FrenchDuck’s databank
France

Fougerolles (70 Saone, Rhone-Alpes) on the edge of the Vosges mountains southwest of Alsace holds its annual Foire aux Beignets de Cerises and Kirsch (Cherry eau-de-vie) tastings.
For more info see www.frenchduck.com

Dijon (21 Cote d’Or, Bourgogne) has its Vine Festival at the end of August, which is not just about wine.
The medieval city combines a wine festival as the wine harvst approaches with an annual celebration of world folklore. 2007 see the 59th festival which will include performances throughout the city by folk musicians from around the world. A craft fair and a grand public tasting of the local Burgundy wines should make Dijon an exciting place to be for the week.
For more info see www.fetesdelavigne.fr

Roscoff (29 Finistere, Brittany) celebrates its famous pink onions with a 2 day festival (Fete de l’Oignon Rose de Roscoff).

The local onion was the basis for a major trade in onions across the English Channel – and led to the hordes of “Onion Johnnies” with their berets, Gauloises cigarettes and strings of onions over the handlebars of their bikes. There is now a Museum dedicated to the “Johnnies” in Roscoff.

For more info see http://www.roscoff-tourisme.com – and the Maison des Johnnies et de l’oignon rose

Situated a few miles east of Tours on the Loire, Vouvray produces a wide range of wine styles based on the Chenin Blanc - from dry to sweet, from still to sparkling - showing what a versatile grape variety this grape can be.
Discover Vouvray wines - presented by their makers - and a selection of local fine food specialities in the Caves de la Bonne Dame.

At last a budget airline has introduced transparent pricing on its website. Flybe now shows the actual cost to fly on their routes to France and elsewhere. Until now airlines would headline their offers along the lines of “Flights from 99p” but by the time booking fees, admin charges, airport charges and government taxes were added, the 99p could become £50 or more.
The only additional charge is for a credit card (£1.99) and debit card (£0.99) per person per flight.
So I was quickly able to discover that I can fly from Birmingham to Bergerac (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) for just £65.64 inclusive at the end of September, which sounds pretty good to me!

Flybe flies to Angers, Avignon, Bergerac, Bordeaux, Brest, Chambery, Geneva, la Rochelle, Limoges, Nice, Paris, Perpignan, Rennes and Toulouse.

For more info see www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel/flights.html

Vinsobres, Cotes du Rhone-Villages AC is one of the crus of the southern Rhone, and celebrates the beginning of the Harvest (Ban des Vendanges du Cru)

For more info see http://www.vinsobres.fr

Opening match France v Argentina at St Denis

St Peray (07 Ardeche, Rhone-Alpes) holds its annual Fête des vins et du jumelage (Festival of Wine and Twinning (with towns in Germany and Italy) - which includes a Rhone wines market (Marché aux vins des côtes-du-Rhône) - see www.st-peray.com.

Saint-Péray is in the northern Rhône wine region just west of Valence.
The Rhône is predominantly associated with spicy red wines, but Saint-Péray is unusual in producing sparkling white wines - although a little still dry white is also made.

Langon (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) midway between Bordeaux and Saint Emilion holds a well-balanced festival of wine,cheese and bread (La foire aux vins, fromages et pains) on the first weekend of September. Given the proximity of some of the finest vineyards in the world - Graves, Sauternes, Pomerol, Saint Emilion - the wine element alone should be pretty good!
See www.langon33.fr

The Ban des Vendanges de la Jurade de St Emilion is a festival to formally announce the beginning of the harvest of the wines of St Emilion (33 Gironde, Aquitaine), one of the great wines of Bordeaux.
The “Jurade” is one of those French inventions to recreate a usually fictitious ancient brotherhood of men (and sometimes women) who guard the reputation of the wine - and gives them the opportunity to dress up in funny clothes, hold induction ceremonies, parade through the town, announce the beginning of the harvest from the top of an ancient tower - and imbibe serious quantities of fine wine.
The village is in festive mood for the day - and in all of Bordeaux, St Emilion is the most attractive and interesting village.

Aix-les-Bains (73 Savoie, Rhône-Alpes) hosts Festival Navig’Aix the first European meeting of Old fashion boats!
150 boats (old boats, sailing boats, cruisers), 30 ancient cars, one active engine, 1 expo village, the Bourget Lake… All the water, steam, sail or bodywork launches will be there during 4 days of celebration and show.
Info on www.aixlesbains.com

The town of Grasse (06 Alpes-Maritimes, Provence) famous for being the heart of the Provencal perfumery industry, set up in the hills back from the Mediterranean coast, celebrates its 3-day Fete du Jasmin. The festival marks the beginning of the Jasmine harvest and features fireworks, dancing and a Jasmine parade.
For more info see www.grasse-riviera.com

St Remy-de-Provence (13, Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) holds it Fête du Vin et de l’Artisanat - featuring the local wines of Les Baux de Provence and Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and local crafts - market stalls with olivesm foie gras, cheese, oysters and honey - music each night in the town.
See www.saintremy-de-provence.com

The village of Lautrec (81 Tarn, Midi-Pyrenees) near Albi holds its annual Pink Garlic Festival - La fête de l’Ail Rose de Lautrec.The highlights include the free tasting of the Lautrec Pink Garlic soup, a competition for the longest woven string of garlic (current record is over 21 metres) and a garlic tart competition (and a Miss Pink Garlic competition).
For more info see www.ailrosedelautrec.com

Livarot (14 Calvados, Normandie) is one of Normandy’s most distinctive cheeses. The town holds its anual cheese festival in August.
See map

The pretty Provencal seaside town of Cassis (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) - east of Marseille celebrates the local wine (Cassis AC) - not the blackcurrant liqueur which traditionally comes from Dijon in Burgundy.
See www.vinscassis.com/

see map

In the centre of Hyeres (83 Var, Provence) the winemakers of the Cotes de Provence hold thier annual festival - honouring some local dignities and generally promoting the virtues of their wines, predominantly the rosés.

For more info see www.ville-hyeres.fr and for Cotes de Provence wines see www.vinsdeprovence.com

Jazz in Marciac, (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees)

This normally tranquil bastide town in deepest Gascony hosts a world-class Jazz festival during the first three weeks on August every year inaugurated by Wynton Marsalis who is also appearing this year along with others such as Madeleine Peyroux, Joe Cocker, Chuck Corea.

Although the summer season is the highlight, other concerts are held throughout the year.
See www.jazzinmarciac.com/
Tel: 33 (0)5 62 08 26 60

Nearby vineyards include Domaine de Lauroux and Producteurs Plaimont

One of the most important Côtes-du-Rhône Villages holds its annual Festival - lots of music, Provencal market stalls and the opportunity to taste the wines of Cairanne.
There is an excellent co-operative and a large number of indpendent growers - for more see www.frenchduck.com

Festival of Afro, Cuban, Salsa and Latin music and dance, in the middle of the otherwise sleepy département of Gers (32, Midi-Pyrenees) - snazzy website at www.tempo-latino.com/

Whilst in the region you could visit our friends at Domaine de Lauroux to taste some of their wines and Armagnacs, or even try their B&B on the vineyard.