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French Duck B&B near Argenton-sur-Creuse

Le Canard au Parapluie Rouge, or the “Duck with red umbrella” has a good start with a memorable name for a B&B – sounds a bit more exciting than the Hotel de la Gare (Station Hotel) which was its original name.
Situated south of Argenton-sur-Creuse (36 Indre, Centre -see map) just off the A20 autoroute [...]

Stay in a Boutique Wine Region in the Aveyron

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The northern end of the valley of the Lot River is a charming, peaceful and beautiful hidden part of France.   This lush region is completely unspoiled with its mountains, rivers, streams and rolling countryside dotted with medieval villages, stone [...]

Stay on a vineyard - Coteaux du Languedoc la Clape

Chateau Ricardelle produces an excellent range of Coteaux du Languedoc AC la Clape and Vins de Pays d’Oc wines and has some rather classy self-catering accomodation on the vineyard at la Clape between Narbonne (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) and the Mediterranean coast.

The wines of “la Clape” are some of the best in the Languedoc, despite often [...]

Le Basse Cour, Normandy/Loire B&B

Unless you are lucky enough to live within an hour or so of the English Channel ports, the annual trip to and from France can be a bit of an ordeal. Dover crossings may be short, but tend to leave you with longer to drive on both sides of the Channel. The western Channel crossings [...]

Stay on an organic vineyard in Saussignac

The organic vineyard of Chateau Haut Garrigue in the village of Saussignac (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) near Bergerac has it all – a wonderful situation overlooking the Dordogne valley; a self-contained gite “The Grape Escape”, friendly English-speaking (well, Irish) hosts and a real opportunity to see and learn more about wine and wine-making (if that’s what [...]

B&B in Burgundy

John & Carolyn Scallon offer comfortable Bed & Breakfast (Chambre d’Hote) accommodation in Burgundy either for stop-overs en route south or for short or longer stays. At Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone-et-Loire, Bourgogne).
This would be an opportunity to explore some of the lesser known parts of Burgundy with the additional bonus of experienced advice from your [...]

Gite on the Lot/Dorgogne border

There are numerous criteria for selecting the perfect holiday gite – for me it has to be a combination of tranquility, privacy, a decent view, comfortable accommodation, swimming pool; within walking distance of a bar, shop and preferably a restaurant; within striking distance of a town with a good selection of shops – and with [...]

Les Montels, Raujan nr Pezenas

Situated amongst the Languedoc vineyards (and owned by a talented wine maker) Les Montels is a self-contained house with its own pool near the village of Roujan (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon – see map).
In total tranquility about 2km from the village, the villa has panoramic views over the countryside – this is a large stone-built villa [...]

Hotel Les Trois Marchands, Cour-Cheverny

Our discovery of Les Trois Marchands (The Three Merchants) at Cour-Cheverny (41 Loir-et-Cher, Centre) was a recommendation from Michel Gendrier at nearby Domaine des Huards- and we have been back at least half-a-dozen times since.
Situated about 12km south of Blois, it is ideally situated for the Touraine chateaux and vineyards, including Domaine Octavie at Oisly.
As [...]

Corbières Vineyard Accommodation

Deep in the heart of Corbières country of the Aude département (11 Languedoc-Roussillon) is the impressive Chateau de Donos. This is close to rugged countryisde, away from the mediterranean beaches and the autoroutes. The wine is predominantly red, rich and full-bodied as you might expect from the landscape – and increasingly becoming one of the most [...]

Idyllic B&B near Lille

Lille (59 Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais) is a big and vibrant northern French city which is well worth a visit – but it’s not somewhere I associate with peace and tranquility.

We go most years to the Independent Winemakers Fair held in the Lille Grand Palais every November (16–19 November in 2007) and stay in city centre [...]

Stay on a vineyard in Chinon

Chinon is one of the better known Loire Wines, with an attractive riverside town and castle at its heart, and a reputation for some of the best Cabernet Franc reds.
A little to the east of the town in Cravant-les-Coteaux Christophe Baudy and Jean-Martin Dutour own and run an impressive set of vineyards producing some of [...]

Stay on a Vineyard - Côtes de Duras

In the heart of the Côtes de Duras vineyards between St Astier and Duras (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) on the Chateau la Petite Bertande – a gite sleeping up to 8 people.

With 3 bedrooms, bathroom, well-equipped kitchen and a terrace  surrounded by vines.

The vineyard produces some excellent Côtes de Duras AC, especially the crisp dry white [...]

B&B on a canal barge near Lille

Peniche Fantasia in Wambrechies (59 Nord, Nord Pas de Calais) on the outskirts of Lille(see map) This one offers wood-panelled rooms and air conditioning, and is moored in the centre of the town for easy access by bus into the heart of Lille in about 30 minutes.
For more info see www.peniche-fantasia.fr
Peniche Fantasia Au Port de [...]

Languedoc vineyard gite at Mas de Martin

At Saint Bauzille de Montmel (34 Herault, Languedoc) north east of Montpellier the Mas de Martin is a well-established vineyard (Coteaux du Languedoc AC) which also offers 2 Gites under the Gites de France scheme.
These are both well-appointed (one sleeps 4, the other 6) and well-situated to explore the vineyards, coast and the surrounding countryside, [...]

01 Ain, Rhone-Alpes – wine and chicken!

In the east of France and to the east of Burgundy adjacent to Switzerland, the Ain is probably a little overlooked by most visitors.

With Bourg-en-Bresse as its principal town it is a region of gentle hills and river valleys – which is one of the hidden parts of France.

The departement includes Bugey and the wines [...]

Stay on a Vineyard near Pezenas, Languedoc

The Chateau Rieutort de Blanville at Saint-Pargoire  (34230 Herault, Languedoc) is a very stylish chateau surrounded by vines – the chateau estate producing classy wines in the Coteaux du Languedoc and Grès de Montpellier appellations as well as some Vins de Pays Vicomté d’Aumelas.

Sitauted just 10 minutes from the medieval town of Pezenas (34 Herault, Languedoc), and not [...]

Stay on a vineyard – Cahors, Lot

In the heart of the Cahors vineyards. home of the Malbec grape, in the département du Lot, Chateau de Rouffiac offers good wines and 4 stylish Bed & Breakfast (Chambres d’Hotes) in the midst of a 30hectare wine estate. The house and rooms are in rather grand style. Additionally they offer “Table d’Hotes” – so [...]

Staying in Cathar country

The limits of Cathar country in the Languedoc are ill-defined, but stretch south and east from Carcassonne (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) to include the impressive hilltop fortress such as Peyrepeteuse, Puilaurens and the ancient towns of Rennes-la-Chateau and Montsegur. The history has become somewhat muddied and over-hyped by recent best-seller books, but behind the commercialism there [...]

Stay on a Vineyard in Burgundy – Cote Vigne

North of Macon at Igé (71 Saone-et-Loire, Burgundy) you could indulge in a wine and gastronomic stay at this aptly named Chambre d’Hote (B&B) In addition to 5 very spacious comfortable bedrooms in this former winemaker’s house, they offer Table d’Hote suppers and tutored food and wine tastings and tours in the heart of Burgundy [...]