Those who thought black pudding was a purely Scottish affair need think again, as the international contest to find the best black pudding takes place next March in the historic French village of Mortagne-au-Perche in the Orne area of Normandy.
The 46th annual black pudding festival will celebrate the culinary traditions of the region, with local cook-offs, celebrity chefs as well as a host of gastronomic stalls and exhibits open to the public.
The main part of the festival is the black pudding competition which sees over 650 competitors from across Europe but there are also two fiercely fought culinary competitions open to professional and amateur chefs who reside in the Orne. They are charged with creating and cooking the best dish – fish-based for the professionals, and a desert for the amateurs – using local produce such as apples, calvados, cider, pommeau, cream, butter and cheese to create their dish.

Specialist butchers and delicatessens will be demonstrating the art of making a black pudding, and visitors may sample and be their own judge of the best recipe.

For more info see www.normandy-ornetourism.com

Where to stay (B&B) in Normandy?

….over 50 stands selling with an outstanding array of Christmas goodies and artisan produce. This cosmopolitan market welcomes sellers from around the world with products such as nativity figurines, foie gras, Christmas desserts, pain d’épices (like gingerbread), hippocraswine, traditional waffles, baby clothes, plants, art, clothing, leather goods and jewellery. The charmingly festive atmosphere really makes this a Christmas event to be relished and it is not by chance that Father Christmas himself has chosen Caen as his home for the entire duration of the market!!

See www.tourisme.caen.fr
Find best hotel rates in Caen

However, Dieppe was (and is) a pleasant and less-crowded destination and did provide a useful start point for western France – or for exploring Picardie and the Seine Valley. You can still get a ferry to Dieppe from Newhaven on Transmanche ferries (also part of LD  Lines) – the crossing takes about 4 hours, but Newhaven is not so well connected to the motorway network.

Find the best rates for Hotels in Dieppe
There is a webcam overlooking Dieppe harbour and a motorhome parking area at www.dieppe.fr/webcams

Day 1

Cycling from London to Dover.

Board the ferry at Dover, arrive in Dieppe in the evening.

Day 2

Set off 10.00 am through the lovely French countryside.

Finish cycling early evening and stay overnight in a French country inn.

Day 3

Leave the hotel at 9.00 am.
Let’s go!

Finish cycling mid-late afternoon in Paris.

Day 4

Free morning with suggested options.

Transfer from hotel to Gare du Nord for Eurostar, arrive in St Pancras

Although it may be too late to register to take part in this 300km ride, you can watch and support them as they cycle through the English and French countryside – and it is easier to get to watch this  than the Tour de France,
For more info see: www.medecinsdumonde.org.uk

In addition to daily concerts there is also a daily online concert featuring a personal favourite – saxophonist Andy Shepperd and his quintet on Friday 22 May at 19.45 (French time – go to http://normandie.france3.fr

Every day there are numerous concerts on Friday and Saturday running throughout the afternoon and into the night – with more than one opportunity to see each artiste or band. Some concerts are in the openair and the late night “Jazz Club” does not require advanced booking. Music will fill the streets, the cafes and churches of the town throughout the week.

For more info see Jazz sous les Pommiers

For more info on the region see www.paysdecoutances.fr

set in a quiet hamlet in the  beautiful Mayenne countryside, on the border with Normandy and Brittany.It  is only 20 minutes from the A84 autoroute, which links the Channel ports of Cherbourg and Caen with Brittany and the Loire Valley…has five bedrooms on the upper floor, including a family suite. On the ground floor, there is a large dining room and a comfortable lounge area for guests to relax in. The extensive landscaped gardens have a beautiful terrace for outdoor eating or relaxing, and a lake completes the idyllic countryside setting

This English-owned B&B has five tastefully decorated double or twin bedded rooms, including a family suite, suitable for families of up to 6 people and makes an ideal base for touring the many delights of the area or as a stop-over on the journey west or southwards.

Le Mont St Michel is 40 minutes by car. Other towns in the area are Fougeres, Rennes, Dinan, St Malo and many more.

The famous racing circuit of Le Mans is an hour and a half away, as are the beaches of the 1944 Normandy landings and the Bayeux Tapestry.

To find out more about the B&B use the enquiry form below:-

cforms contact form by delicious:days

For more info on the region see www.tourisme-mayenne.com

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

The 2009 Tour de Normandie takes place 17-21 June 2009 and comprises a leisurely amble through the Normandy countryside (le Bocage) and along the coast. Starting from Beuzeville (27 Eure, Normandie) the with music and a parade of the vehicles on 17 June, the rally proper starts with a route heading east from Pont de l’Arche (27 Eure) to Domfront (61 Orne, Normandie) before heading for Touques (14 Calvados).
As with so many such events, you don’t have to be fanatical about classic cars to enjoy it – you’ll discover the French countryside and a carnival atmosphere which will be enjoyable on many levels. Somehow, summer skies, iconic french cars, music, Normandy cheese, butter, apples, cider, calvados topped with the sandy beaches of the Normandy coast sounds pretty good.

For more info see
ASSOCIATION TOUR DE NORMANDIE DES VEHICULES HISTORIQUES
1, rue Guillaume Le Conquérant
14400 RYES
www.tourdenormandie.com

Le Jardin Plume (pictured above, is relatively new modern garden with some dramatic vistas and a wealth of interesting planting – enhanced by the fact that they also run an on-site nursery open to the public (from March to November).

Les Jardins du Bois des Moutiers is just down the coast from Dieppe in Varengeville and features a house built by Lutyens and gardens influenced by the distinguished English gardener, Gertrude Jekyll.

Le Clos du Coudray at Etaimpuis north of Rouen is both a formal garden with a rose garden surrounded by a less formal series of plantings and water features at Etaimpuis north of Rouen.

Les Jardins Agapanthe between Rouen and Dieppe at Grigneuseville (just a few kilometres from the Clos du Coudray (above)), it is the creation of a landscape architect and offers something quite different from the pure geometric lines of classic French gardens, “Agapanthe is set an unusual space, in which the luxuriance of the vegetation appeals to all the senses.”
Les Jardins de Bellevue at nearby Beaumont-le-Hareng
covers 15 acres on the edge of the Forêt d’Eawy. Beds, trees and shrubs are full of interest throughout the whole year. The gardens are particularly noted for two national collections of hellebores and meconopsis.
The Potager at Chateau de Bosmelet is a favourite kitchen garden in the grounds of a fine 17th century chateau at Auffay south of Dieppe.
Les Jardins de Vasterival are owned and designed by a Romanian Princess Sturdza who may be on hand to give you a guided tour of this woodland garden near the coast at Ste Marguerite-sur-Mer.
Chateau de Miromesnil is another fine chateau with a kitchen garden at Tourville-sur-Arques just south of Dieppe “Separated by alleys made of grass, the squares are ordered with vegetables and flowers that contrastswith the profusion of annual flowers on the sides: a fantastic harmony of delicate colours that vary according to the season.”

See our map of the Normandy Gardens

For more info on French Gardens try the Official French Gardens site at Le Comité des Parcs et Jardins de France

Where to stay, where to eat, what to do, how to get there…….

Recommendations kindly offered by Phil & Jude Graham at la Basse Cour.

Le Havre offers a variety of diversions over the Christmas season, the highlight of which is probably the Christmas Market in the square in front of Notre Dame Cathedral from 10-24 December 2008. But there is also a Christmas Exhibition, decorations and parades.
See http://oceanes.ville-lehavre.fr/ for more info on Le Havre

So, just to clarify – the Brittany Ferry route from Portsmouth to Caen actually terminates at Ouitreham, whilst Caen, which is 10 miles inland is a major shipping port. (see map)

So to celebrate its maritime heritage, the city of Caen holds its Fete du Port (Harbour Festival) on 13-14 September 2008 with visits onboard boats and ships, a maritime parade, boat trips, stands selling marine and other items, music and dancing, a collection of historic boats and a canoe-kayak water polo competition!

For more info see www.ville-caen.fr

….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)

The bed and breakfast offers spacious family bedrooms with a double bed, bunk beds and sofa bed. A cot is also available.
All bedrooms have en suite shower and toilet.
The accommodation offers a kitchen/dining room and lounge.
The B&B has plenty of free private parking and storage for bicycles.

The bedrooms are designed to incorporate the original features of the buildings whilst combining this with modern features such as the original oak beams which have being restored to provide a central feature in a number of the rooms. All bedrooms feature views over a cider apple orchard.

English owners Liz and Alan offer a warm welcome and plenty of advice on places to visit in the area. Ideally situated within an hour of Caen and 1h 20 minutes of Cherbourg, it makes an ideal stop within reach of the ferry ports. With all the attractions of Normandy (butter, cream, cheese, cider, calvados etc) there are the Normandy beaches, Mont St Michel all within reach.
SPECIAL OFFER – Three nights for the price of two for September, October and November 2008 PLUS discounts on ferry bookings!

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Together with themed and co-ordinated music the main facades of the gothic cathedral will be lit, as will some of the streets and the banks and bridges of the Eure river which runs through the town.

The Cathedral is often visible from some distance away in daylight across this rather flat part of southern Normandy, and should look even more impressive at night.

The Cathedral, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site has to be one of the “must see” destinations for any visitor to France. Started in the 12th Century it is considered the best Gothic cathedral in the whole of France.

For more info see www.chartres-tourisme.com 

Almost simultaneously the birth of 2 other spectacular bridges is being celebrated – the medieval Pont Valentre in Cahors (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) celebrates 700 years, whilst the latest Pont Gustave Flaubert (see picture) is due be opened in time for the Rouen Armada (4–5 July 2008).

Rouen’s latest crossing of the River Seine is in the heart of the city and will take the A154 autoroute from the nothwest (Dieppe) through the city to connect with the A13 Autoroute from Normandie to Paris.

Because is is a city centre site, and the Seine carries ocean-going ships (and was a Transatlantic Cruise ship terminal) there is not enough space to build a traditional high span bridge, so this will be the largest vertical lift bridge in the world. When high masted ships need to pass, both dual carriageways will be lifted by cable to allow the ship underneath. For such a massive task the structure seems remarkably elegant – each roadway is 18m wide and 120m long and weighs 1300 tonnes.

When opened in the next few weeks (early July 2008) the notorious congestion in the city centre will be eased considerably.

Meanwhile in Cahors the South West, the fortified medieval Pont Valentre celebrates its 700th anniversary – and this was open to road traffic until only a few years ago, But now the city will pay homage to its most distinctive landmark On 4^th July 2008 there will be a banquet on the bridge itself prepared by some of the best chefs in the region – with music and dancing. From Wednesdays to Saturdays from 17 July 2008 to 9 Augusr 2008 the bridge will be lit up every night from 10.30pm for 2 hours with a sound and light show which promised to be spectacular.

There is a website about the bridge’s 700th anniversary which has been inviting photographers from around the world to show their images of the bridge in all its moods – www.lepontvalentrea700ans.com.

For more about the Tour (not to be confused with the other Tour de Normandie, which is a professional cycle race) see www.tourdenormandie.com

For more info on the Mont ST Michel see www.ot-montsaintmichel.com

There are many ways of getting to Paris from London, but doing it by rowing boat is not the obvious one – but that’s what teams of rowers are doing starting on 2 May 2008 on the London 2 Paris Rowing Challenge. Leaving from Westminster Bridge in the centre of London at 11.00am and rowing down the Thames, then to Dover. From there they strike out diagonally towards Fecamp and Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine – in the process crossing the busiest stretch of water in the world – before heading into the calmer waters of the Seine to Rouen and on to Paris. But even on this stretch there are some big boats and less room to manoeuvre.

There are two teams of 10 rowers of all ages and both sexes, and they are going to tackle this fearsome ordeal which covers 420 miles and will probably take 6 days before arriving at the Pont d’Iena near the Eiffel Tower in central Paris sometime before 8th May 2008. One team is called Le FigaROW!

The most daunting part of the whole trip must be the lengthy English Channel crossing to Le Havre with the risks of heavy seas and merchant shipping. But Le Havre is only about half-way in terms of distance, a little deceptive as the Seine meanders in anything but a straight line after the Pont de Tancarville between Le Havre and Rouen. They will of course pass under 2 impressive bridges before reaching Paris – le Pont de Normandie which takes the A29 autoroute from the north to south banks of the Seine near its mouth; and the new vertical lift bridge – the Pont Gustave Flaubert in Rouen.

Clearly the Channel section will not offer much in the way of a spectator sport,but you may be able to catch sight of them on the Thames and Seine.

See London 2 Paris Rowing Challenge – but personally I think I’d go by Eurostar!

Book 2 nights and get 2 free or book 1 week and get another whole week free! – offer closes 17th May. Available on 8 Pierre & Vacances residences – CLICk FOR DETAILS

25% off 2 week holidays in August – available between 16th and 30th August – CLICk FOR DETAILS

20% off luxury Adagio Tour Eiffel Aparthotel in Paris – available before 19th May. Includes this bank holiday weekend! 25% off 2 week holidays in August – available between 16th and 30th August – CLICk FOR DETAILS

15% off 4 night breaks at the Latitudes Beach Hotel in stylish Trouville (14 Calvados, Normandie)- available until 13th May – CLICk FOR DETAILS

The tapestry (or more an embroidery) is now housed in a museum (Musée de Guillaume le Conquerant) in the Medieval heart of the town and is open daily throughout the year. The tapestry is now recognised as a UNESCO “Memory of the World” and is 70 metres long, made in the 11th century. It celebrates the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy after the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

“Legendary animals, ships, Vikings, Norman and Saxon cavalries illustrate the exploits of William and his opponent Harold, another pretender to the throne of England.”

For more about the Tapestry see www.tapisserie-bayeux.fr
There are a number of events which make it even more worthwhile to visit during 2008:-

Every year Bayeux holds a D-Day Festival, appropriately from 5-7 June 2008 – on the night of the 5/6 June there is a celebration of the arrival of the invasion with music and fireworks at nearby Longues-sur-Mer, whilst on 7th June there is a whole series of parades of military and other vehicles from the time, plus a picnic in the park with music to celebrate the fact that Bayeux was the first French city to be liberated!

Then in July Bayeux hosts its impressive Medieval Festival with lots of colourful activities with knights and damsels in medieval costume, a medieval market, street performers, music, dancing concerts, and parades (5-6 July 2008).

In November the place celebrates the Festival “Le Gout du Large” – a festival to celebrate scallops (Coquilles St Jacques) together with the Festival de Chants de Marins d’Europe – or the European Singing Sailors Festival at nearby Port-en-Bessin! 8-9 November 2008 – so if singing and shellfish are your thing, this will be the place to be!

more on this area and to see our customised map

It all started in Paris with the Velib’ Scheme – an amalgam of Velo (cycle) and Liberte (free), which has been a tremendous success.

Vélib’ is a Self Service “bike hire” system available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Multi pick up and drop off location allows you to pick up your bike from one service point and drop off to another.

You need to subscribe, but for visitors there are 1-day and 7-day subscriptions and after the first 30 minutes you pay by the half-hour – e.g. a 90-minute hire will cost just €3 and you can pick up and drop off your bike at any of the hundreds of self-service stations across the city.

The Velib’ scheme has been based on a similar scheme VeloV in Lyon (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) France’s second city. The combination of these eco-friendly and fitness focussed schemes is now spreading throughout France:-
VeloCite in Mulhouse (68 Haut-Rhin, Alsace) and Besancon (25 Doubs, Franche-Comté)
Vhello in Aix-en-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence)
Le Velo in Marseille (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence)
Velo in Toulouse (34 Haut Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees)
Nantes (44 Loire-Atlantique, Val de Loire)
Rouen (76 Seine Maritime, Normandy)
Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine)
Velostan in Nancy (54 Meurthe et Moselle, Lorraine)
Velo+ in Orleans (45 Loiret, Centre)
Velomagg in Montpellier (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon)

This is clearly a popular scheme, mainly aimed at local residents but may also offer a different way of seeing some of France’s major cities from a different perspective. However, I would recommend choosing a city with good cycle lanes and paths – you do get the impression that traffic in many of France’s cities is not very forgiving with errant cyclists – so do not try cycling around the rond-point of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris!!

Inevitably there are some urban myths developing – such as the fact that there are always plenty of bikes at the bottom of the Butte de Montmartre, but none at the top – for obvious reasons. And you can get caught out in busy locations if you cannot find an empty slot in which to return your bike!

Buy at AllPosters.com

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.

An interesting little video on the Guardian Online site about the struggle to protect the genuine Camembert cheese from Normandy. I had not realised that the name Camembert is not protected in the same way as Champagne wine or Pont l’Eveque cheese, so almost anyone can make a soft cows milk cheese and call it Camembert. The only product which is protected is the raw-milk (lait cru) Camembert de Normandie AOC, which is strictly controlled and limited to only 5 producers in Normandy.

I must admit I have just checked the Camembert I had for lunch yesterday (very nice and in that perfect state of gloopiness before the ammonia kicks in) – but it is not an AOC, despite being made by a reputable (but big) French producer in Normandy!

For genuine Camembert de Normandie AOC in the UK try Turnbull’s Deli in Shaftesbury, Dorset.

For our customised map of the Orne département CLICK HERE

For much more on Camembert

An interesting article in the Independent (14 July 2007) (Bastille Day) about one of my favourite cheeses, and the battles that are being fought over the methods of making traditional raw milk Camembert.

Unfortunately 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

On July 4th 2008, sailing ships from all over the world will sail up the river Seine to gather in Rouen for the biggest International nautical event. They will be passing the biggest rising bridge ever built: the ‘Pont Gustave Flaubert’, the new entrance to the Armada in Rouen.
Rouen, the Capital of Normandy will, once again, be under the spotlight when the Armada begins on July 4th 2008. The ships will sail up the river Seine under the newly constructed “Pont Gustave Flaubert”, the world’s largest vertical lift bridge, and then moor in the very heart of the city for the 10 day event. The Rouen Armada is now on of the largest International nautical festivals.

For more information on the Armada see www.armada.org

When the Pont Gustave Flaubert opens in late Spring 2008 it will be the highest vertical lift bridge in the world. It will enable traffic from the North West on the A150 autoroute to connect to the A13 autoroute to the south without having to go through the city centre – for more on this region and our customised Google Map CLICK HERE

The Seine remains an important shipping route linking Le Havre with Paris.

For more info on Rouen see www.rouentourisme.com

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.

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

This is definitely the type of cheese to be purchased from a proper cheesemonger rather than most local supermarkets. Online you can buy from the Teddington Cheese Company who describe the cheese as:“a full and assertive flavour, a supple texture and a pungent aroma…. excellent on the cheese board although it is best tasted after milder cheeses. It is best enjoyed with a full-bodied red wine, a glass of Normandy cider or even a nip of Calvados.”

Livarot holds its annual cheese festival in August – see our events schedule

See map