FrenchDuck’s databank

The famous Bordeaux wines of St.Emilion and Pomerol are predominantly based on Merlot. Here it produces full bodied wines with plum characteristics to the flavour and aroma; similar to Cabernet Sauvignon in many ways but generally less tannic. It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Several regions of Bordeaux see Merlot dominate the plantings. In the wines of Graves , Bourg, Blayes and Fronsac Merlot predominates. While in the South West of France Buzet, Gaillac, Cahors and Bergerac the classic variety adds softness to the local varieties with which it is blended.
Merlot grapes produce generously plummy, medium-bodied reds
Goes best with roast poultry, peppered steak, rich tomato sauces, pork chops
Merlot grown in: Bordeaux , Languedoc , Bergerac, South West France .

Along with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, is the key ingredient in the white wines of Bordeaux both dry and sweet including the famous wines of Sauternes and Graves. Semillon is also grown elsewhere in the South West most impressively for the sweet wines of Saussignac, Monbazillac, Cadillac, Loupiac and Barsac.

As a grape it tends to be soft and fruity, and sometimes lacking in acidity - which is one reason why it works well when blended with the more acidic Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux, Bergerac etc
Semillon is an easy-drinking white grape with lime and creamy toasty flavours
Goes with white fish, light chicken dishes
Semillon Found in Bordeaux and South West France

An aromatic white grape varietal which is the sole variety authorised for use in the Cour-Cheverny Appellation in the Loire Valley - south of Blois.
The wines produced tend to be very dry, with good mineral extraction ( especially from older vines) with citrus (lime), honey and acacia tones.
See Domaine des Huards

Markets in 62 Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Some markets only take place in Summer - check beforehand with the local tourist office or town hall.

Aire-sur-la-Lys Friday
Aix-Noulette Friday
Allouagne Wednesday
Ambleteuse Wednesday
Annay-sous-Lens Wednesday
Annezin Saturday
Ardres Thursday
Arques Tuesday
Arras Wednesday, Thursday , Saturday, Sunday
Auchel Tuesday
Auchy-les-Mines Saturday
Audresselles Monday
Audruicq Wednesday
Auxi-le-Château Saturday
Avesnes-le-Comte Friday
Avion Thursday , Friday
Bailleul-s-Berthoult Friday
Bapaume Friday
Barlin Wednesday
Beaurainville Wednesday
Berck Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Béthune Monday , Thursday , Friday
Beuvry Friday
Biache-St-Vaast Thursday
Billy-Montigny Wednesday, Sunday
Blendecques Thursday
Boulogne-sur-Mer Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday
Brebières Thursday
Bresmes-les-Ardres Sunday
Bruay-Làbuissière Friday , Sunday
Bully-les-Mines Thursday , Saturday
Calais Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday,Sunday
Calonne-Ricouart Thursday
Camiers Monday , Thursday
Carvin Saturday
Chocques Thursday
Condette Sunday
Corbehem Friday
Coulogne Monday
Courcelles-lès-Lens Sunday
Courrières Wednesday
Cucq Wednesday, Sunday
Cuinchy Saturday


Desvres Tuesday
Divion Wednesday
Dourges Saturday
Douvrin Monday
Drocourt Thursday
Écourt-St-Quentin Wednesday
Estevelles Tuesday
Étaples Tuesday, Friday
Fauquembergues Thursday
Fouquières-lès-Lens Friday
Frévent Tuesday
Friuges Saturday
Grenay Tuesday
Guînes Friday
Haillicourt Thursday
Harnes Thursday
Hénin-Beaumont Tuesday, Friday
Hersin-Coupigny Saturday
Hesdin Thursday
Houdain Thursday , Saturday
Hucqueliers Wednesday
Isbergues Thursday
Le-Portel Tuesday, Friday
Le-Touquet Monday , Thursday , Saturday
Lens Tuesday, Friday , Saturday
Libercourt Thursday
Licques Monday
Liévin Wednesday, Sunday
Lillers Saturday
Loison-sous-Lens Saturday
Longuenesse Wednesday
Loos-en-Gohelle Thursday
Lumbres Friday
Marck Tuesday
Marles-les-Mines Saturday
Marquise Thursday
Mazingarbe Wednesday, Friday , Saturday
Méricourt Saturday
Montigny-en-Gohelle Monday
Montreuil-sur-Mer Saturday
Noeux-les-Mines Tuesday, Friday
Noyelles-Godault Thursday
Noyelles-sous-Lens Wednesday
Oignies Tuesday
Oisy-le-Verger Wednesday
Outreau Monday , Thursday
Oye-Plage Wednesday
Pas-en-Artois Tuesday
Pernes Thursday
Pont-à-Vendin Thursday
Rinxent Sunday
Rouvroy Monday
Sains-en-Gohelle Wednesday
St-Martin-Boulogne Thursday
St-Omer Wednesday, Saturday
St-Pol-sur-Ternoise Monday
Sallaumines Monday , Saturday
Samer Monday
Sangatte Friday
Souchez Tuesday
Thérouanne Tuesday
Vendin-le-Vieil Monday , Friday
Vermelles Monday
Vimy Saturday
Vitry-en-Artois Tuesday
Wimereux Tuesday, Friday
Wingles Wednesday
Wissant Wednesday
Wizernes Sunday

* Basilique et colline de Vézelay (1979) 89, Yonne, Burgundy _ Basilica and Hill
* Cathédrale de Chartres (1979)
* Mont-Saint-Michel et sa baie (1979) including the bay
* Palais et parc de Versailles (1979) Palace and park
* Sites préhistoriques et grottes ornées de la vallée de la Vézère (1979) - prehistoric sites and caves in the Vezere valley in the Dordogne
* Abbaye cistercienne de Fontenay (1981) Cistercian Abbey
* Arles, monuments romains et romans (1981) monuments
* Cathédrale d’Amiens (1981) cathedral
* Palais et parc de Fontainebleau (1981) palace and park
* Théâtre antique et ses abords et « Arc de Triomphe » d’Orange (1981)- the ampitheatre and Triumphant Arch
* Saline royale d’Arc-et-Senans (1982) Royal Salt Works
* Abbatiale de Saint-Savin sur Gartempe (1983) Abbey
* Golfe de Porto : calanche de Piana, golfe de Girolata, réserve de Scandola (1983) #
* Places Stanislas, de la Carrière et d’Alliance à Nancy (1983) City squares
* Pont du Gard (1985)
* Strasbourg – Grande île (1988)
* Cathédrale Notre-Dame, ancienne abbaye Saint-Remi et palais de TauReims (1991) Cathedral, Abbey and Palace
* Paris, rives de la Seine (1991) - banks of the Seine
* Cathédrale de Bourges (1992) Cathedral
* Centre historique d’Avignon : Palais des papes, ensemble Episcopal et Pont d’Avignon (1995) Popes’ Palace and the Avignon bridge
* Canal du Midi (1996)
* Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (1997, 1999) *
* Ville fortifiée historique de Carcassonne (1997) 11, Aude, Languedoc - fortified medieval city
* Chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle en France (1998) - the pilgrim routes across France towards St Jean de Compostelle
* Site historique de Lyon (1998) - historic centre
* Beffrois de Belgique et de France (1999, 2005) * 20 (Aire-sur-la-Lys, Armentières, Arras,, Bailleul, Bergues, Béthune, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Calais, Cambrai, Comines, Douai, Dunkerque (Dunkirk), Gravelines,Hesdin,Lille, Loos, Abbeville, Amiens, Doullens, Lucheux, Rue, St Riquier (belfries of Northern France and Picardie - and Belgium)
* Juridiction de Saint-Émilion (1999)
* Val de Loire entre Sully-sur-Loire et Chalonnes (2000) The Loire Valley between Sully and Chalonnes
* Provins, ville de foire médiévale (2001) medieval fair town
* Le Havre, la ville reconstruite par Auguste Perret (2005) - the rebuilt city centre

Cabernet Sauvignon (red)

One of the three most widely seen varieties both in France and across the world. Its French home is the fine wine lands of the Medoc and Graves in Bordeaux , where it is generally blended with other varieties such as Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon is very reliable for ageing, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, it’s distinctive blackcurrant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably. It is also grown across the south of the country in the Languedoc producing single varietal wines or again blended. The variety is renowned for it structure, longevity (if of sufficient quality) and for its ability to demonstrate “terroir” characteristics. It has a particular affinity with oak and offers flavours of blackcurrants.

Cabernet Sauvignon the noble red grape producing rich, blackcurrant-loaded red wines - other keywords include capsicum, cedar, vanilla and coffee!

CABERNET SAUVIGNON offers a wide range of aromas and flavours. It tends
towards herbaceousness when not fully ripe with capsicum and grassy undertones, but
as it ripens it develops flavours of blackcurrant. It goes well with oak which lends secondary characters with a range of vanilla, cedar, sandalwood,tobacco, coffee, musk and spicy notes.
Best with roast red meats, mature hard cheeses
Cabernet Sauvignon: grown in Bordeaux , Loire , Languedoc -Rousillon, Bergerac, Buzet, Marmandais, Frontonnais, Gaillac, Madiran and Vins de Pays.