France Magazine

LE TOUQUET BREAK DRIVING LE LOIR XXXXX
A CHIC WEEKEND BY THE SEA TAKE A SCENIC ROAD TRIP
TRAVEL | FOOD & WINE | CULTURE | HISTORY December 2018 | Issue 243
Bon étit! WALKING

app WITH GIANTS
Meet the Géants
as
E d ib le g if t id e of Douai
to s ta y
Fo o d ie p la c e s
la g n e
D in in g in L a P
Fe s ti v e tr e a ts
Nice &Isola
does t
Sun and ski in one trip
SPECIAL BREWS
Discover the craft beers
of the beautiful south
Britain and North America’s

TALKING TOQUES TAKE A STROLL best-selling magazine about France
UNCOVERING THE STORY VISIT THE COBBLED MEDIEVAL

£3.99
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BIENVENUE
DON’T FORGET:
THE FRANCE
CALENDAR 2019 IS
AVAILABLE NOW
SEE PAGE 50 FOR

MORE DETAILS
Wrapped up for a winter’s day on the Quai de

l’Hôtel-de-Ville beside the River Seine in Paris. This
scene is December’s image in the FRANCE Calendar
Winter is coming
A
fter such a baking hot summer both in recipe from Michel Roux Jr, too. But it’s not just
the UK and France, it is actually quite about food, we also pay a visit to the ski resort of
gratifying that there is now a distinct Isola 2000, which is close enough to the city of
bite in the air, and that mist, dew and Nice for a real two-centre stay option, and what
frost are all making a reappearance in the mornings. could be nicer than considering an off-season
We are rapidly galloping towards Christmas, and it break in Le Touquet, for some fresh sea air?
just would not feel right if we were still wandering All of us in the office are starting to get
around in short sleeves! excited about The France Show in January too,
Putting together this issue of the magazine has with its promise of a grand French day out. We
PHOTOGRAPH: BERTRAND GARDEL/HEMIS.FR
reminded me of all the lovely aspects of a French love putting the event on every year and we hope
winter. We embrace the season’s obsession with you enjoy coming to it as much as we do! See
eating and drinking with a nosy around some foodie you there?
Christmas markets. We share some suggestions for The FRANCE Calendar 2019 is available to buy,
gastronomic gifts, eat out in lovely La Plagne and with a beautiful picture every month. It makes a
take a look at a variety of hotels that specialise in great Christmas gift, too. Turn to page 50 for details.
Lara Dunn
good food and drink. I, for one, am excited to try
the delicious and wintry-looking duck confit pie À bientôt! Editor
www.completefrance.com FRANCE MAGAZINE 3

CONTENTS
December 2018
30 38
WIN
44
● TRAVEL GREAT PRIZES ●BON APPÉTIT
08 FRANCE AT A GLANCE TO BE WON 68 FESTIVE FOODIE GIFTS
Let our stunning images take you on WRITE A LETTER – 14 Find the perfect christmas treat for the
a virtual journey around l’Hexagone. TAKE A PHOTO – 15 gastronomic Francophile in your life.
FIND SERGETTE
THE SNAIL – 20
17 LES NOUVELLES DO A CROSSWORD – 91 70 EAT OUT IN LA PLAGNE
All the news and inspiration you need to Fabulous views accompany hearty
inform your next trip to France. mountain favourites in this alpine gem.
28 ROAD TRIP 48 HISTORY TRAIL 72 FOOD & WINE

Discover the historic mills, troglodyte Follow the developments from the start Eat at Christmas markets plus a
PHOTOGRAPHS: OT STATIONS MERCANTOUR; BEN LERWILL, EDDI FIEGEL; RUDOLF
ABRAHAM; DAVID DUCHON-DORIS; ALISON HUGHES; THE FRENCH REVOLUTION/
villages and châteaux of the Loir. of France’s tradition of photography. Paris café and a restaurant reviewed.
CHRISTIAN BARNETT; LES HOTELS PARIS RIVE GAUCHE/ALAIN B/CC BY-SA 2.0
30 NICE & ISOLA 2000 52 WALKING WITH GÉANTS 73 WINES OF THE MONTH
Soak up the sun in Nice then ski the Douai in Nord boasts some truly larger- Master of Wine Sally Easton gives us
slopes of Isola 2000 in the same trip. than-life characters worth meeting. her pick of the best bottles to buy.
38 BEERS OF THE SOUTH 58 TAKE A STROLL CONFOLENS 74 FLAVOUR OF FRANCE

A tour of the Mediterranean coast meeting Take an amble around the medieval A warming winter confit duck dish to
some craft beer producers along the way. streets of this town in Charente. savour from The French Revolution.
44 LE TOUQUET WEEKEND 62 WHERE TO STAY 76 LOIRE LIGHTS

Enjoy a refined and genteel seaside break Find somewhere with excellent food and Dominic Rippon visits the Loire Valley to
just a few hours from the bustle of Paris. drink in our accommodation guide. find out about Muscadet’s vineyards.
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS JUST £25.99 - SEE OUR LATEST OFFER ON PAGE 36
4 FRANCE MAGAZINE www.completefrance.com

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48 74 28
● EVERY MONTH
●LA CULTURE 14 BOÎTE AUX LETTRES
Have your say and share travel tips
79 NEWS to win a great prize. PAGE 44
Aznavour remembered, record wine PAGE 52
auction and PR campaign for rats. 25 HOLIDAY PLANNER
Organise your next trip with
80 CHEF’S HATS our guide to travel routes. PAGE 98
Discover the origins and history of the PAGE 28 PAGE 63
tall hat worn by chefs around the globe. 86 LANGUAGE
We find the best resources for
83 LAURENT CANTET brushing up your language skills.
The director talks about the origins of
PAGE 58
his new film The Workshop. 88 LANGUAGE HELP
PAGE 70
The phrases you need when you
84 FILM REVIEW are enjoying a holiday in the snow.
Pierre de Villiers appreciates The
Workshop-a film 17 years in the making. 90 LANGUAGE GAMES PAGE 72
Improve your French with our
PAGE 30
85 BOOK REVIEWS selection of fun puzzles and games. PAGE 38
Indulge your love of France a little further
with our pick of the best new reads.
● VIGNETTE
85 FIVE MINUTES WITH... 98 STEPHEN CLARKE
Illustrator Marin Montagut talks Our Paris-based columnist ponders the
about his book Parisian Chic at Home. ancient Parisian art of queue-jumping. ON THE COVER

XXXXX
MEET OUR WRITERS…

We ask them to share with us their favourite thing about winter in France
Sandra Haurant
CUMBERLAND HOUSE, ORIEL ROAD, CHELTENHAM GL50 1BB British freelance writer Sandra lives in France with her French
TEL 01242 216 050 husband and their three children. She moved there in 2010
EDITORIAL@FRANCEMAG.COM after eight years as a Guardian journalist, and writes on
FACEBOOK.COM/FRANCEMAGAZINE
@FRANCEMAGAZINE French culture, history, food, lifestyle and travel from her
home near Toulouse. On page 48, Sandra explores the
Editor Lara Dunn developments in French photographic history.
Assistant Editor Stephen Mather “It’s an easy drive to the Pyrénées from Toulouse, and as winter approaches,
Staff Writer Helen Parkinson the mountains on the horizon become a snowy playground you can’t wait to
Designer Kieran Sparrow explore. As soon as we can, we take a daytrip to one of our nearest ski resorts
We couldn’t have made this issue without: for a closer look at those magical mountains. .”
Rudolf Abraham, Stephen Clarke, Pierre de Villiers,
Sally Easton, Eddi Fiegel, Heidi Fuller-love,
James Rampton
Sophie Gardner-Roberts, Régine Godfrey, Sandra Haurant,
Alison Hughes, Ben Lerwill, Neil Puttnam, Since graduating from Oxford University, James Rampton
James Rampton, Dominic Rippon, Michel Roux Jr, has written twelve books. In addition, he was a staff feature
Mark Sampson, Peter Stewart, Tim Wesson writer on the Independent for a decade. He has subsequently
ARCHANT FRANCE PORTFOLIO written features for the Independent, the i paper, the
FRANCE Magazine, Living France, French Property News Saturday Express magazine, the Daily Mail, and the Scotsman
Group Editor Karen Tait magazine. He is also a regular newspaper reviewer for the BBC News Channel.
On page 30 he combines sun and ski in a trip to Nice.
ADVERTISING
ARCHANT SPECIALIST SALES DIRECTOR SUE CRWYS-WILLIAMS “My favourite thing about France in winter is The Alps. The mountain range is
SUSAN.CRWYS-WILLIAMS@ARCHANT.CO.UK pretty breathtaking in the summer, but it is, if anything, even more spectacular
ADVERTISING MANAGER EMMA KESTIN
TEL: 01242 265 891, EMMA.KESTIN@ARCHANT.CO.UK in the winter. In the entire world, there can be few finer experiences than
ACCOUNT MANAGER STEPHEN EGGERTON standing at the top of la Cime de la Lombarde in the ski resort of Isola 2000,
TEL: 01242 216 070, STEPHEN.EGGERTON@ARCHANT.CO.UK
surveying the mighty snow-capped peaks that encircle you. Simply stunning.”
CUSTOMER SERVICE
SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES TEL: 01858 438 840,
FRANCEMAGAZINE@SUBSCRIPTION.CO.UK Eddi Fiegel
ALL OTHER ENQUIRIES SARAH GOUGH TEL: 01242 264 785,
SARAH.GOUGH@ARCHANT.CO.UK Eddi is an award-winning journalist and author, contributing
to publications including the Telegraph, the Independent
ARCHANT SPECIALIST MAGAZINES
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MAGAZINES PETER TIMPERLEY and the Guardian. Her grandparents lived in Paris
PETER.TIMPERLEY@ARCHANT.CO.UK throughout her childhood and she grew up visiting France
EVENTS DIRECTOR DEBBIE MACLEOD
regularly. She has a passion for French cinema and music,
SUBSCRIPTIONS & MARKETING ABIGAIL STOCKTON
ABIGAIL.STOCKTON@ARCHANT.CO.UK and crosses la Manche as often as possible. On page 44,
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Eddi enjoys a weekend break in Le Touquet.
PRINTED BY WILLIAM GIBBONS LTD, WILLENHALL, ENGLAND. “When it’s chilly outside there’s nothing I love more than sitting in an old
fashioned French bistro and watching Christmas shoppers huddle by as I
COVER IMAGE: THE TOWER OF THE CONVENT OF SAINT FRANÇOIS, NICE luxuriate in the warmth of a cosy banquette, nursing a steaming chocolat
PHOTOGRAPH: NEIRFY/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
chaud. Either that or snuggling up by a roaring log fire after a snowy day in
LE TOUQUET BREAK
A CHIC WEEKEND BY THE SEA
DRIVING LE LOIR
TAKE A SCENIC ROAD TRIP
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UNDERGROUND ART
ANCIENT CAVE PAINTINGS REVEALED
FANTASTIC FORTS
VAUBAN’S MASTERPIECES
XXXXX the Alps.”
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TRAVEL | FOOD & WINE | CULTURE | HISTORY November 2018 | Issue 242
TRAVEL | FOOD & WINE | CULTURE | HISTORY December 2018 | Issue 243 Bon
appétit! ON FOOT IN
AUVERGNE
GREAT BAKES
Exploring the
NORMANDY TIPPLES town of Issoire
CHEESE TO SAVOUR
Bon WALKING MALBEC WINES
appétit! WITH GIANTS
Turn to page 36 to see

Meet the Géants
Edible gift ideas
C O N TA C T U S
FLOWERS FOR PEACE
to stay
of Douai Discover the story behind
Foodie places Monet’s water lilies
Dining in La Plagne
Saint-Malo
Festive treats
Visit beautiful Brittany on a weekend escape

our latest exciting
STARRY STAYS
ENJOY SWEET DREAMS AT
REMEMBERING THE FALLEN
WE SHARE THE BEST PLACES TO REFLECT
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SNOWY SHORES
It isn’t often that Ajaccio on the west coast of Corsica sees snowfall. The
famous palm trees lining the city’s beaches look a little overburdened
www.completefrance.com PHOTOGRAPH: GWENVIDIG/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS FRANCE MAGAZINE 9
DUCAL STRONGHOLD XXXXX
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes was home to the
y Dukes of Brittany and the Breton residence of the monarchy
PHOTOGRAPH: MICHAL LUDWICZAK/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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ALPINE EXPRESS
The brightly-coloured train station at Chamonix in Haute-Savoie is served
by the Mont Blanc Express which celebrates 110 years of service this year
PHOTOGRAPH: ELISALOCCI/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
L’HEURE BLEUE
The most visited location in Normandy, Mont-Saint-Michel nonetheless
remains mysterious and ethereal, particularly at twilight
www.completefrance.com PHOTOGRAPH: MARCELLOLAND/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES FRANCE
PLUS MAGAZINE 11
FESTIVE SEASON XXXXX
A visit to Paris is particularly magical during the festive
season. The city is extravagantly decorated throughout
PHOTOGRAPH: ENCRIER/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
FORM AND FUNCTION

Built in 1768 as part of the Saint-Clément aqueduct, the Peyrou
water tower in Montpellier is testament to King Louis XIV’s vision
12 FRANCE MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPH: LEONID www.completefrance.com
ANDRONOV/ISTOCK/ GETTY IMAGES PLUS
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Boîte aux lettres
Send us your stories and memories of France
September séjour valley. We were Jacques’ only

My husband and I have just STAR guests that night and our room
returned from a 2,200 mile trip by LETTER had stunning mountain views.
car around France. We promised The four-course dinner, cooked
ourselves a leisurely route down to by our host, was sourced from
Provence to spend a week in Grasse and local produce with cheeses
a different route back, retracing a holiday made by his friends. Breakfast
we made in 1967 with our two small the next morning was amazing;
children and two small tents. one of the best ever in a French
We opted for September because we ABOVE: Draguignan from the hill of the clock tower hotel. It was a real find. In the
thought it would be cooler. Not so this latest edition we were amused
year! The daily temperature in Provence years ago when we camped there. Not and interested to read about Draguignan;
was over 30°C. Our accommodation was for us the campsite this time, but Grasse’s next door neighbour – and ours
in hotels of all sorts and sizes, from a L’Acacia, owned and run by Jacques, a too for our week in Provence!
château to a ferme-auberge. delightful and most hospitable host.
We found the village of Lus-la-Croix- L’Acacia is located about three Julia Knott, Redmarley, Glos
Haute in the Dauphiné Alps fifty-odd kilometres outside the village up a side
Aires and graces while to get rid of him.

A word of warning for fellow travellers We returned to our lunch but before
through France. Over the past fifteen five minutes had passed, another vehicle
years we have motored up and down stopped by us, and a Dutch man this
France, from Calais to the south coast, time, told us that - yes, you’ve guessed -
without incident - until recently! ‘the back of his van had been broken
We had stopped for a lunch break at into!’ We told him that we had just
one of the many Aires and were enjoying heard the exact same story and were able
the peace and tranquility when we were to get rid of him a little quicker!
The writer of this month’s star letter
joined by a (large!) Irishman who We would advise stopping at Service
wins a signed copy of Perry Taylor’s
claimed that the ‘back of his van had Aires where there are more people, or if
new book Le Selfie Gascon, which
been broken into’ and his children’s using the other, less-frequented ones, to
features the artist’s amusing
passports and his bank cards had been make sure that you stay reasonably close
drawings of life in his adopted rural
stolen. (Quite why they were in the back to other travellers.
French home.
of the van was never explained!) He was
To see more of Perry’s work visit
clearly after money and it took quite a Kath Groves, via email
perrytaylor.fr
Share your thoughts, tips Evocative style too many embellishments. One column I
and memories with us!
I am just pausing from a busy period particularly enjoy reading is Carol
Send your letter to:
PHOTOGRAPHS: CELLI07/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO; LARA DUNN
working and trying to escape Brexit Drinkwater’s ‘Vignette’. In just a few

Boîte aux Lettres, FRANCE
Britain, by indulging for an hour or so in paragraphs she always manages to
Magazine, Cumberland House,
your latest magazine, finding it hard to
Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Glos,
believe that it is only a few weeks since I
GL50 1BB, or email: editorial@
last returned from France. As I turn its
francemag.com.
pages I try to imagine a permanent
Please supply your name and
escape to France and what it would be
address.
like to live there, following in the
You can find FRANCE Magazine’s footsteps of my Huguenot ancestors.
updated index for issues 100-200 Having travelled to France many times,
on our website via this link: www. both in my working and private life, I
completefrance.com/FMIndex always think the magazine manages to
capture a true sense of France, without

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HAVE YOUR SAY
Don’t forget to follow us
on Instagram,
@francemagazine
Several members of our team have
enjoyed trips to France in recent weeks Helen Parkinson
and here is a selection of some our travelled to La Plagne
favourite images. Follow us on
Instagram to see more.
Editor Lara
conjure up a real sense of life in southern Dunn hopped
Lucy Parford
France. This month, I was able to feel the over to Paris
visited Chambery
autumn heat, smell the newly harvested and the Lac du
food and taste the deep flavours provided Bourget
by a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as I
read her words. She manages to quickly
transport you from the newly harvested
land, on to fishing ports and into music
recitals in churches (revealing their
curious heritage at the same time) in just
a few hundred words. Her columns
always create a true sense of place, time Brigitte Nico
las
enjoyed expl
and season; very clever writing. oring the
Haute-Saône
Tamzie Hollands, via email region
READER PHOTO COMPETITION

LE TOUQUET
A CHIC WEEKEND BY BREAK DRIVING LE
THE SEA
TAKE A SCENIC ROADLOIR XXXXX
TRIP
The winner of this month’s competition is Mick Hardiman with his photograph,
sent in via email, of a picturesque bridge and stunning architecture in Saint- TRAVEL | FOOD &
WINE | CULTURE |
HISTORY
December 2018
| Issue 243
Savin-sur-Gartempe in Vienne. S
Bon
appétit!
Edible gift ideas
WALKING
WITH GIANTS
FANTASTIC FORT XXXXX
UNDERGROUNDS REVEALED
ART VAUBAN’S MASTERPIECES Foodie places to stay Meet the Géan
ts
ANCIENT CAVE PAINTING Dining in La Plagne of Douai
Festive treats
Send us your holiday picture capturing the essence of France by email and we shall publish | HISTORY
November 2018
| Issue 242
WINE | CULTURE
TRAVEL | FOOD &
the best image in next month’s FRANCE Magazine. The winner will receive a one-year Bon
appétit!
ON FOOT IN
AUVERGNE
Exploring the
Nice &Isola
GREAT
BAKE S town of Issoire
subscription to FRANCE Magazine (RRP £47.88)*. To enter the January competition, send
LES
DY TIPP
NOR MAN UR
TO SAVO
CHEE SE
WINE S
MAL BEC
your horizontal format high-resolution image to editorial@francemag.com by 5 December. does t

Sun and ski in
FLOWERS FOR
PEACE one trip
behind
Discover the story lilies
Monet’s water
*Existing subscribers to FRANCE Magazine will win a subscription to their choice of either
Saint-Malo
SPECIAL BREW
Living France or French Property News.

S
Discover the craft
of the beautiful beers
a weekend escap
e south
Brittany on
Visit beautiful TALKING TOQU
UNCOVERING THE STORYES TAKE A STRO
THE ICONIC CHEF’S OF VISIT THE COBBLED LL
Britain and North
America’s
best-selling magazine
America’s
HAT MEDIEVAL about France
STREETS OF CONFO
Britain and North about France
best-selling magazine
G THE FALLE
N LENS
£3.99
REMEMBERINPLACES TO REFLECT
£3.99
STARRY STAYS AT WE SHARE THE BEST ARMISTICE DAY
ENJOY SWEET DREAMS S ON THE CENTENAR
Y OF
A DOZEN 4-STAR LOCATION

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LES NOUVELLES
Inspiring your next trip to France
Turkey Run
F
or one weekend a
year, these Christmas
stalwarts take over
the small Pas-de-
Calais village of Licques for the
Fête de la Dinde. This
celebration of all things turkey,
taking place 8-9 December,
culminates in a Sunday-morning
bird parade. Here, the farmers
PHOTOGRAPHS: ANNE-SOPHIE FLAMENT; JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BLANQUART, CC BY 2.0
of the Confrérie de l’Ordre de la

Dinde, donning traditional
costumes, proudly present their
feathered brood to onlookers.
The festival, which has been
running for the past twenty or
so years, attracts thousands
of visitors and around 2,000
meals are gobbled up over
the weekend.
The celebrations also include MAIN: Members of the Confrérie de l’Ordre de
a popular Christmas market and la Dinde proudly parade their best turkeys;
a street show complete with ABOVE: A focal point of the festivities are the
mechanical turkeys to entertain bubbling cauldrons and tasty food on offer;
spectators before they dance and LEFT: All of the villagers get in on the fun!
dine the night away. ➳

BOOK
NOW...
What to do in...
December DONKEY DASH
Even the youngest members of your
family will be enthused about hiking
when they find out their travel
companion is a friendly donkey. In this
Ardèche walking holiday, let your
trusty steed do the carrying as you
explore the gorgeous Rhône Valley on
foot. Each night, your weary bodies
will be rejuvenated in traditional
Ardechian guest houses, many of
which have pools to soothe those
aching muscles. The price is from €395
per person and included are half board
with picnic lunches, luggage transport
LIGHT IT UP and detailed guides.
The much-anticipated Fête responsibletravel.com
des Lumières, taking place
from 6-9 December,
transforms Lyon into an CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Village de St Nicolas; Chestnut Fair in Corsica;
illuminated idyll. The event Cathédrale St Jean, Lyon
has its roots in the 19th
century, when the Lyonnais sound and light show in Place Rostropovich from 14-17
placed lit candles in their Stanislas. The main focus of December. The grand finale
windows to mark the the event is the weekend of is a jazzy twist on the
installation of a statue of the Saint Nicolas on 1-2 Carnival of the Animals led
Virgin Mary on Fourvière December, with a grand by actor Denis Podalydès. BURGUNDY BY BIKE
Hill in December 1852. This parade and musical You don’t have to be a Tour de France
PHOTOGRAPHS: VILLE DE NANCY; M CHAULET/VILLE DE LYON; PIERRE BONA/CC BY SA 3.0;
tradition has grown into one performances by 400 artists. GO NUTS contender to enjoy this relaxing
of the world’s biggest light saint-nicolas.nancy.fr Corsica’s chestnut fair sees holiday through the vineyards of
PAUL VILLECOURT/OUTDOOR-REPORTER.COM; HABY/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
shows, with more than 50 hundreds of artisans and Burgundy. The Burgundy Prestige en
illuminations brightening up JAZZ JAMBOREE around 20,000 aficionados Vélo tour with Belle France includes
Lyon’s streets, parks and A relatively new addition to descend on the village of refreshment stops like no other; you’ll
public squares. the bulging French jazz Bocognano to celebrate all enjoy tasting opportunities with such
fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr calendar, Jazz à la Grange at things nutty from 7-9 names as Pommard, Volnay and
Évian-les-Bains makes a December. At the Fiera di a Meursault. Accommodation is in luxury
SAINTLY GESTURE refreshing breather from the Castagna, considered to be hotels with gourmet meals, and
Lorraine’s patron saint, Saint Christmas carols we’ll be the most important regional included is a special dinner at a
Nicolas, is the star of a hearing on repeat this month. fair on the island, you can Michelin-starred restaurant in Chagny.
six-week festival in Nancy Now in its third year, the buy chestnuts in every form: From £1,935 for six nights half-board
running from 23 November festival takes place at the fresh, grilled, ground into and five days of cycling, with bike hire,
- 6 January. Les Fêtes de legendary Grand au Lac flour, coated in chocolate and luggage transfer and detailed route
Saint Nicolas features street concert hall, constructed in mixed into cakes. Which is notes included.
parades, music and theatre honour of the renowned your favourite? bellefrance.com
shows, and an impressive Russian cellist Mstislav fieradiacastagna.com

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Festive Fun
The weather outside might be frightful, but these French
Christmas markets are so delightful – and well worth
making a trip across the Channel for
COUNTRY PILE
A tree-lined avenue leading to a formal
courtyard is the approach to the
enchanting Domaine de Bagatelle, a
luxurious and secluded hilltop
property in Dordogne, divided into two
houses: an 18th-century Maison de
Maitre (main house) and a 19th-
century hunting lodge. Set within 175
acres of woodlands, gardens and little
lakes, the 16-bed house is beautifully-
restored in a blend of country
romance and contemporary chic. For more French
travel inspiration,
Le Touquet
France Show
The land-only price is from visit the Young visitors will love the street
£4,707 per week including maid Nothing beats snuggling performers, traditional fairground rides and
service. up under a blanket on a ice-skating fun; there’s even a special parade
cvvillas.com IN JANUARY magical horse and carriage featuring Father Christmas himself. The
See page 56
for information ride through the streets of market is open from 24 November to 30
this chic seaside resort during December, every day but Christmas Day,
the festive season. Every from 10:30am to 7:30pm.
weekend from the end of November is visit-amiens.com
filled with festive fun, beginning with Father
Christmas’ arrival heralded by fireworks. A
highlight is the Parc des Pins, a wooded park
at the heart of the town, being turned into an
enchanting light-filled forest.
gb.letouquet.com
SANTÉ!
Nestled in the vineyards of Pauillac,
Château Cordeillan-Bages is the ideal
location for a gourmet getaway. The
estate, long considered a pioneer of
wine tourism, has even been awarded Montpellier
the ‘Award of Excellence’ for its For the last ten years, Les Hivernales
SEYMOUR, CC BY 2.0; NATHALIE, CC BY 2.0; ISAMIGA76, CC BY 2.0
restaurant and wine list by Wine Christmas market has drawn visitors to this
Spectators. It reopens for the 2019 southern city for a taste of ‘Noël du Sud’.
PHOTOGRAPHS: RYAN O’CONNELL, CC BY SA 2.0; MARK
season in March, during which time From 29 November to 27 December, every

guests can enjoy a four night stay for day from 10am to 9pm, you can browse the
two people in a double room from Amiens plethora of stalls selling local produce and
€676. Dinner in the on-site, Michelin- The capital of the Somme département hosts take part in workshops for the whole family
starred restaurant is not to be missed; the biggest Christmas market in Northern including sweet-making and origami. Wrap
there is also a wine list with a France, boasting over 130 stalls across 2km. up warm and book into the two-hour
whopping 1,500 varieties to The famous cathedral, the country’s largest, night-time walking tour through the old city
choose from. plays a starring role in the festivities as its centre to experience a truly Mediterranean
relaischateaux.com western façade is illuminated by a stunning Christmas atmosphere.
sound-and-light show throughout December. montpellier-france.com

Ski Sensations Montgenèvre
2 December 2018 –
27 April 2019
You can’t get much closer to
See in the ski season in style at these French resorts
Italy than this charming
as they reopen for another riotous winter Alpine village at the end of the
Milky Way network. The
will welcome over 50 106 runs and 200km of quiet slopes are ideal for
exhibitors to show off the descent. Since 2003 it has beginners and the resort has
latest technological been part of the Paradiski gained a family-friendly
innovations and new ski and area, also encompassing reputation thanks to its calm
snowboard equipment that Peisey-Vallandry and La atmosphere. This year, the run
you can try out for free. Plagne, and all three resorts from the top of Rocher de
avoriaz.com are linked by the double- l’Aigle, the best-connecting
decker cable car the Vanoise piste to Italy, is reopening and
Les Arcs Express. The beginning of the you could be one of the first
22 December 2018 – season is marked by the Les to christen it. When you want
Avoriaz 27 April 2019 Arcs Film Festival, from 15-22 a break from the pistes,
15 December 2018 – This ski region in the December, during which over experience the stomach-
22 April 2019 Tarentaise Valley, considered 120 films are presented at churning descents of the
One of the jewels in the Portes one of the original French screenings across the resort. longest Alpine coaster in
du Soleil crown, this purpose- mega-resorts, benefits from lesarcsnet.com France, the Luge Monty
built ski station offers Express.
guaranteed snow cover, with montgenevre.com
an average of eight metres of
snow every winter. The
traffic-free resort offers plenty
of ski-in, ski-out lodgings,
with its higher reaches
enjoying fantastic views of the
Dents Blanches and Dents du
Midi. From 14-16 December,
the Rock On Snow festival
Les aventures de Sergette

LARA LOVES Our intrepid gastropod Sergette is Our resident snail
out and about in France. Her
adventures this month see her head is en vacances -
to Dordogne
visiting an area
to visit
of a city
a newly
in France
opened do you know
centre
best known
on prehistoric
for its historical
cave art. where she is?
waterway and trendy cafés.
Our resident
PHOTOGRAPHS: JAMES PRESTON/FLICKR; SAD HARRY/FLICKR;
snail is
en vacances –
Unisex Iconic Raincoat, do you know
WIN!
GO MONTGENEVRE; PETIT BATEAU; LARA DUNN
£139 by Petit Bateau where she is?

It’s the time of year where a
waterproof coat becomes a
must-have, but it doesn’t have to be If you know the town
visitorthat
centre
Sergette
that Sergette
is visiting,issend
visiting,
thesend
answer,
theplus
answer,
yourplus
nameyour
andname
address,
and to
boring. This unisex coat is available address, to editorial@francemag.com
editorial@francemag.com or write us aorpostcard
write us(address
a postcardon page
(address
6) and
on you
pagecould
6) and
win
you
a case
could
of three
winFrench
a casewines
of three
(worth
French
a total
winesof(worth
£37.97) a total
courtesy
of £37.97)
of Naked
courtesy
Winesof(nakedwines.com)
Naked Wines
in lots of colours and is guaranteed (nakedwines.com).
Deadline for entries
Deadline
is 3 January
for entries
2019 is 31 May 2017.
to cheer up any dreary winter day. The winner of the October competition is Lisbeth Tang, from Spalding, Lincolnshire, who
petit-bateau.co.uk correctly identified the city of Saintes in the Charente-Maritime département.

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Truffle and Wine Weekend
in the Dordogne
Day one is spent truffle hunting with
locally renowned experts and their
dogs as they take you in search of the
famous Perigord ‘Black Diamond’.
Learn about their hunting techniques,
the different types of truffles and, most
importantly, enjoy tasting them.
Day two takes you to the Bergerac
vineyards, with your own multi-lingual
sommelier, with wine tastings at three
small family run Chateaux offering
excellent wines at competitive prices.
Truffle season runs from December
through February and your luxury
accommodation is in a Relais & Chateau
hotel with Michelin star restaurant
www.duckandtruffle.com
+33 (0)5 53 23 90 54 | duckandtruffle24@gmail.com

A greater selection
of French properties
than ever before
Whether you’re looking for a cottage in Normandy, a mountain
chalet or a new-build apartment on the coast, your improved France
Property Shop has a property and location to suit all tastes
BETTER
FASTER
SIMPLER
francepropertyshop.com
IMAGE: ©Everest8848|Dreamstime.com
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COUNTDOWN TO THE
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
FRANCE SHOW 2019 BEGINS
based in south-west France
and writes for the Times
and Telegraph; Janine
Marsh, editor of the Good
Life France who will be
sharing her expat
Read all
experiences; and Ian Moore,
author and comedian who
commutes from rural
about it...
An oenophile’s encyclopedia,
France back to the UK Where to Drink Wine (Quadrille,
every week. Both Janine £22) is the ultimate guide to the
and Ian also write a regular best vineyards in France and
column for sister title Living beyond. Written by Imbibe editor
France magazine. Chris Losh, enjoy a literary tour
The France Show also hosts through the country’s wine-
the UK’s largest french growing regions, from Burgundy to
The UK’s biggest Wine Theatre and pick up property exhibition; a Bordeaux, and find out which
celebration of France some goodies in the French unique opportunity to wineries you ought to pay a visit. As
returns to Olympia London Market. Enjoy live French browse thousands of well as providing details about each
on 25-27 January. Whether music and don’t miss the properties for sale, talk to producer, the book is punctuated
you love French food and amazing cancan dancers! agents about your plans with travel tips from foodie haunts
wine, enjoy holidays in the Our experts are on hand and get free expert advice to test out to local traditions to
sunshine or want to find with great language tips on buying or living in experience.
your dream property, the and holiday ideas. You can France at the seminar hardiegrant.com/uk/quadrille
France Show is the place. even try your hand at a theatres. There
Be inspired by top French game of pétanque! are plenty of property
DID YOU KNOW?

chefs and authors on the This year’s speakers bargains to be had, so don’t
Flavours of France stage, include: travel writer miss out on your dream
have
sample French wines in the Anthony Peregrine, who is place in the sun.
All roads in France start:
ey
a point where th d by
Point Zero, marke to
in
SUR LE WEB a bronze star set
ar
the pavement ne
Our guide to websites that can help you
the Notre-D am e
broaden your knowledge of France
de Paris.
Contributor
INSIDER TIP ON FRANCE
Turning the spotlight on the lively French
music scene is ouilove.co.uk, created by
non-profit organisation Le Bureau Export to
“Most parking meters allow promote French music around the world.
you to ‘carry over’ any
It’s an ideal resource for those stuck in a
overspend into the next
musical rut and wanting to expand their
chargeable period. So, if
parking is payable up to playlist with some Gallic tunes. As well as
say 6pm and you put in highlighting contemporary French artists
more change than who’ve already made it big in Britain, such
necessary, because you as David Guetta and Christine and the
have a larger coin for Queens, the website draws attention to
PHOTOGRAPH: IAN SOUTHERIN
example, the difference is up-and-coming artists venturing across the ouilove.co.uk also has news of new single
usually carried over to the Channel to make their debut in UK venues. and album releases, Q&As and competitions
following morning.” Its December calendar is already looking to win tickets to French festivals such as
Stephen Eggerton, good; you could catch rock band The Cabourg Mon Amour and Biarritz en Été.
Cheltenham Inspector Cluzo in Glasgow or rapper Demi Sign up to their newsletter to be kept up to
Portion and pop duo Papooz in London. date - and on trend!

Quick guide to... TRAVEL NEWS
Foix
Il était une fois, dans la ville
de Foix… so goes the
nursery rhyme about this
medieval town in the heart
of Ariège. It may be one of must be booked in advance. risotto, and a duck and foie
France’s smallest End your day with a stroll gras burger. CABIN FEVER
departmental capitals, with around the labyrinthine Le Jeu de l’Oie (tel: (Fr) 5 61 Air France has revealed its new Economy and
just under 10,000 Villote and its narrow, 02 69 39), tucked away in Premium Economy cabins, which it will be
residents, but in summer its colourful streets. Buildings one of the ancient lanes, is a rolling out from January 2019 on its 15 A330s.
population swells with to look out for include the good pick for lunch, with a It’s good news for weary travellers; the
tourists; positioned at the Abbatiale Saint-Volusien, two-course menu for just Economy seats will be a little bigger, benefiting
mid-point between rebuilt in the 17th century €12. The meal you have to from a larger tray table and a wider
Toulouse and Andorra, after being ruined in the try is the Salade Ariégeoise; touchscreen. There will also be USB plugs and
deep in the upper Ariege Wars of Religion. The town topped with ample helpings electronic sockets at every seat as well as WiFi,
valley, it’s an ideal base for hosts a number of exciting of rich duck and foie gras, which is being slowly installed across the
exploring the ample castles festivals throughout the it’s not a dish for dieters! company’s fleet.
and caves of the Pyrénées. year. Highlights from its For excellent homemade
vibrant calendar include pasta and pizza in a lively NICE WORK
What can I see and do? the three-day Ingénieuse setting, head to locals’ A trial of the new tram line running between
You’d be royally foolish to Afrique event in August, favourite Au Grilladou (tel: the city of Nice and its airport, Nice-Côte
miss the austere castle that celebrating the best of (Fr) 5 61 64 00 74). The d’Azur, has been declared a success. The
looms over the town from African culture, and the three-course evening menu public will soon be able to take advantage of
its rocky vista. The Château Résistances rare film is a very reasonable €15; we the useful service when the line is properly
de Foix has dominated the festival in July, promoting can also recommend the launched on 14 December. It means
vieille ville (known here as lesser-known cinematic Pizza Ariégoise, topped passengers will be able to get between the city
the ‘Villote’) since its greats. The Grandes Fêtes with magret de canard, as and the airport in just 26 minutes.
construction in the 10th de Foix, which take over the well as Emmental and
century. Consisting of three town for five days every moulis cheeses. BIKE BOOM
imposing towers and September, is also much- The French Prime Minister has announced
surrounded by a defensive loved by locals and visitors. Where should I stay? plans to triple the number of people using bike
wall, the fortress is Events include parades, Five minutes on foot from lanes by 2024, when the country hosts the
considered untakeable. orchestral performances the castle is the Hôtel Lons Olympics. Currently, bike lane construction is
Now a museum, visitors can and funfair rides, and the (doubles from €66, hotel- the responsibility of local rather than national
PHOTOGRAPHS: YVON52/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; AIRFRANCE; BONDARIEV/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

enjoy tours in French or celebrations culminate in a lons-foix.com). Its selling government, which means cycleways tend to
English. Budding junior truly spectacular fireworks point is a gorgeous terrace run for short stretches and are offputting for
knights are made display from the château. overlooking the Ariège inexperienced riders. The French Government
particularly welcome, with river, perfect for those is to invest €350 million into cycling
plenty for young visitors to Where should I eat? balmy summer months. infrastructure over the next seven years.
see and do. Vertigo Michelin Guide-endorsed
sufferers be warned; there Phoebus (tel: (Fr) 5 61 65 10 Get me there!
are some tall spiral 42) enjoys unrivalled views Toulouse-Blagnac Airport
staircases to conquer! across the rooftops of the is the nearest international
Also overlooking the town Villote over to the castle. airport at around one
is unique botanical garden Named after the eleventh hour’s drive away, served
Les Épines de Lespinet. The count of Foix, Gaston Fébus by the likes of Ryanair,
2,500m2 site recreates an III, the restaurant offers an British Airways and Flybe
arid American landscape excellent value dinner from the UK. SCOOT!
complete with cacti and menu at €29; à la carte Electric scooters have become a dangerous
banana trees. The garden is delights include scallops For more information, visit mainstay of French pavements, particularly in
open every day but visits with artichoke and tomato foix-tourisme.com big cities such as Paris and Lyon. Now, the
French transport minister wants to introduce a
new law that will force the scooters to use the
roads rather than pavements, to the relief of
pedestrians everywhere.

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Lyddair
Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth Eurostar
(Apr - Sept) & Poole Brittany Ferries Eurotunnel from Folkestone
Stena Line from Portsmouth DFDS Seaways from Dover
from Rosslare P&O Ferries from Dover
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from Rosslare & Dublin Brittany Ferries from Dover
from Portsmouth
Flybe Dunkerque
Aer Lingus
Eurostar Air France
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Condor Ferries from Poole and easyJet
Portsmouth (indirect), Lille
Flybe
Jersey & Guernsey DFDS Seaways Jet2
from Ryanair
Newhaven Le Touquet
flybmi
Disneyland
Ryanair HAUTS-DE-FRANCE Eurostar (Apr - Sept)
Aurigny Air Services Eurostar
from Guernsey Dieppe
Le Havre
Ch
Brittany Ferries from

Ryanair
er
Plymouth & Cork

Marne-la-Vallée
b
Irish Ferries Caen

ou
from Rosslare British Airways

rg
(May - Sept) NORMANDIE Ryanair

ÎLE-DE- Strasbourg
Roscoff St-Malo FRANCE
easyJet
Flybe Brest Paris GRAND EST
Dinard
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(May - Aug) PAYS DE Basel-Mulhouse British Airways
LA LOIRE easyJet
Flybe
Aer Lingus CENTRE-VAL Jet2
Flybe DE LOIRE Swiss Air Int.
Tours BOURGOGNE-
Nantes FRANCHE-COMTÉ Flybe Air France (winter only)
British Airways Titan Airways British Airways (winter only)
easyJet (winter only)
Flybe
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IGAvion easyJet (May - Sept) Clermont- Geneva
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Aer Lingus
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easyJet British Airways Rodez Flybe (May - Sept)
Ryanair (May - Sept) Avignon Eurostar (Apr - Oct)
Flybe Flybe
Ryanair Nîmes PROVENCE-ALPES- Nice
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OCCITANIE Montpellier Aer Lingus
Marseille Flybe Titan Airways
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Ryanair Ryanair Corsican Places) Flybe
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easyJet Béziers British Airways Bastia Jet2
(Jun - Sept) Carcassonne easyJet (Apr - Oct)
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Ryanair (Apr - Oct) Flybe
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Aer Lingus Aer Lingus
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Aer Lingus easyJet Ajaccio Air Corsica
(May - Nov)
easyJet Flybe
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(Jun - Aug) (May - Oct)
Corsican Places
Air Corsica
(May - Nov)
ROUTE PLANNER
easyJet
(May - Sept)
Plan your journey to France with our handy map and directory
FERRIES P&O Ferries OUI.sncf Aurigny Air Services flybmi Norwegian
Brittany Ferries Tel: 0800 130 0030 Tel: 0844 848 5848 Tel: 01481 267267 Tel: 0371 700 2000 Tel: 0330 828 0854
Tel: 0330 159 7000 poferries.com oui.sncf aurigny.com flybmi.com norwegian.com
brittany-ferries.co.uk Stena Line AIRLINES British Airways iGavion Ryanair
Condor Ferries Tel: (ROI) 1 907 5555 Air Corsica Tel: 0844 493 0787 Tel: 0844 986 9886 Tel: 0871 246 0000
Tel: 0345 609 1024 stenaline.ie Tel: (Fr) 8 25 35 35 35 britishairways.com igavion.fr ryanair.com
condorferries.co.uk RAIL aircorsica.com
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DFDS Seaways Eurostar Aer Lingus
Tel: 0330 365 5000 Tel: 0333 300 0404 Tel: 0345 601 0956
Tel: 0871 574 7235 Tel: 0343 218 6186 Tel: 0333 004 5000
dfdsseaways.co.uk easyjet.com jet2.com swiss.com
eurostar.com aerlingus.com
Irish Ferries Eurotunnel Air France Flybe Lyddair Titan Airways
Tel: (ROI) 818 300 400 Tel: 0844 335 3535 Tel: 0207 660 0337 Tel: 0371 700 2000 Tel: 01797 322 207 Tel: 01279 680 616
irishferries.com eurotunnel.com airfrance.co.uk flybe.com lyddair.com titan-airways.com

3
E T
G
HE
PA R I S PA
PA R I S PAG
BLOCKBUSTERS
FILMED IN PARIS
HE
T E
The beauty of the French capital means it
is no stranger to the big screen and here
are three films to feature its landmarks.
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011)

It’s an easy one to start as Woody Allen’s love letter to the City of Light
features a wide array of locations in and around Paris. But although some of
the famous landmarks are obvious, it’s still worth delving deeper into the lesser
known sights shown on screen. The first major twist in the film comes when
Gil Pender (a well-cast Owen
Wilson) takes a late-night walk and
ends up sitting down on some steps
after getting hopelessly lost. Those
steps that play such a pivotal role
in the film are actually located just
around from the main entrance of
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church,
near the Pantheon. Among the
other locations included in the film
are Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre,
the Moulin Rouge, Shakespeare
and Company bookshop and the
film is rounded off with Gil taking
a stroll in the rain with the
charming Gabrielle, along the
beautiful Pont Alexandre III. INCEPTION (2010)
There are certainly more famous movies to
be set in Paris, but not many people may
THE DA VINCI CODE know that this mind-bending, or should that
(2006) be head-scratching, Christopher Nolan
Paris plays a large role in the film blockbuster owes one of its most eye-
adaptation of Dan Brown’s best- catching scenes to the French capital. Not
selling thriller, which sees Tom even many Parisians would be able to tell
Hanks and Audrey Tautou that it is the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, where
deciphering clues left in Leonardo da Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) shows
Vinci’s masterpieces. The Ritz Hotel, protégé Ariadne how to build her own city
PHOTOGRAPHS: RODNEY/CC BY-SA 2.0; LUKKE CC BY-SA 3.0;
the Jardin des Tuileries and the in the dream world they are inhabiting. The
Louvre are all shown on screen by massive girders and steel framework that run
director Ron Howard. To protect the Louvre, production was carefully along the bridge are immeasurably strong,
controlled, with no equipment allowed inside during opening hours, meaning but in the film they are moved, opened,
DXR/DANIEL VORNDRAN CC BY-SA 3.0
all filming was conducted at night. Crews were also not allowed to shine light closed and mirrored with the lightest of
on the Mona Lisa so a replica was used and (spoiler alert) scenes showing touches. The scene plays an important role in
blood and writing on the floor were actually shot at Pinewood Studios. Also the explanation of the plot of the film which
appearing is Saint-Sulpice church in the Latin Quarter, which dates back to the can be challenging to follow. Although not
12th century. Such was the success of the film, staff took to displaying a note, shown in the film, helping keep its location a
pointing out that it was a work of fiction, in order to dispel some of the more secret, the bridge offers great views of the
controversial storylines, including that it once included a pagan temple. Eiffel Tower.

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© Bal du Moulin Rouge 2018 - Moulin Rouge® - 1-1028499
LA REVUE DU PLUS CÉLÈBRE CABARET DU MONDE ! - THE SHOW OF THE MOST FAMOUS CABARET IN THE WORLD!
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MONTMARTRE 82, BLD DE CLICHY 75018 PARIS - TEL : 33(0)1 53 09 82 82 - WWW.MOULINROUGE.COM
RoadTRIP
Explore the Vallée du Loir, with its
La Flèche
SARTHE
Couture-sur-Loir
Vendôme
gentle hills, troglodytic dwellings and LOIR-ET-CHER
medieval wall paintings
DAY ONE Trôo, and cross the bridge near the

VENDÔME TO LA CHARTRE-SUR-LE-LOIR carpark to join the D10 on the other side
42 KILOMETRES of the river. This is where the valley
From Vendôme, take the D917 to comes into its own as the river meanders
Lavardin, a Plus Beau Village with a its way through the wide-bottomed
romantic ruined castle (October 2018, valley, with fields of corn on either side
issue 241). There are wonderful views and in the distance, gentle hills. This is
from above the village and from the the countryside so beloved by Pierre de
bridge. Cross the pont gothique and Ronsard and which he celebrated in his
continue on the D917 through Montoire poetry. He was born at the Manoir de la
to the emblematic village of Trôo Possonnière just outside Couture-sur-Loir
(pronounced trop not trou). Emblematic and the woods, fields and especially the
because it is the village with the largest river were important sources of
number of troglodyte dwellings along this inspiration.
limestone valley. Some are permanent ABOVE: Gardens and fields beyond the Loir, The manoir makes for an intriguing
residences and some are rented out as Château du Lude visit, with its quirky engravings carved
unusual holiday homes. The majority are into the stone lintels, commissioned by
half-in, half-out of the rock, with gardens for the sign on the right to ‘La Guingette Loys de Ronsard, Pierre’s father, whose
full of flowers. If you are feeling fit then des Îles de Trôo’. Set on a small island is philosophy was a mixture of ‘carpe diem’
leave your car by the river and take one this charming riverside restaurant mixed with moderation. The architecture
of the staircases to the top of la butte for (guinguette-troo.fr, lunch menu €14.90) of the house reflects the upward mobility
a panorama of the valley. Whilst in the which recalls Renoir’s famous painting Le of the family - from troglodyte dwelling
upper town stroll along to the ‘talking Déjeuner de Canotiers. In true to Renaissance manor house – from
well’, so named for its echo, before ‘guinguette’ tradition the restaurant has a garde-chasse to a position of
making your way down again along the programme of musical soirées throughout responsibility in the royal household, in
terraces to the car park. the season. just three generations. Take time to stop
For a charming lunch-stop backtrack Rejoin the D917, passing by the and smell the roses in the garden and
slightly towards Montoire and look out Maladerie (former hospital for lepers) in read a few lines of verse.
Then head for nearby Couture,
stopping to look at the church where
Ronsard’s parents are buried and the
admire the lavoir as you leave the village.
Cross back over the Loir to join the main
road (now the D350) and almost
immediately on the right is the château of
Poncé-sur-le-Loir, famed for its beautiful
Renaissance staircase and huge dovecote.
Now the countryside is changing – make
PHOTOGRAPHS: ALISON HUGHES
a detour loop from Ruillé along the

Route des Vins stopping to taste the local
wine Jasnières at one of the domaines,
and rejoin the D305 at La Chartre-sur-le-
Loir. This small town is renowned for its
ABOVE: Troglodyte cellars at La Possonnière antique and brocante shops and is also a

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ROAD TRIP
ABOVE: River Loir at its widest point at La Fleche;

RIGHT: Château du Lude
good place to stop for an overnight stay. and on the far bank are
Le Grand Moulin is a former watermill, fields and woods, emphasising the strong or up towards Normandy,
one of many along this river, converted links with the land. taking with you the memories of a gentle
into a sumptuous chambres d’hôtes Now take the D306 to La Flèche, detour in the Vallée du Loir.
(mdmillet-moulin.fr, rooms from €90) where the river is at its widest, and our Alison Hughes
last stop along this stretch of the Loir
DAY TWO Valley. It was from here that some 300 Getting there
LA CHARTRE-SUR-LE-LOIR TO LA FLÈCHE residents were sent to ‘Nouvelle France’, Vendôme is a 3hr drive from Ouistreham
58 KILOMETRES founding Ville-Marie (now Montreal, via the A28. The TGV stops at Vendôme
After breakfast on the terrace overlooking Canada) in 1642. Descendants often (45 min journey from Paris). The nearest
the river, rejoin the D305 and continue to come back to research their ancestry in airport is Tours.
Vaas (via a short detour through La Flèche. The town is also famous for
Château-du-Loir). Stop to admire another Le Prytanée, founded by Jesuits and now Tourist information
watermill (from the bridge). This one is a a prestigious école militaire. La Flèche There are several bases de loisirs along
private residence but you can visit nearby deserves an exploration on foot as it has the valley, with beaches, lakes and
Rotrou mill (now an eco-museum) and some interesting buildings (the bijou campsites, ideal for a day of relaxation:
the restored Moulin de la Bruère theatre, Chapelle Notre-Dame des Vertus Lac de Varennes is near La Flèche, the
(between Le Lude and La Flèche) which and the Château des Carmes now the base at Mansigné is near Marçon.
has a surprising product - ice-blocks! town hall), but before that stop for lunch Information on camping and campervan
Continue on the D305 to Le Lude. at La Table de Laurène, Place de la sites can be found on:
Follow signs to the château, which Libération (latabledelaurene.com, two or vallee-du-loir.com
although it has the ‘look’ of one of the three courses for less than €20). val-de-loire-41.com
grander châteaux of the Loire, has a If you want to linger longer then you
much more homely feel to it. The can stay the night in a safari lodge at the
medieval kitchens are used for jam and zoo and watch the animals (in complete
soup making workshops (fruit and safety!). It’s a long way from the gentle MORE
vegetables are collected from the walled meanders of the Loir to the jungles of ONLINE
garden) and as the owners live here the Africa and Asia. See our tips for driving in France
reception rooms are still in use. The Depending on your onward route the www.completefrance.com/travel/12-tips-
for-driving-in-france-1-4650180
château gardens run alongside the Loir, A11 will take you onwards to the south

Nice and Isola
does t
A ski trip doesn’t have to be just about the mountains.
James Rampton discovers a winning combination of
sea and snow on a trip to Isola 2000

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SUN & SKI
S
unshine on beaches and skiing down ‘l’authentique salade ‘Nissarda’’. Surely, you can’t come
mountains – these are two of my favourite all the way to Nice and not sample a salade niçoise?
things. So what could be better than But in the event I resist that temptation in favour of
combining them in a single trip? The a nearby restaurant on the Promenade des Anglais
proximity of glamorous Nice to the beguiling ski resort which, if anything, has an even better aspect: La
of Isola 2000 – a mere 90 km separate the two – Terrasse on the ninth floor of Le Meridien hotel.
makes just such a trip eminently possible. I could be Looking out from here over the perfectly formed curve
sunning myself amongst the glitterati on the Côte of the Baie des Anges, it is easy to hear the sound of
d’Azur in the morning and – pausing only to don my Tina Turner in my head: in Nice, this vista is simply the
salopettes – whizzing down the Alpine slopes in the best. The food is not cheap – a delicious plate of
same afternoon. Iberian charcuterie sets me back €25 – but it is worth
Even in the easyJet departure lounge at Gatwick, every cent as the uninterrupted panorama is unmatched
I can tell I am heading somewhere glitzy, surrounded in the city. I take in the stunning scenery from the ninth
by people dressed in very expensive designer jeans floor, and it is not hard to imagine I am – at least for a
and even pricier cashmere sweaters slung around the brief while – part of the beau monde niçois.
shoulders in that blasé, devil-may-care fashion. Another striking element about Nice is the many
The vibe is ‘casual, yet clearly very wealthy.’ The wedding-cake-like buildings that line the five-mile-long
upmarket atmosphere continues on landing at Nice Promenade des Anglais. These include the Hotel West
airport where the first desk I see in arrivals is selling End (another British throwback) and the Hotel
helicopter flights to Monaco. Negresco. Built in 1912, this flamboyant edifice, topped
The pleasing aspect about the airport at Nice is how by a notable pink dome, has been listed by the French
close it is to the city centre. Outside Terminal Two, I government as a Monument Historique.
hop on a bus towards town – which costs just €6 one Stepping inside the Negresco, I am confronted by
way – and within five minutes I am being driven along the dramatic Baccarat crystal Gustave Eiffel chandelier
the celebrated Promenade des Anglais. That famous in the Royal Lounge. It was originally made for Tzar
esplanade is so named because it was originally Nicholas II, but the October Revolution intervened and
conceived by a group of English expats in the 1820s. he never received it. Meanwhile, the hotel’s renowned
Even before the advent of easyJet, the Brits got La Rotonde Brasserie is decorated with an 18th-century
absolutely everywhere. carousel, complete with prancing wooden horses
On first catching sight of the sea, I realise that the sporting fancy multi-coloured plumage. ‘Understated’
Côte d’Azur is in no danger of was clearly not a word that featured in the design brief
contravening the Trade Descriptions at the Negresco.
The iconic exterior of Act – I am very definitely by the
the Hotel Negresco coast and the water is indubitably City of art
azure, even on a grey day. The other Outside the hotel is a large, audacious statue of a jazz
thing I immediately notice is the trumpeter with bright red hair, pink trousers and a
proliferation of palm trees on the Technicolor Dreamcoat that Joseph would have envied.
streets of Nice. To the British It is as vibrant as the city itself. Eye-catching public art
visitor, the trees immediately is a recurrent theme in Nice, which was the adopted
endow the city with a captivatingly home of Henri Matisse for many years and has a
exotic air. museum dedicated to the artist. Next to the Plage Beau
Rivage Restaurant sits a gigantic artwork made by
A meal with a view Sabine Geraudie and installed in 2014. Entitled La
Disembarking from the bus on the Chaise, it is a jaunty statue of a blue chair balancing
Promenade des Anglais, I realise I precariously on two legs, which has distinct echoes of
must attend to first things first: both Matisse’s best loved work and of the city’s iconic
lunch. After all, when in France… blue beach chairs.
I am sorely tempted by the Plage Fifty metres back from the Promenade des Anglais,
Beau Rivage Restaurant. The La Place Masséna, the city’s main square, is another
location is fabulous. Comfortable place where art takes centre stage. Standing proud in
armchairs sit on the beach, which the middle of a gorgeous entourage of pastel-shaded
is sadly too stony to build sand buildings is a fountain. It is dominated by a
castles on. However, it is still very monumental, seven-metre-high white marble statue of
pleasant to walk along. From Apollo surrounded by men struggling with wild horses
there, there is the option of and bulls. There was outcry when Alfred Janniot’s
looking out to sea while being statue was first unveiled in 1956. Scandalised locals
served local dishes such as ‘la complained that one particular, intimate part of the
véritable soupe de poisson de god’s anatomy was oversized. They argued that it
roche de Méditerranée’ or outraged public decency. The outcry forced Janniot ➳

at every corner, the nose of the bus
seems to be heading over the edge
Tinée, reputedly the longest valley the Alpes-Maritimes
to take out his département. At every turn, my ears pop with the
chisel once more in order to rein in Apollo’s virility. change in altitude and I take in views that would not
However, that did not prevent the statue from being look out of place on a Christmas card.
regularly defaced – on one occasion in the 1970s, a Climbing 2000 metres from sea level, the vertiginous
prankster added a judiciously placed fig-leaf. After road clings to the red rock face, apparently defying the
vigorous protests by a local Catholic women’s group, laws of gravity. It’s an extraordinary feat of
the splendidly titled League of Feminine Virtue, the engineering. The switchbacks are so sharp that at
statue was removed from La Place Masséna in 1979 every corner, the nose of the bus seems to be heading
and dispatched to the relative anonymity of a football over the edge before it makes the turn at the last
stadium in the north of the city. In the early 2000s,
following another sustained public campaign, Apollo
was returned to the fountain and regained his pride of
place in La Place Masséna. Now a series of big, bold
letters stand in front of Apollo. They spell out the
words: “I love Nice.” They’re not the only ones.
The call of the mountains

Reluctantly waving goodbye to the Côte d’Azur, I jump
on another bus. It costs a frankly incredible €1.50.
(There are three of us in the bus on the way up. How
do they make money on this line?) The two-hour ride
travels all the way up to Isola 2000. And what a ride it
is! Featuring more hairpins than a milliner’s shop, the
road winds its way along the spectacular Vallée de la

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SUN & SKI
possible millisecond. appeal that more than makes up for the lack of
The driver is very skilful. This is a relief as at the extreme slopes. It has an array of blue and green runs
beginning of the perilous-looking journey, he joked with wide friendly pistes. It is no surprise that the resort
to me that he’d never driven the route before – a is so popular with families. Because of its altitude, Isola
gag I greeted with a rather half-hearted, nervy laugh 2000 has really good skiing well into April, making it
at the time. perfect for that ski and sun break. Occasionally, the
High above, houses perch on rocky outcrops, snow has been known to turn orange – thanks to the
with no obvious road access. I find myself thinking, Scirocco wind blowing in from the Sahara Desert.
“How on earth was that built and how does anyone Like its Côte d’Azur counterpart, Isola 2000 also
actually get there?” This breath-taking drive alone has wonderful views. For instance, at the summit of the
merits the trip. Sistron chairlift, the highest point in the resort at
The ski station of Isola 2000 was first developed in 2603m, on a clear day you can see right down to the
the 1960s by a British Army ex-officer and Olympic sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Taking a break from the
skier, Peter Boumphrey – those ubiquitous Brits again. skiing, at the top of a blue piste called Avenue, I stop to
He started the resort after he found out that a have my photo snapped next to an enormous statue of
disproportionally large amount of snow fell on this the resort’s mascot, a mighty, horned ibex. The photo
basin in the southern French Alps. The resort was is taken by an automated machine, activated by my lift
opened in 1971. Unlike many Alpine ski stations pass. I tap in my email address afterwards and the
created around that time, Isola 2000 does not have the picture will be sent to me directly.
air of a remote moon base consisting of row after row There are plenty of excellent restaurants on the
of soulless concrete tower blocks. Rather, it boasts an piste, too. I stop at one called Cow Club, which does
agreeable old-world ambience, enhanced by many trees exactly what it says on the tin. It serves tasty steaks in a
and appealing wooden chalets. We stay in one such, rustic interior that features hefty cowbells and
the Esmeralda, part of Ski France’s delightfully named banquettes covered in cowhide (just in case anyone
Chalets de la Diva. Spacious and airy, Esmeralda, like missed the memo about the bovine theme).
its namesake in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is The area around Isola 2000 is laden with history,
nothing if not alluring. too. Reaching the top of the Lombarde chairlift, for
example, I pass several ruined stone buildings.
Slopes for all These, it emerges, are the remains of military bunkers
ABOVE: View of the I am shown around the slopes by a friendly guide called which were built to defend Italy during the Second
ski domain of Isola Georges Bicchierai from the ESI Ski School. I booked World War.
2000; LEFT: Statue him through Ongosa, a very efficient adventure sports Only in 1946 did the border between France and
of Apollo on La Place company. As he leads me down some of the 120 km of Italy move from below the village up to the top of the
Masséna in Nice; pistes in the resort, it is obvious that the skiing would mountain range. I wander along the row of stones that
BOTTOM: Celebrating stretch all but the most expert downhillers over the marks the current border at the Col de la Lombarde, a
Nice’s famous blue course of a week. A great French skier such as, say, fascinating glimpses of history that elevates Isola 2000
chairs The Chair Jean-Claude Killy might not find the slopes excessively above more mundane, purpose-built resorts.
artwork by local challenging - the resort does not have black runs Isola 2000 may lack the fur-coat glitz of more
artist Sabine coming out of its ears- but Isola 2000 has a laidback ostentatious French resorts such as Courchevel or ➳
Geraudie; RIGHT: A
blustery day at the
Plage Beau Rivage
restaurant
PHOTOGRAPHS: OT STATIONS MERCANTOUR;
HOTEL NEGRESCO; JAMES RAMPTON

Val d’Isère. It fails to match the bling of those
destinations, but it possesses an off-the-beaten-track,
winning charm all of its own. As we gaze down from
the summit of the Lombarde chairlift, Georges gestures
towards the magnificent peaks surrounding us and
exclaims: “This is my office. Not bad, is it?”
A two-centre holiday taking in Nice and Isola
2000 offered me the best of both worlds- a perfect
melange of sun and snow, sea and skiing, surf and
slopes. As two-for-one deals go, that’s rather more
enticing than the one on baked beans currently on offer
at my local supermarket.
Francofile Enjoy sunshine and skiing in Isola 2000 and Nice
La Terrasse at Le 06
Meridien Hotel
1 Promenade des Anglais
06000 Nice
Tel: (Fr) 4 97 03 40 37
laterrasse-nice.com Tel: (Fr) 4 93 23 12 01
This is on the pricey side (a Where’s the beef?
plate of Iberian charcuterie Everywhere, in this fun,
weighs in at €25). cow-themed piste-side
However, the fact that this restaurant. Every aspect of
is the restaurant with the the place has a bovine
best view in Nice – if not element, from the tasty
the whole Côte d’Azur – steaks on the menu to
GETTING THERE (tel: (UK) 0203 475 4756) GOING SKIING more than justifies the cowhides covering
By air: James travelled to skifrance.co.uk A day’s lift pass in Isola the cost. the banquettes.
Nice, which has flights Ski France’s Les Chalets de 2000 costs from €35 per
from many UK airports la Diva collection adult (€26.90 child). Ski Le Plage Beau Rivage, WHERE TO RELAX
from as little as £26 per comprises traditional stone France can organise ski 107 Quai des États-Unis, Chalet Marano Hotel,
person. Nice Côte d’Azur and wood decorated hire with local stores, such 06300 Nice. Restaurant and Spa
Airport is served by chalets. They are all are as Sport 2000. Tel: (Fr) 4 92 00 46 80 Le Hameau
Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and south-facing and have Lessons are available from plagenicebeaurivage.com Lieu-dit La Clairière
several other airlines. The either a balcony or terrace the ski school ESI, Le Enjoying a gorgeous 06420 Isola 2000
return shuttle bus, from with views over the Malinvern 06420, Isola. location on the beach, this Tel: (Fr) 4 93 02 74 13
Nice Airport to Isola 2000, Mercantour regional park. (Tel: (Fr) 4 22 49 00 22, chic establishment offers chaletmarano.com
costs from €3 pp. Or the They are located in a quiet esi-isola2000.com/en) Ski such local delicacies as ‘la If you enjoy a soothing spa
faster, ski specific return and relaxing area of the France (tel: (UK) 0203 475 véritable soupe de poisson after a hard day on the
shuttle, which runs through Isola-2000 resort, just 4756, skifrance.co.uk) de roche de Méditerranée’ piste, then this is the place
the winter season from 100m from the ski slopes, Lessons with ESI can also or ‘l’authentique salade for you. Who can possibly
PHOTOGRAPHS: OT STATIONS MERCANTOUR; SKIFRANCE.CO.UK
Nice Airport to Isola 2000 within easy walking be organising through ‘Nissarda’’. When in resist chilling out in a place
costs from €12 pp per trip. distance of the shops, Ongosa, which connects Nice, you have to try a called Eskimo Spa? An
For more information, see restaurants and bars in the snow sport enthusiasts salade niçoise. Eskimo Attitude pass,
lignesdazur.com/en centre of the resort. A with the best local including free access to
week’s stay, at self- instructors and guides Isola 2000: the spa, a facial treatment
WHERE TO STAY catering Les Chalets de la in Europe. Ongosa (Tel: James ate at: or massage and lunch,
Isola 2000: Diva, cost from £44.70 (UK) 0203 176 7063, Cow Club costs €110.
James stayed at: per person per night ongosa.com) 06420 Isola 2000
Esmeralda, (£447 total) for a
Les Chalets de la Diva three-bedroom (plus WHERE TO EAT TOURIST INFORMATION: Nice en.nicetourism.com;
Alpes du Sud, mezzanine) duplex chalet Nice: Isola 2000 isola2000.com; Département:
Isola 2000. sleeping up to 10 people. James ate at: Alpes-Maritimes (06)

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treat
Brewing up a
With a host of microbreweries at the forefront of a craft beer
revolution in the south of France, Ben Lerwill went to find out
if they could really compete in the land of rosé and pastis.

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CRAFT BEER
F
MAIN: A cold craft orty-five minutes after easing open its is a mighty fine discovery.
beer for a hot day; doors on a warm Narbonne evening, To many minds, the south of France and
INSERT: Antoine L’Antre de L’Échoppe is full. The bar breweries are not natural bedfellows. The south is
Dinomais of La doesn’t open very often – Thursday and wine country, after all – yachts, sunglasses and rosé.
Minotte in Narbonne Friday nights only, for reasons that remain elusive But that’s before you step into the past. Excavations
– but when it does, the drinkers roll up in force. The at the one-time Celtic settlement of Roquepertuse in
low-lit, grotto-like basement feels almost medieval, the Provence countryside have found evidence of
with rough stone walls and a selection of strong, brewing in the region as long ago as the fifth century
frothing beers served up in copious quantities. BC. And due east of Narbonne in Marseille, they’re
It’s tempting to quip that the bar puts the “bon” very much aware of their heritage.
in Narbonne – but there are plenty of things that do “We’re continuing a tradition,” says Max Brunet
that. The southern city has a hefty cathedral, some of La Minotte, a microbrewery in the city. We’re
well-preserved Roman remains and a covered market standing on the floor of the brewhouse, the air
that provides enough olfactory stimulation to make around us thick with the biscuity odours of beer-
parting with your euros an inevitability. In terms of making. With his friend Antoine Dinomais, he’s part
unexpected joys, however, L’Antre de L’Échoppe of a two-man team that produces up to ten different
year-round and seasonal beers. “When we
started in late 2015, we wanted to help bring
life back to brewing in the south. Our focus is
on good beer and there’s momentum now.
People think of wine and pastis when they think
of the south, but the locals drink a lot of beer
too. The problem is that a lot of it is bad beer!
That’s slowly changing.”
By ‘bad beer’, he’s talking about the lager-
based mega-corporations that straddle the global
market. The topic comes up again and again
over my stay in the south. Max’s brewery – the
name of which means “the kid” in Provençal
parlance – is far from alone in trying to take on
the big brands that dominate the café beer taps. A
decade ago there were around five craft breweries
in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region; now
there are 70.
It would be easy to think of this as just another
strand of the worldwide explosion of hipster brewers
in recent years, a movement that means you can now
find a well-balanced IPA anywhere from Bermuda to
Beijing. Except that here, there’s rather more to it
than that and you don’t have to go as far back as the
Iron Age for the evidence. At the start of the 20th
century, France had thousands of small breweries
across the country. Then came the war years and
later the footprint of mass industry. Precious few
breweries survived.
“In terms of the number of local breweries, we’re
getting back to pre-war levels,” says Max. “Marseille
used to have a brewery called Phénix. It was bought
by Heineken and disappeared. That’s a typical story.
So for today’s regional breweries, our competitor is
not wine. I love wine. Everyone loves wine. Our
main competitor is industrial beer.”
The brewery has a four-stool bar on site, open
throughout the day for anyone who wants to sample
the wares. He opens a chilled bottle and pours me a
wheat beer. It’s a pale golden colour with a light
head. The scent is rich and the flavour is full, dancing
around my palate with hints of apple. “It’s funny, the
reason I’m making beer now is by chance,” ➳

says Max. “I was travelling in Thailand a few years But the very first customer at Fietje, or so he tells me,
ago and ended up on a tiny island, virtually empty. was a young man named Sylvain Perrot, who now
Someone had left a book there in French. It was runs a brewery in his own right.
about brewing. It felt like destiny.” “Their door was half-closed, but I put my head in
and asked if they were serving,” he explains, pouring
Quality beer bars me out an award-winning pale ale that makes my
In France, craft beers are generally described in terms head swim. “I bought a Dutch beer and the taste was
of colour – blonde, blanche or ambrée – rather than incredible. Starting a brewery began from that
style, but don’t be misled into thinking they lack moment.” Sylvain, a former pharmacist, joined forces
complexity. The malt, whether barley or wheat, with his friend Salem Haji, and the Brasserie de la
almost always comes from within the country, but Plaine was born. They initially brewed from a small
the yeast has often crossed oceans and the hops premises close by, but high demand has since forced
might have been grown anywhere from New them to move to a larger site on the city outskirts. A
Zealand to the Netherlands. So long as the results are sign behind Sylvain says “Tout Travail Mérite Sa
good, outside influence is welcomed rather than Bière.”
shunned. The original brew site is currently being turned
It’s something that Vanessa Ghodbane, a bubbly into somewhere that home-brewers can come to
Belgian lady who opened Marseille’s first dedicated practise, using quality equipment and ingredients. In
beer bar a few years ago, would doubtless agree the beer world, this community ethos is not unusual.
with. Its name is Fietje and it has four beers on tap Sylvain helped to set up La Bière de Provence, a
– two of them French on my visit – as well as racks 20-strong association of local brewers who work
and fridges full of other brews. I order a local pale collectively to promote the movement and hold
ale and take a seat outside in the late afternoon sun. collaborative events. They’re even funding a
Customers drift in and out of the bar and the city is hop-growing trial in the region.
as watchable as ever: grocers and cyclists, street art “Originally we defined ourselves as a slow drink
and dog-walkers, music and car horns. It’s a movement,” he says. “You have to work hard even
half-hour that I enjoy. to compete with big business selling things at low
The scene is similar a few minutes away at the prices. Some people see the South of France as the
larger La Voie Maltée, where the beefy, tattooed
server recommends me a blonde beer from Aix-en-
Provence (“it has a sense of coriander”, he says).
Marseille now has a range of quality beer bars and
seemingly no shortage of drinkers to frequent them.

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CRAFT BEER
ABOVE: Antibes next beer Eldorado – it has lots of drinkers, lots of that, like everywhere, the South of France shifts with
brewer Solène potential. France was slow to catch on with the the times.
Ronnaux-Baron with modern craft beer trend and the south in particular.
her beer B06; That’s changing now. We’re trying to create a new A gorgeous alchemy
LEFT: The decorated conversation.” Five years ago, Solène Ronnaux-Baron was living out
wall of Fietje - The beer most readily associated with Marseille is a long-held dream of motorbiking along America’s
Marseille’s first the drinkable La Cagole, but it gets short shrift from Route 66. One day she stopped for a break, ordered
dedicated beer bar; everyone I speak to – largely because although it’s a beer – a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, she recalls with
INSERT: Sylvain at branded to appear local, it’s actually brewed well precision – and her life spun on its axis. When she
Brasserie de la Plaine away from the region. And if you thought brewing returned home, the long-term resident of Antibes quit
in Marseille beer was a nice way of idling through life, think her job as a commercial manager, sold her motorbike
again. “It’s a tough job. You get tired, you get to fund the purchase of a mash tun, and began her
sweaty. Every brew I create, I dedicate it in my head own brewery. She called it B06 – B for bière, and 06
to someone that means something to me,” Sylvain for the local postal code. “I’m not a beer geek
says, eyes twinkling. “You have to keep the faith and though,” she laughs, when I meet her in her brewery
carry on. That’s what drives us.” on the edge of town. “Beer geeks have beards.”
I’m down at Marseille’s Vieux Port early the next It’s fair to say things have gone well. She does
morning. A couple of gulls are calling, and there’s everything herself – the brewing, the bottling, the
low sunlight washing over the quayside buildings. marketing, the delivery, even the artwork – and her
Two elderly fishermen in heavy rubber overalls are three signature styles have all garnered plaudits in the
sifting through a net at the dock. It feels the very right places. Her beers are all unfiltered and, unlike
image of traditional France, then I glance to my left many modern craft beers, use just one variety of hops
at L’Ombrière, the modernist stainless steel shelter apiece. Her ambrée, a gorgeous alchemy of caramel
designed by Sir Norman Foster, and I’m reminded and fruit flavours, recently won a gold medal ➳

at the Lyon International Competition. The first
thing you notice about all her beers, however, are the
bottles they’re in.
“The most important lesson I learned from 15
years in commerce was ‘choose your customer’,” she
says. She therefore chose all-white aluminium bottles,
not just for their aesthetic properties but for the fact
that if you knock one over poolside, or on the deck
of the yacht, they won’t break. This wouldn’t matter
a jot if the beers were average – thankfully, they’re
not. She now works with high-end bars, Michelin-
starred restaurants and swish hotels from Monaco to
St Tropez.
“I have to charge more, because one of my
aluminium bottles costs the same empty as a glass
beer bottle costs full,” she explains. “So I always
have to talk to people about what I’m trying to do, There’s another Antibes brewery on its way, ABOVE: Beer Shop 06
the quality I’m aiming for. Everyone understands the according to Solène, and every brewer I meet on my in Antibes
difference between McDonalds and an Alain Ducasse trip happily reels off a list of other local breweries
restaurant, but explaining why not all beer should they adore: the Brasserie de Sulauze in Miramas,
have the same price is a lot trickier.” Brasserie Artisanale in Nice, the Brasserie du Comté
It sends my mind back to something Max Brunet in St-Martin-Vésubie, and on, and on. “Across
had mentioned in Marseille. He’d said that the public France as a whole”, Max had told me, “breweries
at large were starting to place more value on the taste are opening at a rate of around one a day.”
and quality of their beer than at any point since the On my final evening in Antibes, I embark on a
heyday of French breweries in the early 1900s. Given long coastal jog – partly to counteract the effect of
the deep attachment that France generally has to its the myriad glasses I’ve imbibed – and feel myself
produce, this bodes well for the current wave of lulled by the landscape like a million people before
brewers. me. I’m padding through a world of pétanque
The Old Town of Antibes is always a joy. From contests, tree-hidden villas and burbling cafés, all
the terrace of the Picasso Museum in the former wrapped in a dusky, pine-scented warmth. I’m
Château Grimaldi – where the artist himself spent shattered when I finish, and make my way straight to
four months, seemingly doing little other than Beer Shop 06, which has a terrace under the old city
painting and feasting on sea urchins – the view ramparts. The bar-cum-shop has been here for
stretches all the way from the pines of Cap d’Antibes almost 14 years, but I’ll wager it’s never had a
in the west, to Nice and the mountain-ringed Baie happier customer than me, aching knees and all,
des Anges in the east. Is this spread of land a natural ordering a chilled pale ale brewed a matter of miles
home for good beer? It is now. away and sipping it down as the light fades.
Francofile Sip a chilled brew in the sunshine
GETTING THERE: Marseille la-place-hotel.com WHERE

Ryanair flies to Marseille Tel: (Fr) 4 91 33 02 33 Room prices start from TO EAT 11 13
06
from London Stansted up hotel-carre-vieux-port.com around €85 Ben Lerwill

to 11 times a week Room prices start from A quality little three-star ate at
year-round, from Edinburgh around €89 hotel on the edge of the La Cantinetta
in winter and will begin a Superbly located less Old Town. Rooms are 24 Cours Julien, A fantastic, informal,
new route from than a minute away from comfortable, and there’s 13006 Marseille Italian-influenced
Manchester in April. the Vieux Port, with clean, a good bar-restaurant Tel: (Fr) 3 20 06 46 25 restaurant with a
Fares start from £9.99 contemporary rooms and downstairs. restaurantlacantinetta.fr large sunken courtyard
PHOTOGRAPHS: BEN LERWILL
one-way ryanair.com a good breakfast. Menu prices start from €11 at the back.
and FOR AN APERO
WHERE TO STAY: Hôtel La Place Fietje, 36 Rue 3 TOURIST INFORMATION: myprovence.fr; marseille-
Ben Lerwill stayed at 1 Avenue du 24 Août, Frères Barthélémy, tourisme.com; antibesjuanlespins.com/en
Hotel Carré Vieux Port 06600 Antibes 13006 Marseille. Départements: Bouches-du-Rhône (13);
6 Rue Beauvau, 13001 Tel: (Fr) 4 97 21 03 11 Tel: (Fr) 4 91 58 81 62 Alpes-Maritimes (06); Aude (11)

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Weekend
SHORT BUT SWEET
CITY BREAKS
Le Touquet
The chic seaside resort that has entranced many a
famous – and fictional – figure remains a jewel in the
north coast crown, says Eddi Fiegel

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CITY BREAK
T
LEFT: An ambitious here can’t be many towns in France that What I hadn’t remembered was the unique
sand sculpture on link James Bond, PG Wodehouse and architecture. Much of the town was built in the 1920s
the sea front Lord Sugar but Le Touquet is one of after two Englishmen, John Whitley and Allen
BELOW: The elegant them. I’ll give you a clue: the connection Stoneham, bought large swathes of land around the
and varied façades of involves casinos, holiday villas and fish soup. area and set about building villas, bungalows and
Le Touqet; Although not necessarily in that order. hotels. The result was an unusual but elegant mélange
RIGHT: Fresh fish Less than an hour’s drive along the northern French of Norman half-timbering and the English mock
aplenty for sale at coast, heading south from Calais, the town subtitled Tudor style which was all the rage in Blighty at the
the market; Paris-Plage thanks to its proximity to the French time, with a soupçon of French flourish thrown in for
capital (less than three hours’ drive) was once the chic good measure.
seaside resort of choice for the English ‘smart set’ in Wandering along the pedestrianised Rue Saint Jean,
the 1920s and ‘30s. one of the town’s main shopping streets, I passed
HG Wells scandalised British society by eloping chichi boutiques, hip homeware shops and tantalising
there with his mistress; Edward and Wallis Simpson pâtisseries before the road eventually opened out to the
romanced royally; Winston Churchill and a slew of seafront with more than four and a half miles of wide,
other cigar-puffing British MPs were also regular sandy beach.
visitors. Noel Coward and PG Wodehouse, Behind an old-school carousel and a giant sand
meanwhile, loved it so much they bought houses there. sculpture of the Eiffel Tower, I found seemingly half of
I had known of the town since I was a child as my Le Touquet sunning themselves and frolicking in the
grandparents had lived in Paris, and for several years sand, like a 1920s seaside poster come to life. It was
PHOTOGRAPHS: EDDI FIEGEL; PACK-SHOT/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
the town became a regular Easter meeting point for tempting to just flop out for the rest of the day but I’d
our family. This, however, was several decades ago so, heard about the dunes further along the beach.
with a view to revisiting my childhood haunt, off I set After a leisurely amble past pastel-coloured beach
on the Eurostar for a weekend across La Manche. huts I found the fabled dunes and eventually managed
In less than two hours from London (fifty-five to get my footing as I climbed the slippery, sandy
minutes from London St Pancras to Calais-Fréthun slopes. Getting my breath back the views along the
station and an hour’s drive in a hire car), I was driving coast were spectacular and there was that wonderful
through the woods which encircle Le Touquet. sense of being a tiny sprog in a vast universe that you
London had been grey and damp but here on what only get amidst nature’s wide open sprawl.
they call the Côte d’Opale, the sun was shining and it
was a gloriously summery twenty-eight degrees. Feast de mer
Having worked up an appetite, the must-stop
destination for dinner was Pérard, a legendary local
fish restaurant, complete with poissonnerie, oyster bar
and grill. It’s also apparently the place Lord Sugar has
described as serving up “the best fish soup in France”;
so much so that he comes here regularly and
specifically requests the soup.
I had gone there as a child and it more than lived
up to its reputation. I tucked into plump, briny
oysters, followed by what did indeed turn out to be
the densest, most intensely rich, fishy soup I have ever
tasted. The fruits de mer platter was exceptional ➳

too, as were the puddings. Touquet-Paris-Plage. BELOW: The market
After dinner, I had thought about stopping off at Housed in the English-built ‘Villa Wayside’, the offers the best of
the casino, as the historic building was supposedly the museum is small but impressive with photography, local produce;
inspiration for Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale. However, contemporary art and a permanent collection of some LEFT: Attractive,
heavy scaffolding on the outside and a large 300 works by the ‘École d’Etaples’ - the group of brightly-painted
proliferation of one-armed bandits on the inside have painters who settled in the area in the late 19th and beach huts add a
somewhat clouded over any Bond-style glamour that early 20th century. Like the later glitterati of the 1920s dash of colour
may have lingered from Fleming’s day, so my visit and 1930s, they were entranced by the beaches and
proved short-lived. the way the light on this
The next morning, along with half of stretch of the coast casts
Le Touquet, I headed for the town’s everything in a rather magical
Art-Deco covered market, with its iridescent glow. More than a
distinctive triangular pointed clock roof. hundred years later, it’s not
Inside I was greeted by a cacophony of hard to see why.
stall holders trumpeting their wares,
from rather hirsute onions to jams,
charcuterie, cheeses and poissonnerie
across a series of vast halls. The market
also overspilled into the streets beyond
with everything from clothes and shoes
to books, toys and toiletries. Elbowing
my way past chic grannies and laid back holiday
makers, I was tempted by a bargain leather handbag
but in the end settled for a more sensible jar of
locally-made Morello cherry jam.
After a quick pitstop for a croque monsieur at
Brasserie Sports, apparently a favourite of Serge 62
Gainsbourg’s, my final stop was the Musée du
Francofile Enjoy some sea air in Le Touquet
GETTING THERE in Le Touquet itself as in the centre of town with hotelsbarriere.com Admission: €3.50
By train: Eddi travelled by most things you’re likely nautical décor and Michelin-starred
Eurostar from London St to visit are within easy exceptional seafood. restaurant in Le Le Touquet Lighthouse
Pancras to Calais-Fréthun reach on foot. Menus from €28. Westminster. Formal but 407 Avenue des Phares
(around 55 minutes) from unstuffy in an elegant 62520 Le Touquet
£58 return (eurostar.com). WHERE TO STAY Brasserie Les Sports conservatory with Tel: (Fr) 3 21 06 72 00
It’s then around an hour’s Eddi stayed at: 22 Rue Saint-Jean extraordinary fine dining You’ll need to climb 274
drive to Le Touquet. Le Westminster 62520 Le Touquet- and superb wines. Menus steps but it’s worth it for
Otherwise, there’s a local Avenue du Verger Paris-Plage from €65. the spectacular views of
train from Calais-Fréthun 62520 Le Touquet brasserielessports.fr the surrounding coast.
to Étaples-Le Touquet hotelsbarriere.com Old school brasserie with WHERE TO VISIT Admission: free.
(the nearest train station) Five-star hotel with spa classic dishes like sole Musée du Touquet-Paris-
but it’s then around 15 and Michelin-starred meunière and crêpes Plage Le Touquet Market
minutes in a taxi to Le restaurant in the centre of Suzette. Mains €20 - 30. Villa Way Side, Angle de 31 Rue Jean Monnet
Touquet itself. town. Doubles from €175. l’Avenue du Golf et de 62520 Le Touquet-
Avis has an office in Le Pavillon l’Avenue du Château Paris-Plage
Calais-Fréthun station (Tel: WHERE TO EAT Le Westminster, 62520 Le Touquet- Tel: (Fr) 3 21 06 72 00
(Fr) 3 21 85 94 85; avis.fr) Eddi ate at: Avenue du Verger Paris-Plage Saturdays: 8.15am –
with car hire from €97.26 Pérard 62520 Le Touquet letouquet-musee.com around 1.30pm
per day for a Fiat 500. 67 Rue de Metz
62520 Le Touquet TOURIST INFORMATION: letouquet.com, visit-pas-de-calais.com,
GETTING AROUND perard-letouquet.fr Le Touquet Tourist Office: Rond Point des Sports, Pavillon Cousteau,
You don’t really need a car Legendary fish restaurant 62520 Le Touquet-Paris-Plage; Département: Pas de Calais (62)

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PHOTOGRAPHY
PICTURE
PERFECT
A snapshot of life
behind the lens of France’s
photography pioneers
with Sandra Haurant
N
icéphore Niépce, born in
Chalon-sur-Saône in 1765,
had an ambition. He wanted
to invent a way to print Cartier-Bresson’s first Leica
pictures automatically. Niépce, who with
his brother had already invented an
internal combustion engine, tried and support of François Arago, an astronomer photographs published. The following
failed many times before finding a way to and politician, securing a lifetime year, his work was exhibited in New York
create images using light-sensitive government pension for Daguerre and and Madrid, and he became one of the
materials. He called the practice Niépce’s son, Isidore. world’s most celebrated and influential
‘heliography’ or sun-drawing, and after The pictures – named Daguerreotypes photographers. His oeuvre encompasses
experimenting with different methods, in – amazed the world. Others had also been photojournalism, portraiture and more,
1826 he eventually succeeded in making a trying to make pictures with light around and famous subjects included Jean-Paul
picture of the view from his workshop on that time. Englishman Henry Fox Talbot Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Truman
a pewter plate. and Frenchman Hippolyte Bayard both Capote and Albert Camus. Cartier-Bresson
Niépce next managed to improve the found paper-based methods, with the latter left France and travelled the world for his
quality of his images by introducing creating the first public exhibition of art, but many photographers devoted their
half-tones, using polished silver and photographs in 1839. Nonetheless, the careers to capturing the French capital.
allowing iodine vapours to alter a bitumen Daguerreotype remained the dominant French-Hungarian Gyula Halász, known
image, producing nuanced black and white method around the world for the next two simply as Brassaï, made his name with a
photos. The process needed streamlining, decades, before being replaced by cheaper, book entitled Paris by Night, published in
though, since exposure took days. more efficient processes. 1933, showing seedier sides to the capital
Niépce was still searching for a better Another Frenchman, Edmond juxtaposed with images of French society.
solution when, in 1827, he met French Becquerel, is credited by some with Robert Doisneau, another pioneer of
painter Louis Daguerre in Paris. Daguerre creating the first colour photographs in photojournalism, had a talent for focusing
was making a name for himself with his 1848, although with limited success due to on the special and mundane moments that
PHOTOGRAPHS: LES HOTEL PARIS RIVE GAUCHE/ALAIN B/CC BY-SA 2.0; F.DELADIERE;
‘Diorama’, a spectacle that wowed the challenge of fixing the images – some reflect real city life, particularly in Paris.
FONDATION CARTIER BRESSON; ALEXIS ALLEMAND; MUSÉE NICÉPHORE NIÉPCE
audiences using light and large scale faded before the viewer’s eyes. Louis When he died in 1994, he left behind some
paintings to create realistic scenes. Ducos du Hauron tried 20 years later, with 450,000 photographs spanning decades,
Daguerre shared Niépce’s desire to use three-colour printing, a method also used combining humour and sensitivity.
light and chemistry to capture permanent by Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell. French photographer Yann Arthus-
pictures and had been attempting to fix A century after Niépce’s experiments, Bertrand, on the other hand, is known for
images using phosphorescent powders. one of France’s greats took his first photos. zooming out to take in vast views. A
Later the pair began to work together, but Henri Cartier-Bresson was born in photographer and environmentalist, in the
had not yet reached their common goal Seine-et-Marne in 1908, and tried his hand 1990s Arthus-Bertrand embarked on a
when Niépce died in 1833. at photography while studying painting. project to document the state of the world
Daguerre continued experimenting, and But it was five years later, on seeing an for the year 2000. The resultant book, The
in 1838 he was ready to show his work – image by Hungarian Martin Munkácsi, Earth from the Air, containing
detailed images produced on an iodised that Cartier-Bresson decided to devote breathtaking shots of dramatic landscapes
silver plate, exposed with mercury fumes himself to photography. seen from the sky, has sold millions of
and fixed by a salt solution. His He travelled Europe with his new Leica copies. His photos were exhibited in Paris
groundbreaking work quickly won the camera, and by 1932, had had his first in 2000, and around the world since.

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HISTORY TRAIL
2
1
4
PLACES TO VISIT
1 Musée Réattu, Arles, 2 Musée Nicéphore 3 Fondation Cartier- 4 Maison Européenne
Bouches-du-Rhône Niépce, Chalon-sur- Bresson, Paris de la Photographie, Paris
For three months each year, Saône, Saône-et-Loire Set up by Cartier-Bresson and The Maison Européenne de la
the pretty city of Arles This museum in the Burgundy his photographer wife Martine Photographie (MEP) is home to
becomes a place of pilgrimage town of Chalon-sur-Saone aims Franck a year before he died, a vast collection of
for photographers. The to show the path from the very the Fondation Cartier-Bresson international photography,
Rencontres d’Arles take place first days of Niépce’s boasts a collection of vintage with work from the 1950s to the
from July to September and photographic experiments to prints, contact sheets, present day. There are around
combine cutting edge today’s digital photographic drawings, letters, posters and 20,000 works from
photographic exhibitions, technology. It houses the first more, which belonged to the photographers around the
workshops and talks from camera created by Niépce, as renowned photographer. It also world, and the collection
experts in the field. Outside the well as Daguerreotypes, and hosts temporary exhibitions of includes a wide range of styles
festival dates, there are still boasts an enormous collection work by photographers from from photojournalism to fine
plenty of reasons to visit, of photography, beginning with around the world. The art. It offers guided tours, as
including the Musée Réattu, images from the very first days foundation moved to new, well as running workshops and
home to the oldest collection of of the art through to the work freshly refurbished premises in talks from visiting
photography in a French Beaux- of contemporary November 2018, providing a photographers. Closed
Arts museum. Closed photographers. Closed space dedicated to photography Mondays and Tuesdays,
Mondays, tickets €9. Tuesdays, entrance free. past and present. Reopens 6 tickets €9.
10 Rue du Grand Prieuré, 28 Quai des Messageries, 71100 November, tickets €8. 5-7 Rue de Fourcy,
13200 Arles Chalon-sur-Saône 79 Rue des Archives, 75003 Paris 75004 Paris
Tel: (Fr) 4 90 49 37 58 Tel: (Fr) 3 85 48 41 98 Tel: (Fr) 1 56 80 27 00 Tel: (Fr) 1 44 78 75 00
museereattu.arles.fr en.museeniepce.com henricartierbresson.org mep-fr.org

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Walking with
Rudolf Abraham follows in the
humongous footsteps of the famous
wickerwork puppets
giants
I
t’s a bright, sunny afternoon in early July, and with Monsieur Gayant weighing in at a whopping ABOVE: Monsieur and
in the streets of Douai in France’s Nord 370kg. They’ve been taking to the streets of Douai, Madame Gayant;
département, an 8.5-metre-high figure dressed carried by a small, close-knit group of bearers, for RIGHT: Everyone gets
in armour moves in a slow, dignified almost 500 years. in on the act in Douai
procession past the town’s Unesco-listed medieval The géants of Douai form part of a wider
belfry, a long red cape slung from his shoulders. tradition of giant effigies in Europe, having first
Beside him stands his wife – almost as tall, wearing a appeared around the end of the 14th century – some
bonnet and an orange dress – and nearby their three in human form, some of them fantastic beasts. Their
children, much smaller at between 2.4 and 3.4 origins are rooted in medieval legends and biblical
metres high, happily dance in pirouettes. characters, and since then they have become an
This is Monsieur Gayant and his family, one integral part of religious festivals and processions.
of the panoply of géants of northern France and
a beloved symbol of the town of Douai. Northern soul
The colossal figures are made of wicker and wood, Although there are still géants and associated

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DOUAI GIANTS
festivities further south, such as a mythical, dragon- part of a procession in honour of Saint Maurand, the
like creature called the Tarasque in Tarascon, town’s patron saint, his wicker body having been
Bouches-du-Rhône, and the giant animal known as made by the local guild of basket weavers. Madame
Le Poulain in Pézenas, Hérault, it is in northern Gayant made her debut the following year, having
France that the tradition remains particularly strong. been built by the guild of fruiterers. The word gayant
There are over 500 of them in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, is Picardy patois for giant.
where around 230 towns and villages have their own Les Fêtes de Gayant takes place over three days,
géant (or géants) in some form or another, each starting on the Sunday following 5 July, and kicks off
typically with its own distinctive dance and song. with a huge, carnival-like parade where the giants are
Despite having been outlawed during the French joined by a variety of other participants, musicians
Revolution (when they were seen as symbols of the and floats, drawing over 100,000 spectators. Over
Ancien Régime) and sometimes falling foul of the the following two days Monsieur and Madame
church, as well as many being destroyed in the two Gayant and their three children (Jacquot, Fillon and
World Wars, the géants and their associated Binbin) are taken through the villages of the
festivities have endured, remaining powerful symbols surrounding area.
of local identity. People from Douai are traditionally The job of carrying these huge figures is one of
called vint’ d’osier, meaning ’wicker bellies’, and immense prestige, and in general the bearers must
wicker features prominently in the bearers’ tattoos. have been born in that town; in Douai, the position
You only have to walk through a village near Douai is handed down from father to son or son-in-law.
while the three Gayant children skitter around the The bearers stand inside the wicker frame of the
streets there, engulfed in an ecstatic crowd despite the giant’s body, carrying the weight on their shoulders.
pouring rain, to see how much these figures mean to It’s physically demanding work and they stop to rest
the local community. Associations were formed to and set down the frame every five or 10 minutes. A
protect the géants and their festivals, and in several Chef de Protocole walks ahead of the giants to clear
cases géants which disappeared in the past have been the way and avoid collisions in the crowded streets,
reintroduced, or new ones created. La Belle Hélène, the bearers’ collective vision being limited to one
the géant in Steenvoorde, was recreated in 1980; small window at the front of the giant’s torso. ➳
prior to this, she hadn’t been seen since 1910.
In Pertain, a completely new géant, T’chio
Blaise, was created as recently as 2015. The job of carrying these huge
As for Monsieur Gayant,
he first appeared in 1530 as figures is of immense prestige
4 OTHER PLACES TO SEE

GÉANTS IN FRANCE
Hirson, Aisne Saint-Omer, Pas-de-Calais
The géants of Hirson – No Piot in his SNCF Belle Lyze, one of the géants in Saint-
railway uniform, his wife No Piote, and Omer, was recreated in 2012, the original
their three children – take to the streets Belle Lyze having made her last
on Whitsunday. The géants were appearance in 1970. Together with the
designed by bande dessinée artist Serge géant Batistin, she makes several
Dutfoy in 2008. appearances including at the Cortège
Nautique at the end of July.
Pézenas, Hérault
Le Poulain (meaning ‘the colt’), first Tarascon, Bouches-du-Rhône
recorded in 1701, is thought to The Fête de la Tarasque dates back to the
commemorate a 13th-century visit to 15th century and takes place over the last
Pézenas by Louis VIII, during which his weekend in June, with the Tarasque being
PHOTOGRAPHS: RUDOLF ABRAHAM
favourite horse fell sick. It has a carved paraded through the city centre on
wooden head and moving jaws, and Sunday. The Tarasque is associated with
wears a blue cloth over its body, with two the legend of Martha of Bethany, who is
effigies riding on top. It is paraded said to have tamed a huge beast which
through the streets during Mardi Gras was terrifying the local population. Her
celebrations. crypt is in the town’s Église Collégiale.

I ask Marc Deblieck, a former géant bearer in occupation of France in the Second World War, Nazi BELOW: Musical
Cassel for 20 years who has now retired from the troops decapitated all the giants they found, since entertainment at the
prestigious role, if he has noticed many changes over they were such strong symbols of local identity. But parade; INSERT: The
the years. “There are more young people knocking in Cassel, the local mayor got wind of this and old géants now in
on my door asking to be bearers now, compared to managed to hide them. And there they remained, retirement
when I started,” he states matter-of-factly. “No one under lock and key in a dark storeroom for the
wanted to be a bearer back then.” duration of the war – except, I am told, on the one
In 2008 the Processional Giants of France and day of the year when their procession (which was
Belgium – namely those in Douai, Cassel, Pézenas banned) would otherwise have taken place. On this
and Tarascon in France, together with Ath, Brussels, day, the mayor would secretly go and unlock the
Dendermonde, Mechelen and Mons in Belgium – door to where they were hidden and – ever so
were inscribed on the Unesco list of Intangible quietly, through a crack in the door – sing them their
Cultural Heritage. song, the Reuzenlied. On the day of the liberation of
Cassel, the giants were finally
Reuze relics brought out into the streets again
Despite the age of these traditions, the giant figures to dance once more.
themselves mostly date from within the past 50 years
at the most. Cassel is the only town where the
original figures have also survived to the present day.
Cassel’s géants, Reuze Papa and Reuze Maman
(reuze means giant in Flemish) date from 1827 and
1860 respectively, and now live in the town’s Musée
de Flandre, hidden behind a curtain and only
unveiled for the Easter Carnival. Reuze Papa is
dressed as a Roman legionary; Reuze Maman wears
a shawl and a diadem, and carries a bunch of
flowers. The original figures took part in the carnival
until 2001, when they were placed in the museum
and two exact replicas made to take part in the
carnival. The ‘new’ Reuzes come out to dance on the
town square on Easter Monday, together with a
hobby horse and a dancing cockerel, and return
home around midnight, following a lantern-lit
procession led by local firemen. 59
The story of the survival of the original Reuzes is

as beautiful as it is unexpected. During the German
Francofile Take a trip to giant country
GETTING THERE (www.cycles-repair.fr) for visit Nord-Pas de Calais in Flemish garden just corner of the cobbled main
By rail: London to Lille is €13 per day. its own right, with fine outside Cassel (Jardin square, run by one of the
just 90 minutes on vintages stretching back de l’Année pour la local géant bearers.
Eurostar (eurostar.com), WHERE TO STAY to 1928. France, 2011).
return fares from £58; Rudolf stayed at: WHERE TO VISIT
from Lille-Flanders it takes La Terrasse WHERE TO EAT FOR AN ‘APÉRO’ Musée de Flandre
20 minutes by train to 36 Terrasse Saint Pierre Rudolf ate at: À la Porte de Bergues 26 Grand’ Place
Douai, and 40 minutes by 59500 Douai Estaminet 53 Grand’ Place 59670 Cassel
train to Cassel. Tel: (Fr) 3 27 88 70 04 T’Kasteel Hof 59670 Cassel Tel: (Fr) 3 59 73 45 59
PHOTOGRAPHS: RUDOLF ABRAHAM
laterrasse.fr Jardin du Mont des Small, local bar on the museedeflandre.fr

GETTING AROUND Small, welcoming, Récollets
Douai and Cassel are small family-run hotel with 1936 route de Steenvoorde USEFUL WEBSITES: Nord-Pas de Calais Tourist
towns which are very easy stylish décor and an 59670 Cassel Office - northernfrance-tourism.com; Douai
to get around on foot. excellent restaurant – and Tel: (Fr) 3 28 40 59 29 Tourist Office - douaitourisme.fr; La Géanthèque -
Bikes can be rented from a truly phenomenal wine Wonderful food, at an geantheque.org; Association La Ronde des Géants -
Cycles n’ Repair in Douai list which is a reason to astonishingly beautiful geants-carnaval.org. Département: Nord (59)

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The medieval town is
famed for its Pont-Vieux
Confolens
ake a stroll in...
Narrow streets, cobbled bridges and medieval houses

help make Confolens the land that time forgot, says
Heidi Fuller-love, who was happy to see it has
retained all the charm of a bygone era.

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TAKE A STROLL
H
aving a family home in Charente I’ve
seen the region evolve considerably
over the decades, but one place which
has barely changed in 25 years - and
probably not much over the past 250 either - is the
very stroll-able town of Confolens.
Situation is the major charm of this attractive
town, dominated by its crumbling medieval tower,
which sits at the confluence of the Goire and Vienne
rivers, and was recently named Petite Cité de
Caractère. The best way to enter town is to cross the
Pont-Vieux, stopping off at the Place de la Fontorse
where an old fountain, once a spring, has bubbled
since the 15th century. According to a local dicton,
‘if a man wants to become famous he must drink
some of the Fontorse’s water’, but I prefer to sip on
a café crème at the cobbled terrace of Eric’s bistrot
opposite the fountain as I soak up the age-old
atmosphere and subtle odours of mould emanating
from windows flung wide open in the surrounding
medieval houses.
Refreshed, I set off across the worn cobbles of the
13th century granite Pont Vieux bridge whose ten
graceful arches are decorated with colourful flags
during the week-long Folklore Festival in August for
which Confolens is rightly famed. I pause en route
to enjoy views of the opposite skyline reflected in the
Vienne’s rippled mirror surface: the gaunt facades of
medieval houses framing the Gothic bell tower of
Saint-Maxime church and the willow trees dipping
green tresses into the copper-coloured water dotted
with kayaks paddling downstream. “Il était si
animé, ce pont, si vivant!”
18th-century French politician
Jacques Crévelier once exclaimed, but
the high stepping horses pulling
carriages and the donkeys carrying
skins from Confolens’ tanneries that
Crévelier once saw are long gone.
Nowadays the Pont Vieux is used
only by people like me, who love to
explore on foot.
When it’s 28 ˚C in the shade,
entering Confolens’ narrow streets
hedged in by high medieval houses
is like plunging headfirst into a pool
of cool water. The most spectacular
houses with their towering
timber-framed façades can be
found in the narrow streets of
Pinaguet, des Portes d’Ansac and
the glorious Rue du Soleil, also
known as Grand Rue, which was
the town’s main thoroughfare in
the middle ages. A sign on the
wall of a strikingly beautiful
The tanners’ quarter of timber-framed building near the
Le Goire in Confolens entrance of the Rue Soleil tells
how, in 1619, when Louis XIII

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Pop in and buy a Kroumir, a local
sweet delicacy; pear crêpes; looking over the town of
Confolens from the Pont-Vieux; the vélorail de Charente-
Limousine is a fun way to see the countryside
quarrelled with his mother Queen Marie de’ Médici

and had her exiled to Blois castle, the Duc
d’Épernon met with 300 of the Queen’s faithful
supporters in this house to make plans for her
subsequent escape.
Further on along a steep side street, I discover the
13th-century stone gateway that originally allowed
access to the old town and then I stumble across the
crumbled, overgrown walls, which are all that is left
of Confolens Castle built by Aymard, Lord of the
neighbouring province of Chabanais, back in the
10th century.
Confolens’ wealth is built on its tanneries that
were mainly grouped along the slow-moving Goire
River in the quartier Saint-Barthélemy. Strolling
across town to the Quai du Goire I feast my eyes on
the pretty old Goire mill, festooned with ivy and the
medieval houses where the tanners once lived, before
heading for Auboyneau’s bakery in Rue Emile Roux,
for more substantial fare. At Auboyneau’s I buy
Kroumir, the deliciously sticky almond cake that
was invented in Confolens in 1895 by apprentice
baker Auguste Redon. It’s the perfect snack to give
me energy to climb to the Table d’Orientation at the
top of town where impressive birdseye views of the
town’s lovely lanes, alleys and ancient riverside
dwellings convince me that Confolens really is the
land that time forgot.
CONFOLENS AT A GLANCE version) along with snacks, salads and some

veggie options, and a wide range of teas.
Stay the night at… here for decades. You can expect simple, WHAT TO SEE
La Maison du Magnolia (doubles from €65, hearty Charentais menus: order the gésiers ● Started in the 10th century and finished in
including continental breakfast, in salad, the cagouilles (snails) in garlic sauce the 15th, Confolens’ Saint-Maxime church is
maisondumagnolia.co.uk). This charming or the confit de canard, then sit out on the home to some fine examples of medieval
little Chambre d’hôtes, in a renovated terrace with views of the Vienne to enjoy your artwork including the elegant arched stone
18th-century house overlooking the Vienne meal. If you’re seeking something more entrance and the finely wrought rose window.
river, has three rooms with antique-style sophisticated (or with more veggie options), Its octagonal spire which dominates the
bedsteads and modern fixtures and fittings. try some of the luscious crêpes at Casa Confolens skyline was added in the 15th
There is also a terrace overlooking the Nostra L’Atlas (dishes from €4; place Henri century. With its massive tower and stone
Vienne where you can take a hearty cooked Desaphie). carvings around the doorway, the church of
breakfast. Best of all, its just two minutes Saint-Barthélémy, built between the 12th and
walk from the Rue du Soleil and other sights Stop for tea at… 15th centuries, is also worth making a detour
of Confolens’ old town. ARThé Salon de The et des Arts (desserts to see.
from €3, facebook.com/Fontorse). This ● The vélorail de Charente-Limousine
Stop for lunch at… stylishly decorated café whose walls are lined (tickets from €30, cf-charentelimousine.fr)
The Logis Hôtel Emeraude (menus from with photos and artwork has a pretty garden which leaves from Confolens train station is a
€14.80, emeraude-hotel-confolens.com). by the river and serves lots of filling desserts, great way to explore the surrounding
This old-fashioned establishment with its including carrot cake, very rich cheesecake countryside. Built in the late 19th century, the
rustic wooden beamed salle has been serving (try the blackcurrant and white chocolate station itself now houses a small museum

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TAKE A STROLL
IN THE AREA
ABOVE: Rochechouart Château; RIGHT: the

Pont-Vieux lives up to its name
Situated at the point where the

Charente and Limousin regions meet,
Confolens is roughly halfway
between the larger towns of
Angoulême and Limoges. It is old lion statues that gave the village
16 close to the gently picturesque its name - to Chassenon where you
slopes of the Monts de Blond in can spend a fascinating hour
dedicated to the history of Haute Vienne, home of the pretty wandering around the Cassinomagus
the region’s trains – there are village of Montrol-Sénard, which is Thermal Baths. One of the best
even the original guichets from like a living museum with its restored conserved remains of their type in
the time. Up to five people fit on one of bread ovens, barns and ancient France, the baths date from the 1st
the vélorail trolleys which are pedalled along cemetery. century A.D and there is an excellent
disused rail tracks following the Vienne river, Follow the Vienne river from film, A Day at the Thermal Baths,
through shaded woods and across viaducts Confolens (on foot it takes just that shows you what life was like
to the riverside village of Manot. over an hour) and you’ll come to here in Chassenon when the Romans
the charming village of Saint- used to stop over to use the baths on
GETTING THERE Germain-de-Confolens, crowned by their way to, or from the coast.
Driving to Confolens from Calais takes the fortified remains of a 14th- From Chassenon its an easy hop
just under seven hours so the northern century castle and chapel. just over the border once more to the
ports are a good option. London Stansted and It’s a tough job to decide where to Haute Vienne town of Rochechouart,
Southampton airports offer direct flights to Limoges go next. You could head west to where you can visit the excellent
PHOTOGRAPHS: CHRISTIAN GUY/IMAGEBROKER;
which is the nearest airport to Confolens. The journey Nanteuil-en-Vallée, another Petite Departmental Museum of
HEIDI FULLER-LOVE; MOSSOT/CC BY-SA 3.0
from the airport will take about 40 minutes. If travelling Cité de Caractère whose stone and Contemporary Art, housed behind
by train, you will go via Paris to Angoulême. There you half timbered 12th-century houses the stocky stone walls of the town’s
change for Roumazières Loubert and the final 20 surround the remains of the imposing medieval castle. Learn all
minute journey to Confolens can be done by taxi. Benedictine Abbey of Notre-Dame de about the meteorite that fell here
TOURIST INFORMATION: Office de Tourisme de Charente Nanteuil and several excellent some 200 million years ago at the
Limousine, tourisme-charentelimousine.fr restaurants. If it’s hot you should Espace Météorite Paul Pellas, or just
Département: Charente (16) head south via Chabanais - stopping cool off in the pretty plan d’eau de
off at St Maurice des Lions to see the Boischenu.

Where to stay for the best
food & drink Eat and drink well with our pick of
foodie accommodation options
CHÂTEAU DES SALETTES LE TILLAU culinary calendar is the Absinthiades

Cahuzac-sur-Vère, Tarn Verrières-de-Joux, Jura celebration every October, at which the
Dominating the vineyards of Tarn are the This Comté farm, a stone’s throw from star attraction is a three-course dinner
towers of this charming château, which the Swiss border, combines gastronomic where every dish is infused with absinthe
dates from the 13th century. A host of heritage with contemporary luxury in its – not one for the faint-hearted!
gourmet wellbeing packages are available 11 stylish rooms. The restaurant, Le Doubles from €90, breakfast €12. Menus
including the Escale Gourmande, which Tillau by Tannières, is renowned for its from €35.
features the four-course Toulouse- reasonably-priced yet top-notch fare, Tel: (Fr) 3 81 69 46 72
Lautrec menu starring artichokes stuffed with Jurassien Jean-Michel Tannières at en.letillau.com
with spinach and goat’s milk, and a the helm. A highlight of the hotel’s
salted caramel apple tarte Tatin. The
château is ideally located for visiting the
various attractions around Gaillac, as
well as Albi and its cathedral.
Doubles from €145, breakfast €19.
Menus from €29.
Tel: (Fr) 5 63 33 60 60
chateaudesalettes.com

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WHERE TO STAY
DOMAINE D’AURIAC
Carcassonne, Aude
This rural hotel in Cathar country, not
far from the city of Carcassonne, isn’t
just a magnet for foodie pleasure seekers
but also golfers, thanks to its renowned
18-hole course. After a day on the
fairways, the one-Michelin-starred
restaurant headed by chef Philippe
Deschamps is ready to welcome weary
players with a host of gourmet delights.
It’s no surprise that the restaurant has
held its star for 34 years; the food is
classic Gallic haute-cuisine and the wine
menu is both extensive and extravagant.
Menus from €50.
CHÂTEAU DE l’Élysée. Diners can enjoy views of the Tel: (Fr) 4 68 25 72 22
COURBAN & SPA magnificent Italian gardens and have the domaine-d-auriac.fr
Courban, Côte-d’Or option of eating on the outdoor terrace
Deep in Burgundian wine country sits when the weather plays ball. The unique
this rose-coloured country house, built in menu, bursting with terroir produce, is
1820 after its predecessor was burnt sprinkled with Eastern flavour, from the
down during the French Revolution. matcha tea waffle to the mizuna salad.
Since 2015, its Michelin-starred Doubles from €99, breakfast €19. Menus
restaurant has been spearheaded by from €47.
Japanese chef Takashi Kinoshita, who Tel: (Fr) 3 80 93 78 69
previously worked at the Palais de chateaudecourban.com
LA MAISON D’À CÔTÉ

Montlivault, Loir-et-Cher
The Hay family’s La Maison thinks of
itself more as a restaurant with rooms
rather than a hotel with an added eatery;
that’s the kind of emphasis that is put on
the cooking here. Chef Christopher Hay
takes the best the Loire has to offer and
transforms it into gourmet spectacles,
with a particular focus on local fish such
as eel, pike and carp. The eight heavenly
HÔTEL ARCÉ rooms and four suites with king-sized
Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, beds welcome you back after an evening
Pyrénées-Atlantiques of Michelin-approved indulgence.
The tiny Pyrénéan town of Saint-Étienne- Doubles from €60, breakfast €15. Menus
PHOTOGRAPHS: TOURISM-TARN.COM; LE TILLAU; CHÂTEAU DE COURBAN;
de-Baïgorry is home to this gourmet from €14.

paradise, ideal for hikers who’ve worked Tel: (Fr) 2 54 20 62 30
up an appetite after a day in the lamaisondacote.fr
DAVID DUCHON-DORIS; JULIE LIMONT; RELAIS & CHATEAUX
mountains. The Spanish-influenced food

here is reasonably priced, yet still as
nuanced and beautifully presented as
its high-ranking peers. The rooms,
furnished a comfortable Basque style,
enjoy views over the river, mountains or
hydrangea garden.
Menus from €28.
Tel: (Fr) 5 59 37 40 14
hotel-arce.com

HÔTEL & SPA DU
CASTELLET
Le Castellet, Var
Earlier this year chef Christophe Bacquié
joined a very exclusive club when he was
awarded his third Michelin star. He has
been managing the cuisine at Hôtel &
Spa Du Castellet since November 2009,
and has won the Meilleur Ouvrier de
France and mentions in Gault Millau
along the way. The hotel has two dining
options, the more formal choice being
the Restaurant Christophe Bacquié, with
Le San Felice offering refined meals with
views of Castellet village and bay. There
is also a terrace and bar area where the
head barman can mix-up your favourite
tipple as you soak up the sun.
Menus from €45.
Tel: (Fr) 4 94 98 37 77
hotelducastellet.net
LA FOLIE DOUCE HÔTEL

Chamonix, Haute-Savoie
It’s renowned as an après-ski food and
drink haunt, but this year marks La Folie
Douce’s first venture into the hotel
industry. A classy combination of
hostel-style accommodation, family-
friendly lodgings and premium suites,
there’s a room for every budget. Opening
22 December in the former Savoy Palace,
the hotel offers not one, but five
restaurants; after all, its motto is ‘this is the
place where food rules’. The modern La with sandwiches and energy drinks ready
HÔTEL MARTINEZ Fruitière is the stylish gastronomic nucleus, for a vigorous day on the slopes.
Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes while La Petite Cuisine is the go-to for Doubles from €69. Menu prices TBC
PHOTOGRAPHS: JEROME KELAGOPIAN; LA FOLIE DOUCE/JEREMY CALVO; CHAR/CHÂTEAU DE BOISGELIN;

This legendary seaside hotel, boasting hearty home cooking. There’s even an Tel: (Fr) 4 50 55 10 00
over 400 rooms, encapsulates the Art on-site takeaway where you can stock up lafoliedoucehotels.com
D.DELMAS; JULIEN BOISARD; CHRISTOPHE BIELSA; GILLES TRILLARD; HOTEL & SPA DU CASTELLET
Deco glamour of the Roaring Twenties.
Being just a short walk from the famed
Palais des Festivals, it’s a popular choice CHÂTEAU DE BOISGELIN hotels, this picturesque château and its
for celebrities staying in town for the film Pléhédel, Côtes-d’Armor 400-hectare grounds provide an exciting
extravaganza. The fittingly-named Palme After winning his first Michelin star aged new challenge for Mathieu Kergourlay.
d’Or restaurant is the resort’s only just 25 and cooking at various top-class The young Breton chef has taken over
two-Michelin-starred establishment and the reins at the Château de Boisgelin
each year its chef Christian Sinicropi is restaurant-hotel in Pléhédel, where he
entrusted with the menu for the first aims to transform local produce and
dinner for members of the film festival vegetables from the estate’s garden by
jury. For 2018 there is also the new blending original combinations of exotic
Version Originale restaurant, serving and seaside flavours. Try the snails with
unique creations such as an intriguing butternut squash pickles, or the pressé of
Fondue Bouillabaisse. foie gras and octopus with green lentils.
Doubles from €240, breakfast €42. Doubles from €89, breakfast €12. Menus
Menus from €136. from €20.
Tel: (Fr) 4 93 90 12 34 Tel: (Fr) 2 96 22 37 67
hotel-martinez.hyatt.com mathieu-kergourlay.com

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WHERE TO STAY
LION D’OR HÔTEL

Pont L’Évêque, Calvados
The name of the town alone conjures up
images of delicious cheese boards with
Pont L’Évêque home to the famous soft
cheese that is the oldest Normandy
fromage in production. It’s also home to
the Calvados Experience visitor
attraction that is just a seven minute
walk from the hotel. Set on the site of
Normandy’s oldest and most famous multi-sensory journey through the
distillery, a visit immerses you in the centuries, from Vikings to the present
day. There are also tasting opportunities
and chance to buy what you have
sampled. The hotel itself has a respected
restaurant as well as light and modern
rooms and a spa to relax in after you’ve
NEXT had your fill of cheese and apple brandy.
MONTH Doubles from €69, breakfast €14. Menus
W H E R E T O S TAY from €19.
I N PA R I S Tel: (Fr) 2 31 65 01 55
leliondorhotel.com
HÔTEL LES ROCHES maximum taste. Seafood lovers can

BLANCHES rejoice with the menu littered with
Cassis, Bouches-du-Rhône lobster, sea bass, red mullet and baby
This new 5 star hotel in the beautiful clam offerings. Its ‘from the sea to the
Mediterranean fishing port of Cassis table’ option sees guests presented with
offers incredible sea views and close to an entire fish, dorade and John Dory
the famous vineyards of the area that among them, cut and lovingly prepared
produce delectable white wines. The food to ensure a delicious meal to remember.
on chef Florian Cano’s menu reflects the Doubles from €260, breakfast €24.
hotel’s location on the Mediterranean, Menus from €35.
with local and seasonal products put to Tel: (Fr) 4 42 01 09 30
good use with simplicity and a focus on roches-blanches-cassis.com HÔTEL FAUCHON
Paris
There are myriad, stylish sounding dining
options at this boutique, 5 star hotel in
the city’s 8th arrondissement – well what
else would you expect from Paris?
Headed under ‘Gourmet Moments’,
guests can enjoy fine food in various
guises, at any time of the day or night
and also, at different locations. The
Grand Café Fauchon offers all day
dining, has an ever-evolving menu and
outdoor terrace seating under the
shadow of the Madeleine Church.
Adding to this are the breakfast menus,
brunch, tea & snack menu, dinner and
soiree options and the fabulously titled
‘glam hours’ where wine and food
pairings are made to reinvigorate weary
guests after a day of sightseeing.
Menus from €25.
Tel: (Fr) 1 87 86 28 00
hotel-fauchon-paris.fr

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BON APPÉTIT
The best of French gastronomy
68 FOOD & DRINK GIFTS

A selection of edible and quaffable
present ideas to make any
Francophile happy.
70 EATING OUT IN…

La Plagne – enjoy tasty dishes in a
spectacular mountain setting.
72 CHRISTMAS MARKETS
Munch your way around some
festive regional favourites.
73 RESTAURANT REVIEW AND

WINES OF THE MONTH
74 FLAVOURS OF FRANCE
Make a warming Duck Confit Pie
with The French Revolution by
Michel Roux Jr.
76 WINE
Discover the white wines of
Muscadet in the western Loire.
CHEESE OF THE MONTH

Saint-Nectaire
F
aced with the kind of 2017 make it the third most temperature, humidity and
cheeseboard choice that popular cow’s milk cheese bearing ventilation. Following regular
one rarely finds now in an AOP appellation. rubbing, turning and washing (at
French restaurants, I I chose one made from least twice) in salt water, a Saint-
often bypassed the Saint-Nectaire. unpasteurised milk from a farm Nectaire fermier emerges as an
Perhaps I found it bland and its near Saint-Diéry in the Puy de earthier looking specimen than a
stony-looking rind uninviting. Now Dôme, not far south of Saint- Saint-Nectaire laitier, made from
that I know more intimately the Nectaire itself. After salting, pasteurised milk. from Normandy had it not spoken
PHOTOGRAPHS: NUNGNING20/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
unblemished countryside of the wrapping the cheese in a damp Matured for nearer three of higher pastures. One of the
PLUS; V.RIBAUT/LES STUDIOS ASSOCIÉS/CNIEL
Auvergne, I feel differently about linen muslin and placing it in a months, my cheese’s fruity, distinctive features of any Saint-
an indigenous cheese that was round mould, the young Saint- buttery and quite salty flesh went Nectaire is the slightly spongy
once favoured by the Sun King Nectaire is shelved in a cold store well with seasonal red grapes, texture that, for all its soft
himself. During the interwar for a week before transfer to a cave although my wife and I agreed that creaminess, holds its form – almost
exodus to the cities, its production for affinage. For a minimum of four figs might work rather better. Mild like the consistency, ahem, of La
and popularity declined. Now, weeks, the cheese is matured in an and creamy and with an aftertaste Vache Qui Rit. But that’s not to
however, the 14,000 tonnes sold in environment controlled for of hazelnuts, it might have hailed denigrate this cheese, which is
anything but bland. It’s lovely.
STRENGTH Mark Sampson

Festive Foodie
Gift Guide Wine and dine the Francophiles in
your life with these Gallic gifts
Make Your Own Macarons Kit

£35, Mon Dessert
Craft 24 homemade macarons
in just two hours with this kit
which is perfect for the
budding pâtissier. Choose
from intriguing flavours
including Christmas pudding,
with a cinnamon and brandy
butter centre.
mondessert.co.uk
Mini Mince Pie Collection

£10.95 for 12, PAUL
This French twist on a British
classic from the long-
established PAUL bakery will
Camembert Chocolate Cheese tempt even hardened mince
£14, Choc on Choc pie-haters. Exciting flavours
Nothing beats a warm, melting include apple crumble, dark
camembert on a cold winter’s day, but chocolate and pecan.
this uncanny chocolate creation paul-uk.com
comes extremely close. It is even
accompanied by chocolate bread to
mop up the sweet, oozing centre.
choconchoc.co.uk
A Taste of Basque
Country Gift Set
£25, Claude et Basil’s
Épicerie Duck Fritons
Experience the gourmet £2.79 a packet, Made for Drink
delights of the Basque You won’t ever be able to go
Country without leaving Personalised Wine back to pork scratchings after a
your home. This seafood- From £20, Bottle Bazaar mouthful of these moreish
filled package includes You can’t go wrong with a bottle of wine at savoury treats. These fritons,
chilli-flavoured sardines Christmas, so make it more original with a tailored inspired by a rural southern
and tuna with ham and label. Simply choose your tipple – there’s plenty of French delicacy, are made from
Espelette pepper. French choices – and customise the packaging to crispy free range duck skin and
claudebasilsepicerie. perfectly suit the recipient. sea salt.
co.uk bottlebazaar.co.uk madefordrink.com

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GIFT GUIDE
Bordeaux and Rhone Tasting Set

The French Connection £32.99, Drinks in Tube
Gourmet Salt Wine in tubes – whatever next? This
£3.75, Life of Spice unusual set contains five 100ml tubes
This rosemary and thyme of Bordeaux and Rhône wines for a
infused-sea salt can add a thirst-quenching voyage into these
sprinkle of Gallic flavour to renowned wine growing regions.
your cooking. The perfect drinksintube.co.uk
accompaniment to a Sunday
dinner; dust on your chicken or
potatoes before roasting. Emergency Framboise Royale Kit
lifeofspice.co.uk £19.50, Whisk Hampers
One for the cocktail lover in your life,
this gift set has everything you need to
make this fizzy French drink when a
craving strikes: fine French Framboise
and Le Contesse Prosecco, as well as
some flavoursome cheese straws.
notonthehighstreet.com
Raymond Blanc’s Blanc

Vite Cookery Course
£400, Red Letter Days
On many a cooking
French Gingerbread Madelines enthusiast’s bucket list is a
£24 for nine, Bisou Les Madeleines day in the world-renowned
The quintessential French cake has been Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
given a festive makeover! This new kitchens. This experience
company is revolutionising the humble offers you a day of tutelage
madeleine by recreating it in various under one of Blanc’s expert
exciting flavours including gingerbread, chefs with lunch, plus
and rosemary and clementine. morning and afternoon tea,
bisoulesmadeleines.com included.
redletterdays.co.uk Provence Lavender Honey
£6.50, The Travelling Bee Co.
The lucky bees who have made the
PHOTOGRAPH: PAUL WILKINSON
evocative Provencal lavender fields their

home produce some of the world’s finest
honey. Superbly runny with gentle
lavender undertones, this is a must for
the sweet-toothed.
travellingbee.co.uk

Eating out in...
La Plagne
After a day on the slopes of the world-famous Paradiski skiing
playground, you’ll find no shortage of restaurants for a hearty
meal, as Helen Parkinson finds out
1 LE COCOON GRILL, meat are served with the best new

PLAGNE 1800 potatoes I’ve ever had, sheathed in crisp,
buttery skins. When I ask Régis how he
Leave behind the cosy confines of this makes them, he laughs and tells me it’s a
chalet hotel, enviably positioned trade secret!
overlooking the imposing Italian face of Saving room for dessert is a challenge
Mont Blanc, and head outside to the I nearly succumbed to, but I magically
grillikota, a Finnish barbecue hut in the find room for something sweet when
property’s grounds. This is a unique a towering sundae glass is produced.
dining experience where Scandinavian A mélange of sweet grilled nectarines,
cooking methods meet Savoyard fare, miniature ravioli homemade vanilla ice cream and
all cooked over the roaring fire pit in topped with a crème Chantilly, washed down with a
PHOTOGRAPHS: MUSAT/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; LE
front of the guests by charming chef- gloriously garlicky glass of génépi, is a perfect evening’s
proprietor Régis. sauce. Unlike the divine conclusion.
Le Cocoon boasts not one but two rest of our meal, this is prepared in the This must be the ultimate private
grillikotas: one for a minimum of six chalet’s kitchen and transferred, dining experience in the area.
COCOON; PH ROYER; HELEN PARKINSON
diners and another for up to 21, the still piping-hot, to the grillikota just Open every Mon-Sat lunchtime and
latter fitted with disco lights and speakers metres away. evening by reservation, from 6-21 diners.
for the ultimate après-ski soirée. Our The main course is where the fire Three-course set menu from €55 with
evening is spent in the smaller, snugger comes into its own; côte de boeuf and glass of local sparkling wine.
hut, where we squeeze around a magret de canard sizzle over the grill Pra Conduit, 73210 Mâcot-la-Plagne
pentagonal table encircling the fire. before us under our personal chef’s Tel: (Fr) 4 79 55 00 26
We start with a filling portion of watchful eye. The plentiful portions of hotel-lecocoon.fr/en/la-table-du-cocoon

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BON APPÉTIT
2 LE FORPERET,
MONTALBERT
There’s no more convenient restaurant
for skiers than this piste-side farmhouse,
boasting unrivalled views across to the
Eating in
Stock up with the best of Savoyard
other Alpine peaks. If you don’t fancy produce for a tasty après-ski supper
taking to your skis after a few vin
chauds, there is a complimentary shuttle CHEESE
bus back to Longefoy and Montalbert. special vegetable rice and there is also a Fromagerie des Alpages de la
Before sitting down for my first vegetarian fondue with apples for Plagne
much-anticipated tartiflette (which must dipping. Other main choices for Le Doux du Praz
be ordered a day in advance) we carnivores include a special magret de 73210 La Plagne
explored the adjacent farm, where there canard roasted in honey and basil, and a You know you’re nearly at this excellent
are small animals to stroke and adorable pierrade Savoyarde, where meats are cheese shop when you hear the tinkling
donkeys to hire by the hour. cooked on a hot stone. of cowbells from the cattle grazing
Then it’s to our seats on the gorgeous Pudding is the restaurant’s signature nearby. Peer into the adjoining dairy to
outdoor terrace, where we enjoy a bolée dessert: a large slice of tarte aux myrtilles see the Beaufort being made, then
of sweet local cider and regret not studded with berries. sample some of the finished product in
bringing sun lotion. Finally the Alpine It’s no wonder that skiers return here the delicatessen.
delicacy arrives: a collision of Reblochon season after season.
cheese, potatoes and bacon that’s the Open daily during both winter and DELICATESSEN
perfect respite after a morning’s summer from 9:30-19:00 – bookings Saveurs d’Alpages
mountain biking or skiing. The tartiflette only in the evenings. Main courses Les Coches
would be a satisfying meal in its own from €16.80. 73210 Montchavin-la-Plagne
right, but it is accompanied by a huge Route de Montalbert Local cheeses such as Tomme and
bowl of salad and a charcuterie platter. 73210 Aim Reblochon are the main draws of this
There are also some very agreeable Tel: (Fr) 4 79 55 51 27 delicatessen specialising in produits de
vegetarian options: my companion forperet.com terroir. Other goodies you can buy include
devours a delicious ratatouille with charcuterie, wines and artisanal honey.
For a lunch-time treat, pick up a local dish
to go: tartiflette, croziflette or diots.
ITALIAN
3 AU COIN DE FEU, SMAC Boutique Traiteur
PLAGNE SOLEIL 982 Avenue de Tarentaise
73210 Aime
This convivial restaurant is tucked away Nestled in the valley is this interesting
in Plagne Soleil, one of the smallest of the traiteur with both Alpine and
eleven villages that make up La Plagne. Mediterranean influences in its produce.
With its name meaning ‘around the fire’, As well as selling fresh ingredients, you
it’s no surprise that the stars here are the can also pick up ready-cooked Italian
grilled dishes. vegetarian version is served with dishes such as lasagne or opt for one of
We arrive early for dinner, but the corn-on-the-cob and aubergines; two the healthy wraps and salads.
toasty room is already heaving with vegetables I’d never have thought to eat
groups of all ages; a testament to its with cheese, but it’s a combination I’ll TAKEAWAY
reputation as an excellent family-friendly definitely be trying in my own kitchen. La Pierra Menta
eatery in a resort where cuisine teeters The towering ice cream sundaes for Centre Commercial Amont, Belle Plagne
between inaccessibly-expensive haute dessert, served with homemade 73210 La Plagne
cuisine and piste-side takeaway grub. meringues, are glorious and, when This snack bar makes an ideal post-ski
My companion and I both opt for the bolstered by another shot of génépi, refuelling stop, or grab your dinner
Reblochon fondu; not a fondue as such, prove to be the perfect treat to round off to-go. Try the Plagnarde pizza topped
as I’m quickly corrected, since it only a day on the slopes. like a tartiflette or sample the Penne Face
involves one kind of cheese, but rather a Open daily during winter and summer Nord with cream, bacon, raclette cheese
slab of Reblochon grilled into a melted from 18:30. Main courses from €19. and onion.
pool of delight. Mine is accompanied by Le Grand Combin
a plentiful portion of charcuterie, new Plagne Soleil
potatoes and frankly the biggest pot of 73210 La Plagne
cornichons I’ve ever laid eyes on. The Tel: (Fr) 4 79 24 54 70

PARIS CAFÉ
Café Lomi
It would have to be regarded as
stating the obvious that Paris is
hardly short of a café or two. But
with so many establishments all
FESTIVE FOOD MARKETS

battling to attract and keep
customers, it’s a good idea to
have a USP.
Lomi has sought to do just that by
Try local specialities from intoxicating aligot making itself much more than just a
to scrumptious kugelhopf at these foodie simple café that sells you your daily
cup of coffee. Although it is located
Christmas markets in the 18th arrondissement, home to
the beauty of Montmartre and the
Sacré-Coeur basilica, it is tucked
Toulouse influenced by its Flemish roots, so you away in a less than fashionable street
23 November - can expect to see delicacies such as with a fairly unremarkable exterior.
26 December waffles in plentiful supply. Another local But anyone who enters will soon
La Ville Rose favourite are Coeurs d’Arras, pretty, discover why it’s become such a
may not be the heart-shaped treats made of cheese, popular destination for a wide
first place that perfect for you or the one you love, as demographic, including the city’s
comes to mind in you amble through the magnificent true coffee aficionados.
a discussion about Christmas markets, Grand’Place. You will find everyone from mums
but its relative lack of notoriety works in and babies, to businessmen and
its favour. Situated in the Place du Colmar building workers sharing the café
Capitole, it is not as frustratingly 23 November – space which follows the modern
overcrowded as some more famous 30 December trend of plenty of exposed brickwork,
destinations have become. As well as A difficult choice concrete and wood.
plentiful sausages and foie gras, be sure to select just one As well as the coffee, all manner of
to try the local favourite aligot, a in the Alsace culinary delights are on offer with
warming cheesy potato dish, that will region, where the café well-known for its scones
leave you queuing up for a second almost every and chocolate cake.
portion. town and city But a glance to the back of the
PHOTOGRAPHS: MARK RYCKAERT CC-BY-SA-4.0; OFFICE DE TOURISME DE COLMAR CC BY 2.0; ELODIE PETIT
can make an room shows where Lomi sets itself
Boulogne-sur-Mer argument for prettiest market, but apart. A glass-walled laboratory is
14-16 December Colmar is certainly a good option. With filled with more coffee-related
Held inside the old town walls of the five mini-villages of stalls in its paraphernalia than you ever thought
coastal city, this market is credited with pedestrianised town centre it’s a veritable possible. Lomi is renowned for its
being among the most beautiful in the winter wonderland, offering local delights roasting and sacks of beans from all
region. Cobbled streets add further charm such as berawecka, kugelhopf and bredle over the world litter the floor, with
as you enjoy a range of local specialities cakes, alongside sausages, sauerkraut, the beans ready to be ground and
such as smoked herring and craquelin bretzels and flammekueche. sampled to ensure the menu stays
pastries. British visitors should feel right fresh and enticing.
at home too, with Christmas pudding Perpignan Lomi also kindly offers its
also among the treats on offer. 24 November – 6 January customers the chance to become
Held at the romantic, canalside Quai barista maestros and is a registered
Arras Sébastien Vauban, foodies visiting training campus.
24 November – Perpignan’s Marché de Noël can enjoy a Steve Mather
30 December wide range of Catalan influenced fare. So
Food at this expect plenty of cheeses, spicy sausages 3 Ter Rue Marcadet
charming market and meats, sweets and churros, alongside 75018 Paris
Tel: (Fr) 9 80 39 56 24
in the northern the more traditional French offerings
lomi.paris
city of Arras is such as vin chaud and pain d’épices.

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BON APPÉTIT
R ESTAU RA N T R E V I E W
OTTO’S FRENCH RESTAURANT

GRAY’S INN ROAD, LONDON
L
ike any big city and the showed us a small pan in which he poured
packed public transport, different alcohols, set them alight in brilliant
pollution and crowds that blue flames and left to simmer before adding
come with it, London can duck liver. Thinly carved in front of us, slices
sometimes be gruelling. Step into Otto’s of duck were served with green beans and
French restaurant and be prepared to crispy potatoes. The meat was then covered in
leave your troubles at the door for an the sauce which had been simmering slowly
opulent and wonderful experience of from the start of our meal; it was divine. The
dining à la française. duck was so full of flavour and so tender, we
We were welcomed with a glass of were left speechless and enjoyed every delicious
champagne which set the tone for the mouthful in silence.
evening. It was a good opportunity to take We ended the meal with a spectacular dessert of traditional
in the dining room – red velvet seats, crisp white table cloths and, crêpes Suzette, flambéed in a tangy orange sauce and balanced by
in prime position, a beautiful silver duck press. We watched the sweet, hot strawberries and vanilla ice cream.
well-rehearsed choreography of the waiters with Otto himself at the Impeccable and traditional service and modernised French
centre, gliding from table to table, carving a piece of meat here, gourmet classics make Otto’s an experience for a special occasion,
showing guests a sauce he was concocting for them there. but one you will not forget.
Soon it was our turn. We were given a taster of three starters Sophie Gardner-Roberts
served in quick succession, accompanied by a lovely Pouilly-Fuissé
from the extensive wine list. First, Scottish smoked salmon, carved Open lunchtime Tues-Fri 12pm-2.15 pm; dinner Tues-Sat 6pm-
in front of us and served with different garnishes including shallots, 9.30 pm; available for private hire, lunch menu not available in
capers and even a small tin of caviar. Then a lightly toasted brioche December. Starters from £9.50, mains from £23.50, desserts from
with foie gras, served with mushrooms. Finally king prawns and £7.50. Booking in advance required for canard/
sweetbreads – to which I’m not normally partial but here were homard à la presse. Otto’s French restaurant
Enjoy plenty of
delicious – in a lobster sauce. 182 Gray’s Inn Road, London great French food and
France Show
The highlight was yet to come. At the start of our meal, Otto, WC1X 8EW drink at the
who hails from Munich but trained at the Tour d’Argent in Paris, Tel: 020 7713 0107, ottos-restaurant.com
IN JANUARY
See page 56
WINES OF THE MONTH for information
BY SALLY EASTON, MASTER OF WINE
SNAP IT UP WEEKEND TREAT TIME TO CELEBRATE

The Society’s Beaujolais-Villages 2017, Mas Cristine, 2016, Côtes du Roussillon Joseph Drouhin, 2014, Côtes de Beaune
Beaujolais blanc, South of France rouge, Burgundy
If you haven’t already rediscovered This is made from a bundle of grape varieties The 2014 vintage turned into one that made
Beaujolais, it really is about time. This under- you may not have heard of, but which are some lovely reds. This is one of those, and
appreciated region offers cracking value, typical of France’s deep south: grenache gris which is drinking very nicely, and classically,
especially alongside such a good-looking and blanc (more than half the blend), now. The wine is made including fruit from
vintage as this one (despite a frosty spring macabeu, roussanne, vermentino and Drouhin-owned vineyard plots, where
and summer hail). Added to which this fits the carignan gris. The result, after six months of viticulture includes organic and biodynamic
current feel for lighter alcohol (just 12.5%), tank and old barrel fermentation and techniques. Gently perfumed strawberries on
less tannin, and a certain refreshment factor, maturation, is a full, sweetly-spiced wine of the nose lead into aromatic berries on the
even in reds. Here you have juicy, fresh, dark rich fruit and density on the palate. Fresh and palate, with dark cherry nuance, and
cherries, with just a faint hold of talc-like caramelised pineapple melds with baked smooth, fine, modest and melded
tannin for frame and silky texture. peaches and nougat notes in a smooth, tannin. It has a good density of fluid,
All with a core of refreshing acidity. plush, palate-cuddling texture. true, pinot noir flavour allied with an
Drink with: salami; semi-soft Drink with: the cold cuts ensemble on appealingly silky texture.
cheeses Boxing Day. Drink with: roast turkey.
Wine Society: £7.50 Noel Young Wines £16.75 Waitrose, £29.99
Tel: 01438 741177 Tel: 01223 566744 Tel: (Fr) 3 80 24 68 88
thewinesociety.com mascristine.com m.drouhin.com

Flavours of France
Duck Confit Pie
Michel Roux Jr’s The French Revolution includes
scores of traditional favourites that are packed with
flavour and easy to perfect at home
Serves 4
P
armentier was the man drain, tip the potatoes and garlic on top and run a fork over it to make
who popularised back in the pan and leave them to a pattern. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs
potatoes in France in the steam and dry. on top and bake the pie in the oven
REVOLUTION/CHRISTIAN BARNETT
18th century. Whenever for 20 minutes. Place the pie under a
PHOTOGRAPH: THE FRENCH

2
you see his name on a dish, it will Remove the garlic, pop the preheated grill to brown the top.
contain potatoes. This dish is a skins off and put the flesh
special version of cottage or in a small pan with the milk. Recipe taken from The French
shepherd’s pie and very delicious. Simmer for 5 minutes, then blend Revolution by Michel Roux Jr,
In France, you can buy confit until smooth. published by Orion Books, priced
duck legs in most butchers’ £25.
3
shops, but if you have trouble Pass the potatoes through
finding them in the UK, look for a ricer, mix in 30g of the
vacuum-packed or canned. butter and the garlicky
milk, then season well. Set aside.
• 1kg floury potatoes (King
4
Edwards or roosters), peeled Preheat the oven to
• 4 garlic cloves, left whole 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
and unpeeled Remove the skin and
• 250ml milk bones from the duck legs and
• 60g butter shred the meat.
• 4 confit duck legs
5
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped Warm a little of the fat
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley from the confit in a frying
• 30g truffle, sliced (optional) pan and sweat the
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs chopped onion until soft and
• salt and freshly ground lightly browned. Add the duck
• black pepper meat, parsley and the truffle, if
using, and check the seasoning.
1
Cut the potatoes into quarters.
6
Put them in a pan of water with Tip the mixture into a pie
the garlic cloves and season dish and press it down.
with salt. Simmer until cooked, then Spread the mashed potato

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BON APPÉTIT
Stock up on your
favourites at the French
France Show
market at the
IN JANUARY
See page 56
for information

e
s the win
France Show
Don’t misrs at the
semina
RY
IN JANUA
pa g e 56
See
ation
for inform
Northern Light
In the western Loire, Dominic Rippon
makes his first ever visit to the
vineyards of Muscadet
M
uscadet was the most interesting appellation names, it hardly trips off the tongue – a fact
French vineyard area that I’d never that has surely proved an obstacle to the wine’s
visited… until August this year. I recognition. Add to which a succession of difficult
planned a trip during the summer lull, vintages since the turn of the millennium and the
when vineyard work virtually ceases, just weeks before generic Muscadet appellation’s reputation for
a harvest that many are already calling the finest in producing low-quality, low-price wines for the kitchen,
living memory. For years, Muscadet has struggled to rather than the cellar and you see why many in the
make its voice heard, at the western extremity of the Dominic Rippon wine trade have turned away. The UK market
vast wine region that is the Loire Valley; but now it has many years’ represented 40% of Muscadet sales in the 1980s and
stands poised, hungry for the recognition that it so experience in the although still the wine’s strongest export market, it
rightly deserves. wine trade, both now only accounts for 10% of all Muscadet consumed.
The Muscadet vines begin only a few kilometres east in the UK and As soon as I arrived in the village of Clisson, in the
of the dynamic city of Nantes, in Pays de la Loire, France, and south of the Sèvre et Maine zone, however, I began to
where the Atlantic Ocean ensures a cool, relatively wet now runs the see just how much more there is to Muscadet than
climate. Muscadet is made from the Melon de wine merchant elegantly elongated bottles and the wine’s oft-touted
Bourgogne grape, a variety thought to have been business affinity for oysters. The village itself is immediately
imported to the region in the 17th century either by Strictly Wine. striking; like Nantes, Clisson was historically part of
itinerant monks, or by Dutch merchants to provide Brittany; its imposing castle was the birthplace of the
base wine for distillation. It originates in Burgundy and ancient province’s last sovereign duke and its omission
is a close relation of Chardonnay (it is descended from from the modern region of Brittany still provokes some
the same parent varieties), but is now almost exclusively resentment - Muscadet, as any Breton will tell you, is
planted in Pays de la Loire. Brittany’s own wine! But unlike Nantes, Clisson
Muscadet is the Loire Valley’s largest appellation appears as a colourful Tuscan cittadina transplanted
d’origine; with the Sèvre et Maine sub-zone the most onto the River Sèvre. The village was rebuilt in the
important in terms of both quality and quantity, with early 19th century by the artist Pierre Cacault and his
more than 8,000 hectares of vines. Wines from the brother Francois, a diplomat, who had recently
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine and the smaller Muscadet returned from Italy and set out to recreate Clisson in
Coteaux de la Loire and Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu the Mediterranean style.
PHOTOGRAPHS: DOMINIC RIPPON
appellations can add the words sur lie to their labels if The surprises continued beyond Clisson’s narrow,
they have been aged on their lees until Easter following cobbled streets, into the vineyards that surround the
the harvest, adding richer, more complex flavours to village. Muscadet Sèvre et Maine has traditionally been
the wines’ characteristically nervy, citrus profiles. blended from different vineyard communes between the
Although Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie might be Sèvre et Maine rivers, but in 2011, three individual
one of France’s most factually comprehensive village crus were created – Clisson, Gorges and Le

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BON APPÉTIT
Pallet – which could THE WINEMAKER

RECOMMENDS
append their names to
44
the Muscadet Sèvre et
Maine appellation. Vigneron Laurent Poiron, of Domaine Poiron Dabin,
This year, a further gives his personal advice on…
four communes –
Château-Thébaud, WHERE TO STAY Muscadet’s vineyards.
Monnières-Saint Villa Saint-Antoine Rooms from €125 per night Brazil, Morocco
Fiacre, Mouzillon- 8 Rue Saint Antoine and Réunion.
Tillières and 44190 Clisson WHERE TO EAT Menus from €16
Goulaine – have Tel: (Fr) 2 40 85 46 46 L’Auberge La Gaillotière
been able do the hotel-villa-saint- Lieu-dit La Gaillotière WHERE TO VISIT
MAIN: Muscadet vineyards at Saint- same. The result is antoine.com 44690 Château-Thébaud Pont Caffino, outdoor
Fiacre; ABOVE: The narrow streets individual wines A former flax mill turned Tel: (Fr) 2 28 21 31 16 pursuits
of Clisson in Pays-de-la-Loire that more faithfully four star hotel. Beautifully auberge-la-gaillotiere.fr pontcaffino.fr
reflect the area’s renovated with views of Fresh, regional cuisine, Take a hike through the
rich diversity of soils that produce notably weightier, Clisson’s medieval castle. made with locally sourced local countryside, or try
more complex wines than most blended Muscadet. For Rooms from €89 per night ingredients. canoeing, climbing and a
a cru Muscadet to be labelled sur lie, moreover, it must Menus from €14.50 range of other activities.
spend a whole extra year ageing on its lees before La Demeure Saint
bottling. Fiacre Restaurant L’Itacaré Clisson
Cru Muscadet has a similar flavour profile to good Les Gras Moutons La Fruitière mairie-clisson.fr
Chablis – steely and mineral, although with a delicately 44690 Saint Fiacre sur 44690 Château-Thébaud A beautiful Italianate
saline finish rather than the buttery generosity that Maine Tel: (Fr) 2 40 04 21 51 village in the western
inevitably accompanies the Chardonnay grape. An Tel: (Fr) 2 40 43 46 33 restaurant-itacare.fr Loire, with an imposing
astonishing feature of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, lademeure.co.uk Chef Yvan Aubineau’s ruined medieval castle.
particularly wines from the cru villages, is the ability of Exquisite, spacious exotic cooking is inspired Also plays host to Hellfest,
such a seemingly delicate wine to age so gracefully, B&B accommodation at by his time working in one of the world’s largest
sometimes for well over a decade. the heart of locations as diverse as heavy metal festivals!
At Domaine Poiron Dabin, in the cru village of
Château-Thébaud, I met the energetic Laurent Poiron, TOURIST INFORMATION: Learn more about the wines of Muscadet:
who makes a vast array of wines from generic visitnantesvineyard.com; Visit the region: enpaysdelaloire.com
Muscadet to deeply concentrated Muscadet Sèvre et Département: Loire-Atlantique (44)
Maine Sur Lie from the single vineyard Clos des
Tabardières, within the Château-Thébaud cru. He also
makes traditional method sparkling wines, an excellent TOURING THE VINEYARDS
Sauvignon Blanc and even a dry, exotic blend of Melon
de Bourgogne, Sauvignon Gris and Gewurztraminer. Domaine Poiron Dabin méthode traditionelle minerality, with the ability
But it was when Laurent uncorked his reds that I Chantegrolles, 44690 A bottle-fermented to age well.
was able to taste something truly unique. I was still Château-Thebaud sparkling Chardonnay
reeling from the extraordinary value of the estate’s juicy Tel: (Fr) 2 40 06 56 42 of fantastic value at less Domaine de la Pépière
oak-aged Pinot Noir (for under €6!) when Laurent poiron-dabin.com than €7 per bottle. Ripe, 36 La Pépière
poured a wine labelled “Berligou”. Choice: Berligou Rouge floral aromas and a supple, 44690 Maison-Sur-Sevre
The dark-skinned Berligou grape, Laurent explained, Aged for a year in Breton dry palate, reminiscent Tel: (Fr) 9 62 33 15 03
once dominated these vineyards, but was supplanted by oak barrels, this unique of Prosecco Superiore. domainedelapepiere.com
Melon de Bourgogne following the great frost of 1709. wine, from a historic Choice: Muscadet Sèvre et
The variety had almost completely disappeared when it grape, shows a mix of Domaine Pierre Maine sur lie – Clisson
was rediscovered by the nurseryman Joseph Picot in candied and fresh fruits, Luneau-Papin A full, generous Muscadet
1930 and was finally identified by ampelographers in spices and a hint of 3 La Grange from Clisson, its
2004 as a variety unique to the region. With delicious chocolate on the finish. 44430 Le Landreau southernmost cru, with
liquorice, chocolate, cherry and plum flavours and an Drink with: Rich stews. Tel: (Fr) 2 40 06 45 27 gravelly clay topsoils over
alluring thread of fresh acidity, Laurent’s Berligou Price: €15.50 Choice: Muscadet Sèvre et a granitic bed. Aged for
confirmed the variety’s potential to make outstanding Maine sur lie “L d’Or” two years on its lees, the
red wines in a vineyard area now known for its whites. Domaine de la Grange From the granite soils of wine shows ripe lemon,
To Laurent’s knowledge, he is the only vigneron in the 44330 Mouzillon the cru village of Vallet, honey and quince aromas,
world currently producing a varietal red wine from the Tel: (Fr) 2 40 33 93 60 this Muscadet spends up to sufficiently rich to partner
Berligou grape – a fact which, in itself, made me glad I dhardy.fr a year on its lees before with pan-fried scallops,
had visited this fascinating, if still underrated, wine Choice: Vin Mousseux bottling. It shows direct lobster or even foie gras.
region.

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LA CULTURE
News, reviews and language
CHARLES AZNAVOUR, THE FRENCH

FRANK SINATRA, DIES AGED 94 NEWS
IN BRIEF
C
harles Aznavour, one of Aznavour was best-known for his
France’s most popular and interpretations of emotional love songs, ● France and the United States of
prolific singers, has died at the such as She – which topped the UK America will soon be connected by a
age of 94. charts in 1974 – Hier Encore (Yesterday 6,600km undersea cable, set to be up
During his eight-decade career, the When I was Young) and La Bohème. and running in 2020.
artist dubbed the ‘French Frank Sinatra’ Last year, Aznavour was honoured Web giant Google is working with
recorded 1,400 songs and produced with his own brass star on the telecoms firm Orange on the
nearly 400 albums in many languages. Hollywood Walk ambitious project that will see the
He was born Shahnour Varinag cable link the Atlantic coasts of France
Aznavourian in Paris on 22 May 1924 to and the US. The aim of the project is to
Armenian immigrants who had fled the provide a better service for
Turkish-ruled Ottoman Empire and customers, the companies said.
hoped to move to the United States.
However, the family’s US visa never
materialised and they settled in the
French capital, producing shows in which
the young Aznavour appeared.
The talented singer’s big break came
in 1946 when the legendary Édith Piaf
heard him perform and took him on tour ABOVE: Aznavour’s performances delighted
across France and the United States. audiences for over 70 years
RARE BURGUNDY FETCHES RECORD PRICE

A bottle of 1945 Romanée-Conti has with another 1945 Romanée-Conti bottle
fetched a record price at auction after selling for £377,000 just a few minutes
selling for £424,000 – 17 times its upper later.
estimate. The 1945 Romanée-Conti was
The sale at Sotheby’s in New York produced in a small vineyard in the Côte
made it a new record price for a single de Nuits region and came from the ● Calls have been made for tighter
bottle, more than doubling the previous personal collection of Robert Drouhin. restrictions on hunting in France after
record which was £177,164 paid for At the same auction, a bottle of The a man was killed while mountain biking
1869 Château Lafite Rothschild in 2010. Macallan 1926 whisky sold for £641,000 in the Alps.
However, the drama didn’t end there, – a record amount for a single spirit. The 34-year-old died as a hunting
party made its way through woodland
near the ski resort of Montriond. A
CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT RATS IN PARIS 22-year-old hunter was taken to
hospital suffering from shock and an
An animal rights group has targeted the many rats as people living in central Paris inquiry has been launched.
PHOTOGRAPHS: ROLAND GODEFROY/CC BY 3.0; ROMANY/CC BY-SA 3.0;
City of Light for a campaign which is and authorities have taken action to
thought to be a world first. reduce numbers in recent months after ● France has called for its residents to
THANKFUL PHOTOGRAPHY/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Paris Animaux Zoopolis aims to sightings became more prevalent, citing stop using the English term ‘fake news’
protect animals regardless of their public health and hygiene reasons. and instead use words from its own
popularity with humans and is now language to describe the notion.
asking people to love rats – saying that The Commission for the Enrichment
they have feelings too. of the French Language has asked
Slogans like ‘stop the massacre of rats’ French speakers to begin using the
have appeared in Metro stations phrase ‘information fallacieuse’
alongside cute pictures of the rodents, or simplified to ‘infox’ to stop the
who are thought to have never been the rapid spread of people using the
subject of a positive PR campaign. English term.
It is estimated that there are twice as

N
othing says French chef
better than the country’s
iconic tall, white pleated
hat: la toque blanche.
Found on the heads of celebrity chefs
ICONS
ranging from Raymond Blanc to the late
7KH7RTXH
Paul Bocuse and favoured by culinary
masters around the globe, this iconic
piece of headgear - notable because it has
no brim - is said to have originated from
an 18th-century stocking cap, known as
le casque à mèche, worn by cooks to keep
their hair out of the broth. Hats off to a legendary design
Toque legends
with a rich regal history, says
Legends surrounding the white stovepipe Heidi Fuller-love
hat are numerous. One tale tells that the
hat originated because of the poor
ventilation system in castle kitchens,
which meant that grease accumulated on
the ceiling and then dripped down onto
the chef’s head, until one canny culinary
master had the idea of piling starched where it was originally worn by
sheets on top of his head in a cone shape. Orthodox priests. Chefs are said to have
This emergency measure eventually adopted the priests’ tall, cylindrical hats
evolved into the toque. to escape detection when they sought
Another legend, originating in refuge in the monasteries in the 6th
6th-century Assyria, says that the toque, century during a fractious period.
which resembled the royal headdress, was
invented as a reward for chefs who were Toques and royalty
held in high esteem at the time. Whatever the truth of the headgear’s
According to yet another culinary origins, it’s certain that toques were very
fable France’s iconic culinary cap actually popular in Europe from the 13th century
originated in Greece, onwards, and especially in France.
According to Jean Vitaux and
Benoît France, authors of the
prestigious Dictionnaire du
Gastronome, a cylindrical hat
without a brim was being worn
by French chefs in the 15th
century. It certainly made sense to
wear a hat in the kitchen during ranging from ‘Prince of Diplomats’
these volatile times, when kings Talleyrand to Tsar Alexander I, grandson
would execute their subjects at the of Catherine the Great, first wore a toque
drop of a hat! Whether from fear in 1821. In order to show his importance
of royalty or love of hygiene, by as the head chef of an important
the mid-1700s most chefs wore diplomatic household in Vienna, Carême
some kind of headgear whilst created an 18-inch-tall toque by tucking a
engaged in cooking. piece of cardboard inside to stiffen it.
Carême claimed that the taller the toque,
The toque’s inventor the higher ranking, more knowledgeable,
Although toque is also Arabic for and more important the chef was.
headgear, the word itself derives
from the Breton for ‘hat’ and has its Toques and diplomats
roots firmly in France. It was French clothing historian Jérémie Brucker
haute-cuisine pioneer Marie-Antoine is quoted as saying: “In the 19th century,
Carême who is said to have created it was firmly believed that food should
the toque as we know it today. further diplomatic relations…Carême
Carême, who worked as chef for was impressed by the military uniforms
countless celebrities of the day on show at the 1814 Congress of Vienna

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ICONS
DID YOU KNOW?

● It’s said that the 100 pleats in
the toque represent the many
different ways that a chef can
prepare eggs, because the best
known chefs commonly boasted
that they could serve their royal
masters a different egg dish for
every day of the year.
● The French equivalent of the

American mortarboard worn in
British universities is also known
as a toque.
● During the Napoleonic era,

Napoleon replaced the coronets
found on royal heraldry with a
system of hats, known as toques,
said to reflect the rank of the
bearer: a duke, for example, wore
a toque with seven ostrich
feathers, whereas a knight wore a
toque with only one feather.
ABOVE: The toque has become a mainstay of the chef’s uniform around the world; LEFT: Whilst
supposedly protecting the wearer from grease, the hats are almost certainly not fireproof!; prefer to wear skull caps or headscarves,
RIGHT: Toques come in all shapes and sizes, but the basic form remains the same France’s iconic stiff white toque will
always embody the regal history of the
country’s culinary art.
and he invented this immaculately white, the Savoy and the Carlton hotels in
flat-topped hat, to reflect the purity and London. When Escoffier introduced the Toque tours
rigour to be found both on the plate and tall white hat as part of the chef’s You can see plenty of toques blanches
in the chef’s appearance.” uniform, the fashion spread rapidly; and other culinary artefacts at the Musée
Although Carême invented the soon chefs as far afield as Japan and de l’Art Culinaire (fondation-escoffier.
modern toque blanche, it was Argentina were adopting France’s org) run by the Foundation Auguste
PHOTOGRAPHS: S.KEEZE; ATOUT FRANCE
Talleyrand’s maître d’, a man named favourite culinary headgear. Escoffier and housed in the chef’s old
Boucher, who decreed that toques would home in the Provençal village of
be white in order to signify cleanliness, Toques today Villeneuve-Loubet.
and it was another French master chef, As the popularity of celebrated French You’ll also see toques and a whole lot
Auguste Escoffier, who introduced the cuisine spread widely during the 20th more at the brand new gastronomy
toque to the world. Escoffier, the century, the toque came to symbolize museum in Paris, which opens its doors
so-called ‘Chef of Kings and King of Gallic culinary savoir-faire at its best. next year at the Hôtel de la Marine on
Chefs’, was managing the restaurants at Today, even though some celebrity chefs the Place de la Concorde.

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CULTURE
dramatically different. “Today they are

confronted with finding their place in a
world that has little consideration for
them, and the feeling that they don’t have
any control over how things pan out in
general,” says Cantet. “What’s more, they
have to face a violent society torn between
distressing social and political issues, such
as financial insecurity, terrorism and the
rise of the far right.”
As Cantet and Campillo set about
writing the script, they had constant
act
reminders of how the landscape in the
country was changing, not just for teens,
but for everyone. “We started writing
A class
shortly after the Charlie Hebdo attack,”
Cantet says. “We then picked up the
screenplay again a few days after the 13
November, 2015 terrorism attack in Paris.
And we were rehearsing when the Nice
attack happened.”
To find the right cast, Cantet stuck to
his belief that amateur actors bring
something special to a film. Apart from
Director Laurent Cantet
established star Foïs, the talent on show in
reveals to Pierre de The Workshop had little or no experience
Villiers how a 17-year-old when they signed on to do the movie.
“We conducted open casting sessions,
idea for a story, and a
where we went to sports clubs, bars, and
cast that never acted between a teacher and his pupils in a waited outside high schools,” says Cantet.
before, combined to help tough Parisian neighbourhood that won “It was a way to meet a few hundred
the Palme d’Or and was nominated for an young people among whom I chose the
him make his best film
Oscar. While subsequent films like Foxfire actors. They never learned their roles;
for a decade. (2012) and Return to Ithaca (2014) had rather they assimilated their roles into
lukewarm receptions, The Workshop is a their personalities.”
A
couple of weeks into filming The real return to form. A taut drama set in La Of the young cast members, it is
Workshop, Laurent Cantet was Ciotat, in the south of France, it focuses Matthieu Lucci – as angry, disillusioned
easing his way into the day when on a group of students who enrol in a workshop participant Antoine – that steals
something happened that almost caused writing course headed by a novelist the show. A measure of his raw talent,
him to fall out of his director’s chair. In (played by Marina Foïs). As they bicker and Cantet’s ability to draw great
what seemed like a moment of madness, among one another, hot-button issues performances out of actors by giving them
one of his lead stars – the young affecting the youth in France are exposed. freedom, is the film’s climax. The scene
Matthieu Lucci – hurled himself at a One of the main reasons The sees Antoine reading a note to the rest of
fellow actor and tried to start a punch- Workshop works better than Cantet’s the class and signing off with the words:
up. “We were all taken by surprise,” previous couple of films is his choice of “There, I’ll leave you. Good-bye.” What
recalls Cantet. “The scuffle wasn’t in the collaborator – Robin Campillo, the seems like a great bit of writing by Cantet
script, but Matthieu was so immersed in screenwriter behind The Class. The duo and Campillo was actually improvised on
the situation, he felt his character needed had the idea for The Workshop as far the spot. “Matthieu had just felt, at that
to explode. It’s the reason why it is back as 1999, when Campillo was precise moment, that a theatrical exit was
needed,” a proud Cantet says. “My
PHOTOGRAPH: JEAN-PIERRE BAZARD/CC BY-SA 3.0
important for me to shoot each and employed as a video editor on France 3.

every scene from start to finish with “There was a segment (on the TV filming method gives the actors enough
several cameras. It provides a space for channel) about an English writer who autonomy to truly be in the logic of both
something entirely unexpected to occur.” conducted a writing workshop in La the scene and character, instead of just
Cantet’s fluid, unconventional Ciotat,” Cantet says. “We started thinking being in the film’s logic. When Matthieu
approach to moviemaking has, over the about a film but ended up dropping the came up with that line, it brought tears to
last two decades, earned the director project. I came back to it 17 years later.” my eyes.”
world-wide acclaim. His career highwater By the time Cantet and Campillo
mark thus far has been The Class (2008), dusted off their notes, the issues teenagers The Workshop is in cinemas from 16
a compelling drama about the relationship in France had to deal with were November

CINEMA RELEASE
F
or large parts of its near two-hour running time, The Workshop
simply features a group of students and their teacher sitting
around, talking about the best way to construct a crime novel.
The
That Laurent Cantet’s film still ends up being one of the year’s
most intriguing French dramas (and more tense than many an actual
murder mystery), is a testament to the power of well-written dialogue.
Workshop
In the coastal town of La Ciotat, a multi-cultural group of young
adults gather over summer to take part in a writing course. Their lecturer
Olivia (Foïs) is an accomplished novelist who pushes her students to
come up with fresh ideas for a book that’s linked to La Ciotat’s past as a
PHOTOGRAPHS: JEROME PREBOIS/L’ATELIER DE LAURENT CANTET; UNIFRANCE

ship-building hub. She is taken aback by the attitude of Antoine (Lucci),
Starring: Marina Foïs, Matthieu Lucci a brooding teenager whose violent thoughts and racism get a rise out of
Director: Laurent Cantet the rest of the class. Olivia’s concerns grow when she learns he spends
Certificate: 15 his time watching videos of speeches by rabid right-wingers and plays
Running time: 113 minutes around with guns.
Release date: 16 November As Antoine’s mood becomes ever darker, Cantet skilfully brings his
✮✮✮✮
movie to the boil. The teenager’s confrontation with his class-mates and
teacher effectively taps into the undercurrent of rage and disillusionment
among French youngsters on both sides of the political divide, with
feelings on radicalisation, immigration and the wealth gap in the country
all bubbling to the surface. While there is eventually enough vitriol for an
explosive climax, The Workshop’s dénouement is pleasingly understated.
Like the rest of the film, it’s a masterclass in how, sometimes, less is most
definitely more.
Pierre de Villiers
OTHER NEW RELEASES Each and Every Moment (At the Ciné
CINEMA Lumière on 13 November)
Comfort and Consolation in France (At the Ciné Lumière Nicolas Philibert returns with this
on 12 November as part of the French Film Festival). documentary exploring the difficulties
Siblings Pascal and Pauline return to their miffed childhood faced by scores of students who take
friends in the Loire Valley after squandering their inheritance. courses to become nurses.

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Five minutes with...
CULTURE
MARIN MONTAGUT BOOKS

Maison: Parisian Chic at Home
In Maison: Ines de la Fressange and
Parisian Chic at Marin Montagut
Home, Ines [de la Flammarion, £20.99
Fressange, co-author] Take a trip through the keyhole of the
and I wanted to share capital’s most droolworthy homes in this
each property’s spirit sumptuous coffee table tome curated by
and soul. We wanted model and designer Ines de la Fressange and illustrator Marin
to show that you Montagut. Part envy-inducing gallery, part how-to guide, the book
don’t need to spend a showcases fifteen unique residences across the city, highlighting
lot of money to make the furniture and curios that make each one individual. The
something special. crowning glory is the ‘Get the Look’ section at the end of each
Whether you bring chapter, emphasising how the reader doesn’t need to spend a lot
things back from to recreate the Gallic look at home. Who knew old fruit crates,
travelling, from flea spools of thread or used paint palettes could have a second lease
markets or from dealer. I told him it was my of life as ornaments? ✮✮✮✮
IKEA, you can unite these dream to find this plate, so he
different worlds and make came down and sold it me -
things work. now it’s on the wall of my French Exit
Every property in the book bedroom. Patrick deWitt
is very unique; we wanted I have a cottage in Bloomsbury, £11.99
something singular. I can’t Normandy and go every Canadian deWitt’s first book, The
possibly tell you which one weekend – I have my studio Sisters Brothers, has just been given
was my favourite; not just there. It’s good to go and the Hollywood treatment, with French
because it’s my book, but work in the middle of director Jacques Audiard at the helm
because there was something nowhere, to find inspiration of the Jake Gyllenhaal and Joaquin
special in every apartment. In and quiet. After that, I’m Phoenix film. Now, if Wes Anderson ever needs some new
each one I fell in love with happy to go back to Paris! source material, he’ll find solace in the zany goings-on of
something different: an object, the Price family in French Exit. The black comedy is
a room, a material. French Illustrator Marin another masterfully incisive portrait of madcap relatives,
The favourite thing in my Montagut was talking to telling the story of a mother and son (and their pet cat,
own apartment, which is also Helen Parkinson Small Frank) who flee New York for Paris after being
featured in the book, is an declared bankrupt. The award-winning author introduces
antique plate by Fornasetti. you to a slew of scandalous characters, and they’re so
I’d been looking for it for a well-crafted that you become involved in all of them.
long time, then one day, when Sharp, quirky and at times laugh-out-loud funny, it’s no
I was in Normandy, I saw it
Wtee
niareto...
ng
wonder it was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
lis
in the window of a little ✮✮✮✮✮
antiques shop.
Unfortunately it was City of Light: The Making
She by Charles Aznavour.
winter and everything We’re reminiscing about the of Modern Paris
was closed. I great French chanteur’s Rupert Christiansen
knocked on the greatest hits following his Basic Books, £18.99
passing on 1 October.
door but there was Recorded in five The Paris we know today – home to
no reply, so I ended languages, She reached gloriously wide boulevards, elegant
up ringing the number one on the UK townhouses and striking squares – is
singles chart in 1974.
far removed from the slums that
hugged the banks of the Seine at the beginning of the
19th century. In his latest historical escapade, journalist
Cyrano de Bergerac (At the Ciné Lumière and Oxford academic Rupert Christiansen charts the
on 14 November). capital’s rise to the European cultural nucleus we know
Gérard Depardieu is in fine form as a today, catalysed by emperor Louis-Napoléon’s
17th-century poet and swordsman whose huge programme of public works in 1853. But it wasn’t always
nose prevents him from confessing his love to easy, as Christiansen tells us, with war, corruption and
his cousin Roxane in this classic 1990 film. disease putting the brakes on redevelopment. A history
buff’s must-bring Parisian travel companion. ✮✮✮✮

LANGUAGE
KEEP WARM AND Read this...

CLASSIC NOVEL
KEEP LEARNING
Make the most of the cold winter evenings and get your French up
to scratch for next year’s holiday, says Peter Stewart
W
inter is fast approaching, more than one hundred
which means that we will French dialogues for
soon be breaking out the beginners along with LE ROUGE ET LE NOIR
warm blankets and curling translations, equipping Stendhal
up in front of the fire. And what better time learners with all they Published in 1830,
to perfect your French ahead of next need to be able to handle Stendhal’s two-volume
summer’s trip? a variety of different psychological thriller
If you want to situations on their next chronicles the attempts of
share your passion trip across the Channel. the handsome and
for French with If you are strapped ambitious Julien Sorel to
your little ones then for time then French: Learn in just 15 rise above his humble
First Words - minutes a day (£25, Dorling Kindersley) origins through hard work,
French from travel could be the perfect resource for you. The deception and hypocrisy.
guide specialist full-colour course book contains themed His career takes him to the
Lonely Planet chapters, with real-life examples covering glamorous heart of Parisian
(£12.99) will come in handy. The pocket- every holiday and society, but when his
sized book features just 12 words to learn, business situation, as passions get the better of
each one accompanied by a beautiful well as a menu guide him, his world comes
illustration and pronunciation guide to make and translation crashing down. Set during
the vocabulary easy and fun to learn. dictionaries. Learners the Bourbon Restoration
Another useful can perfect their following the fall of
resource for young pronunciation by Napoléon, the story follows
learners is Dorling listening to native a world riddled with
Kindersley’s First speakers on the corruption and greed.
French Dictionary: A accompanying CDs.
Reference Book for Visual learning is an incredibly effective
Children (£9.99). The way to improve your French and one way GRAMMAR
book is packed with
more than 2,000
you can do this is by watching a funny
French film. An excellent example is the CORNER
common words in 1993 box-office hit Les Visiteurs, which THE IMPERATIVE
subject areas ranging from school and pets to centres on a medieval To give a command in French, you
sports and food. The vocabulary is knight and his squire take the present tense ‘tu’, ‘nous’
accompanied by photos to encourage visual who are transported and ‘vous’ forms of a verb. With ‘er’
learning and the correct pronunciation. to the 20th century verbs, where the ‘tu’ forms ends in
Anyone finding it hard to put the and must find a way ‘-es’ you must remove the final ‘s’.
grammar and vocabulary they have learnt home. The medieval For example, ‘ranges’ becomes
into practice should seek out a copy of French, mix of accents ‘range’, as in “Range ta chambre!”
Conversational French Dialogues: Over 100 and slapstick plot will (“Tidy your room!”).
French Conversations and Short Stories have you laughing and Orders using verbs such as
(£12.95, Lingo Mastery). The book features learning. ‘avoir’, ‘être’, and ‘savoir’ use
subjunctive forms, as in “Sois gentil
avec le chat!” (“Be gentle with the
THIS MONTH’S BEST PICK cat!”). ‘Veuillez’, the plural form of
BEGINNER ‘vouloir’, is used to make polite

requests, for example, “Veuillez
Easy Learning French Idioms, Collins, £10.99
vous asseoir” (“Please sit down.”).
This easy-to-use guide contains 250 idioms that give learners a better
When you want to suggest
understanding of informal French as well as providing insights into Gallic
doing something, the imperative
culture. The idioms are arranged into different themes and come with
form of ‘nous’ is used, as in “Allons
examples showing the context in which they are used. Notes offer additional
au musée!” (“Let’s go to the
information on the meaning and background of some idioms.
museum!”).

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LANGUAGE
CHARCOT, THE POLAR GENTLEMAN

Régine Godfrey explores the first expedition
Jean-Baptiste Charcot led in Antarctica
C L
ruise ship operator Ponant has just announced the ’exploitant de croisières Ponant vient d’annoncer
arrival of a new icebreaker scheduled to enter service l’arrivée d’un nouveau brise-glace dont l’entrée en
in 2021. Its name, ‘Le Commandant Charcot’, will service est prévue pour 2021. Son nom ‘Le
pay homage to the French explorer referred to by Commandant Charcot’ rendra hommage à l’explorateur
Captain Robert Scott as ‘the polar gentleman’. français que le Capitaine Robert Scott appelait ‘le gentleman des
In 1893 Jean-Baptiste Charcot, then a young doctor, was left a pôles’.
substantial inheritance by his father Jean-Martin Charcot, the iconic En 1893 Jean-Baptiste Charcot, alors jeune docteur, reçoit un
founder of neurology. With the monies he had a three-masted héritage conséquent de son père Jean-Martin Charcot, le fondateur
schooner built called Le Français, and in emblématique de la neurologie. Avec cet argent il fait construire un
order to pursue maritime scientific trois-mâts goélette, Le Français, et afin de poursuivre des
investigations he abandoned medicine. recherches scientifiques maritimes il abandonne la
Ten years on while preparing to set sail médecine.
for the Arctic he heard that Swedish explorer Dix ans plus tard alors qu’il se prépare à mettre le cap
Otto Nordenskjöld and his crew had gone sur l’Arctique il apprend que l’explorateur suédois Otto
missing in the Antarctic. To everyone’s Nordenskjöld et son équipage sont portés manquants en
surprise, Charcot decided to head to the Antarctique. À la surprise de tous Charcot décide de se
South Pole to look for them and take diriger vers le Pôle Sud à leur recherche et profiter du voyage
advantage of the voyage to determine pour déterminer si l’Antarctique est un continent ou non.
whether or not Antarctica was a continent. Grâce à l’appui du Président Loubet, du Muséum
Thanks to the support of President Loubet, d’Histoire Naturelle, du journal Le Matin et bien d’autres la
the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, the première expédition française en Antarctique voit le jour.
newspaper Le Matin and many more, the Quand Charcot arrive à Buenos Aires Otto avait déjà été
first French Antarctic expedition was born. secouru, alors Le Français repart de Ushuaia en janvier 1904.
When Charcot arrived in Buenos Aires, Otto had already been Malgré des problèmes de moteur ils naviguent entre les icebergs
rescued, so Le Français sailed on from Ushuaia in January 1904. sans encombre, découvrant une crique riche en vie sauvage que
Despite engine trouble they navigated through the icebergs Charcot nomme Port Lockroy en l’honneur du Ministre de la
unscathed, discovering an inlet rich in wildlife which Charcot named Marine. Et hourra! Ils atteignent un degré plus au Sud qu’Otto.
Port Lockroy after the French Naval Minister. And hooray! They Des quartiers d’hiver sont établis à Port Charcot, une baie
reached one degree further south than Otto. peuplée de manchots Papou sur la Côte Nord de l’Île Booth. Ils
Winter quarters were established at Port Charcot, a bay souffrent d’engelures et d’hypothermie. Charcot décrit: “Des
populated with Gentoo penguins on the north coast of Booth Island. millions de minuscules cristaux de neige pénètrent notre peau et nos
They suffered from frostbite and exposure. Charcot described: yeux comme de fines aiguilles, causant d’horribles douleurs.”
“Millions of tiny hard snow crystals penetrate our skin and eyes like En Décembre 1904 ils reprennent leur exploration. Un mois plus
fine needles, causing horrible pain.” tard ils heurtent un rocher près de l’Île Alexandre. La fausse quille
By December 1904 they resumed their exploration. A month est arrachée et ils reviennnent tant bien que mal en Patagonie.
later they struck a rock near Alexander Island. The false keel was L’aventure est écourtée mais connaît un franc succès: 966 kms de
ripped and they limped back to Patagonia. The adventure was cut nouveau littoral cartographiés et 18 volumes de résultats
short but hailed as a great success: 600 miles of new coastline scientifiques publiés.
mapped and 18 volumes of scientific findings published. Hélas son épouse, la petite-fille de Victor Hugo, avait demandé le
PHOTOGRAPHS: RENÉ-YVES CRESTON/BENJAMIN; DINKUM/CC0
Alas his wife, Victor Hugo’s granddaughter, had filed for divorce divorce en son absence pour abandon du domicile conjugal. Une de
in his absence on grounds of desertion. Plenty more fish in the sea… perdue dix de retrouvées… Charcot rêvait déjà de retourner en
Charcot was already dreaming of returning to Antarctica. Antarctique.
To be continued... À suivre...
W osrtdreoent: The word ‘chou’ usually means cabbage.

However, if you ask a friend how their job
the interview went and they reply “Je suis dans les
choux”, it means that it wasn’t a great success.

PUT YOUR SKATES ON
Going on a winter break in France isn’t all about skiing.
Peter Stewart has the phrases to help you enjoy a spa
day or some ice skating fun
1. Gabby is on a two-week skiing holiday in the French Alps with three friends.
She drops in at a nearby spa to arrange a day of pampering for her friend’s birthday.
RECEPTIONIST: Hello. Can I GABBY: That’s right.

help you? GABBY: Tout à fait.
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Bonjour.
Je peux vous aider? RECEPTIONIST: And which
package are you interested in?
GABBY: Hello. I am planning We have 12 different packages
a spa day for myself and three according to your needs.
friends and would like to RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Et quel
know whether you have any forfait vous intéresse? Nous
availability. avons 12 forfaits différents en
GABBY: Bonjour. J’organise fonction de vos besoins.
une journée au spa pour moi
et trois amies et je voudrais GABBY: Well we were looking
savoir si vous avez de la place. at the ‘Sérénité’ package which
includes a relaxing body
RECEPTIONIST: When were massage, a facial and
you thinking of? unlimited use of the spa
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Vous facilities. Is that still €110 per
pensiez quand? person? GABBY: Ça a l’air super.
GABBY: On a vu le forfait Alors, je prends le forfait GABBY: In cash, please.
GABBY: It would be for next «Sérénité» qui comprend un «Sérénité Plus». GABBY: En espèces, s’il vous
Saturday, 6 March. It’s for my massage corporel relaxant, un plaît.
friend’s birthday. soin du visage et un usage RECEPTIONIST: Excellent.
GABBY: Ce serait samedi illimité du spa. Est-ce c’est Can I take your name? RECEPTIONIST: That will be
prochain, le 6 mars. C’est toujours 110 € par personne? RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Excellent. €44, please.
pour l’anniversaire de mon Est-ce que je peux prendre RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Ça vous
amie. RECEPTIONIST: Yes, that’s votre nom? fait 44 €, s’il vous plaît.
right. Did you know that for
RECEPTIONIST: Oh lovely! I just an extra €12 per person GABBY: My name is Gabby GABBY: Here you go.
will have a look for you now. you could have afternoon tea Martin. Do I need to pay for it GABBY: Tenez.
One moment, please. in our garden restaurant? all today?
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Ah, That’s the “Sérénité Plus” GABBY: Je suis Gabby RECEPTIONIST: Perfect, thank
super! Je vérifie pour vous. Un package. Martin. Est-ce que je dois tout you. Here’s your booking
PHOTOGRAPHS: SERGHEI STRAUS/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
instant, s’il vous plaît. RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Tout à payer aujourd’hui? confirmation. Don’t forget to
fait. Saviez-vous que pour bring it with you next week.
RECEPTIONIST: Yes, we do seulement 12 € RECEPTIONIST: We just ask RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Parfait,
have availability next supplémentaires par personne, for 10% deposit at the time of merci. Voici votre
VKOVALCIK/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
weekend. It’s for four people, vous pourriez prendre le thé booking. The rest will be due confirmation de réservation.
right? dans notre restaurant du upon arrival. How would you N’oubliez pas de l’apporter
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Oui, on a jardin? Cela fait partie du like to pay today? avec vous la semaine
de la place pour samedi forfait «Sérénité Plus». RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Nous prochaine.
prochain. Vous m’avez dit que demandons un acompte de
c’est pour quatre personnes, GABBY: That sounds great. I 10% au moment de la GABBY: Thank you very
n’est-ce pas? think I will book the ‘Sérénité réservation. Le reste sera dû à much. See you next week!
Plus’ package then. votre arrivée. Vous voulez GABBY: Merci beaucoup.
régler comment? À la semaine prochaine!

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LANGUAGE
2. John and his family are enjoying a skiing holiday in the Pyrénées. One day he decides to take
his wife and son ice skating and enquires whether the local ice rink is open.
RECEPTIONIST: Hello. Can I JOHN: On est trois: What shoe size are you? JOHN: Merci. On peut rester
help you? deux adultes et un enfant RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Ça ira! jusqu’à quand aujourd’hui?
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Bonjour. de quatre ans. Vous faites quelle pointure?
Je peux vous aider? RECEPTIONIST: You can stay
RECEPTIONIST: OK, that will JOHN: I am a size 45, my wife until 11:45, so for up to 90
JOHN: Hello. We would like be €47. Have you been ice a size 40 and Sam a size 24. minutes.
to go ice skating. Is the rink skating before? JOHN: Je fais du 45, ma RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Vous
open today? RÉCEPTIONNISTE: D’accord, femme du 40 et Sam du 24. pouvez rester jusqu’à 11:45,
JOHN: Bonjour. On aimerait ça vous fait 47 €. Vous avez donc 90 minutes.
faire du patin à glace. Est-ce déjà fait du patin à glace? RECEPTIONIST: Here are
que la patinoire est ouverte your boots. The changing RECEPTIONIST: OK.
aujourd’hui? JOHN: My wife and I have, rooms are just at the end of RÉCEPTIONNISTE: D’accord.
but this is Sam’s first time on the corridor. And the entrance
RECEPTIONIST: Yes, of the ice. I think he’s a bit to the ice rink is on the left. (50 minutes later)
course. How many are there nervous. RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Voici (50 minutes plus tard)
of you? JOHN: Ma femme et moi vos bottes. Les vestiaires sont
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Oui, bien on a déjà fait du patin à glace, juste au bout du couloir. Et JOHN: Hello. My son fell over
sûr. Vous êtes combien? mais c’est la première fois l’entrée de la patinoire se on the ice and has cut his
pour Sam. Je pense qu’il est trouve à gauche. hand. Do you have a plaster?
JOHN: There are three of un peu timide. JOHN: Bonjour. Mon fils a
us: two adults and a four-year- JOHN: Thank you. How long glissé sur la glace et s’est coupé
old child. RECEPTIONIST: It’ll be ok. do we have on the ice today? la main. Est-ce que vous avez
un pansement?
RECEPTIONIST: Yes, of
course. Here you go.
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Oui, bien
sûr. Tenez.
JOHN: Thank you.

JOHN: Merci.
RECEPTIONIST: Is he OK?
RÉCEPTIONNISTE: Il va
bien?
JOHN: I think he is a bit

cold now and the fall scared
him a little. I think we had
better go now.
JOHN: Je pense qu’il a un peu
froid maintenant et ça lui a
fait peur quand il est tombé. Je
pense qu’il faut y aller.
VOCABULAIRE
J’organise une journée au spa pour plaît - I would like to have afternoon tea, would like to go ice skating
trois personnes - I am organising a spa please Vous faites quelle pointure? - What
day for three people Pourriez-vous me recommander un shoe size are you?
Je prends le forfait «Sérénité Plus» - I forfait? - Could you recommend a Je me suis coupé(e) la main - I cut my
will go for the ‘Serenity Plus’ package package for me hand
Je voudrais prendre le thé, s’il vous Je voudrais faire du patin à glace - I J’ai glissé - I slipped

WHAT’S ON THE CHRISTMAS
DINNER TABLE?
Match these festive staples with their
English equivalents
Huîtres Chocolate yule log

Escargots Oysters
Homard Candied chestnuts
IDIOMS Foie gras Snails
Guess the meaning for the idiom ‘se
fendre la gueule’.
Faisan Lobster
A - To have a big mouth
B - To split one’s sides laughing
C - To laugh on the other side of one’s face Truffes Pheasant
Châtaignes confites Duck/goose liver
LES DEUX FONT LA PAIRE Bûche de Noël Truffles
Associez chacun des mots ci-dessous à son image
WHAT’S AT THE MARKET?

Match these pottery pieces with
their English equivalents
A B Vase Butter dish

Assiette Casserole dish
Cendrier Serving platter
PHOTOGRAPHS: TIM WESSON; STILFEHLER/CC BY-SA 3.0; ADOMANYOZO/CC BY-SA 3.0;
Beurrier Jug
C D
Bol Plate
SANTERI VIINAMÄKI/CC BY-SA 4.0; THOMAS COOK/CC BY-SA 4.0
Luge; Patins à glace; Bonhomme de neige; Cache-oreilles
Plateau Vase
QUI SUIS-JE?
Lisez les indices ci-dessous et devinez qui je suis Pichet Bowl
Je suis né le 22 mai 1924 à Paris et mort le 1er octobre
2018 à Mouriès en région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
Je suis un acteur-compositeur-interprète franco-armenien.
Cocotte Ashtray
Au cours d’une carrière commencée en 1946, j’ai
enregistré plus de mille deux cents chansons.
Je suis…

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LANGUAGE
How
to say... COMPETITION WIN!
Cadeau Les Mots Fléchés
The winner of this month’s books, writing or striving to
[Ka-doh] competition will receive the memorise everything. The
Present Michel Thomas Perfect pack, which retails at £100,
French CD-audio course, contains ten hours of audio
Fun French
published by Hodder & learning on CD, more than
Stoughton. It will help three hours of extra
intermediates take their vocabulary help,
ANAGRAMS French to the next level and

gain confidence without
a visual learning review and
interactive exercises.
Find the French words

for tableware
1 Vetietrse
2 Cillèreu
3 Taecuou
4 Fetcrtheou
5 Revre àniv
6 Setas
Answers
govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?’
pays où il existe 246 variétés de fromage?’ ‘How can you
Find the quote: ‘Comment voulez-vous gouverner un
Fourchette – fork; Verre à vin – wine glass; Tasse – cup;
Serviette – napkin; Cuillère – spoon; Couteau – knife;
Pichet – jug; Cocotte – casserole dish; Anagrams:
Beurrier – butter dish; Bol – bowl; Plateau – serving platter;
market? Vase – vase; Assiette – plate; Cendrier – ashtray;
Bûche de Noël – Chocolate yule log; What’s at the
Truffes – truffles; Châtaignes confites – candied chestnuts;
lobster; Foie gras – duck/goose liver; Faisan – pheasant;
menu? Huîtres – oysters; Escargots – snails; Homard –
earmuffs; Qui suis-je? Charles Aznavour; What’s on the
Bonhomme de neige – snowman; D) Cache-oreilles –
paire: A) Luge – sledge; B) Patins à glace – ice skates; C)
Idiom: B) – To split one’s sides laughing; Les deux font la
A T D E A
E M P I R E T A C T
B O L I V A R C A
M A L L E O L E O R
S I E N N E C R I
O S U R A I D E
A T L A N T I D E
O D E N I E R E N
To enter: Complete the Mots Fléchés grid and note all the letters in the grey squares. Rearrange these
E S T D E E S S E
letters to spell a French town or city and send this answer, together with your name, telephone
Mots Fléchés winner number and address, to editorial@francemag.com or write to FRANCE Magazine, Les Mots Fléchés,
The winner of the October Mots Fléchés Cumberland House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, GL50 1BB. Entries close 28 November 2018.
is Peter Wheatcroft from Walsall, West
Last month’s Les Mots Fléchés answers will appear in the January issue, on sale on 28 November 2018. The
Midlands. The mystery town was Chinon
in the Indre-et-Loire département answers to this month’s competition will be published in the February issue, on sale on 3 January 2019.
FIND THE QUOTE Slice up the baguette where the spaces should be to reveal
a saying by Charles de Gaulle
Commentvoulezvousgouvernerunpaysoùilexiste
246variétésdefromage?

On completefrance.com
You can find plenty of information and articles on our
website. Here are some of our favourites this month
TRAVEL THE EVENTS KEEPING FRANCE’S

MARITIME TRADITIONS ALIVE
Discover the races and regattas that maintain
France’s proud seafaring heritage.
TRAVEL
WINDMILLS TO VISIT IN FRANCE

We’ve rounded up eight of the most picturesque surviving windmills
in France that make perfect places to visit – or even stay in.
LANGUAGE
TRAVEL
& CULTURE TRAVEL
7 TIPS FOR
IMPROVING
YOUR FRENCH
THAT DON’T
INVOLVE
LANGUAGE
BOOKS ROSSHELEN/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; EVIANRESORT CC BY-SA 4.0; ED DABNEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Who knew that
watching films in
PHOTOGRAPHS: LIANEM/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; FLORIAN PEPPELIN/WIKIMEDIA;
13 FRENCH GOLF COURSES FOR

English, with subtitles
in French, could help?
PERFECTING YOUR PUTTING
From the shores of Lake Geneva to the wild
LIVING Corsican coast, find a golf course to suit your ability
and taste.
STAR OF ESCAPE TO

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HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION
PROPERTY IN THE NORTH WEST

D NR CARTERET, NORMANDY
U RE L 50
AT TA CAPACITY: 9
FE REN About 15mins drive from the coast and resorts of
Barneville-Carteret , Portbail and the market towns
of Bricquebec and St Sauveur le Vicomte, each
boasting their own Chateau. Mont St. Michel, historic
D-Day sites and the Bayeux Tapestry are all within a
2 hour leisurely drive. Nearby villages have bakers
and general stores.
The beaches are white and sandy, good for
swimming, sailing, water-sports , horse-riding, golf
plus plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants. The house
itself is fully furnished with a well-equipped kitchen
& dining room. (electric cooker, fridge, and freezer,
washing machine, microwave, toaster).
Lounge with UK TV. There is a double bedroom and
shower room, WC downstairs and upstairs a family
room with en-suite bathroom and a triple room with
a sink and shaver point. Heating throughout is by
multi-fuel burners and electric radiators. The garden
is a good size with terrace, picnic table and BBQ.
Ample off-road parking. The house is well furnished
and comes complete with linen.
£350-450 p/w
Contact
Tel: (01728) 688309
Email: norman.maison@gmail.com
www.normanmaison.co.uk
7 30 7 10 12 10 2 3
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PROPERTY IN THE NORTH WEST
61 50
PUTANGES-PONT–ÉCREPIN, LE VALJOIE, NR GAVRAY, BASSE NORMANDIE

ORNE
■ CAPACITY: 12+ - AVAILABLE ALL YEAR
■ CAPACITY: RANGING 8-12 Surrounded by secluded gardens in a quiet hamlet
Hide away in the lush countryside of on the edge of Gavray this recently renovated ancient
central Normandy on an historic 18th Priory provides all the comforts of modern living
century stud farm. while retaining the charm of a 17th century building.
Gated entrance. 6 bedrooms, two kitchens and two
Heaven for horse-lovers: four large, bright, lounges make this ideal for two families, a group of
smart gites at either end of a converted friends, or a small arts and crafts group. Wifi. English TV.
coach house, with stabling in between. Ideally placed for all the major Normandie tourist
Stroll in the impressive gardens: formal attractions including Mont St Michel, and the
French, with lily pond and carp lake. Major Bayeux Tapestry.
sights within reach: the Normandy
Landing Beaches and Bayeux tapestry. The safe, sandy beach at Saint-Martin de Brehal
is only 20 minute’s drive.
One apartment for 8 people
One cottage for 12 people
Two houses for 9-11 people. From €1200 - 1500 per week
£594-£1950 p/w Email: lePrieureNormandie@gmail.com
Visit: lePrieureNormandie.com
Contact Details:
Tel: +33(0)233125781
Email: anne@gitesgazon.com
www.gitesgazon.com 1 90 14 18 18 12 1 7
PROPERTY IN THE SOUTH WEST
81
An exclusive selection of quality private homes for rent in the Dordogne.

All are perfect for couples; some have space for 4 or more people.
All-inclusive prices from £495 per week; discounts for couples only;
wi-fi internet; satellite TV & Radio; comfortable beds;
beautifully furnished & fully equipped.
www.Per fect-for-Two.com
SOUTH WEST
MAZAMET, MIDIPYRÉNÉES
BED & BREAKFAST: 5 DOUBLE ROOMS
La Villa de Mazamet is a luxury B&B, in the heart of SW
France, with five beautifully appointed, air-conditioned
bedrooms, pool, Le Petit Spa & table d’hôtes restaurant.
Situated in the market town of Mazamet, La Villa
provides a fantastic base from which to explore this
NEAR BELVES LIMEUIL historic corner of France. On the doorstep to two
UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Vineyards, Mountains &
Romantic ground-floor 2 en-suite Bedrooms,
Medieval Villages. From 120 € per night, per room,
suite plus 2 further comfortable and cosy, private
inc. breakfast.
bedrooms, swimming pool, internal walled Courtyard,
an acre of grounds, hillside garden overlooking
10% DISCOUNT FOR FRANCE MAGAZINE READERS
rural peace. the Dordogne River.
when booking 3 nights + (enter code FranceMag
when booking via our website)
€ 120 p/night
Peter Friend
Tel: +33 563 979 033
E-Mail: info@villademazamet.com
www.villademazamet.com

PROPERTY IN THE SOUTH EAST
11 83
LE VIEUX RELAIS, CARCASSONNE

VILLA NYASA, CLAVIERS
CAPACITY: 2-14
■ CAPACITY: 8-10
Centrally located in the heart of the Minervois our
beautifully restored 18c coaching inn with flower filled Flanked by 3.5 acres of oaks, pine trees
courtyard garden and a swimming pool offers flexible and olive groves Villa Nyasa is an oasis of
accommodation for all your needs and provides the perfect calm providing uninterrupted southerly
base for exploring this beautiful and up and coming corner views across a Provençal mountain valley.
55 minutes from Nice airport, 5 ensuite
of France. Please contact us for further details
bedrooms, luxurious linens & toiletries
SPECIAL OFFER 25% off second week for self catering await. Beautifully constructed stone
bookings of two weeks or more during 2019. terraced gardens with lavender, lemon &
fig trees, flourishing wild herbs. 3 outside
PRICING INFORMATION: dining areas, BBQ area & an infinity pool
B&B €85 for 2; €120-135 for 4 Extra bed €20 with breathtaking views. Fabulous
Weekly self-catered lets from restaurants & vineyards, makes this the
€2,000 per week perfect holiday home.
Highly
Contact Details: recommen From €2,000 per week
Valerie & Mike Slowther on James Marded
tin’s Contact: Damian Cullen,
Tel: 0033 (0)4 68 91 69 29 “French Tel: 0044 7815751021
Adventure”
E: mike@levieuxrelais.net Email: damian.cullen1@btopenworld.com
www.levieuxrelais.net Visit: villa-nyasa.com
0.5 35 O/S 0.5 35 0.5 5 5 2 65 O/S 4 19 7 2 2

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PETITES ANNONCES
LANGUAGE PROPERTY FOR SALE
Agence Immobilière Herman De Graaf

Contact: Cate Carnduff
Le Bourg-Saint-Jean de Côle - 24800 Thiviers - France.
Tel: 00 33 (0)553 62 38 03 Fax: 00 33 (0)553 55 08 03
e-mail: agence@immobilier-dordogne.com
Ref.4505 Ref.3636
Region Brantome. Well maintained & restored Region Brantome. Fabulous character property
stone property, beautifully set in a small village XVII century with outbuildings, quietly set in a
on 4170m2 of land with good views. Ground hamlet on 1,48 hectares of land. Ground floor:
floor: entrance, lounge with fireplace & lounge, WC, 2 rooms & boiler room (gas CH).
separate fitted kitchen with fireplace, WC & Upstairs: lg kitchen with fireplace, living room
basin. Upstairs: landing, WC & 3 bedrooms; two with fireplace & 3 bedrooms shower room
with shower rooms en suite; attic. Garden shed. Barns (130 m2), wells & sm. outbuildings.
Price: €199,000 agency fees included. Price: €160,000 agency fees included.
w w w. i m m o b i l i e r- d o r d o g n e . c o m
PROPERTY SERVICES
Accountants
Find a Tax Advisors
tradesman ● French and UK Tax Returns
Established in France
for over 10 years
in France ● Company formation (UK and France)
Reasonable Fees
Small clients welcome
Reliable service offered in English
● Small business accounts and tax returns
Contact us:
● Furnished Letting Accounts and Tax returns
info@nle-accounting.com
● Income Tax Planning and Compliance for www.nle-accounting.com
DIRECTORY both the UK and France
+44 (0) 845 680 1638
www.completefrance.com/directory +33 (0) 1 42 93 18 42

COLUMN
Parisian
HOW TO BE
Paris-based Stephen Clarke

gives his humorous take
on daily life in the capital
P
arisians excel at many things, like opening cafés,
building metal towers, collecting famous paintings,
ignoring pedestrian crossings... But, as I have said
many times before, there is one thing at which they fail
almost every time, and that is waiting patiently. I recently
witnessed a brilliant new demonstration of this, and I’m going
to adopt the technique as soon as possible.
Picture the scene: you’re waiting to change your phone for a
newer model because your old one has just shuffled off this
mortal network (the French are pretty good at overcharging on
monthly phone bills but offering you cheap upgrades on
condition that you sign up for twenty more years). There are
two customers ahead of you and only two salespeople on duty.
There is one thing at which
One of these is apparently writing down every single lifetime Parisians fail almost every time,
address of an ancient man who is partially deaf and has to have
the questions repeated three times. Not his fault – he’s very old and that is waiting patiently
and being asked too many questions. Why does a person have
to provide an email address to get a phone? He wants a phone, The sales assistant deigns to lift his head and says yes, before
not an electronic penpal. returning to his typing.
The other assistant is trying to sell all sorts of add-on services Ha, great putdown, I think to myself. No way is he going to
to a mother cradling a baby that is clearly not yet interested in be allowed to push in. I expect the new arrival to leave. But he
unlimited free text messages to Asia. (True, babies don’t need to stays on, hovering, cupping his phone in his hand as if it were
be texting all over the planet until they’re at least two.) A man an injured sparrow that he has just rescued from an eagle’s nest.
walks into the shop, about forty, with the impatient look of Well, he is in for a long hover – or is he? When the sales
someone who has just double-parked outside a fire station. assistant had finished taking the baby’s temperature, writing
He looks around and assesses the impossibility of the down its ten favourite colours and creating its Facebook page,
situation: two busy salespeople, three waiting, it’s going to take he asks the relieved mother to come with him to the cash desk.
several days. But, being a Parisian, he does not panic. He puts At which point the new arrival pounces. Or rather, hovers
on a friendly face, sidles towards the man dealing closer. And while the mother digs around in her
with the mother and says a shy but determined purse for her credit card, the assistant utters a
“Bonjour”. The salesman replies, “Bonjour, brusque, “Monsieur” and points over his shoulder
Monsieur”, without looking up from his keyboard at the display of phone chargers. The new arrival
PHOTOGRAPH: NATACHA HENRY; ILLUSTRATION: TIM WESSON
(where he is no doubt typing in the baby’s Twitter swoops to earth, holding out his phone, and is
name). The new arrival pulls his phone from his allowed to buy his charger before the mother has
pocket and, apologizing to the mother with an emerged from her archaeological dig.
expression that implies he is in pain and needs an Efficient use of time, you might think. Or blatant
urgent heart transplant, says, “Excusez-moi, j’ai Stephen Clarke’s pushing-in. Genius, I think, the result of a lifetime of
juste une question très rapide” – “Sorry, I’ve just got latest books are not-so-patient practice.
a very quick question.” Elizabeth II, Queen I decide that when it is finally my turn, I am
The mother, who is far more preoccupied with of Laughs (Kindle going to ask to sign up, not just for a new phone,
her agitated baby than anything else, gives a resigned only) and The but for classes in saying “Excusez-moi, j’ai juste une
nod. “Merci, Madame,” the new arrival says, and French Revolution question très rapide” with just the right level of
asks the sales assistant, who is still not looking up, & What Went apologetic affirmativeness. An essential skill in
whether he stocks the phone charger for his model. Wrong. Parisian life.

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