LIFE DRAWING IN MONTMARTRE THREE FAVOURITE FRENCH SPORTS FRANCE May 2017 | Issue 224 TRAVEL | FOOD & WINE | CULTURE | HisToRY CITY BREAK Spend Wa i Celebrating 70 years of the iconic film festival aA TAKE A CULTURAL TOUR THE BEST PLACES 10 STAYCaroline offers a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere anda variant of the dream: Living like Godin France’ cruising the more than 300 year old Canal du Mi close to the Mediterranean, The Hotel-Barge Caroline offers plenty of space with three roomy cabins, each with t's own private bathroom and shower. You'l find also a comfortable dining and launch area andthe alfresco! dining area upon deck The unique scenery in the heart f Southern France wil get you caught immediately, Enjoy the delightful evenings up on deck after another 4-course ‘bon vivant’ dinner. The dally excursions guided personally by Ul in Caroline's air-conditioned Mercedes minivan are showing the beauty and history ofthe Languedoc-Roussillon, Perhaps the most memorable pat of your trip willbe the cceative gourmet dishes prepared by your Chef Ute. These are paired wit the best local wines chosen by Ul, your Captain, We, Ute & Uli are hereto make your holiday your experince of lifetime, Beng sailors all our lives now we love to share our personal experiences with you on the inland waterways, showing you ‘our France. Ute & Uli Weber Phone from abroad: 433 - 603 309522 Email: info@bargecaroline.comt has been a busy past month or so in the FRANCE Magazine offices. In addition to the usual pleasurable task of discussing story ideas and sifting through news pieces and information to help create an inspiring and enjoyable ‘magazine for you, our readers, the team has been traveling hither and yon ~ unusually, within the UK. ‘Meeting with French regional tourist board representatives at the Atout France French Travel ‘Media Awards at the OXO2 events venue in London. gave us plenty of ideas for furure stories, particularly based around the organisation’s innovative new marketing campaign #Feel France, st to invoke all five senses. One of our frequent contributors also ‘went home with the prestigious glass star signifying an award-winning feature (se page 25). The pice de resistance for me, though, has been Clvetivesin Ontario, Canada, and juggles wo careers: as _amarketing creative director and copywriter andas a freelanceawniterand photographer He studied photography at Parso DesigninNew YorkCityandhaspubished aut twwo books See page23 foris stunning black-and-white images oars Magazi lonFrench Property News, asister tle of FRA ‘oolof where shedevelopeda passion for the orsandthe beauty f the French countryside, Onpage 48, she enjoys ‘anaction-packed haliay in Auvergne. artending the Gott de France dinner at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London. Goiit de France (or Good France as i is sometimes known) is held annually ~ this isis third year — and socks to celebrate the best of French cuisine. “The event takes place on the same night across five continents, involving 2,000 ches. There is something quite remarkable about raising a glass to French culinary expertise, knowing you are sharing that experience across the globe, As ever, there is plenty of food and drink to be enjoyed in our latest issue, including dining out in the latest gastronomic hotspot, Bordeaux, and a guide to the Bib Gourmand. We also have some ‘great ideas for burning off that delicious food in Lara Dunn some of France’s most beautiful countryside. Editor Bon appétit Davidisa freelance writer . ‘Chester. During ah alanguagesdegree course, (alam he spe Franceand eamnttolove chee: hetreads thered carpet in Cannes inthe is year outin| negrew upin Burgundy Onpage3i ‘year ofthe 7oth fm festival. Fal natkinsondavid and read mor atkinsondavid.com, FRANCE MAGAZINE 3CONTENTS May 2017 3 > RM EIOTT @ TRAVEL (08 FRANCE AT A GLANCE Let our stunning images take you on a vireual journey around I'Hexagone, 17 PRET A PARTIR All the news and inspiration you need to inform your next trip to France. 28 ROAD TRIP ‘Travel through the picturesque villages and countryside south ofthe Loire Valley B1)SPOTLIGHT ON CANNES, We visi the glamorous Riviera resort as the 70th film festival approaches, 86 HAUTE-PROVENCE BY BIKE Ride through fortified villages and olive {groves in this remote département, 6 HISTORY TRAIL Visit the homes of great literary figures including Balzac and Proust. 4 FRANCE MAGAZINE PAGE 43, MoREGREATPRiZes # TOWIN ON PAGES 14,21,99 @B AUVERGNE ADVENTURES: Explore this volcanic region on foot, ‘on a mountain bike and by zip line. 34 TAKE A STROLL INSARLAT Admire the medieval architecture and bustling markets ofthis Dordogne town. 58 PLAYING THE GAME ‘Try your hand at three home-grown sports that are close to French hearts G4 LILLE BREAK ‘Take in the cultural attractions of ac that is just 80 minutes from London, 68 GET ARTISTIC IN PARIS Join a life-drawing class in Montmartre and follow in the steps of the masters. FB WHERE TO STAY Find different ways to enjoy a holiday in the open air in our camping guide. @BON APPETIT 79 MICHELIN'S OTHER STARS Diners are warming to Bib Gourmand restaurants, offering quality and value. 82 FOOD & WINE ‘The French give sushi a twist, plus a recipe and restaurant review. (83 WINES OF THE MONTH Master of Wine Sally Easton gives us her pick ofthe best bottles to buy. 4 MAKE THE PERFECT. Rosa Jackson cooks a spring brunch of asparagus with hollandaise sauce. 86 EAT OUT IN BORDEAUX ‘The world’s wine capital is also gaining 1 reputation for its fine dining, 8B GRENACHE V. CARIGNAN Dominie Rippon sees two grape varieties go head to head at an organic trade far.LA CULTURE IA DUCOURNAU ng film-maker discusses her controversial feature debut, Raw. 92 FILMREVIEW A teenager's accident patient new hope in Hi Living. DK REVIEWS your love of France alittle further with oue pick of the best new reads. 93 FIVE MINUTES WITH, Writer and blogger Lindsey Tramuta talks about her new guide to Paris. 94 LANGUAGE We find the best resources for brushing up your language skills. @EVERY MONTH 14 B0ITE Have yor AUX LETTRES, ay and share travel tips towin a great prize, 27 HOLIDAY PLANNER ise your next trip with our You won't be lost for words iFyou have problems ata car hire desk in France 98 LANGUAGE GAMES Improve your French with our selection of fun puzzles and games. VIGNETTE 106 CAROL DRINKWATER (Our columnist lends her bieyele to the plumber, with unexpected results ONTHECOVER FRANCE MAGAZINESPaste ERICH: FiSihce FRANCE GEREDSED © eH: 3h conn FRANCE CUNGERLAND HOUSE, OREL ROAD, CHELTENHAM GLSO 88 Te. ove 216 050, EDITORIALOF RANE COM FACEBOOK COM/FRANCENAGAZINE CSFRANCEMAGAZINE editor Lara Dunn Deputy Editor Simon Reynolds Staff writer Peter Stewart Designer Jenny Sims We couldn't have made this issue without David Atkinson, Clive Branson, Perce de Villers Carol Drinkwater, Sally Eaton, Sonic Garda Roberts, Regine Go, andes Hart, Rosa Jackson, Howard Jhasoa, Eve Middlewa, Nel Putnam, Dominic Rippon, Tim Wesson, Melissa Wood eee er ARCHANT FRANCE PORTFOLIO FRANCE Magazine, Living France, French Property News Group Editor Karen Tait Digital Editor Emma Rawle acim 2s Shee aires Ca OE eG Ban perience ALLOTHERENQUIMES ESTELLE ILES TEL 122216 02, acran eects CORI OAT OC PENER TIMPERLEY [yes Dife-10P DEBBIE MACLEOD SUBSCRPTIONS & LOYALTY TEAM MANAGER PAUL UPTON REET RSG A GamgaReTOCTON We 104 JAMES PARTE, CHRIS SCARLE PRINTED BY WILLIAM GIBBONS LT, WILLENHALL, ENGLAND. FRANCE MAGAZINE lSS' 0958,0715 «USPS 01-56 1s PUBL NEBL MIGNTTY BY ARCHANT COMMUNITY MEDIA LTD, CUVBERLAND HOUSE, ONEL ROAD, CHELTENHANL 6105 L506 Uk DISTRIBUTED IV THE US BY CRCULATION SPECIALISTS, Lc 2 CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE SAS SHELTON CT 6404, PERODICALS POSTAGE PAID NSHELTON, CT Sh ADDITIONAL MalING OFFICES POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO FRANCE, Po Box sae BOONE 1 soar 0.8. CCANABIAN Gt NOMBEI Bt2T 82e2 RTOOOI (reer (ST] ee aaa eee FRANCE MAGAZINE Get sodal. RAraavsewrcsto PaJornmcanciane (6 FRANCE MAGAZINE ABOUT US FRANCE Magacine is Britain and North Americas best sling magazine about France. Since 1990, iehas enchanted readers with its ‘sunning photography and excellent travel writing. Alongide ts inspirational and informative tavel articles, FRANCE Magazine offers Features on food and wine, language and history, cltore and current llaies together, ir gives readers the perfect tne of the very best of Franc. le eral is the next best hing to bing there WE ALSO PUBLISH Pieisnce” vine raaNce Pubtsed every four weeks Avaable in rewsgents or £399 Your esenti qae fomakingthemove to France lvingrencecom CONTACT US FRANCE Magazine ‘Cumberland House, Cll Rose, {Chatlenam Glos, 50188 SUBSCRIBER HELP Tt 1858 438 840 francemagarnensutscrpioncauk ADVERTISING Tee O242 216063 ‘aversingstrancemagcar EDITORIAL Te 01282 216 050, ‘atoralotrancemagcom OUR AWARDS 2017 Winner of est Cultural este atthe French Wave Meo Awards, stout France Rudlt Abraham 2016 Wiener of st Magazine Article Shay armstrong ‘MSpecal Recognition Award for “Tanory 2016 su To Pars with iove rene ravel Mec Ana, 2014 {Wnner of ave Artie ofthe Year the abt! (Associaton of sn TTatel Organisers to France) Travel rte Ans Ray Kershaw PINTEREST.cOM/ FRANCEMAGAZINE ‘COVER IMAGE: ACTRESS BRIGITTE BARDOT [AT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL IN 7956 '5Y GEORGE W HALES/STRINGER/ GETTY IMAGES. Tum to page 44 to see ‘ou latest excting Subsersten eter Wsubscriptionsave.co.uk “Te lowest ries rect rom the publisher QUISOMMES.NoUS ? FRANCE Magacine es une publication de premiere qualité digg en anglais et consuerée ‘xclisivement la France. Depuis 1990, cet publication mensuelle 4 I rputatonincontests, domine le mavché feancopile en Grande Bretagpe ec aux Eras Unis. A travers dds articles de voyage, des rubrigues astonomigdes et Inguinigues, FRANCE Magasine sites leceurs découvrir ros les meilleurs aspects de THexagone ede ses produits TRENCH! Bl propenry news ‘alae month in newsagents or £359 bron subscription The lenges estabished Ux gudetobuyngpenerty francepropertyshoncom FRANCE Magazine, Po Box 7298, Boone, Ia so03t-0496 USA SUBSCRIBER HELP FRacustervaetarmentcom ‘woeubrisuscom/rance ADVERTISING Te 1917 594 0402 Frencemagazine@netcapreemncon smRunnerup fo Magizne Ati of the Year at the Abt Trve Artie ‘words Judy Armstrong i Runerup or Young Witer of the Year at thea Associaton of Independent Travel Operator) Dwar 208 Mentyre 2013 inne of Young Travel wer {the Yer at the Bish Tal Press ‘wars 208 Mentyre Winner of Best Trove tice tthe Outdoor ters & Protogranners cule susy Armstrong i Winner of astronomy article ot the Yara the alot France French “urs Board rave Pusan args ve Mieton FRANCEMAGAZINE wmavcompletetrancecom~ For anyone who knows France Save up to 30% on sailings Wish you could sail in style to France or Spain for less? Then join our Travel Club. You'll make big savings on our fares and enjoy lots of onboard extras too! And with our mile-saving routes, you'l also save on fuel, tolls and overnight stops. visit brittanyferries.com/clubvoyage or call 0330 159 7070 > = clubvoyage _ Brittany Ferries seanae AS rena) ape 8SON THE BEACH IN BIARRITZ ee Rig resort of Bast, one of Europe's best surfing locationseae eee Dee larchands in Colmar, capital ofthe Haut-Rhin département patos eeeWE aT Tee TSS ae) Re Ona Shenr Re Calvados www.calvados-tourisme.com Un amourde NormandieThe write ofthis month's star letter wins a signed copy of Perry Taylor's ‘award-winning book Petites Gasconneries, which features the artist's amusing drawings of life in his adopted rural French home. To see more of Perry's work visit perrytaylor.r and memories with ust aux Lettres, FRANCE Magazine, Cumberland House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Glos, GL501BB, or email editorial@francemag.com. Please supply your name and address. Share your thoughts, tips You can find FRANCE Magazine's new updated index for issues 100-200 (on our website via this lnk wwnw.completefrance.com/FMindex 14 FRANCE MAGAZINE BOITE AUX Family treat Thave been reading FRANCE Magasine fr balf.a dozen years and subscribing for the past theee, and relly enjoy the rch and varied content. T have visited France some 30 times. This past December, [ed four of my family’s ladies ~ daughter Andrea, sister-in-law Dianne and her daughter Julia and grand: Camden, aged ~ on their first visi to France. They ‘wanted to visit places that were special t0 ny late wife Lynne nd to shop at the (Christmas markets. The first week we stayed in Ribeauvillé, Haut-Rhin, in LETTRES ‘an apartment in a house that was builtin 1513. From there we visited — and they shopped in ~ Colmar, Strasbourg, Hunawihr and Kaysersberg, “Then we took the high-speed TGV train to Paris and stayed in a cosy hotel fon an ancient and narrow street. The ladies were savouring ever Dianne said one day: Lynne loved this place and she had good taste." On our last day in Pars, her granddaughter Camden said: “I don't ‘want to leave France.” Mike Johnson North Canton, Ohio, USA 1 see why ces egThe resort of Les Sables Ces Motorhome bliss ‘My husband and I have been readers of FRANCE Magacine for many years and ‘we have always enjoyed the good mi cof places to visit withthe history, food and cultural elements. I just wanted to say thank you forthe great series of motorhome road trips you have included recently (February, March and April, issues 221-223) “The Atlantic coast is an area we have uch enjoyed on a number of holidays. ‘As we took the plunge and invested in a four-wheeled home from home a couple of years ago to make it easier t0 take our two labradors with us, we will certainly be looking at this as a great route to follow. Don't forget to like us ‘on Facebook, ‘FRANCE Magazine’ “Little Recently received my fist issue of your informative entertaining magazine. My first vist ever willhappenin ate June 2017 with vist to Paris and.a Burgundy ‘ver cruise highlighting wine country. Looking forward! Poe Cecciar ty WNT We asked how many of France's Unesco World Heritage sites you had visited You answered... Tessa Meller ive inone-The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agropastoral cutturaan« Russell Boxshall'ye been to 3of these. Somanymoretosee ‘Anne € Marsh Ten, but lived in Provins for ‘year. Does that count double? wivncompletetrance co ‘Touring by motorhome is a great way to see the real rural France at whatever pace you like, and we love the freedom it gives us, We can choose whether to eat out at a nice-looking litle bistro, ‘or pick up gorgeous produce from the local markers and cook for ourselves. ‘The only problem is that we - including the dogs ~ never want to go home again afterwards! Sandra Welch Canterbury, Kent A different view “Thank you, FRANCE Magar, fo some nal etre ine par couple fe. T pray toved he ai about Conc, at realy soe od blow thesurace Ihave never vated the leo Bau ‘ever-growing list of places towoin France Ta enjoyed he Pas pic ht ond abe pita more modem Jan Courtney Only 12, must ry harder Helen Halpin Oniy beentotllBetter getbusy! ‘Wendy Talbot, FDM Provence For usit's Pemeses Fontaines soon! Follow us on Twitter @Francemagazine We recently conducted a poll, asking you about your favourite type of French holiday. CC pros HAVE YOUR SAY attractions, rather than the textbook tourist traps, Although I have absolutely no intention of ever trying it, it was interesting to read about the history of eross-Channel swimming, AAs usual, though, I have been using the recipe suggestions and have created some French-inspired meals at home. might need to take up golf ro work off the calories and to be able to follow that lovely Alsace tour. [like the sound of ‘wine touring with some gentle outdoor exercise on the golf course. Brian Evans Nottingham David Nicks@Nicksdat @francemagazineroadtrip..toomuch {osee of that beautiful countryand lovely people, Derekajustaskderek @rancemagazine what happened to rural relaxing andquiet SW France,no traffic, excellent dark nights for stargazing, Heaven, Christopher Sparks@1oW_Sparky @Francemagazine My fav wouldbe staying inagite andexploring the local area as wll ‘as sampling the food andarink}. FRANCE MAGAZINE15,LA TAPISSERIE DE BAYEUX (ORMANDIE bayeuxmuseum.comgathering of mountain bikers in France on one day will take place in the village of Arsac in Gironde on 20 May La Médocaine allows 6,500 riders from and beyond to discover some of the best Bordeaux wine appellations including Margaux, Haut-Médoc, Moulis and Listrac. Cyclists can choose from seven routes, ranging in distance from 20 to 80 kilometres, and they have plenty of opportunities to stop at domaines along the way and taste the wine, “The emphasis is on fun rather tha competition, with participants encou fancy dress. Expect to see everyone from the to Cleopatra and perhaps a giant snal (pictured right) racing through the Médoc countryside across Fran La Médocaine culminates back at the Plaine des Sports in Arsac with a festive dinner in a giant marquee, music, dancing and fireworks. Tek (Fr) 5 57 88 46 08 medocainevet.com FRANCE MAGAZINEThe Palas de Versailles a night The chiteau gardens at Chant; Musician in Paris Showcasing the latest creations in furniture, interior design and lighting, the D'Days Design Festival in Paris, being held from 2-14 Ma reminder that the capital cader in design, More than 80 organisations take part in exhibitions, debates, live shows and workshops in 70 locations across central Paris. This year's theme is ‘Let's Play’ days.net isa stylish ‘The Left Bank quartier of Saint-Gern as the traditional hub of the Paris jazz scene, stages its 17th jazz festival from 11-22 May. Musicians and singers perform in venues throughout the atea, from clubs and in-des-Prés, seen 18 FRANCE MAGAZINE canal boats to landmarks such as the Elise Saint- Sulpice and the Odéon ‘Theatre de PEurope festivaljazzsaintgermain paris.com The gardens around the (Chateau of Chantilly north-east of Paris will be a rior of colour dusing the Journée des Plantes feom 19.21 May. The flower show, one of the largest in France, brings together 200 exhibitors including nurseries, horticultu flower-arrangers. Talks and workshops help visitors to pet the garden, This year’s theme is technicolour gardens Tek: (Fr) 3 44.27 31 80 domaineclechantilly.com lists and most out of theit More than 1,000 museums and and other venues in France will be opening until the early hours for free luring the Nuit des Musées ‘on 20 May. After-dark highlights of this Europe- wide celebration of art and culture include torchlit cours, storytelling and concerts. snuitdesmusees.culture.fe BOOK NOW... Enjoy a hands-on wine tour during harvest time with escorted travel specialist Your Private Provence. Not only do quests go grape- Dicking, but they can also crush ‘rape in thelr own wine barrel. The Grape Stomp Tur, from 17:23 September, visits such famous ‘appellation as Chateauneut-dv- Pape and Gigondas, as well asthe tons of Vaisona-Romaie, Ménesbes and Saint Rémy-de- Provence. Other highlights include lunch at a winemake's home. The rice of£1,600pp is based on double occupancy, and includes six nights’ BB, transport during the tour and most other meals Tek (F) 625.8549 82 vyourprivateprovence.com Take in the fresh sea air and the beauty ofthe French Atlantic coast ‘ona sel-quided ride along the Vélodyssée cycle route from France Bike Trips. The sevrrnight tour begin in Nantes and takes in fishermen’ hamlets, tranquil canals and marshlands, an ile de Noirmoutir, le Yeu and Tle de RE before ending a La Rochelle. From there you can etum to Nantes by tran. Prices start from €575pp based ona group of four people and include six nights’ 858 in ‘two-star hotels and guesthouses, aly baggage transfers anda road book with maps. Tek (F) 458 1404.35 france-ikerips.comhe arts festival known as Le Voyage i Nantes returns to the western Loire city for its sixth year this summer, bringing an explosion of cultural activi. Contemporary art installations and exhibitions pop up in streets, quays and squares, all linked by a 16-kilometre green line that spectators can follow. Running from 1 July t0 27 August, the festival sees everyone from artists and. graphic designers to gardeners and DJs express their creativity in publie spaces. Arc trails, marker garde sculptures are designed to inspire and intrigue the local community and the thousands of tourists who visit Nantes cach summer. Turn a corner and you ‘might find a telephe aquarium, a meandering pedestrian crossing, or a giant tape measure collapsed at the side of a building. “The idea of the festival isto colonise every part of town with artistic creato according to artistic and events director street art and box tured READY TO GO CENTRE OF INVENTION The go-ahead city of Nantes stages a cutting-edge summer arts festival that allows your imagination to run riot CLOCKWISE FRON TOP: The giant mechanical elephant at Les Machines de le de Nantes; ‘Artist Laurent Perbos's ping-pong park; An extract from a video by Gaetan Chataigner Jean Blase, who has helped to transform a once-detning city into a cultural powerhouse. Most installations are temporary, but some have becom attractions. These include a surea series of ping-pong tables, a playground resembling the moon's cratered surfaces and a 12-meteehigh me ephant which isthe sar tur ofthe ans project Les Machines de le de Nantes yanical (Other festival highlights include an ‘open-air canteen with its own vegetable garden, stands showeasing the famous Muscadet wine, and concerts. al begins, the ly named Musée d’Arts de [Nantes is re-opening after 3 programme to modern the building. For more information visit nd extend levoyageanantes.fe FRANCE MAGAZINE19en Hi ee TAM Wal Rete ean Shera » MONTMARTRE PEL ee OSC TNMEE MCE NI © TEL :33(0)1 53 09 82.82 UTA ANAT TAT DINNER & SHOW AT 7PM FROM €175 Srp Ur eats On cis WW.MOULIN-ROUGE.COM Ay FACEBOOK.COM/LEM( |OULINROUGEOFFICIEL,CRUISE CONTROL Luxury barges offer a trouble-free way to explore France's 8,000 kilometres of inland waterways TIME TO RELAX FOODIE GETAWAY Anyone looking for (On the barge Caroline, hosts a relaxing eruise through Uli and Ute have created Burgundy’ will enjoy lifeon an itinerary along the Canal the hotel harge Luciole du Midi that will appeal co ‘The boat cruises along the foodies. The ‘three-quarter Canal du Nivernais berween board’ trip includes most ‘Auxerre and the medieval meals and wines, but on town of Clamecy, with the some evenings, guests visit direction of travel alternating local restaurants to sample cach week. Specialty cruises regional specialities. There is, are available on themes also the chance to visit including painting and markets and help choose the wine-tasting, Luciole ingredients that Ute will use in accommodates up to 12 hher cooking. The barge has people in ight en-suite cabins and has a crew of six. Individual travellers are ‘weleomed, as well as groups for a whole-boat charter All-inclusive prices start from €4,230pp. Tel: 01625 576 880 bargeluciole.com TRAVEL ESSENTIAL naked Keep your clothes neat and tidy on your ur intrepid gastropod Sergette isout and aout in France. Her adventures this month see her visit ‘famous Loire chateau. CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Te hotel barge Lucole on the Canal du Niverais; The deck of the Saraphina; The Caroline moored onthe Canal du Mil three guest cabins, with prices for a week-long trip starting from €3,700pp based on two sharing, including breakfasts, drinks, eight to nine meals, transfers and excursions. Tel (Fr) 6 03 30 95 22 bargecaroline.com INTIMATE ESCAPE Explore the Canal du Midi ‘on board the Saraphina, 1920s Dutch barge lovingly converted by hosts Finnegan and Emily. The boat takes a maximum of four guests in ‘two spacious cabins, so the atmosphere is cosy and intimate, The boat cruises between Portiragnes-plage and Homps, near Carcassonne, and itineraries can be tailored to specific places of intrest. Guests have breakfast and dinner on board, while lunches are usually taken at local restaurants, Prices for a sixenight trip cost €11,720 for two people, including all meals, escorted excursions and transfers. Tel: (Fr) 6 68 87 85 99 bargesaraphina.com es aventuves Ae Sevaette esc ue Ary TRC eee Cora ea a hexttriptoFrancewith thethreepiece _‘tyouknow the chateauthat Sergetteis visting, send the answer, lus yournameand case-packing organiser from GoTravel Thesethasasmall,mediumandlarge _(nakedwinescom).Deadline for entries is May 2017 ag, ensuring that alltypes of clothes stay lean and rease-tree (£9.99, gotravelproducts.com/uk) address, to editorial@francemag.com or write us apostcard (address on page 6) and you ould win acase of three French wines (worth total of £3797) courtesy of Naked Wines, FRANCE MAGAZINE 21Contvibutov INSIDER TIP ON FRANCE If you take your car to France and have a GPS that can detect speed came sure to a fine of €2000 Mark Stratton, Chagford, Devon ara DID YOU KNO a TMT) oe Pe uy Pec eul Teac Read all about it... Discover all thatthe north-west Francehasto offer with the Updated DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Kindersley. £20. The bookis, packedwthitineraries and see highlights insights into the region’srichhistory ‘and-culture,and detailed catyand area maps. 22 FRANCE MAGAZINE PARIS MUSEUM'S €5.7m PLANS MAKE A FASHION STATEMENT The Palais Galler in Paris Istobecome France's first permanent fashion ‘museum, ater plans were announced tobuildnew exhibition rooms to display itshuge collection. Unti now, the museum, housed ina Renaissance-inspired palaceinthe 6th arrondissement, has staged only temporary shows. The €57 million projec, hich is due to be finished in 2019, is being sponsored exclusively by the Chanel fashion house in partnership with the city council The Salles Gabrielle Chanel (named after the company’s founder) will take up a 7.21 sq ft space inthe basement and chronicle the history of fashion from the 18th century to the present day Plans include a bookshop and a workshop where classes will take place. A'SUR LE WEB Ouruide to websites that canhelp your Frenchholiday plans Temporary exhib ‘ground floor. contain 200,000 including clothes, ‘and graphic art said: “The House ‘Anyone laoking for insider kr \yof Nice ahead o atrip tothe Rvierashould ickonto bestofniceblog.com, a website that helps vistors to get the most out of ther vst Descrited as an irreverent insider’ guide, the website and blog were designed by ‘American expatriate Alison Coe, who moved from Hawaii to Nice in the late 1990s, Coe jokes that the variety of information comes from reading the Nice-Matin newspaper ‘every day, which has earned her the reputation among friends as the ‘goo gal for lacal nev The website covers everything from the. best budget restaurants and mast eccentric Js to a round-up of the Céte dAzur pital's buzzing rightfe, A month-by-manth, Ist of events ranges from the world-famous wedge onthe continue to be held on the The museum's archives ‘accessories, photographs CChane'’s president of fashion Bruno Pavlovsky is delighted to promote Paris, the international fashion capital, and in tions will particular to support the Palais Galiera by making its exceptional collections ‘accessible to all” ‘The mayor, Anne Hidalgo, said the city was proud to be able to open such an exceptional space to Parisians and visitors from allover the world. "thank the House of ‘Chanel for proving once ‘again that Paris is the home of fashion: pieces ‘of Chanel carnival and jaz festival to the Nice ironman ‘competition and local processions. You also 0p ikea local and 2 guide to the openrair markets such as Cours Saleva Casting its net wider, bestofniceblog.com features a ‘miscellaneous’ section which tives more general guidance about holidaying in France. Articles include hoy Use a French launderette find the best ‘mobile calls and internet data packages, and change money, get tips on how toREADY TO GO OUT OF THE SHADOWS See Paris in a new light with writer-photographer Clive Branson's stunning monochrome images modernity. Itwas here that a modern sculpeure caught my attention as I tried to frame the contemporary style of the complex in the background, with its sliced, ‘halfdome’ effec. The seulpeure elevates your view upwards, representing, the attitude of La Défense that only the sky isthe limit ro ‘our ambitions ‘The La Defense business district is Paris's centrefold of > > Shot from the serrated like top of Nétre-Dame Cathedral, this image cries cout Paris’ with is Haussmann urban architecture and a claustrophobic grip that tightens both physically and, sometimes, mentally. Beneath the canopy of rooftops, the city drops its guard: clothes lines seem to float above an array of flower pots framed by rickety drainpipes and ‘wooden shutters Twas attending a retrospective exhibition of fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelies's work at Le Petit Palais. Instead of making myself obvious with a camera indoors, I walked around to the galler with the right postu shot also shows simultaneously what the museum looks like from the outside and the inside " FRANCE MAGAZINE 23C'est qui? Every month we cast a spatlight on 2 figure making the healines Name: Bruno — Leroux Occupation: Former French Minister of the Interior. Tellme more: Socialist poltcian Bruno Le Roux resigned.as Minister of the Interior after the financial prosecutor'soffice opened an inquiry into reports that he employed his two teenage daughters as parliamentary assistants during the schoo! holidays. Le Roux admitted giving his ‘daughters 24 short-term contracts from 2009 to 2016, paying them £€55,000 of public money, He denied ‘any wrongdoing, insisting that their roles were legitimate. However, he resigned after just three months in the job as he did not want the investigation to “undermine the work of the government” The St-year old, who was born in Genneviliers in north-west Pari, has had several significant political Toles in the past three decades. He held official positions in the Part Socialiste from his early 20s and ‘was mayor of Epinay-sur-Seine from 1995-2001. He was the party's vice-president and spokesman in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2012 before succeeding Jean Mare Ayrault a its president. Le Roux was appointed Minister of the interior only last December, as part of a government reshulfle that followed Prime Minister Manuel Valls's resignation to fight for the Parti Socialiste's candidacy in the presidential race. Valls was defeated by Benoit Hamon in the primary election head-to-head Le Roux’s successor isa former trade minister, Mathias Fekl 24 FRANCE MAGAZINE Bove: rime Minister Theresa May with Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission TOUGH TALKING AHEAD AS BREXIT COMES CLOSER he UK was due to formally begin divorce proceedings with the European Union as FRANCE Magazine went to press. Prime Minister Theresa May was invoking article 50 of the Lishon Treaty cof 2007, paving the way for two years of rough negotiations that will change the face of Europe. The other 27 m« being sent draft negotiating guidelines and talks were expected to begin by June. Political analysts predic that the negotiations will be the most complex the UK has faced since World War I. ‘The country joined ‘what was then the European Economic ‘Community in 1973. The Prime Minister said the government was seeking “a deal that works for every nber states were nation of the UK and a new, prosperous partnership between the UK and our friends in the European Union.” High on the agenda ate Britain's contribution co the EU budget — with some reports suggesting that it could be faced with a €50 billion “divorce bill ~ immigration and trade. However, many other issues are set 0 come into play, with some likely to affect travel to the EU. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which provides travellers with free oF reduced-cost medical treatment in other participating countries, ‘could be scrapped if the UK severs tes with the wider European Economic Area, which is behind the EHIC initiative, The EEA allows for the free movement of people in member states, one of the agreements from which Britain is set to withdraw if the Prime Minister achieves the hard Brexi chat she has spoken about. Michael Peter, managing director of MPI Insurance ids “If we se the EHIC, premiums will, increase significantly Underwriters would be faced with footing the whole bill for medical treatment, rather than having 1 proportion of ie paid by the EHIC system, and many ma simply decide to withdraw from the market altogether.” Other possible consequences of Brexit include longer waiting times at airports due to changes in passport control, and increased roaming charges for UK mobile phone users travelling to the EU. AUK Government spokesman sai “Ar every step ofthese negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible ‘outcome for the people of the United Kingdom, including those travelling to and living in EU countries.”Vélib’ overhaul means lighter bikes in capital The popular Vélib’ bicycle rental system in Paris is being overhauled, with the introduction of a new fleet. City bosses ‘want the bikes to be lighter, with at least 30 per cent using electric power Since is launch in 2007, the scheme hhas been run by JCDecaux, but the _mult-million-euro contract is now up for renewal, The advertising giant, which has the backing of Paris transport operator RATP and national railway company SNCF, has suggested using bikes with a battery pack, FRANCE Magazine hhad another successful year at the French Travel Media Awards in London, Writer and. photographer Rudolph Abraham (pictured) won the Best Cultural Feature prize for Designs om Dinosaurs (UK October, isue 217), about a prehistoric dig in Charente that was being chronicled in a comic-trip book, Mark Stratton was nominated in the same category. Rudolph said: “Winning this award was fantastic news for me ~ it was a piece [realy enjoyed writing, involving several [A eval bid has come from Montpellier based start-up company Smoove, which ‘operates sin cities. It has promised to link bikes to the capital's Navigo travel pass system. ‘A report last year estimated that Velib’ costs the city up to €15 million a year, ‘one-third of which is spent on maintenance and repairing vandalised bikes. ‘A decision on the contract is due in May and the new bikes will be on the streets by the end of the yea. lar rental schemes in 12 French days spent with old friends our in the sun and digging for dinosaurs, not to mention tasting some phenomenal, 40-year-old Pines Eight awards were presented at the ‘ceremony at the OXO2 events venue on the South Bank. FRANCE Magazine received two nominations in the Sport 8 Activity category (For Judy Armstrong and Daniel Elkan), while Editor Lara Dunn was nominated for Best City Break feature Shortiss of between four and six were selected for each category and the winners were decided by UK readers on the Atout France tourist organisation's Facebook page. ddes Charente.” READY TO GO “The domed newspaper kiosks that have gracedithe streets of Paris since the 1860s have begunto be replaced. The new model first picture) retains the forest-green colour of the original second picture) but offers more space, better lighting and heating, and the chance for customers ta step inside ‘and browse, The kiosk was created by French industrial designer MataliCrasset using recycled glass ‘and aluminium, ‘The plans caused uproar ‘when they were unveiled last ‘summer, with heritage groups ‘and architectural experts criticising the ‘sardine can’ design. More than 58,000 people signed petition caling for the originals to be retained, Supporters of the new design say it will benefit vendors and ‘consumers, “In the old kiosks, 90 per cent of the merchandise was not accessible to the customer" said Jean-Paul ‘Abonnenc, of Médiakiosk, ‘Which installs and manages news-stands across France. The 2Ist-century versions ‘offer more services including ‘online ticketing sales, diotal screens and charging ports for ‘smartphones, The operator can also have a tollet installed. ‘Around 360 of the original kiosks will be replaced by June 2019 at an estimated cost of £€52.4 milion, with another 40 being renovated. FRANCE MAGAZINE 25TRAVEL NEWSROUTE PLANNER Plan your journey to France with our handy map and directory ‘Brtay Fees Serono 89 7300 titarerescouk conde Fries ‘ero3a5 609 024 ansorerescouk FDS Seamays seanayscouk an Fesies “Tee ROD 818 300400 istverescom ‘mvncompletefrances ‘roneo 20 0020 otenescam ‘tena Line ‘et Ron 907 ses raw. Eerostar Ter0345 29 66 cuca xrotunne Ter 0804 935 595 cuctinelcon | com Voyagessneteom yetobaaaiscese voyager snc RUNES Ber Lng 18.0880 5000 senegscon AicFonce 1: 0807 660 0897 rencecouk Aurion Ar Services ‘ar et22 886 saiycom rouse S69 200 hela raion mono 33798 tmregenaicom Brtish Aways e084 SOT sastoinayscam SOS a a iyetcoms exsyset erb280 365 5000 essyetce Fy Kiss roam ter se2207 acm monzeh trons ars rronwencoue READY TO GO. Nerwesian Teronpezs oes orwegancom Ayana ‘ar08 246 0000 Sis int. ie Tan Airways 0279680 616 FRANCE MAGAZINE 27“RoaaTR Starting in picturesque Montreuil-Bellay, travel through the scenic heartland of France south of the Loire Valley DAY ONE Searing a evad wip a locaton as glorious as Montreuil Belly, south of Saumur, may easily pt paid o any farther progres. Charming, winding sets often play host 0 anges markets but if that is no enough 0 tempt you, then there isthe toes beautiful chiteau, The look is predominantly 1S¢h-century, but the complete, and looms above the River “Thou, ela pee pene spo If you ean tae yourself away, the road Soon takes you fom the Maine Loire département into Deve Ses, where the town of Thouars welcomes 28 FRANCE MAGAZINE you with its dramatic river gorge location, the towering castle of the Dukes of La Trémoille and the recently renovated Romanesque church of Saint Médard, Pause for lunch at one of the restaurants on Place Médard, such as the Trait d'Union (menus from €12, letraitdunion-restaurant.com) before heading for the open fields to the south-east. Blink and you might miss it, but just outside the village of Taizé are no fewer than nine megalithic sites, with tombs and a burial mound, which are ‘well worth a quick stop and a leg stretch, Take the small D145, and Saint- Généroux soon reveals is compact charms, complete with convent rains and a Roman bridge over the River Thouet. Heading east, drive past the impressive eh-century abbey church at Saint: JJouin-de-Marnes, with seemingly endless skies hanging over the open countryside. Turn off towards Moncontour and make your way through the stunning, Vallée de la Dive for a brief dip into LEFT: The Roman bridge over the River Thouet at Gourgé; BELOW: The chiteau at Nontreui- Belay took fur centuries to finish Montreuil-Bellay non Tews? Srcteten Saint-Loup-Lamairé the Vienne département and a visit to this attractive vllage’s big attraction. The Lith-century donjon (castle keep) was built by Count of Anjou Foulgue Nerra, ‘who was well-known for his Loire Valley constructions. Giving excellent views of the surrounding landscapes, the largely ruined rower isa pleasant place for a wander, whatever the weather. Passing through the commune of ‘Marnes, the rural D144 leads back towards Airvault. The marker hall was builtin the 19¢h century on the site of a similar construction from the Middle Ages and bustles with lfe every Saturday. From Airvaul, follow the meandering course of the River Thouet through Louin and on to Saint-Loup-Lamairé. ‘The village stages an annwal art weekend = the 22nd festival will take place from 24-25 June this year ~ and also offers beautiful walks, eyce rides, and canoeing and kayaking on the river, The local goat's cheese is excellent Stay the night atthe Chiteat de Saint-Loup (doubles from €125, chateaudesaint-loup.com) or the Relais ddu Chapeau Rouge (rooms from €49, lerelaisduchapeaurouge-fe), which also serves delicious and good-value food (menus from €23). DAY TW Leaving Saint-Loup, head for Gourgé to. cross hack over the Rive Thou, looking tothe kt ose the village's orignal Roman bridge before passing through the open countryside, keeping an eye out for wit der hares and herons. Make your way through Thevezay, before reaching medieval Mireben,ABOVE: The castle at Chinon overlooks the River Vine; RIGHT: The Tticentuy ‘new town of Richelieu back in Vienne. The town is famed for the shaggy, generously eared Poitou sd of donkey and the Musée du Haut-Poitou, which displays hundreds of ‘objects related to farming and everyday life from the 12th to the 20th centuries Heading north-cast, top at the ‘moated Renaissance chateau of Coussay and enjoy the gentle agricultural and ‘wooded landscapes that you pass through before reaching the village of Monts-sur-Guesnes on the highest point of the Loudunais plain, Pause here for a tour of the 1Sth-century chateau with, its sculpted frieze of hunting scenes and impressive Gothic-style north facade before continuing northwards, 0 pass through prety little villages replete with sunflower fields Follow the D7 until it tips over into Indre-et- Loire and becomes the D22, and make your way to Richelieu for a relaxed lunch on the elegant Place du Marché at the Brasserie le Richeliew (tel: (Fe) 2.47 58 10 10), Spend the early afternoon exploring this architecturally superb town, designed in the 17th century as a coherent whole to reflect the stature ofthe king's chief ‘minister, Cardinal Richel Although the cardinal’s grand palace was plundered and damaged during the Revolution, before eventually being torn ddown, the park and gardens sil reflect the grandeur and opulence of the residence that once occupied them. ‘The town is compact enough to wander around and offers plenty of chic shopping opportunites Once you have passed through the impressive city gates, the countryside soon becomes more heavily wooded, before spilling out into the almost ‘gorge-like valley of the River Vienne. A short detour across the bridge to Chinon delivers dividends to the visitor, with plenty of cafés and restaurants, as well as the impressive chateau, The castle was once owned by the English king Henry Il and in 1429 played host to the teenage Joan of Arc during her talks with the future Charles VI. Chinon is justifiably known for its red wines, which definitely deserve some affection from any non-driving, passengers, or better still, take advantage of one of the many hotels andl experience the town's delights more thoroughly A walking tour is an excellent way to do this, while boat trips ae available for a different point of view. Vineyard tours are also popular in the area. The town is a good place to end a short road trip or an excellent gateway to a longer foray along the Loire Valley itself, with gracious Saumue just a short journey away Lara Dunn GETTING THERE: Take the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen or Le Havre, 1a 3he-4he drive from Montreuil-Bellay (tel: 0830 159 7000, brtanyferies. co.uk); Alternatively, fly into Angers, Tours oF Poitiers and hire a cat. All ehe airports are less than thr 15min from Montreuil Bellay, with Angers being the closest. (See page 27 for more travel information), TOURIST INFORMATION: poitou-charentes-vacances.com, tourisme-vienne.com, @ Enjoy this article? Tell us where you ‘would like your road trip to be and we'll plan iein cditorial@francemag.com future edition. Email FRANCE MAGAZINE 29ae Vaueluse €262,500 Aude €667,800 Finistére €1,365,000 Ref 73037 Restored stone bully} Ref-76I4 Fantastic bed /Sbath Ref. 48284 Superb I7IhC renovated bed vilage house offering many org house with pool sated inan excli-_mancir comprising sx ge with 2 ral features, wo terraces and garden. sive suburb with excellent views wal of 20 bedrooms and over [Ha Tarn et Garonne €349,800 Lot €625,000 Lot €450,000 Ret S6045 Interesting 7bed/2bath Ref62248 Magnificent stone prop- Ret 72699 Impressive BAB bordering property requiring modernisation, Set erty na wonderful location with 4 the river Lot, comprising 5 ensuites In 13H of grounds with outbuldings. ensuite bedrooms, pool and over 2Ha, _ plus owners accommodation. 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SHARON'S STORY FRENCH COUNTRY LIFE ‘When we moved, we knew that having more space as a family was going to be a big plus, but we hadn't realised how being surrounded by beautiful countryside would affect our day-to-day lives. ‘Waking up to the view over our wood sil lifts my spirits daly; ames loves being able to take off on his mountain bike straight from the back garden and the kids run and play freely without a care Why we love and enjoy having more space + We let the kids roam free — their imaginations run wild! * We all spend more time outside enjoying the clean fresh, country air + Being surrounded by nature and wildlife feels so good + Stress leve's have reduced and we feel more relaxed WE CAN HELP Leggett are always looking to recruit new sales agents, so if you are looking for a job in France, drop us a line, and we can help with that too! 00 800 2534 4388 recruitment@leggett.frhere isa rush on light bulbs ‘on the Riviera this month; in ‘ular, the kind of giant, intensity ones that will shine out over the Mediterranean and spell the word ‘Cannes’ ~ a homage to the famous sign looming over Tinsel Town from the Hollywood Hills. The reason? This year marks the 70th running, of the world’s most famous film festival Cannes has enjoyed a frisson of Hollywood glamour as host co the cinema world’s comerstone event since its launch just after World War Il. The red carpet is permanently rolled out in front of the Palais des Festivals et des Congres, just off the Boulevard de Croiserte, and the festival attracts global ‘media interest. Cannes may have provided the backdrop to Meg Ryan's French Kiss and Rowan Atkinson's Mr Bean’s Holiday bur, during the festival, i is very much the leading lady ‘The first official Incernational Film Festival in Cannes opened on 20 September 1946, after an earlier event, in 1939, had been abandoned due to the outbreak of war. It moved permanently to May in 1952 and soon established itself as the go-to event for the stars of cinema’s golden age, with Kirk Douglas, Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida among early celebrity arrivals. Todlay, the Festival de Cannes isa huge boasiness event for film professionals, with an annual budget of around €20 million, and generates some €80 milion for the ind wider region, The resorts 70,000 population almost doubles as 50,000 movers and shakers come to the Cote d’Azur, this year from 17-28 May. Insider secrets “The festival brings a special ambience to Cannes,” says Claire-Anne Reix, president of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrés. “But, for the organisers, it's a 12-day marathon. For example, for every headline screening, we arrange a rehearsal in the early hours of the previous night.” ‘The majority of the 1,000-0r-s0 festival screenings and events are effectively closed to the public ~ itis an invitation-only affair with a few lucky locals picking up tickets through a council-run lottery. For the average FRANCE MAGAZINE 37passengers can jump off, collect the pine ‘cones and jump back on,” Philippe says, hopping his bike effortlessly over the rails. “But, eally, the name is because the pine cones were used to start the fires for the steam engines. Clinging to the whippet tails, we charge across a golf course (right of way _g0es to the players), lit through a forest ‘ross the braided River Bléone and glide into the pretty village of Mallemoisson Sébastien scuffs his tyres against sandy soil: “You see, even here we are never far from the beach.” Philippe suggests a coffee stop, but Sébastien has other ideas. “In Mirabeau, there is a bistrot de pays with a beautiful terraces its not far and you will love i,” he promises. We ride on, past a Provencal donkey with a dark cross on its back, to the 17ch-century Chateau de Mirabeau, One corner is occupied, the rest is near-drelict but vestiges of past glories remain, A large hollow was once a reservoir for a water-ducting system that fed the chateau; in the cellar of a vaulted outbuil ng was a glacier, where temperatures were low enough to preserve ice. “There was a big fire in 1934 which destroyed the roof; before 38 FRANCE MAGAZINE that, there were very fine rooms and Sébastien sadly from here, and Mirabeau isn't Bistro lEstanquet is welcoming as promised. Serge Care, the village mayor, joins us: handily, his office is next door. “This was the school; now itis the town hall and a restaurant, and it is very popular,” he says, raising his glass in toast. Indeed, itis quite the entertainment hub, with live music in the bistro and a tiny open-air library in the car park, Serge tells us more about the chateau, and the plans for offering accommodation in this old school. lean feel his pride for the places in fact, the passion from all three men is contagious. Peaks and ridges Ics rempring to relax in the sunshine with Serge, but itis time to roll. As we Fide across open hillside, Philippe points ‘out peaks and ridges all around, “There are thre reasons that villages are perched on high ground here,” he says. “For defence and security, to avoid the devastation of water caused by deluge of rain, and to leave the lower valleys fee for agriculture.” We climb steadily tothe Col des Pénitents, named after the Pénitents des Mées in the valley below the shutfle of tall, narrow rocks, more than 100 metres high, represents the monks of the Lure mountain who wee, literally, petrified by Saint Donat during the Saracen invasions as punishment for falling in love with the young women whom a feudal lord had broughe back from a crusade. Reward for this effort is a swooping, swirling ride down a narrow track that bounces us on to the shores of the River Durance. T ornitholo isis the L"Escale important stop for migrating birds and home to more than 140 species. L'Escale was a majorriver port in the Gallo-Roman period, when the Durance was still navigable Now itis a quiet town linked to Volonne by the Tour di that creates a circular walking tral via ‘Chiteau-Amoux-Saint-Auban on the other side of the river. “The chateau here is imposing. Built between 1510 and 1530, it has four rowers (round to the west and square to the east), mullioned windows, gargoyles and glazed roof tiles. It now houses the town hall and makes terrific eye-candy from the Philippe and Sébastien grin and leave us 10 our cold beers: playtime is over, and Sébastien is late for a meeting in the local Lac, a waterside path nar terrace across the road, tourist office Before leaving, they wax lyrical about the next day's tals. Technical and steep, with long ascents and drops... my hhusband Duncan and I nod and agree about not missing a y of the two-wheel Drystone artwork, In the form ofa traditional bori, near Les Chabannes; nol olive tree and Provencal stone shed above Forcalquer; Christan and Patricia Arriert of the Fontaine Newve with ‘their young Comtos horses; The market square ‘and Gothic cathedral in Forcalguler treasures, then swiftly mark the map with large crosses: chey may be capable, but it s beyond our stamina, Instead, we cherry-pick our trails through the Chateau-Amoux forests. ‘They are fantasti, buile by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers. Climbs are well graded and descents are ewisty and smooth, a highlight of the journey. We ‘enjoy a gentle ride up the Via Domsitia Roman road, peek at the 11th-century Chapelle Saint-Donat, and gasp at an ‘enormous expanse of solar panels where once cattle grazed. But we cut out the massive climb to the summit of Tordeaus. that Philippe implored us to visit - “You ccan see all the way to Mont Ventoux!” ~ and slide to a halt in the village of Mallefougasse-Augs. ‘The temperature is intense, so Lam relieved to find a small plaza, where I lunge forthe shade of an olive tre. Lean see a lofty belhtower, flower boxes and biscuit-hued houses linked by archways lover narrow streets. There is one sign of life: a man wearing a heavy jumper and woollen har pulled low over his ears. Lam gratified to see he has pushed up his sleeves in concession to the baking heat. Cruis, a few kilometres further, is one of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence’s 12 tillages et cités de caractore immaculate huddles of honey-coloured stone, famed for their charm and architecture. Overshadowed HAUTE-PROVENCE, by the whaleback of the Montagne de Lure, men play pétangue, and a fountain bubbles, bur there is no bar, so we cruise a lice further o our night's halt. Fontaine Neuve is the Provencal dream. A white stone farmhouse with pale blue shutters, it has two courtyards with fig trees and vines, lower pots and a shaggy dog. Patricia and Christian Arribert, and their son Romain, moved here from Vercors in 2014, chasing the ‘warm, dry climate for Christian's arthritis, They have they farm organically, including special Villard-de-Lans cattle brought from the Vercors plateau. Everything is organic, even the cold beer that Christian serves, us, and the grapes he picks from the vine above the front door. “These are muscat, 10 hectares which sweet and wonderful, please help yourselves,” he beams. “The welcome is heartfelt, the silence complet. In the evening, before Patricia serves a remarkable meal including steak from their cattle, we sit under a with a chilled glass of rosé, absorbing the view of countryside dotted with ‘medieval towers, vines and sunflowers It feels like paradise After a breakfast of freshly baked Temon cakes, jams of wild rose, apricot and courgerte, home-made bread and just gathered eggs, we wander with Patricia to meet Christian, the catth their two young Comtois horses. (Christian scratches the beast’ foreheads and and untangles the blonde manes of half-sisters Cheyenne and Fol Although we have been here less than 24 hours, we feel so at home that leaving is emotional, We hug Patricia and vow to return in winter, when a fire will be roaring in the vast chimney of the double-height sitting room, and the whirlpool bath will have our names on it “Winter is dry and crisp,” says Patricia “Ie almost never rains, it's a wonder anything grows at al.” ‘We fill water bottles from the nati source in the courtyard and reluctantly FRANCE MAGAZINE 39climb away from the litle farm: up through quiet Cruis, to a track that scratches across the flanks of Montagne de Lure, up through forest coward the bald, white summit. But we stop well before the top, ro descend past beehives and a view of hills layering to mountains, folded by valleys. The track drops into Saint-Frienne-les-Orgues, where a shady square is lined with cafés. We stop for coffee, ust to be part of the village ‘morning: men sit at the bar reading newspapers, women sip espresso on the terraces. It isa typical French scene, and wwe delight in being part of it, ur destination, not too distant, is Forealquier. The route traverses a forest, abbey and, near the hamlet of Fontienne, a square of pétanque courts large enough to land a jet. Montagne de Lure dominates the landscape as we navigate around a hillside — until we emerge on the fa side, into a surreal scene, ‘Where the forest stops and the land falls away, a tenement of limestone rowers stands, Some sprout like ‘mushrooms, others form archways or link to pale neighbours. Dusty trails join the dots; i is a stone jigsaw on a gigantic scale. This is Les Mourres, the last vestiges of a sea bed, eroded by time and weather into fabulous forms. We wander around the site fora long time, before leaping back on to the bikes for the descent to Forcalquier Weekly extravaganza “The tal lands usin the centre of town, straight into Place du Bourguet. A smal food market isin progess, with jovial aqusves for bread, icecream and pice, alongside stall selling wicker baskets, local wine and goat's cheese. tis a minor sibling of Forcalgoie’s famous weekly extravaganza, which fills dhe squares and serects every Monday. ‘After checking into our hotel, we explore the rown, With ts rots in Roman history, Forcalaierspravels around a conical ill rowed by an octagonal chapel on the ste of 4 medieval citadel. We wander narrow alleys, passa garden where a sgn begs us buildings with strange, offset windows, and finally stop in Place Saint Michel, the oldest part of town. Ast is that time, we oin locas for an apéro ata pavement caf. feels 40 FRANCE MAGAZINE bohemian and peaceful, with an exquisite Renaissance fountain as centrepiece. Restaurants have menus chalked on blackboards, and candles flicker on tables itis a fabulous place to spend our last evening before journey’s end. The ultimate day of cycling is as varied and absorbing as all that went before. Soon after leaving Forcalquier, ‘we pass a graceful viaduct, restored stone bechivedlike structures known as bories, and olive groves sprouting from rocky hillsides. On a steep section we meet ‘a walker on a switchback and both he and we vacate the narrow path, then laugh at how eager we all are to share, In the hamlet of Ybourgues, inside the Luberon regional park, I nearly collide ‘with a woman carrying shopping. apologise and attempt to accelerate out cof her way. “Please don’t push yourself,” ‘BELOW: A restored stone house Inthe hamlet of Yoourgues, west of Forcalquier; RIGHT: The village of Saint-Michel+ Observatoire; FACING PAGE: Hives witha view onthe lower flanks of the Montagne de Lure MMA. ia ng ROO ed et baa Wise dact she calls, “nothing is ever that urgent!” ‘More friendly faces greet us in Saint “Michel Observatoire, a picturesque village backed by the shining domes of the Haute-Provence Observatory. AA yellow-painted restaurant has finished ‘with lunch service, but staff rush to bring, us cold water as we rest under a nearby tree. These brief moments effortlessly illustrate the friendly weleome that has been such a feature ofthis journey. Sill ehe contrasts come: we ride cross-country over sharp white stones, past dry water courses and gnarled olive tees; then snatch a glimpse of Forcalquicr’s citadel hill, We have been cycling for five hours, yet itis only ten rekilometres away as the heron flies. For the las time we turn our back on this view, on the Montagne de Lure that has dominated the landscape for the past three days. Its time to climb through the forest of Pelissier, to the Col de la Mort d’Imbert, Ahead is the medieval walled city of Manosque, guarded by Mont d'Or with ‘ipesde-Haute-Provence {beautiful from the ground, and even more spectacular from te ar. Walkers, cyclists or anyone enjoying the outdoors hee wil at some point, hear a ghostly noise ike wind in sll high above their heads. the look up they see aide, sim and white, Planing trough the sky, often using a mountain ridge fori any wil have taken off rom Chateau Armoux-SaintAubai, home to Frances rational gliding centre. The weather here is sorelable that Le Centre National de Vol & Vol atthe town's ified, boasts 280, ling days a year. Fights and courses. its crumbling tower, the last vestige of a thousand-year-old chateau, Behind us lie 300 kilometres of mountain bike trails, nearly 10,000 metres of climbing, 11 days’ riding and encounters with people and landscapes that will stay with us forever. Yet the last dash down the final hill still has space to surprise, with a three-storey tower-hotel for pigeons, (solo or tandem) are available from March to ‘September, with lights from €15 ina dragged traditional lider, o€160 over the Gorges du Verdon na motorised oer (valdedurance- tourisme.com/sport nature ot. htm). Paraglders~ where a pilot sis in ‘ahamess below a large, colourful wing launched from a mountainside are also common sight inthe pristine ble, Provencal skies. Tandem fights are easy to arrange via tourist offices (aies-haute-provencecom/ parapente). It is s close to being a bird, as you will ever get: sitting n a harness, with clear ar below your fet yng silence is ‘a memory that wil tay with you forever. HAUTE-PROVENCE well built into a bore, and signs for .géomethane advising: ‘If you hear a sudden loud noise like a jet plane, leave the area immediately’ As is often the case, arrival at our destination seems an anticlimax. But thar evening we watch the sunset blaze pink and orange around Mont ¢’Or as ‘our chambre d’hate hostess Carmen Bergereti talks softly of its history, of Saracen attacks and tunnels built berween chiteau and town for safe passage of townsfolk. As we listen, the moon rises and Provence is bathed in a pale glow It's the same moon that shines on the ol de Larche, on Saine-Ouss and Barcelonnette, on Digne-les-Bains and Cruis, Patricia and Christian, Philippe and Sébastien are probably watching the same scene and suddenly the whole adventure becomes one, continuous, line. I think of our breakfast server back in Le Lauzet-Ubay on the frst leg of our journey, who said: “Really, it would be so much easier in a car.” and she was absolutely right. But it wouldn't have been anywhere neat such a rich experience, and it wouldn’t have b half as mach fan, See page 42 for travel information. FRANCE MAGAZINE 41mm + YA ((@. on yourbike rom Digne-tesBains to Manosque GETTING THERE By road: Judy traveled with Eurotunne! (Fobestone-Caas. Crossings take 35 minutes, with upto four per hou, {om £76 per ca, long-stay rate (tel 08443 353 535, eurotunnel com) Calais to Dige-es-Bains is around "000k (10-thr driving. By ai: ly to Marseille, and then take the LER bus ne 2Bto Digne-es Bains via Manosque infovert). Bikes can be booked onto the bus for €650, although apparenty the driver may ‘refuse to tae them, GETTING AROUND ‘The EAlpes-Provence route is described (n French) in 7070 VI tinrance ‘Alpes-de-Haute-Provence {Ecitions VTope, Fr route information and pictures, Vist vtapes‘haute- provences,a blog by Philippe Leoutre, where you can also find aversion ofthe VTOPO in English Maps: IGN Topo 25: 3340, 3347, 33420T, WHERE TO STAY Hotel Vila Gaia 24 Route de Nice (04900 bignees-Bains Tek (Fr) 492 312160 hote-ilagaia-ignecom Small, famiy-run hotel, vere aperitif are served ona terrace bythe fountain, or by the fog fre in one ofthe lounges Excelent food cooked and served bythe onners. Demi pension €160-€190, fortwo people in a double oom. Picnic on request Hotel du Lac "Ale des Erables (04160 Chateau-Arnoux Tek: (F) 492 64 0432 hotellere-duac-04.com Simple hotel recently renovated, between the ‘main road andthe rive. Doubles from €53, breakfast €8. Pizzeria next oor, more restaurants within a fen minutes walk. Fontaine Neuve Route de Montlaux (04140 Montlar Tek: (F) 492 7519 02 fontaineneuve.com Renovated farmhouse on 1 20-ectare smalloldng, 1 minutes from the AST autoroute, Doubles from 58, evening meal including apertt, wine and digestif €28 iene on request ie leeeaaicd ‘TOURIST INFORMATION: alpeshaute-provence.com: ot-dignelesbains fr; haute-provence- tourisme.com; ville-manosquesr 442 FRANCE MAGAZINE ABOVE: A room overioking the pool and organic farm atthe Fontaine Newve near Cruis Le Grand Hatel 10 Boulevard Latourette Forcalquier Tek: (F) 492 7500 35 ‘randhote-oralquercom ‘worstar hotel on the busy main street (00k a room at the back. Friendly welcome, quet terrace in the gardens, good-value restaurant (evening menu 1850), Doubles from €57, breakfast 8. Le Relais, 174 Chemin du Relais ~ ‘uarter Sante Roustagne (04100 Manosque Tel (Fi) 682 83 6109 vil-manosquest/ot/ hebergementocai/ lerelis On the ise above Manosque, at the end of the mountain ike tra is Carmen’ lovely home with ‘wiming pool and shady terrace. She offers one oom, wbich is vitally ‘an apartment. Double with breakfast from 665, table hate on request, from €20 (open 1 April 030 Sept. WHERE TO EAT In addition to the hotels and gites already mentioned, try: Le Bleu Cerise 14 Place Général de Gaule (04000 Dign-ies Bains Tek (F) 492 32 3124 paysgourmandcom/ carte restaurants produits locaun/blevcerise Choose between the vaulted dining room or shady terrace with parasols at this cheerful restaurant, which offers exquisite and sophisticated food and service. Menus from €23 LLEstanquet sowenine 04510 Mirabeau Tel () 983 708397 One of France's bistrots pays: independent caférestaurants in small, vilages, open al yar. LEstanqut has a bright, airy salon and a glorious terrace with views, Food focuses on local producers: Thoard meats, Mirabeau goat's cheese fruits and vegetables grown within view ofthe kitchen, Lunch ‘menu €16, evening €22. ‘Aux Deux Anges 13 Place Saint-Michel (04300 Focalquier Tek (F) 492 7504 36 Fmiyun restaurant in the ol town. Very small and popular with locals (oservations essentia, due tothe warmest welcome, friendly service and classic Provencal cooking, Menu €16 50. Le Bouchon Catalan 21 Place du Tereau (04100 Manosque Tel (F) 492 793745 lebouchoncatalan- rmanosquefr ‘Smart gastronomic restaurant influenced by the cooking styles of Lyon and Japan (with the fish at least and ingredients of the Mediteranean. Fish and hearty meat dishes share equal bing Dinner ‘menus from €37, lunch menu €21, 2:READER COMPETITION A CYCLING HOLIDAY CYLLOMENDO IN PROVENCE FOR wun. cyclomundo.com 2 PEOPLE WITH This six-day self-guided bike tour CYCLOMUNDO allows you to explore the heart of Provence at a more challenging level than other tours of the region. Beginning at the foot of Mont-Ventoux and ending in Roussillon the six day itinerary features relatively short daily rides, allowing you to fully experience Provence rather than just see it as ‘you pass by. With options to climb legendary Mont Ventoux, or snake through the Gorges de la Nesque, some of these views will be your reward for pedalling all of those kilometres! Highlights include visits to some of Provence ‘most acclaimed wine-making towns (Vacquey Gigondas, Beaumes de Venise) and stops in several of France's “most beautiful” villages (Séguret, Gordes and Roussillon). Each night, you'll stay in comfortable, character-filed hotels set in utterly charming towns eRe neem nee tec oan Where does the cycling tour CIA era emacs ed sea ae Cece i fete)TRAVEL @ FOOD & WINE @ CULTURE FREE case of naked when you subscribe! Don't miss our great subscription offer. This month subscribe from just £30 and get a FREE case of Naked Wines worth £60! wines Subscribe for £30 by Direct Debit* or £35 for one year by credit or debit card, and you will receive OFFER DETAILS: 12 issues of FRANCE Magazine with FREE delivery Get 12 issues of FRANCE direct to your door each month. Magazine worth £47.88 Your FREE case of wine from Naked Wines will be delivered direct. And a case of Naked Wines to your door on a day convenient to you, or you can collect it from worth £60. Majestic Wines. Receive the wine yourself or gift ittoariend or | gui for just €30 - saving 37% relative - what a lovely surprise that would be. Your case will include three bottles of red wine and three bottles of white wine. Enjoy! SiarSUBSCRIPTION OFFER FIGEAC y | Heine ficou: (i ea ROD eriyae . reorient cil emer’ ea a Lue Coca ith aca ea rance has given the world more Nobel Prize in Literature laureates dl and the country is home to a rich literary heritage. Stories have been told from time immemorial in the many regional lang, the oldese surviving literary manuscripts es of France, but one of \written in old French, the root of the Fanguage spoken today, is the Chanson de Rola have been written in the 11th century, recounts the heroic deeds of a Frankish military leader at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in the Pyrénées In the 12th century, the quest for This epic poem, thought to courtly love and knightly honour prevailed, with tales of the legendary court of King Arthur being told by the likes of Chrétien de Troyes, who has been credited with creating the character of Lancelot The printing press, which arrived in France at the end of the 15th century was to change the way literature was consumed and distributed. In the Leth century, Renaissance writer and scholar Francois Rabelais's The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel gave us the voracious giant who even today lends his name to anything of enormous proportions. Renaissance poets including 46 FRANCE MAGAZINE Joachim du Bellay and Pierre de Ronsard founded the Plea le movement, which ar, favoured forms such as sonnets ‘odes, and shared a passion for securing the French language in literature. In the 17¢h century, while Louis XIV ‘was overseeing the creation of the palace at Versailles, Molitre and Racine were building upon the foundations of the French literary tradition. This was France's Grand Sidcle, when the country was the centre of the European stage and the Comédie-Frangaise was born In the 18th century, great thinkers such as Voltaire, Diderot and Rousseau shone brightly in the Age of Enlightenment, while Pierre Choderlos de Laclos caused 1 scandal with his tale of seduction and revenge in Les Liaisons Dan Meanwhile, the Marquis de Sade, one of France's most infamous libertines, caused a stir with his oeuvre, too; many of his erotic works were penned from the confines of prisons or asylums. The 19th century proved one of the most significant for French literature, perhaps unsurprisingly given the recent turmoil of the Revolution, France was finding a new order, Honoré de Balzac Do) Proust photographed In around 1900 ‘was making his name as one of the greatest novelists of all time, and the country produced some ofits most enduring stories and storytellers: Alexandre Dumas’s swashbuckling classic The Three Musketeers, Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables, les Verne’s und the World in Eighty Days and In the 20th century, Marcel Pagnol shared the scorching sunshine and rugged countryside of Provence with readers in novels including Le Chiteau dle Ma Mere, Manon des Sources and Jean de Florett Paris famously attracted writers and artists from across the world, in search of inspiration and recognition among the black-clad intellectuals and the billowing clouds of Gauloises smoke. They sipped coffee in such iconie places as the Café de Flore, where Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir talked and wrote, or drank something stronger in Brasserie Lipp, which reputedly served Marcel Proust, Albert Camus and Antoine de Saint Exupéry, author of Le Pe Visitors make the same pilgrimage today in search of lost time, or perhaps their own small pioce of France's enviableTHINGS TO SEE @ Maisc aris Honoré de Balzac livedinthis relatively unassuming house inthe téth arrondissement from1840t01847, where he edited his mut-volume work, LaComécie Humaine. Exhibits includeis desk, which Balzac deseribedas,"Witness tomy thoughts,my anxieties, my miseries, my distress, my joy, ‘everything Balzac’scoffee potisalso ondisplay-the author was great believerin the power of caffeine toboost his creative powers. Teb(Fr)15574.4180 maisondebalzac.paris.£r @ Maison de Jules Verne, Ami ‘Theadventure writer Jules Verne movedto Amiensat is Bal vnvncompletefrancec wife's request, andlived there for 34 years up tohis death in 1905, enjoying the town's proximity to Paris whl still being far enough away trom the capita’ “insupportable noiseand sterile agitation’. From1882to1900,helivedin the Maison la Tour, whichis ow amuseum dedicated to hislife and works. Tel:(F)32297 4040 ‘amiens.f/maison-jules-verne Oa Maison de te Léonie-Musé Marcel Proust, Ill Combra\ As achil Marcel Proust Spent the summer holidays at isaunt anduncle's house intheEureetLoire département. twashere thathewasgienthe petite mageeine the cake that woul trigger memories of childhood in is seven: volume novelin Search of Lost Time. The furnished house hasbeen preserved ‘and contains many objects, lettersand documents associated withthe author. TebiF)237243097 marcelproust.eu @ chateau de Monte Cristo, Le Port-Marly Alexandre Dumaspére was at theeight of hissuccess when hedecidedto build a Renaissance chateau overlooking the River Seine The chateau was namedafter hisnovel, The Count of Monte Crist, andcame with small gothiccastle-cum-wetng stucio Chateau c'). Work finishedin easbutjusttwo vyearslater, Dumas was forced to sellupatter running intodebt. The propertyisnow HISTORY TRAIL ‘amuseum commemorating histite Tel (F)1 3916.49.49 chateaumonte-criste.com O musée Jea la Fontaine The celebrated writer of fables, Jean dela Fontaine, was bornin this private mansioninthe historical Champagne region in 1621 He grew uphere,andfollowed his father to become Master ofthe National Forestry Commission. He sold the property in 676 and went to Parisinsearch oflterary success, Thehouse was transformedintoa museum in 1876 andincludes drawings, engravings andartefacts relating tothe fables. Tel (Fr) 323690560 rmusee-jean-de-le-ontainesr FRANCE MAGAZINE 47CTIVE pee IN AUVERGNE | A trip to two regional parks has Sophie Gardner-Roberts catching her breath in France's was flying. My eyes started to water as I gathered speed and the crisp forest air whipped my face. Suddenly, the ground fell away as emerged from the trees that cling to the ‘mountainside and entered a wide valley A glorious view unfolded before me Tlet outa ‘whoop’ of excitement and a litte fear as I looked down to see tiny, silver river some 100 metres below. Mist still clung to the dark green treetops and the dew-covered hills tlinted in the morning sunshine, Soon though, the fast-approaching ‘ground seemed dangerously close. Traced for impact but instead of the brutal stop I expected, the pulley system hie a brake mechanism and I slowed down, swinging gently. Two feet fimly bback on the ground, I looked back at the thie wire crossing the valley My travel companions and I had just taken the highest zip line in the Massif Central and we were all beaming, pumped with adrenalin Located in the Prabouré Mountain Leisure Resort, the Haute-Vallée zip line ‘erosses the Ance Valley. At 800 metres long and 110 metres high at its apex, i s easily the resorts most popular attraction, Prabouré les in the heart of the Livradois-Forez regional park in Auvergne and offers outdoor activities for all abilities. A small ski resort in the winter, it turns into an outdoor leisure resort once the tres have shed their snowy coats As well asthe giant zip lin, visitors can try mountain scooters, go-karts, 448 FRANCE MAGAZINE and of volcanoes slacklines and a thrilling via ferrata hike in the forest. Younger children ean enjoy pony rides, t castles, as well as trying their own ‘miniature zip line, ‘My group and I gathered our ‘emotions and readjusted harnesses after the zip line, before setting off down narrow walking trail towards the sound of rushing water. Our guide was the head of the resort, Frangois Philibert, who showed us the start of the sure hunts and bouncy via ferrata and scrambling route about to tackle a cableassisted climbing that we were Safety harness Inn effort to attract more visitors the park decided to invest ina safety system called ‘ligne de vie continue’. Here, unlike on most traditional via ferratas, ‘once participants hook their harness fon tothe thick wire atthe start of a climbing section, they cannot detach themselves forthe duration of the path. “We were the second via ferrata to get this system in France,” Francois, tells us, “it was quite rare when we first started and it appealed to parents who wanted their children to be safe while they enjoy these kinds of activities.” ‘The system, co-financed by the European Union, makes it impossible for participants to fall off ehe platforms, MAIN PICTURE: The Chane des Puys range with the crate of the Puy du Prion the foreground; INSET: A rope bridge across the River Ance in the Prabouré Mountain Leisure Resortnaan aa Bolstered by this knowledge, our ‘group began to ascend the via ferrata, which consisted ofa trail of metal footholds bolted into the rock that enabled us to climb along the face of the large boulders. It was more physical than it looked and we soon fel silent in order 10 concentrate on stepping carefully on the footholds, which were sometimes nothing more than robust sticking out of the rock. After the frst ine staples e crossed the River Ance by using an impressive rope bridge. The rest of the morning was spent walking on paths ehat dag deep into WUT Net eee Se ee forest, and scrambling over huge boulders on via ferrata sections. Some of the wired sections peo to be more challengi climbed vertical walls steps got smaller, The air was cool and silent, and rays of sunlight slanted down between the tree, illuminating the mist and water drops. Ie w ‘We were faced with two options for the final climb: a normal, easy ending oF a path called ‘pour les costauds’ (for the Most of us opted for the beautiful latter and quickly reg it when our See eee Cent Dee Sayan Coos ‘muscles sereamed in protest as we hoisted our entire body weight up 1 protruding rock which left no foothold for our legs to push ‘on, The final walk in the forest was , offering breathtaking scenes of sunlight pouring through the branches, illuminating the carpet of rust coloure s coating the ground, Exhausted but elated, we waved we had goodbye to Francois, feeling th experienced something deep-rooted in Auvergne’s culture: a sense of adventureCLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Guide Bertrand Goimard on te hike near Le Mont-Dore; The LUvradois-Forez regional park bathed in ight; Sophie prepares to tackle the ‘forthe tough ‘ones! path onthe via ferrata; The dinosaur park at Vulcana; mountain biking in the Ambert-Crétes du Forez resort (Our Auvergne adventures had begun the previous day, which was dedicated to ‘mountain biking, Fortunately, the bikes were electrically assisted, which proved extremely helpful on the steep slopes ‘Accompanied by Thomas Barth director of the syndicate of Amber. Crétes du Fores within the Livradois another outdoor resort ‘rez park, we had set off in a light drizzle to explore the forests above the town of Ambert. Having never ridden an e-bike before, Twas delighted to be able to speed off on the lat paths atthe beginnin ‘in slipped as we entered the woods. Thrilling ride T would like to say that the muddy and slipper inability to manoeuvre the bike uphill but, as Iwas struggling up a path, ‘Thomas rode past gracefully, unperturbed and smiling. “The trick isto lean forward when you go uphill, ro not stop pedalling and to avoid the roots!” he laughed. Easier said than done. Siil, the ride was thrilling and ‘occasionally hilarious as the whole group appeared to be strugeling with the bikes. We had been given a first taste of the ancient beauty of Auvergne’s forests, ‘Thankfully, we were rewarded with a taste of one of France's oldest cheeses. Dripping with rain and mud, we were \elcomed into the cellar of the Maison de la Fourme dAmbert to nibble (or, rather, devour) slices of this auvergnat speciality on pieces of ginger bread. The soft blue cheese was creamy, surprisingly mild and, in combination with the terrain was the cause of my. '50 FRANCE MAGAZINE gingerbread and a glass of local sweet There are two regional parks in Auvergne. The Livradois-Forea, which ‘we had explored on the first ewo days of ‘our trip, isa protected area of woods and farmland with rolling hills, green forests and herds of Salers cows. Stretching across Puy-de-Déme, Haut Loire and Loire, i is an ideal destination for those seeking adventure with children in tow. But then there is Auvergne’s claim to fame, the realm of dormant giants that have shaped the region over millennia. The Auvergne Voleanoes regional park isthe largest in Europe and contains four voleanic ranges: the Chane dles Puys, the Massif du Sancy, the Massif ddu Cantal and the Cézallie. bsolutly delicious. The landscape changed dramatia as we ventured west from Prabouré to Le Mont-Dore in Puy-de-Déme. This spa town and mountain resort sits at the foot of the Puy de Sancy, which isthe highest point in the Massif Central, at 1,886 ‘metres Iv is surrounded by rugged and barren peaks, which we were soon to see up close After filing up on a cheese, potato and lard dish called truffade, a staple in Auvergne’s hearty gastronomy, enjoying a good night’s sleep, we set off con a ike towards the Roc de Cuzeau. (Our guide, Bertrand Goimard, pointed to a formation of shattered boulders which was in fact an ancient lava flovr, before bending down to pick wild blueberries growing in red bushes andLe A AUVERGNE IN NUMBERS ‘© 2recional parks. © 2 Grands Sites de France’ the Puy” dde-Déme and the Puy Mary. ‘© 13 Grandes Randonnées and Grandes Randonnées du Pays walking trails. © 20 cycling centres offering ‘marked trails wit varying levels of itficuty ‘© 30 marked mountain biking tralisinthe Ambert-Crétes duForezarea, © 234-kmroute through the Livradois-Forez regional park that our path sliced through. We listened to him talk about eruptions that occurred thousands of years ago, landslides and ‘erosion shaping the landscape, and the necessity to protect the park, We learned about the Auvergne terroir, a land where rural traditions and ancestral knowledge have been passed down through generations to protect this fragile environment, {At about 1,600 metres, we arrived at a mountain pass, which gave us an unparalleled view of the Puy de Sancy anda fascinating rock formation that had cracked over re thousands of years, yer stayed in place, We continued along a ridge below the Roc de Cuzeau summit towards the protected Chaudefour Valley, where spectacular peaks towered above the ‘grazing cows. On our way back down, ed through a mystical-feeling forest of birch tres inhabited by wild horses, jumped over tiny streams uh) eT ee eed Pett rere tori. The AUVERGNE trickling down the mountainside, and trudged through a green wood before emerging into the valley. (Our legs weary, but our eyes and hearts full ofthe history of the Sancy range, we headed north to discover the CChaine des Puys. The high point of the range is the Puy-de-Déme voleano (1,465, which looms over Clermont Ferrand, a vibrant city and capital of the Puy-de-Dame département After three days of outdoor activities, wwe gave a collective sigh of relief at seeing the shiny Panoramique des Domes cog train waiting to transport us the five kilometres to the summit of the Puy-de~ Déme. There are hiking paths, including the Chemin des Chevres (goats' trail), but that October morning was especially cold and the train particularly inviting, Ar the summit, an educational cenere has an exhibition about the voleanic activity in Auvergne. Even more fascinating are the ruins of a 2nd-century Roman temple dedicated to the god Mercury, built using the area's dark arkose sandstone. The showstopper element of the summit is, of course, the panoramic view thaine des Puys and its 80 domes and craters that span 30 kilometres. We enjoyed spotting the Puy du Pariou, whose perfectly formed erater appears on the label of bottles of Volvic water. Te was striking to think of the volcanic activity that happened here all those years ago. Even more dizzying is the fact that the Chaine des Pays is MEME only dormant, not completely extinct. Our trip concluded with an evening at Valeania, the only of the ol : ‘educational eheme park in Europe about volcanoes. “The park offers fascinating and immersive insights into the historical land we had just explored on foot and by bike, and provides thrilling rides that transport visitors back in time to explore the scary possibilty of an imminent voleanic eruption, As the plane flew home over (Clermont-Ferrand, my heart was still soaring among the forests and the voleanoes, those sleeping giants that make Auvergne’s great outdoors more alive than anywhere else in France, See page 52 for travel information. > FRANCE MAGAZINE SIZL ‘ t vaucotile Enjoy the outdoor life in Auvergne GETTING THERE By air Fly Kiss operates fights between London Luton and Clermont Ferrand with return fares {rom around €238 | (te (Fr 8 20 6705 06, tykisscom). By ral The journey from London to Clermont- Ferrand via Paris takes about Tr (el: 0844 848 5848, voyages-snet.con). By road: Clermont-Ferrand is Thr from the northern ports ad ies atthe crossroads of three major auforoutes the ATI, ABS and ATS, GETTING AROUND ‘The mountainous landscape means that ving is the easiest way to travel around. Car hie is avalble at Cermont- Ferrand airport, including Sit (sit couk) and Avis (avis.co.u), Tere are also regular railway services between the main towns in Auvergne, WHERE TO STAY Sophie stayed a: La Chaumigre 41 Avenue Maréchal Foch 63600 Ambert Tek (F) 473821494 chaumiere-ambertfr Charming famiysun hotel inthe town centre with ‘modern and comfortable rooms. The huge dining room has a stone fireplace and exposed beans. Doubles from €70, breakfast €950. Hotel du Puy Ferrand Station du Sancy 63240 Le Mont-Dore Tek (F) 473.65 1899, hote-puyfrrand.com Enjoying an exceptional, setting overlooking the Puy de Sancy andthe sk resort, this three-star hotel fs warm and welcoming, with tastefully ‘TOURIST INFORMATION: Ambert-Crétes du Forez tourist office, tel (Fr) 4 73 82 00 04, ambert= cretesduforez.com: Massif du Sancy tourist office, tel: (Fr 473 65 31 3; Auvergne tourist board, auvergne-tourism.com '52 FRANCE MAGAZINE decorated bedrooms. The gourmet restaurant, La Table de urs, serves auvergnat dishes. Doubles from €80, breakfast 12 WHERE TO EAT ‘Auberge du Col des Pradeaux Col des Pradeaux £63600 Grandrif Tek (F) 473 95 48 73 ‘After enjoying Prabouré’s siant zip line, restore ‘yursetf in ths litle ‘mountain restaurant, located at 1196 metres. Friendly taf serve ‘unpretentious and tasty focal dishes, and you are ‘ikely to meet hikers, bikers and other ‘outdoor enthusiasts in the dining room. ‘Auberge la Croix de Fer 16 Rue de la Croix de Fer 163200 Rom Tek (F) 473 860996 lacroxdefer ‘Thistle place, nthe charming ton of Riom, is worth the short drive north from Clermont Ferrand, ‘favourite among locals, the restaurant serves trattona food with a modern twist and has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere Dont hesitate toask waiting staf for local specialities to try WHERE TO VISIT Prabouré Mountain Leisure Resort Prabouré £63660 Saint-Anthéme Te: (Fr) 473 95 40.45 worn prabouresr Entry ticket fr unimited access to all activities €32, child/student €28. Centre VIT du Pays dAmbert ‘venue dela Gare 63600 Ambert I: (F) 473 82.68 44 ambertvt.fr Mountainbike rental and Aeparture from Ambert railway station. Haday MORE |, ONLINE Elght reasons to visit fhe mountains of France ‘his sume Swaucompletetroncecom/ ‘ravelactivityhoiays powerasssted mountain bike rental €28, Maison de la Fourme dAmbert 29 Rue des Chazeaux 63600 Ambert Tel: (F) 473.8249 23, maison fourmeambert.r Panoramique des Domes eu dit La Font de arbre Chemin du Couleras 63870 Orcines (pen everyday Api to mid-Oct, Wed'Sun the rest othe year. Standard return fares from €2.30, Vuleania Route de Mazayes 63230 Sain-Ours- les Roches Tek (F) 47319 70.00, vwicania.com =a COMPLETE FRANCEall profits to pts bli vere Ven TICKETS: bluesboogie.eventbrite.com www.bluesboogie.org T 05 53 91 38 40 WHEN IN FRANCE, DO AS THE FRENCH DO — TRUST MICHELIN TO HELP YOU PLAN, DISCOVER, EXPLORE & DINE... woru.completefrance-com FRANCE MAGAZINE 52Av aN aco Gere SARLAT Ms ]TAKE A STROLL captivated by the fine medieval chitecture and gastronomic delights in this Dordogne tov says Peter Stewart sour car gradually descended from the rolling green hills of the Dordogne countryside, there, in the valley below. lay clusters of honey-coloured stone building This enchanting view was of Sarlat-la-Canéd. all twinkling in the mid-morning light. where quaint medieval buildings, ewisting alleys and picture-posteard squares entice tourists all year round. Keen to experience its charms for myself, I decided to set off on a personal walking tour Thegan on Place du Quatorze Juillet, atthe southern tip of the old town, From here I proceeded a litle way up Rue de la République, passing by rows of matchbox:sized shops sel from dried fruit and nuts ¢o custom-made shopping en route to the Cathédrale Saint-Sacerdos. wolle Orig Lith century, the cathedral isa pleasing mixture of ally an abbey church, dating from the Romanesque and Gothic styles. Nearby, I spotted a strange, rocket-like structure, which turned our to be the Lanterne des Morts, a medieval monument that is said to honour Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a leading figure in the Cistercian Order: Laden trestle tables Turing the corner, I arrived at one of che town’s xtractions ~ the buzzing Saturday food market. Ijostled for space with crowds of eagle-eyed locals, 10 get close to the trestle tables laden with farmers? produce: fleshy red tomatoes, brightly coloured carrots and twisted cucumbers vied for my attention ic and alongside seemingly bottomless boxes of g truffles, and trays of foie gras. With my appetite growing, I gave into temptation and bought a home-made leck and onion quiche and some farm-fresh plums before scurrying off down Rue de la Liberté in search of a tranquil spor in which to eat them. I soon arrived at the main square, Place de la Liberté, where many visitors might experience a feeling of déja vu, as the seting has cropped up in many films, including Ridley Scot's The Duellists and Luc Besson’s Jeanne d’Arc After a pause to soak up the charm of ths iconic square, I strolled on to the Fglise Sainte-Marie, which has been converted into an indoor market. 8» FRANCE MAGAZINE SSCafés and shops onthe edge of Place dela Liberté In Sarat; Market day in the town; ‘The Manoir de Gisson hasan unusual architectural layout; ‘The bronze sculpture of three geese in Place des Oies Entering through the gigantic stel doors, wandered past stalls piled high with everything from spicy saucisson to local cabécou goat's cheese Ahead of me was the church's main attraction ~ a glass lif that rises through the bell ower to reveal breathtaking views over the rooftops. Back at street level, [continued along the winding Rue des Consuls, which has a number of impressive mansion houses that are test Sarlat’s growth during the Middle Ages. From being a small community controlled by the church, it had, by the mid-1500s, evolved into a prosperous market town. As I strolled on further, elegant buildings ‘came into view: the 16th-century Hétel de Mirandol with its imposing doorways the M4th-century Hotel Plamon with its mullion windows; and the Lsth-century Htel de Vassal with its double turret Just a few steps away lies Place des Oies, where you can see the lifesize bronze statue of three geese that seems to appear on every posteard of Sarlat; celebrating birds that have served as a delicacy for many Salardais over the centuries. After spending much of the day walking around Sarlat it was time to sit back and relax. over dinner. As [finished my meal on a restaurant terrace on Place de la Liberté against a backdrop of a da sunset, [reflected on a town whose fairy-ta has an eternal appeal Stay the night at... HtelLes Remparts (doubles from €59, hoteHtesremparts- sarlat.com),a charming, recenty renovated hote!50 metres from the medieval centre of Sarat. The25 rooms have free Wi, airconditioning and flat-screen TVs. Staff are happy to suggest places teat and things todo. Stop foriunch at... Jardins de Harmonie (menus from €27, lsjardinsdharmonie.com), anelegantrestaurant onthe cobbled Place ‘André Malraux. The seasonally changing ‘menu features dishes suchas prawn fricassée, pan-fried duck foie gras escalope and scallop brochettes. Stop fora sweet treat at...Patisserie Massoulier (te: (F7) 55359 0085), which 156 FRANCE MAGAZINE sellsbeautiully crafted cakes including raspberry-flavoured macarons, strawberry tartsand chocolate éclairs, which locals say aretthebest in Sarat ‘Shaped ike a rocket, the Lanterne des Morts (picturedeft)isat2th-century stone ‘monument built tohhonour Saint Bernard, who was saidtohave curedthe sick by blessing theirbread. Another story suggests that the monument wasbuit as ‘afuneralchapeltoremember victims ofthe plague (open daily, tel: (Fn) 5533145 45), ‘Ther4th-century Eglise Sainte-Marie was cleverly converted intoamarché ouvert by renowned architect Jean Nouvelin 2000. Twelve years later, Nouvelintroduced a lassi, which \whisks visitors tothe top fora panoramic, view over the honey'stoned buildings of Sarlat and beyond (open Apri December, tek: (F7)5533145 42), ‘The 13th-century Manoir de Gisson in Place des Oies, former home of the‘bourgeois Gisson family, isone of the town's most remarkable buildings. Itconsistsoftwo cifferent architectural structures which arelinkedby astaircase Inside ahexagonal tower. The vaulted Cellar and apartments house anintriguing exibition on the history of justice from the Middles Agesto the French Revolution. ‘cabinet of curisities contains medieval instruments of punishment (open 1Aprilto ‘SNoverber, tel: (F1) 553287055). TAKE A STROLL The village and castle of Castelnau-a-Chapelle overlook the River Dordogne Sarlat makes a convenient base for ‘exploring the surrounding area, which is notable for a cluster of Plus Beaux Villages lining the Dordogne Valley south-west ofthe town, One of the closest is La Rogue- Gageac, which nestles between the cliffside and the river. The village faces south and catches plenty of sun, which creates a microclimate that feels almost Mediterranean. This is apparent in the exotic garden halfway up the cliffside, where visitors can see palm trees, banana plants, fig and lemon trees, bamboo and cacti Fora different perspective on La Roque-Gageac hop on one of the barges mooted along the riverside ‘These traditional flat-bortomed boats, known as gabarres, were once used to transport goods up and down the river, but nowadays take tourists oon a leisurely cruise instead, On the other bank, the village of Castelnaud-la-Chapelle is topped by a 12th-century chateau commanding wonderful views. Farther downriver ‘on the northern bank is Beynacet Cazenac, where narrow, cobbled streets lined with golden-stone ‘medieval houses lead up to the chateau, The fourth of these Plus Beaux Villages isthe cliftop bastide of Dome, where streets are laid out fon agri pattern, Also overlooking the valley are the Jardins Suspendus de Marqueyssac (marqueyssac.com) near La Roque Gageac. Here, you can walk along the six kilometres of shaded paths and admire the 150,000 hand-pruned boxwood shrubs, and then see for miles at the belvedere 130 metres above the river. The area is also known for its prehistoric caves, the most famous of which is Lascaux (lascaux.ft), located 25 kilometres to the north of Sarlat ‘The original caves, discovered in 1940, are closed but a spectacular new replica, known as Lascaux 4, has ‘opened nearby with state-of-the-art technology helping visitors to explore the prehistoric paintings For another cave experience, try the Goufire de Proumeyssac (goulfre- proumeyssac.com), where you can ‘descend in a rotating basket to marvel at stalactites, stalagmites and columns that form a ‘cathedral of crystal’ For somewhere a litle less familiar, head 55 kilometres north-east from Sarlat to Brive-la-Gaillarde, just over the border in the Corrize département ‘The town has an attractive medieval centre and plenty to rempe food-lovers At Chocolaterie Lamy (chocolatere lamy.com), master chocolatier Eric Lamy produces mouth-watering flavours using coconut, lemon and Madagascan vanilla, and fills his window with chocolate seulptures Don’t forget co drop into Distillerie Denoix (denoix.com) for some locally prized walnut liqueue and time your visi forthe thrice- weekly market in the Georges Brassens hall. MORE [. Mill ONLINE? SETHE =< Discover more French towns and vilages on ‘ronueampletatranes. com/travel ebiey aes FRANCE MAGAZINE ST© omy , ) Play the game the = Frencn way Three hi“« iving, receiving, sharing, These fundamental sporting values never go out of style. ‘They are sport.” So said Aimé Jacquet, France’s most successful football coach, the manager who guided the national team to World Cup glory on home soil in 1998, and a man who is a living legend among his fellow citizens. ‘That Jacquet’s finely honed sporting instincts led him to focus on values should come as no suprise. France is a country where the notion of les valeurs is constantly evoked. You can't turn on the television without seeing a politician, a philosopher or a sports coach talking, about them. The national psyche leads ‘everyone to believe that a French sportsman, in particular, personifies the best of human qualities. France has a passion for sport in all its forms. The holy trinity of football, rugby and (unlike the UK) handball dominates the pages of national sports daily L'Equipe, and huge crowds turn out to wate the biggest games. But when it comes to values, none of the Big ‘Throe quite touches the French heart and soul like the home-grown sports “Nothing rouses French passions like actually invented themselves, says Clément Meneghin, communications director of the Fédération Francaise de Pétanque et Jeu Provencal. And he should know. Pétangue ~ the game that ‘many of the British mistakenly called “boules’ when we first came across itis as Fre Who hasn’t loved stopping in a village fon a hot summer's day to enjoy a glass of something cool while watching the locals throw those steel balls with such passion? You may not understand the rules, but you intuitively know a good French thing when you see it. So come and discover three sports that are uniquely French, that are g both to warch and to play, and which will not only give you hours of fun, but will aso make you feel more closely ‘connected to France ~ and its values. a sport they thas the Louvre MAIN PICTURE: A typcaly French scene ~ pétanque players in Pare Jourdan in Aicen-Provence; INSET: Henri Lacroix has ‘won a string of national and world titles CLASSIC SPORTS PETANQUE The basics Taking its name from the Provencal dialect (ped meaning feet and tanca meaning planted), pétanque is agame where you score points by throwing the balls (boules) closer toa smaller ball (but or cochonnet) than your ‘opponent. The initial throw is when you ‘pointe’, and subsequent throws are either to get closer tothe cochonnet than your opponent, or to knock their balls away from the cochonnet. Ths is knownas'tier’ PETANQUE MOST RESEMBLES... Crown green bowls. “Pétanque originally developed out of an older 19th-century game called Jew Provengal that was played primarily along the Care d'Azur between Marseille and Nice,” explains Clément “Jeu Provencal itself derived from a similar 18th-century game called Boule Lyonnaise and is played on a pitch that is twice as long as the one used for pétanque. In Jew Provencal you are ‘normally on one foot when you ‘pointe’ and you must take a run-up when you ‘ire “Pétanque started in 1907 when someone who was playing Jew Provengal decided it was too physically demanding and stopped both running and standing, fon one foot.” This ingenious person inadvertently launched the sport that has since become symbolic of France at play “les a sport that all che family ean enjoy, from a physical point of view,” says Clément. “But i's also really practical, because while pitches ‘marked out for competitions, you don’t actually need markings to play. You ‘can go to practically any car park oF patch of land and you're rea Once you have bought your equipment, you keep it for life. I's not like tennis here you need a new racket relatively often, or football where you need new boots.” A standard set of boules including, the cochonmet costs around €40. Prices for boules that are approved for ‘competition range from €75 co €300, depending on the quality and the individual's playing style. => FRANCE MAGAZINE 59Howard helps to put out the ‘gulls fora game; Jéréme Delort founded 2 club in his village in Tarn; A pelota match in the Basque resort of Saint-Jean-de-Luz One of the beauties of pétanque is that there are many different competitive categories for players. Men only, womer only, mixed, teams of ewo, teams of three. all are possible. With well over 300,000 players registered with clubs in France there are los of regional and departmental tournaments. Local ‘champions have the right to take part in national championships that can draw anywhere up to 5,000 spectators andl are broadcast live on TV. Given this level of interest you might be surprised to hear that there are no full-time professionals. “You can earn ‘money in competitions,” explains Clément. “Certain clubs will pay their players bonuses based on perform and some will even give players ‘contracts. But the sums involved aren't substantial enough for a player to earn living.” Nevertheless, such is pétanque’s popularity that the federation is currently lobbying the International Olympic Committee with a view to it becoming an official Olympic sport. “We already fulfil the criteria,” says (Clément, “Pétanque is now played in more than 50 countries and i's open to both men and women. But the number of Olympic spors is currently fixed, so the IOC would have to drop somethi for there to be a space for pétanque. We'll find out in 2018 whether we have been successful in our bid.” Fédération Francaise de Pétanque et Jeu Provencal, fipip.net Theidea of quillesis to knock down eight stitties (or quiles), ether with a wooden ball or witha skitlethat is specifically for hitting the others (called atreuse). You have nine attempts to knock down as many as youcanat five different distances; one metre (one shot), five metres (two shots),ten metres (three shots), 15 metres (two shots) and 20 metres (one shot). Yournust use just the ball for the one-metre shot, after which your first attempt is always with the tireuse, which you hit with the ball and 60 FRANCE MAGAZINE aim towards the quiles. The winner isthe pperson or team that knocks down the mostquilles. Tenpin bowing, Although you can find quilles being played all over France in a number of different variations using either more or fewer skittles, the most popular version is quilles de buit, which itself developed out of an earlier incarnation, quiles de neuf. “Quiles de neuf was a game dating from the 16th century that was first adapted in my home region of Aveyron in south-west France,” explains Jérome Delort, an enthusiastic player ‘who has launched a club in his village of Mirandol-Bourgnounac in the Tarn département. “In the original sport, you had to knock down the quilles with the ball But in 1912 someone from Espalion in Aveyron had the bright idea of holding ‘on to the ball and hitting it against a quille co make the frst strike on the others. The idea stuck and to my mind, that’s what gives quills de bit an original feel.” ‘érbme first got the bug for quilles playing with his father and grandfather at the age of 14, “Ie was great,” he remembers, “because the game allowed for the different age groups in the village +0 mix. While you cannot have a ball that’s bigger than 28 centimetres in diameter, there are no limits regarding its weight. So children can play with a ball that weighs a kilogram, while guys use ‘ones weighing up to six kilograms. There are different sies of tirewse, because everyone has a specific hand size and will ‘want their sireuse to correspond, both in size and weight.” Balls are made of walnut, while both quilles ‘Most clubs provide these basic materials so people can try the sport for themselves. Its a good job, t00, given that you cannot buy them in regular sports shops, and a focal artisan will charge between €200 and €300 to produce a tailor-made ball. While the initial costs are quite high, the sport is resolutely amateur, despite the fact that there are around 5,000 registered quilles players in France, taking part in local and national championships “The fact that there's no money involved makes quilles a convivial sport,” says JérOme. “In pétanque, for example, any Competition involves prize money, ‘or at least fairly substantial prizes for the winners, That side of things can nd tireuses are made of beech.CLASSIC SPORTS sometimes have a negative impact on the general atmosphere, because you can come up against people who are primarily taking part ro make money.” While knocking down skitles with differen bts of wood might look straightforward, Jérdme promises that it isn't as easy as it seems. “I's all about impact, so if you can do things precisely, then you're in good shape. Ofcourse, a heavier ball wil help you knock down mote qulles, bt you can compensate for a lighter ball with speed and movement. “The most important things inthe game are your levels of concentration, and how you stand when you throw the bull or hit che treuse. The frst guile that you hie has to strike the one behind it in a certain way so that they all fallin a direction that lets you knock down the ‘maximum number. So the way you position yourself before you throw or his very important.” While quiles de buitis sill most popular in Aveyron, the spor’'s federation is working hard to develop the sport beyond the region. “Quiles isthe second sport in Averyon behind football,” explains Jéréme. “les not ‘unusual t see 4,000 people turning up to watch aig match. But while quis has a large presence in Pars, Montpelier and Toulouse in particular, and often appears in reports on TV, we would all like i to be more recognised and enjoyed everywhere in France. There may be no money ini, but quills isa hugely competitive and exciting sport.” Quiles de Huit Comité Nationa, qulesdebuit.ong The sport of pelote basque has as many 8820 variations, depending on what youuse tohitapelote tisnever called bal) against a wall, how many walls form the playing court and how many people are playing, There are different team permutations, but the vast majority of games are twoagainst two. Scoring systems vary, too, but the winners usually have torreach between 30and35 points. One version of pelote basque, known asrebot, features scoring system that follows thesame patternas tennis. Squash, FRANCE MAGAZINE 61‘Agrandchistera and a peote used in pelote basa Michel Pelsser, founder ‘ofthe Pilotariak club in Cagnaccles Mines “Lean see how pelote basque might be diffcule to grasp for people who aren't familiar with i,” says Michel Pelisser, 2 long-standing fan of the sport and the rman who started the Plotaiak club in the Tarn village of Cagnac-ls-Mines in 2002. “But once it gets a hold of you, it doesn’t let go." ‘The roots of pelote basque can be found in a spor calle jue de pau, which was developed and enjoyed throughout France for a thousand yeas. Ie was originally played with the bare hand hitting a ball across a net, but by the early 16th century, rackets similar to those sen in modern-day tennis had been introduced and professional players had emerged as France was gripped by jew de paume fever. The Basques, who had played something similar in their own region for many centuries, tok inspiration from jen de paunne to modify and adapt their own games, which volved into pelote basque. “Despite all the variations,” explains Michel, “the key element of the spor is that the ball must hit what we eal the ‘nur de frappe (iting wall) above a line ‘which rans from one side tothe other not to0 far from the bottom of the wall After that, there is huge varity inthe 662 FRANCE MAGAZINE ‘ways you can hit the ball. You can play with an open palm, with a wooden racket called a pala, and even with a curved type of wicker basket (a grand chistera) that is attached to the hand by means of a leather glove.” “The most popular version, according to Michel, isthe one using a pala and a pelote made of compressed rubber. “We play this version in our club simply because the equipment is cheaper,” he explains. “You can buy a pala for €18 and a pelote for €3. But the Basques say that real pelote is played with bare hands and there is a certain amount of rivalry between those who play the different versions.” There are now more than 20,000 registered pelote basque players in France and 11 amateur regional leagues, with the sport understandably most appreciated in the Pays Basque and the The 2016/17 French Championship ofthe Cesta Punta National A discipline takes placein the glamorous Atianticcoastresorton 20 Apri. tourisme,biarritzfr The ‘worldcapitalof cassoulet'in the Aude département hoststhe triplets version of tistracitional bowling game from1618 June. Situatedin the east of the country near the Swiss border, this pretty townstages the mixed doubles of the French National Championship 0n22-23July. The Aveyron town wherequilles de fhutbegan hosts the French Individual Championship on August. neighbouring Landes département “The further you move away from the heartland, theless popular it is,” admits ‘Michel, whose own club is near the Tarn capital of Albi. There are, however, around 50 to 100 professional pelote basque players in France, and up to 3,000 spectators have watched the big games in the sport's heartland, art of the theill of pelote basque lies in it being the fastest ball game in the ‘world, The pelote travels at speeds of up 10 200 kim/h, hence the need for safety goggles as a minimum, Players can also ‘opt to wear safety helmets “The Basques are extremely proud of their pelote basque,” says Michel. “Of course, during the most intense years of separatist feelings all ofthe courts had pro-independence graffiti written over them, on the French side as much as the Spanish. Franco (the Fascist Spanish leader who died in 1975) banned the Basque language, but he couldn’t ban pelote basque.” The French Federation of Pelote Basque, fipbnetAéroport LIMOGES LEEDS La LONDON STANSTED LONDON GATWICK BIRMINGHAM nat 3 (0) 5 55 43 30 30 More information on Limoges airport +3: S| | ae, a R woru.completefrance-com FRANCE MAGAZINE 6Saas eit SY mua Just a short journey by train from the UK, this northern French city has many cultural attractions, says Peter Stewart tis Ham and I am standing in the Grand’Place before an architectural extravaganza. Coated in layers of red and gold, and adorned with ‘comucopias, the 17th-century Vieille Bourse (old stock exchange) is among ‘many examples of Flemish architecture in Lille, capital of the new Haurs-de- France region. Uniairly dismissed by some as a grimy northern powerhouse, Lille gives off an elegant and self-confident air a first tance, and I am here on a weekend break that will introduce me to its attractions. Lille developed rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, becoming a centre for textile manufacturing and coal ‘mining, The decline of he it hard, but tourism has giv a new lease of life. Thanks to excellent high-speed rail links putting ie within lustey hit 164 FRANCE MAGAZINE 80 minutes of London and one hour of Paris Lille has enjoyed a revival in recent decades, and is today home to buzzing cafés and trendy boutiques. But I am not here to shop "til drop; Iam keen to ‘examine the city’s cultural credentials. Lille's new-found confidence was apparent the moment I stepped outside the Gare de Europe eatlier tha ‘morning. This unashamedly modern steel and concrete structure lies in the remodelled district of EuraL.ille, where skyscrapers of varying shapes and sizes are testament to former mayor Pierre Mauroy’s grand plans for the city From here I am whisked off by my guide to Views Lille, which is a ten-minute walk away “Lwant you to see how special Lille is," says Audrey, who insists that there is no better place to state than in the cobblestoned Grand'Place. This vase square is punctuated with steeply gabled 17eh-century houses, builtin brick and golden sandstone that might appear more at home in Belgium than in France. “Wel 1667,” Audrey tells me. “It was Louis XIV who conquered Lille and made her he city only became French in French," she adds, Looming above the square is a red-brick belfry complete with gilded clock, and to get a better view, Islip off ico Place du Théatre. The 76-metre-tall tower belongs to the Nouvelle Bourse, built by Louis Cordonnier in 1903, and symbolises Lille’s power as an industrial city, Standing just beside it is another of Cordonniet’s creations ~ the neo-classical ‘opera house, This grand structure, decorated with figures of Apollo and the uses, was built ro emulate the PalaisGarnier in Paris and stages everything from traditional operas to contemporary dance shows. Audrey tells me that it i important to see the city from different perspectives and so we move on to the brick and concrete town hall belfry, a Unesco World Heritage site, The ealf-sra climb (should you be brave enough to ‘walk the 400 steps rather than take the life part of the way) culminates in ‘an impressive panorama over the city and surrounding area from 100 metres up. From up high, we spot the Porte de Paris, che triumphal arch commemorating Louis XIV's conquest of the city. Nearby lies Place Rihour, the starting point for the highlight of the trip - an afternoon bicycle tour. My guide is local expert Michael Dhaussy, who has been organising tours of Lille on two wheels for five years. T soon fe! like a vrai Lillos, weaving in and out of traffic and riding along. picturesque, cobblestoned alleyways als, past the cathedral with its strikingly modern west facade and under archways into quaint Flemish style courtyards, rn of green Suddenly, we leave the compact old centre behind and head out to the Gitadelle, a pentagonal fortress designed by Louis XIV’s engineer Vauban in 1667. We stand outside in an oasis of _ercen, surrounded by streams and by ‘wooded paths being enjoyed enthusiastically by runners and joggers. This is the Bois de Boulogne, Lille’s largest park, which is surrounded by the River Dei, Iris hard to believe that his bucolic setting is less than 15 minutes from the city’s beating hear. In recent years Lille has emenged as a haven of French and Flemish cuisine with the opening of a wide range of restaurants. Being a pescatarian, I pass by cosy estaninets serving local specialities such as carbonnade de boeuf (beef and ‘onion stew made from beer) and otjevleesch (potted meat) and opt instead for a succulent cod dish and a decadent chocolate mousse at Le Compostelle on Rue Saint-Etienne, ‘SET: The Porte de Paris andthe town hall belfry; CITY BREAK OVE: Market stalls at Wazemmes round off a day of discovery just steps away at the Nouveau Siéele concert hall for an evening of Rachmaninov’s music performed by the Orchestre National de Lille The next morning, I se the city’s ‘more cosmopolitan side with a trip to the Marché de Wazemmes, a 15-minute ‘walk south of the old centre. This thrice-weekly market isa cultural melting pot, with vendors from as far as ‘Morocco, Algeria, Guadeloupe and La Réunion vying to sell their wares to passers-by. The market is a ple assault on the senses stalls festooned with enough brie-a-brac to furnish 1 small house stand shoulder to shoulder with those selling fragrant blooms, chickens on a spit and portions of the pungent local Matoilles cheese. ‘On our way back to the old centre there is just enough time for one last attraction ~ the Palais des Beaux-Arts ‘This magnificent 19th-century building, houses the largest collection of art in France after the Musée du Louvre, with highlights including medieval Flemish art, Impressionist paintings and exquisite porcelain and faience, The grand atrium is being restored, and will feature interactive spaces for visitors to contemplate the objects on display “You'll have to come back when it's finished,” my guide words fora few moments. Lille, city of s. Teonsider her commerce; city of culture; city of cuisine =I shall definitely return, © See page 66 for travel information FRANCE MAGAZINE 65{_. ‘ VA (U2 sake the most of your short breakin ile GETTING THERE By tran: Peter traveled {rom London to Lie wth Eurostar. Return fares stat ‘rom £99 (tel: 03432 186 186, eurostaccom). See page 27 for other travel, information. GETTING AROUND Llle can be expored easily ‘on foot or by using the fast ‘and reliable métro system (transpoes. nthe city centre, trans run every ‘wo to four minutes until about 12:30am, Useful stops for vistors inciude Riou next to the tourist office), République Beaurrts (near the Palais des BeaurArts) and Gambetta (near the Wazemmes market). Lille city tikes can be picked up at mumerous hubs for 20160 intial subscription, and are then free for Journeys of less than 30, ‘minutes (lille ff. Covered Cty Cruiser bicycle "taxis are avaliable from &4pp Aappymooecom). WHERE TO STAY Peter stayed at: Novotel Lille Centre Grand'Place 16 Rue de FH6pital Militaire 59000 Lille Tek: (F) 328 38 5353, accorhatls.com Located in the heart of ile this four-star hotel offers spacious, contemporary rooms as wells restaurant serving local and International dishes. Doubles from €95. WHERE TO EAT Peter ate at: Le Compostelle 4Rue Saint-Etienne 59800 Like Tek (fr) 3 28 38.0830 vwonilecompostetle liecom ‘charming resturant with atypical ili ed-rck interior, serving regional specialties and classic French dishes, some with modern vist. Menus from €36 TOURIST INFORMATION: Lille tourist office, tel: (Fr) 891 56 20 04, iletourismcom 66 FRANCE MAGAZINE La Source 13 Rue du Plt 59800 Lille Tek (F) 320 57 53.07 erislasourcecom This fist-lor restaurant serves delicious fish, meat and vegetarian dishes that use locally and organically sourced ingredients. The ‘gr0und-oor shop sels everyting from seeded breads to responsibly farmed salmon, Menus from €20. WHERE TO VISIT Palais des BeauxArts detille ‘bis Rue de Valmy '59000 Lille ‘Tek (Fr) 3 20 06 78 00 poarillefr Beffroi de Lille Place Roger Salengro 59000 Lille Tel: (F) 89156 2004 ‘etourism.com/ visteibre-dubetroide hotel deville tml Cathédrale Notre Dame-de-la-reile Place Gilson 59800 Lille Tel (F) 3.20 315912 cathedallille com Musée de Hospice Comtesse 32 Rue de a Monnaie 59800 Lille :(F) 328 36 8400 IN THE AREA Here are some museums to vist in the area if you are extending your stay. La Piscine Musée drt et dindustrie 23 Rue de Espérance 59100 Roubaix (F320 69 2360 roubair-lpiscine.com Tis inovatve art museum [shoused na former artedeco municipal ‘swimming pool and splays fine art (paintings, sculptures) and applied arts umiture textiles). Part ofthe impressive collection atthe Palas des Beausarts La Manufacture 29 Avenue Julien Lagache 59100 Roubaix Tek (F) 320 65 3190 lamanufactue-roubabcom ‘fascinating museum eciated tothe areas once-thrving textile industry, complete with large-scale sewing machines anda regularly changing exhibition. La Villa Cavrois 60 Avenue du Président ohn Fitzgerald Kennedy 59170 Croix Tek: (F) 320734712 vil-cavois fr A striking, modernist ‘mansion uit in 1932 by French architect Robert Mallet Stevens for local industrialist Paul Caro, with rooms that combine simplicity and elegance. ©. Moree Coney ONLINE “ FRANCE reat Se omyCANAL BOATING HOLIDAYS in the SOUTH OF FRANCE We have two well placed bases from which to explore the World Heritage status Canal du Midi and the Canal de ronne in the sunny South of France. We uniquely offer quality, British built, narrowboats and wide beams, some classes with King Size double beds. 2 to 10 berth for weekly hire or short breaks. oe Aes ae Peas co Par eres Prorat Pe een) woru.completefrance-com Osea Kein) es ‘Anca and Phiippe propose the best seoret places in France to spend your holidays, ‘Son for ours, chuck our we site now! French company, English speaking! ‘ur tam on stein France nlp you to repare you stay and lo provides assistance it necessary ing you stay. PEELE CUE UL. Peacoat BEACH i i mmm o Care ee sere | Gee ena Cy eee eee ces FRANCE MAGAZINE 67Paris might bs also the city o ona life nown as the City of Light, but it is , aS Eve Middleton dis ng course in Montmartre “ here is but one Paris,” Vincent van Gogh resonated with artists throughout the centuries. The wrote to his artist friend Horace Mann Montmartre quarter in particular, has played host, in 1886, “and however haed living 0 Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Matisse, Renoir and ir clears the Degas among others ~ the roll call of ereatives Though ssociated with the area reads like an impressive ‘of mind might not be the best catalogue lst from one of the world's most beauty of Paris and its inspirational setting have And so it was, one dark winter afternoon when 68 FRANCE MAGAZINEFROM LEFT: A Life Drawing Montmartre costume session with ‘model Hillary, Steps leading up tothe Saeré-Coeur baslea; Street life in Montmartre all the leaves had fallen from the toes and lefe stark black branches silhouetted against a grey Pars sky, that I made rendezvous for an hour's tutorial with artist and Life Drawing Montmartre founder Maria Kuzma- Kuzniarska, Despite the el had put pencil to paper was some time in secondary school, the idea of life drawing in Paris as the greats, no less~held an achingly romantic appeal, not to mention a whole new perspective on the Montmartre so often swallowed up by weekend crowds of visitors. With damp fog hanging in the air and with my hands shoved deeper into my pockets, I buried that the last tn my face into my scarf and hurried across cobbles ‘worn with history under the imperious gaze of the cré-Coeur. Down a stone staircase some two streets below the basilica, the cheery red wooden door of the Pett Théitze du Bonheur was opened by an equally cheery Maria, welcoming me into the ‘warmth of the pocket-sized building. After greeting ‘our life model Coralie ~all of us still bundled in our winter coats ~ Maria and I took a seat on the ‘wooden-slat chairs to begin the session. “The most important thing to remember when you're doing life drawing isto chink about the proportions of the body,” Maria instructed, handing, me a stack of A3 paper and an HB pencil Really observe the human form in front of you = look at how the body is formed,” Explaining that the adult human figure measures roughly seven-and: PARIS ART half heads of the individual's size (“one for the read, three for the torso and three-and-a-half thereafter”), she set about demonstrating her point with a series of stunningly anatomically correct sketches from her own portfolio. “Always start with the head,” she emphasised, “and be aware that perspective plays a part in the amount of sp accord any one part of the body on paper nodded wisely, silently hoping that my stick figures ‘would pass muster. After our briefing, Macia set Coralie and me to ‘work on a warm-up exercise to limber up pencil (ome) and limbs (Coralie), setting a timer for a series ‘of two-minute poses ro be immortalised in something, approaching sketch form. Taking my cue from Maria, Uheld my pencil at arm'-length to measure an approximation of Coralie's head, and began drawing, making sure to return time and again to ‘measure limbs and torso with the same approximation, Gentle suggestions Hesitation with my HIB pencil soon gave way to a more pressing need to capture each pose before the timer started again. While I cannot pretend that the first few pages bore any identifiable resemblance to Coralie, Maria’s mini-assessments with gentle suggestions after each two-minute session soon had :me re-casting proportions and making changes. Bearing her initial elegant sketches in mind, I was curious about Maria's background, and she explained that her work as an artist and medical illstrator had its roots in a childhood dream always wanted to be an artist, but I thought you coulda’t make a living out oft, so I put it second t0 academic work while I was a student.” Though a fresh-faced 36-year-old, Poish-bor Maria has a fit-o-burst CV that would be intimidating => FRANCE MAGAZINE 69were it not for her warm friendliness and genuinely easy manner. As an alternative to art, she did a volte-face and went into medical research, obtaining a PhD in biological sciences in the UK and working as a researcher at Oxford University's Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences (little wonder, then, that her sketches are so accurate After arriving in Paris for work, Maria found life taking her in a different direction, and she ended up staying in the city to start Life Drawing Montmartre “I don't have a formal artecucation,” she explained, “but I received art training at se including L’Académie de la Grande Chaumiére in Montmartre, and Bluecoat (the centre for ‘contemporary arts) in Liverpool, Central Saint Martins in London and Oxford Printmakers Co-operative. A number of my clients for medical illustrations are from Oxford I'm lucky to have links from my time there a the university." ral ateliers Crayon confidence ‘Warnvup completed, we moved on toa series of ten-minute poses. This time, Maria was on hand throughout each section offering advice ane suggestions. Although I was happy enough just to get the pencil strokes flowing frely, Maria helped to channel my new-found confidence with a crayon into something a litle more sophisticated. Before the session, my main apprehension had been whether Iwas even able to produce something approaching a resemblance tothe life model in front of me, but | found the basic outline ofthe human body relatively easy to replicate with Maria's words of Details, however, were more challenging ~ shading (the next step ater creating an outline) proved tricky, as did drawing hands and fingers {poor Coralie ended up immortalised in my pencil version with clawed arthritic hamfists). Taking the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity, I asked Maria why she chose Montmartre for her business. “The answer is very simp! wughed, “Llve in Montmartre! | moved here about four years ago from south of Paris and I completely fll in love with the district and its artistic heritage, so I decided to become Montmartroise.” 70 FRANCE MAGAZINEAs for artistic inspiration, she cited late-19th century artist Suzanne Valadon “who lived and ‘worked in Montmartre. She became the first woman painter with no formal art education admitted to the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, She was primarily depicting nudes, which was very uncommon at the e, since women were not allowed to take part in life-drawing classes!” This was an irony not lost in the warmth of the theatre in which our three-female- strong group found themselves With the timer beeping for the final time, my attention was lifted out of the all bsorbing sketching process. I glanced down at the pile of discarded A3 sheets on the floor, and wondered why Thad been so worried about my initial artistic stage fright. Though it is not an instinctive process by any means, I found it deeply satisfying to produce something tangible by reviving my secondary school skillset ~ not co mention being inspired by the historic Montmartre setting, While I had a winter one-to-one tutored session, ‘group sessions ~ both inside and out ~ are held throughout the year, in untutored and tutored form. Those with more experience and with their own materials can choose from regula sessions, while beginners can take courses in life drawing, printmaking and human anatomy {As for my next steps in the world of life drawing: had I continued with a further session, Maria assured me that our next meeting would have focused on learning to avoid common mistakes in drawing, Having covered the basies of body proportions, perspective and shading, our hour-long session was an enlightening experience that left me feeling pleased with my effors Leaving the eheatre and walking back up the steps, I passed the Sacré-Cocur with my sketches rolled up neatly under my arm and headed to Place du Tertre, lined with artists showcasing their works. As Iooked out across the sea of easels, I thought of ‘Van Gogh and his contemporaries doing much the same in years gone by. Although my pencil offerings would not have had Renoir etal quaking in their artists’ smocks, [ was happy in the knowledge that ‘my houe’s session had afforded me a little more insight into this most magical of Paris's worlds. @ PARIS ART (CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Eve during her life-drawing| class; Artists and sitters throng Place iu Tertre; Maria shows some of her sketches; A ‘fe rowing for beginners! course with Maria and model Coralie; ‘An outdoor session In Montmartre L. ° + VA tle Learn the art of life drawing in Paris Lite raving Montmartre Drain Montmartre wi : thee sutess decorated fers ttre and contin to work th A bya fret rst. oules tnltored tedraing Pt Thre Boner on fo 390 per gt. croup sessions from Epp some poets (edaving (razimum group se) monimartrecon). WHERE TO EAT Ahe-tran ttre sess LeWouin dela Galette WHERE TO VISIT suchasfvescisteTOan GETTING THERE WHERETOSTAY —sa ue epic Musée de Montmartre hour. Alsessins re eld in By tran The Eurostar ‘Hotel Paticul 7508 Paris 1244 Rue Crtat English 0 previous sere om Landon Montmartre Tebiho 146068477 T58Paris faterienceormater re StPancrsto Pars Gare 23 venue Jt lenolnéelgltesr Te) 149250939 needed Fomths year the qu Nord takes 2 25min Pain D Tis return in museedenetnartres Untied Factory in Rue withsl fares from £29. 7501 Pas Monaro exiitons Gabriele te maine 0383 2186, THE(FO153418140 remaining Tvcentury This museum informer venue ahough Life eastarcom, enbuetyartuier- ———winilwasimmortalsed—_atist workshops now ‘montmartre.com ‘on canvas in Renoir’s Le Bal displays works by TOURIST INFORMATION: Pais tourit boar Bowtie ein afomer dundee. Main Todseatee enparsinfecom private tomboseEachot courses om €22 among others. FRANCE MAGAZINE 71Family friendly campsites for great french holidays MAS D’AUGUSTINE ~ €125 - €160 per night, including breakfast wrew.masdaugustine.com | masdaugustineegmailcom +33 (0)4 667271 61 | Jane & Gary Langton Le Blog ree il Normandy NOVASOL) nevasolco.uk| 0845 680.5856 Pc ae baad en pr rept pe week on elated ates eter 2017, he ae sect ovata Tar tt coy. "7DFRANCE MAGAZINE ww completetrance.comne” we ‘WHERE TO STAY Wheve to stay {ov... A perfect pitch Make the most of the great outdoors with our guide to the best camping and caravanning sites in France a CASTEL LE BREVEDENT, Normandy As wit ll Les Castel properties this sie makes the most of location, nesting beside a lke and in woodland in the eegany,schectare grounds of a sanly home. The impresve Lous XVI hunting lodge lies inthe Pays d'Auge, 25 kilometres from the seaside, and there isa seve of rally being a part of noble France atts best. Accommodation ranges from touring tents, caravans and tmotorhoenes to renal or sic mobile homes and glamping in superb lodge tents. The ste has its own café and restaurant as well as a ba located inthe manor house, while access ro plenty of Tocl dining options is saihtforward, too, Amenities ince a lake for ‘canoeing and fishing, woodland for walking and cycling and a heated swimming pool. Concerts take place twice a week in high season, when musicians staying on-site are invited 10 participate, and other entertainments run regularly. Children’s activities include nature workshops, learning to make apple juice from the local fruit, and storytelling sessions Open 29 April 1016 September Tent pitch for two people (with electricity) from €24.20 a night; static mobile home for four to six people from €360 a week. Tel: (Fe) 2 31 64 72 88 ccampinglebrevedent.com Tek: (F 6 03 73 ccamping-castels.co.uk CAMPING DOMAINE DES TOURS, Aveyron Arranged around the picturesque Lac de Jn Slr, this camping area welcomes everyone fom those with routing tents to ‘guests wanting fully equipped pre-erected tents or ental mobile homes, Amenities include a heated outdoor swimming pool and children’s area, spa facilities, bike hire, beach football, tennis and lake based watersports Iris alsoa perfect gateway to discovering the Aveyron département Open 28 April ro 1 October Premium mobile home sleeping up to five people from £255 fora week. Tel: (1) 4 30 63 38 84 campinglestours.com Tel: 0345 268 0827 canvasholidays.couk 3+ FRANCE MAGAZINE 73,Wild and yer civilised, this campsite is situated next door to an animal park with brown bears, perfect fora family outing, and combines the best of waem, sunshine with the fresh air and activities that the mountain location can offer. Campers are welcome, as are those looking for something more luxurious such as innovative cabin/safari tent hybrids. A water park and restaurant are ‘Outdoor enthusiasts and families alike will adore this wild-feeling campsite on the French-Swiss border, Surrounded by lush woodland and a stone's throw from some of the highest mountains in the Jura, there are plentiful trails leading directly into the nearby countryside with its incredible views; an alluring proposition for walkers, climbers and mountain bikers. However, the breadth also on site, while the thermal baths at Argelés-Gazost are a short walk away of on-site facilities makes i just as appealing for family holidays, wit «heated outdoor swimming pool, snack bar and pizzeria (high season), playground, tennis court, pétanque pitch, table tennis, volleyball and bike hire. The site has a restaurant-bar, but nearby local ‘options are also good and the thermal baths at Divonne are worth a visit All types of camping are catered for, from touring tents to rental chalets. 2 ‘This high-end camping resort is located in Port-Gi ad near Saint ‘Tropez and is open ten months a year. Only 900 metres from the nearest beach, it also offers a wealth of in-situ facilities and activities such as a swimming pool, children’s pool, whirlpool bath, sumptuous bar-restaurant and spa, set against a stunning backdrop of the Provengal hills. Accommodation ranges from motorhome and caravan pitches with private bathrooms to static options such as mobile homes, and the incredible Safari Lodge and Glamping Lodge, which each has an upstairs bedroom and its own whirlpool bath. The atmosphere is as luxurious as you might expect from the location and the fact that the resort has its own marina for those wanting t0 be boat-based playground as well as entertainment programmes in the evenings, All campers are welcome, from those looking for chale touring Located just 15 minutes’ walk from the centre of historic Saumur, this site offers the best of both worlds, having its own five hectares of parkland as well as the proximity to the town and to the sights 8 of the Loire Valley. This de-luxe campsite has a heated swimming pool and spa, a children’s lub, shop, tennis court, free WiFi throughout, ype accommodation through to ents, motorhomes and caravans, restaurant, bar and 74 FRANCE MAGAZINE ;completelrancecomPerched high up above the Alpine resort ‘of Les Gets, the most noticeable thing about this campsite isis astonishing views over the mountains, even including Mont Blanc. Theee’s ltl to rival stepping out of your tent, motorhome or clutching ‘a croissant bought from the daily bread dllivery van, to be greeted by the serried ranks of France’s highest mountains, The site welcomes all types of camper, although those with larger vehicles should bear in mind thatthe road is narrow, steep and winding. cis a perfect location for active campers, giving easy access to the mountainsides on foot or by bike. ‘The site even has a small heated outdoor swimming pool for those sunny rest days. With a beautiful lake atthe heart ofits nine hectares of countryside, this campsite in the Sologne region south of Onl e With pitches for touring tents up to mobile homes and caravans, everyone is s has a distinctive atmosph made to feel welcome, and there are rental options for those secking something truly special, such as the floating ‘Flotente’ cabin perched on the edge of the lake. The site's attractions include a heated swimming pool, This family-orientaced holiday village, located just a shore walk from the chatming fishing port of Le Guilvinee in southern Finistre, has plenty to offer in terms of activities and proximity to along, sandy beach, On the pleasantly landscaped site, facilities include heated indoor pool with waterslides, bike hire, ‘games room, tennis court, playground and mini-golf as well as spa treatments. Opportunities also exist for varied water sports including stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and sand yachting, as well as horse riding, Accommodation options vary from pitches for touring tents, caravans and motorhomes to rental cottages. fishing in the well-populated lake, ‘mini-golf, trampoline, tennis court and badminton, while a small snack-bar and takeaway option offers sustenance The surrounding area has plenty of dining options, and a wealth of places FRANCE MAGAZINE 75,Set within the wild Pay Basque fandscape, surrounded by ancient woodland and bubbling streams with rolling hills and the mountain of La Rhune providing a backdrop, ths ste is perfect for those looking for peace and tranquillity, at one with nature. It is family orientated, with children’s pools, kids’ clubs and activities for teenagers. The site has a bar and restaurant, while accommodation varies from chalets to safari tents and the popular Géodome with terace for two to six peopl. LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION? For moreideas, takealookat thenewiy updated third edition of ooleamping France £1695), which includes information on 100 camping and lamping sites, half of which are new entries. The gorgeous photography realy shows of the idyllic charms of eamping in France. For an excellent online resource for finding a campsite in a particular area of France, take 2 look at campsites-infrance.com. You can search by area, nearby tourist attractions, theme or site name, and links then take you to the individual campsite’s website MORE |. ii i ONLINE compet Find more inspiration for your French 76 FRANCE MAGAZINE Set within a broad wine estate, Camping La Yole offers a wider than usual selection of opportunites for a campsite Focused largely on wine and gastronomy — with tastings, winery visits and talks readily available as well as several restaurants and gastronomy-themed hikes, there is plenty for adult campers to enjoy at leisure, The estate has its own farm, offering animal encounters for smaller campers, rope park and massive water park with no fewer than nine slides. Other on-site s well as an adventure activities include tennis, fencing, pétanque, dancing and fitness workouts ‘Accommodation is available to everyone Located in the countryside of one of France's most popular camping hotspots, this site is just far enough from the coast ~ about a 15-minute drive to the sandy beaches ~ to feel peaceful and rural. Close to Lac du Jaunay, this small, friendly site caters to all eypes of camping, from tents Ith of activities and amenities such as to caravans, and offers a wes ‘a swimming pool, whirlpool bath, bar with free Wi-Fi, shop, tennis court, fishing, ride to the beach, Not only is this a family-friendly option, but dogs are also welcome. and even eycle hire for a relaxed with touring tents, caravans and motorhomes to those looking to rent chalet-type accommodation or pre-erected tents.With the sea gently lapping at the foot of our 110 hectares of vineyards, our grapes reveal the true Mediterranean flavours. As well as the winery, La Yole is a 5-star camping lodge composed of an adventure rope park, an animal farm, a water park equipped with. covered as well as heated pools, various shops, bars and restaurants, and of course, day-long entertainment! We offer a wide range of quality accommodation and pitches, from our shaded standard pitches scattered over 23 hectares to our 120m2 comfort pitches bordered by mature poplar and pine trees and equipped with private sanitary. You're sure to spend an unforgettable holiday at Domaine La Yole, an estate deeply embedded within wine culture and Mediterranean traditions. Nestled in between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea, you will be delighted by the large range of activities that can be found in our region : sports, water based activities, cultural activities, gastronomic or wine related activities and much more. ‘Come and discover our beautiful region's history and cultural heritage! Avenue de la Mediterranee, 34350 Valras-Plage, France CURT OORT ARLE www.campinglayole.comFRENCH PROPERTY Wetherby Racecourse, Yorkshire EXHIBITION 12th-13th May 2017 Teo) + Browse from hundreds of pare ee ore ete eee enter ee Se eee euettnicn er covering all aspects of buying in and moving to France Register for FREE TICKETS at * Get free advice from the legal, financial, tax and currency experts Daa oaKoe cs icon iT|the Ce ee cd Reach for your bib The Michelin restaurant guide is most famous for handing out prestigious stars, but (and less expensive) delights of its Bib Gourmand accolade ne of the best things about France isthe way it can surprise when you least expect it. So Ihave to thank a small restaurant tucked away a sleepy backwater of the Aveyron département for introducing me to a world of eating pleasure that I never knew existed, ‘The Bib Gourmand ~ a respected recognition of great cooking at affordable prices ~is nowhere near as well-known to Francophile foodies as those world-famous Michelin stars. But its a trusty companion to have if you are looking to eat incredibly well — without making your credit card hhate you for it, Developed by Michelin whose reputation for discovering the best restaurants is second to none - the cept of the Bib Gourmand is straightforward. Every year sinc inspectors from the Michelin scoured the four comers of France to recommend the best bistros, auberges and restaurants that offer a three-course ‘meal of exceptional quality and ‘great value. The price ~ excluding, (€36 in Paris), ‘Why is the guide called Bib Gourmand? Wel, Bibendum is the name of Michetin’s most recognisable symbol, the ust not exceed €32 997, have 4 uncovers the hidden famous character made out of tyres that the British call The Michelin Man. Bib is the diminutive of Bibendum, so Bib Gourmand translates best as ‘The Hungry Litle Bibendum’, which neatly captures the less formal nature of the experience. Michael Ellis, the international director of Michelin Guides, says: “We're 1d mote demand for convivial ining among Ir ids. Chet ima simpler Kind of cooking tha puts sharing and the dining experience. These chefs have often worked ean whi FRANCE MAGAZINE 79in top establishments, places that have a Michelin star, before opening their own Jn are frequently fairly small, just 25-30 covers.” I stumbled across the Auberge de PPAdy in the hamlee of Valady by accident. The commune has just 1,500 inhabitants scattered over 98 square kilometres of gorgeous Aveyron ‘countryside. Not the place to find a real dining gem, you might think. But you would be wrong. Chef Céiric Gaston and his gielfriend Hélene have opted for a delightful ‘modern take on the area's traditional stone buildings to create an auberge with a modem twist, But it is Cédric’s cooking that really enchants. Whether it's veal or pork or mackerel, the main courses are a delight. Desserts including orange mousse and yoghurt panacotta are no less mouth-watering. The Men Authentique, where you could choose these dishes, costs just €33, while the see menu of the day (searter, ‘main course, cheese and dessert) is an even greater bargain at €21, Modern approach “The Auberge de Ady is among 685 restaurants (f which 75 are in Paris and 95 are new entries) recommended in the 2017 edition of the Bib Gourmand - Les Bonnes Petites Tables du Guide Michelin, While the awarding of Michelin stars causes culinary palpitations when chy are announced cach year the kid brother Bib Gourmand’s unveiling of its recommendations is a much less stuffy affair. This reflects a different, more modern approach to food that has taken hold in France. According to Michelin ‘media manager Samuelle Dorol, French gastronomy has changed hugely over the past 20 years, “Tables and decor have become less fussy, while chefs have got rid of anything ‘unnecessary in thei dishes to refocus on a perfect Above all, "ve gone hack to their roots, their local area and products to deliver seasonal, fresh produce on thee plates. This is {80 FRANCE MAGAZINE CeO) ABOVE: Michael Els (tid lf), international rector of Michelin Guides, with Bib Gourmand holders from the Cermont- Ferrand area; RIGHT: The Auberge de 'Ady in the Aveyron hamlet of Valady because chefs now want simplicity and convivialty after a number of years that saw the rise of dishes as theatre, but which also coincided with the economic crisis, Nowadays, it's all about keeping costs down and focusing ‘on client satisfaction, The Bib Gourmand recognises this.” In turn, regular French diners are as excited about the concept of Bib Gourmand as those with much deeper pockets are about Michelin stars. “I's an important recognition of our work and of the quality we offer,” says Valérie Perez, who runs Le Jardin des Brouches restaurant in Bagnéres-de-Bigorre in Hautes-Pyrénées with her partner, chef Benoit Croizard. The restaurant has received Bib Gourmand recommendation for the third year running, “Being recognised in this way brings people to us, Now there are diners who want to try the Bib Gourmande in the same way as people are excited to visit restaurants with a Michelin star.” Of course, the Bib Gourmand isn’t the only place where restaurant recommendations are made, TripAdvisor, for example, is full of reviews. Bur is ‘website is an open forum, where anyone can post a review. The Bib Gourmand, con the other hand, has the full weight of ‘Michelin's 100-year history of unbiased restaurant reviews behind it, “The Bib Gourmand name may have only been around for 20 years, but Michelin has always been interested in discovering great restaurants at great prices,” explains Samuelle Dorol. “While the awarding of Michelin stars has always grabbed the headlines, we've been telling food fans about what we call “everyday excel price’ since 1954, And since 1970, the Michelin Guide has offered a symbol in its guide to help people identity precisely those restaurants.” “The number of places endorsed by the Bib Gourmand has increased by more than 60 per cent since its 197 launch, ‘when just 400 places were recommended. ‘Now you can find them in ever and cranny of France. The country has taken the Bib Gourmand to its heart ~ and its stomach, @ restaurant.michelin.fmagazinelactualites! le-bib-gourmand-20-ans nce at a reasonableJOM DE VIVRE AUTHENTIC FRENCH SPECIALTIES EST. 1989 FOOD, SOAPS, LINENS & MORE FREE CATALOG 800 648 8854 RECIPES AND CULINARY EDITORIALS WWW.FRENCHSELECTIONS.COM From Michael Nelson Three books about the Riviera Buy now from all good bookshops and online ‘The French Riviera: A History, Matador 2017. The first history of the French Riviera in English. It spans the habitation ‘of Terra Amata in Nice 380,000 ago to the foundation of Sophia-Antipolis in 1974, Full of fascinating anecdotes like when Nice lent its guillotine to Grasse. ‘Americans and the Making of the Riviera, McFarland 2008. How Cole Porter led the invention of the summer ‘season, which revolutionised the economy. It tells the story of extraordinary characters like the American James Gordon Bennett Jr., who fled to the Riviera in the aftermath of a scandal at home. Queen Victoria and the Discovery of the Riviera, Tauris Parke Paperbacks 2007. Queen Victoria visited the Riviera nine times, which encouraged the royalty and aristocracy of Europe, many of whom were her relat follow suit. “Oh, If only I were at Nice, I should recove said when she was dying, 5 10 she www.michaelnelsonbooks.com = 107 Absentroux™ - 2 02 Cognac ~ 5/402 Lemon Julce = ¥feoz Curagao Please enjoy Absentroux” responsibly. FRENCH DIPLOMAT Combine ingredients in ‘ mixing glass over ice and stir. Strain into a fresh glass and garnish with an orange twist. MISSED OUT ON AN INTERESTING ARTICLE? For a full list of all back issues still available +44 (0)1858 438788 Price per iesue, ine pSD - UK E450 Europe £5.50 - RoW £6.50, SENT) SERBAL WINE Soy HA Ef sssevrmoux @assevraoux ‘woru.completefrance.com FRANCE MAGAZINE ©BON APPETIT Ca eer tee eer taT oy Paris-based Sushi Shop aims to tantalise British taste buds with the opening ofits fist three stores nthe UK hen you thin of the French and their love of food, chances are that sushi is rot the frst ching that ‘comes to mind. However, the popularity of this prized Japanese dish has skyrocketed in France, thanks in part to Paris based company Sushi Shop. And now it has expanded across the Channel and opened its firsechree branches, all in London, “L first discovered sushi when I was studying law in the early 1980s,” says co-founder Grégory Marciano, “Ihad the ‘opportunity to go to the {82 FRANCE MAGAZINE USA for one year and there I saw there was a real market for sushi and home deliveries. Back in Pari, I thought thae this could do well in France and with my friend Hervé Louis, who was seudying business, I started up the company.” ‘The pair launched Sushi Shop in Pacis in 1998 and have 300 stores worldwide, 90 of which are in France. Staff prepare everything to order by hand, and at the London shops customers can eat in as well as use the takeaway and delivery service. In recent years, the company has collaborated with leading sushi chefs to develop its menu, In 2017, itis the turn of Paris- based, Michel Kei Kobayashi, who worked for seven y. tunder Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée. ‘The Japanese-born chef has impressed sushi lovers with his creations, particularly the gy special roll, made from starred lightly seared beef dipped in teriyaki sauce, swith peppers, carrots and avocado, So what do the French really think of this sushi mania? “It’s thanks to them that we've been able to expand so much,” Marciano says. “French culinary attieudes are changing; sushi was once considered too exotic here, but i is becoming more mainstream now in France, especially among young people,” he said Sushi Shop is proving popular in London too. “We've only been open a litcle while but demand has been so high that we're already eyeing up other premises in the city.”EDMUNDS BIRMINGHAM ‘dmunds is located in Birmingham's Brindleyplace ccanalside development, near the major conference and. ‘concert venues, and overlooks a tree-lined square a litle removed from the main restaurant quarter ‘where all the big brands lie cheek by jowl ‘Chef Didier Philipot is a familia face on the Midlands dining scene, having worked at Brockencote Hall near Kidderminster and run his own restaurant in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter before taking over at Edmunds in 2012. His Gallic gastronomic credentials are impeccable: his father's family were Breton fishermen and his mother’s side were artisan bakers from Nancy. Last year, Philipot rang the changes, turning, Edmunds from a fine-dining restaurant 10 a bistro de luxe, promising more accessible, individually priced dishes inspired by French country cuisine. I was intrigued to see how this concept would work. The decor ofthe light and airy interior ‘emphasises the ‘de luxe’ over the ‘bistro’, with muted sgrey walls, abstract paintings and properly pressed “The ‘bistro’ clement came to the fore in my main dish of ewo jumbo boul noir sausages, which were seasoned perfectly and ‘melted in the mouth ~ no flecks of fat here, The Dijon mustard sauce was a triumph, enveloping the sausages ina coating of liquid velvet. The richness was offset by caramelised apples and nnutmeg-flecked mashed potato, while a glass of malbec from Cahors more than stood up to this hearty dish Despite that indulgence, I gave in to temptation and ordered a hot toffee soufflé for dessert, Tneedn’t have worried, as it was as light as a feather and had a subtle toffee lavour, while chocolate ie cream acted as a cooling contrast. Service was friendly, efficient and relaxed, and the tablecloths ~ no banquettes or bare tables here. Although tempted by the excellent-value men dia jour on ‘my lunchtime visit, I decided to push the boat out and go ala carte, I started with succulent king scallops, served with earthy girolles, a mushroom puree and parsley cream ~ ‘a mouth-watering combination of flavours, complemented by a glass of aromatic viognier from Languedoc. whole experience provided a pleasing mixture of bistro flavours and a fine-dining ambience. ‘Simon Reynolds Mains from £16. Menu di jour available Tues-Frinoon-2pm, “Tues Sat $.30pm-6.30pm; starter and mains £19, any dessert from the & la carte menu £5 extra 6 Brindleyplace, Birmingham, Bl 2JB Tel: 0121 633 4944, edmundsrestaurant.co.uk WINES OF THE MONTH ey satty easton, MASTER OF WINE SNAP IT UP Beaujolais 2015, Burgundy Anyone ofacertain agewillknow that Beayjolashas, unfanly hadtostrivetocome ‘out fromthe shadow of ts moreilustrious neighbour totheimmediatenorth. But Beaujolass. through itsunique arape variety,

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