Issue No. 23

FREE

Editor's
Letter
Welcome to the summer issue of The Good life France Magazine.
If you're wondering about that photo of me above, no I've not had a "Honey I shrunk the
Kids" moment, I'm holding a giant gingerbread cake in wonderful Dijon, Burgundy! You
can read about my visit to research the best things to do plus the restaurants and bars
the locals love on page 30.
In this issue discover sensational Strasbourg where I stumbled upon a secret speakeasy
and probably the oldest wine store in the world where they had a bottle of wine dating to
1472! Find out about Versailles and its opulent chateau, gorgeous gardens and lovely
town. Visit Cognac in Charente, and Le Touquet, once the jet setters paradise in the
north of France plus the nearby lovely Montreuil-sur-Mer, a tiny hill top town that's
making a name for itself in foodie circles.
Ian Moore, stand up comedian and author tells us what its really like to run a chambre
d'hotes. Lucy Pitts explores the wild side of Provence and Michael Cranmer goes fishing
with his feet - a national obsession in France!
We pay homage to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame with photos and comments posted by
our friends on Facebook; down but not beaten, the "soul of Paris" will be rebuilt.
There are useful guides, real life expat stories including Billy and Gwendoline Petherick,
stars of Escape to the Chateau DIY; and a fabulous recipe for scrumptious crème brulée.
Hope you enjoy this issue and please do share feel free to click the share button!
Best wishes
Janine
Janine Marsh
Editor

contents
Features
8 Spotlight on Strasbourg
What to do and see in Strasbourg including
the secret places that most visitors never
discover - but should says Janine Marsh.
20 Glitzy, Golden Versailles
France’s most opulent chateau is full of
treasures that can hold you spellbound, but
don’t miss the town when you’re there.
30 Le Weekend in Dijon
Find out where the locals eat and the very
best things to do in Burgundy’s historic
capital city.
The Opéra national de Paris is the
Versailles of Opera Houses and has plenty
of secrets…
46 Cognac, Charentes
A delightful town and delicious liqueur
which share the same name – here’s what
to see and do in Cognac.
52 Le Touquet Paris-plage
The “Monaco” of Northern France is a
brilliant weekend destination with loads to
do from horse riding in the dunes and
activities galore.
42 Opera Garnier Paris

Features continued
58 montreuil sur mer
The small hill top town has world class
restaurants, fabulous hotels & a long
history...
62 Hosts, Goats and
Chambres d’Hotes
Best selling author, stand up comedian,
Mod and now B&B owner Ian Moore reveals
all about his new life in France...
66 The Secret Gorges of
Ardeche
Lucy Pitts discovers the wild side of
Provence...
74 fishing with your feet
Michael Cranmer takes part in a French
obsession - peche a pied, in Brittany.
80 Homage to notre-dame
We share some of our Facebook friends
comments and photos dedicated to the
Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris.
86 Where to stay in paris
Take a look at six fabulous hotels in the city
of light - perfect any time of the year.
Regular
90 Your Photos
The most popular photos on our Facebook
page.
118 My Good Life in France
In the summer time, shutters are flung open
and doors left ajar...

92 escape to the chateu
Meet Billy and Gwendoline who bought a
chateau in their twenties & became stars of
a TV show...
96 going solo in france
Katherine Tasker left London to build her
own home and open a café in rural northern
France...
Expert Advice
102 Buying a historic
monument
When you buy a property that's listed in
France, you should know what the
restrictions and rules are...
106 Top property buy tips
Considering your ongoing finances before
you buy in France is essential.
110 how bank cards work in
france
Knowing how French bank cards work can
save you heaps of prorblems...
Gastronomy
114 How to make crème
brulee
Deliciously creamy, utterly moreish, here's
how to make this classic French dessert at
home...

Spotlight on
Strasbourg

Strasbourg in the north east of France in Alsace (now known as Grand Est),
is a city of medieval houses, glorious architecture, fabulous restaurants,
cultural venues, wine and art, watery arteries and stunning buildings –
there’s something for everyone to fall in love with here says Janine Marsh…

The best way to visit Strasbourg is on foot, you’ll miss things otherwise and this is a
city that is full of things you shouldn’t miss. Colourful streets lined with half-timbered
houses, winding alleys of shops and restaurants and elegant courtyards. Fairy tale
pretty in some parts such as Petite France, architecturally splendid in others, the
Neustadt (new town district) for instance, and friendly, funky and fun in areas like the
Place d’Austerlitz and its surroundings. You can rack up the footsteps here, though
it’s a small big city. But that’s not a bad thing as the calories you burn can be replaced
at so many restaurants that are seriously scrumptious – I promise you, you don’t
come to Strasbourg and start a diet!
What to see and do in Strasbourg
Petite France
If you love towns with medieval halftimbered
houses painted the colours of a
pastel rainbow – you’ll be in seventh
heaven in Strasbourg’s UNESCO listed
Petite France district on the Grand Ile
where canals cascade to create a stunning
landscape. In the 16th century people
suffering from syphilis were sent here to
isolate them from the mainland and it was
considered quite a poor district until the
late 1980s. Now UNESCO listed, it’s a major
attraction and perfect for a stroll and sitting
at a terrace watching the world go by and
for shopping, with many of the former wash
houses now restaurants and quirky stores.
It’s easy to spend a half day wandering, or
even a whole day if you like to take your
time and explore in detail and relax along
the way.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame
The number 1 attraction in Strasbourg is the
red stone Cathedral with around four
million visitors a year. You don’t need to be
a cathedral fan for this one, the sheer
monumental size and exquisite detail is
mind boggling. The cathedral is, to quote a
cliché, breath-taking and features amongst
its medieval stained glass windows, a 14m
high rose window.
It was the tallest man made building in
France until the 19th century and though it
was closed when I went, you can climb the
329 steps in one of the towers for a bird's
eye view over the city and as far as the
Vosges Mountains.
There’s an astronomical clock which lures
the crowds every day, especially at 12.30
pm when a parade of automaton figurines,
including the apostles, takes place. Lit up at
night on a cobbled square lined with shops
and restaurants, it really is eye-poppingly
incredible.
Boat ride
Hire an electric boat and see Strasbourg
from its watery arteries at your own pace.
Or, if you’d like to relax and take in the
sights, including the swanky buildings of
the European Parliament, without effort,
join a guided boat ride with Batorama. On a
sunny day, book the open top boat if you
can.

Left: Font at the Palais Rohan; above: statues at
the Medieval museum; right: Street art at
Museum of Modern Art, contemporary &
modern art; right top, Tete de Christ stained
glass window; below right, installation at
Museum of Modern Art.
Museums
There are around a dozen museums and if
you’re a history fan you’re going to
absolutely love the Medieval Museum and
the Museum of Decorative Arts…
Musée des Arts Decoratif Le Palais
Palais Rohan
Many visitors miss this one as the building,
although huge, seems tucked away in a
corner on a large square overlooking the
river. It’s in the former residence of the
Prince-Bishops, built in the 18th century. It’s
a fascinating museum composed of
sumptuous apartments of the former
cardinals with artefacts from the 17th to the
19th century from tapestries to tableware,
furniture and paintings. There’s an
archaeological museum in the basement
and a museum of fine arts on the first floor
with a major collection of European
paintings which includes Botticelli, Rubens
and Canaletto.
Musée de l’Ouevre Notre-Dame |
Medieval Museum
Next door to Palais Rohan, this is another
museum that’s absolutely stunning. I could
have spent several hours in here there’s so
much to see. Located in a former stone
masons house and buildings from the 14th
-16th centuries, it houses masterpieces of
sculpture from the middle ages and from
the Cathedral. Stained glass windows,
including the Wissembourg "Tête de Christ"
window, one of the oldest known stainedglass
windows, religious statuary, wood
carvings, paintings and more, this is one of
the most beautiful collections of medieval
art I’ve ever seen.

Museum of Contemporary and
Modern Art
If you’re a modern art fan the contemporary
and modern art museum will make you
very happy. Just the other side of the
Vauban Dam in a huge glass building,
currently covered in black and white street
art, it is huge and fascinating. It mixes a
number of mediums including a very
famous Monet poppy painting in the
landscape themed area, alongside very
modern art. Wassily Kandinsky is heavily
featured including a room created from one
of his Cubist creations. This is a museum
that presents art by theme and juxtaposes
modern alongside contemporary and
modern could mean Monet or Sisley
alongside something altogether more
quirky - I saw a giant plastic spider with a
cat's face which walks across the room!
The Art Café on the first floor has a great
outdoor terrace with breath-taking views
over the city. Here you can take a break
with tea, pastries or lunch.
Voodoo Museum
And, for those who like their museums to
be seriously unusual - there’s a voodoo
museum in a former water tower. It’s a
private collection, in fact the biggest private
collection of its kind in France and it is
magic! www.chateau-vodoucom

Where to eat out in
Strasbourg
Food lovers will be in their element in this
city – Alsatian food is very tasty indeed,
and they love their cakes and desserts
here. There’s a huge choice of restaurants.
In the main tourist areas, they’re touristy of
course, that doesn’t necessarily mean bad,
you’ll get gorgeous views and some have
excellent food too. But if you’re looking for
authentic and the most delicious Alsatian
cuisine, the restaurants the locals go to,
then these are the ones that will make you
very happy…
Chez Yvonne was a favourite restaurant of
Presidents Chirac and de Gaulle when they
were in Strasbourg but I promise you
there’s nothing statesmanlike about this
place – it’s utterly authentic, old school
Alsace style, cosy, comfy and traditional
Winstub (Alsatian bar and restaurant) style.
It looks just as it did 80 years ago in
grandma’s Alsatian parlour, though it’s
much older than that. Wooden chairs, red
and white check curtains, wood panelled
rooms, I felt a bit like I was dining chez
Hansel and Gretel. Family run, it’s super
friendly with a lovely service. They’ll warn
you about the horseradish, it’s strong and
traditional to have with your dishes in
Strasbourg. This is food that makes you
smile. You can reserve online at their
website: www.restaurant-chez-yvonne.net
Maison des Tanneurs built in 1572 on the
Petite Ile showcases local gastronomy.
Here you’ll find a mix of locals and tourists
enjoying the great location alongside the
river. 42 Rue du Bain aux Plantes
Fink’Stuebel is not touristy at all and
features real Strasbourg gastronomy. If you
want to eat like the locals - go here. It’s
lovely inside, friendly, cosy and charming.
It’s a great menu – don’t miss the iced
Guggelhopf with cherry Schnapps for
dessert! 26 Rue Finkwiller

Restaurant Les Chauvins, Père & Fils is
family run and specialises in Alsatian
tapas and specialities using local products
with a clever twist. The tapas menu
includes their take on Sushi with locally
caught trout, horseradish (of course), local
cheese and rice with a superb sauce. The
pickled vegetables are just delicious and
their home made foie gras with onion
chutney is superb.
A funky interior features one long table at
which strangers can become dining
partners and friends! There are tables for
small numbers too. Innovative, very
original, great food.
You won’t find typically heavy Alsatian
food like Sauerkraut here but it’s a great
way to discover the local gastronomy in a
seriously delicious way, just a couple of
minutes’ walk from the cathedral. You can
book online: www.restaurant-les-chauvins.
fr
Night life and bars
Supertonic is all about Gin and Saucisse, a
genius combination. 57 different types of
gin, 12 different tonics, sausages made by a
local artisan – everything about this bar is
brilliant. I tried a mountain top tonic water
from Chilli which was superb mixed with a
gin made by a father and son company in
the Netherlands and flavoured with a slice
of orange and a star anise. I though it was
the best G &T I’d ever had…. until I tried a
gin from the US with a Thomas Henry tonic
water. If you’re a gin lover you’ll love their
ginventory (they even have an app) to help
you choose your perfect gin and tonic.
Black n Wine Hotel Hannong wine bar and
Roof top terrace is a bit of a secret place
though well known to locals, visitors might
miss it as it’s in a hotel but so worth
seeking out. The bar is lovely, relaxing and
welcoming and a superb wine list.

Aedaen: In rue des Aveugles you’ll find
Aedaen which consists of several venues:
an art gallery, brasserie which is fab for
lunch and dinner and has a cake boudoir,
the comptoir a dessert, with the most
amazing pastry-chef made fancies, pizza
restaurant and a secret bar. Aedaen place
is gorgeous inside and out, with a kind of
indoor jungle theme that is just lovely. The
dishes are delish with all fresh products
and a menu that changes every three days.
They even have a Friday comedy club
night, music nights, and cultural events.
This would be my go to place if I lived in
Strasbourg!
Opposite, the art gallery has a fabulous
collection. Locals love to go here to see the
exhibitions and have brunch at the
weekends.
If you like pizzas, you’ll love their next door
pizzeria… but it’s the secret bar that I fell
head over heels for. It’s a French take on a
speakeasy, and I have to tell you I am not
allowed to reveal where it is but I am
cleared to tell you to go to the pizzeria to
find it. It’s the talk of the town, locals love it
when they find it. Known as the “Secret
Place” it’s open 7 days a week, it’s friendly
and welcoming and very cool, think
industrial chic combined with velvet
couches and chandeliers plus an erotic
cocktail list (yes erotic!)… go and find this
place but don’t tell them I told you about it!
www.aedaen-place.com/
Head to Place d’Austerlitz on the right bank
for bars the locals frequent. Try rue Klein
and quai des Pecheurs where there are bars
on boats.
This whole area has been recently
rejuvenated and if you came here five years
ago you won’t recognise it.

Inside track – a +700 year
old wine cellar/shop
Created in 1395 this wine cellar in
Strasbourg hospital car park is even older
than the hospices de Beaune. When the
hospital was founded, only the rich could
afford to pay for their care with money. So
the hospital took payment in wine and
vineyards, becoming the biggest owner of
vineyards in the region. Patients enjoyed
“wine therapy”, 2 litres of wine per day
each. Wine was lighter then with a 4-6%
alcohol content and it was cleaner than
drinking water, so it was seen as medicine.
Nowadays the hospital no longer owns
heaps of vineyards but it is THE place to
buy wine. The hospital did a deal with local
wine producers to allow them to mature
their finest wines in the renovated ancient
barrels. In return the producers gift the
cellar thousands of bottles of wine each
year which are sold to benefit the hospital.
Reach it via the hospital car park to
discover the oldest bottle of white wine in
the world, dating to 1472 - in fact they have
a whole barrel of it but assured me it’s not
drinkable! If you’re really lucky you’ll meet
Thibaud, a genial Frenchman who speaks
impeccable English with a strong
Australian accent and who will answer your
questions about wine and the cellar. Don’t
forget to buy a bottle to enjoy tout de suite
or take home - I had one of the best Pinot
Gris’ ever from here, matured in one of
those ancient barrels it was memorable at
10 euros a bottle.
Free visit during opening hours, you can
rent an audio guide (several languages) for
a 30 minute tour, group tours may be
booked in advance (in English), and wine
tasting on Portes-Ouvertes (special
opening days). www.vins-des-hospices-destrasbourg.fr/en/

Tips for souvenir hunters
If you’re after something to take home
from Strasbourg, don’t miss the year-round
Christmas shop. I went on a brilliant
summer’s day but it still felt like Christmas
inside this quirky store with its Christmas
trees and figurines! Un Noël en Alsace, 10
Rue des Dentelles.
Gingerbread: Head to the shop of Mireille
Oster to buy some of the best gingerbread
in town - she’s a 3rd generation maker and
travels around the world to source spices
for the gingerbread and biscuits which are
made to an original recipe. 14 rue des
Dentelles.
You could also buy some of the local pretty
pottery, or kelsch (traditional linen cloth
from Alsace), tablecloths, heart-shaped
napkins. There are plenty of shops selling
them.
Where to stay
Hotel Hannong in the centre of the city is
superb. The breakfast here is legendary,
when I mentioned to a hotelier in Mulhouse
that my next stop was Strasbourg and the
Hotel Hannong they raved about it, and
they weren’t wrong. I loved the juice bar
and smoothie bar where you can make
your own combo – or ask for help.
Everything about this hotel is designed to
cosset and pamper you. The bathroom
products are lovely, the comfiest bed,
nothing jars the eye or the senses from the
bedroom to the bathroom, bar and
breakfast…
How to get around
You can take the tram – get tickets from
vending machine on each platform or at the
tourist office.
How to get there
Train from Paris takes from 1hr 46 mins.
Useful websites
Strasbourg tourist Office; France. fr

When Louis XIV was pondering over how
to create the most magnificent palace the
world had ever seen, one that truly showed
off his glory and absolute power, he can’t
have had any idea just how many people
would tread in his footsteps and gaze in
wonder at his legacy. The Chateau of
Versailles is world famous but I promise
you, nothing you see on the TV or in
photos prepares you for the sheer absolute
golden glitz and glamour of the real thing.
It’s been on my bucket list for years,
decades even, so when I got the chance to
visit on a four-day guided tour, spending
three days at Versailles and ending with a
day at the chateau of Vaux le Vicomte, the
inspiration for Versailles, I was over the
moon. I went with The Cultural Travel
Company, an offshoot of Martin Randall
Tours well known for their gifted guides,
and it was without a doubt everything I’d
hoped for and more. Three days is just
about enough to get a really in depth,
insider view of the palace, gardens and
town - and with this tour you get access to
areas that the general public don’t.
The best bit though for me, was having a
guide who really knew the history and
details of Versailles so well. In this case it
was Tony Spawforth, the editor of a
fascinating book about Versailles, TV
presenter, historian and terrific storyteller.
His anecdotes of life at the castle and
knowledge of history married to day to day
life, the ordinary things that people did
during extraordinary times, made the visit
come to life in a truly special way.
The Chateau of Versailles
700 rooms, 1250 chimneys, 67 staircases
and 2000 windows – the chateau of
Versailles is monumental, a colossus of a
building. It was originally six storeys high,
but the top layers were levelled off in the
19th century.

Versailles has two facades - the Paris side and
the garden side. The Paris side is approached
by three wide avenues. They converge on
Places des Armes which, once a parade
ground, was paved over in the 19th century. We
all know it for its shimmering view of the
castle through golden gates, but in Louis XIV’s
time it was an important military palace and he
loved to review troops here. Underneath the
courtyard are the barracks where the guards
lived in a whole other underground world. It
was said that the smell from the soldiers
latrines was so bad that a layer of mastic was
smothered under the cobble stones - it was
apparently only partially successful. The whole
place was bristling with troops, this was the
seat of government and monarchy, security
was paramount. Though, as we all know, it
wasn’t up to the job.
During the French Revolution the famous
golden gates were ripped down. It might
surprise you to know that they were only
replaced with accurate reconstructions in the
1980s. You can see an original gate still
though - at the Potager du Roi, the king’s
vegetable garden, which is a short walk from
the palace and a must see if you’re in
Versailles.
Read more about it here on The Good Life
France website.
The gates were important, they defined
different areas, administration, residential and
the inner court. “If you didn’t have the right
clothes on, you didn’t get in, though you could
rent outfits at the palace” says Tony. Guards
as fashion police – forward thinking Versailles
style.
If you’re lucky you’ll get to see the guts of the
castle in rooms where there is ongoing work,
the brick walls and ancient beams behind the
glitzy facade. It’s a reminder of the reality of
this place and how what you see is a façade.
The beautiful wood panelling on the walls is
detachable, during WWII it was removed and
hidden in a coal mine in the Pyrénées.

Life at Versailles
When Louis XIV made Versailles his home,
he wanted the aristocracy and nobles of
France to join him there. It was a way to
keep them from plotting against the royal
family as much as anything. But it wasn’t a
life of luxury. Rules for how to dress, where
to sit, what to say and where to be at
certain times were rigidly adhered to.
Even with more than a thousand fireplaces,
the castle was bitterly cold in winter. It was
recorded in 1695, that the King’s glass of
wine froze on the table as he sat dining
alone, watched by hundreds of courtiers. I
was amazed that the room where this
dinner ritual took place was quite small,
you can really imagine everyone squashed
in, eyes on the king and his heavily laden
table, stomachs rumbling, hot and bothered
in summer, shivering in winter!
We pretty much know what Louis XIV did
every day of his life as courtiers kept
copious records detailing the minutiae of
life at court right up until the king’s death
from gangrene.
It was rare for courtiers to have their own
kitchens so they would send their staff out
for food. A sort of shanty town grew around
the castle and there were food booths and
tuck shops on site.
The wings of the palace were essentially
apartments. Lots of records have survived
from the days when courtiers lived there,
there are logs of repairs and renovations
and plenty of complaints, a princess
without a bathroom, moaning about the
cold and the fact there was nowhere to
cook.

While in the winter it was wildly cold, in
the summer it was roaring hot. In the
King’s bedroom, sheets would be soaked
in water and hung over the windows to
try to cool it down.
The palace is a labyrinth of rooms and for
the royal family it was almost prison. It
was said that Marie Antoinette,
desperate for privacy would roam the
palace, going through room after room
locking doors behind her. One time a
lock broke and it took hours to find and
rescue her. Louis XVI liked to sit on the
roof of the chateau with a telescope
watching the comings and goings in the
town.
Etiquette and snobbery ruled the lives of
all who lived there until the day when a
mob turned up demanding access to the
King and Queen. When they stepped
onto the balcony, Marie Antoinette
curtsied to the crowd, it was an
extraordinary thing to do. Within hours
the famous etiquette was destroyed.
The Trianons and the
Queen’s Hamlet
The grand Trianon was commissioned by
Louis XIV in 1670 and built by architect
Jules Hardouin-Mansart in 1687. Today
it’s more 19th century in style than it was
at the time of the Bourbon royal family,
after being renovated by Empress Marie-
Louise, wife of Napoleon I and Marie-
Antoinette’s great-niece.
The Petit Trianon was built in the park of
the Grand Trianon was a gift to Marie
Antoinette from Louis XVI but was
originally built for Madame de
Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV.
The Petit Trianon later became a
favourite with Marie Antoinette to escape
the rigours of court life. She redesigned
the Trianon gardens and created a model
village round an artificial lake.

The gardens of Versailles
The gardens at the chateau provided time
out from the restrictions of courtly life. A
series of lockable garden rooms and grand
spaces with huge vistas were created.
Fetes could go on for several days at a time
in Louis XIV’s younger days. All in all there
was a mind boggling 25 square miles of
walled hunting park.
were thousands and thousands of pots of
flowers which were constantly being moved
about so that there were always flowers in
bloom. Deadheading was done vigilantly as
the king wanted only to see blooming,
healthy plants. Sometimes the scent was
so overwhelming it drove people inside.
Today those gardens can keep you busy
for hours and walking for miles – literally.
The King’s famous gardener André Le
Nôtre had an army of gardeners. There

Versailles after the French
Revolution and now
After the French Revolution, the
furnishings were sold off at knock-down
prices, the British royal family being keen
buyers. The castle was saved when locals
petitioned to keep it thinking that the royal
family might return one day. It was turned
into a rather innovative museum for the
day and was meticulously restored to look
just as it did on the morning of October 6
1789. Huge amounts of research have
been carried out and it is, says Tony, “a
work of extraordinary zeal and a miracle of
conservation”. In fact work is still ongoing,
when I visited, the bedroom of Louis XV, in
which he died of smallpox, was being
renovated.
It’s still in some ways a working palace.
Queen Elizabeth II stayed at the petite
Trianon when she visited Versailles, and
high profile government meetings still take
place here.

Left: street in
Versailles with a nod
to the past; above
cake at the market,
seriously one of the
best markets in
France...
Versailles town
The town of Versailles is well worth your
time. If it were anywhere else, it would be
famous for its splendid houses and grand
buildings even without the Chateau, but,
overshadowed by the monumental castle,
it’s easy to miss the fact that there is
history everywhere and lots to see and do.
While you’re there don’t miss the fantastic
Versailles market. How it hasn’t been voted
top market in France is beyond me. Marché
Notre Dame was created in the early 1600s
and it’s the second largest food market in
France. Open every day except Monday, it's
brimming with shoppers. The smell of
spices, oranges, cooked chickens and
fantastic street food is superb. Go through
the historic pavilions which serve as indoor
markets and on the other side discover little
squares lined with cafés full of locals.
Versailles is one of those places you have
to see for yourself, truly astonishing and
unforgettable...
The Cultural Travel Company’s tours
take place in France and Europe. The
Versailles tour includes coach travel
from Paris Nord station, hotel and
welcome meal and a brilliant guide. I
travelled solo as did several other
guests on the tour but left with several
new friends. I can’t recommend this
tour highly enough.

Le Weekend in Dijon

Dijon is absolutely perfect for a fun weekend away. Immerse yourself in
history, art, culture and enjoy scrumptious food and exquisite wine in
this gorgeous city says Janine Marsh...

If you like your cities to be filled with beautiful, historic buildings. If you love fantastic
food and wonderful wines. And if you love museums, galleries, sitting at terraced cafés
watching the world go by as you sip a delicious local wine, a fabulous street market,
great wine bars and a vibrant friendly vibe – then add Dijon to your must see list. This
amazing city has all these things by the bucket load… and more.
First of all, get your comfy shoes on because this is a city that’s just perfect for a flâner,
the French term for wandering and just soaking it all in…
Cobbled streets, grand squares, half-timbered houses, a huge palace, narrow alleyways
lined with medieval buildings and even a magic owl. But, this is a small city so don’t
worry, you won’t have to walk too far or too long to fit it all in. There’s something to see
on every corner…

What to do in Dijon
Rub the magic owl and make a wish
On the wall of the medieval 13th century Notre
Dame church is a small stone owl. No one knows
why he’s there and to be honest, you can hardly
tell he’s an owl because for centuries the locals
and passers by have rubbed their left hand over
him for luck. If you don’t know he’s there it looks
very odd, as people will be just walking along
and suddenly veer over to the wall, put their left
hand up, rub and carry on…
Don’t forget to look up when you get to the front
of the church, there’s an extraordinary clock on
top. Four metal automatons strike the hours.
Jacquemart was the first to arrive. He came from
Belgium in 1382. Jacqueline was added to keep
him company in 1651. In 1714 they had a boy -
Jacquelinet and in 1844 Jacquelinette, a girl.
Pick up a leaflet from the tourist office for the owl
trail (Parcours de la Chouette). It indicates 22
markers of historic sites, it takes around 2 hours
at a relaxed pace, and you’ll get to see the main
sites of Dijon.
Palace of the Dukes and
States of Burgundy
The former colossal residence of
the immensely wealthy Dukes of
Burgundy and seat of government
in the region under the Ancien
Régime (pre French Revolution).
It’s an imposing sight which
makes the Place de la Liberation
where it is, all the more exquisite.
It now houses the town hall, the
ancient kitchens can be visited
and there are courtyards you can
use to make your way round
Dijon or simply to sit and enjoy
the views.

Musée de Beaux Arts
The Palais des Ducs also home to the
magnificent and monumental Museum of
Fine Arts. Like all public museums in Dijon
it’s free to enter. You reach it via the lavish
hall of the tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy,
formerly the guards room, and that is your
first inkling of just what a treat you’re in for.
Jewels of 15th century funerary art, the
tombs of Philip the Bold and John the
Fearless are extraordinary with their
namesakes represented by lifelike statues
held up by incredibly detailed Mourners. I
could stare at them for hours as the more
you look, the more you see.
The museum has around 50 rooms of
priceless treasures dating from antiquity to
modern day with some fabulous works by
Yan Pei- Ming, Monet, Manet and so many
renowned artists it’s magnicent. I loved the
religious artworks, the detail is astonishing
and so well preserved they look as they did
hundreds of years ago.
The museum has undergone a major
update and reopened in May 2019. Director
David Liot told me that the renovation was
a challenge “it’s a heritage space so we had
to be very careful but it was dingy before
and we needed to make it accessible to all”.
The flow of the exhibits is vastly improved,
there are two new spaces and the rooms
are filled with light so you can truly
appreciate the artworks. The walls are
coloured to enhance the feel and look, I
loved the Pinot Noir colour – it really made
the paintings pop. Don’t miss this one –
you’ll be missing out on an incredible
opportunity to see one of the finest
museums in France (for free).

Musée Rude
His name might not ring a bell but
you almost certainly know of his
work. Francois Rude, son of Dijon
(1784-1855) was the sculptor of La
Marseillaise on the Arc de Triomphe
amongst much else. You can see
some of his main works in the form
of casts in the museum dedicated to
him in the former Saint Etienne
Church (free to enter). It is a quite
beautiful place.
Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne
Just one more museum you mustn’t
miss though there are several more.
If you can, squeeze in a visit to the
quirky Museum of Burgundian Life
(free). The reconstructions of 19th
and early 20th century Burgundian
shops are brilliant – hat shops,
photography, chemists, filled with
bits and pieces from the day.
Place de la Libération
This is essentially the main
courtyard of the Dukes of Burgundy
and it has to be one of the biggest in
France. It’s set out on a semi-circular
arrangement so that wherever you
are, you’re facing the palace. It was
designed by Hardouin-Mansart, the
architect of Versailles, and built by
one of his pupils, Robert de Cotte,
between 1686 and 1701. Lined with
restaurants, shops and bars, it’s as
big a hit with the locals as it is with
visitors. It doesn’t matter if you go
first thing in the morning as I did and
sat sipping coffee watching a lone
pigeon waddling about, or in the day
or evening, as I did with an aperitif
watching kids play in the fountains,
listening to church bells ring and
enjoying the sight of people simply
enjoying the square.

Les Halles – The covered market
This has to be one of the best markets in all
of France. The covered market is stunning –
all wrought iron and wide open spaces. It’s
said to have been inspired by son of Dijon,
Gustave Eiffel. The smells, the sights, the
sounds – they’re as much a cultural
experience as any museum. Stop off at the
stall of Le Gourmet Traiteur for a treat and a
true taste of Dijon. Run by three chefs who
make everything from pies to tarts, cakes to
gingerbread and even a gateau moelleux
(sounds like cake and it is but with a snail
filling, bit of an acquired taste if you ask
me).
I had to be dragged away from their
nonnettes. The market spills out into the
streets around and if you like food, you’ll
love the quality produce here. This market
made me want to live in Dijon.
Open Tuesday, Thursday (inside only),
Friday, Saturday
Visit a gingerbread museum
Channel your inner Hansel and Gretel and
head to Mulot & Petitjean’s gingerbread
museum and factory. It’s just outside the
city centre, a 20 minute walk or take the
bus which takes a few minutes. The
presentations take you through the history
of the firm, founded in 1796, and gingerbread
with some innovative museography –
portraits which come to life and a collection
of artefacts. You also get to see the gingerbread
being made (unless you’re there on a
machine cleaning day). Afterwards enjoy
the gorgeous vintage shop and if you want
to take home a memorable treat, take a
trolley as the 6kg gingerbread cake is not
easy to get in your handbag I discovered.
Tour Philippe le Bon
For a panoramic view over the city, climb the
316 steps of the 15th century Tour Le
Philippe le Bon. It’s said that on a clear day
you can see Mont Blanc.

Le Consortium
Art lovers will adore this contemporary art
venue in a former cassis factory. More than
400 pieces in an ever growing collection
which dates mainly from the 1970s. It’s a a
thought provoking selection. Don’t miss
the book shop with its innovative moveable
bookshelves and reading area. Le
Consortium publishes around 50 art books
a year. And if you’re lucky enough to be
there on a day when they have a cinema
showing in their private cinema or a music
event – you’re in for a treat.
Dijon Mustard
You didn’t think I’d get through talking
about Dijon without mentioning mustard
did you? They’re very keen on it here! You
can visit a mustard shop, or several, for
your tangy fix. I fell in love with the taste
bar at Moutard Edmund Fallot with its
mouth-watering mixes: cassis, pinot noire
and basil to mention just a few. They even
had mustard dispensing machines, pop in
a euro, pick your favourite and out pops a
dinky little pot of yummy mustard.
Bibliotheque Patrimoniale
Harry Potter fan? You’ll love the city library.
Once a Jesuits College, it became a library
in the 17th century and groups can take a
tour of the whole building with its beautiful
wood panelled rooms and painted ceilings.
Game of Thrones writer George RR Martin
visited and loved the enormous 18th
century globe. There are more than
500,000 books, the earliest of which date
back to the 9th century. There’s also a
specialist collection of food books and
menus. Anyone can access the reading
room – it has a Hogwarts feel to it, as if
Harry Potter might be under the twinkling
lights, studying for his wizard’s exam.
Now all this culture and fabulous sites are
sure to make you hungry. Lucky for you,
you’re in the perfect city to indulge – Dijon
is a feast for the senses in every way.

Dijon’s incredible gastronomic scene
Dijon is foodie central, seriously it’s all anyone talks about here – or at least that’s what it
feels like. People in Dijon LOVE good food so there are plenty or restaurants from
Michelin starred Loiseau des Ducs to budget cafés.
Restaurants the locals love for lunch
Brasserie des Beaux arts: Savvy locals have
sussed this one out in it’s superb location
inside the courtyard of the Musée des
Beaux Arts in the former Ducal palace. Chef
Fred Guilland says “Regional, seasonal,
weather, local products - these are my
guides” as he prepares exquisite dishes for
the lunch time crowd. He uses incredible
spices in his classic and creative dishes
and personally visits the farms where the
produce comes from. “Knowing where the
food comes from is essential to happy
cooking” he says, and yes, this place did
make me happy. Very happy.
Maison Milliére: In a former house built in
1438 you will find a rather wonderful
restaurant and shop. Run by affable
husband and wife team Lydia and Jean
Francois Lieutet, there’s an upstairs,
downstairs and gorgeous little courtyard for
a sunny day. Tea room, open for lunch
Tuesday-Sunday, dinner Friday, Saturday it
is superb. Fans of Cyrano de Bergerac will
recognise it from the film. It’s a listed
historical monument, authentic and
memorable.
Restaurants the locals love for dinner
L’Essentiel: This is one tourists rarely, if
ever discover since it’s not right in the
centre but a very short walk away. This is
where the locals go, lured by the delicious
dishes of chef Richard Bernigaud whose
deft hand creates memorable and
delectable flavours. The menu is terrific
value, the ingredients are top quality,
friendly service, and if I lived in Dijon, this
would be my go to restaurant.

Sitting at Le Pre aux Clercs Brasserie par
Georges Blanc, in the big, light Place de la
Liberation with a glass of good local wine
induces happiness. Listening to the tinkling
fountain, the low hum of people talking and
laughing, enjoying al fresco happy hour,
knowing that you’ve got a delicious dinner
coming up. Brilliant.
Dine outside on a fine day, inside with its
elegant interior when it’s cooler. This place
serves classic dishes with aplomb. I went for
the traditional, eggs poached in Pinot Noir,
boeuf bourguignon – seriously good, and a
really welcoming restaurant too.
Brilliant bars
If you like your cocktails served with finesse in a
memorable location (a 13th century mansion no
less), Monsieur Moutarde is THE place to go.
Seek out the terrace area (go through the bar),
it’s gorgeous and if you go early evening you’ll
have it almost to yourself (I went at 17.30). There
are little enclaves, a vintage looking interior and
a long list of cocktails.
Place de la Liberation has some terrific bars and
is great for people watching. If you like live
music, try Le Pop Art.
Place Francois Rude is another great people
watching place. Known to locals as Place du
Bareuzai, because of the statue of a grape picker
atop the fountain in the centre of the square. In
years gone by wine growers would tread the
grapes by foot which would give them “red
stockings” (“bas rosés”/bareuzai).
For a lunch time bevvy there are lots of bars
around the Les Halles covered market.
For sheer wow factor the bar of the Théâtre
Dijon Bourgogne takes some beating. It’s In the
former 15th century church of Saint Jean which is
now a theatre.
Dr Wine is popular with locals into wine, a bit
bobo (bourgeois- bohemian French for middle
class!. It’s very designer with a lovely courtyard
in a posh mansion house (5 rue Musette)

Where to stay
I stayed at the Residence Le Pré aux
Clercs, right in the heart of the city. From
here it's literally a 10 second walk to the
Place de la Libération. A boutique B&B
with just five rooms, including top floor
suite, I loved feeling like a local staying
here and being so close to the centre of
everything yet in a quiet side street.
Lovely breakfast provided in the
restaurant next door.
Getting around
There’s a good tram system and buses
too.
How to get there
The train from Paris takes just 1.5 hours
so it's an easy day trip destination. But,
you don’t want to just go for one day –
two is much better as there’s simply so
much to see and do.
Useful websites
Dijon tourist office; Burgundy tourist
office; www.france.fr
12 food specialities you should try in Dijon
- Boeuf bourguignon – here’s how to make
this classic dish at home
- Ouefs en meurette, eggs poached in wine.
- Jambon persille, ham with a jellied, herby
lauyer
- Gingerbread – interesting fact, it’s made
with anis, not ginger!
- Nonettes – here’s how to make “little
nuns” cakes at home
- Poulet Gaston Gerrard - story of how the
mayor of Dijon invited people for dinner
and his wife cooked chicken dish but
messed up the recipe. She mixed mustard,
cream and Comte cheese ... here’s how to
make it at home.
- Brioche with pink praline
- Kir with Cassis made with white wine, Kir
Royale with Champagne and Cassis (a
blackcurrant liqueur of Burgundy).
- Brillat Savarin, soft cheese, created in
1890 and made year round in Burgundy.
- Epoisses, a very smelly cheese,
apparently Napoleon Bonaparte's
favourite.
- Burgundy snails…
- Gougeres – okay they may not have
originated here but – the people of Dijon
absolutely love them and the boulangeries
all stock them because alongside
gingerbread, they’re de rigeur with aperitifs
in Dijon!

Opera Garnier
the Versailles of
Opera Houses

History of the Paris Opera
Palais Garnier, Opéra National de Paris or
Opéra Garnier, or more known commonly
as the Paris Opera, is generally considered
to be one of the most important buildings
in Paris.
It’s actually not as old as you might think.
In 1860, the city of Paris held a contest to
choose a design for the new opera house. It
was at a time when Paris was undergoing
huge change under the direction of
Georges-Eugène Haussmann, commonly
known as Baron Haussman. Napoleon III
appointed him to carry out a massive urban
renewal programme in Paris. More than 170
designs were submitted and Charles
Garnier, just 35 years old, was the winner.
Born in rue Mouffetard, Paris, in 1825 he
was formally educated but unknown. The
opera house opened in January 1875 and it
was to make him internationally famous.
In creating Palais Garnier, he crafted the
architectural style of the Second Empire.
When Empress Eugénie, perplexed by the
building's lack of unity, asked him: “What is
this style? This is no style, it is not Greek or
Louis XVI”, Garnier replied “No, those styles
are all outdated, this is Napoleon III”.
It wasn’t an easy project. During the course
of its construction delays were caused by
the discovery of an underground lake, a war
in 1870, the Siege of Paris and fall of the
Second Empire. Napoleon III died two years
before the work was finished.
The Paris Opera company founded by Louis
XIV in 1669 moved here, its 13th home, on 15
January 1875. It was an enormous success
and became the showpiece of Haussman’s
new Paris. To this day it is one of the largest
theatres of the world with 1,979 seats.

The Versailles of Opera
Houses
Opulent, ornamental, gleaming, glamorous
and glitzy – wow factor galore is what the
Opera is all about both inside and out. The
moment you enter its doors to the grand,
mirrored foyers, designed for the rich to
see and be seen, there’s no doubting that
this was meant to be a statement building.
One of the most famous aspects of the
building is the Grand Staircase built from
white marble, with beautiful mellow
lighting, sculptures and lots of gold – it’s
utterly breath-taking and a theatrical
setting. Though, if you visit in 2019 you
might find the sight of two gold painted
tractor tyres a bit bizarre. They’re part of a
modern art installation by French artist
Claude Lévêque to celebrate 350 years of
the Paris Opera. Not all who see it are
enthralled. It’s not the first time that Palais
Garnier has caused controversy with its art
choices.
In 1964, the ceiling of the auditorium was
updated with a painting by Marc Chagall.
So great was the criticism at this choice
that the original painting by Eugene
Lenepveu was retained underneath it.
Chagall's secret message in
the ceiling
The ceiling painted by Marc Chagall is now
considered one of the wonders of Paris and
countless thousands have stood looking in
awe at the incredible colours and images.
Recently a secret was revealed in the
painting. The Google Art Project which
designs the most powerful cameras in the
world and photographs major artworks
around the world, captured images of
Chagall’s painting. They invited Chagall’s
son to review the images and he told them
that his father had told him that he had
painted him as a baby, but he had never
been able to see the image despite looking
for many years.

Opera cake
In 1955 great French pastry chef
Cyriaque Gavillon worked at the
legendary Dalloyau bakery in Paris,
trading since 1682 and supplier to
the court of Versailles. Gavillon, a
genius with patisserie, wanted to
make something that, in taking one
bite, would give a taste of the whole
cake. He worked on layers and
tastes and came up with a
wonderfully sophisticated cake.
Made with layers of almond sponge
cake (known as Biscuit Joconde -
Mona Lisa - in French) soaked in
coffee syrup, layered with ganache
and coffee buttercream, and
covered in a chocolate glaze. His
wife told him it reminded her of the
Paris Opera House, with its golden
balconies and deep red velvet
seating. The Opera cake was born.
The Google team zoomed in on the photos
and incredibly, after more than 50 years
the image was revealed, a tiny baby, the
son of Chagall (above left) an emotional
moment for the grown-up son.
Below it hangs an enormous, 340 light, 7-
ton bronze and crystal chandelier designed
by Garnier. In 1896 a counterweight, used to
lift it for cleaning, fell into the audience and
killed a theatre-goer. It was partly this
which inspired the famous tale of the
Phantom of the opera by Gaston Leroux in
1910. In fact go there today and you’ll see a
door marked for the Phantom’s box!
The stage is the largest in Europe and can
hold up to 450 artists! When you visit there
are often rehearsals ongoing so you can’t
always get into the auditorium all the time
but may have to wait to see it. In the Grand
Foyer, lined with mirrors and lights is just
like the Gallery of Mirrors at Versailles, and
it’s easy to imagine it in the 19th century,
thronging with jewelled, wide gowned
ladies and top-hatted gents. It was as much
then, if not more so, about showing off your
wealth as it was about seeing an opera.
You can take a tour (self-guided or guided)
to enjoy it in all its splendour and of course
you can see an opera there – but book in
advance, tickets sell like hot cakes!
How and where to get tickets from: There
are a wide range of performances year
round from ballet and opera, both classical
to modern and a range of prices from 15
Euros to hundreds of Euros.
Book online at: www.operadeparis.fr
Guided tours take place in English each day
at 11:00 and 14:30. Reserve online at Opéra
Garnier or via tour companys like Cultival.
Fans of Escape Game might like to know
you can take part in an immersive journey
in the footsteps of the Phantom of the
Opera, animated by actors in period
costume! Book online at OperadeParis

Spotlight on
COGNAC
The town of Cognac in the Charente department, south west France makes for a
great visit. Especially if you love cognac. And historic towns, gorgeous countryside,
sitting at cafés watching the world go by says Janine Marsh
Cognac
The name cognac is famous the world over
for the fine French brandy made from white
wine grapes. And, as you’d expect, cognac
the drink is a major part of visiting the town
of Cognac. There are several important
cognac houses and a dedicated museum
plus discovery centre.
The origin of cognac dates back to the 16th
century when Dutch settlers visited to
purchase salt, wood, and wine. As the long
journey home made preserving the wine
difficult, they started to distil the wine into
eau-de-vie and they realized a second
distillation made for an even finer, more
elegant and very drinkable product. This is
essentially the birth of brandy. The word
“brandy” comes from the Dutch word
“brandewijn” which means burnt wine.
Brandy can be made all over the world, but
only brandy made in the Cognac region of
France and under the strictest guidelines,
can be called “cognac.” It is made from
white wine, using only very specific types of
grapes grown in one of the six crus
surrounding the town of Cognac in the
Charente and Charente-Maritime regions of
France. It’s distilled twice and aged in casks
for a minimum amount of two years.
Cognac the town
Cognac is a pretty town with a “City of Art
and History” label. It’s easy to spend a day
here wandering it’s ancient streets, taking
in the sights, relaxing by the river and
indulging in the local cuisine. The town has
a feeling of peacefulness, prosperity and
good living.

A great starting point is Place Francois
1er, a big square, lined with shops and
bars. It’s a great place to grab a coffee,
or cognac and watch the life of Cognac
going on, before you start a walking
tour of the town. It’s named after King
Francis 1 of France, who was born here
in 1515 (more on that later). It has in its
time had several names and was even
the site of a pig market for a while.
You can take a guided tour with the
tourist office or just amble. It’s not a big
town and easy to see on foot. There are
some beautiful old houses, fabulous
shops ranging from gourmet food to
fashion and art. The Jardin Public
makes for a great picnic spot with its
pretty fountains and peacocks
wandering about. There’s a Museum of
Art and History in a beautiful building
with a collection of paintings and
sculptures as well as a Museum
dedicated to cognac,
Le Musee des Arts du
Cognac
If you want to know about cognac the
drink as well as the region, the Museum
of the Arts of Cognac is a great place to
start. You’ll discover all there is to know
about the creation of cognac and the
area in which it is made. There are
thousands of objects to bring the story
to life as well as a rather fascinating
selection of posters and labels.
Nip next door to the Discovery centre to
find out all about the heritage of
Cognac and the Charente area. You’ll
get a great overview of how cognac
came to be, the different areas of
cognac production, the vineyards,
landscape and villages.
Then continue your walk down to the
riverside. Wide open spaces, beautiful
old warehouses and some of the major
cognac houses are in this part of the

Cognac in Cognac
You can’t go to Cognac and not do a tour
and tasting. There are loads of options
including Hennessy, Remy Martin and
Martell. Just check at the tourist office for
details of all that are available in the town
and the surrounding countryside.
One of the best tours is to be had at the
Chateau Royal de Cognac.. It is an
extraordinary visit of a majestic building –
plus there’s a fabulous tasting…
Royal Chateau de Cognac
The Royal Chateau de Cognac overlooks
the Charente river and was originally a 10th
century fortress, designed to stop Norman
invasions. Home to noblemen it was where
one of France’s most celebrated kings,
Francis I was born in 1515. It’s now the
domaine of Baron Otard, whose cognac
house was founded in 1795. The chateau
then was in a state of neglect and the
Baron had it restored and realised that the
thick walls provide exceptional aging
conditions for his eau-de-vie.
Guided tours of the chateau are divided into
two parts, French history and Baron Otard
cognacs. (It's available in several
languages). Tours begin in the historic part
of the chateau, then onto the cellars.
You can smell the cognac as you walk
through the doors of the 12th century rooms
above the cellars.
The castle is wonderfully preserved, you’ll
see the remains of a 12th century hot water
system and the room where King Richard
the Lionheart came to bless the wedding of
his illegitimate son Philip of Cognac. There
are sculptures and engravings, early style
Renaissance rooms – in fact it’s said that
the French Renaissance was born here.
In some rooms there are engravings carved
into the walls by English prisoners which
are fascinating.

Cognac fact file
Only brandy made in the Cognac region of France
and under the strictest guidelines, may be called
“Cognac.”
V.S. (Very Special): stored for at least two years in
cask
V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale): stored for at least
four years in a cask.
XO (Extra Old) or Napoléon: stored for at least six
years in a cask
Hors d’âge (literally meaning Beyond Age): equal to
XO, term is used by producers to market a highquality
product beyond the official age scale.
Use a tulip- shaped or balloon glass. to capture
cognac’s subtle aromas.
The ideal temperature to serve cognac is between
15 and 18ºC (59 to 64.4°F); too warm and it will
evaporate and lose taste and flavour.
Napoleon Bonaparte’s favourite drink was cognac.
Down in the cellars the 90% humidity and
constant 15 deg C temperature are perfect
condition for the spiders that are part of the
cycle of production. The cognac is matured
in wooden barrels, the spiders eat the bugs
in the wood and keep it clean. Cognac
evaporates through the wood and causes a
blackened fungus to form on the walls and
ceiling called “the angels share”, the locals
joke that the spiders are drunk in here!
The room where Francis 1 was baptised as
a baby, more than 500 years ago, is now
the dry cellar room. There are sniff tables
where you can really tell the difference
between the different types of cognac
In the dungeons are the oldest bottles of
cognac dating back 200 years. It’s a totally
fascinating visit only made better by the
tasting at the end of the tour!
Eating out in Cognac
Locals love: Le Bistro de Claude. Fresh food
and a tasty menu, great atmosphere and
lots of cognac to choose from! Friendly
staff, English spoken and full of locals who
know a great restaurant when they see
one…
Wine and dine: Atelier des Quais. From the
door just off the main bridge, you might not
realise just how lovely this place is. If you
enter the door from the quayside opposite
the towers of the Chateau Royal, it’s
obvious you’re somewhere special. Go for
coffee, tapas, cocktails and for the fabulous
lunch or dinner menu. The courtyard with
its twinkling lights at night is truly lovely.
Poulpette, in the Saint-Jacques district is a
unique and lovely tiny restaurant with a nochoice
menu. The chef cooks whatever is
freshest and most appealing to him; it’s
creative and authentic.
Chez Aristide, in the pedestrian zone of Old
Town, traditional, regional menu with a
fresh twist. Casual and hip with a nice
terrace.

Chai Meukow, a restaurant within the
Cognac House Meukow in the centre of
town. Lunch only with a no-choice menu
that’s fabulous. Reservation is obligatory
(online at their website) you can also do a
tour and tasting.
Gourmet specialities: Le Gourmet
Charentaise. A terrific selection of local
specialities and amazing liqueurs and
cognacs. I spent 45 minutes in here
admiring the heaving shelves and checking
out the goods some of which I’ve never
seen anywhere else. Seriously drool-worthy
and perfect for souvenirs to take home (if
they make it!)… (22 rue du canton)
Where to stay
Quai des Pontis is situated in the heart of
Cognac, on the Charente River. It’s a
magical setting with three different types of
accommodation from gypsy caravans to
cabins on stilts on the river’s edge and cosy
wooden lodges. They’re all equipped with
mod cons such as DVD’s, LCD television
sets, Nespresso machines.
But it’s the natural beauty of the resort that
makes it a knockout location and really
brings it home that the countryside laps
right up to the edges of the town. There’s
loads to do here from fishing, swimming,
exploring the surrounding countryside or
the short walk into town,.
Discover what’s on and things to do in
Cognac at www.tourism-cognac.com.
More on the local area: www.infinimentcharentes.com/;
www.atlantic-cognac.com

www.lagrange-holidays.co.uk

Le Touquet Paris-Plage
The "Monaco" of Northern
France
Le Touquet is a small seaside resort on the beautiful Opal Coast of northern France.
Architecturally it has a mix of British Edwardian and French Belle Epoque styles.
Combined with a zest for outdoor living (and its own microclimate), swanky shops and
excellent bars and restaurants. It’s a brilliant place for a weekend break (or longer). With
loads of activities from water sports, a historic golf course, horse riding in the sand
dunes, tennis and much more. You seriously won’t want for things to do here.
History of Le Touquet
Le Touquet was named Paris-Plage by
Hippolyte de Villemessant, the founder of
Le Figaro in the 1800s because it was so
popular with Parisians who loved its
forests for hunting, shooting and fishing.
In the 1880s, British visitor Sir John Whitby
decided to develop the town targeting rich
Britons and the upper classes. Le Touquet
became a town in 1912 and is known in
France as the “Monaco of the north”. Right
from the start it attracted the wealthy and
the famous from around the world, lured
by its beautiful villas, world class hotels
and penchant for fitness and sports.
The great British writer H G Wells (Time
Machine) eloped here in 1909. Noël
Coward, P G Wodehouse, Marlene Dietrich,
Edith Piaf, Cecil Beaton and Ian Fleming all
holidayed here – the latter based his iconic
Bond, 007, story “Casino Royale” on Le
Touquet’s casino. Serge Gainsbourg got
his first singing break here, singing at
Flavio restaurant (it’s still there), Sean
Connery signed his first James Bond
contract in the town. The list is endless for
those who have fallen for its charms. And
it continues: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
are fans!

Le Touquet today
Architecrurally, not that much has changed
though the biggest difference of the last
100 years is the disappearance of the
Royal Picardy Hotel.
Opened in 1930 it was a magnet for the
wealthiest people. It was at the time the
biggest hotel in the world with more than
500 rooms and apartments so large they
had their own swimming pools – 50 of
them. There were 120 public lounges and
more bars and restaurants than anyone
can remember. Cole Porter stayed here and
wrote “Anything Goes” on the piano at the
casino across the road. It was majestic,
splendid and grandiose on a supersize
scale. Alas it was destroyed during WWII
and what remains is now apartments and
shops.
The grand villas and Belle Epoque market,
the casinos and the fabulous Westminster
Hotel, the tennis courts and swimming
pools, golf resort Inaugurated by British
Prime Minister Lord Balfour in 1904) and
horse racecourse all remain and if Winston
Churchill was to return (as he so often did),
he would still recognise it from its glory
days.
What to see in Le Touquet
There’s a 7km long beach of soft white
sand with pretty little beach huts, a water
theme park on the beach with heated pools
and a choice of spas are on offer. Climb the
274 step lighthouse for jaw-dropping views
over the countryside and coast.
Take the little train ride around Le Touquet
to view some of the magnificent turreted
buildings in the town and the forest on the
outskirts of the centre.

The streets are filled with chic French
boutiques where you can buy Donna Karen
and Chanel alongside less expensive but
equally stylish brands. There are specialist
food shops, chocolatiers, wine caves and
some of the best patisseries I’ve ever come
across in France. Head to rue Metz for
gourmet cakes, marshmallow creations,
artisan chocolate, and artisan food shops
that are simply irresistible.
The Saturday morning market in a listed
covered art deco market is superb.
Golf course La Mer (18 holes) is rated in the
top one 100 courses in continental Europe
and has fabulous views over the sea, plus a
great clubhouse. There’s also La Foret (18
holes) and Le Manoir (9 holes). Golf Le
Touquet is an open golf club and attracts
players from all over Europe. There’s a
friendly atmosphere and rumour has it a
certain golf loving British Royal prince is to
be seen on one of the courses from time to
time!
There’s also a yacht club that’s open to all,
boat rides, sailing lessons, tennis centre
with more than 30 courts. And if you need
a bit of a pick me up, try the Thalasso
Therapy Spa right on the beach, created by
Tour de France rider Louison Bobbet and
located in the avenue named after him. The
famous seaweed treatments will have you
feeling sparkling and sprightly.
And, when you want to take a break, there
are excellent restaurants from the Michelin
starred Le Pavillon in the Westminster
Hotel to the famous fish restaurant Chez
Perard (Lord Alan Sugar’s favourite, he’s
often seen in there) to bistros specialising
in classic French dishes.

Don’t miss: Horse riding in the dunes
Horse riding along the beach and in the
dunes is just about as much fun as it’s
possible to have. It doesn’t matter if you’ve
never ridden a horse in your life, now’s the
time to start. I went to the Centre Equestre
on Avenue de la Dune aux loups and
booked a one hour walk with a horse (pony
rides are available for kids separately).
With my two daughters who’d never been
on a horse, we had an orientation session
then set off for the beach. With the wind
blowing in our hair, we followed the walk
leader and got to see a different side to this
town, wilder and less manicured than the
posh centre, the waves lapped the beach
around the horses feet, they clearly loved it.
And so did we.
With more than 400 events a year ranging
from wine tasting and book fairs, concerts
with international acts, to the Women’s
Open Tennis and Enduropal race set up by
Thierry Sabine who also founded the Paris-
Dakkar race, season in France, and month
long Christmas festivities – Le Touquet is a
year-round superb weekend destination.
And very moreish. You’ll always want to go
back…
Useful websites:
Tourist Office: http://gb.letouquet.com/
Equestrian Centre: centre-equestreletouquet.ffe.com/
Racecourse Le Touquet: www.hippodromeletouquet.com/

£49

Montreuil-sur-
A town for all season
Montreuil sur mer
Around an hour from the port town of
Calais, Montreuil-sur-Mer is a perfect
weekend destination as well as a great
stop off point for travellers going to and
from the UK. Easy to reach from the A16
main auto route, coming here offers a slice
of history and gastronomy as this little
town is home to a superb Michelin star
restaurant and a dozen truly excellent
brasseries, restaurants and cafés.
There are plenty of hotels and chambre
d’hotes. If you’re after a special stay and a
special meal, the 4 Star Chateau de
Montreuil definitely fits the bill. This
gorgeous little manor house has 10
charming bedrooms, each different and
each special - from medieval style with a 4-
poster bed to Chanel-like elegance. The
views from every room are fabulous.
Owned by renowned chef Christian
Germain, understandably the restaurant is
a big lure and dishes are of the classic
French style. An aperitif and nibbles in the
gorgeous salon are de rigeur on a cool day
with a big roaring fire. If the sun’s out, the
landscaped gardens are exquisite.
From here you can easily walk around the
ramparts of the citadel, following in the
footsteps of Hugo who sat under a plane
tree in 1837 dreaming up the story of Les
Miserables. The view is largely unchanged.
In Place Darnetal, the chocolate boutique,
complete with chandelier, is hard to ignore
with its handmade chocolates tempting you
from the windows. Walk to the left and
you’ll arrive in Place Gambetta where you’ll
find the Chapelle St Nicolas rebuilt by
Clovis Normand, a pupil of Violet le Duc.
You’ll also find the Abbatiale St Saulve
which was part of a much bigger building
from the 12th century. Montreuil-sur-Mer
takes its name from the Latin word
monasteriolum’ meaning small monastery.

s
Mer
The town had a strong religious history
attracting many pilgrims. Long before that,
it was a Roman town.
Over the years Montreuil-sur-Mer has seen
its fair share of dramatic events including a
serious earthquake in the 15th century,
invasion by the armies of Emperor Charles
Quint, a siege by Henry VIII of England and
acting as headquarters for General Haig
during World War I. A statue of him astride
his horse sits before the town theatre,
made by Paul Landowski (whose best
known work is Christ the Redeemer in Rio
de Janeiro).
Just to the right as you face General Haig is
a fabulous boulangerie - Le Grémont, a
contender in the best baker in France
competition. Here, the speciality loaf is
called a Valjean, named after the character
in Les Miserables, who in the book had a
factory in Montreuil-sur-Mer. Just across
the road is Fromagerie Caseus, a cheese
shop that attracts cheese lovers from far
and wide to buy its absolutely superb
selection. There are plenty of local
specialities from stinky Maroilles to
sublime Sire de Crequy.
The large central square, named after
General de Gaulle is lined with bars,
restaurants and shops. On a Saturday
morning it bursts into life as the weekly
market lures shoppers from all over the
area.
Head to the little rue du Clape en Bas for a
tranquil aperitif, or a delicious snack in one
of the tiny cafés.
Then continue your walk of discovery
heading back towards the Citadel to take a
tour of the ancient buildings and visit the
town museum.

The fortified gates date to the beginning of
the 13th century as do several towers which
once provided protection to what was a
port town – hence the name sur Mer (on
sea). There’s no sea there now, in fact
Victor Hugo wrote that he was a bit miffed
about it! But over the centuries the estuary
from the channel which led up to the steep
walls of Montreuil silted up and now the
waves are some 10km away in Le Touquet.
This was one of the first citadels built in
France, commissioned by Charles IX in
1567. It was improved by Vauban, Louis
XIV’s engineer and now houses part of the
collection of the Roger Rodière Museum of
France and is a classified site for the
protection of bats.
Each year the townsfolk of Montreuil dress
up to the nines and put on a most amazing
show – Les Miserables performed on the
ramparts by a cast of some 500 locals,
accompanied by cannon and horses. It’s an
absolutely brilliant event, professional but
heart felt.
While you're here - eat. Seriously –
Montreuil-sur-Mer, “Destination
Gastronomique”, really is that good. There
are regular food and wine festivals and lots
of really excellent restaurants.
Locals love Froggys which specialises in
rotisserie, Le Caveau (terrific brasserie fare
and scrumptious Flemish pizzas), Anecdote,
industrial chic décor and a fabulous menu,
Bistronome for great steak frites. Walk off
the calories round this picturesque little
town or take a turn around the ramparts
which takes about 40 minutes.
Useful websites:
www.tourisme-montreuillois.com/fr
www.pas-de-calais-tourisme.com/en
ladestinationgastronomique.com/fr

Hosts, Goats and Chambres d
British stand-up comedian, mod, expat, goat whisperer (maybe) - and now Chambre
d’hote host, Ian Moore’s unique insights into life in the Loire Valley will make you laugh
out loud…
There’s a point in my first or second book,
probably both, where my wife, Natalie, and I
sit down and have one of those ‘The future,
what shall we do?’ conversations. We’d
already lived in France for a few years, but
the weekly commute back to the UK to
perform stand-up had left its mark; a
hollow eyed ‘dead man walking’ stare
whenever I had to leave home and the
family, a spine so damaged from overuse
of budget airlines that it resembled a
fairground helter skelter and a mini-bottle
rosé addiction from trying to make the
Eurostar feel more glamourous than it
actually is. It was time for a change, we
agreed. Time for a new chapter in our life.
"We're definitely not opening a
chambres d’hôtes"
‘Well one thing we’re definitely not doing,’ I
said, tapping the table for emphasis, ‘is
opening up our house as a chambres
d’hôtes! We moved here for peace and
quiet, not for other people.’
Natalie laughed, ‘Can you imagine?’ She
snorted, ‘You as a host? Having to be nice
to people?’ She could barely control herself
now, which was slightly insulting. ‘No,
definitely not a chambres d’hôtes!’
"Our Chambres d’hôtes opened
last year"
Our chambres d’hôtes opened in
November last year in a u-turn so dizzying
that the term u-turn itself seems
inadequate, it was more a triple axel half
loop with salchow and our heads still
haven’t stopped spinning. So why the
change of heart? Had the sardonic standup
comic, the professional cynic,
mellowed? Was I suddenly, that awful
thing, a ‘people person’?

’Hôtes
Well no, not exactly but in the end, you
have to take what you have and work out
the best way forward. I wanted to be at
home more and concentrate on writing and
the French house prices meant that, having
sold up in Southern England, we had a big
property with numerous outbuildings that
would make a fine bed and breakfast
independent of the family home. And,
despite being told too many times for
comfort, that maybe I wasn’t ‘genial host’
material, it was still a no-brainer.
‘I can change,’ I kept repeating, ‘not
commuting every week will soften me.’ Of
course, this was before French bureaucracy
got involved, a combination of rabbit
warren and threshing machine that has one
purpose in mind, and one purpose only – to
break you. For example, the necessary
courtesy visit to the local Mairie to tell them
of our plans added an extra 5,000€ to the
bill when it turned out the new stable for
the horse, let’s face it a glorified shed, also
needed planning permission.
‘Your horse needs planning permission,’
said the Mayoress apologetically.
‘I don’t think we’ll get her upstairs to your
office.’ I replied, to no-one’s amusement.
When renovation on the outbuildings
eventually began, it was a massive relief.
Not just that the project, eight months after
that Mairie visit had finally begun, but that
our outbuildings were finally being put to
some practical use rather than acting as a
Brocante recycling depot. For years we had
pitched a stall at the local Brocantes and
every year, thanks to Natalie and the
children, we’d come back with more
needless junk than we’d set out with.
Now it was time to end this rigmarole and
dump the whole nonsense at the
dechetterie. (My favourite French word
incidentally, dechetterie, it’s the local refuse
tip but literally sounds like De-Shittery –
which is exactly what it is.)

Eight fraught months later the place was
finished, the gravel for the driveway went in
on October 28th and our first guest arrived
the following day, ‘This is beautiful,’ the
guest said, ‘have you been open long?’
‘About 40 minutes.’ I muttered under my
breath.
The idea of opening in the depths of winter
was our canny way of using what would
certainly be just a trickle of guests as
Guinea-Pigs while we learnt the Chambres
d’hôtes ropes, but immediately we were
booked up! We had always reckoned that
the heart of the Loire Valley was going to
be fairly busy what with the chateaux, the
wine and the cheese and so on, but the
world famous ZooParc de Beauval just 20
minutes away is open all year round and
packed out to boot. Plus, Natalie never
stops smugly reminding me, our own minifarm
is partly stocked with animals from the
zoo itself. Not Pandas, well not yet anyway,
but our goats came from the zoo. They are,
and I hate to admit this, a selling point. I’ve
had a fractious relationship with the goats. I
see now why the Zoo Beauval was so keen
to be rid of them. They’re constantly finding
new ways to escape their paddock and eat
the roses, while encouraging the horse to
do the same. I once had to wrestle a goat to
the ground in our neighbour’s garden when
she complained of being attacked. I carried
the thing back home, it clinging to me like a
hairy rucksack.
I had complained bitterly about their
behaviour for years but was now told that
they couldn’t be sent back, that they were,
in fact, a non-negotiable asset and I had to
put up with it. I stormed out to the field to
address the goats personally and in no
uncertain terms.
‘Now listen goats,’ I began, finger-wagging
at the bemused animals, ‘I’ve had enough.
But you play fair and I’ll play fair…’

I gave them the dressing down they
thoroughly deserved and felt strangely
empowered by my futile actions not
realising that while doing so, a crowd had
gathered. Three families staying in the
chambres d’hôtes had assembled quietly
to see what the fuss was all about. What
they got was a middle-aged man in a tightfitting
suit reading the riot act to three
utterly disinterested farm animals. I went
red.
‘New members of staff,’ I said striding off
like Basil Fawlty, ‘just breaking them in.’
I expected Natalie to be angry at the show
too, but no.
‘That’s it,’ she said, ‘give the punters the
angry, absurd, pent up man that’s in your
books! That’s a great selling point!’
think you have to calm down to run a BnB
like the perfect host and the next you’ve
created your own kind of ‘man at odds with
the world’ theme park, a sort of Dollywood
for expats. But you know what? It works.
Ian has written two books on living in
France and travelling as a comedian, and
this year his first fiction was published, a
crime novel set in the Loire Valley. All his
books are available here
And if you fancy a few days at Ian’s
Chambres d’hôtes and to watch a grown
man swear at livestock, you can see the
place here www.lapausevaldeloire.
com/
And that’s how it happens, one minute you

The secret
gorges of
Ardeche
The hardly known gorges and roads of the Ardeche region
deserve to be discovered says Lucy Pitts as she wends her
way south of France...
The Ardèche and its winding roads and
inspiring views is a surprisingly quiet
corner of southern France. It’s at the very
south of the Rhône Alpes region, flirting
with both northern Provence and the
Languedoc. There’s a hint of the Garrigue
in the rugged landscape and you’re just a
hair’s breath from the lavender fields and
olive trees of the Drôme. At times you can
almost feel the Alpes to the east but the
Ardèche has its own unique personality
that shifts and changes with the landscape;
at times Mediterranean, then Alpine, then
almost Grecian.

There’s all sort of reasons to visit here,
especially in early September when the
tourists have all but left but the sun is still
warm. And one of the best reasons to come
has be the Ardèche Gorges Nature Reserve
and the surrounding area. And that’s where
the yurt comes in.
From the small town of Vallon Pont d’Arc
about an hour and a half south west of
Valence, take the tourist route signed to
the Pont d’Arc. Although the map might try
and persuade you otherwise, it’s not the
bendiest road in the Ardèche (that’s further
north) but it must come in a close second.
Drive through the rock face of the great
cliffs that surround the road (yes I mean
through) and after a couple of miles, you’ll
find a small sign announcing the Prehistoric
Loges on your right, snuggled down
discretely between the road and the river.

Photo: Sue Chapple

quiet and serene and once you’ve dried off,
just stroll down to the beach and listen to
the sounds of the river as dusk takes a
hold.
There’s a main cabin, with quiet views back
over the gorge and a really good restaurant.
You can connect to Wifi there if you need to
or stay in one of their rooms. But why would
you want to? And as you slip down under
your luxurious covers in the snug of your
yurt, the sounds of nature at night gently
soothes you to sleep.
The Pont d’Arc
The Pont d’Arc is a 54 m high and 60 m
wide, natural bridge carved out of the rock
face of the gorge over the Ardèche River,
and it happens to be just around the corner
from the Loges. If you can, visit early in the
morning, by which I mean about 8.30am to
9am and after a feast of freshly cooked
breads and pastries on your yurt’s balcony.
Or you could try one for the Loges’ Paniers
Gourmand for your day’s exploring.
A yurt to remember
The Loges is one of those places that
takes you slightly by surprise. There are 5
yurts tucked away from each other in
amongst the trees on the slopes which
lead down to one of the private beaches of
the River Ardèche. And as you’ve already
realised, they’re not any old yurts.
Mine had a 4 poster bed (as well as a bunk
bed), luxuriously dressed in leopard skin
blankets and in the corner, my fabulously
indulgent round bathtub. The bathroom
area was created out of reclaimed wood
(presumably from the gorge) giving it a
rustic but still luxury feel. And because of
the carefully secluded position, you can
raise the external flaps of your yurt and
enjoy the privacy of a bath while watching
the sun slowly slip down the face of the
gorge on the opposite side of the river. It’s
Early morning is not the best time to get
photos as the sun isn’t quite up over the
cliffs yet, (well not in September) but
something rather magical happens. I was
the only person there that early, surrounded
by a vast amphitheatre of cliffs as I strolled
down passed a little circle of vines in the
silence. But as I approached the Pont D’Arc,
thousands of birds who live in the rock
face, started swirling around and singing an
exotic song. You can climb right down to
the river and with the lush vegetative and
still warm air, it felt tropical and almost
magical. I went back later in the day when I
got some great photos, but the hushed
reverence and the birds had gone and
without them, the sense of mystic wasn’t
quite as intense.
Photos: Top left Pont d'Arc a natural
bridge carved out of the rock; above
yurts with a luxury feel

Photo copyright Patrick Aventurier - Caverne-du-pont-darc

Pont d’Arc Cavern
I wasn’t expecting to be excited by a replica
of the Chauvet Cave (about 15 minutes’
drive from Vallon) but boy was I! The
original cave was discovered by cavers in
the 1990s and its location is kept secret in
order to protect it. That’s because what
those cavers inadvertently stumbled upon
20 years ago is nothing short of
staggering: cave art, which dates back
30,000 to 45,000 years to the ice age
period. And yet, remains vivid, vibrant and
utterly compelling.
The replica (the largest in the world) is
about 15 minutes’ drive from Vallon and
well signed. Set in a lofty orchard of chêne
trees and limestone paths there are views
across the valley as far as le Mont Lozère
and Col d ’Escrinet. There are also a
number of animations and educational
galleries to enjoy including a children’s
centre and the Aurignacien Gallery, before
you head into the depths of the cave for
your guided tour.
The guide explains as you enter that you’re
going to feel like you’re in the original cave
and you do. It’s spine tingling. There’s
almost a 3D feel to some of the work as the
artists incorporated the contours of the
rock face to add depth, movement and
humour to their drawings. Scratches and
grease marks from the coats of prehistoric
bears are still visible and you start to get a
sense of the artists, as little details like the
bent, broken little finger of one (much like
mine) appears again and again in some of
the hand prints.
As you come back out into the sunshine,
with the Mistral wind nibbling at your
cheeks, you feel a sense of serenity but
also adventure. Now there’s just one last
stop to make before you tackle the full
might of the “route touristique des gorges
de l’Ardèche”. Not far from Vallon Pont
d’Arc (the starting point for the main tourist
route along the gorges) is the town of
Ruoms. Ruoms is pretty enough but from
there, take a small, winding road signed to
Labeaume.

A quick stop at Labeaume
Labeaume (one of the Ardèche’s many
‘village de caractère’) is a small medieval
village nestled against a limestone rock
face. If you love mysterious and tiny
cobbled streets, this is the place for you. It
has a castle that watches carefully from
above and the village opens out onto a
large, pretty square surrounded by plane
trees and perched on the banks of the
Beaume River.
Cross the bridge to look back at the village
huddled into the overhanging cliff face and
dotted with quirky boutiques and quaint
houses, many of which have façades
decorated with pebbles. Or watch a game
of Pétanque unfold in the square.
In July and August they have a musical
festival here and it’s also not a bad place to
use as a base if you want to explore the
surrounding Beaume Gorge and discover
some of the 140 dolmens (megalithic
tombs). Or just sip coffee in the square and
soak up the surrounding beauty before you
head off to tackle the Ardèche gorges.
The long & winding road to St.Martin
There are many ways to explore the gorges,
namely by foot, kayak or even by horseback
but it’s worth starting with a car. Drive
the tourist route from Vallon Pont d’Arc to
St. Martin d’Ardèche to get a lofty feel for
what you’re about to discover. It’s 35 km of
hair pin bends and steep inclines, and not
necessarily for the faint-hearted driver.
Throw in the odd brave cyclist who you
have to overtake, ignore the locals who are
nudging you on from behind, and don’t
expect to spend a lot of time in 4th gear.
On the upside it is peppered with outstanding
viewpoints along the way and
although you tell yourself you’re not going
to stop at each and every one, they’re very
hard to resist mile after mile of breathtaking
views over the limestone gorges
(some of which are 300 metres high) with
glimpses of the tiny river and kayakers, far,
far below. Amazingly the road was only
built in the 1960s and it’s not hard to
imagine what an inhospitable and
challenging terrain it must have been for
anyone travelling before then.

threw open the roof and held on to our
windows which had a life of their own as we
sputtered and coughed our way amongst
the vineyards of the Rhône, through the
scrubby Garrigue and up round the gorges.
With the famous Mistral wind pulling at
your hair and a sense of the vastness of
the region, when you finally drop down into
St. Martin at the other end, you feel a bit
like a conquering hero.
A bit of exploring
St. Martin d’Ardèche or St Julien de
Peyrolas on the opposite side of the river
(and actually in the Languedoc) is a great
place to stay for exploring the gorges.
You’re right on the border of the Drôme,
Vaucluse and Gard and you feel like you’re
back in the Mediterranean. There are
vineyards, plains, olive groves and figs and
the village acts as a bit of a gateway from
the gorges to Provence and the south.
From St Martin you can explore the gorges
by guided tour on foot or by bike, but I went
in a 2CV. My chauffeur was Rosemarie,
who’s family own and run the local organic
wine producing estate, Domaine de la Croix
Blanche and her passion for where she
lives oozes from every pore. She gave me a
choice of quirky vehicles and our 2CV was
both the best and the worst I’m sure. We
I don’t think Rosemarie would disagree if I
said gear changing wasn’t her greatest
strength nor keeping to the correct side of
the road, and the journey was filled with
laughter (and possibly the odd scream).
Rosemarie is pleasantly bonkers and I
couldn’t think of a nicer person to spend a
day with although I hate to think what you’ll
get up to if you join her for one of her
walking tours. Back at the Domaine we had
a quick tasting of their organic Ardèche
rosés which were refreshingly welcome.
Rosemarie’s husband also makes tapenade
and if you arrange it in advance via the
tourist office, he will do demonstrations.
However you choose to explore the
Ardèche and its gorges, take time to linger
in this stunningly beautiful and unusually
quiet corner of southern France which has
something to inspire at almost every twist
and turn. From the civilised wines of the
Rhône to the vast wilderness surrounding
the gorges, it’s not often that you get to
explore somewhere that in places feels
completely untamed and has a past
stretching back to the ice age
For more information about the
Ardèche: www.ardeche-guide.com
To visit Rosemarie and try her wines
and driving : www.
domainedelacroixblanche.com
Details of The Loges and their yurts:
www.prehistoric-lodge.com
For more information about the
Chauvet Cave: en.cavernedupontdarc.fr

Fishing in France... with your feet!
All over France, catching fish for a free meal is a popular activitiy. Mike Cranmer
heads to the department of Finistere in Brittany to join in the fun...
We’d been crouching on the sand for what
seemed like hours. My knees were aching. I
just had to shift position.
“Tranquillement! Essayez de ne pas faire de
bruit” Marie whispered (Quietly! Try not to
make a noise). Our eyes were fixed on a
tiny volcano-like mound of sand. Waiting.
Watching. Waiting. Suddenly a squirt of
water erupted from our target. Still Marie
didn’t move.
Perhaps I ought to explain at this point. I
was doing what 3 million French people do
every year, Pêche à Pieds, which translates,
charmingly, as Walk Fishing, or, more
literally, Foot Fishing. All you need is a pair
of wellies, a bucket, and a hand rake. Oh,
and local tide-tables. Very important that, if
you want to avoid an unexpected dunking.
The best tide for this activity is as low as
possible, exposing fishy treasures normally
underwater. One of the best places to do it
is Brittany where tidal ranges of 10m occur.
Marie has lived within a cockerel’s crow of
Saint-Pol-de-Léon for all of her 82 years,
wed to Yann, both steeped in Breton
tradition, and speakers of that ancient, but
still very much alive, language. More
importantly to this tale, she is a Pêcheuse à
Pied extraordinaire. She knows all the best,
most secret places to seek out her quarry,
and, how to cook it. She was to be my guide.
We headed for our adventure in the
secluded bay of Pointe Saint-Jean: Marie,
Yann, teenage grand-daughter Léa, my wife
and I, plus a carload of buckets and rakes.
The first discovery of the day came when I
put on my newly-acquired wellies to find
they were both right feet causing me to
walk in circles until I mastered the steering.
The second was that the normally quiet bay
was like Wembley on Cup Final Day, cars
parked willy-nilly along the single-track
approach. We were not alone.

Marie had allowed the time it would take to
walk out to our hunting ground so we’d
arrive about an hour before marée basse
(low tide). So had what seemed like the
entire population of nearby Saint-Pol-de-
Léon. There were people everywhere along
the vast sweep of beach; dogs, push-chairs,
families, singles, couples, all searching for
the same elusive treasure as us…like a
Lowry painting without the grime, factories,
tenements, and clogs, but you get my point.
Our expert set off purposefully, skirting the
coast and branching out towards rocks
normally submerged, but now exposed by
the sea’s retreat. She showed us how to
scrape the sand with our rakes to turn up
shells just below the surface, “Bon.
Quelques coques” (Good. Some cockles)
and showed us how to swill out the sand
and mud with seawater to separate our
catch.
We turned up different shells and paused
while Marie identified them: palourde –
grooved carpet shell clam; bigorneau –
winkles; amande de mer – dog cockle;
praire – saltwater clam (aka Warty Venus!);
lavagnon – peppery furrow shell clam; bulot
- whelk. Lots of clams but each subtly
different. Small ones were returned to the
sand, fatter examples kept. Such is the
popularity of Pêche à Pieds that strict
regulations are in place regarding what and
how much can be taken and when.
Information, pocket guides, notice boards,
and online sites are readily available, so no
excuse for pleading ignorance if the
Gendarmes Maritime nab you. Fines of
several thousand euros have recently been
levied in Finistère.
I’d had my head down so when Marie said
“Viens. Il est temps de revenir” it was a
shock to see the tide coming in. (If you go
without a guide, remember to set your
phone alarm to allow plenty of time before
the tide turns to get back to safety).
Back on shore we took stock of our
buckets. Lots of clams, a mound of winkles,
and whelks. A pretty good harvest for three
hours work. But Marie wasn’t content,
“Demain, couteau et huîtres” she said
firmly. (Tomorrow, razor clams and oysters.)
We talked as Marie dealt with the catch:
“We relied on fish to live when I was young”
she told me as she changed the water in
the buckets an hour after our return,
mimicking the tide.

Next day we headed for a spot directly
beneath Le Pont de la Corde over La Penzé
river. Steep banks and thick gloopy mud
made the scramble down tricky but Marie
soon straightened up with a triumphant
grin, holding a huge huître de sabot de
chevaux (horse’s hoof oyster). Our buckets
filled up with more conventional oysters
and juicy palourdes fattened in the rich tidal
waters of the river.
Then off to Pointe Saint-Jean again for an
even lower tide than the day before. “You
don’t need your rakes today, but you will
need these” said Marie, handing each of us
a carton of salt. “I’ll explain when we get to
the spot.”
“Life was hard in the war, but I still like to
catch what I can for free”. She covered the
buckets with seaweed. “I will change the
water again in the morning, same as the
tide. The fish will be fresh for our meal
tomorrow night.”
We had only one mission left to fulfil: to
catch the notoriously elusive razor clam, or
couteau (knife), and to do so we needed
ratlike cunning, patience, and a carton of
salt. No point trying to dig, Marie told us,
the couteau just buries itself deep in the
sand using its powerful ‘foot’ to pull further
and further in. No, once we’d found the
‘volcanoes’ of sand pushed up by the
creature squirting water, we must wait,
without warning vibrations or sound, until
the ‘siphon’ ejected more water, then pour
salt on the spot.

oysters, whelks, and finally the hard-won
couteau, each course washed down with
Muscadet from Yann’s cellar. Marie
generously shared the recipes which she
learned from her mother. As we enjoyed the
fruits of our labour it reminded me that the
best things in life really are free.
Here are some of Marie’s recipes: Clams
and cockles. Change seawater one hour
after gathering. Cover with seaweed
overnight. Repeat in morning at tide time.
Ingredients: clams or cockles, white wine,
garlic, butter, parsley. To cook: boil in large
saucepan in broth of wine until shells open.
Remove from pan, open shells and put
small knob of butter, finely crushed garlic
and chopped parsley into each shell. Bake
in hot oven for a few minutes. Serve.
Bigorneau. Ingredients: bigorneau, salt,
butter. To cook; Place in large saucepan.
Cover with water and boil. Add salt and
knobs of butter, then cover pan and steam
10 minutes. Serve.
This mimics the saltiness of the incoming
tide, the head of the siphon appears above
the sand exposing two or three
inches…then GRAB and hang on for dear
life! Grab too early and it’s gone. They can
dig down up to a foot a minute. Naturally,
Marie was the first to strike. Her hand
whipped out like a cobra and she grasped,
then pulled, and Hey Presto! The first
couteau.
Bracing ourselves to the task in hand
(literally) we crouched, sprinkled, and
pulled, until we had a decent haul and
headed back to Marie’s to prepare for the
evening’s fête de la mer.
Ten of us sat down to the feast, starting
with the bigorneau, ‘winkled’ out of their
shells with a pin, followed by clams,
Pan-fried clams. Ingredients: clams,
breadcrumbs, garlic. Allow a dozen per
person. To cook: Mix breadcrumbs and
crushed garlic, roll the clams in the mixture
and cook in a hot pan with melted butter.
Serve.
Razor clams. Ingredients: clams, garlic.
Open the shells and remove the black
digestive tract. Dry on kitchen roll. Fry for a
few minutes in garlic and olive oil. Serve.
Oysters. Open and serve with chopped
shallots and lemon.
For tidal information: maree.info or
calendrier-maree.fr
Further information: www.manger-la-mer.
org/Peche-a-pied-conseils
www.roscoff-tourisme.com

An homage to
Notre-Dame
The soul of Paris

Photo: Chris Waits
On April 15, 2019 a fire broke out at the
Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. As the
world watched, stunned to see this
incredible 856 year old building suffer from
the flames, we shared our hopes on
Facebook that the damage would not be
catastrophic.
Hundreds of thousands of our Facebook
followers shared photos from their visits
and posted of their sadness and of what
this ancient monument meant to them.
More than just a church, Notre-Dame is the
soul of Paris.
History of Notre-Dame
The creation of Notre-Dame took almost
200 years. The first stone was laid in 1163
at a ceremony attended by Pope Alexander
III. It was commissioned by Maurice de
Sully, Bishop of Paris who wanted to build
a church that would be the most
wonderous in Christendom. He died 150
years before the main structure was begun
but he did have time to hold the first mass
in the Cathedral to be.
Notre-Dame provided a backdrop to the
lives of Parisians throughout the centuries.
Enduring through the reigns of kings and
wars. She wasn’t always loved, during the
French Revolution, statues were destroyed,
it’s treasures and roof tiles were pillaged.
When Victor Hugo wrote The Hunchback of
Notre Dame in 1831, he professed his
sadness and disgust at what such a
“venerable monument” had suffered.
In 1844 a 25 year long restoration began
and Notre-Dame emerged at last fulfilling
Hugo’s claim that it was the “central
mother church”.
Restoration after the fire
Despite the ominous sight of the spire
toppling during the fire at Notre-Dame,
experts say that much was saved and a
huge restoration has begun. The French
senate has declared that the Cathedral will
be restored to exactly the way it was before
the devastation and it is expected to be
complete in time for the 2024 Paris
Summer Olympics.

We'd like to share just a few of the hundreds and hundreds of
comments left on our Facebook page. You can read all of them
here and here and here on our Facebook page.
My favorite memory of Notre
Dame occurred during a random stroll in
the early morning hours of a chilly late
November day in 2016. As awe-inspiring as
Paris is during the day, I found night to be
the best time to explore to her streets,
when there were no people to be seen, and
the only sound to be heard was the
occasional clinging of silverware from her
famed street cafes. I was fortunate to have
met so many phenomenal people during
my time in Paris, but I was truly happiest
when my only companions were the City
and my thoughts.
That night, like others, my route had no
defined plan. As I left the Latin Quarter, I
decided that tonight would be a good night
for my first stroll along the Seine’s Right
Bank and that I would loop back towards
my apartment in Saint Germain.
I crossed the bridge to Île de la Cité and
shot a quick glance towards Notre Dame,
the subject of my very first picture in Paris
and at least 100 since. This Notre Dame I
had never seen. While the City of Light
needs no assistance holding this title, the
moon sat perfectly aligned between the
elegant lady’s bell towers, casting a light
that even Paris cannot replicate.
I instinctively reached for my camera,
frustrated that tonight of all nights I left my
tripod at home. I snapped picture after
picture after picture, but it wasn’t until after
I had resigned myself to the fact I had
taken the best picture I would get sans my
equipment that I allowed myself to take in
the beauty before my eyes. I leaned in on
the bridge and lost myself in the fleeting
moment. For minutes, the Lady of Paris
was mine and mine alone. When the moon
finally decided to interrupt us and slid
behind one of the bell towers, I said adieu
and made my way back to my apartment,
content that tonight could not get any
better, and the Right Bank would have to
wait until another night. I returned to Notre
Dame the following night and many more
with the hopes of perfecting “the shot,” but
the moon always had other plans.
As I reflect on what Notre Dame means to
me, I at long last can empathize with The
Little Prince and his beloved Rose. As St.
Exupery stated so much more eloquently
than I am capable, the most beautiful
things in our world are ephemeral, or that
“which is in danger of speedy
disappearance.”
Neither my memory of Notre Dame that
night, nor Notre Dame herself, will endure
forever, but rather than mourn the mortality
of our memories, loved ones, and the places
we love, I am grateful that I was lucky
enough to cross paths with her during the
short time our paths crossed. I never did get
that “perfect shot” of Notre Dame with my
equipment, but, looking back, I realize the
memory of that night is all I need.
My memory of that night is but one star in
the galaxy of billions Notre Dame has
created, and though I grieve among the
other lucky stargazers she has blessed, I
find solace knowing that the dark skies
before us now will subside. France, as she
always has done, will persevere, and Notre
Dame will regain her throne as the brightest
light in Paris.
David Barnes, California, USA

The year after my husband died, I visited
Notre Dame for the first time, attending
morning prayers and Vespers. The
luminosity from the stained glass, the
incense wafting up to the light, the sacred
music and chants, and the community of
faithful gave me solace and a sense of
well-being. I felt the spirit of my mom and
my aunt, who had been in the French
Resistance in WWII. The past, present, and
future merge in this holy place. I spent a
perfect day visiting Giverny in the morning,
Notre Dame at noon mass, and saw the
Tours de France arrive in front of me on the
Pont Neuf. I've been to Notre Dame several
times since then for celebrations such as
Palm Sunday last year and the Assumption
of the Virgin Mary procession and have felt
a profound sense of the divine each time.
This is a spiritual home for me. Nothing
can take away the essence of Notre Dame.
Barbara Ball Lester California, USA
Been many times over the years...a
favourite "thing" my family enjoyed, was to
visit the Notre Dame, then walk to the little
park behind the cathedral and sit there
while having our baguette-lunch. We wept
while watching the news of the fire. We
have no words...but we stand with you,
Paris, and we will rejoice with you when the
restoration complete. Linda Meillon,
Gauteng, South Africa
A photo from June 2017 whilst visiting from South
me, it captures the serenity, grace and etherealnes
We have visited this magnificent place on
every visit to Paris, have been enthralled to
listen to a mass sung in “plain chant” also
to the glorious organ being played so
beautifully that we had goose bumps! First
ever visit in 1957 with my parents and I
couldn’t stop talking about the ROSE
WINDOW.....so many wonderful memories.
Helen Steyn, Australia.
As a Francophile I’m feeling for the sacred
856yrd old Notre Dame cathedral and
France, but she will become a stronger
phoenix and rise again from these current
ashes. Janelle Bray, Queensland
In all her glory. Notre Dame. Duog Crawford, USA

We go here every time we visit The City of
Light...climbed to the top with the
gargoyles, sat in the back garden and
wandered the aisles and stood in awe of
the various side chapels and their amazing
paintings. Gillian Hoekstra
Such a sad day for Paris but thank God for
les pompiers. My family is devastated and
so grateful we were able to visit Notre
Dame before this tragedy. Love and prayers
to the people of Paris from Australia. Sue
Hand
I love this church. I just stare at it each time
I visit Paris. It is very sad that Our Lady
suffered this damage...Thanks for sharing
and many thanks to the firefighters who
saved most of the church Looking forward
to restoring this beautiful and historic
church. Sandra Ifeoma Orimilikwe
Africa. It has always been a favorite because for
s of her so perfectly. Monique Steuyn Olwage
My husband and I visited in 2015 and again
this Fall. You can see pictures before
visiting but they still will not prepare you for
the grandeur or magnitude of this
cathedral. I remember running my hands
down one of the many massive columns in
disbelief. How could something like this
have been built 800 years ago without the
technology that we have today.
Grace Marshall, British Columbia.
I first laid eyes upon Our Lady of Paris on a
visit 34 years ago, as a college exchange
student from California. Notre Dame de
Paris was stunning but her doors were
locked that day. When I returned in 2016,
when she finally revealed the secrets of her
interior to me. As light streamed through
the stunning stained glass—including the
famous rose windows—I was awed by the
beautiful treasures inside: a piece of the
cross on which Jesus is believed to be
crucified as well as the crown he wore on
his head, stone sculptures, two incredible
organs, and paintings commissioned in the
17th century. Don’t wait to see the magic in
our world. Chris Kelsey Roman

Where to stay in Paris
With more than 2000 hotels to choose from in Paris, it's not easy so we've
done the hard work for you. Tried and tested, enjoy our pick of the best
hotels in the city of light...
Cool and classy: Au Boeuf Couronné in
the 10th arr. has a line 5 metro stop right
outside. The hotel opened in 2017 and is
next door to the restaurant of the same
name, the oldest steakhouse in Paris. It’s
right by the Philharmonic de Paris, Gare du
Nord, La Villette and not far from Père-
Lachaise cemetery. I am amazed this place
is classified 3 star, I’ve stayed in higher
starred hotels that were nowhere near as
good as this. The rooms are big and the
bathrooms are fabulous. It’s quiet and
comfy and welcoming. It’s a bit of a steal
as it’s not expensive at all (prices start
from €80 for 2 people) though it looks like
it ought to be. Location-wise, it’s terrific
and it’s easy to get into the centre of Paris
taking just 15 mins to Bastille from the
Metro outside the front door.
Fabulous and chic: the 5 Star MGallery
Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet is close to the
Marais district in the heart of lively Bastille
in a wonderful art deco building, which was
once a wood storage factory, before
becoming a theatre then hotel. They have
the comfiest beds I have ever experienced,
like sleeping on a cloud. Beautifully
converted, lovely, luxurious rooms, great
spa, swimming pool and fitness area and
terrific bar. It’s within easy walking
distance of Père-Lachaise cemetery and
there are many great bars and restaurants
close by.

Stylish & gorgeous: The 4 star Hotel
Balmoral is literally yards from the iconic
Arc de Triomphe but in your room you're
cocooned in tranquillity. I arrived quite late
and must admit I had had every intention
of going for a moonlit walk to take photos
but the lovely deep bath and comfy bed
lured me in. It is a 19th century Haussman
designed building that’s pure boutique,
personal, luxurious and very welcoming.
The rooms are classically Parisian, elegant,
modern and luxurious; there are also suites
and apartments which can take two
couples (and a child). Internationally
renowned architect Michel Jouannet was
instrumental in helping to create the new
look for the hotel, his work is known in
Venice, Rio de Janeiro and all around the
world but this Paris hotel has to be one of
his best projects.
Chic and a stone’s throw from Gare du
Nord: Hotel Mademoiselle is a comfy 4 Star
hotel with a touch of luxury right by the
Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est. It’s just a
15-minute walk to Montmartre, the metro
stations are really close, Gare du Nord is a
five minute walk as is Gare de l’Est and the
RER line for Disney Paris. The road it is in is
quite busy by day but a haven of tranquillity
by night. Real Paris is just two minutes
away. While one end of the road leads to
the stations, the other end leads to
restaurants and bars, pretty squares and
churches and local life.
The rooms are stylish, there’s a lovely inner
courtyard where taking your breakfast is an
uplifting experience, plus spa facilities
(book them in advance, they’re free but get
filled quickly).

Ultra-luxurious: Hôtel du Rond Point des
Champs Elysées, just a few minutes away
from the Metro station Franklin D
Roosevelt is this very elegant Louis Vuitton
owned hotel in a 17th century building.
From the minute you walk through the
doors of this hotel, you’ll feel utterly
charmed. The staff are lovely and that’s key
to having a great stay. The rooms are
fabulous as you’d expect from a hotel
owned by one of the world’s premier style
companies. Some rooms have a view over
the Eiffel Tower and the rooftops of Paris
(ask when you book – all the staff speak
English). Comfy beds, gorgeous striped
wallpaper and very posh loos (all electric
with warmed seats and all that jazz).
There’s a stunning swimming pool so –
take your costume or you’ll really miss out.
Elegant and glamorous: Hotel de Sers in
an 18th century, former nobleman’s
mansion, a stone’s throw from the Champs-
Elysées is next to the legendary George V
and less than a mile from the Eiffel Tower
has the location, the looks and the luxury
without the massive price tag to go with
them. It certainly isn’t a budget hotel but for
the price compared to other 5 Star hotels in
this part of Paris – it’s a real find. It is stylish
and smart, the décor is elegant and inspired
with a real touch of old school style
glamour. The spa there is open to residents
only, after a long day’s sightseeing, it's a
real pick me up to be able to have a sauna
and a massage. Most of the rooms have
terraces and glass conservatories where
you can sit and look out over the roof tops
of Paris whatever the weather; the top
apartment has a big terrace with a view
over the Eiffel Tower.

Discreet, refined luxury: The
Hotel Marignan Champs-
Elysées in an 18th century
building a stone’s throw from
the Champs-Elysées is pure
luxury, from the entrance with
its smart doorman to the
dining room with its modern
trompe l’oeil, bar with comfy
chairs and a grand piano and
rooms that are elegantly
decorated.
Though it’s right in the heart
of Paris, this is a little oasis of
tranquillity and pleasure.
There are rooms with a view of
the Eiffel Tower, de-luxe suites
and a fabulous restaurant.

YOUR PHOTOS
Every weekend, we invite you to share
your photos on Facebook - it's a great
way for everyone to see "real" France
and be inspired by real travellers
snapping pics as they go. Every week
there are utterly gorgeous photos being
shared and here we showcase the most
popular of each month. Share your
favourite photos with us on Facebook -
the most "liked" will appear in the next
issue of The Good Life France
Magazine...
march:
A misty morning in
Conques, Aveyron,
by Robin Lee

April:
Wisteria hysteria in
Paris! At Au Vieux
Paris d'Arcole
restaurant, 24 rue
Chanoinesse, by
Emma Budgen
MAY
Gorgeous in Goult,
Provence in May, this
photo by Helen Leather
Join us on Facebook
and like and share
your favourite photos
of France...

Escape to the Chateau:
Sometimes dreams do come true....
When Angel Adoree and husband Dick
Strawbridge swapped a 2-bedroom flat in
Southend, Essex, and bought the fairy-talelike
Chateau-de-la-Motte Husson in
Mayenne, Pays de la Loire for £280,000,
their adventures were filmed for a British
TV Show. Escape to the Chateau was a
runaway hit. Millions were enthralled as
they watched the couple fall head over
heels for the run down 45-room castle with
its moat and pointy turrets and millions
saw them turn it into a dream home and
successful business as an events and
vintage wedding destination. Angel’s crafty
talents and eye for a bargain and Dick’s
determination won them a legion of fans.
So successful was the TV show that it’s
had several series and spawned a spin off
series called ‘Escape to the Chateau: DIY’.
This saw Dick and Angel use the
knowledge they’ve built up to help other
chateau owners with their projects.
Audiences were mesmerised.
When each programme ended, “viewers
were literally switching off the TV, firing up
their iPads and looking at what is available”
said Jane Berry, head of estate agent
Leggett Immobilier’s Prestige division. “We
have seen a huge jump in website visitor
numbers straight after each episode,
indeed our dedicated Chateau page shows
an 800 per cent increase in traffic...”.
Click here to read our interview with
Dick and Angel

Becoming chateau owners
One of the couples featured on the first
series of Escape to the Chateau DIY
became firm favourites with the viewing
public. They were young and inexperienced
but had huge commitment to bring back to
life a neglected and enormous chateau.
Their willingness to do whatever it took,
working night and day, impressed
everyone. Billy Petherick from Greenwich in
London was just 27 and his fiancé
Gwendoline from Cherbourg, Normandy
was 24 when they bought the Chateau de
la Baismagnée. In the heart of Mayenne,
Pays de La Loire, it cost them €1,050,000
in 2016. Billy had some building experience,
Gwendoline had worked in retail but
nothing daunted them.
They’d met in France when Billy went to
stay with his parents who live in France and
decided to look for a house together.
“We wanted to take on a project, a grand
house, manoir, maison de maître, or small
château, but then we stumbled across a
listing for this château online” says
Gwendoline. “We thought that even if it was
bigger than what we were looking for, it was
so beautiful that it was definitely worth a
look, at least we could dream for an
afternoon. But we fell in love with the place
straight away. It made us re-think our plans,
because after seeing Basmaignée we
couldn’t really see ourselves anywhere else.
After months of figuring out a way to
pursue this crazy adventure, we got the
keys to our beautiful chateau”. Funding
came from a legacy from Gwendoline’s late
mother and bank loans.
The 50-60 room chateau, “we've never
really managed to agree a definitive
number” says Gwendoline, is set in 60
acres of parkland with a private chapel,
traditional walled garden and six cottages.
To say it needed a huge amount of work is
an understatement.

“It was uninhabited for many years and was
in a terrible condition” says Billy, but the
couple were undaunted. Billy’s brother
Michael joined them to help our with the
renovation after he too fell under the
castle’s spell. And in 2018, Gwendoline and
Billy welcomed baby Ernest to the chateau
which has gone from being a neglected
shell of a sleeping beauty to a fabulous
home and business.
A chateau isn’t an easy option
When it comes to owning a chateau,
upkeep costs are much higher than for a
normal home. There’s almost always a
constant need for maintenance and if your
building is listed, you might need to get
permission to renovate from Monuments
Historique (Read about the requirements
on page 102). In this case, the Chateau de
Basmaignée is not listed.
“When people dream about being chateau
owners they usually think of themselves
living like royalty, but unless you really are
royalty, that’s not really how things go and
we knew that right from the start” says
Gwendoline.
The couple took out a loan that enabled
them to keep renovating and living until
they could earn an income. They have done
most of the work themselves with the help
of family and friends, though they have had
professional help when it comes to
electrics and plumbing. They invested in
essential equipment including a cherry
picker. “By doing as much as we can
between us, we estimate we’ve reduced the
costs by 80%” says Billy adding “We focus
on the work room by room, rather than
think of what needs to be done over the
whole chateau. When people ask “when
will the chateau be fully renovated?” We
tell, them, there’s not set date, we have to
go step by step. It’s like any other
renovation project, only it’s going to take
longer.”
The chateau is their only means of income
and Gwendoline admits “we don’t have any
idea of how much we can earn when it’s all
finished, we’re not planning that far ahead.
For now, we are just trying to make it so the
chateau can pay for itself and for the
renovation work, though we’re not really
certain how much that needs to be.”
Their hard work is paying off, the castle is
now a stunning B&B, wedding venue, and
hosts antiquing weekends. “There’s
renovation, maintenance, the business to
run, a baby to look after and it’s a serious
challenge to balance it all but it’s totally
worth it – we love it and wouldn’t change a
thing” says Gwendoline.
“To buy a chateau, you have to be
determined, prepared to work seriously
hard and perhaps just a little bit mad” adds
Billy though he smiles when he says it.
www.basmaignee.com

From London rat race to a
dream home & café business
in rural northern France
Katharine Tasker from London upped sticks in the city and moved to the sticks in
France bringing a sprinkling of urban style to her new build home and thriving
new business, a café and shop, as Janine Marsh discovers…
Pas de Calais is a region of meadows and
forests, the countryside is criss crossed by
streams and peppered with villages and
hamlets. It’s blessed with the beautiful
beaches and dramatic coastline of the Opal
Coast as well as fertile agricultural land. It’s
a largely rural department despite being
the gate way to France for millions who
cross the English Channel, many of whom
simply exit the ferry or train and zoom off
down the auto routes further south. For
those who stop and look though, the
charms of the far north can be compelling
as Katherine Tasker found out when she
visited a friend…
A life changing weekend
Katharine Tasker loved her life in London.
She ran a successful gourmet food shop
with a loyal clientele who adored the
speciality products she sourced from
France including some world famous jam.
At a sales meeting in Lille in 2015,
Katherine decided to visit the jam makers
in Saint-Rémy-au-Bois, in the Seven
Valleys, Pas de Calais, not far away. They’d
met in London when British entrepreneurs
Judy and Nick Gifford who created the
mouth-watering jams at Tea Together
delivered a consignment in person and got
on well.
Katherine spent just a couple of days with
her friends at their beautifully restored
farmhouse with their beloved Jack Russells
and horses. As well as their jam making
enterprise, they also run Le Tea Room from
their home, serving scones with their homemade
jam and clotted cream to smitten
locals. But, it changed the direction of her
life.
“It was” says Katharine “love at first sight
when I saw how glorious the countryside is.
So tranquil and varied, lush valleys, forests
and wide-open plateaux, it is just so
beautiful. I thought it would be wonderful to
have a bolthole here.”
Swapping urban life for a plot in rural
France
Katharine returned to London, and when,
shortly afterwards, the lease on her shop
needed renewing, she sought alternative
premises close by. “It was very tough trying
to find a new place everything was horribly
expensive” she says. She’d kept in touch
with Judy who, in the midst of Katharine’s
frustrating search in London told her that a
plot of land had come up for sale in the
village of Gouy-Saint-André near St-Rémy.

“She told me it was special and that I ought
to come and see it” Katharine reminisces.
The land was well over her budget but Judy
encouraged her to speak to the seller to
see if there was any wiggle room. He had
three cheaper plots for sale and Katherine
decided to go and look. After viewing the
affordable land, Katharine was persuaded
by the seller to take a look at the more
expensive plot. “It was” she laughs “a wow
moment as soon as I saw it, I felt a
connection. I instantly thought, what if I
open my business here instead of in
London?” Her head buzzed with ideas and
London with its expensive rental options
didn’t feature. Within hours, a deal was
struck in France. And, Katherine had made
up her mind. She returned to London and
made places to move to France.
Urban dreams in rural France
Faced with a large, empty field which had
panoramic views over the countryside,
Katharine decided the only way to tackle
the need for a home and business was to
employ an architect and building team. The
resulting three-bedroomed cube is not like
any other building in the village, ultramodern
with sleek lines and no hint of rural
cottage. “I was surprised that planning
permission wasn’t an issue” she confesses
“but because it can’t be seen from the road,
the application went through smoothly and
I got the go ahead within two months of
applying”.
“A tree in the garden was my first
inspiration” says Katharine “It was old,
there long before me, I didn’t want to cut it
down, so we designed the house around it”.
The first six months of the build went well
but the honeymoon period didn’t last. The
roofers went bankrupt and the build came
to a stop.

Katharine had already sold her house in
London to raise funds and had no choice
but to move into her not remotely ready
French house.
“It wasn’t ideal, but it actually helped me to
refine the plans, and feel how the house
could be used."
The kitchen is located in the centre of the
house and serves both the café and residential
side. Filled with light, there’s a mezzanine
floor and double height sitting room
with huge windows that frame the views,
and of course, the old tree. The house is
one of a kind here for other reasons too, an
ecologically built passive house, it utilises
a geothermal heating and dual flow ventilation
system. It’s so insulated just one
wood stove heats the whole house.
“Everything was much more expensive
than I thought possible” admits Katharine.
“I had to negotiate hard with the
construction company to get a price I could
afford”.
The house took two and a half years to
build. “On the whole” says Katharine “It
wasn’t too bad. I have never regretted it.
The issues with the roofers weren’t good
but were overcome. Some of the systems
were new to the builders but they were
willing to learn. The architect was Greek
and lived in London and admittedly there
was a bit of a culture clash with the
builders, but they worked it out and I’m
really happy with the result”.
L’Encas and L’Echoppe
Katharine had known from the stat that she
wanted to open a café and shop with a hint
of London style in this rustic part of France.
L’encas and l’echoppe are medieval French
words for “in case” and “shop” and, tucked
away from the road, it “seemed like the
perfect name for my venture” she says.

“I love decorating a table, setting the places
and making it look interesting and
beautiful with a mix and match approach. I
knew that in France there’s a long tradition
and love of table dressing”. So she
combined a café with a shop in which she
sells vintage and new French, British and
European china, cutlery and tableware. It’s
an eclectic stock that’s appreciated by
mainly French, British and Belgian
customers who find their way to this little
corner of France.
The café has a menu of local produce, pies
and tartes, soups, savoury salads, delicious
quiches and dishes flavoured with herbs,
spices, edible flowers and zingy dressings.
Katharine produces delicious gluten free
crispbreads which are stocked in gourmet
food stores in London and Paris and served
with meals at L’Encas et L’Echoppe. Her
gorgeous gateaux have gained a
reputation with the locals, especially the
gluten free German poppy seed cake and
berry bread and butter pudding cake. Her
cake take away service is very popular and
features all sorts from pumpkin pie to
Christmas cake.
An ongoing adventure
Katharine’s journey has been tough at
times, but she says “rewarding, a voyage of
self-discovery and a real adventure…”
“I love going back to London” she says
“through the congestion drives me mad, so
many cars. Here I’m used to the only traffic
jam being a couple of cows crossing the
road to reach a field! I love my little urban
oasis in the French countryside... no” she
adds emphatically “no regrets at all”.
leleagouy.com for opening times;
Address: 30 bis, Rue de Maresquel, 62870
Gouy-Saint-André

Historic
MONUMENTS
Jane Berry heads Leggett Immobilier's
prestige property department and
gives valuable advice about buying and
selling a Monument Historique…
FRANCE IS RENOWNED THE world over
for its outstanding collection of historic
buildings. Châteaux in particular are
strategically scattered the length and
breadth of the country. The Loire valley is
just one of 38 listed UNESCO World
Heritage sites in France, attracting 3.3
million visitors a year and the Loire river
forms a valuable part of the architectural
heritage of towns such as Amboise,
Chenonceau, Saumur and Chinon.
Simple barns, Cistercian abbeys, ancient
fortresses and fairy tale châteaux all have
one thing in common; they have the
potential for preservation and protection
under France’s cultural heritage scheme
known as Monument Historique (MH).
Buildings may be listed as Classé, for
properties considered of national
importance, or Inscrit (ISMH) for properties
of regional or local value. This includes
smaller châteaux and country houses.
There are currently around 45,000 listed
properties in France, of which nearly half
are privately owned.
Properties may have just an element of
Monument Historique classification, for
instance a staircase, a fireplace, or garden
balustrade etc, whilst the rest of the
building is not listed.
“TV Shows; Escape to the Chateau, and
especially Escape to the Chateau DIY have
had an astonishing effect on the château
buying market in France. We see a huge
surge in visitors to the Leggett website
straight after each show ends. The
programmes showing ordinary people
buying and doing up extraordinary
buildings in France seems to have ignited
our sense of romance and dreams, of
preserving something important as well as
living the good life and sometimes creating
a successful business”.

This Château is classified as a Monument Historique since 1969 due to its facades roof and
parkland... Details
Whilst the Prestige property department
typically showcases properties that are at
the top of the range, there are some
amazing châteaux at incredible prices
including a gorgeous, completed renovated
château in Normandy which at £535k is
about what you’d pay for a 2-bedroom flat
in London SE13.
"Remember though” advises Jane
“although the price may be affordable,
there’s the upkeep to consider, so you need
to go into this aware of the maintenance
expenses, which will be ongoing”.
The Leggett main property website also
has many châteaux for sale including those
in need of “doing up” and are typically at
lower prices. www.leggettfrance.com
Many château owners feel their castles are
too large for use simply as a family home,
and Jane is often asked if they can be used
to create a business? Hotel or wedding
venue perhaps?
Sandy Guyonnet, Leggett's inhouse Notaire
explains that all business activities are
possible within an historic monument, as
long as the requirements/conditions
imposed by the Planning Office and the
Architecte des Bâtiments de France (ABF)
regarding the business (i.e health and
safety requirements, are met.
Monument Historique
means: building /object is of
French historical importance,
either nationally or locally
and therefore needs to be
preserved.

At £535,000 this gorgeous chateau in Normandy is not Monument Historique classified - but it is
gorgeous and historic. Details
£333,633 for a 6 bedroom chateau in Charebte, lots of land, original features, stables
and outbuildings... details

This listed chateau in the Dordogne is truly magnificent, Henry IV of France and his
wife Catherine de Medici stayed here and it has a fabulous historic past... Details
“As the vendor of an historic monument”
says Sandy, “you are free to sell the
property whenever you wish, you would
simply need to inform the Minister of
Culture. A DPE (Diagnostic Performance
Energy test) is not required for these
properties, however all other current
diagnostic reports are required for the sale
contract.”
There are a number of advantages to
buying a property that is listed as a
Monument Historique:
• The organisation offers invaluable advice
and assistance in the restoration and
upkeep of historic properties.
• Under certain conditions these properties
can be exempt from Inheritance tax.
• There are a number of grants available for
improvement works (subject to certain
conditions).
• Costs for various works, insurance, land
taxes and certain interest charges on loans
are currently deductible, at 50%, from your
taxable income.
However, they become 100% deductible if
you open the building to the public for a set
number of days a year, on the condition
that the property is kept for at least 15 years
by its owner (being an individual or SCI "de
Famille").
It's a thriving market say Leggett as both
domestic and international buyers are keen
to buy a slice of historic architecture while
enjoying the joie de vie for which France is
famous.
see Page 92 to
read about our
rendezvous with
chateau owners
Billy and
Gwendoline
Petherick

Top tips to help you plan
your property purchase
and move to France
When it comes to consider a move to France, you may have decided the area that you
want to live in, checked schools and transport links. But will organising your finances be
further down the to do list when it should be near the top?
Before moving to France, there’s no doubt you will have hundreds of things to organise,
think about and do - not just the packing. Jennie Poate, financial advisor at Beacon Global
Wealth explains why you should consider your budget and finances so that you have no
nasty surprises once you’ve bought your dream home and/or made the move to the good
life in France.
Consider your income requirements
Before you move:
Plan your Finances
Be realistic about what you need income
wise to live in France. There are already
huge amounts of B+B’s and gites.
Spending €150,000 on a holiday rental
property to earn €3,000 p.a. may not be
feasible in the long term.
Consider your income requirements before
you move. You may be required to pay tax
on your income in France. A good adviser
will be able to provide you with an estimate
of tax payable and look at ways of
minimising or reducing tax. If your income
is not in euros, exchange rate fluctuations
may seriously affect your regular income
requirements.
Start planning a strategy for your savings
and income before you move. Some UK
savings products are really square pegs in
round holes when it comes to French
taxation. It might be better to consider
closing or changing them before you
become French tax resident. BUT, take
advice from an adviser who understands
the French tax system and products that
are available. A UK qualified adviser may
unknowingly make your tax situation worse
if they are not qualified to advise you about
French financial products.

Consider how your pension might
work better for you
What about your pension? Do you have
more than one pension and if so where are
they held? And, can you access them yet?
Review your pension with your qualified
adviser to make sure your finances are
best positioned for your move to France.
You are likely to find it is much better for
you to use a qualified and authorised
independent financial adviser who
understands both the UK and French tax
systems. This way you can make an
informed choice about your pension
options. Careful planning here can
potentially save you tax in the long run. If
you haven’t done so already, get a state
pension forecast which will tell you how
much you will receive and when. https://
www.gov.uk/government/publications/
application-for-a-state-pension-statement
Think about healthcare needs
Consider your healthcare needs. Whether
you're retired, working or enjoying life with
no active employment you may need to
pay for healthcare in the form of top up
insurance.
Get in touch with your tax office
Inform the UK inspector of taxes at your
local HMRC tax office that you are planning
to move abroad by filling in form P85. This
will enable the UK tax office to advise of
and resolve any outstanding issues before
you move.
You can download the form online at: www.
gov.uk/tax-right-retire-abroad-return-to-uk
Understand how to deal with tax
inheritance rules
Consider your status with regard to the
distribution of your estate. Inheritance
planning in advance of your move can save
considerable heartache later.
For French inheritance tax purposes, you
must include all of your assets (property
and cash) wherever they based.
The notaire handling your house purchase
may only look at how the property
ownership should be structured, which may
be only part of what you have.

When you move to France
Use a competent tax adviser to prepare
your first French tax return. Getting it right
first time means you’ll avoid unpleasant
surprises later on and allows you time to
figure out how the system works. Your tax
adviser can also liaise with your financial
advisor concerning the timings for
moving/closing certain investments, which
can help you reduce tax and make the best
savings.
Jennie Poate is a UK and France qualified
and authorised financial adviser, working
for Beacon Global Wealth Management.
She is happy to answer any queries you
may and she and her team would be
delighted to help you plan your move to
France.
Jennie can be
contacted at:
jennie @bgwealthmanagement.net or
info@bgwealthmanagement.net
Tele: France 0033634119518
www.beaconglobalwealth.com for
information and factsheets
The information on this page is intended only as an introduction only and is not designed to offer
solutions or advice. Beacon Global Wealth Management can accept no responsibility whatsoever
for losses incurred by acting on the information on this page.
The financial advisers trading under Beacon Wealth Management are members of Nexus Global
(IFA Network). Nexus Global is a division within Blacktower Financial Management (International)
Limited (BFMI). All approved individual members of Nexus Global are Appointed Representatives of
BFMI. BFMI is licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and bound by
their rules under licence number FSC00805B.

How bank cards
work in France
Don't get caught out by
spending limits that
are typical...
French banks may restrict the amount of
money you can spend on your card,
catching people out constantly. We asked
the experts at Credit Agricole Britline, the
French bank that speaks English, how to
avoid this problem.
The way in which banks operate in France
compared to the UK is different and one
good example are bank cards. It can prove
frustrating if you find yourself in a situation
whereby you have money in your bank
account but discover – whilst waiting to
pay at the check-out or withdrawing cash
at an ATM – that the transaction has been
refused.
How can you plan ahead to avoid
this problem and potential
embarrassment?
In a nutshell: know your spending limits,
understand what the card costs (e.g. fees/
charges) and decide which card best suits
your lifestyle.
The majority of bank cards in France are
Carte Bancaire and you will see shops and
restaurants displaying the CB sign. Carte
Bancaires are debit cards and any
transactions are deducted immediately
from a bank account. The French certainly
do not have the same appetite as Britons
for credit cards, with most preferring the
standard debit card. There are however
plenty of options to ensure you have a card
that matches your requirements and
lifestyle.
Cards have limits for cash
withdrawals and payments
Although UK banks will limit how much
money you can withdraw from an ATM per
day, usually £500, in France the limit is
generally lower and there are also
restrictions on card payments each month.
Take a standard Carte Bancaire (Visa or
MasterCard) for example; over a 7 day
period the maximum amount for cash
withdrawals is €450. For card payments
(online or in shops) you can spend up to
€2,300 per month.
This is unlikely to pose a problem for many
people day-to-day; but if you have bigger

expenses, paying for renovations on your
home in France for instance, or you receive
a large (and unexpected!) bill, these limits
may present a challenge…
If you reach your spending limit, a phone
call to your bank should resolve the
problem. CA Britline (part of the Crédit
Agricole group) has been helping British
customers in France for 20 years,
providing a full range of banking services
in English. We can organise higher
spending limits on your card temporarily or
for a longer period. There is a cost to do
this, but by using the free CA app ‘Ma
Banque’ you can adjust the limit yourself. It
is always a good idea to contact us first if
you are planning a major purchase or
undertaking an expensive renovation
project. In certain situations an overdraft
facility may be appropriate and customers
living in France, the UK/Ireland are eligible.
Bear in mind that if you do have a higher
spending limit set on your card you must
have the funds to cover it. Going overdrawn
can cause problems in France. If you need
to top up your account from the UK, you
can use the Britline International Payment
Service*, our bespoke transfer exchange
facility.
Choosing the right bank card for you
CA Britline has two cards which are
exclusive to our customers. They offer
higher spending limits for payments and
cash withdrawals. These are the CA Britline
Classic and CA Britline Premier, which also
have travel assistance, travel insurance
plus other features. The Premier card has
additional advantages such as extended
warranties on purchases to cover the cost
of repairs of damaged goods. There is no
charge for increasing the spending limits
for Premier card customers.
Customers may use their CA Britline cards
anywhere in France and internationally, to
withdraw cash, make payments in shop
and of course online. In addition to Euro
accounts, we also offer accounts in
Sterling, perfect for people who live in the
UK but who are regular visitors to France.
One further tip – you can save money by
using your French card in France rather
than incurring foreign transaction fees on
your UK bank card. We also provide
deferred payment cards which deduct the
money at the end of month. This can be
really useful for customers paid on a
monthly basis.

Contactless cards
France is a world leader in smart card
technology and was amongst the first
countries to use the chip and pin system.
The use of contactless cards is widespread
in shops, cafés and restaurants. There is a
limit of €30 on payments; if you reach this
amount you will need to enter your PIN
code and the limit is reset to zero.
account around a month after your account
is opened and renewal is automatic.
If you would like more information, consult
or offers or wish to apply for a CA Britline
bank card, please visit www.britline.com/
cards.html
Annual card fees and charges
It may come as a surprise to people living in
the UK - used to free banking services –
that there are annual fees charged for
holding a bank card in France. There are no
charges however for using your card for
cash withdrawals and payments across the
EU. Britline Classic and Premier Cards may
also be used around the world without
charges. The annual fee is taken from your
* Britline International Payments Service (BIPS)
is provided by HiFX Europe Limited. HiFX is
authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority
(FRN No. 462444) for the provision of payment
services. Registered office: Maxis 1, Western
Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1RT.

How to make
Crème
brûlée

Ingredients
2 cartons double cream, 1 large (284ml) plus 1 small (142ml)
500ml full-fat milk
1 vanilla pod
5 large egg yolks
50g golden caster sugar, plus extra for the topping
1. Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Sit four 175ml ramekins in a
deep roasting tin at least 7.5cm deep (or a large deep cake tin), one that will enable a
baking tray to sit well above the ramekins when laid across the top of the tin.
2. Pour the two cartons of cream into a medium pan with the milk. Lay the vanilla pod on
a board and slice lengthways through the middle with a sharp knife to split it in two. Use
the tip of the knife to scrape out all the tiny seeds into the cream mixture. Drop the vanilla
pod in as well and set aside.
3. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for 1 minute with an electric
hand whisk until paler in colour and a bit fluffy. Put the pan with the cream on a medium
heat and bring almost to the boil. As soon as you see bubbles appear round the edge,
take the pan off the heat.
4. Pour the hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, stirring with a wire whisk as you do so,
and scraping out the seeds from the pan. Set a fine sieve over a large wide jug or bowl
and pour the hot mixture through to strain it, encouraging any stray vanilla seeds through
at the end. Using a big spoon, scoop off all the pale foam that is sitting on the top of the
liquid (this will be several spoonfuls) and discard. Give the mixture a stir.
5. Pour in enough hot water (from the tap is fine) into the roasting tin to come about 1.5cm
up the sides of the ramekins. Pour the hot cream into the ramekins so you fill them up
right to the top – it’s easier to spoon in the last little bit.

6. Put them in the oven and lay a baking sheet over the top of the tin so it sits well above
the ramekins and completely covers them, but not the whole tin, leaving a small gap at
one side to allow air to circulate.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the mixture is softly set. To check, gently sway the
roasting tin and if the crème brûlées are ready, they will wobble a bit like a jelly in the
middle. Don’t let them get too firm.
8. Lift the ramekins out of the roasting tin with oven gloves and set them on a wire rack
to cool for a couple of minutes only, then put in the fridge to cool completely. This can be
done overnight without affecting the texture.
9. When ready to serve, wipe round the top edge of the dishes, sprinkle 1½ tsp of caster
sugar over each ramekin and spread it out with the back of a spoon to completely cover
(Anne Willan’s tip for an even layer).
10. Spray with a little water using a fine spray (the sort you buy in a craft shop) to just
dampen the sugar – then use a blow torch to caramelise it. Hold the flame just above the
sugar and keep moving it round and round until caramelised. Serve when the brûlée is
firm, or within an hour or two.
Thanks to chef Spencer Richards at Normandy Cooking Days for this brilliant recipe...

Around these parts people tend to get a bit carried away when the sun
shines. The far north, or the north pole as those with a sense of humour in
the south call where I live, isn’t as grey and wet as some make out but it’s
rarely too hot to handle.
Come the summer, shutters are flung open, front doors are left ajar,
barbecues are fired up and boules are polished. It’s remarkable how in the
winter it resembles the land of the walking dead, not a soul to be seen, then
a bit of sunshine and everyone is out promenading, cutting hedges, putting
out honesty boxes alongside eggs and strawberries, plums and potatoes, or
nearer the coast, boxes of gleaming blue-black mussels on ice.
We don’t have anything to sell. If it grows in our garden and we don’t eat it,
the animals will. We do barter our relative youth and strength though. Mark is
in demand with older neighbours when it comes to lifting things or carrying
something from one barn to another. I am in demand when it comes to
running about catching escaped animals who seem to want to run free in the
sun. In return we are rewarded with excess fruit or home made wine, most of
which tastes like cough medicine and makes for an effective weed killer.
So if you come to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere rural France on a
sunny day and see a short woman chasing a goat across a field shouting
“stop you bugger”, you’ve probably found my village!
Have a great summer,
Bisous
Janine