South West France wines

Medcins du Monde UK  (World Doctors) runs an annual London to Paris Bike ride to raise funds (10-13 July 2009).

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

A favourite treat for our visits to Paris has for many years been the Fontaine de Mars brasserie in the 7th Arrondisement. The main attraction has always been the informal atmosphere and the menu of South West France specialities - especially duck, foie gras and the use of Madiran and other Southwest Wines for sauces (eggs in Madiran?, Foie Gras with Pacherenc du Vic Bilh?) and an impressive list of wines from the South West France and Bordeaux.

Situated within easy walking distance of the Eiffel Tower and the fabulous market in Rue Cler this area is always the highlight of a Paris visit.
Recommended Reading: Markets of Paris also: The Authentic Bistros of Paris

However, now I hear that during his recent short visit to France, President Obama chose the Fontaine de Mars as the venue for supper. Will it ever be the same again? Will prices now be hiked? Will the clientele be dominated by Americans??Will the menu retain its authenticity?

Restaurant la Fontaine de Mars
129, Rue Saint-Dominique 75007 PARIS  T: 01 47 05 46 44

Paris Tourist Office

See map

Gite Grape Escape at Saussignac

One of my preferred vineyard gites is at the organic Chateau Haut Garrigue just outside the village of Saussignac in the western Dordogne valley (24 Dordogne, Midi-Pyrenees) where Sean and Carolyne Feely originally from South Africa and Ireland have built up the vineyard (Saussignac AOC and Bergerac AOC) and also created a superb gite with great views over the valley and adjoining countryside - with their Wild Earth Vineyards venture they can also offer a variety of other diversions to help you enjoy the area and the wines!

Join us this summer to partake of wonderful fresh organic herbs, home-laid organic eggs and delectable wines that Chateau Haut Garrigue has to offer. What makes our self-catering cottage really stand out are the extraordinary views; they help to relax, to feel weightless and carefree.

If you haven’t finalised your summer plans we still have a few weeks left and for 5 days only (until this Monday May 18th) we’re offering 20% off the weekly rental price. As we say in France - une affaire a saisir - an offer not to be missed!

Appropriately they have named the gite “The Grape Escape”. They still have a few weeks available throughout the summer which are offered at a discount for early bookings. AND you will be in easy reach of the vineyards of Bergerac, Cotes de Duras and St Emilion. For more info see http://frenchduck.co.uk or use the enquiry form below:

cforms contact form by delicious:days

The tiny village of Albas (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) in the Lot Valley west of Cahors flings open its cellar doors on 23 May 2009 to celebrate the local Cahors wines  - “Fresh air in our cellars” or “Le bon air dans les caves” is the by-line. The local wine producers offer samples of their wines plus music, dancing, local food tasting (e.g. foie gras and local cheeses)  and  a banquet in the square . Follow the minor road on the south bank of the river.

Cahors AOC wines are made predominantly from the Malbec grape (locally known as Auxerrois) and although the wine has in the past tended to be a bit tough and tannic, modern techniques and approaches now produce much fruitier and more accessible styles. This would be a great opportunity to try some of these wines in a festive atmosphere - and white and rose wines (vins de pays) are also available from some producers.

One local producer known to us is Chateau Eugenie just east of the village where the Couture family produce a wide range of excellent Cahors wines, demonstrating the differences in the local terroir from the river valley to the top of the Causse (moorland)

See our archives about Cahors wines at www,frenchduck.co.uk

For more info see www.feteduvin-cahors.fr/

Part of our series featuring places to stay and explore for a weekend or longer with recommendations on where to stay, eat, visit etc – recommendations from personal knowledge of people who know the local area well.

Why Entraygues-sur-Truyere? Entraygues-sur-Truyere is a picturesque riverside village, where two rivers meet, the Lot River and the Truyere.  Entraygues was founded in the 10th century and its fortified castle was built between 1278-1290.  Entraygues is located in an area with 10 of the, “The Most Beautiful Villages in France,” more than any othe region! (and rightly so! (Ed))

Where to stay: Sweet French Cottages,enchanting stone cottages for rent in the Lot Valley, Southwest France

Nearest Town: Entraygues-sur-Truyere, 12 Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees

Where to eat (recommended by Raine Heron of Sweet French Cottages): Le Mejanessere, a beautiful rustic restaurant with stunning views. Also a vineyard and an organic farm.  Food is farm fresh and set menus often feature roasted pig, sausage in walnut oil, potatoes with wild mushrooms, green salad with edible flowers and herbs and dessert.  Delicious bread baked on premises.  Wonderful apéritif menu and local wines from vineyard.  Mostly open during high season (some mid season hours).

Where to eat (gourmet): Auberge du Fel.  Delicious, fresh, often regional food beautifully presented.  The Executive Chef, Mme Elisabeth Albespy, is the Mayor’s wife and the Sous Chef is their son, Mathieu.  The Mayor is often on hand to serve up their traditional as well as inventive dishes, including a vegetarian prix fixe menu.

Where to eat (value for money): La Casa.  Oven-fired thin crust pizza, pasta dishes and fresh salads.  Make your own pizza (our favourite is goat cheese, chestnuts and fresh tomatoes) or try the duck and Roquefort pizza, among many others on the menu.  Good table wine and tasty desserts.

Local food: Aubrac beef, duck, lamb, trout, foie gras, charcuterie, aligot (whipped potatoes with cheese), truffade, cabecou, fouace, honey, walnut oil, fresh chestnuts as well as chestnut vinegar, flour and chestnut butter, farcous, wild mushrooms

Local wine: Entraygues– Le Fel wine, which has recently had a come uppance when one of our Entraygues wines made it s way onto the menu at Michel Bras, a regional restaurant which ranks one of the top ten restaurants in the world.  There are also several local aperitifs including “Pelou,” consisting of chestnut liqueur and local white wine and “Rascalou,” consisting of walnut liqueur and local white wine.  Both are wonderful.

Local markets: Farmer’s Markets are held every Friday morning throughout the year.  In high season, there are two Farmer’s Markets, on both Tuesday and Friday mornings, and a local producer’s market (Marche des Producteurs de Pays) on Wednesday evenings with banquet style dining and live music.  All of the markets are held in the village square or along the river in Entraygues.

Must see: Poterie du Don, a museum-quality contemporary ceramic center in an architecturally-significant building.  Ceramics include traditional salt glaze tableware and ceramic creations by the gallery owner, Suzy Atkins, to ceramic sculpture and flatworks by many well-known European ceramic artists.

A bit of culture?: Since the  area is unspoiled and rather timeless, you definitely feel immersed in the French culture on a daily basis, particularly if you frequent the butcher, the baker, Farmer’s Market and mill around the villages.  With regard to museums, one that stands out is the Musee Fenaille in Rodez with the oldest and largest collection of statues-menhirs in France (think small, carved Stone Henge).

Shopping?: There are charming shops in Entraygues, as well as many lovely shops and cafes on pedestrian-only streets in the old town section of nearby Aurillac.

Somewhere for a walk? – There are 10 “Petites Randonrres” (small walking paths) in Entraygues totaling more than 100 km.  There are also longer walks, some taking 2-3 days, and more than 250 km of trails in the area.  There is also a 30-45 minute historic walk through the medieval streets of Entraygues, guided by sign posts.

Something for the kids? – There is kayaing, canoeing, river rafting and horseback riding in Entraygues, as well as several animal parks and farms open to the public in surrounding areas.  Also, the Micropolis (insect) museum and the Millau Viaduc (the highest bridge in the world) is not far from us.

Getting there?:– Driving across France is always a scenic pleasure.  By air, our nearest airport is Rodez-Marcillac Airport (only a short 1-hour flight from Paris) Ryanair fly from Stansted to Rodez.

Other airports in the area include Toulouse International Airport, Montpellier Airport and Limoges Airport.  Trains arrive at either Aurillac or Rodez stations

Getting around:– Buses and taxis are availabie in town, and the area is frequented by cyclists (including the Tour de France!).  There are train stations in both Aurillac and Rodez - and tickets direct from the UK can be booked through Rail Europe

When to come?:– There are festivals every weekend in mid and high seasons in Entraygues or nearby villages.  The better known festivals, however, are “Les Mediaevales” (Medieval Days) on 12 and 13 Sepetember 2009 featuring jugglers, musicians, medieval costumes, banquet-style lunch, wine, beer and several artisan booths. “Fete des Champignons” (Mushroom Festival) is held the last weekend in September and features folkloric museum, dancing, costumes, lunch and everything mushroom.  “Foire de la Chataigne” (Chestnut Fair) will be held on 24 and 25 October 2009 and is large festival with music, food, wine and everything chestnut.

For a longer stay?:– Take a day trip (and perhaps, stay one night) in Cahors or Gaillac or Cordes sur Ciel, or just take cat naps, go for walks down to the river or next to the local vineyards, through the historic villages, or just sit on the terrace while reading a good book and sipping wine, taking in the fresh air, views and sound of the flowing river.

Recommendations kindly supplied by Rain Heron at Sweet French Cottages

For more info on the local area see the local tourist office website

As a fan of SW France, its wines and its food it is always good to have some of your favourite wines featured by an independent UK wine merchant - Leon Stolarski Fine Wines has selected 2 lesser-known wines from domaines I have worked with before. Laplace is one of the biggest and most respected winemakers in SW France, and interestingly Leon Stolarski has selected the dry version of Pacherenc - the sweeter and often dessert version os more often seen locally - so chack that you are buying the “Sec”.

The wines from Fronton (southwest of Montauban) tended in the past to be rather light, but well-suited to the more famous rosé from Fronton (or the Cotes du Frontonnais as it used to be known.) However Chateau Bouissel completely changed my view of Fronton wines and manage top produce some seriously good wines.

We have recently added a couple of cracking wines to our South-West France selection. Firstly, we have the refreshing yet considerably complex Pierre Laplace Cuvée Frédéric Laplace 2007 Pacherenc du Vic Bilh Sec. O.K, so the name is a bit of a mouthful - but so is the wine! The length of my tasting note will give you an indication of my enthusiasm for this wine and I highly recommend it for those who are looking for unusual and exciting new wines. And at £10.50, it provides excellent value for money for such a complex wine.

Secondly, we have Chateau Bouissel Classic 2006 Fronton, which is a truly delicious “drink me now” red from this relatively unknown appellation.  Made from 50% Negrette, 25% Syrah, 20% Cabernets Sauvigon and Franc and 5% Cot (Malbec), it will appeal to those who like big, bold, juicy, drinkable young reds. And it is a fantastic bargain at just £7.49. If only Bordeaux (and to a lesser extent Cahors and Madiran) could produce such juicy, fruity, delicious wines at this price level!.

I fully endorse Leon Stolarski’s final comments on wines from SW France - but then I admit I am biased!

In fact, the more we discover about the wines of South-West France, the more we realise that there are so many “undiscovered” gems, from light, minerally, complex dry whites, through fruity yet robust reds, to fully-fledged sweet whites to rival the worlds finest.

LSF has put together a specially priced South-West France Case, covering the range of wines from this wonderful (and geographically very scattered) region, including the new wines detailed above. This 12-bottle case is offered at the special price of £110.82, a saving of £10 on the normal individual bottle prices.
See Leon Stolarski Fine Wines

Tel/fax; 00 44 (0)115 952 9387
Mobile; 00 44 (0)794 1850178
http://www.lsfinewines.co.uk