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Burgundy, Bouzeron & Persillé

le duck — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:25:00 +0000

On 5 April 2009 the small village of Bouzeron in Burgundy holds its annual Wine & parsleyed Ham (Jambon Persille) celebration:

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

Holiday ideas for France 2008

le duck — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 09:32:13 +0000

The Telegraph(1 March 2008) offers a list of “50 Spring Breaks” which includes the idea of staying in a modern, well-equipped treehouse in southern Normandy

In the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional du Perche, in southern Normandy, Perché dans le Perche is a treehouse with two bedrooms, a shower, internet access and panoramic views of the countryside.

Situated in the Orne (61 Normandie) not far from Le Mans (72 Sarthe, Pays de la Loire), the Regional Park covers an area of southern Normandie and is a great area for rambling, horse riding and exploring the gentle unspoilt countryside – see www.le-perche.org. For more info on the treehouse see www.perchedansleperche.com

Also included in the Telegraph’s list is www.campbiche.com in deepest South West France on the edge of “le Quercy Blanc” near the quiet but delightful bastide village of Lauzerte (82 Tarn et Garonne), not far from Cahors, Agen and Montauban. I’m not sure if a glass of wine fits with a health cure, but you have the vineyards of Cahors, Buzet and Fronton and Coteaux du Quercy within easy reach. Then there’s duck, goose, foie gras…..

Stressed? Feeling fat? Try the new boot camp à la francaise: Camp Biche (020 7617 7253, www.campbiche.com), in Lauzerte, Tarn-et-Garonne. Eight hours of exercise – hiking, workouts, Pilates – by day, good food by night. About £2,300 per person a week.

In the Guardian 01 March 08 the Auberge des Liards in the Auvergne (Egliseneuve des Liards, 63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne) is one of 10 eco-friendly places to stay (as is the NormandyTree House above)

The property – part of a smallholding – is on the slopes of Puy de Liards, an extinct volcano on the outskirts of the village of Égliseneuve des Liards. The owners, Dutch couple Astrid Ursem and Walter Verhoeve, have created the guesthouse from two ruined farm buildings. The main house has two guest rooms, and a nearby building contains two “ecological” rooms constructed with natural and traditional materials. Insulation is provided by a mix of hemp, chalk, loam and hay – as well as soil collected from molehills, which they use to insulate the floor. The rooms are simply decorated, with natural colours and wooden furniture. Guests are provided with eco-friendly soap, there are low-energy lights and household cleaning products are biodegradable.

(almost) Paris – Nice 2008

le duck — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:22:32 +0000

The start of the cycling season in France is marked by the somewhat mis-named Paris-Nice race which runs from 9th – 16th March 2008. Mis-named because although it does indeed finish in Nice it does not start anywhere near Paris. This year is pushes off from Amilly (45 Loiret, Centre) about 75 miles south of Paris near Montargis.

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

Masterchef goes to France

le duck — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:29:57 +0000

BBC2’s final of MasterChef 2008 (Thursday 28 Feb 2008) takes the finalists to work in some of France’s best restaurants.

The other challenges for the 3 finalists have included cooking at the London Hilton for a group of Professional Chefs with 17 Michelin stars between them, and cooking for the Army in the heat and humidity of Belize with very basic army equipment. Working in a French Michelin-starred restaurant will be the final challenge!

The restaurants and chefs chosen are recognised as amongst the best in the world, with exacting standards and extraordinary quality food:-

Troisgros in Roanne (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes)
Michel Bras in Laguiole (12 Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees) – (see the recipe for a Mischievious Cherry Dessert – malice des cerises)
Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire (75 Paris, Ile de France)

Interesting that 2 of these top restaurants are not in Paris but deep in the French countryside – very provincial and some distance from major centres of population – the French will travel long distances for a good meal!

If you are interested in French cuisine, have a read of Michael Booth’s entertaining book Sacre Cordon Bleu

Booth shares with us the secrets of his training at Le Cordon Bleu and of French cooking itself, explaining how to make the perfect sauce; the secret of great stocks; how to win a fight with a lobster; and how to avoid maiming yourself while cleaning your knives. He explores how France rose to culinary pre-eminence and asks if Paris still deserves its reputation as the culinary capital of the world. Following both traumas and unexpected triumphs at school, Booth embarks on the ultimate chef’s challenge, he goes to work at the Michelin-starred Paris restaurant of the most famous chef in France, Joel Robuchon.

You’ll learn a lot about the French and their approach to food.

Millau Viaduc – another view

John — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:07:54 +0000

The beautiful and elegant Viaduc de Millau designed by Norman Foster is a breathtaking sight in the middle of an otherwise little-known region of France. The stunning photograph above comes from the Independent and Mercedes magazine Poise – available with the Independent (22 Sep 07) and available as an online ezine.

Michelin has also published a new Green guide (only in French at the moment) on the A75 Autoroute (la Meridienne) which runs down from Clermont Ferrand (63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne) to Pezenas (34 Herault, Languedoc) across the Tarn Gorge at Millau (12 Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees).The whole area is ripe for exploring. So the guide has 12 suggested itineraries including one which focusses on the vineyards of the Languedoc and Auvergne – other attractions include the vulcanic landscapes of the Auverge, thermal spas, Templar castles…….

New Michelin Green Guide – France (in English)

Strawberry Festival at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne

John — Thu, 10 May 2007 21:36:40 +0000

Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne (19 Correze, Limousin) claims to be at the heart of “Strawberry Country” and hence celebrates its Fete de la Fraise every Spring – this year it takes place on Sunday 13 May 2007 (Fete de la Fraise). As usual there will be a competition for the best fruit, a massive strawberry tarte, producer’s stalls, music and a parade – and now in its 19th year the pattern is well-established.
There is a website for the festival at www.fetedelafraise-beaulieu.fr which tells you more about strawberries than you may feel you need to know )e.g. the prime variety of Strawberry here is the “garriguette”), but the festival itself looks most enticing, bringing a real taste of Spring.
Beaulieu (literally “beautiful place”) is a pretty village high up the Dordogne valley – above Sarlat and the classical heart of the Dordogne (see map) The departement of the Correze is less-crowded than the rest of the Dordogne, and more unspoilt deepest France which is worth exploring..
FOR MORE INFO on Beaulieu – see www.beaulieu-sur-dordogne.fr
FOR MORE INFO on the Correze – see www.vacances-en-correze.net

Rugby World Cup in France September 2007

John — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 14:58:57 +0000

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.

Montlucon and its Beef festival 2007

John — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:31:02 +0000

The Beef Festival (Carnaval du Boeuf Villé) at Montlucon (03 Allier, Auvergne) takes place 21-25 March 2007 – another example of the way in which the French celebrate and revere their food and agriculture. It is interesting to note that all the candidates for the forthcoming French Presidential elections have been consipicuously shmoozing the farmers at the Annual Agricultural Show (SIAL = Salon International de l’Agroalimentaire) in Paris – even Jacques Chirac posing with a goat!!
When did we see Hereford Town Centre closed for a weekend for celebrations of the Hereford cow; or Cheshire mounting a festival for the Cheshire Cheese, or Pontefract saluting its cakes?
This is yet another corner of France that can easily be missed – in the Auvergne, on the Canal du Berry (the narrowest canal in France, where most of the canal boats are not “narrowboats” as we know them), and just off the A71 autoroute north of Clermont-Ferrand.This is literally the heart of France geographically (see map)
Unfortunately you missed another gastronomic highlight – the competition for the best Paté au Pommes de Terre – a sort of potato cake with creme fraiche and herbs and sometime salt pork – a local speciality in the “Berry” region of central France. There is an annual competition – this years was on 3 March 2007.
For more on the Auvergne see the Auvergne Tourism site; for more on the Allier département and a recipe for te Paté de Pommes de Terre see www.allier-tourisme.com

Paris – Nice, first signs of Spring!

John — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:11:32 +0000

11 March 2007 is the departure date for the Paris-Nice cycle race, an annual harbinger of Spring and Summer. It is the first of the major European cycle races, the teams having spent the winter racing in friendlier climes such as Australia and California, and for me it conjurs up images of hot summer days with roadside picnics somewhere in deepest rural France. That may still be a little optimistic for mid-March even in Provence, unless you get lucky with the sun and no Mistral wind.

800 miles in 8 days across France and the Alps the race is known as the “Course au soleil”(the race to the sun!) and is really just a “warm up” for the athletes, but for me the joy is in discovering hidden corners of France. Forget the autoroutes, the race mainly uses by-roads, and whilst the autoroutes and major N routes are undoubtedly faster, cross-country driving on Michelin yellow roads is always more interesting. It is easy to forget just how big France is, and non matter how many times you have been there will always be more to discover. That is why even if you are not a cycling fan, it can be fun tracing the route of the major races – so this year’s Paris-Nice will get you to places like Mende (48 Lozere, Languedoc-Roussillon) and Manosque (04 Alpes de Haut-Provence, Provence) – not often on the a more direct itinerary.

The lure of a trip from Paris to Nice is huge, as you really get to experience the diversity of France, from the classy metropolitan allure of Paris through to the exotic Mediterranean warmth of Nice, close to the Italian border – and everything in between. Think of Hemingway or Scott Fitzgerald embarking on a real adventure in the 1920s/30s – before autoroutes or the TGV – and forget route planning on the SatNav – take your Michelin red guide, determine not to rush, stay in small hotels (or better still in Chambres d’Hote), picnic on local food and wines, maybe get a little lost or follow a whim – and experience the real France.

For more on the Paris-Nice cycle race and route see www.letour.fr
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French Duck B&B near Argenton-sur-Creuse

John — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 07:01:35 +0000

Le Canard au Parapluie Rouge, or the “Duck with red umbrella” has a good start with a memorable name for a B&B – sounds a bit more exciting than the Hotel de la Gare (Station Hotel) which was its original name.
Situated south of Argenton-sur-Creuse (36 Indre, Centre -see map) just off the A20 autoroute about 200 miles south of Paris, this could make an ideal stop-over en route to or from the Dordogne, Lot and Toulouse – and tends to be one of those areas that many of us hurtle through (especially with the new A20 Autoroute “l’Occitaine”) on our way south or north.
Argenton-sur-Creuse is known as the Venice of the Berry (a former province of Central France) is a delightful spot on the River Creuse with medieval streets and chateau in the middle of an unspoilt area of France.The quiet and pretty small village of Celon is a few kilometres south.
“Le Canard au Parapluie Rouge is a lovely period country home situated on three and half acres of grounds and gardens. …. Now the property has been completely updated with all modern conveniences and offers several en-suite bedrooms. You will find the style of Le Canard a delightful mix of eclectic furnishings from around the world creating a very cozy & welcoming ambiance.”

For more info see www.lecanardbandb.com.

Christmas in Brive-la-Gaillarde

John — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 06:00:14 +0000

In the very heart of France, Brive-la-Gaillarde (19 Correze, Limousin) the modest town of Brive does its bit to keep up with the bigger cities such as Paris and Nice. In the summer they set up “Brive Plage” an articifical inland beach, and at Christmas they convert one of the town’s squares into an ice rink (patinoire). in Place du Civoire, whilst the Christmas Market takes over the Place General de Gaulle (16 – 31 December 2006.
Named “la Gaillarde” or the “brave” it is the main town of the Correze departement, probably best known in the UK as a destination for French Motorail – I’ve always fancied the idea of loading the car on the train at Calais and waking up next morning in central or southern France avoiding the hassle of the long journey. It tends to be an expensive option, but if you save the cost of fuel, autoroute tolls and a night’s hotel then it does not look so bad.

Brive is an ideal destination with easy access to the Dordogne, and not forgetting the gentle delights of the Corrèze itself – considered by many to be the most unspoilt region of France, relatively untouched by many of the worst excesses of modern France – and tourists.
To capture a flavour of the region read the novels of Claude Michelet – such as Firelight and Woodsmoke
For more on French Motorail see French Motorail
For more on Brive see www.brive-tourisme.com/

France, fuel and tolls

John — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 06:14:22 +0000

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

Autoroute A85 Angers – Tours – Vierzon

John — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 06:26:39 +0000

The new A85 autoroute runs for 140 miles through the heart of the Loire Valley vineyards and joins the Centre vineyards and the A71 autoroute at Vierzon west to Angers where it connects with the A11 (on to Nantes) via Touraine (and Tours and the A10 autoroute), Cheverny, Bourgeuil, Saumur and Anjou. Eventually it is planned that the A85 will extend south and east from Vierzon and Bourges to Nevers and Chalon-sur-Saone!
Various sections of the route are finished but the whole stretch will not be completed until Summer 2008.
From the East at Vierzon, the motorway is complete to St Aignan. It is then a bit patchy westwards to Tours – using sections of the new autoroute or the old N79 road. The stretch from west of Langeais west to Angers is complete.
When complete this offers drivers from central, southwest and western France an improved choices of routes, and in conjunction with the new A28 allows you to avoid Paris completely in reaching the Channel ports – whether it be Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Boulogne, Calais or Dunkerque.
For more info see www.cofiroute.fr
I am still trying to find out the name of the new Autoroute – e.g. the A6 south to Provence is the “Autoroute du Soleil”, the A77 is the” Autoroute des Arbres” (trees).

Mid-Summer France travel suggestions

John — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 06:30:10 +0000

The Independent has another of its series “24 Hours In: Paris” which follows in the footsteps of artists and writers who had made the city their own. Also in the Independent Chalres Darwent writes “A picture of Paris”
They say the French capital shuts in August. Yet it’s just the time to visit the world’s best city for seeing art.
Meanwhile over in the Observer, there are some good ideas for avoiding plane travel (or rather the airports) in these days of heightened security with some good deals available on both ferries and Eurostar.
The Telegraph has some recommendations on where to stay in the fashionable 8th Arondissement in Paris (close to the Champs Elysees)
In the Times, Jane Shilling is beguiled by the beauty of the Camargue and its horse-riding ritual, the abrivado, whilst Alistair Sawday picks his top ten secret stopovers to break your journey – and enjoy a taste of rural French hospitality iwith a series of off the autoroute journeys through France – see http://travel.timesonline.co.uk
“France is too captivating to observe only from the motorway“. His itineraries include Peronne (80 Somme, Picardie), Arras (62 Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais) Bourges (18 Cher, Centre) with its magnificent medieval centre and flying buttress Gothic cathedral; Beaune(21 Côte d’Or, Burgundy); Aumont-Aubrac (48 Lozere, Languedoc) and Collioure (66 Pyrenees Orientales (Languedoc) – a delightful little harbour and resort close to the Spanish border; Orange(84 Vaucluse, Provence); Menton(06 Alpes-Martimes, Provence)

Route of Richard the Lionheart

John — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 07:50:56 +0000

It has always struck me as strange that a lot of British History has been brought to life for me when travelling through France. Much of England’s history between 1154 and 1453 was bound up with events in the Southwest France and the Dordogne, including Henry II’s ownership and subsequent loss of Aquitaine and his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine. Not to mention the English claim to Calais and innumerable battles on French territory over the centuries.

Another thread of our history is manifested in the Route de Richard, Coeur du Lion, better known as Richard the Lionheart or Richard I. Much of his reign was spent on the Crusades to the Holy Land, however the “Route” is not connected with the Crusades, but more with a less consequential tussle with Philip of France, which ultimately led to his death in the Limousin.

The route runs through pleasant and little-visited countryside in an area bounded by Angouleme(16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes), Limoges (87 Haut Vienne, Poitou-Charentes) and Perigueux(24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) and focuses on 15 medieval castles most of which are open to the public, Many of them are impressive structures with rounded turrets and moats, the most impressive being Chateau de Jumilhac le Grand (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine). The most poignant is probably the Chateau de Chalus-Chabrol where Richard met an untimely death.
The castles on the route are:-
Chateau de Rochebrune
Chateau de Rocheouart
Chateau de Brie
Chateau de Montbron
Chateau de Chalus-Chabrol
Chateau des Cars
Chateau de Lastours
Chateau de Neron
le Chalard
Chateau de Jumilhac-le-Grand
Cite de Saint Yreix-le-Perche (how do you pronounce that!?)
Chateau de Coussac-Bonneval
Cite de Segur
Chateau d’Arnac-Pompadour

The route is well sgn-posted throughout its 180km length, and provides a good way of passing a few days wandering through the gentle countryside of the Limousin, off the main north-south traffic routes – and get some history. Regrettably, wine is not one of the highlights of the region – you need to go north, south or west of the region for decent wines. But it is a rich fruit and chestnut producing area – so your trip can be healthy and abstemious as well!

For more info see www.visitorama.com

Light Nights at Bourges

John — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 08:32:43 +0000

Throughout the summer the town of Bourges(18 Cher, Centre) is all lit up in the evenings! This great little town with its magnificent Gothic Cathedral (the best flying buttresses I have seen) and medieval town centre is a convenient stop on the trip south (now just off the A71 autoroute south towards Clermont Ferrand and also convenient for the new A20 autoroute south to Limoges, Cahors & Toulouse). The town will be illuminated on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in June, July and September – and every night in August.
But this is not just a matter of floodlighting the buildings – there is a lamplit circuit through the heart of the Old Town “Guided by the blue halo of the lamplights, the visitor threads his way around the luminescent jewel of the Cathedral and through the winding streets, stopping here and there to admire details bathed in a soft glow of light : the elegant carving of a porch, a gargoyle learing from a doorway, or a timber-framed house silhouetted against the night sky.”
Furthermore in Friday 30 June, Saturday 29 June and Friday 18 July there is also a wine fair in the town – an opportunity to taste the wines of the region, especially the Sauvignon Blancs from Menetou-Salon, Sancerre, Quincy and Reuilly,
For more info see www.bourgestourisme.com

Millau Jazz Fest – 15/22 July 06

John — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:30:40 +0000

Yet another reason to visit (or re-visit) the town of Millau (12 Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees) this summer – the Millau Jazz Festival runs from 15th – 22nd July 2006, which means that instead of the town ringing to the thunder of long queues of slow-moving heavy traffic as in years gone by, you can now be serenaded (or at least intrigued) by the sound of music throughout the town.
With the opening of Norman Foster’s Viaduc de Millau last year, the town has been re-born and is a pleasant provincial town once more – not particularly exciting of itself, but spectacularly situated on the River Tarn with views of the gorge and bridge – and offering the usual mix of decent shops, hotels and restaurants to enjoy.
The bridge is well worth a few hours detour – to view it from below – and to drive over – PLUS the surrounding area is wonderfully unspoilt and (still, for now) largely untouristed!
For more info on Milla Jazz see http://assoc.orange.fr/millau.jazz/infos.htm
For more info on Millau and the bridge see www.ot-millau.fr/

New national park in the Limousin

John — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 19:29:00 +0000

The French Government has announced the creation of a new “Parc Naturel Regional de Millevaches en Limousin“, joining another 44 areas already so designated and protected by law. The Park takes its name from the wide plateau of “Millevaches” literally translated as One Thousand Cows but thought to refer to the many bogs and ponds which are the source of many rivers, some of which contribute to some of France’s major rivers including the Vienne, Loire, Dordogne and Vezere. Richly forested and with a gently rolling landscape it is a little explored area lying to the east of Limoges (87 Haut Vienne, Limousin) towards Clermont Ferrand (63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne), with few towns of any note – the largest being Meymac, Felletin and Eymoutiers.
This really is deepest France! – and because of the size of the country, their parks tend to be muc larger and more unspoilt than in the UK. However, they may not always be as user-friendly in terms of signposting and pathways – so make sure you get a good map!
There is a good little website at wwwmillevaches.free.fr
There is an official government website at www.parcs-naturels-regionaux.fr but it was not available at the time of writing.
See map

The days of St Nectaire – 10/11 June 06

John — Wed, 24 May 2006 07:25:35 +0000

St Nectaire is one of those french delights which sounds very familiar, but it was a surprise to find that it comes from the Massif Central – indeed from the village of St Nectaire (63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne) south of Clermont-Ferrand.
The French are proud of their local produce and celebrate with festivals and competitions – and even “knighthoods” to protect and promote the products. In truth these are predominantly modern creations probably designed as a marketing ploy, but nevertheless they impart a certain ceremony and pomposity – and make for good entertainment. And besides, why not promote something which is special and unique to an area – and shout its virtues.
St Nectaire celebrates with a 2-day festival on 10 & 11 June 2006 when the village hosts numerous events including a gastronomic market and a competition for the best cheese.
(See www.ville-saint-nectaire.fr/)
St Nectaire certainly falls into the “smelly cheese” category – a softish textured round unpasteurised cow’s mike cheese from Salers cows, which is matured for 6-8 weeks to develop its distinctive smell and complexity of taste – and it acquires a bloomy rind displaying white, yellow and red mould. The best are “fermier” – i.e. made in a proper dairy on the farm, although it is also produced on a more industrial scale for the supermarkets.
Cheesemaker Paul Dischamp has a good website showing the production process at www.saintnectaire.com/
For a really useful and comprehensive guide to French Cheese see the DK Eyewitness Guide to French Cheeses

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Raspberry Festival 9 Jul 06

John — Mon, 22 May 2006 07:01:27 +0000

Now that does sound mouth-watering – Fete de la Framboise at Conceze (19 Correze, Limousin). in the quiet countryside north of Perigueux and Brive in what is known as the “Pays de Pompadour” – a rich fruit-growing area also famous for its horse racing.
We stayed in the region several years ago, and enjoyed its quiet gentle tranquility, The area is the setting for the novels of Claude Michelet Firelight and Woodsmoke

The area is promoted as being a natural paradise – quiet and peaceful with few large cities and a rich tapestry of unspoiled countryisde, hills, forests, lakes and river valleys – ideal for walking and cycling – and it is one of those areas you can get quite lost in – and realise how big France is.

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Montlucon, Festival of Beef! 15-19 Mar 06

AB — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 07:12:43 +0000

The town of Montlucon (03 Allier, Auvergne) between Clermont Ferrand and Bourges celebrates the local beef with a 5-day Carnival 15-19 March 2006. ““Chase away the winter and bring in the spring”: such is the scenario of the Boeuf Villé carnival, with its principal character Carmentrau (local dialect for “Lent arriving”).

Captured by children on the Wednesday, put on show for the inhabitants to see until Saturday evening, and then tried, burnt at the stake and the ashes thrown into the River Cher.

These ashes, symbols of Life, announce to the world the rebirth of Spring.
The event includes a programme of concerts, processions, visual and musical performances and fireworks, and beef cooked on the spit!!

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Paris to Nice via Beaujolais and Cotes du Rhone 5-12 Mar 06

John — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 06:47:22 +0000

A week-long mini-version of the Tour de France cycle race takes place between 5th and 12th March 2006 with the Paris-Nice race.This is a good early season test which may help to identify the potential successors to Lance Armstrong for the July Tour de France.
This year the tour has stages pass through the Beaujolais vineyards of Julienas and Regnie-Durette (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) and the Cotes du Rhone Villages of Rasteau (84 Vaucluse, Provence) – other stages visiting SAINT-AMAND-MONTROND (18 Cher, Centre), ST-ETIENNE (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes), AVIGNON (84 Vaucluse, Provence), DIGNE-LES-BAINS (04 Alpes de Haute-Provence, Provence).CANNES and of course NICE (06 Alpes-Maritimes, Provence)
You really do not have to be a cycling fan to enjoy the spectacle of a French race – the locals are very enthusiastic and tolerate the associated road closures, noise and chaos willingly, Watching the Tour de France has got us to parts of France we would never have seen or have stopped in – there is always a bit of a carnival atmosphere, and the locals are usually friendly. We tend to head for the smaller, quieter villages where the arrival of “le Tour” is a major event – so out will come the flags, the mayor and maybe a small band. The waiting around for the cyclists and their entourage to arrive gives you a chance to explore “la France profonde” which you might not otherwise do – and to have a picnic or even the odd glass of local wine – it’s all very French!

Meanwhile the details of the 2007 Tour de France start in London have been announced for 6-8 July 2007. Friday 6th July will see the celebratory launch; Saturday 7th July will be the “Prologue” which is a short 8km individual time trial from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace via the Houses of Parliament, St James’ Park and Hyde Park.Whilst Sunday will mark the first stage proper departing central London and heading east past the Tower of London out to Canterbury via Maidstone, Tonbridge Wells and Ashford. – Should be a great weekend!

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View From The Hotel Window

andrew — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 19:00:36 +0000

Central Clermont Ferrand (63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne)- a view from the hotel window taken in the early morning.

[Photo Andrew Barrow]