FrenchFood

Winter is the time for truffles in the Perigord and surrounding areas. Georges Vigouroux is one of the main Cahors wine producers in South West France (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) with several major chateaux under its umbrella including Chateau de Mercuès and Chateau de Haute-Serre with some classy rich winesn made from the  Malbec grape.

So bringing these two classic regional delights together should make for a great combination:

….. our first exclusive 2010 event in Château de Haute-Serre: “Truffle & Malbec Tuesdays” from January 12th to March 2nd in the restaurant La Table de Haute-Serre, with a special menu made of truffles. A perfect pairing between food and our wines has been set up by our 1 Michelin Star chef Philippe Combet. You can extend your stay in the land of the ‘black diamond’ with a visit to Lalbenque where the traditional truffle market starts every Tuesday in winter at 2 p.m. in the main street.

For more info see www.hauteserre.fr

Cahors Tshirt from jumboTs.co.uk

At Bellegarde-en-Marche (23 Creuse Limousin), the locals are so keen on goat that a Confrerie (or brotherhood) of Goat Meat Eaters (la confrérie des mangeurs de chèvres) has been established  to celebrate the local delicacy. However it is thought that the tradition goes back more to the use of sharpened goat horn to fight off the perfidious English than the animal’s meat.

In 2009 the Confrerie celebrates on Saturday 28 November with a parade of goats through the village and a banquet based on goat meat! The village  lies in a very rural part of France between Clermont Ferrand (50 miles)  and Limoges  (60 miles).

For more info see www.tourisme-creuse.com

The Minervois region of the Languedoc holds a wide-ranging cultural festivel from 22 October to 4 November 2009 called Les Grands Chemins (the big tracks)

…the established showcase of the Minervois, is preparing its annual fortnight-long festival of the senses –
art, culture and fabulous food – all designed to introduce you to the delights of the region.
An astonishing range of activities, from the creative arts, food and wine tastings, evenings of music ranging from jazz to the classics, strolls through the vineyards, cinema , theatre paying tribute to PierrePaul Riquet with Guy Vassal’s play “The Madman of the Canal”, a cabaret evening dining to the poetry of Charles Trenet….You can choose to follow an exciting and varied programme of events; alternatively you are welcome to organise your own tour around the region where a profusion of historic sites, workshops and exhibitions await you.

The programme includes a wide range of open-days at winemakers throughout the region including Minervois AOC, St Jean-de-Minervois and Minervois-la-Lavinière which include some great Languedoc reds, whites and dessert wines.

With such easy access from the UK by road or Eurostar Lille is a must to visit all year, and remains one of my favourite winter weekends. The combination of modern shopping malls and the nearby Vieux Lille (old town) offer something for everyone,

Where to stay?

Lille has many hotels at all levels of price and luxury.Hotel des Tours in the middle of the attractive Old Town or Le Brueghel very French and centrally situated in a quiet, pedestrian area near the station.

For a more intimate weekend options include interesting B&Bs such as Alix’s Garden and Canal Barge  Fantasia.

Get the best rates for other hotels in Lille

Where to eat – recommended Again there is no shortage of eateries in Lille offering cuisines both local and international.

Two favourites, one for meat, the other for fish are l’Assiette du Marché (market plate) in rue de la Monnaie in Vieux Lille  and   L’Écume des Mers (sea spume) in rue des Pas close to the Grand Place. Both offer high quality dishes with excellent service.

Where to eat – gourmet

Without doubt the finest dining experience in Lille must be l’Huitrière (oystery) on the edge of Vieux Lille  (3 rue des Chats Bossus) – superb art deco setting and top notch fish (oysters, lobsters,  turbot etc) – certainly not cheap but a gastronomic delight! 4 Michelin knives and forks. You can also window shop (and buy) fresh fish and other delicacies in the front of the building.

Where to eat – value for money

There are plenty of more modest restaurants in Lille to suit all pockets – a typical bustling brasserie is Aux Moules (mussels) in rue de Bethune – a pedestrianised street  in the city centre.  They offer a full menu including their specialty – and a good Moules Frites can be unbeatable.

Local wine/drink -

The proximity of Belgium ensures that Beer is a local favourite. Many bars offer a wide range of interesting beers from Northern France, Belgium and beyond – and there are numerous micro-breweries in the centre of Lille such as Les 3 Brasseurs (3 brewers) in place de la Gare opposite Lille Flandres railway station.

Local food:
Fish features strongly in this Flemish part of France – Moules Frites (Mussels and Chips) is probably the most familiar local specialty – others not so recognisable – Carbonnade flamande (small chunks of beef stewed in beer), waterzoï (poultry or fish in a creamy sauce, served with baby vegetables) and potjevleesch (literally “small potted meat”, a white meat terrine in aspic).
Local markets

The Wazemmes Market in place de la Nouvelle Aventure takes place on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings with food, flowers, fabrics and exotic products. Ine of the largest markets in France, it can also be one of the liveliest (up to 50,000 visitors some Sundays). Colourful, with a “Soho” atmosphere, you’ll often hear an accordion being played.

Shopping

No shortage of shopping opportunies in the City Centre – with several malls – e.g. the Euralille mall near the stations and may interesting small shops in the old town. For fine food shopping  the Meert  Café and Patisserie on rue Esquermoise home of the Meert Waffle, and Philippe Olivier  in rue du Cure St Etienne) for an excellent selection of bread and pastries.

Must see:

Vieux Lille, the Grand Place. the Chambre de Commece, the Hotel de Ville and  the fine flemish buildings around the Place du Theatre.

A bit of culture: The Palais  des Beaux Arts in place de la Republique houses prestigious collections of European painting (Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Delacroix…) and offers some peace away from the bustle and rumble of the city centre.

For a walk: For all that it is big modern city, it is worth a stroll around  Vauban Citadelle, just a short walk beyond the city centre. This impressive star-shaped castle on rue Vauban was built by Napoleon’s military archictect in the 17th century. As it is still used as a military barracks, you need to check with the local tourist office for those dates when it is open to the public. But there is the Vauban garden which the public can access at all times for a stroll.

For the children:Bring the children for the annual Christmas market when the Grand Place is transformed into a snowy Cavern with twinking lights and a Carousel – plus a busy Christmas market in nearby Place Rihour -full of seasonal cheer. (18 November – 31 December 2009)

Getting there:

Easy – being so close to the English Channel. Travel time to Lille by road/ferry – just an hour from Calais, less from Dunkerque – see P&O to Calais and Norfolkline to Dunkerque.

Or take the Eurostar to Lille

Getting around:

Transpole offers a comprehensive public transport network with a modern Metro system and 2 tram lines which cross the city centre and serve both railway stations. However most of the main points of interest are within walking distance of the city centre.

Staying longer?:The city is close to many of the First World War battlegrounds – e.g. Ypres and Paschendaele just over the border. Brussels and Waterloo are a bit further – and a favourite of mine is the art deco swinning pool at Tourcoing (part of the Lille conurbation) La Piscine – converted into an impressive Museum of Art and Industry – and it is on the Metro line about 40 minutes from Lille City Centre.

When to go?

Lively throughout the year, but you might consider

La Grande Braderie de Lille – the biggest flea market in Europe which runs across a weekend in early September each year with100 km of stands, 10,000 vendors and 1 to 2 million visitors! – but beware that the City gets very busy and the traffic is impossible on the Braderie weekend.

Lille Wine Fair of the independent winegrowers (Vignerons Indepenents) which is held mid-November (20-23 November 2009) – with the opportunity to taste and buy from winemakers from all across France.

Lille Christmas Market - late November to New Year – Carousel, Christmas Village and a real feel of Christmas (18 November – 30 December 2009)

Another interesting cheese seldom seen in the UK is the Fourme de Montbrison which comes from an area known as Le Forez (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) between St Etienne and Clermont Ferrand. Similar to the Fourme d’Ambert this is a mild, soft blue cheese made from cows milk with its own AOC appellation.

The Fourme de Montbrison has only a small number of mould veins throughout and has a reddish rind. Its flavour is very mild with light nut and mushroom flavours.

On the weekend of 2-3-4 October 2009 the town of Montbrison celebrates its “Journées de la Fourme”

To accompany this mild cheese the local Cotes du Forez AOC wine which is made from Gamay would make a good choice – and this is also likely to be available to taste on the “Cheese Days”

For more info on Le Forez see www.foreztourisme.fr/

For more info on the cheese see www.fourme-montbrison.com

For more info on the Cotes dy Forez AOC wine see http://cotesduforez.fr

le lac d'Allier

Some placenames conjur up an image automatically – e.g. the Somme and World War One and Vichy, the ignominious seat of a disgraceful regime during the occupation of France by Hitler.

Yet get behind those images – and the Somme is a delightful landscape of rolling hills, sandy beaches and a haven for wildlife!

Similarly Vichy (03 Allier, Auvergne) is a pleasant and elegant spa town. It was apparently chosen by Marechal Petain as the seat of government because it had plenty of hotels which could be taken over for ministerial offices and accommodation for the bureaucrats.

It seems remarkably isolated compared to other cities in the so-called “free zone” – such as Lyon or Clermont Ferrand. And that situation, being off the major routes, makes it peaceful and relaxing.

The town possesses many fine hotels – and the Hotel de Ville – of the late 19^th Century – but nowadays there are plenty of modern buildings to house tourists or those who come for the beneficial effects of the Spa – Thermes – and the waterfront alongside the river/lake (the Allier)  offer more energetic pursuits.

To reach Vichy from the north take the A77 autoroute to Nevers and Moulins and beyond.

There is a train service direct from Paris Gare de Lyon – you can book tickets from London and the UK with RailEurope

Hotel de Ville, Vichy

Find the best rates for Hotels in Vichy
The locals are called Vichyssoises – also the name given to a classic cold leek and potato soup – so-named by the creative chef who lived near Vichy. Also known for Vicy Water – an effervescent mineral water which has been bottled in the region for many years.