FrenchDuck’s databank
Aquitaine

July 27, 2007 10:00 pm

to

July 29, 2007 10:00 pm

Sauveterre (33, Gironde. Aquitaine) between Bordeaux and Marmande holds a 3–day festival of wine, food and other diversions featuring the wines of the Entre-Deux-Mers (between the 2 rivers) and Bordeaux.

For more info see http://www.sauveterre-de-guyenne.com/

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.

See www.chateau-lapetitebertrande.com
see map

August 12, 2007

The Côtes de Duras wine festival takes place in the grounds of the Chateau at Duras (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine)– in the morning some conducted walks amongst the vineyards, a procession of classic cars, taste some wine from many of the local producers – and then in the evening there is a feast and music (Jazz) and dancing!

 White red and rosé wines are produced here – similar in style to Bordeaux and Bergerac – most distinctive is the Sauvignon Blanc which can be very good.

See http://www.cotesdeduras.com

July 27, 2007

From Cahors (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) across the Dordogne (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) and on to Angouleme (15 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) through the heart of South West and into Cognac country.

Cahors is probably one of my favourite towns, greatly improved now that the A20 autoroute bypasses the town. In a loop of the rather meandering Lot river with its iconic fortified medieval bridge (Pont Valentré, celebrating its 700 anniversary this year) the town is an ideal size to retain its character - and of course it is at the heart of one of my favourite wine areas. The red Cahors wine is made predominantly from Malbec (or Cot or Auxerrois as it is known locally) - and is a robust rich red ideal to accompany the rich duck and goose recipes of the region.Good wines from Clos Triguedina, Chateau de Cedre, Chateau Eugenie, Chateau les Hauts d’Aglan and others.

If you are really interested in the wines of Cahors and the culture of wine-making in rural South West France, then I can recommend Michael Sanders’ book Families of the Vinewhich tells the story of 3 major wine making families in the region at Clos Triguedena, Clos de Gamot and Clos la Coutale.

For more info on the Tour de France 2007 see www.letour.fr or UK Eurosport where there are some good interactive maps of the route.

July 26, 2007

At last the mountains are now behind the riders (literally), and whislt this is not exactly a flat stage, there are now opoortunities for any of the surviving sprinters to show their stuff as the tour runs from Pau (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) to Castelsarrasin (82 Tarn-et-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) on the Canal du Midi.

Pau is the centre of the Jurancon AC and Jurancon Sec AC vineyards - superb white wines ranging from dazzlingly crisp dry white through to sublime dessert wines made from local grape varieties such as Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng. A little to the west of the town of Jurancon, Domaine de Cinquau is well worth a visit - other to look out for include Domaine de Cauhapé where Henri Ramonteau produces some really exeptional wines - such as the Domaine de Cauhapé Symphonie de Novembre. Jurancon AC Moelleux stocked by Andrew Chapman at www.surf4wine.com “The very intense nose combines citrus fruit and exotic perfume with hints of fine oak, resin, spice and toasty notes. The mouth is suave and very aromatic. Fruity, crystallized flavours and bursts with pineapple, chestnut and quince. “

For more info on the Tour de France 2007 see www.letour.fr or UK Eurosport where there are some good interactive maps of the route.

July 25, 2007

Orthez (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Midi-Pyrenees) to Gourette (Col d’Aubisque) - after a rest day off the mountains, the tour now cruelly sends the cyclists back up the mountains for what is probably the hardest day of mountain climbing in the whole Tour. A quick detour into Spain is included before the finish.

For more info on the Tour de France 2007 see www.letour.fr or UK Eurosport where there are some good interactive maps of the route.

Markets in the Gironde (33, Aquitaine)

Arcachon for oysters and seafood, Bazas for beef.and almost everything in Bordeaux.

The following list is provided as an indicator of what markets take place whenin good faith, but bear in mind that some markets will only take place in the summer, others may be 2-weekly or monthly - always check with the local tourist office.

Andernos Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Arcachon daily
Ares Tuesday
Audenge Tuesday
Bazas Saturday
Blaye Wednesday, Saturday
Bordeaux - Aubiers Friday
Bordeaux - Bacalan Friday
Bordeaux - Belcier Tuesday
Bordeaux - Capucins Monday-Saturday
Bordeaux - Chartrons Tuesday-Saturday
Bordeaux - Grand Parc Saturday
Bordeaux - Grands Hommes daily exc Sunday
Bordeaux - La Bastide Thursday
Bordeaux - Lerme Wednesday, Saturday
Bordeaux - Pins-Francs Wednesday
Bordeaux - pl St-Amand Saturday
Bordeaux - pl St-Pierre Thursday
Bordeaux - Quais Sunday
Bordeaux - Royal Saturday
Bordeaux - St-Martial Wednesday
Bordeaux - St-Michel daily
Bordeaux - St-Suerin Friday
Bordeaux - St-Victor-Dupeux Tuesday
Bordeaux - Victor Hugo daily
Bourg-sur-Gironde Sunday
Cap-Ferret Wednesday
Captieux Monday
Castillon-la-Bataille Monday
Coutras Wednesday, Saturday
Creon Wednesday
Gujan-Mestras Wednesday
Hourtin Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
La Teste Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Lacanau Tuesday
Lacanau-Ocean Wednesday
Lege Saturday
Lesparre-Medoc Tuesday, Saturday
Libourne Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Monsegur Tuesday, Friday
Pauillac Saturday
Sauveterre-de-Guyenne Tuesday
Soulac-sur-Mer daily
St-Andre-de-Cubzac Thursday, Saturday
Ste-Foy-la-Grande daily
Villandraut Thursday

The number of budget airline routes to France from the UK is continuing to grow, as is the number of French destinations - no longer restricted to the major cities. This really does open up some of the less well-known parts of France.
The list below shows the extent of the coverage - and this excludes flights to Paris which are available from most local airports. Some flights are seasonal, so please check with the airline for timetables and availability.

Destination	From	airline
Angers	Manchester	Aer Arran
Angers	Exeter	flybe
Avignon	Southampton	flybe
Avignon	Southampton	flybe
Bergerac	Belfast	flybe
Bergerac	Birmingham	flybe
Bergerac	Bristol	flybe
Bergerac	Exeter	flybe
Bergerac	Leeds/Bradford	flybe
Bergerac	Liverpool	Ryanair
Bergerac	London Stansted	Ryanair
Bergerac	London Gatwick	flybe
Bergerac	Manchester	flybe
Bergerac	Nottingham/E.Mids	Ryanair
Bergerac	Southampton	flybe
Biarritz	London Stansted	Ryanair
Bordeaux	Bristol	easyJet
Bordeaux	Bristol	flybe
Bordeaux	Southampton	flybe
Bordeaux	Birmingham	bmibaby
Bordeaux	Luton	easyJet
Bordeaux	Manchester	bmibaby
Bordeaux	Norwich	flybe
Bordeaux	Nottingham/E Mids	bmibaby
Brest	Birmingham	flybe
Brest	Exeter	flybe
Brest	Southampton	flybe
Carcassonne	London Stansted	Ryanair
Carcassonne	Nottingham/E Mids	Ryanair
Chambery	Bristol	Excel
Chambery	Leeds	Jet2
Chambery	Manchester	Jet2
Chambery	Southampton	flybe
Chambery	Birmingham	flybe
Chambery	Exeter	flybe
Chambery	Norwich	flybe
Cherbourg	Southampton	flybe
Deauville	London Stansted	cancelled
Dinard	London Stansted	Ryanair
Dinard	Nottingham/E Mids	Ryanair
Geneva	Liverpool	easyJet
Geneva	Doncaster/Sheffield	easyJet
Geneva	Bournemouth	easyJet
Geneva	Bristol	easyJet
Geneva	Edinburgh	easyJet
Geneva	Glasgow	easyJet
Geneva	London Stansted	easyJet
Geneva	London Gatwick	easyJet
Geneva	London Luton	easyJet
Geneva	Newcastle	easyJet
Geneva	Nottingham/E.Mids	easyJet
Geneva	Birmingham	bmibaby
Geneva	Cardiff	bmibaby
Geneva	Nottingham/E.Mids	bmibaby
Geneva	Manchester	bmibaby
Grenoble	Bristol	easyJet
Grenoble	East Midlands	Ryanair
Grenoble	Glasgow (Prestwick)	Ryanair
Grenoble	London Stansted	Ryanair
Grenoble	Liverpool	Ryanair
Grenoble	Heathrow	BA
Grenoble	London Luton	easyJet
Grenoble	London Gatwick	easyJet
La Rochelle	Birmingham	flybe
La Rochelle	Bristol	easyJet
La Rochelle	London Stansted	Ryanair
La Rochelle	Manchester	flybe
La Rochelle	Southampton	flybe
le Havre	Shoreham	Euroexec
Le Touquet	Lydd	Lyddair
Le Touquet	Shoreham	Euroexec
Lille	Leeds/Bradford	bmi
Limoges	Southampton	flybe
Limoges	London Stansted	Ryanair
Limoges	Liverpool	Ryanair
Limoges	Manchester	flybe
Limoges	Nottingham/E.Mids	Ryanair
Lorient	London Luton	AerArran
Lyon	Heathrow	bmibaby
Lyon	London Stansted	easyJet
Lyon	Bournemouth	thomsonfly
Lyon	Coventry	thomsonfly
Lyon	Manchester	BA
Lyon	Doncaster/Sheffield	thomsonfly
Marseille	Bristol	easyJet
Marseille	London Stansted	Ryanair
Marseille	London Gatwick	easyJet
Montpellier	London Stansted	Ryanair
Nantes	London Stansted	Ryanair
Nantes	London Gatwick	Air France
Nantes	Nottingham/E.Mids	Ryanair
Nice	Bristol	easyJet
Nice	Liverpool	easyJet
Nice	London Gatwick	easyJet
Nice	London Luton	easyJet
Nice	London Stansted	easyJet
Nice	Newcastle	easyJet
Nice	Birmingham	bmibaby
Nice	Birmingham	BA
Nice	London Heathrow	bmibaby
Nice	Nottingham/E.Mids	bmibaby
Nice	Leeds	Jet2
Nice	Manchester	Jet2
Nice	Southampton	flybe
Nice	Manchester	BA
Nimes	London Luton	Ryanair
Nimes	London Stansted	Ryanair
Nimes	Liverpool	Ryanair
Nimes	Nottingham/E.Mids	Ryanair
Pau	London Stansted	Ryanair
Perpignan	London Stansted	Ryanair
Perpignan	Birmingham	flybe
Perpignan	Southampton	flybe
Poitiers	London Stansted	Ryanair
Reims	London Luton	Air Turquoise
Rennes	Cardiff	AirWales
Rennes	Edinburgh	flybe
Rennes	Manchester	AirWales
Rennes	Waterford	AirWales
Rennes	Southampton	flybe
Rodez	London Stansted	Ryanair
Rouen	Shoreham	Euroexec
Santander/Bilbao	London Stansted	Ryanair
St Etienne	London Stansted	Ryanair
Strasbourg	London Gatwick	Air France
Toulon	London Stansted	Ryanair
Toulouse	Birmingham	flybe
Toulouse	Bristol	flybe
Toulouse	Bristol	easyJet
Toulouse	London Gatwick	easyJet
Toulouse	Manchester	bmibaby
Tours	London Stansted	Ryanair

Englishwoman Patricia Atkinson at Close d’Yvigne has established a name for herself as a writer and a successful winemaker in the Bergerac (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - see The Ripening Sun: One Woman and the Creation of a Vineyard and La Belle Saison. However in addition she also has 2 rather grand gites (villas) in the midst of the vines at Gageac et Rouillac (see map).
There are 2 substantial properties available - Le Tabardy which can sleep up to 12 people and Madame Cholet’s Perigord Farmhouse which sleeps up to 8. Both are extremely spacious and well-appointed with large swimming pool.
Situated in the heart of the Bergerac vineyards (which also include Monbazillac, Saussignac, Pecharmant and other appellations) near the Dordogne river with plenty of interesting villages and countryside, there is plenty to see, do, eat (Perigord cuisine) and drink. Even the vineyards and attractive village of St Emilion is only just over an hour away.
For more details see www.cdywine.com

see map

Market days in departement 24 - Dordogne, Aquitaine.
Based on local info - please check beforehand. Some markets only operate in the Summer months
* indicates irregular pattern - i.e not necessarily every week.

Audrix :- Saturday*

Beaumont :- Tuesday, Saturday

Belves :- Wednesday pm*, Saturday

Bergerac - Naillac :- Sunday
Bergerac - place de la Madeleine :- Friday
Bergerac - place des 2 Conils :- Wednesday
Bergerac - place du Marche :- Wednesday, Saturday
Bergerac - place Gambetta :- Wednesday, Saturday

Biron :- Wednesday*

Bouzic :- Tuesday eve*

Brantome :- Tuesday*, Friday

Cadouin :- Monday pm*

Domme :- Thursday

Eymet :- Thursday, Tuesday eve*

Issigeac :- Sunday

Le Bugue :- Tuesday, Saturday

Le Buisson-de-Cadouin :- Friday

Les Eyzies-de-Tayac :- Monday

Marquay :- Sunday*

Meyrals :- Thursday, Saturday eve*

Monpazier :- Thursday

Perigueux :- Wednesday, Saturday

Piegut-Pluviers :- Wednesday

Riberac :- Tuesday*, Friday

Salignac :- Tuesday*, Friday pm*

Sarlat-la-Caneda :- Wednesday, Saturday

Siorac-en-Perigord :- Wednesday

St-Amand-de-Coly :- Tuesday eve

St-Aulaye :- Saturday

St-Cyprien :- Sunday

Ste-Alvere :- Saturday*

St-Front-de-Pradoux :- Sunday*

St-Genies :- Sunday

St-Georges-de-Montclard :- Friday eve*

St-Julien-de-Lampon :- Thursday

St-Martial-de-Nabirat :- Thursday eve*

Thenon :- Tuesday

Thiviers :- Tuesday*, Saturday

Vezac :- Monday*

For the South West the A20 autoroute (l’Occitaine) is now complete linking Paris and Toulouse via the A10 to Orleans, then the A71 to Vierzon onto the A20 for Toulouse via Limoges, Brive, Cahors and Montauban. This is a very enjoyable road cutting through some glorious scenery - and such a joy for those who used to struggle on the old N20. This provides much easier access to Limoges, the Upper Dordogne & Sarlat, and the Lot Valley, Montauban and Toulouse. Cahors is now less than 7hrs from Calais - although you will have to pay about €47 (£30) in tolls (2006 figures) for the journey from Calais to Toulouse. However, the stretch from Vierzon (18 Cher, Centre) and the A71 junction south to Brive-la-Gaillarde (19 Corrèze, Limousin) is toll free!

Bergerac on the River Dordogne is the capital of the Dordogne departement.
It was a centre for tobacco production, and is an important wine centre. The appellations of Bergerac, Saussignac, Montravel, Pecharmant and Monbazillac are all near the town on both sides of the river
See location map of Bergerac

Amongst the vineyards and vignerons we can thoroughly recommend are Guy Cuisset at Chateau Grinou (Bergerac and Saussignac wines) and Fabrice Feytout at Chateau Beauportail (Pecharmant wines)

Bergerac Tourist Office
Bergerac Wines Official Website