The festival celebrates the piercing or tapping of the barrels of the Jura’s famous “Yellow Wine” (vin jaune) which has spent 6 years and 3 months maturing, to enable the vintage from 6 years ago to be bottled, sold and enjoyed for many, many years to come.

British locals John & Carolyn Scallan run a B&B (Chambres d’Hote) at Sens-sur-Seille  and have put together a special weeked offer for the Festival which includes a special Jura Discovery dinner and transport to and from the Festival. With their local knowledge of wine, food, markets and things to see this would be a great way of getting the very best out of the Festival and learning more about the local wines and region – all at a bargain price:-

Come and spend the weekend discovering the wines and foods of the Jura region, meet the producers and enjoy the festival, on a specially arranged weekend break, which includes two nights bed and breakfast accommodation in our comfortable B&B, a special Jura Discovery dinner on Fridaynight, and transport to and from the Percée festival on Saturday.
PROGRAMME

Friday evening, arrive and check into your room here in Sens sur Seille. Rooms will be available from 4pm onwards. Freshen up and then at 7pm join us for a special Jura Discovery dinner, with an introduction to different Jura wines from different producers, carefully matched with each course.
Saturday morning, after a copious breakfast, feel free to discover the local market in St Germain du Bois. 11.30am leave for the Percée festival – transport is provided.
6pm return transportation
The evening is free for you to try one of the excellent local restaurants. There are 2 here in the village, and several more in the nearby towns.
Sunday, depart after yet another copious breakfast.
PRICE PER PERSON €82
Price includes 2 nights bed and breakfast accommodation (based on two people sharing a double room) special dinner on Friday night (wines included) and transport to and from the wine festival.
Not included: Transport to Sens sur Seille, entry to the wine festival (€11), other meals.
Additional nights may be booked at a discount to the normal room rate. Please ask for more information.

For more info and an enquiry form CLICK HERE

Montrachet boasts two Grand Cru vineyards – Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet – and then there is neighbouring village of Puligny-Montrachet. These vineyards produce some of the most expensive and long-lived white wines in the world – here the Chardonnay grape is supreme,  although red wine is also made from the Pinot Noir grape.

For the weekend the village opens all its cellars for tastings; food stalls adorn the streets for snails, cheese, charcuterie and other burgundian gastronomic delights; a church service, parade and intronisation (induction)  ceremony – a lively scene in this otherwise  sleepy wine village.

For more info see www.st-vincent-tournante.fr

With stalls, music, tastings and a demonstration of blackcurrant pressing this should be fun – see www.lacabotte.com

For more info see www.route-des-grands-crus-de-bourgogne.com

When gathered, the grape is covered by a grey dusty bloom like smokey ashes from the fire. When the grape picker throws the grape into the basket, a cloud of microscopic spores is released, looking like smoke. It is also true that the grape is covered with tiny black dots, making it look “smokey”

It is important not to confuse Pouilly-Fumé (Loire Sauvignon) with Pouilly-Fuissé which is made from Chardonnay in southern Burgundy – or the local Poully-sur-Loire which is made from the Chasselas grape.

For more info see www.ot-pouillysurloire.fr

Why Eastern Burgundy? An opportunity to get the best of both worlds – within easy distance of the classic treasures of Burgundy and the famous Burgundy vineyards whilst also exploring some of the lesser-known delights of the region which most visitors by-pass on the way south.
This is a wonderful area. Burgundy is rightly world famous for its wines and countryside but try the Jura. Most people have only heard of it through Jurassic era rocks & Jurassic Park films. John & Carolyn Scallan fell in love with it. Join them, you won’t regret it.

Where to stay: Le Bourg B&B in Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone-et-Loire) is is run by John & Carolyn Scallan who are English but happy to live in France, – a good job as they’ve been here for 6 years now.
4 bedrooms, all en-suite, and each with their own individual design welcome you. Two doubles, one twin and a family room for up to four. Evening meals can be arranged using as much as possible from theirur own garden.! Breakfasts with home made jams and PROPER marmalade, served on the terrace when fine.

Nearest Town: Chalons-sur-Saone (40km); Arlay (16km), Louhans (18km)

Where to eat? If not at the B&B, then the Hotel St Germain in nearby St.Germain du Bois (6 kms). Good French restaurant, very popular with the locals and ex-pat Swiss who always know good value when it is around. Salads and good main courses. The 24 Euro menu is always great. It MAY JUST be possible  to give you a lift and pick you up later to help you “enjoy” the meal.

Where to eat (gourmet):
Les Trois Colombes just 300 metres from us. Run by two Swiss ladies this is a real treat. High quality food in calm and beautiful surrondings. The menu featuring “les trois filets” is superb.

Where to eat (value for money):
La Siesta Pizzeria in Bletterans (10 kms) Good value, great atmosphere and an all round enjoyable time. Proper size chips as well, not the thin “allumettes”. The Chicken Liver salad as a starter sets the tone. They do takeaways as well and, the height of nouvelle technologie they’ve got a “Pizzamatic”! A genuine Hole in the wall Pizza machine! Credit card in, choose your pizza (or two etc) and wait. Three minutes later the first will arrive and so on piping hot and in it’s own box – the wonders of technology!

Local food:
This region of France is called the Bresse and is famed for it’s poultry. Poulet de Bresse in Vin Jaune with Morilles is the region’s signature dish. Featuring the chicken (specially reared, free range chickens) and a sauce made of local mushrooms and the stunning powerhouse wine of nearby (4 kms) Jura.

Local wine:
Obviously Burgundy. Beaune is 40 kms away and could lead you into serious trouble with your bank manager but it would be worth it. For a more affordable Burgundy try the Hautes Cotes du Nuits and Hautes Cotes du Beaune or the Cote Chalonnaise. The owners have contacts in all. For something different; head eastwards into the Jura and try their wines. The Vin Jaune (see above) is one of a range of amazing and highly individual wines from this smallest of wine regions. The owners of the B&B have contacts with several winemakers and can easily arrange tastings. The local Cremant (champagne but not allowed to call it that) from friends the Chevassus is stunning. Try it.

Local markets:
St Germain du Bois (6 kms) on Saturday Morning (0900 – 1200) is a traditional morning market. Fruit & veg stalls, clothes, cheese (the B&B gets its cheese from here) butchery etc etc. The rotisserie chicken lady does a mean chicken with onions, tomatoes & gravy and a loaf of bread from either of the bakeries in the town with perhaps something naughty for pudd………..
Chalon sur Saone on Sunday morning. Mainly food market in the St. Vincent square. The cathedral dominates the sqaure and the market bustles along throughout the morning. Take a stroll through the old town, have a drink and watch the world go by.
On Monday morning, Louhans has the largest market in the area, taking up the whole of the town centre, with food, clothing and household goods and livestock too.

Must see:
The Hotel Dieu in Beaune is spectacular, open all year from 9am to 6pm (closes for lunch only in mid-winter).
The Chateau d’Arlay is open during June to September for visitors or all year long for it’s wine.
The Burgundy winerouteTouristique des Grands Crus) is like driving through all the most famous names on a wine list!
(Route The Jura countryside whose stunning scenery, including lakes, rivers, waterfalls, caves, vineyards, abbeys and castles.

The Jura Wine Route (route des vins de Jura) – “stretching over the 80 kilometres of sunny slopes called “the Revermont”, you will find an area rich in character that will reveal to you all it’s treasures. Exceptional wines, beautiful countryside, enchanting villages, gastronomy of the highest order and many other activities which promise all manner of good things.”

The hilltop village of Chateau Chalon.

For something very different, how about lunch, a bit of culture, shopping and something for the kids all in one place? Sounds good? It’s at the local motorway service station!! No kidding! Just ask for details!

A bit of culture?
Chateau de Pierre de Bresse has a local museum and lots to do for a morning or afternoon.
The photography museum in Chalon sur Saone is worth seeing for some of it’s temporary exhibitions.
The Hospice de Beaune (see above) is really well worth visiting
La Maison de la Haute Seille is a new museum of the region aound Chateau Chalon with lots to do (open Sat & Sun from 9 to 12 and 2 to 6) . They are slowly getting the English translation sorted out for all of the panels and, hopefully, the audio side of things.
The abbey at Baume Les Messieurs….. we could go on and on!

Somewhere for a walk?
Loads of quiet roads, paths, and marked routes. There are details of some in the Jura and a lot of local maps at the B&B

Something for the kids?
Lac Chalain about 30 kms. Beaches, entertainment and the like.
The Aurochs farm (www.ferme-auroch.com) ,(auroch= an ancient breed of cattle) near the Cascades des Herisson about 40 kms. Rare breed cattle, bison, Aurochs and, somewhat bizzarely, Dalmations.
Visit a snail farm. Bet you didn’t expect that! July & Aug are best for this, it can be arranged by the B&B
Or how about a river cruise on the Saone, with commentary by the English speaking captain and co-owner

Getting there?
Car is best. (more room to take the wine home.) The B&B is about 410 miles south of the Channel ports. From Calais etc, head for Reims, then Troyes, Dijon. Take A36 to the A39 and come off at junction 8. Remember a map or the GPS co-ordinates above. Otherwise, Sens-sur-Seille is between an hour and a half and two hours from both Lyon and Geneva airports, with low-cost flights from all over the UK

Getting around:
A car, frankly, is essential here. There are bikes available for hire so that the fitter amongst you can get a healthy buzz. If you let the B&B know the day before they can arrange a picnic lunch and recommend routes which are quiet and relatively flat to amble along. Should you be of a more Tour de France disposition there are longer routes of over 100 kms as well!

When to come?:
June through to September is best with the Montgolfiades Hot air Balloon festival in early June
Chalon dans la Rue festival of street theatre in July
Jazz festivals; Water festivals and a whole range of other festivals taking place over the summer months.
Late september is usually harvest time and the vineyards are alive with people picking grapes.
October things start to quieten down a bit. In November there is the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau in Beaujeu (about 75 mins away). Great fun and the wines is usually very good. The weekend after that is the Beaune wine festival where the great and the good get together to sort out the price of this years vintage Burgundies. The first weekend in February is the big wine festival in the Jura where about 80 winemakers gather together and celebrate the new vintage Vin Jaune (it’s had 6 years maturing in its barrels and is adjudged ready). Lots of other smaller festivals dotted around the year

For a longer stay?:
Louhans (about 10 miles away) has a market on Mondays all through the year. In summer it totally dominates the town. All the usual items plus hardware, fashion and livestock. Get there fairly early to get a good parking spot!
Go wine-tasting at a local producer (or two). John & Carolyn have lots of contacts in the business and can set these up and sometimes accompany you. Visit the Jura wines website www.laroutedesvinsdujura.com for information on lots of small events in the region.
There’s a tasting evening every Tuesday in season in nearby Lavigny that’s great fun but best if your French is fairly reasonable.

For more info on Le Bourg B&B see  Le Bourg B&B or use the enquiry form below.

For more info on the local area see the local tourist office websites at Tourisme Jura or Tourisme Saone-et-Loire

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Map showing the location of Sens-sur-Seille

The Chalon-sur-Saone  Ballloon Festival  (71 Saone-et-Loire, Burgundy) takes place from 30 May to 1 June 2009.

This event centres around the Cote Chalonnaise as the balloonists are all lodged in with vignerons. The Saturday night flights all start from their respective villages to cover the Cote with colour. We can cater for those who wish to see the morning flights at 0630, Saturday, Sunday & Monday with flasks of coffee and the like for their departure at 0545 and then a proper breakfast, should they wish, on return. The Sunday evening flight is always worth attending with a mass take off from the St Nicolas “prairie”. You’ll be able to watch the colour and pop into the nearby Rue de Strasbourg (Chalon’s restaurant road) for a meal (booking advisable!)

For more info see www.montgolfiades71.com.

For a good B&B within reach of Chalon there is a special offer for FrenchDuck readers from John and Carolyn Scallan who own a B&B at
Sens-sur-Seille, and who can offer visitors tons of advice and knowledge about the region and its wines:-

With the current weakness of the pound against the Euro we’re trying to help those in the UK come here and learn about the Jura especially.

Stay with us for four nights B&B AND have a special meal tasting a variety of different Jura wines on the Monday night. The normal cost would be 278 Euros for two people sharing. As an offer to French Duck readers we’ll reduce the price to 240 Euros. That’s about 15% off. We can arrange for wine tastings at a variety of vignerons, possibly accompany our guests as well. It MAY be possible to act as chauffeur as well to help really enjoy the day.

For more info on the B&B see our property site at http://frenchduck.co.uk/

17-19 April 2009 at the Parc des Expositions in Macon, costing 5€uro including a free glass.

For more info see www.concours-des-vins.com/

A fruitful alliance between village and parsleyed Ham – discover the village and take a gastronomic tour in its streets. There will also be crafts,entertainment and snacks with regional dishes and rapid restauration

Bouzeron AC is in the Cotes Challonais in southern Burgundy, but unlike most of its neighbours is focussed on producing white wines based on the Aligoté grape.

See www.burgundy-wines.fr
What’s more it can come from one of my favourite Burgundy negociants at Faiveley

There are numerous starting points ranging from Oslo to Barcelona and Turin. finally coming together for the last section down across the Alps to Monte Carlo. Strasbourg, Reims, Perpignan, Narbonne, Beaune and Avignon are all on one of the various routes which the classic cars will pass through – the cars all being models which participated in the Monte Carlo Rally proper between 1955 and 1980.

Over 120 cars will leave the Cathedral Square in Reims on the evening of Friday 30 January 2009.

For more info see www.acm.mc

For Reims see www.reims-tourism.com/

Most of the cross-channel ferry companies were in evidence, a sprinking of french food stalls and a good range of seminars and demonstrations, music, dancing (including the CanCan! and boules!

Perhaps the most surprising proposition was the idea of running your own British Supermarket in France! with Thomas Green. There are already 4 such franchises in France (in Paris, Lille, Strasbourg and Toulouse) selling delicacies such as Crumpets, Bovril and McVities’s Jamaica Ginger Cake!

A surprise was finding a stand for a rather nice hotel I stayed in at Servian near Pezenas – la Roque Margaux – excellent rooms and food, superb service – and well-situated for visits to the Languedoc vineyards.

Another temptation was VeloVelo.co.uk who offer “deliberately serene” cycling tours in Burgundy. And for a touch of nostalgia there was a display of classic Renault cars from the Renault Classic Car Club.

Just a small selection of the ideas on offer.

Vin Jaune (Yellow Wine) are unique and are the only wines in the world to develop such an aromatic palette during the aging process. This rare nectar, with remarkable character, is set off to best advantage in a 62cl bottle called a Clavelin,which fits it perfectly.
Aged in oak barrels for 6 years and 3 months, it takes its time to concentrate the unique aromas of the original Savagnin grape variety, which gave it birth. The permeabilty of the barrel lets part of the wine evaporate. As no interference is allowed, the barrel is not, therefore, completely full and a veil of
natural yeast forms on the surface of the wine. Carefully watched over by the winemaker, the yellow wine gradually acquires the qualities and aromas which are so special to it.

The festivities include open days at the various wine cellars in the region, a procession, an “intronisation” ceremony, charity auction and cookery competition

For more info see www.percee-du-vin-jaune.com/

A good starting point for getting to know the region and its wines could be John & Carolyn Scallan at their B&B at Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone et Loire, Bourgogne) – and you get local advice on where to go in English!

For more info on the B&B use the form below:-

cforms contact form by delicious:days

The organisers claim that this year’s Dijon Christmas has been completetly re-vamped with a re-newed emphasise on local produce – not difficult in such an abundant region with its wines, cheeses and other gourmet offerings.

For more info see www.dijon-tourism.com

Buy Posters at AllPosters.com

Dijon mustard is essentially a blend of brown and white mustard seeds mixed with wine vinegar. Purists argue that only wine vinegar made from good wine will do, and that cheaper wines produce poorer mustards. 

Generally if a mustard is called “a l’Ancienne” it is a wholegrain mustard as distinct from a smooth mustard which tends to affect the texture rather than the taste.

The other well-known French mustard is from Meaux (77 Seine et Marne, Ile de France) the same area as the Brie de Meaux cheese – unfortunately they do not go well together! Here Pommery produce a mustard with additional spices (secret recipe of course) as a wholegrain mustard in distinctive earthenware crocks with a cork stopper – always looks good on the table.

Maille still has a boutique shop in Dijon at 32, rue de la Liberté – and one in Paris at 6, place de la Madeleine
in the 8th arrondisement – close to those other foodie meccas of Fauchon and  Hediard.

For more info on Maille, its range of products and shops see http://www.maille.com

English mustard is ground mustard seed which is made into a paste often with just water, or sometimes beer or cider. It is much hotter than French mustard, and the best known example is Coleman’s in the bright yellow tin – Colemans is also owned by Unilever!

With lots of razzamataz, commercial sponsorship, scandal and sporting achievement, it is a spectacle well worth seeing – especially as it is free. However, the downside is that the Tour can cause major disruption with roads closed for hours, hordes of people and traffic – and all hotel rooms along the route booked.
In 2009 the tour starts in Monaco on 4 July 2009, travels down the Mediterranean coast into Spain to Barcelona – then up through Andorra to the Pyrenees. With a skip to Central France the route heads east through northern Burgundy to Alsace, south the the Alpes and then heads for Paris and the final stage which finishes on the Champs Elysees on 26 July 2009.
Sat 4 July Monaco
Sun 5 July Monaco > Brignoles
Mon 6 July Marseille > La Grande-Motte
Tue 7 July Montpellier
Wed 8 July Le Cap d’Agde > Perpignan
Thu 9 July Gérona > Barcelona (Spain)
Fri 10 July Barcelona > Andorra
Sat 11 July Andorra> Saint-Girons
Sun 12 July Saint-Gaudens > Tarbes
Mon 13 July rest day – Limoges
Tue 14 July Limoges > Issoudun
Wed 15 July Vatan > Saint-Fargeau
Thu 16 July Tonnerre > Vittel
Fri 17 July Vittel > Colmar
Sat 18 July Colmar > Besançon
Sun 19 July Pontarlier > Verbier
Mon 20 July rest day – Verbier
Tue 21 July Martigny > Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Wed 22 July Bourg-Saint-Maurice > Le Grand-Bornand
Thu 23 July Annecy > Annecy
Fri 24 July Bourgoin-Jallieu > Aubenas
Sat 25 July Montélimar > Mont Ventoux
Sun 26 July Montereau-Fault-Yonne > Paris Champs-Élysées

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

Rural France suffers many of the same problems of rural depopulation and poverty as the UK, but the maintenance of a good, reliable and affordable local train service makes a huge difference to the viability of the local community, and provides some of the “glue” that ensures its survival. And this is not a second-rate service, with delapidated rolling stock and surly staff.

French railways (state owned SNCF) has three levels – TGV which provides the impressive network of high speed trains between major cities, SNCF which provides the main inter-city and inter-departmental routes, and then the TER, the local network of lines.

And that elusive “joined-up thinking” seems to have been employed too, as the Region Bourgogne and the Departement of the Yonne, have also invested in the development of a tarmac cycle track alongside the Canal du Nivernais from Auxerre to Clamecy (almost complete), which being flat is a joy to ride. And you can put your bike on the TER train service which generally follows the canal.

From the hillsides of the Auxerre to the Vales of the Yonne, Clamecy-Auxerre is a wonderful route of some 62 kilometres along the Valley of the Yonne. Because it runs for the most part along the tow path of the Nivernais Canal, there are not too many hills to climb, making it ideal for a quiet family bike ride.
The Nivernais Canal, built at the end of the 18th and the start of the 19th century, runs from Auxerre to Decize, linking the Seine basin to the Loire basin. Like all the smaller canals, it has been deserted by commercial barges, which have given way to pleasure cruisers from around the world who are attracted to its route through the beautiful countryside, the quality of its engineering work and the charm of the towns and villages it runs through.

For more info on trains see TER BOURGOGNE (in French)

For more info on the Yonne and the Canal du Nivernais see YONNE TOURISME

If you are looking for a house to stay in the region we can recommend the English-owned The French House at Vincelottes

Some of the first wooden wine presses in France were constructed here in the 13th Century, and some of them are huge – capable of grapes to produce 23,000 litres of wine!

Over the three days they get one of these mighty machines working (it is harvest time after all) and supply the usual jollity, ceremony, music, dancing and the opportuinity to try good local food and wine!

For more info see www.ville-chenove.fr

Of course, in the meantime, the popularity of Beaujolais Nouveau has plummeted, so much so that it can be difficult to find in the UK, and many wine merchants do not bother to import it. Our tastes have changed in the last 36 years and we now have such a wide range of more interesting and better value wines to choose from. The tragedy is that much in the way that Liebfraumilch tarnished the image of much better German wines, so Nouveau led consumers to avoid proper Beaujolais, which whilst still a ligher fruitier style than say Syrah, can nevertheless offer some classy drinking and some wines of depth and complexity.

However, there is still a celebration of Nouveau and its Anglo-French tradition with a charity event using classic British cars, and focussed more on fundraising and the shortest distance rather than speed. The only drawback of this approach is that many classic sports cars have precious little boot space for those cases of wine!

In 2006, by kind permission by Lord March, The Beaujolais Run® made its spiritual home at Goodwood. In the same year, the event became a five day event showcasing the best the UK and France has to offer. Hackett is synonymous with this as overall event sponsor.

For 2008 The Beaujolais Run® hits London and Paris. Starting by kind permission of Sir Terence Conran from Bibendum in Kensington. The ‘Run then halts in Paris for a reception at the British Embassy before the following day sees the navigational shoot out at the heart of the event en route to Macon. A black tie prize giving dinner awaits competitors in Paris on the return leg, before returning to London to light up the King Road to celebrate the return of the new harvest.

The Beaujolais Run ® has evolved to become a navigational shoot out over a cryptic checkpoint course in deepest Burgundy. This format ensures Austin and Aston, Jaguar and Jalpa and Porsche and Prius can compete on a level playing field. Maps, Sat Nav and Laptops are all acceptable modes of navigation on the event. Teams compete for the honour of achieving P1 on the grid the following year (highest fundraising team) and P2, the team that covers the shortest distance on the navigational trial.

For more info on The Beaujolais Run ® see www.beaujolaisrun.com

For 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau day is Thursday 21 November 2008. A reliable supplier of decent Beaujolais and Beaujolais Nouveau is Nick Dobson Wines

UPDATE – I hear from Ed Green that there is at least one other Beaujolais event:-

Hackett is not the only “Charity Bojolly Run”. We have been running an event for over 20 years and for the past decade we have offered Quality Crus to match trhe Crews and Cruise. We run our event from deep in Beaujolais (Blace to be precise)and use local producers including those in Fleurie. Hackett is an event for the well heeled who can afford anythingand they don’t seem to actually go into Beuajolais (ie they stop in Macon and Paris?). Our event will be covering the Beaujolais Crus and making a visit to Champagne while working for two charities. Anyone interested in the 2009 event – get in touch with me (tedgreen49@yahoo.co.uk). And furthermore it is NOT a race. It’s a navigation skills event.

The Telegraph (19 Aug 08) includes a boat trip up the Rhone Valley as one of its top 10 river cruises:

Navigating France’s mightiest river is a favourite for wine aficionados and foodies. A cruise through Burgundy and Provence gives you the chance to visit vineyards (think Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape), explore Lyon – the gourmet capital of France – and enjoy historic towns such as the fortified city of Avignon and the Roman ruins in Arles. The countryside is equally superb: its fields of lavender and sunflowers were an inspiration for artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, and as the river drains into the Mediterranean you’ll see the famous white horses of the Camargue.

The route includes many worthwhile stops for visits to suit all tastes, but it is also remarkably rich in potential wine visits as you’ll pass through appellations such as Costieres de Nimes, Cotes du Rhone (north and south), Lirac, Tavel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, St Joseph and Hermitage – and if you branch onto the River Saone north of Lyon you can explore Beuajolais and southern Burgundy!

It should come as little surprise that rivers and canals tend to offer good access to good vineyards – vines often grow best on the steep valley sides with their good drainage and aspect to the sun.

A more modest trip than the Rhone, could be a canal trip from Auxerre (89 Yonne, Burgundy) close to Chablis and down the Canal de Bourgogne to Dijon and the Burgundy vineyards; or a trip down the Canal Lateral de la Loire for Sancerre AC, Pouilly-Fumé and Coteaux Giennois. By using the Canal du Nivernais and the Canal de Briare you could even manage a circular route via Auxerre.

Of course, Rick Stein’s French Odyssey was based on a canal trip along the Canal du Midi and the Canal Lateral de la Garonne and included the vineyards of Bordeaux, Cotes du Marmandais, Buzet, Fronton, Minervois, Corbieres and the Coteaux du Languedoc.

For another set of options try Hilary Wright’s book Water into Wine: A Wine Lover’s Journey Through The Waterways of France which also includes itineraries in the lower Loire. Cognac, Alsace, Lorraiine and the Lot.

For more info on the canals of France see the website for VNF (Voies Navigable de la France) now much improved and in English!

….It’s good to visit them, too, to get to grips with the subject properly. They need all the allies they can get in the battle against industrial dairy plastic. They’re also to be found in some of the remotest, greenest and loveliest bits of France. Here are five of our favourites. All have an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée), which, as with wine, means that the item has to come from where it has always come from and be made as it has always been made. All will be glad to see you (and your money). Naturally, they might still drive you crackers with purple prose. You’ll just have to live with that. We’re travelling north to south.

So his tour encompasses Camembert (61 Orne, Normandy), Munster (68 Haut Rhin, Alsace), Epoisses (21 Cote d’Or, Burgundy), Comté (39 Jura, Franche-Comté) and the Auvergne which includes Saint Nectaire (63 Puy de Dome, Auvergne) – all of which are in beautiful parts of France and well worth a visit.

In the Auvergne there is a signposted Cheese route (Route des Fromages) - you can download a map and details at www.fromages-aoc-auvergne.com

In the Jura there is a Cheese Trail - details of creameries and farms open to visitors can be seen at www.lesroutesducomte.com

If you cannot get out to the farm, then these are French Cheese shops we can recommend:-

Fromagerie Marie-Anne Cantin, 12 rue du Champ de Mars PARIS – just off rue Cler in the 7th arrondisement – an overwhelming selection of delicious cheeses – very professional but also very helpful – also run tasting sessions.

To guide you in this wide field of cheese gastronomy Marie Anne Cantin and her husband Antoine Dias offer you tasting sessions.
According to the seasons , they will have you discover the different families of cheeses, their history, their making process , their character and particular flavour. You will learn how to choose your cheeses, eat, present and keep them.

Cremerie Marty Patrick, 160 rue Nationale CAHORS (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) – excellent choice, also includes butter, cream and fresh pasta (see video)

Jura Wine is a specialist independent wine merchant in Birmingham who specialises in the wines of the Jura – and specifically the wines of Domaine Tissot.

Jurawine collects the wines in person from our supplier, Domaine Tissot and arranges courier delivery to you throughout the UK.
Jura is part of the region known as Franche Comte and lies in eastern central France between Burgundy & Switzerland. This beautiful area has fine gastronomic traditions, including unusual wine festivals

Specialities of the region include “Vin de Paille” (straw wine), where the grapes are laid out on straw mats to shrivel and concentrate the juices producing delicious, long-lasting sweet wines; and Vin Jaune (yellow wine) which is made from Savignin grapes in a manner similar to Sherry!
Jura Wine - , 1 Augusta Rd, Acocks Green, BIRMINGHAM, B27 6LA
E-Mail: jurae@jurawine.com Tel: 0121 243 4042 Mbl: 07850 845518 Fax: 07092 888372

Another merchant who specialises in Jura & neighbouring Arbois wines (and others including Gaillac and Languedoc) is Devigne Wines (and Confit Direct) in Edinburgh (Tel: 0131 664 9058
Fax: 05600 756287, info@devignewines.co.uk)

A good starting point for getting to know the region and its wines could be John & Carolyn Scallan at their B&B at Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone et Loire, Bourgogne)

See our customised, searchable map of the region

For more info on the wines of the Jura see the official Wines of the Jura site

It is also known as the “Race to the Sun” and extends over 1200 km in the week.

After a time trial (prologue) on Sunday 9 March, the route heads south through Nevers (58 Nievre, Burgundy) via Sancerre, then across to Beaujolais (Belleville, 69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) and Fleurie and on to Saint Etienne (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes).

After a transfer down to Montelimar (26 Drome, Rhone-Alpes) the race then heads for the Alps via Mont Ventoux, Althen-les-Paluds (84 Vaucluse, Provence) and onto the Mediterranean coast via Sisteron to Cannes and Nice where the race finishes on 16 March on the Promenade des Anglais.
Even if you are not a cycling fan, the race and its paraphernalia is quite a spectacle and will pass through some glorious countryside.

For more info on the route see www.letour.fr

However there are significant sections of autoroute which are toll free – most often these are around major towns and Cities (Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon etc).

In the North, the A16 is toll-free from Boulogne (J29) to the Belgian border (J36) via Calais and Dunkerque. The A25 from Dunkerque (J20) to Lille is free, so you can reach Lille from the main Channel ports without paying a toll!. Also all routes from Lille to the Belgian border.
The following autoroutes are toll free (as at September 2007)
A16 (part of the Autoroute des Estuaires (estuaries)) from Boulogne-sur-Mer (J29) to the Belgian border(J36)
A20 (L’Occitane) from Vierzon (J6 junction with A71) to Brive-la-Gaillarde (J53) via Chateauroux, Argenton and Limoges
A25 from Dunkerque (J20 with A16) to Lille
A28 from Abbeville (J1) to Rouen (J14)
A30/A31 (Autoroute de la Vallée de la Fensch) from Thionville (J1) to Toul (J12) via Metz and Nancy
A38 from Dijon (J33) to Pouilly-sur-Auxois (J24 and the junction with the A6)
A63 (Autoroute de la Cote Basque) from Bordeaux to Bellin-Bellet (J20)
A64 (la Pyreneenne) from St Martory (J20) to Muret (J25)
A68 (la Tarnaise) from Monastruc (J3 NE of Toulouse) to Albi (J11) via Gaillac
A75 (la Meridienne) from Clermont-Ferrand (J15) to Pezenas (J59) (except for the Millau Bridge) via Issoire
A77 (Autoroute de l’Arbre (trees)) from Pouilly (J26) to Nevers (J37)
A84 from Caen (J46) to Rennes (J25) via Avranches

More than 115 different nationalities will harvest the future 2007 Beaujolais vintage by hand* across the 22,000 ha of vineyards in the region. Although 85% of the pickers are French, the remaining 15% are a truly international group, with workers coming from Turkey, Poland, China, Russia, Albania, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Australia.
47% are under 25, 37% are women, and 90% are lodged and fed by the winegrowers, carrying on a tradition that has been in place for centuries. On average, one grape picker harvests 500kg of grapes per day.

Beaujolais is the only French vineyard (together with Champagne) where hand-picking is the general rule. Beaujolais wines are made from the Gamay grape. Although best known for Beaujolais Nouveau, the region also produces more serious and elegant wines from the various “cru” villages such as Fleurie, Moulin a Vent, Cote de Brouilly.

Recommended producers include Paul Beaudet and Pierre Ferraud.. Nick Dobson stocks a good range of Beaujolais wines in the UK.

For more info on Beaujolais wines see http://www.beaujolais.com

The artist Margaret Loxton is very English, and very Yorkshire – as is her style, but she has neverthess produced some very atmospheric images of France, and particularly French rural life. With her buxom men and women it may be a style you love or hate, but these pictures are so French they could not be anywhere else.

She has a whole series of scenes, including wine-related ones such as the Pavement Café in Riquewihr (68 Haut-Rhin, Alsace) shown above, but also Nuits St Georges (Burgundy) and the Luberon (Provence).

Limited edition prints are available online from La Provence Collections (along with a host of other gift items and fabrics on a Provencal theme) – thet also have a shop on the Square at Stow-in-the-Wold, near Cheltenham, Glos.

If you don’t want a print, you can see some of pictures in her book

Travels Through Burgundy

Few things beat a little local knowledge to point you in the right direction when visiting an unfamiliar region of France. John Scallan who runs a B&B in southern Burgundy reports:-

“Over in the Jura there are things to do. Particularly interesting is a guided wine-tasting through the wines of the Jura in historic Chateau Chalon.

Every Tuesday until 29th August, at 20:30, six vignerons bring one example of their work to a tasting evening. A Professor of wine talks you through the wines of the Jura, their individualities, quirks, and characteristics and how to taste them! How to recognise the alcohol content from swirling the wine around the glass, developing and recognising the aromas, and finally the taste. Once all the theory has been dealt with you get to taste the wines! Much chat, people in the audience being asked their opinion, what can they smell, and or taste in each of six different types of wine.

The range of Jura wines is well covered. You’ll start with a Cremant (Sparkling wine), go next to a Red, either Poulsard, Trousseau (you’ve not heard of those have you) or Rubis (Pinot Noir with Trousseau mix). Following that is a Chardonnay, as unlike a Chablis or Californian Chardonnay as is possible to find, thence to a Chardonnay/Savagnin (yes the spelling is correct) mix which starts you off on the typical Jurascian tastes. Next is the classic Chateau Chalon Vin Jaune. A white wine which positively mugs the unaware. Finishing with a Macvin (mix of Marc du Jura and grape juice).

The whole evening will take about 2 – 2½ hours and costs the princely sum of € 5! (2006 prices, and you get to keep the glass!)
Booking is advised from the Tourist Office in Chateau Chalon infos@hauteseille.com. Good French is definitely helpful but not totally necessary.”

For more info on the B&B in Burgundy see http://www.bandb-burgundy.com/

Burgundy can be a bit confusing, especially when you get beyond the classic (and expensive) prime appellations of the Cote d’Or. Chablis is part of Burgundy to the north, but there is some debate about whether Beaujolais is part of the region to the south. In between are the sub-appellations of the Maconnais and Challonais, which are very much part of Burgundy but produce more affordable wines.

The key characteristics of most Burgundy wines is the predominance of Pinot Noir for red wines and Chardonnay for whites – although less noble grape varieties such as Aligoté do appear.

To confuse things further wines previously known as Macon-Clessé  and Macon-Viré AC have been combined into a new appellation called Viré-Clessé – being the two villages around which the vineyards are spread. The other famous wine from the region is the Pouilly-Fuissé (not to be confused with Pouilly-Fumé, a Loire Sauvignon.)

Hence I was interested to find the Andrew Chapman at Surf4Wine is now stocking a

Viré-Clessé AC  – made from selected parcels of Chardonnay grapes from various producers whose vines range from 15 to 50 years old. – Paul Boutinot Viré-Clessé AC, Reserve Personnelle 2004 (Burgundy) – it is usually a good sign when Surf4Wine stocks something French, as the list is dominated by many superb New World styles:

An oaky chardonnay – but so different in style to the overly-rich and fruity New World styles. This has a concentration of flavour and complexity that came as a delicious surprise. Indeed the oak is evident on the palate but the range of flavours, shere finesse adn style combine in to a delicious wine. Tangerine and orange feature along with a streak of citrus acidity, full buttery mouth-feel and a good long length.

This wine is available from Andrew Chapman at Surf4Wine (£7.25)

For more info on the appellation see http://www.vire-clesse.com/

However there are a number of preserved “tourist” railway lines, which whilst they may at first seem to be for the railway enthusiast, do really offer some great opportunities to view parts of the French landscape from quite a unique (and usually leisurely) perspective.

Some of the best include:-
le Chemin de Fer de la Baie de la Somme in Picardie, running around the bay of the Somme near Abbeville on the Channel coast (steam and diesel)

Chemin de Fer de Provence route which runs from Nice up to DIgne (04 Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur) in Provence through stunning scenery back from the Mediterranean coast – the full journey takes 3½hours each way but you can get off at numerous intermediate stations – at weekends some journeys may be with a steam engine (Train à Vapeur).

Chemin de Fer de Vallée de l’Ouche in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, northwest of Beaune (31 Côte d’Or, Burgundy)

Chemin de Fer de la Mure south of Grenoble, runs from St-Georges-de-Commiers (38 Isèe, Rhône-Alpes) to la Mure using vintage electric engines through some dramatic scenery.

Chemin de Fer du Vivarais in the Ardeche, running from Lamastre (07 Ardeche, Rhône-Alpes) to Tournon along the valley of the River Doux – mainly steam with some vintage diesels.

Chemin de fer Touristique du Haut-Quercy “Le Truffadou” – steam and diesel on a strecth of track in and near Martel (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees)

Train Touristique de l’Albret runs on an old SNCF line from Nerac (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) to Mezin on a tourist train – about 90 minutes running from April to October.

On a different level altogether, SNCF (French National Railways) is rightly proud of its recent world record for a train at 574.8 kilometres per hour (about 360 mph) – so much so that you can see video footage of the record run at www.record2007.com/site/index_en.php – dramatically produced. However, the new trains which are now running on the TGVEst Europeen to Strasbourg, Luxembourg and all points east will work at a mere 200mph!

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