Issue No. 12

Above left: Quimper, Brittany;
above Paris; above right: Ile de
Re; below: wine from St Emilion
What do you think makes France a great
place to visit?
Since my childhood, the whole world has
become rather more homogenised – but
France still does enough that is different to
bring back that old excitement of being
abroad. The food is excellent: the quality of
produce in the supermarkets alone is
astonishing, but the best fun is to be had in
seeking out the little, artisan producers and
the restaurants where the great traditions
of la cuisine française still hold firm. In
wine, they have clung on to the concept of
terroir, so every region has is own, unique
expression, usually at little cost. There is
such variety in France, and just about every
place has historic, cultural depth waiting to
be unearthed.