Jazz in Marciac
| July 30, 2007 | to | August 15, 2007 |
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
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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 
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.
which tells the story of 3 major wine making families in the region at Clos Triguedena, Clos de Gamot and Clos la Coutale.
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.
This is a punishing stage in the Pyrenees - from Foix (09 Ariege, Midi-Pyrenees) up to Loudenvielle-le Louron (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi-Pyrenees), usually a small, quiet ski village surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks beside a shimmering blue lake (well on a good day!) - see 
Wine from Cahors the first thing I tend to associate with the Lot département in South West France (Midi-Pyrenees), but is has so much more to offer and discover. For example there are numerous interesting gardens - and whilst they may lack the grandeur of gardens further north, they are arguably more interesting and diverse. For example:-
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.
Self-Catering Cottages and Bed & Breakfast Accommodation in a listed 17th Century domaine in Gascony - 35 acres, lakes, pool and Spa
Chateau d’Aydie and the Laplace family are widely regarded as one of the foremost quality producers of Madiran. Frédéric Laplace was recognised as one of the pioneer winemakers - first to bottle Madiran wines and to sell them under his own name when the appellation was created in 1948 - when there was just 50 hectares of vineyard under production, compared to the 1650 hectares which now produce Madiran wines.
” Andrew Jefford says of Chateau d’Aydie “Everything is impeccably clean, minutely organised, deeply considered, exhaustively refined…. a range of model Madirans”
“, which extolls the health-giving benefits of the Madiran wines from South West France.
The top cuvée is the Chateau d’Aydie - made from 100% Tannat grapes - a “grand vin” - greater power and energy with considerable fruit character (blackberries and blackcurrants), with hints of mushroom and tobacco. Aged in new oak for 12 months. (The 2001 vintage was recommended in the Guide Hachette des Vins 2003. “..intense and complex nose…fruit, menthol and woodsmoke..well balanced flavours mingled with vanilla and toast.“)
Armagnac is a brandy from Gascony with similarities to Cognac which is made 100 miles to the north in the Charentes.