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Just 3km from the bustle and crowds of Lourdes in the village of Lezignan (65 Hautes Pyrenees) Tim & Di Warren own Chez Passet, a charming B&B (Chambres d’Hotes): Chez Passet offers a combination of lifestyle, indulgence and relaxation in the picturesque mountains of the Hautes Pyrénées in France Tim and Di are passionate about the great [...] 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 [...] In deepest Gascony, an English couple Karen and Nick Kitchener bought a vineyard producing Cotes de Gascogne wines and Armagnac at Domaine de Lauroux at Manciet (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees). The domaine offers both gite (holiday cottage rental) and Bed and Breakfast accommodation surrounded by the vines. La Petite is beautifully restored former estate workers cottage of 140 metres sq [...] The problem (and delight) of South West France is that there are so many areas to explore, and often renting a gite can be so delightful that getting out and exploring might be limited to the nearest town and trips for French Bread, a bar and an ocassional restaurant. Tarn-et-Garonne (82 Midi-Pyrenees) lies between Toulouse to the south, Agen to the West and Cahors to the North. The main town is Montauban. Most French autoroutes between major towns and cities are toll motorways, which whilst often offering fast and uncrowded dual-carriageways, can nevertheless add significantly to the cost of a trip through France – e.g over €90 (over £60) on a one-way trip from Calais to Nice (1226km of motorway driving about 760 miles). However there are significant [...] Between Montauban and Toulouse and Toulouse (82 Tarn et Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) the town of Fronton celebrates a weekend of scents and flavours including the local wines from Fronton AC (previously known as the Côtes du Frontonnais). A feast for the senses (lots of colour, lots of music and lots of food and wine to delight [...] Festival to celebrate the connection between windmills and bread (Fete du Four au Moulin) including a demonstration of milling the flour in the traditional manner (wind permitting!) – plus a Marché de Terroir (farmers market) – lots of different breads to try, music,dancing in this village also famous for its Pink Garlic (Ail Rose) festival [...] 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 [...] Toulouse is the capital of the département of Haute Garonne (31) and of the Midi-Pyrenees region. The area has a rich food heritage – including the Toulouse Sausage! Duck, Goose and pork are the predominant meats, but the area is also good for fruit and vegetables. Gers (32 Midi-Pyrenees) is a land rich in history (Three Musketeers), rolling countryside and home to Armagnac, Madiran, Côtes de St Mont and Côtes de Gascogne wines. It is predominantly quiet and rural with few major towns or through routes. Hence its weekly markets tend to be really good with lots of top quality local [...] The choice of budget airline routes from UK to France is impressive, 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 [...] Market days in departement 24 – Dordogne, Aquitaine. Audrix :- Saturday* Beaumont :- Tuesday, Saturday Belves :- Wednesday pm*, Saturday Bergerac – Naillac :- Sunday Autouroute linking into the heart of South West France and the Midi-Pyrenees The epic story of the Côtes de Saint-Mont vineyards began in the fourth century BC, when the first plants were imported by the Greeks. It is thus one of the oldest vineyards in France. Then one witnessed an important development from 1050 with the founding of the Saint-Mont Abbey by Benedictine monks. The monks were [...] Gascony map The epic story of the Côtes de Saint-Mont vineyards began in the fourth century BC, when the first plants were imported by the Greeks. It is thus one of the oldest vineyards in France. Then one witnessed an important development from 1050 with the founding of the Saint-Mont Abbey by Benedictine monks. The monks [...] Bergerac, on the Dordogne river, centre for tobacco and wine The wines of Cahors (Lot Valley, South West France) |
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