FrenchDuck UK - Latest » Cognac Armagnac

The Farmhouse B&B in Poitou-Charentes

le duck — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 05:09:45 +0000

Conveniently situated a kilometre or so off the main RN10 route (heading for Bordeaux, Aquitaine and the Basque country) near Limalonges (79 Deux Sevres, Poitou-Charentes) is an English run Chambres d’Hote run by Josie and Dave Duffield.
Situated in the heart of Poitou Charentes (roughly mid-way between Poitiers and Angouleme) bordering the Charente and Vienne departments, the area has a gentle climate and varied countryside “reputed to have the most sunshine hours away from the Mediterranean coast.”

When I can I prefer to use routes such as the N10 down to Bordeaux or the Dordogne - good quality roads, generally light traffic (away from the main towns),less frenetic (and cheaper) than the autoroute, and plenty of opportunity to break the journey with a little detour into a “centre ville” for a coffee or croissant, and a stroll around the shops to stock up for the picnic lunch. It does however take longer, but you are likely to arrive less hassled and more in tune with France.

The comfortable accommodation offered includes 3 large en-suite bedrooms (2 doubles, 1 of which can be made into a family room) and 1 twin) - each room has natural stone walls and wooden beams. Prices which include breakfast start at €30 for a single, or €45 for a double. An ideal overnight stop, a base for visiting the region (the Marais Poitevin, la Rochelle and Cognac are all within range) and perhaps a chance tp explore another region which too many of us hurtle through rather than savour. And of course, your hosts will be able to offer good advice on where to go, where to eat or the name of a good notaire if you are looking to buy property in the region.

They also welcome caravans and motorhomes for a night stop-over on the journey south (or north) which could be a welcome change from commercial campsites or motorway “aires”.
See our customised Google Map of Poitou-Charentes
For more info, availability and bookings use the form below:-

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Walking & Cycling Poitou Charentes Poitou Charentes hidden attractions ...
Cognac and Pineau des Charentes from Deau Maison Deau’s cellars are situated near Gemozac in the Charentes,...
Destination Angouleme Angouleme (16 Charentes, Poitou-Charentes) joins an ever growing list of...
Hot air balloons in the Charentes The Hot Air Balloon European Cup and Ladies World...
Bordeaux Wine Festival - 29 Jun - 02 Jul 06 Bordeaux celebrates the wines of Aquitaine 29 June - 02...

French Scotch?? A cross-channel whisky battle

le duck — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:34:59 +0000

The Independent (6 September 2008) reports on a legal battle which has been joined over a Whisky which is finished in France, but nevertheless is marketed under the title “Scotch Whisky”.
The Bercloux Brewery in the village of Bercloux (17 Charente-Maritime) between Cognac and St Jean d’Angely has a bit of a history of producing somewhat off-beat concoctions.
This Whisky is actually made with whisky distilled in Scotland, but then matured in France in casks which have been used to make Pineau des Charentes - an sweetish aperitif made from Cognac and unfermented grape juice.
The big problem (other than the taste, for which I cannot vouch) is the use of the term “Scotch Whisky” which has the Scottish Whisky producers fuming - an infringement of their “brand”. In truth, the whole presentation is distinctly different to anything I would recognise as Scotch, but then when you recall the vigour with which the makers of Champagne pursue even the slightest hint a transgression, then perhaps the Scots are right.

Unfortunately, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), the trade body which spends £1.5m each year on legal action to protect its product from an increasing cabal of international imitators and counterfeiters, sees this attempt at a whisky-fuelled entente cordiale somewhat differently. Yesterday, it warned the Brasserie de Bercloux, the producers of the French “Scotch”, that it was sending in the lawyers with an implicit demand to remove all Scottish associations from their whisky.
Under British and European law, a whisky can only be called Scotch when it has been made and aged entirely in Scotland.

The Brasserie de Bercloux also also produces a Cognac Beer! (produce artisanal beers and especially a Cognac Beer - “Its unique recipe offers a subtle and harmonious blend with incomparable taste.We are sure that this beer can be appreciated worldwide for its freshness and refinment.”

For more about Pineau des Charentes see www.frenchduck.co.uk/deau.html

Speedferries Cross-Channel offer ...
New Cross-Channel Ferry Route ...
Extend your cross-channel booze cruise ...
Cognac and Pineau des Charentes from Deau Maison Deau’s cellars are situated near Gemozac in the Charentes,...
Garden Rendezvous throughout France An opportunity to visit France’s rich heritage of Gardens...

Cognac Blues Festival

le duck — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:36:40 +0000

The town of Cognac (16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) becomes an even more attractive place to visit in July 2008 with the Blues Passions Festival (22–27 July 2008).

With more than 120 concerts, 80 of which are free, the range of music on offer is vast - i.e from Status Quo to Joan Baez and most music styles in between which an emphasis on Afro-American music.

For more info on the festival see www.bluespassions.com
The big Cognac houses (Martell, Remy-Martin, Hennesy) all have well-organised trips around their distilleries and tastings of their brandies. However, these are inevitably a bit “touristy” – there are plenty of smaller, family-run estates which also welcome visitors and provide a rather more individualised welcome – e.g Maison Deau at Gemozac, which also has a Botanic Garden to visit!

Cahors Blues Festival 2006 ...
Armagnac, Brandy or Cognac? French Brandy, Armagnac or Cognac? ...
Cognac and Pineau des Charentes from Deau Maison Deau’s cellars are situated near Gemozac in the Charentes,...
Cahors Blues Festival The annual Cahors Blues Festival takes place 17–21 July...
Walking & Cycling Poitou Charentes Poitou Charentes hidden attractions ...

British Winemakers turned French Vignerons

le duck — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:26:23 +0000

Jancis Robinson in the Financial Times (12 May 08) talks about the growing number of Brits who have followed their dream and bought a vineyard in France.

It is hardly surprising then that a substantial proportion of the hundreds of thousands of Brits who own French property have been tempted by the apparently bucolic life of a vigneron……
Are there any French winemakers left down there?
I asked Walter McKinlay, whose Domaine de Mourchon southern Rhône wines are some of the most successful from a British domaine, whether his Domaine de Mourchon wines were financially viable. He frowned. “Just about,” he said cautiously, then smiled. “But it’s a lovely lifestyle though.”

My own observation would be that it can be incredibly hard work and despite the attractions of the climate, landscape and the French way of life, it can also be very stressful. And as with all winemakers, a bad harvest, particularly in the early years can be devastating.

So, here’s our list of British vineyard owners (and 1 Irish couple) - that we are aware of (not an exhaustive list I am sure). Visits can be much more informative if the language is no barrier:-

Domaine de Laroux - Cotes de Gascogne, Armagnac (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) - Nick and Karen Kitchener
Chateau Haut Garrigue - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Sean and Caroline Feely (the Irish couple running an organic vineyard also known as Wild Earth Vineyards)
Domaine de Fontenay - Cote Roannaise AC (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) - Simon and Isabelle Hawkins

Chateau Richard - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Richard Doughty

Domaine de Merchien - Coteaux du Quercy and beer! (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees - David & Sarah Meakin

Clos d’Yvigne - Cotes de Bergeac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Patricia Atkinson

Chateau des Milles Anges - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Cadillac AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Heather van Ekris

Chateau Lezongars - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Philip and Sarah Iles

Chateau Teyssier - Saint Emilion Grand Cru AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Jonathan and Lyn Maltus

Chateau de Sours - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Esme & Sara Johnson

Domaine Gourdon - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - John Coulthard
Domaine du Grand Mayne - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - Andrew Gordon
Domaine de Begude - Limoux AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Catherine and James Kinglake
Domaine de Mourchon - Cotes du Rhone Seguret AC (84 Vaucluse, Provence) - Walter McKinley
Maison des Bulliats - Regnie AC Beaujolais (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) - Fred and Helen Lockwood
Chateau Méaume - Bordeaux Superieure AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill

Domaine a Sauvageonne - Coteaux du Languedoc AC, Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc - Roussillon) - Gavin Crisfield

Domaine Sainte Rose - Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Charles and Ruth Simpson

Chateau Bauduc - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Gavin and Angela Quinney

Domaine Sainte Croix - Corbieres AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Jon & Elizabeth Bowen

Chateau Monplaisir - Bergerac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - David and Helen Baxter

Chateau du Seuil - Graves AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Sean and Nicola Allison

Bergerac, Dordogne Bergerac on the River Dordogne is the capital of...
Stay on an organic vineyard in Saussignac The organic vineyard of Chateau Haut Garrigue in the village...
Chateau Grinou, Bergerac AC Since the 1970s the Bergerac Appellation has been revitalised and...
Wine Fair in Sigoules, Dordogne Sigoules (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) (see map) south of Bergerac celebrates...
Internal flights in France Buy at AllPosters.com Information on domestic flights in France...

Gascony’s Green Oaks B&B

le duck — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:22:39 +0000

The heart of Gascony the Gers département (32 Midi-Pyrenees) offers what I consider to be the real “France profonde” - quiet, peaceful, gently rolling countryside with a distant view of the Pyrenees. You are miles away from the turbulence of the city and its traffic and fumes. The only very ocassional reminder is a speeding jet of the French Air Force and the high vapour trails of planes crossing the continent.
Yet this does not have to be a rural scene without modern facilities, nor without careful design and style as you will discover at the B&B Chambres d’Hote Les Chenes Verts de Gascogne:

Our Bed and Breakfast is a large restored 17th century gascony stone farmhouse set in 3 hectares of garden with four ensuite bedrooms and swimming pool. Situated in beautiful countryside with outstanding views, surrounded by vines and ideally placed for visiting the many historical sites, tasting the wines and armagnac at the local domaines, shopping at the local markets, visiting the Thermal Spa, house hunting or just lazing by the pool in its tranquil setting.

Here Julie-Ann and her family have magnificently restored an old stone farmhouse into a comfortable and elegant place to stay, with four ensuite bedrooms - 3 with kingsize beds and 1 with twin double beds. Outside there is 12mx6m swimming pool, a garden with covered shaded terrace and wonderful views over the countryside (see photos)

Although somewhat isolated from hustle and bustle (situated north west of Auch at Bezolles) there is nevertheless plenty to do in the region - follow the traces of the Three Musketeers and d’Artagnan, explore the charming towns and their markets or go wine- or Armagnac-hunting!

The house is surrounded by the vines of Domaine Camp du Haut producers of Madiran and Armagnac and Julie-Ann can introduce you to the owners of the Domaine for a tasting - and at least you could walk back afterwards!

In addition they have a very good and elegant website which offers online booking - see www.leschenesvertsdegascogne.com

Les Chenes Verts De Gascogne, la Bourdette, Gers France 32310

T:00 33 562 28 90 50 F: 00 33 562 29 28 51

see our map and more info on the area

cforms contact form by delicious:days

For more info and photos click

Rooms cost from €70.00 euros per night (€57.50 for some special offer dates).

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Stay on a vineyard - Gascony In deepest Gascony, an English couple Karen and Nick...
Villa surrounded by vines in the Languedoc Situated amongst the Languedoc vineyards (and owned by a talented...
Les Montels, Raujan nr Pezenas Situated amongst the Languedoc vineyards (and owned by a talented...
Plaimont wines from Gascony Gascony map The epic story of the Côtes de...
Gascony - wines from Plaimont The epic story of the Côtes de Saint-Mont vineyards began...

French traditions under threat

John — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:31:05 +0000

One of the joys of renting a property in some parts of rural France was always the prospect of a little welcoming glass of the patron’s home brew - often something so unfamiliar and powerful if was bound to encourage good Franco-Brittanique entente cordiale. For me it was a homemade Pineau des Charentes near Saintes (Charente, Poitou-Charentes) - a blend of unfermented grape juice and neat Cognac made in the Cognac region, The first glass of this totally unknown beverage was drunk with a mixture of trepidation and politeness - served from an unlabelled bottle straight out of the fridge. The second glass was miraculously welcomed as an old friend, and the third was drunk merely to prove to the host that we were not merely being polite. Unfortunately we then discovered that the property we were staying in was still a few kilometres drive away along what roads that seemed anything but straight at the time - although the following morning the curves seemed to have been an illusion,

Hence a certain dismay at another piece of French life under threat as the Guardian (10 Dec 07) reports that this tradition is under threat.

Eau-de-vie, the fiery homemade fruit brandy which has been a staple of French rural hospitality for centuries, could be under threat by a new law to be enforced on January 1.

In France, making homemade alcohol is a tightly regulated - and taxed - process. But nearly 300,000 fruit growers and their offspring, thanks to a law dating back to the 1920s, can make up to 10 litres of pure eau-de-vie, or 20 litres of 50% alcohol, tax-free.

I do somehow have my doubts that this ruling will be strictly adhered to in the backwaters of rural France, although you should never underestimate the French customs authorities (les douaniers) who are regarded with grudging respect in France - so the bottle may stay in the fridge in future!

Charles Bremner in the Times (10 Dec 07) reports that another romantic icon of France with echoes of the 1930s is also disappearing - the Wagon-Lits sleeping cars which ran overnight from Paris to the Riviera are no more! The advent of the TGV and the ticket prices have rendered this serene and elegant mode of travel obsolete - Le Train Bleu as it was known was gleaming, polished and luxurious - a far cry from today’s preference for speed and utility. It does seem to me that modern travel termini such as all airports and many railway stations (with the exception of the new St Pancras International in London) are designed to rob travellers of any sense of anticipation or excitement for the thrill of the journey and turn it into an ordeal to be endured.
Now you’ll have to eat at the Train Bleu Restaurant in Paris to get an impression of the stylish decor and style (see image above) or really blow the budget with a trip on the Orient Express from Paris to Venice!

Tasting Armagnac Armagnac is a brandy from Gascony with similarities to Cognac...
Who’s heard of Sautel? Sautel is a french aperitif/liqueur from the Cotes de Ventoux...
French Scotch?? A cross-channel whisky battle The Independent (6 September 2008) reports on a legal battle...
Foie Gras under threat ...
Pastis, Ricard, Pernod and other southern French spirits Pastis, Pernod, Ricard and other anise spirits from southern France...

Wines from Gascony in the Telegraph

John — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 10:41:01 +0000

I have enthused about the wines of Gascony for some time, despite the fact that they have tended to remain somewhat unknown and certainly under-rated. So I was delighted to see Jonathan Ray in the Telegraph (04 Aug 07) writing about this area and its wines, and focussing on 2 producers which I have featured before on these pages and on Allez Viins!

Somewhat against the trend, the area is somewhat dominated by 2 larger -scale enterprises, which rather buck the easy stereotype that often equates big size with mass-produced, bland wines to satisfy undemanding palates.

The wines from this part of south-west France are becoming increasingly popular, thanks in no small part to two contrasting producers: the family-owned Domaine de Tariquet near Eauze and the co-operative Producteurs Plaimont, based in and around Madiran and Saint Mont.

Allez Vins! imported the wines of Plaimont for many years, as they produce excellent Vins de Pays (Colombard) and the Côtes de St Mont VDQS red, white and rosé wines – under the inspired direction of André Dubosc. Unlike other co-operatives at the time (late 80s/early 90s) they focussed on quality rather than quantity, and allowed themselves to be led and managed, rather than trying to keep every grower happy.

Their robust Madiran AC (Tannat) and the sweet Pacherenc du Vic Bilh AC (Gros and Petit Manseng) are also worth trying.

Only a week or so ago we looked at Domaine du Tariquet where Yves Grassa and his family are producing some stunning little wines – full of lively fruit and characted.

Open doors at St Mont in Gascony If you are in SouthWest France towards the end of...
Plaimont celebrates the French Paradox ...
Gascony - wines from Plaimont The epic story of the Côtes de Saint-Mont vineyards began...
Plaimont wines from Gascony Gascony map The epic story of the Côtes de...
Championing French Wines - Telegraph ...

Cognac and Pineau des Charentes from Deau

le duck — Sun, 27 May 2007 21:50:10 +0000

Maison Deau’s cellars are situated near Gemozac in the Charentes, between the town of Cognac and the sea.
This is a long-established family Cognac house, which until recently sold most of its production to one of the major marques in Cognac, but has now decided that it is proud enough of the quality of its products to sell under its own family name.
The quality outstrips that of the better-known brands at a most competitive price!
The domaine (Domaine de Chaillaud) produces fine Cognacs of various ages, including some very ancient vintages.

The domaine also produces PINEAU DES CHARENTES - a delightful blend of unfermented grape juice and fine Cognac, similar in style to the Floc de Gascogne made with Armagnac in Gascogny.- “This cousin of Cognac is the most delicious drink in the world”THE TIMES - Saturday 26 July 2003
Pineau des Charentes is the result of the subtle blending of fresh grape juice selected at harvest time, and Cognac. It can be enjoyed chilled as an aperitif or as a pleasant accompaniment to melon or foie gras etc

The grapes ripen on the soft slopes of the Saintonge (the area around the town of SAINTES) hillsides. They benefit from the microclimate lent by their proximity to the Gironde estuary (intense luminosity and moderate temperature changes).The soils are hot, either of clay-chalk (as in Champagne) or a lean sand-silica filtering type permitting early growth. This blend of Cognac with unfermented Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape juice is not dissimilar to a light port - good sweet berry flavours.

The domaine also has an impressive Botantical Garden which is well worth a visit even if you are not interested in Cognac or Pineau. There is also a small museum and a tour of the cellars available.- see www.deau.com

Address details:-

Deau SVS, Le Chaillaud, 17260 St André-de-Lidon

Tel:05 46 90 08 10
Fax:05 46 90 04 01
E: info@deau.com

See more about Maison Deau on www.frenchduck.com

Cognac Blues Festival The town of Cognac (16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) becomes an even...
French Scotch?? A cross-channel whisky battle The Independent (6 September 2008) reports on a legal battle...
Armagnac, Brandy or Cognac? French Brandy, Armagnac or Cognac? ...
Walking & Cycling Poitou Charentes Poitou Charentes hidden attractions ...
Garden Rendezvous throughout France An opportunity to visit France’s rich heritage of Gardens...

Museum Night in France

John — Wed, 09 May 2007 18:19:28 +0000

The cultural treasure chest that is France has a special open evening on Saturday 19 May 2007 - the “Nuit des Musées”. Throughout France a huge number of museums and galleries open until late evening. A random selection includes:-
- a pottery museum in Betschdorf, Alsace (67 Bas-Rhin, Alsace-Lorraine) (www.betschdorf.com);

- the Toulouse- Lautrec museum in Albi(81 Tarn, Midi-Pyrenees) (www.musee-toulouse-lautrec.com);

- the Armagnac Museum in Condom (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) www.condom.org;

- the French Travelling Post Office museum (www.ambulants.fr in Toulouse ()21 Haute-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees)

Particularly interesting is the Chateau de Versailles, (78 Yvelines, Ile de France) where there will be a music and light show against the spectacular backdrop of the marble courtyard of the Chateau - see www.chateauversailles.fr/

Moreover entrance appears to be free and many are putting on other diversions (e.g. music, dancing, a pocket torch tour). Full details can be found at www.nuitdesmusees.culture.fr/

Toulouse by Night Toulouse is aiming to become a City of Light with...
Bread and Windmills in Lautrec Lautrec (81 Tarn, Midi-Pyrenees) holds its Festival to celebrate...
Rugby World Cup in France September 2007 ...
Toulouse goes Spanish! ...
Christmas Markets in France 2006 ...

Armagnacs from Domaine de Lauroux

John — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 09:25:48 +0000

A recent invitation to taste a couple of vintage Armagnacs was something too good to miss, as I tend to prefer this brandy to the more widely available and commercial Cognac. One of the reasons is that most Armagnac is produced by small domaines rather than large multi-nationals, so you can establish more of a connection to place and people.
In this instance the people are an English couple, Nick and Karen Kitchener who took over the Domaine de Lauroux at Manciet (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees - (see map) in 2004, whose red, white and rosé Vins de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne we have tasted before.

However, tasting Armagnacs (or Cognacs come to that) is not quite as easy as tasting wines (see www.frenchduck.co.uk) but we managed to rise to the challenge. We had 2 fine Armagnacs to taste - a vintage 1967 and a 15 year old - the first being Armagnac only from the 1967 harvest; the second a blend of Armagnacs which have been matured in oak for at least 15 years.
The Lauroux Armagnacs are based on wines made from 100% Ugni Blanc which are then distilled and aged in oak - initially new oak barrels to extract colour and tannin, and later in older barrels to allow for slow maturation. Once bottled Armagnacs do not develop further.

The colour of both Armagnacs was an attractice mahogany brown - the use of clear bottles helps here. What was noticeable with both bottles was that after the initial hit of the alcoholic spirit, they were both surprisingly delicate to the taste with discernible fruit characteristics.
The 15 year old came across a touch lighter and more floral but with nutty, almond tones - whereas the 1967 was noticeably richer with more depth of complex flavours - and almost a sweet edge (caramel) - and beautifully smooth in the mouth. I could happily drink both, although inevitably the older bottle had the edge. But compared to cheap brandies, these 2 bottles were akin to putting 2 classic vintage Champagnes against cheap fizz - it is quite a different level of exquisiteness!!

Nick and Karen are hoping to put their Armagnacs online soon, but in the meantime they can be found at Planet of the Grapes, Bentleys of Ludlow and at the Butchers Arms Pub/Restaurant in Priors Hardwick, Warwickshire.
For more info on the Armagnacs of Domaine de Lauroux - see http://frenchduck.co.uk
For more on Domaine de Lauroux wines see www.frenchduck.co.uk/lauroux.html
Domaine de Lauroux, Manciet, France

Armagnac, Domaine de Lauroux The Domaine de Lauroux at Manciet (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees)...
Get a taste of Armagnac from Domaine de Lauroux [caption id="attachment_1215" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Lauroux vineyards in the Gers in...
Tasting Armagnac Armagnac is a brandy from Gascony with similarities to Cognac...
Stay on a vineyard - Gascony In deepest Gascony, an English couple Karen and Nick...
Buying a vineyard in France (Gascony) Karen & Nick Kitchener purchased the Domaine de Lauroux estate...

Staying on a vineyard

John — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 08:31:03 +0000

For wine enthusiasts there can be few more attractive options for holidays than spending part of the time surrounded by vines on a vineyard, with some preferential access to the winemaker, cellars and maybe even a few bottles of wine - it always tastes so much better on site.
Several years ago, whilst still actively importing wine, I stayed at Chateau Gibalaux-Bonnet in the Minervois (near Laure-Minervois 11 Aude, Languedoc). Now in addition to some very good wines (especially their Cuvée Prieuré, an oaked red which rates as one of the most memorable bottles I have tasted) they also have a self-catering Gite and 3 B&B rooms (Chambres d’Hotes). The domain is wonderfully isolated in the scrubby moorland north of Trebes - ideal for walking and enjoying the scents of the “garrigue”. For more info on the accommodation see www.gibalaux.com/ and for more on their wines see www.gibalaux.on-web.fr
Other options include:-
Clos Montels at Caux in the Languedoc (34 Herault)
In Cahors you could stay at one of our favourites - Chateau les Hauts d’Aglan at Soturac (near Fumel) - no website I can find but email Isabelle Rey-Auriat or phone 00 33 565365202
in Bergerac Chateau Les Miaudoux offers a fine looking Gite
In the Gers (32 Midi-Pyrenees) Domaine de Lauroux makes Cotes de Gascogne wines, Floc de Gascogne and Armagnac - and has both self-catering and B&B accommodation on offer

Stay on a French Vineyard ...
Stay on a vineyard - Gascony In deepest Gascony, an English couple Karen and Nick...
Stay on a vineyard - Coteaux du Languedoc la Clape Chateau Ricardelle produces an excellent range of Coteaux du Languedoc...
Stay on an organic vineyard in Saussignac The organic vineyard of Chateau Haut Garrigue in the village...
Buying a vineyard in France (Gascony) Karen & Nick Kitchener purchased the Domaine de Lauroux estate...

SouthWest France in July 2007 - le Tour!

John — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 06:06:29 +0000

The route of the 2007 Tour de France cycle race has been announced, and love it or hate it, you need to be aware of it if you are planning to visit South West France next summer. Starting in London for the weekend of 7/8 July the tour heads down to the Alpes via Chablis (going clockwise around France this year) before heading through Provence and the Languedoc via Marseille, Montpellier, Castres and Albi (Gaillac country) on 20/21 July. After a few gentle climbs in the Pyrenees the route then heads north from Pau through Castelsarrasin, Cahors, Angouleme and Cognac in the last week before the finish in Paris on Sunday 29th July 2007.
The impact of the race on local travel and hotels is severe, and even more so on the twisty roads and small villages of the South West - not just because of the cyclists zooming by, but because of the vast entourage of team cars, press, publicity,sponsors and spectators (many with large motorhomes) which can often mean the closure of roads and whole villages for up to 6 hours. It is such a part of French life that no-one complains about the inconvenience or hassle - unless you are not expecting it.
So make a note of the route and dates (see www.letour.fr/) and plan to either stop and enjoy the spectacle - or avoid it completely. The autoroutes are generally unaffected, but hotel rooms for miles around can be difficult to find on the night before or after the race passes through or near a town.

Cycling’s Tour de France 2009 Each July the French get very excited about 180 or...
Tour de France 2009 to start in Monaco As the 2008 Tour de France comes to its...
Tour de France 2008 The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km)...
Google’s Tour de France ...
(almost) Paris - Nice 2008 The start of the cycling season in France is marked...

Stay on a French Vineyard

John — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 06:34:32 +0000

Many French vineyards offer either self-catering or B&B, giving you the opportunity to get a closer acquaintance with a working vineyard, which can add an extra dimension to your holiday stay.

In the Minervois at Laure-Minervois (11 Aude, Languedoc) you can enjoy self-catering or B&B at Chateau Gibalaux-Bonnet, one of the best producers of Minervois wines. In a marvellous setting on the garrigue with kilometres of unpeopled pathways to wander, the family provide a warm welcome and some great wines - our favourite being the oaked red Cuvée Prieuré. For more info on the accommodation see http://www.gibalaux.com/.For more on the wines see www.gibalaux.on-web.fr

In the deepest South West Domaine de Lauroux at Manciet (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) again offers both B&B and self-catering, with the added benefit of English hosts to answer your queries. Plus they produce red, white and rosé Cotes de Gascogne wines AND Floc de Gascogne and Armagnac! - See www.lauroux.com

In the Languedoc, Helene Mir offers a villa with pool to rent amongst the vines of her Clos Montels vineyard near Caux (34 Herault, Languedoc) - For the villa see http://perso.orange.fr/montels/. After running the successful Chateau Belles Eaux, she now produces an excellent Languedoc red from Syrah and Carignan - small quantities but great quality - see www.clos-montels.com - details also on FrenchDuck.co.uk

A little further south and on a larger scale is Chateau Ricardelle at la Clape (11 Aude, Languedoc) near Narbonne. Here there is a choice of self-catering accomodation from a 2-person studio to a house - all on the vineyard which produces some excellent red and white wines - and you are within 5km of the Mediterranean - see www.chateau-ricardelle.com

Staying on a vineyard ...
Stay on a vineyard - Coteaux du Languedoc la Clape Chateau Ricardelle produces an excellent range of Coteaux du Languedoc...
Stay on a vineyard near Pezenas The Chateau Rieutort de Blanville at Saint-Pargoire (34230 Herault, Languedoc) is a very...
Stay on a vineyard - Gascony In deepest Gascony, an English couple Karen and Nick...
Stay on an organic vineyard in Saussignac The organic vineyard of Chateau Haut Garrigue in the village...

Walking & Cycling Poitou Charentes

John — Wed, 10 May 2006 17:01:34 +0000

Also known as the French “Green Venice” (Venise Verte) the Poitou Charentes region (north of Bordeaux, south of the Loire, by the Atlantic is another of those under-valued regions, which can be well worth visitng. Other than Cognac, it is not particularly well-endowed with fine vineyards, although the local white wines are often very palateable - the one exception being the excellent wines of Haut Poitou (especially Sauvignon) - although these wines in the north of the region tend to be an extension of the Loire vineyards.
Cognac of course is well worth a visit, with an attractive location on the banks of the Charente river. However, it is rather dominated by the big Cognac houses (Martell, Hennessy, Remy-Martin etc) - and there are plenty of smaller distilleries throughout the region which can provide a good introduction to the mysteries and joys of fine brandy. - e.g. Deau near Gemozac, which in addition to a tour of the cellars and a tasting offers a small museum and an impressive Botanical garden!!
Oddbins has a selection of decent Cognac, including an interesting Grande Champagne Cognac Reserve from Paul Ferrand.

The Poitou-Charentes region is sliced through by rivers such as the Charente and offers great opportunities for walking and cycling - see www.poitou-charentes-vacances.com Poitou-Charentes has endless signposted footpaths and cyclepaths by the Atlantic Ocean, along rivers, across nature reserves, marshes such as the Marais Poitevin and through pretty hamlets..The website has walking and cycling guides to download.
La Rochelle is an impressive fortified harbour town with some good beaches within easy reach - and the islands of Ile de Ré and Ile d’Oleron are both very attractive with lots of sandy beaches and flat walking of cycling - not to mention the very best and freshest seafood.
Several low-cost airlines fly direct to La Rochelle and Poitiers - see www.frenchduck.co.uk

For more on France, French Wine, Food & Travel try our SEARCH feature
Also see our calendar of events in France

Related posts:
The Farmhouse B&B in Poitou-Charentes Conveniently situated a kilometre or so off the main...
Cognac and Pineau des Charentes from Deau Maison Deau’s cellars are situated near Gemozac in the Charentes,...
Cognac Blues Festival The town of Cognac (16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) becomes an even...
Hot air balloons in the Charentes The Hot Air Balloon European Cup and Ladies World...
Charentais Vin de Pays Vins de Pays Charentais, mainly white wines from grapes...

Winemaker Blogs

John — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 12:58:25 +0000

Some wineries in France are now offering some great on-line content which really strengthens the link between the consumer and producer. It has always been my contention that a wine has that bit “extra” if you know where it has come from, perhaps visited the vineyard and shaken the grubby hand of the working winemaker. The best wine memories have this sort of added value because I can make a connection with time, place, people, food etc, and for me the best wine I have tasted was not the best technically, but the most memorable because of when, where and with whom I drank it.
So, these websites can give you more of an insight into the winemaker, sometimes warts and all - and this makes the whole thing more approachable and personal - something you cannot really do with the big brands.
The latest one I came across (courtesy of www.spittoon.biz) is a Champagne house - Champagne Tarlant at Oeuilly near Epernay (51 Marne, Champagne-Ardennes) - the Champagne Tarlant website is in English, but the more interesting Champagne Tarlant Blog is regrettably only in French. However, it also includes short video clips - for example a view inside a stainless steel cuve whilst the wine is being run off with a commentary. This promises to build into a fascinating and really informative insight into wine-making in Champagne delivered by people who lack some of the pomposity often associated with Champagne producers. Recommended viewing!

Another site worth visiting is that of Domaine de Lauroux at Manciet (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) - although no fancy video there is a great Vineyard Diary written by the Kitchener family who moved out to Armagnac country to run a vineyard producing Cotes de Gascogne wine, Floc de Gascogne and Armagnac.This is a fascinating series of snapshots of life in the vineyard, well written and informative.

A visit to Jean-Marc Brocard’s Chablis website is very rewarding - one of the best designs I’ve seen - very informative (and seductive!) plus there is a full 16-minute video “Four Seasons in Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard” which despite being a bit “arty” is most enjoyable to watch.

For more on France, French Wine, Food & Travel try our SEARCH feature
Also see our calendar of events in France

To receive notification of new articles - enter your Email
Powered by FeedBlitz

Related posts:
French Independent Winemaker fairs The Wine Fairs (Salons) of the Vignerons Independents - a...
Invest in French vines not wines! Personally I have never liked the idea of investing...
Chablis - Jean-Marc Brocard Jean-Marc Brocard makes excellent Chablis wines in northern Burgundy. ...
Independent’s 50 Best Wines The Independent has a weekly series of 50 Best…. of...
Carnival of France, Travel and Francophiles #12 FrenchDuck’s turn to do the Blog Carnival of France...

Armagnac, Brandy or Cognac?

John — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 09:11:50 +0000

A recent post on Floc de Gascogne and Armagnac prompted some enquiries about the difference between Armagnac and Cognac - and indeed French Brandy.
First and foremost, both Armagnac and Cognac are “Appellation Controllee” which means that any product carrying the name has to come from a defined geographic area, and be made according to strict rules to ensure conformity and quality. For Armagnac this is an area on the Southwest of France mainly in the Gers and Gascony, between Bordeaux and the Landes forests and the Pyrenees. Cognac is made further north of Bordeaux around the Charentes river. The grape varieties used tend to be different, but the other distinguising feature of Armagnac is that it is produced using a continuous still process. This tends to yield a spirit which is richer in aroma-containing impurities - it is after all the impurities which give a brandy character. Hence Armagnac tends to be more “fragrant” than Cognac, although Cognac will tend to be more elegant and cleaner in taste.
In truth it is difficult to claim that one is better than the other - they are different in style and I have favourites in both styles.
There is also a difference in the history. Cognac was largely developed by entrepreneurs - Hennessy (Irish), Courvoisier, Remy Martin, Martell for example - names which are big brands in themselves. In Armagnac however, production was and is a more rural artisan affair - small producers spread over quite a large geographical area - so there are few big brands of Armagnac.

French brandy however can be produced anywhere in France, and is applied to any grape-based spirit distilled from wine. These tend to be less refined, but cheaper and depending on the need (e.g. for cooking or cocktails) they can be great value for money.

For Armagnac I would recommend Domaine de Lauroux at Manciet (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) or see our earlier article on Floc de Gascogne & Armagnac
For Cognac, I would recommend Maison Deau at St Andre de Lidon (17 Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes) - they also have a small museum and a wonderful botanic garden and glasshouse.

For more on France, French Wine, Food & Travel try our SEARCH feature
Also see our calendar of events in France

To receive notification of new articles - enter your Email

Powered by FeedBlitz

Related posts:
More Brandy - Calvados, the Apple Brandy Calvados Apple Brandy - but also can be made from...
Floc de Gascogne from Armagnac Floc de Gascogne from Domaine de Lauroux in the heart...
Tasting Armagnac Armagnac is a brandy from Gascony with similarities to Cognac...
Cognac and Pineau des Charentes from Deau Maison Deau’s cellars are situated near Gemozac in the Charentes,...
Cognac Blues Festival The town of Cognac (16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) becomes an even...