Amboise) you can hire and drive classic Citroen TAs with Vintage Roads

It is not a static collection of boats on display but rather lively fleets and crews in action… offering genuine scenes and the authentic ambiance of a port in full operation.
From morning till night, hundreds of sailboats, all different, cast off, sail and race, then they return to the harbour, with thousands of sailors onboard. Nautical activities, spontaneous or organised, follow one after the other within the harbour shelter, to the great delight of visitors on the quays…

A few days earlier the Tour de France cycle race starts its 3 week ride in Brest with the accompanying celebrations.

For more on the Mariticme Festival see www.brest2008.fr
For more on the Tour de France see www.letour.fr

For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com

For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com

For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/

For coverage on ITV see www.itv.com

Regional influences
Each region of France has ingredients, recipes and style of cooking specific to that region. Although they may be exported to other regions of France (and the world), production is largely local and consumption is highest in the region of origin. For example, in Provence the food typically features olive oil, herbs and tomatoes; these are all locally produced and they feature in a surprising large variety of different recipes.
The evolution of regional cooking styles has been influenced by:
• Local availability. The French, a nation of gourmets, prefer to use local ingredients. Consequently, coastal regions (such as Brittany and Normandy, on the northwest coast of France) will favor sea fish and will use it more often and in more varied ways than inland areas. Likewise, areas where fruit or herbs grow easily, will incorporate these into their local cuisine.
• Neighbouring countries and immigration. Near the borders with other countries, the local cuisine incorporates certain dishes and ingredients of the neighbouring countries. It is not surprising to find Italian dishes near the Italian border. More notably, the French region of Alsace is similar to Germany in its food (sauerkraut is popular) and wine, partly due to it currently bordering on Germany and partly due to it having been part of Germany at various points in its history (the border has moved back and forth with various wars). In parts of the south which have a large North African immigrant population one can enjoy the cuisine which they have imported from their original countries.
• History and economic conditions. The culture, lifestyle and economic conditions over a long period of time have formed the development of local food traditions. The rich meat dishes and cream sauces of Burgundy are not only due to Burgundian excellence in raising cattle, but in large part to the economic prosperity of this region over several centuries. On the other hand, mountain regions excel in firm cheeses, which allow food to be preserved over the long and difficult winters, and can be produced from mountain livestock which historically were the main means of support for many families in economically limited areas.
Of course, throughout France one can find a range of dishes, both in restaurants and at home, which extends well beyond regional specialities. However, at the same time, the regional influences in terms of ingredients and style of cooking is marked. Consequently, for those who move to France, the choice of region will influence the types of food one will find.
Italian Influence
Culinary historians generally associate the development of high cuisine in France (as opposed to the existing rural traditions) with the marriage in 1533 of Catherine De Medicis (a Florentine princess) to Henry duc d’Orleans (who became King Henry II or France). At this point, France was not know for its food or food culture. Catherine brought an entourage of Italian chefs with her to France, who introduced to France a variety of dishes, food preparation and dining practices. Although France and Italy obviously have evolved very different food cultures, both before and since this contribution, much of France’s current food culture can be traced back to this time.

Cooking styles
As discussed above, each region of France has its own distinctive traditions in terms of ingredients and preparation. On top of this, there are three general approaches which compete with each other:
• Classical French cuisine (also known in France as cuisine bourgeoise). This includes all the classical French dishes which were at one time regional, but are no longer specifically regional. Food is rich and filling, with many dishes using cream-based sauces.
• Haute cuisine is classical French cuisine taken to its most sophisticated and extreme. Food is elegant, elaborate and generally rich. Meals tend to be heavy, especially due to the use of cream and either large portions or many smaller portions. There is a strong emphasis on presentation (in particular, vegetables tend to be cut with compulsive precision and uniformity). The finest ingredients are used, and the meal is correspondingly expensive.
• Cuisine Nouvelle. This style developed in the 1970s, as a reaction against the classical school of cooking. The food is simpler and lighter. Portions are smaller and less rich; the heavy cream sauces of the classical approach are particularly avoided. Cooking is less elaborate and quicker, with more emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients.
• Cuisine du terroir. This focuses on regional specialities and is somewhat more rustic in nature. Local produce and food traditions are the main focus.
Each of these traditions is strongly represented in France, each having its supporters and specialist restaurants. At the moment, Cuisine Nouvelle is less popular than it was, while Cuisine du terroir has grown in popularity in recent years.
For more on French Food see Doug Stweart’s site at www.france-property-and-information.com/easy-french-food-recipes.htm

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

I suspect that many visitors tend to dismiss these coasts and hurtle south for more hedonistic resorts, but when the weather is friendly there are some great beaches and interesting resorts, stretching from west of Dunkerque all the way along to St Malo and the Brittany peninsula.

For more info see www.royalacademy.org.uk where you can also download a podcast about this exhibition, and enter a prize draw to win a luxury break in Normandy!

Unfortunatelty in this instance the steamroller that is the EU cannot be blamed, as it is internal squabbling between small local producers and the big dairy companies.

Camembert is the king of Normandy cheeses, made from cows milk to produce a soft round cheese with a soft white rind.

The raw milk version has a richer flavour and better texture than the pasteurised version, which is the most common. However, because the milk in the tradtional version is unpasteurised, there is a small risk of food poisoning, particularly for the young, old and infirm. Fortunately to date, the raw milk version has not been banned in the interests of health and safety, but this spat between producers cannot help.

However, here is some advice from the Independent:

* How do you know when a Camembert is ready to eat?

The traditional saying in Normandy is that “a ripe camembert squeezes like a woman’s breast”. But there is a more scientific test.

* Cut into the cheese and look at the width of the crusty layer in the centre. If it is “as thick as a knife blade”, the camembert is perfect. If it is thicker, the cheese is not quite at its best. If there is no crusty layer, it is a little too ripe.

* A Camembert should always be stored upside down, to preserve the beauty of the top of the cheese when served. Ideally, a camembert should never be put in the fridge. If you do, take it out at least an hour before eating.

* Gourmets say that the best time for eating Camembert is during the late spring and early summer. This means that you will then be eating, via the cow and the factory, the rich flush of Norman spring grass.

For more info on Camembert, see the website of producer Fromagerie Gillot

Recommended Reading: French Cheese (Eyewitness Companions)
French Cheese / Les Frommages 2002

LINKS:
Seine-Maritime departement

From June to 1 September 2007 (and again in 2009 and 2011) the Loire Estuary Project 2007 will link St Nazaire and Nantes with a series of 40 art installations along the river bank (some even in the water) including a massive duck (25 metres high) experimental architecture, dramatic water features and a floating house, all of which can be viewed free of charge – or take to the river for a 3-hour boat cruise with audio tour.

Visit the website (below) for a good video of the stretch of river between these two locations.

LINKS
For more info see www.estuaire.info
Nantes Tourism
St Nazaire Tourist Office site for lots of maritime history

RECOMMENDED READING

Brittany Green Guide (Michelin Green Guides)

The crossing takes place on board an extremely quick and comfortable new ship – the Seven Sisters – chartered from our sister company Transmanche Ferries.

The crossing takes 5 hours (all local times):-
Daily from Newhaven at 12h30 arriving at 18h30 in Le Havre
Daily from Le Havre at 20h00 arriving at midnight in Newhaven

LD Lines also run a service from Portsmouth to Le Havre.

Le Havre is to my mind something of an eyesore – probably because I really do not like masses of concrete, which was all the vogue in the 1950s. Le Havre was devastated in the Second World War and was totally rebuilt by Auguste Perret, who was also responsible for another of my pet hates – the stark Tour Perret in Amiens, which to my view seriously detracts from a splendid Gothic Cathedral which should be the focal point of the skyline. But what do I know, as Perret’s Le Havre is now designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site!!:-

The site forms the administrative, commercial and cultural centre of Le Havre. Amongst many reconstructed cities, Le Havre is exceptional for its unity and integrity. It combines a reflection of the earlier pattern of the town and its extant historic structures with the new ideas of town planning and construction technology. It is an outstanding post-war example of urban planning and architecture based on the unity of methodology and the use of prefabrication, the systematic utilization of a modular grid, and the innovative exploitation of the potential of concrete.

LINKS:-
LD Lines
Unesco World Heritage Site
Le Havre Tourism

RECOMMENDED READING:-

The French Cafe

Brittany Green Guide (Michelin Green Guides)

Normandy Green Guide (Michelin Green Guides)

Along with the Brie, Camembert is probably the best known French cheese, and is similar in style being a soft cows milk cheese with a rind. Brie comes from the area south and east of Paris, whereas Camembert is from the west. It was created during the French Revolution in Normandy with its mild climate and lush pasture and those typical black and white cows! The invention of the wooden Camembert box in the 1890s made it easier to transport and handle, and being in smaller rounds than the tradtional Brie it is more often bought as a whole cheese. The traditional, full favoured Camembert can be made from pasteurised or unpasteurised milk (the latter thought to be richer in taste) and has a rich, buttery taste, and a characteristic lactic flavour. Choosing a perfect Camembert cheese is quite a skill – test for a slight springiness to the texture and a soft white mould on the rind. Inside it should be a creamy yellow with the centre just slightly ligher in colour and a little firmer. Best of all buy from a cheesemonger who knows his/her cheeses!

Links
Fromagerie Lepetit has a great little website – but only in French!
Vimoutiers Tourist Office has info on the region and the race

RECOMMENDED READING
Normandy Green Guide (Michelin Green Guides)
French Cheese (Eyewitness Companions)

Rennes (35 Ile-et-Villaine, Bretagne) 13-15 April 2007
Lyon (69 Rhône, Rhône-Alpes) 25-29 October 2007
Reims (51 Marne, Champagne-Ardenne) 9-12 November 2007
Lille (59 Nord, Nord Pas-de- Calais)16-19 November 2007
Paris (Porte de Versailles) 22-26 November 2007

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