Les Deux Alpes – snow-sure skiing in a friendly French resort. Les Deux Alpes ( or Les 2 Alpes) is located in the Southern Alpes in the Isère region of France. It is the second oldest ski resort in France after Chamonix. The two alps refer to the villages of Mont de Lans and Venosc […]
The Weekender – Fest’Oie – the Business of Foie Gras in Sarlat
Foie Gras d’Oie in the Perigord Noir and a Guilty Conscience. The Fest’Oie in Sarlat is a celebration of one of the region’s greatest (and in the UK most controversial) delicacies. Festivities include the Bodeg’oie – a street feast focussing on various dishes made with goose, the Sunday Street festival and, the highlight of the […]
Champagne Revisited – an Introduction to the Champagne Region in France
Exploring the Vineyards and Wineries of Champagne – Wine Tourism in France: Remember gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne! Winston Churchill Introduction to Champagne and the Champagne Region The British love for all things bubbly is undisputed. We are still the largest export market for champagne by volume (although we are […]
Billecart-Salmon Champagne – Understated Perfectionism and Beer inspired Fizz
Exploring Champagne at Billecart-Salmon, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. On a windswept, vine-covered hillside, looking out over the Champagne region, Mathieu Roland-Billecart, 7th Generation of the house of Billecart-Salmon Champagne surveys his land. ‘This area, where we are standing is part of the Montagne de Reims, it’s the Bond Street of Pinot Noir for the Champagne Appellation – and […]
Châteaux and Champagne – visiting l’Aisne
Beyond the Battlefields – l’Aisne, France. A trip to l’Aisne in Picardie, France, is often triggered by an itinerary to explore the battlefields of the World Wars – but there’s much more on offer in this little-known region just an hour or so from Paris. Here’s a taster of what you can expect if you […]
Comté cheese – the Jura region France
The making of Comté cheese. An iconic French brand, Comté was one of the first kinds of cheese to receive an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlée) status in 1958. Having lived and worked in the French Alps I was already a fan of Comté and Tomme cheese, both of which are made in this area, and […]
Feeling at Home in Paris, St Germain
Paris in the Spring – St Germain: I’ve been a Londoner for most of my adult life. A couple of brief excursions to the country and a temporary contract in Brussels for nine months my only attempts to break free. Yet, there are cities where I believe I could happily live. Paris is one of […]
Mets et Vins Plaisirs, Angers
Well, how perfect. The name of this restaurant in Angers translates to ‘Food and Wine Pleasures’. And the objective of the restaurant is to ensure that there are wines to match the food that you are served. With over 300 wines to choose from, including a large number from local producers, our group had no […]
St Quentin, France – A Phoenix From The Ashes of War
Three reasons to visit St Quentin, Aisne, France. Why visit St Quentin? The largest City in the Aisne, at the beginning of the 13th Century it was a thriving city thanks to the wool textile industry and its proximity to the Champagne region and to the cities of Flanders. Saint-Quentin Town Hall with its flamboyant […]
Paris Food Tour with Eating Europe
Hip Eats and Backstreets – a Paris Food Tour. One of the best ways to get under the skin of a city like Paris is by taking a walking tour. For my money, the best walking tours always involve food – not just because I love to eat but because with a food tour there’s […]