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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

Watirose online is currently running a special offer of £10 off a mixed case of classic French wines (and free delivery) until 5 March 2008.

This offer is available to French Duck readers by quoting code WINE77 at the checkout.

Whilst I tend to prefer to support small independent wine merchants, Waitrose’ selections are often excellent, always reliable and generally good value.

This is a good selection of wines from all the main classic wine regions of France including reds from Beaujolais, Cahors, Fitou, Bordeaux, Cotes du Rhone (Chapoutier) and a red Burgundy.

For the whites there is a Macon Lugny, Saumur, Bordeaux, Touraine Sauvignon and Chablis.

The offer means that a case of 12 bottles is just £55.00 including free UK delivery - i.e under £5.00 a bottle. And if you prefer only reds or only whites, you can have that for the same price (2 bottles of each). But this offer is only available with thediscount voucher code above and until 5 March 2008!

See Watirose online

Try the east for a change? One area well known to British wine drinkers but less well known to Britons is Burgundy. Only 5 - 6 hours from the Channel Ports or 90 minutes from Geneva or Lyon airports this area abounds with small villages, individual cuisine and lots and lots of really fine wines.

“We’re biased. We live in a small village in the extreme east of Burgundy, right on the border with the Jura Department and we love it here” say John & Carolyn Scallon at www.bandb-burgundy.com who offer excellent accommodation (4 individually decorated bedrooms with en-suite facilities) in the heart of south Burgundy at Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone-et-Loire, Burgundy) east of Chalon-sur-Saone.

They have provided a personalised guide to visiting the vineyards of Burgundy - see http://www.frenchduck.co.uk/B&BBurgundy.html , This is great as Burgundy is one of the wine regions which I know least well, as it did not really fit my focus on “lesser known French wines” in my wine merchant days. So it is good to get advice from someone who knows the region well.
My most memorable Burgundy was imbibed at Nuits-Saint-Georges, where we stayed for a night about 20 years ago. As is usual, we opt for the local wine in the restaurant - a Clos la Marechal from Faiveley, which was smooth and creamy with oaky lush cherry fruit. Sadly every red burgundy since has been a bit of a disappointment, in part because Pinot Noir tends to be a bit tempremental, and Burgundy’s weather can be quite variable. Last time I looked it was about £25.00 a bottle, which is the other problem with Burgundy - it tends to be pricey! However find the right one and you could be in heaven. See Faiveley’s website (under construction)

According to the Independent the Beaujolais region is effectively enjoying a climate equivalent to that 100 kilometres further south compared to 20 years ago. This also means that grape harvest is starting earlier, and hence the wines are no longer quite so “nouveau” when bottled, which should allow for a touch more maturity and finesse in the wines.
On the eve of the launch of Beaujolais Nouveau 2007, there is some thoughtful analysis of the issues facing the winemakers of Beaujolais:-

Beaujolais, however, is starting to fight back. For the first time this year a substantial amount of a Beaujolais Nouveau rosé will be sold. There is also a significant drive to improve quality.

“We were carried away with the euphoria,” said Dominique Piron, a wine producer and trader at Morgon, in the northern part of the beautiful Beaujolais hills, just north west of Lyons. “The more mass-produced forms of Beaujolais Nouveau were sometimes, frankly, bad and damaged the image not only of Nouveau but of all types of Beaujolais.

“Worse than that, the fad for Nouveau meant that even the better forms of Beaujolais, the ten ‘crus’ such as Morgon, Fleurie, Chiroubles, were made in the light, ‘nouveau’ style, without the richness and subtlety that good Beaujolais should always have.

Beaujolais Nouveau rosé is not something I have tried, but given the rise in popularity and availability of rosé wines on the shelves then a rosé may be a more attractive option - I shall obviously have to experiment!

Nick Dobson Wines still has some traditional Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau available if you are quick - plus he has written about his trip to the region last week - see www.nickdobsonwines.co.uk

Along with the new Vin de Pays de l’Atlantique in South West France there is also to be a new Vin de pays des Gaules (Wine of the Land of the Gauls)in the Beaujolais region - or is there??
The proposal was for the Vin de Pays des Gaules to be produced in the Rhone region and parts of the Saone-et-Loire departement : from Leynes, in northern Beaujolais to Chazay d’Azergues in the south.

Both appellations are designed to offer an alternative to an oversupply of Bordeaux and Beaujolais AC wines, offering winemakers the opportunity to make a wide range of wines with fewer restrictions. In the Pays de Gaules Gamay will be the overwhelmingly predominant grape, with Chardonnay, Pinot, Syrah, Viognier, Aligoté and 13 other allowed varietals.
However, there is a hitch in the system as the EU has ruled that the names of these 2 appellations are not sufficiently geographically recognisable. Someone, somewhere has got something wrong, which is a shame as these new wines could be very helpful if reducing the volume of over-priced and mediocre Bordeaux and Beaujolais and encourage some experimentation, WInemakers have been planning this new wine for some time, with labels already printed, as the above image demonstrates - from the Cave des Vignerons de St Laurent d’Oignt.
The new Vin de Pays des Gaules will not be allowed to compete with Beaujolais Nouveau however, as it cannot be marketed until mid-December, a month after the release of the Nouveau.