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TRAVEL 3SIXTY° FEBRUARY 2012 AIRASIA INFLIGHT MAGAZINE PP15075/07/2012(029856) www.airasia.com/travel36055Semarang,IndonesiaHOTON THEHERITAGEHUNTFrench FlavoursFOOD,FORTS& FABFUNAIRASIA INFLIGHT MAGAZINECUPID'S GONNAGET YOU!Till DeathDo Us PartTHEGREATESTLOVESTORIESChiang Mai,ThailandROSEOF THENORTH022012HELP SAVE THE EARTH.READ THE MAGAZINEONLINE AND STOPSTEALING ME!www.airasia.com/travel360

48 HIT LISTLove Makes the WorldGo Round76110 KIDS SPACEKiddie TreatsSTYLE FILEBOARDING CALL08 CAPTAIN’SADDRESSAll You Need Is Love10 INBOXThe Buzz fromour Guests12 RED FORTNews from AirAsia128 MY AIRASIAAllstar LoveFLIGHT PLAN20 SPOTLIGHTStuff you’d Love to Know26 HOT DATESFebruary Events toKeep a Lookout for28 COMPASSTrave Smart30 QUICK BITESLove is in the Air32 PAGE TURNERThe Defi ning Romances34 MONEY MAKERModern Alliances36 PRESCRIPTIONPushing for Passion38 SCORE BOARDRevealing the Secretsof Sports40 HYPER TECHShopping in the Future102 OFF THE RACKHere's Looking atYou Babe104 VANITY FAREIn the Mood for Love106 JETSETTERPablo IentileIN FLIGHT112 PLANE FUNPuzzles & Games114 PICTURE PERFECTPhotos Taken byAirAsia Guests116 GET COMFYJoy of FlyingPORT OF CALL118 ROUTE MAP124 AIRASIA SALESOFFICES & STATIONS126 TOUCHDOWNSurat Thani, Thailand8642 SLEEP INNSStars of Da Nang102 104

CHECK-INContents February 201266NAVIGATOR56THE GREATEST LOVESTORIES FROMAROUND THE WOLRDReal & Legendary Lovers66ROSE IN FULL BLOOMRoyal Flora Ratchaphruek,Chiang Mai76HERITAGE HUNTTreasures of Semarang86FORTS, FOOD &FRENCH FLAVOURSPerigord Noir Region ofSouthwest France94PILOT’S PERSPECTIVESafe & Sound100TRAVEL LOGA Fortunate Ill Wind4048

022012FEATURES • Francewww.airasia.com/travel360forts,ood&frenchIn the Perigord Noir region ofsouthwest France, history mixeswith gastronomy to satiate yoursenses, taking you on a trip that fillsyour tummy with artisanal produce,just as it satisfies your wanderlustwith its history.flavoursWORDS: CAROL WEST PHOTOGRAPHY: ROBERT MUIR86TRAVEL 3SIXTY˚

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RIGHT: Sarlat-la-Caneda’squaint main street charmsvisitors with a profusionof flowers.OPPOSITE PAGE: Oneof the many cafés waitingto be discovered whilstwandering in Sarlat’scharming medieval streets.PRECEDING PAGE: Amodest fieldstone house inthe pretty medieval villageof Beaumont.An extended holiday in rural France is a romantic andrecurring dream for many travellers. While the LoireValley’s splendid chateaux and fine wines are alluringand Provence’s impossibly pretty stone villas andMediterranean views captivating, Robert and I decidedon the Perigord Noir region in southwest France, a regionfamous for its cavemen, kings and castles.Black-green oak forests, from which Perigord Noirtakes its name, covered limestone escarpments as wepassed through Dordogne Valley’s dramatically curvedroads. Low fieldstone walls guided us past neatly packedwheels of hay bathed in a halo of golden light. As I tracedthe Dordogne River’s meanderings on our circuit map, itpointed out to a number of medieval bastides or fortresscastles that wore their battle-scarred passage of timewith stoicism. They remain as silent testament to theHundred Years War when loyalties, land and the right torule swung violently between French and English kings.SOLID AS A ROCKAs if extruded from the rock face itself, Castle Beynacand the Chateau de Castelnaud perched dramaticallyon rocky promontories above the Dordogne River wherethey have been defending and defying each other forcenturies. Constructed in the 12th century, Castelnaudwas originally English and claimed to be the strongestrampart in Perigord. Its medieval war museum is abrutal treasure trove of armour, maces, shields andchain mail. I could only imagine the clang of steel asmen forged their swords on the armory’s stone fl oor. Onthe opposing bank, the French held Castle Beynac’sfaded tapestries and knights’ banners hung mournfullyin empty halls, where shafts of light illuminated a dustyheritage and turbulent past.During those tumultuous times, people soughtrefuge in medieval villages clustered at the feet of manybastides such as the charming Domme, a BastideRoyale built by the King of France in 1280. From theramparts where 70 Templar Knights imprisoned in88 TRAVEL 3SIXTY˚

the early 14th century etched poignant messages,the Dordogne valley’s verdant panorama rolls to thehorizon. Today, the Middle Ages get visitors in the formof middle-aged travellers wandering fl ower-fi lled lanes,shopping for local wines, canard, crepes and glacesartisanales (homemade ice cream).We sought refuge at Les Fortous, a lavenderfringed,stone cottage in Paunat, a hamlet ofaround 200 people. Radiating from its tiny core,captivating wine regions, picturesque villages, sublimegastronomy, troglodytic forts and churches all awaitedthe pleasure of discovery. This was the land ofPerigord’s famous black truffl es, foie gras and gooseand throughout the week, the region’s sleepy medievaltowns are transformed into vibrant crossroads forgastronomic encounters with local produce.GLORIOUSLY GOOD FOODIt was early morning during late summer. Sarlat-la-Caneda’s cobblestone street market was postcardperfection. Shopping for larder luxuries in southwestFrance falls under the heading of ‘passion’ ratherthan ‘necessity’ and I couldn’t wait to pop gariguettestrawberries into my mouth. Staining my fingers, theytasted of sunshine. Not a bad way to start the day, Ideduced. The wicker basket soon filled with auberginesthat gleamed like patent leather, dew-dressed lettuce,orbs of vine tomatoes, a circle of chevre (goat’s cheese),baguettes wrapped with a delicate twist of paper, meatycepes mushrooms and a bottle of Cabernet Franc fromnearby Bergerac. Animated French voices made everydayexchanges lyrically charming. Gathering a home-bakedtarte tatin, we were ready to feast French-style.RETURNING TO THE PASTFrom Sarlat, we headed to Les Eyzies de Tayac, France’spre-historic ‘capital’, home of the Cro-Magnon Manand the fascinating Musee Nationale de Prehistoire,a modern sandstone building wedged into an ancientlimestone cliff. The soul of the Dordogne runs throughTRAVEL 3SIXTY˚89

the Vezere River valley and the inspirational 400millennia of human history unearthed here was artfullylaid-out in this light-fi lled museum.Halfway between Les Eyzies and Montignac-Lascaux,famous for its remarkable cave art, we clambered upRoque St Christophe to a long terrace carved deepwithin a limestone escarpment. Tenuously shaped bythe elements, families here literally lived between a rockand a hard place in this defensive troglodyte fortifi cation20,000 years ago. From this hidden place high abovethe river, my hand traced the marks of human ancestryon this ancient piece of rock.Close to the village of Montignac, at Lasceaux, wefast-forwarded a few millennia to view a collection ofcave art at its sophisticated zenith. Discovered in 1940and hidden from the masses, it was estimated that theimages of oxen, bison, cows, deer and cave leopardswere painted some 17,000 years ago. Consideredsymbolic sacred art that was both cultural andmythological, awe-inspiring facsimiles can be viewedin the Hall of Bulls and Axial Gallery while the originalsremain safely tucked away in a controlled environment.MEDIEVAL PERFECTIONOne of the most beautiful villages in France is thefortifi ed town of Monpazier founded in 1284 byEngland’s King Edward 1. Virtually intact, the orthogonalplan, fortifi ed gates, arcaded square, archways andvaulted streets remain authentic jewels of medievalarchitecture. Under an intense azure sky we pausedto lunch under grape vines and espaliered roses inthe market square framed by ochre shingled roofs andstone walls. In the cool cloistered walkways, shops soldtraditional wooden toys, jewellery and antiques – instantmemories of the Perigord.RIGHT: A street barrowladen with garden-fresh,seasonal produce at alocal food market.FAR RIGHT: A bronzestatue of a boy in Sarlat’smedieval laneways.90 TRAVEL 3SIXTY˚

Sipping Bergerac’s celebrated wines inspired us toexplore its winding medieval streets. A statue of Cyranode Bergerac – the town’s swashbuckling centerpiecestood imperiously on a pedestal. His nose pointedtowards Maison des Vins de Bergerac where, let’s faceit, noses are important! The Romans were the first touncork Bergerac’s ability to grow fine wines here. Aftera swift education on the 13 appellations, we drove toMonbazillac, just 15 minutes away, for a wine tastingamongst the vines. An appellation with elevation,this grand 16th century chateau was straight out ofthe pages of an Alexander Dumas novel and I halfexpected to hear the clatter of hooves in the courtyard,announcing the arrival of the three musketeers.Not to be outdone, petit Paunat too had a few secretgems right on its doorstep. On the edge of it's cornfields,Tremolat patisserie’s freshly baked croissants aux buerrequickly became a breakfast staple while a posh dinnerin a private booth overlooking topiaried gardens at the17th century Relais & Chateaux property Le Vieux Logiswas unforgettable.RIVERINE RESONANCEJust five kilometres away, the port village of Limeuilmarks the confluence of the Vezere and Dordogne rivers.Graceful willow trees were rendered a rich chartreuse bya setting sun and Café l’Ancre du Salut was busy servingpeople who’d come to this picturesque place. Duckingunder a stone arch, we followed a narrow pathway thatwound its way through a charming village to a panoramicgarden with spectacular river views.From the stone terrace of Les Fortous, the bells ofPaunat’s Romanesque abbey tolled eight and it was timeto cross the gravel square for dinner. For a thousandyears the abbey has been both an impregnableTRAVEL 3SIXTY˚91

ABOVE: Monpazier, aperfect medieval villageand one of the mostbeautiful in all of France.RIGHT, ABOVE: One oflife’s pleasures deliveredwith a smile in thePerigord Noir.fortifi cation and place of worship but, tucked behinda 12th century sandstone building nearby with claretshutters and scrubbed wooden fl oors was the ruralrestaurant Julien’s. Here, owner and maitre d’ Julienconducted dinner like a concert master servingseasonal, regional food cooked simply from the heart.During dinner, a local gave us a tip: The Sundaymorning market at Issigeac is not to be missed. Andso the next day, passing fi elds of corn and barleyinterspersed with vineyards producing Monbazillacand Bergerac wines, we headed to another characterladenvillage on the edge of the Dordogne. At theheart of its lanes and passageways was a collection of14th century wattle and daub houses unique to thePerigord. Every Sunday, this peaceful village becomesa bustling market when one of the region’s best andbusiest markets spreads out its wares in front of theGothic church of St Felicien. An accordion-playingchanteuse entertained while a fl ame-haired womansold honey from her own hives. Fat juicy prunes, Marades Bois strawberries from Vergt, second-hand books,violets, herbs and the aroma of cumin and spicesmingled with artisan bakeries while temptation came inthe guise of light-as-air mounds of nougat.Holiday dreams colliding with reality can sometimesequal disappointment but with so much to see, doand taste, the Dordogne had quickly become an all-consuming passion spanning the centuries and satiatingthe senses. However, I’ll leave the last word to Americanwriter Henry Miller who, captivated by the Perigord,claimed “it’s the closest approximation of paradise”.MARKET DAYSCheck with the local tourism offices but here’s aguide to medieval market days:MONDAY Les EyziesTUESDAY Le Bugue, BriveWEDNESDAY Siorac, Sarlat, BergeracTHURSDAY Domme, LalindeFRIDAY Le Buisson-de-Cadouin, BrantomeSATURDAY Le Bugue, Sarlat, Brive, CahorsSUNDAYSaint-Cyprien, Issigeac,Limeuil(summer only)GETTING THERE AirAsia X fl ies to Orly, Paris 4 times a week from Kuala Lumpur.Go to www.airasia.com for fl ight details.Perigueaux, the capital of Perigord Noir, is around asix-hour, 424-kms drive from Paris traveling south on theA10 to Orleans, taking the A71 south to Vierzon beforecontinuing on the A20 south to Limoges. From here takethe N21 south to Perigueaux.Hire a car on arrival from www.europcar.com or www.autoeurope.com or take the train from Paris’ Gare d’Austerlitz for thefour-hour ride to Perigueaux (www.europebyrail.com).For regional tourism information log onto www.perigordnoir.com92TRAVEL 3SIXTY˚