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YOURESSENTIAL

GUIDE TO FRANCE The best places to stay

Restaurant guides Films, books and music Help with learning

the language

£ 3 . 9 9

Britain and North America’sbest-selling magazine about FranceCLOCHEMERLE

THE WINE-LOVING VILLAGEIN FACT AND IN FICTION

SALADE NIÇOISEWHY GREEN BEANS HAVE NOPLACE IN THE REAL THING

July 2015 | Issue 202TRAVEL | FOOD & WINE | CULTURE | HISTORY

KATE MOSSE THE PERFECT DAYAT MY FAVOURITE FRENCH MARKET

VAN GOGH FOLLOW IN THEFOOTSTEPS OF THE LEGENDARY ARTIST

RocamadourTake a stroll around the world-famous pilgrimage site

W I N !

A b o x o f l u x u r y

c h o c o l a t e s w o r t h £ 8 7

SEASIDESTAYSThe best

hotels, B&Bsand villas

The charmingspa town with

a dark history

Secret

beachesHow to findyour ownlittle haven

JONATHANMEADES

on living in

Le Corbusier’sCité Radieuse

BRITTANY

VICHY

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BIENVENUE

www.completefrance.com FRANCE MAGAZINE 3

C O N T R I B U T O R S

Carolyn BoydEditor

There’s nothing like strolling down to a softwhite beach on a warm summer’s day and

finding it empty. Though it can be a rare

occurrence during les Grandes Vacances, it

is possible to find your own little hideaway on the

coast of Brittany if you know where to look. With

that in mind, we let you into the secrets of where to

find the region’s quietest seaside spots.

If you’re keen to be within stone-throwing distance

of France’s coast, then our ‘where to stay’ feature

should point you in the right direction. Our selection

of the best seaside hotels, chambres d’hôtes and

self-catering holiday homes will certainly inspire a trip,

whether you’re with friends, family or a partner.

In the heart of France, hundreds of miles from the

coast, there is a more poignant tale to tell about the

town of Vichy. Since World War II, Vichy has had

negative connotations, but Paul Lamarra was keento explore the town and see what it has to offer

the visitor despite its wartime history.

A destination that has forever been popular is

Rocamadour, the spectacular pilgrimage site in the

Dordogne Valley. I visited it recently and was in

awe of both its setting and its history; it’s the

perfect place to go for a stroll, as my feature

suggests – but if you want to take it easy, make

sure you start at the top.

As ever, this issue brings you the best in French

culture, with articles and reviews of films and books,

but if you want to get closer to the action, then sign

up for our special subscriber event at the Royal

Academy on page 74. Readers are invited to a private

viewing of its Summer Exhibition, which promises to

be a real treat. Until next time, bon voyage!

Coast and country

P H O T O G R A P H

S : C A M I L L E M O I R E N C / H E M I S . F R ; M A R K R U S H E R

Ray Kershaw

Yorkshire-based Ray has been

writing about France for 40

years and won many awards

for his work withFRANCE and

UK newspapers. On page 44, he visits

the Beaujolais village that inspired the

famous 1930s comic novelClochemerle.

Anthony Lambert

Anthony, who has written or

contributed to ten travel

books, first fell in love with

France on a ferry trip to

Boulogne as a child, and he has a particular

interest in French history and architecture. He

retraces the Battle of Agincourt on page 58.

Kate Mosse

Novelist and regularFRANCE

contributor Kate is celebrating

ten years since the publication

of the best-sellerLabyrinth,

which has been translated into more than

30 languages. On page 33, she describes her

experiences of Carcassonne market.

Plage de l’Estagnol, Cap de Léoube, on the

Mediterranean coast near Bormes-les-Mimosas

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TRAVEL08 FRANCE AT A GLANCELet our stunning images take you ona whistle-stop tour of France.

17 PRÊT À PARTIRPlan your next trip with our round-upof travel news and events, and route map.

26 ROUND TRIPDrive along the picturesque Loire Valleybetween the cities of Angers and Nantes.

36 SEASIDE STAYSFind the best hotels, B&Bs and villas foryour holiday on the coast.

44 CLOCHEMERLEDiscover the Beaujolais village thatinspired a best-selling comic novel.

52 BRITTANY SECRETSGet away from the crowds with our pick

of the region’s hidden beaches.

P H O T O G R A P H S

: F A B R I C E R A M B E R T ; F O T O L I A ; J E A N - D O M I N I Q U E B I L L A U D / L V A N ; C R D T A U V E R G N E / P A S C A L E B E R O U J O N ;

C A M I L L E M O I R E

N C / H E M I S . F R ; M A R Y E V A N S P I C T U R E L I B R A R Y / A L A M Y ; M A S S I M O P

E S S I N A

4 FRANCE MAGAZINE www.completefrance.com

CONTENTS July 2015

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! SEE PAGE 43 FOR DETAILS OF OUR LATEST GIFT OFFER

. BON APPÉTIT75 BREAKING BREADLearn how to make perfect loaves withthe help of master baker Éric Kayser.

76 FOOD & WINECheck out the French food trucks crazeand savour our wines of the month.

78 THE PERFECT SALADE NIÇOISERosa Jackson explains what to put in thispopular salad – and what to leave out.

80 EATING OUT IN CARCASSONNEGet a resident’s eye-view of the bestrestaurants in this Languedoc landmark.

85 TAKE HOMEBlogger Clotilde Dusoulier explains howto cook with French-grown saffron.

86 VINEYARD VISITSDominic Rippon explains how vineyards

recovered from the ravages of disease.

58 AGINCOURTExplore the battlefield where Henry Vtriumphed over the French 600 years ago.

63 VICHY PAST AND PRESENTThe spa town best-known for its wartimerole has so much more to offer the visitor.

68 TAKE A STROLL: ROCAMADOURVisit the village that enjoys a spectacularsetting in the Dordogne Valley.

JOIE DE VIVRE15 STEPHEN CLARKEOur Paris columnist admires how the

locals can get out of an awkward spot.

33 MARKET VIGNETTEBest-selling author Kate Mosse delights

in browsing the stalls in Carcassonne.

GREAT PRIZESTO BE WONFIND OUR NEW SNAIL,

SERGETTE – 20

TAKE A PHOTO – 34

WRITE A LETTER – 34

DO A CROSSWORD – 95

WIN

36

11

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EVERY MONTH23 HOLIDAY PLANNER

Organise your next trip with

our handy guide to travel routes.

24 TRAVELLERS’ TALES

Discover where three visitors to France

love to visit and what they like to do.

28 NEWS

Read about the latest education reforms

and other headlines from France.

34 BOÎTE AUX LETTRES

Have your say and share travel tips to

win a great prize.

94 LANGUAGE GAMES

Improve your French with our great

selection of fun puzzles and games.

96 HOLIDAY RENTALSUse our region-by-region guide to find

the property that suits your needs.

PAGE 106

PAGE 86

.LA CULTURE72 HISTORY TRAIL

Follow the artist Vincent van Gogh in his

brief but productive French years.

89 SYLVIE TESTUD

The award-winning actress explains why

she has moved into comedy.

90 REVIEWS

All the latest films and books. Plus five

minutes with author William Alexander.

92 LANGUAGE

We find the best resources for brushing

up your language skills.

106 JONATHAN MEADESThe architecture expert reveals what it’s

like to live in a Le Corbusier building. ON THE COVER

63

26

75

52

58

PAGE 17

PAGE 41

PAGE 26

PAGE 39

PAGE 44

PAGE 68

PAGE 76

PAGE 63

PAGE 8

PAGE 12

PAGE 40

PAGE 36

PAGE 93

PAGE 80

PAGE 58

PAGE 52

PAGE 78

PAGE 18

PAGE 22

PAGE 72

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Editor Carolyn Boyd

Deputy Editor Simon Reynolds

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Art Editor Mark Bradley

Additional design Lounge Design

Editorial Assistant Peter Stewart

Contributing Editors Judy Armstrong, Paul Lamarra

We couldn’t have made this issue without:Aurélie Altemaire, Jon Bryant, Stephen Clarke, Pierre de Villiers,

Clotilde Dusoulier, Sally Easton, Charlie Fraser-Hopewell,Rosa Jackson, Ray Kershaw, Anthony Lambert, Zoë McIntyre,

Kate Mosse, Eleanor O’Kane, Audrey Pariès, Neil Puttnam,Dominic Rippon, Emma Rawle, Tim Wesson,

Sylvie Wheatley, Melissa Wood

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IS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY ARCHANT COMMUNITY MEDIA LTD,ARCHANT HOUSE, ORIEL ROAD, CHELTENHAM, GLOS, GL50 1BB, UK.

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FRANCE Magazine is published by Archant Community Media Ltd,Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Glos, GL50 1BB, UK.

Head office: Archant Community Media Ltd, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1RE. Tel: 0160362 8311. www.archantlife.co.uk. Company Registration no. 19300. Commission Paritaire no. 76379.Copyright © Archant Community Media Ltd 2015. Archant Community Media Limited is a communitymedia company active in the fields of newspaper and magazine publishing, contract printing andinternet communications. The company’s portfolio includes four daily newspapers, around 60 weeklynewspaper titles, around 100 monthly consumer, contract and regional magazines and more than 160websites. Archant is the leading family-owned independent regional newspaper owner in the UK,currently employing around 2,600 people.

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2014

Winner of Travel Article of the Yearat the Abtof (Association of BritishTravel Organisers to France) TravelArticle Awards Ray Kershaw

Runner-up for Magazine Article ofthe Year at the Abtof Travel ArticleAwards Judy Armstrong

Runner-up for Young Writer ofthe Year at the Aito (Association ofIndependent Travel Operators)Awards Zoë McIntyre

2013

Winner of Young Travel Writerof the Year at the British Travel PressAwards Zoë McIntyre

Winner of Best Travel Articleat the Outdoor Writers’ &Photographers’ GuildJudy Armstrong

C ON T AC T U S

W E A L S O P U B L I S H

Winner of Gastronomy Article ofthe Year at the Atout France French

Tourist Board Travel PublicationAwards Eve Middleton

Winner of Travel Article of the Yearat the Abtof Travel Article AwardsJudy Armstrong

Winner of Magazine Article of theYear at the Abtof Travel ArticleAwards Judy Armstrong

Runner-up for Magazine Articleof the Year at the Abtof TravelPublication Awards Ray Kershaw

2012Winner of Best EuropeanDestination Travel Feature at theBritish Guild of Travel Writers AwardsJudy Armstrong

Runner-up for Young Writerof the Year at the Aito AwardsEve Middleton

@FRANCEMAGAZINE WWW.PINTEREST.COM/FRANCEMAGAZINE FRANCEMAGAZINEGet social FIND US ON FACEBOOK– FRANCE MAGAZINE

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FRENCHPROPERTY NEWS

Available monthly innewsagents for £3.99 oron subscription. Thelongest-established UKguide to buying propertyin France.

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LIVING FRANCE

Published every fourweeks. Available innewsagents for £3.99or on subscription.Your essential guideto making the moveto France.

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ABOUT USFRANCE Magazine is Britain andNorth America’s best-sellingmagazine about France. Since 1990,it has enchanted readers with itsstunning photography and excellenttravel writing. Alongside itsinspirational and informative travelarticles, FRANCE Magazine offersfeatures on food and wine, language

and history, culture and currentaffairs; together, it gives readersthe perfect taste of the very best ofFrance. It truly is the next best thingto being there.

QUI SOMMES-NOUS ?FRANCE Magazine est unepublication de première qualité,rédigée en anglais et consacréeexclusivement à la France. Depuis1990, cette publication mensuelleà la réputation incontestée, dominele marché francophile en Grande-Bretagne et aux États-Unis. A traversdes articles de voyage, des rubriques

gastronomiques et linguistiques,FRANCE Magazine invite seslecteurs à découvrir tous lesmeilleurs aspects de l’Hexagoneet de ses produits.

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Visitors approach a monument to American forces involved in the D-Day

landings, on the way to Omaha Beach near Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy

POIGNANT REMINDER

PHOTOGRAPH:FRANCIS CORMON/HEMIS.FR

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SPLASH OF COLOURFloral displays adorn the approach to the 14th-century

Château de Sully-sur-Loire in the Loiret département PHOTOGRAPH:PASCAL DUCEPT/HEMIS.FR

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www.completefrance.com FRANCE MAGAZINE11

A woman in Arlésienne costume at the Abrivado festival – a gathering

of the Camargue gardians (cowboys) – in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

A steep staircase zigzags its way up to the baroque Basilique

Saint-Michel-Archange in the resort of Menton on the Côte d’Azur

CAMARGUE CELEBRATION

MIGHTY CLIMB

PHOTOGRAPH:DREAMSTIME

PHOTOGRAPH:FOTOLIA

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Shadows lengthen on a street in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

in Paris as passers-by are bathed in the setting sun

EVENING GLOW


PYRENEAN PERFECTION


A cyclist takes a break to admire the dramatic landscape

around the Col de Pailhères in the Pyrénées

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you’ll have the inward lane of major roads to

yourself. You can watch everyone fuming in the

traffic jams on the outward routes, and wave to

them if you want to be really cruel.

On the other hand, the fact that Parisians

stampede in or out of the city on set days can also

land you in deep trouble. Once, without thinking,

I drove out to Fontainebleau for the day. This is the

beautiful château where Napoléon first abdicated

from power in 1814 (only to return in 1815).

The surrounding forest is a great place to walk

and cycle, and I borrowed a friend’s car so that

I could get deep into the woodland. After a briskhike followed by cakes in one of Fontainebleau’s

excellent tea rooms (Napoléon must have missed

them – that’s probably why he returned in 1815),

I decided to drive back into Paris… only to realise

that it was the Sunday after a ‘ grand week-end ’.

While I had been staring at trees and chomping

on chocolate éclair, half the car owners in Paris had

set out from their second homes, seaside hotels,

campsites and family reunions, and were doggedly

P H O T O G R A P H : N A T A C H A H E N R Y ; I L L U S T R A T I O N : T I M

W E S S O N

How to bea Parisian

I drove back into Paris, only to

realise that it was the Sundayafter a ‘grand week-end ’

In th e cit y

Paris-based Stephen Clarke gives hisexpert advice on life in urban France

COLUMN

in such close proximity.

Parisians extend this talent to getting away from the city

itself. To anyone coming to the capital for a visit, this may

sound like an irrelevant issue. Visitors don’t want to escape

Paris – they want to throw themselves into the city’s arms.

But it’s useful to know when Paris will be less full of

Parisians hogging your favourite restaurants, theatres and

museums. Whenever there are long weekends or holidays, this

happens almost magically. If you’re coming into Paris on any

jour férié (public holiday), flights and trains will be blissfully

empty. The same goes if you plan to arrive on the first Saturday

of July or August – Parisians will be going the other way, and

clogging up every inch of every road between Fontainebleau,

70 kilometres to the south, and the capital.

It took me more than two hours to get back to my friend’s

underground garage. I went to drop off the key and apologised

about being late, only for my friend – a native Parisian – to tell

me he had thought it hilarious that I had wanted to drive out to

Fontainebleau on that day of all days. He and his wife had been

to Normandy for the weekend – on the train. “We never use

the car on grands week-ends,” he told me. “I can’t stand the

traffic jams. That’s why I didn’t mind you borrowing it.”

I began a little speech about friends who don’t warn you

when you’re about to do something stupid, but his daughter

came and revealed that she had forgotten to do the homework

that was due next day. He had to go and help. Like I said,

Parisians are experts at getting out of situations.

NEXT MONTH: Terry Wogan brings us his humorous

observations on life in the French countryside.

Stephen Clarke’s

latest book, How

the French Won

Waterloo (or Think

They Did),

describes France’sfascination with

Napoléon, even

200 years after

his greatest

defeat – if it was

a defeat ( see

review on page 91).

Parisians are very good at avoiding things.

And before anyone jumps to clichéd

conclusions, I’m not talking about work;

although I must concede that on any

sunny lunchtime, restaurant and café terraces

definitely seem to stay occupied longer than when

there are clouds.

But then again, lots of the lunchers in sunglasses

might well be concluding business deals. After all,

Americans do it on the golf course and the Japanese

over karaoke, so why not on a sunny café terrace?

The fact that when I linger in the sun, I am usually

just daydreaming or chatting to a friend should notreflect on Parisians as a whole.

No, when I said that Parisians are good at

avoiding things, I was talking more of sticky

situations. The traffic jam that they will overtake on

the hard shoulder; the complainer whom they will

ignore or just walk away from; the queue anywhere

in the world that they will manage to squeeze past.

Getting out of potential trouble or inconvenience is

a favourite pastime here in a city where people live

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All the inspiration you need to plan your next trip to France


PRÊT À PARTIR

P H O T O G R A P H : M A R C

B E R T R A N D / O T P A R I S

This summer, for the 13th year,

the banks of the River Seine

will become the urban beach

known as Paris-Plages. From

20 July to 23 August, 5,000 tons of sand

will transform quaysides of central Parisand the Bassin de la Villette into

pedestrianised seaside paradises.

For that month the beach becomes

a focal point for summer fun, making

humid city life more tolerable for anyone

who is not escaping to the coast or the

mountains. If you’re planning a trip to

the capital, pack your flip-flops and beach towel, and join the Parisians as

they sunbathe, play volleyball, dance,

watch concerts and do tai chi on the

temporary beaches.

Sea dogs should head for the Bassin de

la Villette in the 19th arrondissement,

where you can kayak or hire a pedal boat

at the watersports complex. Wearinga striped Breton jersey is optional.

http://en.parisinfo.com

Sands and the city

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READY TO GO


View fora thrillThe classic location for the

Quatorze Juillet fireworks in

Paris is the Champ de Mars

next to the Eiffel Tower. But

if you prefer not to share

a park with 300,000

revellers, we can suggest

more intimate venues that

still provide a great view

tree-lined Avenue de Saxe to a perfectly

framed Eiffel Tower. Enjoy a meal

beforehand in the square and then

venture on to the pavement in time for

the fireworks. Le Grand Bistro Breteuil,

3 Place de Breteuil, Menu Signature €44

including a bottle of wine, tel: (Fr) 1 4567 07 27, www.legrandbistro.fr

From a hotel room• For sheer luxury and a ringside seat,

you can’t beat the Hôtel Plaza Athénée

in Avenue Montaigne ( pictured right ),

although the breathtaking view of the

tower does come at a price. Two of the

Eiffel Suites are decorated in art deco

style, two in a classic French style.

Rooms €1,144, tel: (Fr) 1 53 67 66 67,

www.dorchestercollection.com/en/

paris/hotel-plaza-athenee

• Staying at the Duquesne Eiffel Hôtel

in Avenue Duquesne, at the end of the

Champ de Mars, is a great place to

watch the fireworks in comfort.

However, you’ll need a Superior room

with views of the tower if you want to

be able to lie in bed and enjoy the show.

Doubles €237, tel: (Fr) 1 44 42 09 09,

www.hotel-duquesne-eiffel-paris.com.

• If it’s a warm night, you can stand onyour balcony at the Hotel Pullman Paris

Eiffel Tower and watch people enjoying

At the top of a tall buildingEurope’s fastest lift takes you up to the

56th floor of the Tour Montparnasse for

a panoramic view of the Eiffel Tower and

almost an eye-level view of the fireworks.

Admission €14.50 (€9 for 7-15s),

www.tourmontparnasse56.com

At street levelFrom Place de Breteuil in the 7th

arrondissement, you can look down the

On a Seine dinner cruiseFloating by the Eiffel Tower with a glass

of champagne in your hand, watching the

lights from a bateau is an indulgent way

to enjoy France’s Fête Nationale.

A 14 July Special Dinner Cruise costs

€104pp, including a 2hr 45min trip alongthe River Seine, dinner with champagne,

music, dancing and a stop to watch the

fireworks, which start at about 11pm.

www.francetourisme.fr

a slightly more crowded view of the

spectacle down below. Again, you need

to ask for a Superior room overlooking

the tower. Doubles £270, www.

pullmanhotels.com (book online)

From the parkWhen all’s said and done, the Quatorze

Juillet fireworks in Paris have been

designed to be seen from the Champ de

Mars. To get really close-up views of the

35-minute show, pick a spot nice and

early, take a picnic and something to

while away the time and wait for the

spectacle to begin. Be sure to wear

comfortable shoes because walking back

to your accommodation or at least as faras an uncrowded métro station, will

probably be your only options.

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The winner of the May competition is Ms Julie Shaw, from St Neots, Cambridgeshire, whocorrectly identified the city of Dijon, capital of Burgundy.

LUXURY

HANDMADE

CHOCOLATES

Home to the UK’s

oldest university

and renowned

for its stunning

array of architecture, Oxford,

‘the city of dreaming spires’,

is one of the country’s most

beautiful and culturally

diverse cities, with plenty of

Gallic charms for the

discerning visitor.

Oxford is a world-class

centre for learning and is

therefore an appropriate

place to brush up on your

French language skills. Take

a morning class at the

Oxford School of French

(tel: 01865 310 946, www.

oxfordschooloffrench.com),

the aim of which is to enable

students of all ages to

communicate in the language

with complete confidence, on

everything from current

affairs to medicine.

If all that hard work has

made you hungry, then head

to the nearby Maison Blanc

café and patisserie (tel: 01865

510 974, www.maisonblanc.

co.uk) for some mid-morning

sustenance. Located in the

peaceful St Giles area, the café

has been serving Oxford for

more than 30 years with its

selection of scrumptious,

handmade French pastries.

For a slice of Gallic

culture, visit the Maison

Française (tel: 01865 274 220,

www.mfo.ac.uk), a research

institute founded after World

War II for the Universities

of Paris and Oxford. The

centre organises programmes

and workshops throughout

the year for scholars and

visitors alike.

For a tasty lunch, head to

Pierre Victoire, an independent

French restaurant that prides

itself on its expertly cooked

traditional fare at affordable

prices; signature dishes include

moules marinières, fondue

savoyarde and onglet à

l’échalote (tel: 01865 316 616,

www.pierrevictoire.co.uk).

Oxford

“If you are luckyenough to have

lived in Paris as ayoung man, thenwherever you go

for the rest of yourlife it stays with

you, for Paris is amoveable feast.”

- ERNEST

HEMINGWAY

READY TO GO

DID YOU

KNOW?

T he c i t y o f Bordeau x was ruled

b y t he Engl is h from 1 15 2 – w he

n

Eleanor o f Aqu i ta ine marr ied

Henr y Plan tagene t, w ho la ter

became K ing Henr y II o f Englan

d

– un t il t he end o f t he Hundred

Years War in 145 3.

Our residentsnail isen vacances –do you knowwhere she is?

WIN!

P H O T O G R A P H S : F O T O L I A


Find a Frenchconnection onyour doorstep ABOVE: The Oxford skyline and (LEFT) the Radcliffe Camera

If you know the village – made famous for confectionery – that Sergette is visiting, send theanswer, plus your name and address, to [email protected] or write us a postcard(address on page 6) and you could win a 15-piece assortment of luxury handmade chocolatesthat come in an elegant mahogany box (worth a total of £87) courtesy of French chocolatier ZChocolat (www.zchocolat.com). Deadline for entries is 8 July, 2015.

Round off

your day with

a visit to the

Phoenix

Picturehouse

(tel: 0871 902 5736, www.

picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/

Phoenix_Picturehouse). This

two-screen art-house cinema

shows a range of French films,

sometimes without English

subtitles, so it provides

audiences with a great chance

to immerse themselves in the

language.

Peter Stewart

For more on the city visit

www.oxfordcity.co.uk

A F r an coph ile ’s guide to...

Les aventures de Sergette Sadly, our friend Sergel’Escargot has gone missing inaction, so we have recruited hiscousin, Sergette, to take hisplace. She starts her adventuresin her native Burgundy...

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24 years of walkingholidays in France

From gentle village strolls to

spectacular summits hikes.All levels from relaxed breaks

to challenging adventures.

Based in traditional French villagehotels offering excellent localfood and wine. Scheduled and

tailor-made trips. Small groupsled by Hilary Sharp, a qualified

English guide permanentlyresident in the region.

www.provencewalk.comwww.trekkinginprovence.com Also French, Swiss and ItalianAlps and Corsica, Summer hikingand Winter snowshoeing trips

www.trekkinginthealps.com For more info, contact Hilary

Email: [email protected]: +33 682 654 214

Discover beautifulnorthern Provenceon foot

The walks took us toplaces we’d neverhave found byourselves in stunningcountryside, with alwaysa fine view at the top

John C.

Wonderful hikes,company, food andwine – all I’ve cometo expect from Hilary

Louise S.

Walking inProvence

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Brive… doesn’t sound

familiar. Where is it

and why should I go?

You’ll like Brive; it’s an

attractive town in the

Corrèze département

on the border between

Limousin and Périgord.

Brive-la-Gaillarde (to

give its full title) is

within easy reach of

the Dordogne Valley,

but is a little off thebeaten track, so you

won’t be swamped by

other tourists if you

visit in the summer.

Sounds nice, what is

there to do?

Plenty! The town has

a pedestrianised centre

full of cafés and shops

around the church of

Saint Martin ( picturedabove). To learn more

about the town’s

history, visit Le Musée

Labenche (tel: (Fr) 5 55

18 17 70, http://musee

labenche.brive.fr). Book

lovers will enjoy the

annual Foire du Livre

– one of France’s

largest book fairs – on

6-8 November, while

rugby fans will want to

see CA Brive play in

front of a noisy 12,000

crowd at the Stade

Amédée-Domenech.

What is there for

foodies?

The Saturday market

is held in the Halle

Georges Brassens

(named after the

singer-poet who wrote

about Brive markets in

Hécatombe). Strollamong hundreds of

stalls selling everything

from fruit and cheese

to live poultry. If you

fancy a tipple, see the

local walnut liqueur

being made at the

artisanal Distillerie

Denoix (tel: (Fr) 5 55 74

34 27, www.denoix.com).

Any ideas for lunch?You won’t be

disappointed by the

food, with specialities

including foie gras,

truffles, duck and more

duck. Try the gourmet

restaurant En Cuisine

in Avenue Édouard

Herriot (tel: (Fr) 5 55

74 97 53, www.

encuisine.net), where

lunch menus start from

€20, or Le 6ème Sens

NORMANDY CAEN-NECTIONAnyone looking to travel to Caen this

summer will now have more choice with

news that Flybe is extending its London

Southend service to the Normandy city.

The route, which is operated by Stobart Air

and was launched last summer, has taken

more than 10,000 passengers across the

Channel. The airline will increase the

number of flights to six per week from

11 July until 29 August. Single fares from

£41.18. www.flybe.co.uk

FAMILY FUNHoliday company Pierre & Vacances has

just made booking one of its holidays even

easier for families, with the option to book

a range of meal and activity packages in

advance. The new selection of ‘FormulaClub’ offers includes half-board options,

unlimited access to children’s clubs and

tailor-made inclusive activities such as

sports tournaments and nature hikes.

www.pierreetvacances.com

FREE SPIRITCycling specialist Freewheel Holidays has

unveiled the latest in its holiday routes,

a seven-night, self-guided journey through

the beautiful Dordogne, Périgord and

Quercy regions. The holiday will allow

visitors to discover such famous places as

Rocamadour (see page 68), Souillac and

Sarlat, with a canoe ride on the River

Dordogne also included. Prices start from

£1,089pp, including seven nights’ half-

board accommodation, tour information

and maps. www.freewheelholidays.com

TRAVELNEWS

P H O T O G R A P H S : F O T O L I A

Brive


Q uick guide to...

in Rue Majour (tel: (Fr)

9 81 25 10 04), with

menus from €14.

What is there to see

nearby?

Take your pick of five

Plus Beaux Villages

within an hour’s drive,

including the red-

sandstone Collonges-

la-Rouge, the first to

receive the accolade.

How do I get there and

where do I stay?

Brive-Vallée de la

Dordogne airport is

a 20-minute drive from

the centre and has

flights from London

City and London

Stansted airports in

the summer. Relax at

the three-star hotelLa Truffe Noire, on the

edge of the traffic-free

city centre. Doubles

start at €122 (tel: (Fr)

5 55 92 45 00, www.

la-truffe-noire.com).

Emma Rawle

For more information

visit www.brive-

tourisme.com

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Plan your journey to France with our handy map and directory

FERRIES

Brittany Ferries Tel: 0871 244 1400www.brittanyferries.co.uk

Condor Ferries Tel: 0845 609 1024www.condorferries.co.uk

DFDS SeawaysTel: 0871 574 7235www.dfdsseaways.co.uk

Irish FerriesTel: (ROI) 818 300 400www.irishferries.com

MyFerryLink Tel: 0844 248 2100www.myferrylink.com

P&O FerriesTel: 0871 664 2121www.poferries.com

Stena LineTel: (ROI) 1 204 7777www.stenaline.ie

Price comparison andbooking websiteAFerry.co.ukTel: 0844 576 5503www.aferry.co.uk

RAILEurostar Tel: 0843 218 6186www.eurostar.com

EurotunnelTel: 0844 335 3535www.eurotunnel.com

Voyages-sncf.comTel: 0844 848 5848www.voyages-sncf.com

AIRLINES

Aer Lingus Tel: 0871 718 2020www.aerlingus.com

Air France Tel: 0871 663 3777www.airfrance.co.uk

Aurigny Air ServicesTel: 01481 822 886www.aurigny.com

Blue IslandsTel: 0845 620 2122www.blueislands.com

bmi regionalTel: 0330 333 7998www.bmiregional.com

British AirwaysTel: 0844 493 0787www.britishairways.com

CityJetTel: 0871 405 2020www.cityjet.com

easyJet Tel: 0330 365 5000www.easyjet.com

Flybe Tel: 0371 700 2000www.flybe.com

Jet2Tel: 0800 408 1350www.jet2.com

Lyddair Tel: 01797 322 207www.lyddair.com

MonarchTel: 0871 940 5040www.monarch.co.uk

NorwegianTel: 0843 378 0888www.norwegian.com

RyanairTel: 0871 246 0000www.ryanair.com

Swiss Int. AirTel: 0845 601 0956www.swiss.com

Titan AirwaysTel: 01279 680 616www.titan-airways.co.uk

ROUTE PLANNER

READY TO GO


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I would like to go to Albi in the

Tarn département and visit

the Toulouse-Lautrecmuseum.

This month weask a reader,

a professionaland a FRANCE

contributorabout their love

of France

Carole Penfold

Smallfield, Surrey

Alexandra Pinhorn

Magellan PR,

Portsmouth

Régine GodfreyNorwich, Norfolk

What was yourlast travelexperience inFrance?

What is yourbest insidertip onFrance?

Wherewould youlike to gonext?

Buy a tin of confit de canard

from the local supermarket.

It provides a cheap meal forfour and is ideal when you

have surprise guests.

I went to the Charente-

Maritime to watch the

departure of L’Hermione –

the replica of Lafayette’s

frigate – on its maiden

voyage to the USA.

Travellers’ tales

A re ade r...

A prof e ssion al...

A con tributor...


When visiting Grasse, sidestep

the touristy centre and stay at

the Hôtel du Clos in nearby

Le Rouret; ask for the ‘Pâtisserie’

room, which is lovely.

P H O T O G R A P H S : F O T O L I A ; P A R C

A S T É R I X / S . C A M B O N ; D R E A M S T I M E

My husband Philip and I visited

the bastide town of Belvès in

the Périgord Noir, a beautiful

part of the Dordogne.

I spent a delightful week with

my family near the village of

Saint-Siméon in the Île de

France, which is close to Paris,

Disneyland, Parc Astérix

( pictured) and Thoiry castle

and safari park.

I would love to go to Corsica

and re-visit Palombaggia’s

stunning beach not far from

Porto-Vecchio.

I would choose Champagne, as

it’s somewhere I have never

visited. I want to go to the

champagne houses and the

wonderful cathedral in Reims.

Always try to speak

French, no matter how

poor your grasp of the

language. A little effort

is always appreciated.

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P H O T O G R A P H S : H E R V É H U G H E S / H E M I S . F

R ; F O T O L I A

The historic city has attractedartists for more than a century,each of them creating their owntake on Rouen. FRANCE Magazine looks at its star attractions

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A

s you stand in awe in front of the Gothic façade ofRouen’s magnificent cathedral, it is easy to see why

Claude Monet felt inspired to paint it nearly30 times. Standing in a little room above a former

lingerie shop, which is now the tourist office, Monet capturedthe cathedral in its many lights, moods and seasons to showhow a solid structure can change in different light conditions.

These days, it’s the artists who change too; for in the sameroom as Monet himself stood, visitors are invited to take partin an art lesson to create their own impression of the cathedral.For €28, a two-hour lesson with an expert art teacher willteach you the same painting techniques used by the manyImpressionist painters who were attracted to Normandy in thelate 19th century, when the new railway line from Paris opened

up a new world of subjects to capture on canvas. Their workcan be seen at Rouen’s Musée des Beaux-Arts, which showcasesworks by Alfred Sisley, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and CamillePissarro as part of an Impressionist collection that is second insize only to that of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The paintings include one of Monet’s Rouen Cathedral series, Grey Weather,which is a contrast to the façade each summer evening whena light show illuminates the building in glorious colours; thisyear the alternating themes are Vikings and Joan of Arc.

The cathedral’s spire is the tallest in France at 151 metres, andit was the starting point for the city’s new attraction PanoramaXXL. After taking hundreds of thousands of photographs from

the spire, modern-day artistYadegar Asisi, who is thebrains behind the project,

created a 12-storey(360-metre) panorama ofRouen using painting,drawing and digitaltechniques to givea ‘photorealistic’ view of

the city in the era of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Visitorsare surrounded by the huge circular painting and can admire itfrom a number of levels, starting at the top and using a lift todescend. This autumn, the panorama changes to Amazonia, adifferent take on the technique. Next year it will celebrate the cityat the time of Joan of Arc, for whom the city is famous.

It was in 1431 that the heroine of France was burned at thestake in the Place du Vieux-Marché by the English for beinga heretic. The city’s other new attraction is the €10 million Joan

of Arc museum which allows you to witness the famous trial.As part of the experience, visitors are led through the mainexhibition space in groups and are guided by a hologram of Juvénal des Ursins, the ecclesiastic and judge who led Joan’sposthumous trial of exoneration in 1456. Just like PanoramaXXL, it’s a very modern way to view the past.

Other attractions include the Gros Horloge – a huge giltRenaissance clock sitting on an arch over the street – and thestrikingly modern Église Saint-Jeanne d’Arc, which showcasesa huge stained-glass window rescued from a medieval church.Along with the charming cobbled streets and timber-frontedbuildings, they make Rouen the ideal place to step back in time.WHERE TO EAT: Rouen offers some great restaurants,including La Couronne, which dates from 1345 and is said tobe the oldest auberge in France. Also try l’Odas, which gaineda Michelin star just six months after opening in 2013, and Gill,owned by chef Gilles Tournadre, which has held two Michelinstars for 25 years.WHERE TO STAY: The five-star Spa Hotel de Bourgtherouldeoffers rooms from €179 per night, while the three-star Hôtel duVieux-Marché offers rooms from €88 per night.

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle is the quickest way to the continent

by car. Book early and get the best fares to explore Rouen.

Visit www.eurotunnel.com

or call 0870 850 8133

to book your crossing.

Rouen

ABOVE: The Renaissance Gros Horloge;

RIGHT: The façade of Rouen Cathedral

inspired Claude Monet; TOP: The city

sparkles beside the River Seine

A weekend in…

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P H O T O G R A P H S : C H R I S T O P H E P E T I T E A U / M O N T E V I D E O ; J E A N - D O M I N I Q U E B I L L A

U D ; D A V I D - E M M A N U E L C O H E N / H Ô T E L S O Z O ;

B E R T R A N D R I E G E R / H E M I S . F R ; J E A N - D O M I N I Q U E B I L L A U D / L V A N ; F O T O L I A ; J E A N - S É B A S T I E N

E V R A R D

Visit imposing châteaux and enjoy deliciousseafood on a drive along the Loire Valleybetween the cities of Angers and Nantes

TRIP R oun d

DAY ONEYour journey along the Loire Valley

begins in Angers, the historical capital of

Anjou, which is a 2hr 20min drive from

the ferry ports of Saint-Malo and Caen,

or a 1hr 35min train ride from Paris.

Stroll through the historic centre, with its

half-timbered houses and pretty hôtels

particuliers, towards the château 1 ,

which once belonged to the Plantagenet

dynasty and now houses the medievalApocalypse Tapestry (tel: (Fr) 2 41 86 48

77, www.angers.monuments-nationaux.fr).

After lunch, head back towards

Angers and join the southbound A87 for

a few kilometres before leaving at exit 21

to reach the small town of Les Ponts-de-

Cé, which straddles the River Loire. Park

by the riverside and head across the large

stone bridge to admire the panoramic

views (tel: (Fr) 2 41 79 75 79,

www.ville-lespontsdece.fr).

Head along the D112 towards

Bouchemaine 2 , and then take the

D111 and D961 to Saint-Georges-sur-

Loire via Savennières before joining the

D723 to Ancenis. This village fleuri was

once called the door to the Kingdom ofBrittany, due to its proximity to the city

of Nantes, and has a lovely medieval

1 3

2 4

On the way back, stop at the Galerie

d’Angers to see works by 19th-century

sculptor David d’Angers, and finish in

Place du Ralliement, the main square,

which is brimming with cafés and shops

(www.angersloiretourisme.com).

Leave Angers on the D323 and travel

15 kilometres east along the D116 to

Cornillé-les-Caves, a village troglodyte

containing cave dwellings that have been

renovated to form private homes and

even hotels. After venturing into the

caves to explore this underground way of

life, walk to the popular restaurant

Au P’tit Cornillé (tel: (Fr) 2 41 74 06 62)and try its speciality, the deliciously

meaty grillades au feu de bois.

antes

Angers

Brissac-Quincé

Rochefort-sur-LoireAncenis

Cornillé-les-Caves

Bouchemaine

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château. Park by the river and explorethe charming centre.

Continue along the D723 to Nantes,follow signs for the Gare SNCF and lookout for Rue Frédéric Cailliaud, home tothe Hôtel Sozo 3 , which is set ina renovated 19th-century chapel (tel: (Fr)2 51 82 40 00, www.sozohotel.fr). Havea meal at one of the restaurants alongBoulevard Stalingrad before returning tothe hotel, your base for two nights.

DAY TWOThe Sozo’s plentiful buffet breakfast willset you up for a day’s sightseeing in andaround Nantes. Head first to theChâteau des Ducs de Bretagne 4 ,(tel: (Fr) 2 51 17 49 44, www.chateau-nantes.fr) for an insight into the city’sBreton past, then walk down to theQuai de la Fosse where you’ll see themonument to the abolition of slavery(tel: (Fr) 2 51 17 49 48, www.memorial.nantes.fr), with 2,000 plaquesrepresenting every slave ship that

departed from Nantes. From here takethe boat to Trentemoult, a charmingfishing village on the other side of the

river. Enjoy a seafood lunch at La Civelle(tel: (Fr) 2 40 75 46 60, www.lacivelle.com) and request a table on the terrassefor views over the Loire.

Return on the boat to Nantes andspend the rest of the afternoon on theÎle de Nantes, including a ride on the12-metre-high mechanical elephant 5 .The creature is one of several urbansculptures known as Les Machines del’Île which are housed in the formershipyards (tel: (Fr) 2 51 17 49 89,www.lesmachines-nantes.fr).

Dinner tonight is in the village ofVertou on the south-eastern outskirts ofNantes (follow the signs from the citycentre). L’Écluse de Vertou (tel: (Fr) 2 4034 40 70, www.eclusevertou.com) sitsalongside the River Sèvre Nantaise and isknown for its seafood dishes; try the codwith a sweet potato, butternut squashand courgette glaze.

DAY THREELeave Nantes by mid-morning and

retrace your drive back to Angers as faras Savennières. Cross the river on theD106 and you will soon be in the village

of Rochefort-sur-Loire, where theDomaine des Baumard (tel: (Fr) 2 41 7870 03, www.baumard.fr) has beenproducing great chenin blanc wines forgenerations. Stop and buy a bottle ortwo at the on-site shop.

Travel back over the river and on toBouchemaine for lunch at Le Noé(tel: (Fr) 2 41 77 11 13, www.le-noe.com). Try their snails in white wine followedby a goat’s cheese salad. After lunch takethe D112 and D748 to the village ofBrissac-Quincé with its tufa-stone housesand the imposing Château de Brissac 6 , (tel: (Fr) 2 41 91 22 21, www.chateau-brissac.fr). Go on a tour of the 13th Duke

of Brissac’s home or stroll in the vast park.

Just outside the village, stop at

Domaine Bablut (tel: (Fr) 2 41 91 22 59,www.vignobles-daviau.fr) to stock upone last time on French wine. The estatehas been run by the Daviau family since1546 and visitors can go on a guidedtour with the current owner, Christophe.

Take the D748 and the A87 back toAngers and book into the MercureAngers Centre Gare (tel: (Fr) 2 41 87 3720, www.mercure.com) for your lastnight. Go out for dinner at Le DixSeptième, one of Angers’ finestrestaurants (tel: (Fr) 2 41 87 92 27).Housed in an 18th-century building, therestaurant oozes sophistication, with chefRichard Cerini 7 offering a creative takeon nouvelle cuisine in such dishes aschicken in white wine with artichokesand pine nut flavoured polenta garnish.All that’s left is to clink glasses, filledwith one of the superb local wines, andtoast a tour well done.

Peter Stewart

Enjoy this article? Tell us where you’d like

your road trip to be and we’ll plan it outin a future edition. Email [email protected]

5 7

6

EASY ITINERARY

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ACTUALITÉS Keep up to date with all the

latest news from France

Shake-up in classPlans by the new Education Minister to reform the French schoolcurriculum have caused controversy, says Paul Lamarra

The French Education

Minister’s plans to reform the

school curriculum for 11 to

15 year olds have met furious

opposition from teaching unions,

intellectuals and politicians right across

the political spectrum.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, at 37 the

youngest and first woman ever to fill the

post, has proposed to end what the

government describes as elitism in the

collèges, or middle schools, effectively by

ending the provision of Latin and Greek,

scrapping bilingual classes for the few,

extending the study of two European

languages to all 11 year olds and

introducing more practical cross-

curricular projects.

Opponents say the measures willmean mediocrity instead of equality,

and make Latin and Greek the preserve

of a privately educated elite. Defending

her plans, Vallaud-Belkacem insisted the

current system was too elitist. Latin was

studied by 20 per cent and Greek by

three per cent of students; and fewer than

one-sixth participated in bilingual studies.

Although students will still be able to

study Latin and Greek through projects

or as the result of local curricular

decisions, the SNALC teaching union

believes that in the new ‘dumbed-down’

curriculum ‘Latin for all’ will in reality be

‘Latin for anyone’. Countering these

arguments in the left-leaning newspaper

Libération, Manuel Valls, the Prime

Minister, pleaded with opponents to see

the problems within French education.

“International studies show beyond

doubt that our schools have become themost unequal in Europe,” said Valls.

They were no longer the bulwark they

should be against social inequality.

“On the contrary the system encourages

and produces failure, exclusion, despair.”

Teaching unions complain that the

reforms are ill thought out; that cross-

curricular projects that blur the

boundaries between subjects, and could

include creating an educational garden or

publishing a newspaper, have been

subjected to little research and will eat

into time devoted to traditional subjects.

Although Jack Lang, the former

Socialist Education Minister under

President Mitterrand, and Jean-Marc

Ayrault, former Prime Minister and

German teacher, have both criticised the

plans, the most sustained attacks have

been from right-wing politicians and

intellectuals who see the measures asan attack on French nationhood. Former

President Nicolas Sarkozy said the plans

MAIN PICTURE: Pupils in French classrooms are facing controversial alterations in the

subjects they study; FACING PAGE: Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem

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NEWS


P H O T O G R A P H

S : R E X F E A T U R E S ; W I T T / S I P A / R E X / S H U T T E R S T O C K ; A C T I O N P R E S S / R E X_

S H U T T E R S T O C K

Name: Marina Picasso.

Occupation: Philanthropist.

Tell me more: As granddaughter of

the artist Pablo Picasso, Marina was

heir to a huge hoard of the artist’s

work and La Californie, the 1920s

villa near Cannes where the artist

lived with his second wife

Jacqueline Roque.

Marina, 64, got

her inheritance when

she was 22 and sold

many of the works to

fund a children’s

hospital in Vietnam

and projects to assist

troubled teenagers

and the elderly in

Switzerland. Three of

Marina’s five children

were adopted from Vietnam.

In May she announced the sale

of La Californie and told Nice-Matin

newspaper the house held painfulmemories. Her father, Paulo, was

Picasso’s son by his first wife Olga

Khokhlova, the Russian ballerina.

Marina recalls she and her brother

Pablito being sent by her hard-up

father to La Californie to beg for

money from her grandfather.

Jacqueline Roque, his second wife,

frequently subjected them to long

waits at the gates, and also barred

them from Picasso’s funeral in 1973.

Rumours suggest that Marina,

who renovated La Californie and

renamed it Pavillon de Flore, has

received an offer of €150 million for

the property. She also plans to sell

126 of the artist’s ceramics, which

Sotheby’s expects to achieve around

€8 million at auction. Picasso’s

Women of Algiers recently went for

£115 million – the most expensive

painting ever sold at auction.

On this occasion Marina has said

she will use the money raised to

fund projects for teenagers and the

elderly in France.

C’est qui?Every month we cast a spotlight

on a figure making headlines

‘The system

encourages and

produces failure,

exclusion, despair’are bridled,” was Vallaud-Belkacem’s

frank assessment of the status quo, which

teachers seem to have taken personally.

The teaching unions also claimed that

the changes were being rushed through

without adequate consultation and

would require yet more training.

It is clear that the French education

system does produce excellence but

despite claiming more Nobel literature

prizes and Fields medals (the Nobel

equivalent in mathematics) than any

other nation, wider educational

achievement is falling. In the most recent

international league tables comparing the

performance of 15 year olds in maths,

science and reading in 65 countries and

cities, France slipped three places to 25th.

This is just above average but, crucially,

way behind rival Germany in 10th.

The Organisation for Economic

Co-operation and Development, which

compiles the tables, was anxious to stress

that inequality in French education wasa growing problem. It found that those

from a disadvantaged background were

much less likely to succeed in 2012 than

they had been in 2003.

“I listen to the critics and they

surprise me,” wrote Valls. “The debate is

not between elitism and egalitarianism –

it is between those who think that some

can succeed only if we condemn some of

our children to fail, and those who think

that all can, and deserve to, succeed.”

NEWSIN BRIEF The 160th edition of

Le Petít Larousse is to

include ‘selfie’. It will be

added along with 150

other new words such

as focaccia and vegan.

However, despite the

inclusion, it is only theAcadémie Française that

can deem them official

French words.

More than a dozen

endangered monkeys

have been stolen from

a zoo in Beauval in

central France. Thieves

evaded the security

systems to make off

with ten silver

marmosets and sevengolden lion tamarins.

A Matisse painting

looted by the Nazis from

Paul Rosenberg, a Jewish

art dealer, is to be

returned to his heirs.

Among the beneficiaries

will be his granddaughter

Anne Sinclair, ex-wife of

Dominique Strauss-

Kahn, the former head

of the IMF. Experts have

estimated its value at£60 million.

“destroy everything that makes the

genius of France.”

Pascal Bruckner, novelist and

philosopher, wrote a polemic published

in right-wing newspaper Le Figaro saying

it was now the dunce who was the

highest common denominator and

excellence was being abandoned in

favour of an egalitarianism that confused

equality with general mediocrity.

Bruckner and far-right politicians have

also seized on changes to the history

curriculum which they allege make the

teaching of the history of Islam

compulsory yet see medieval Christianity

and the Enlightenment become optional.

“There is probably here a desire for

openness towards Islam and a desire to

please newcomers by eliminating

anything that can offend,” wroteBruckner. Supporters of the changes

point out that the study of Islam has

been compulsory since 1957 and that the

Enlightenment and medieval Christianity

remain a core part of the curriculum.

Through the reforms Vallaud-

Belkacem has also sought to undermine

traditional teaching methods that are

widely regarded as overly harsh with an

emphasis on rote learning. “Students are

bored, parents feel helpless and teachers

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Why is it claimed that France owes

reparations to former colony Haiti?

President François Hollande, ahead

of the first visit to the former

French colony of Haiti, caused

a Twitter storm when he appeared

to announce that he would pay off

the former colony’s debts. Aides

were quick to stress the President

was referring to a moral debt.

The misunderstanding was

particularly sensitive because

Haitians believe that the nation’s

poverty is in large part due to

compensation extracted by France

when the Caribbean state became

independent in 1804.

A trade embargo and a naval

blockade were only lifted when Haiti

agreed to pay 150 million gold

francs in compensation to slave

traders and French settlers. Theso-called ‘independence debt’ was

later reduced to 90 million gold

francs and paid off in full in 1953.

Many Haitians believe this money

should be returned to Haiti along

with €17 billion in reparations.

Ahead of the visit, four Haitian

writers said in the newspaper

Libération that it was more

important for France to face up to

its colonial injustices and help Haiti

to develop profitable agribusinesses

and advance infrastructure projects.

“Hopefully this short trip after two

centuries of difficult relationships

between the two countries, marks

a turning point that goes beyond

symbolic,” they added.


Plans announced by Nicolas Sarkozy,

the former President, to change thename of the right-wing UMP party to

Les Républicains is to face a court

challenge. Left-wing organisations

launched the legal move on the grounds that it appropriates a concept that in fact

belongs to all French citizens.

Sarkozy, chairman and favourite to be the party’s presidential candidate in 2017,

claimed that the era of acronyms was over and added: “It is high time we stood up for

the values of the Republic rather than destroying them.”

The new name was given cautious approval by the party leadership; however, polls

suggest that the change will be rejected by 61 per cent of the party membership. Polls

also found that more than half regard the name Les Républicains as too American.

La grandequestionEvery month we explain the

background to a top news story

Sarkozy seeks tore-name party

Late mowing to save the bees

Rénald ‘Luz’ Luzier, the Charlie Hebdo

cartoonist, has announced that he will

leave the satirical magazine following

the shooting dead of 12 of his

colleagues by two Islamic extremists.

Luzier, who penned the magazine’s

front-cover cartoon of the Prophet

Mohammed in the immediate

aftermath of the attack, revealed thatcontinuing to work at Charlie Hebdo was “too much to bear”.

His resignation follows reports of staff unrest at the magazine, with some

of the surviving journalists now demanding an equal share in the ownership of

what has become a top-selling publication. Zineb El Rhazoui, an outspoken

Charlie Hebdo journalist who has expressed her unhappiness at how the

magazine is being run, claims management has initiated disciplinary action.

Hebdo cartoonistquits magazine

The green fringes of France’s 12,000

kilometres of routes nationales and

autoroutes are to be mown only after

the flowering of the many plants that

grow there has taken place.

Ecology Minister Ségolène Royal

presented the three-year experiment as

part of a national action plan, entitled

‘France – a land of pollinators’, to

safeguard bees and other beneficial insects

from harmful insecticides.

It is hoped that the late mowing will result in a 30 per cent increase in the diversity

of pollinating insects in the country. The action plan also makes provision for several

hundred educational beehives to be started in municipalities across France.

The plight of the bee, deemed essential for the survival of flowering plants andfood crops, was highlighted in a report compiled by the European Academies Science

Advisory Council. P H O T O G R A P H S : D R E A M S T I M E ; S I P A / R E X_

S H U T T E R S T O C K ; M E D I A / R E X_

S H U T T E

R S T O C K ; G . V A R E L A / S I P A / R E X_

S H U T T E R S T O C K ; R E P O R T I N G

B Y P A

U L L A M A R R A

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Cosy and relaxing stay

French regional

gastronomic cuisine

Guided tour of Champagne

cellar and tasting

YOUR BREAK INCHAMPAGNE !

Your trip in Champagne

with friends !Special offer on double room :

2 couple : 10% off

3 couple : 15% off

4 couple : 20% off

(Valid from 1st of May to the 31st of August 2015Not available with others special offers)

24 RUE CARNOT- 10100 ROMILLY SUR-SEINE

00.33.325.24.10.07 - CONTACTDENICEY.COM

WWW.DENICEY.COM

HÔTEL - RESTAURANT

FOR SALE

BRIANY, GOLFE DU MORBIHAN15 MINUES FROM VANNESCharacterful residence set in idyllic grounds plus lovely old stone mill.

Presently running as a B&B/gîte business, this is an opportunity to acquire a property

with truly exible accommodation. Te layout allows for use as one large or double

family home, or as a source of income. Reception* large lounge/diner* cloakroom*

kitchen* storeroom* laundry room* utility* mezzanine lounge* 2nd cloakroom*

5 double rooms three of which en-suite* bathroom*. Further kitchen/diner/lounge*

2 double rooms one of which ensuite* shower room* utility* cellar* garage*.

Spacious attic studio with air-conditioning*kitchenette*, shower and separate wc*.

All standing in just under 2 acres, the grounds are delightful, overlooking woodland

to one side and bordered by a stream. Large mill pond.

660,000 Euros, ‘net vendeur’elephone: 00 33 (0)2 97 45 80 67Email: [email protected]

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Known by the Carcassonnais variously as

Place Royale, Place Vieille, Place

Impériale, Place de la Révolution, not to

forget Place aux Herbes (the most ancient

of the names), Place Carnot is the beating heart

of the Basse-Ville. This is the lower town ofCarcassonne, which sprang up when Saint Louis

In those days the Saturday market was rather less

tranquil and beautiful than today; it was something

of a traffic island, boxed in on all sides by vehicles.

Now, it is paved and with bars and restaurants, with

awnings of yellow and green and blue, orange

cushion covers and red and white stripes. Six-storey

buildings are on all four sides, the centre dominated

by an ornate 18th-century fountain dedicated to

Neptune, complete with dolphins and water

nymphs, fashioned from marble quarried from

nearby Caunes.

I like to imagine the market has changed little for

generations, though of course it has. The branches of

the spreading plane trees are green in summer and

painted in tones of copper, pale green and gold in

autumn. Beneath them, umbrellas and brightly

coloured parasols shelter the farmers and sellers from

the wind or the sun. Willow paniers contain fresh

vegetables, fruit and garden herbs, cut flowers and

planted baskets, tall orchids and delphiniums.

My favourite stall sells upwards of 20 kinds ofolives – black and green, spiced, herbed and oiled,

P H O T O G R A P H : M A R K R U S H E R ; I L L U S T R A T I O N S : M E L I S S A W O O D

Best-selling

novelist Kate

Mosse OBE is

celebrating ten

years since the

publication of

Labyrinth, the

first in her trilogy

of novels set in

Languedoc. For

more information,

visit www.kate

mosse.co.uk

expelled the remaining inhabitants of the medieval Cité on the

hill following the vicious 13th-century Crusades launched

against the independence of the Midi.

It is where my husband and I first arrived in November 1989,

at the beginning of our quarter of a century love affair with

Carcassonne. Under a blue cathedral sky we walked from the

railway station at the top of the town and along the rue piétonne

(in fact, named Rue Georges Clemenceau, though no one calls it

that), the damp Cers wind announcing the rain to come. We

strolled over the criss-cross of streets and came to Place Carnot.

It was a Saturday morning and the market was in full swing.

We found a table at Bar Félix and drank chocolat chaud ,

surrounded by old men drinking panaché (shandy) or delicate

thimbles of Corbières rosé. Fifteen years later, when I was

finishing the novel that would become Labyrinth, one of the lead

characters, Audric Baillard, enters Carcassonne by the same

route. When he reaches Place Carnot, he knows he is home.

I felt – and still feel – the same.

In Sepulchre, my heroine Léonie is beguiled

by the impressive department store,

Paris-Carcassonne selling everything from

fabric to fishing tackle. In Citadel , the

courageous men and women of the

Resistance pass information to one anotherin a bar backing from Place Carnot on to

the narrow Rue de l’Aigle d’Or.

and served from large plastic bowls. There are cashew nuts and

pistachios, too; yellow maïs grillé and sour black-pepper biscuits

to serve with a glass of Guignolet, the local liqueur. The next

stall sells tomatoes, water melons

and apricots; in June, cherries; in

July, figs; later in the season,

blackberries. At the far north-east

corner, there is a bread stall with

plaited couronne and pain bio, as

well as ficelle and brioche and

home-baked madeleine cakes. The last stall on the row sells

chèvre (goat’s cheese), of three days’, five days’ or a week’s

strength. Honey, too – a Midi speciality.

There are, of course, markets like this all over France. One of

the attractions for most British tourists is this insistence on fresh,

local produce. But for me, Place Carnot is special because it

remains so utterly and completely itself. It is manageable, this

riot of Saturday colour. It has everything you need and nothing

more. You can watch or shop, buy for a picnic, for a banquet or

simply for lunch. All of us are in the same shared space.

Most of all, it is a mixture of history and tradition: the cheese

and the bread, the flowers and the wine, and the saucisson sec.

Place Carnot is not just somewhere to buy or to sell, but a place

to dream and feel part of something, as it has been for centuries.

Eat out in Carcassonne – see our guide on page 80.

PLACES

Carcassonne

marketAuthor Kate Mosse is alwaysentranced by the Saturdaymarket in Place Carnot

Vign ette

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YOUR LETTERS

The French Group, TauntonThe University of the Third Age (U3A) is

an organisation aimed at older people that

began in Toulouse and took off in theUnited Kingdom in the 1980s. A network

of local groups is run by volunteers and

operates as a learning cooperative using

knowledge and experiences of members.

When U3A launched in Taunton, a French Group was formed

in the town with the aim that everyone should enjoy French, whatever their level.

Fortnightly meetings take place outside the town in Creech St Michael village hall.

Members can improve their French through group book club sessions, with

novels ranging from Marcel Pagnol’s Jean de Florette to Albert Camus’s L’Étranger .

There are also French film nights held throughout the year in members’ homes.

Other events in the calendar include a thoroughly enjoyable new year lunch,

along with regular conversation evenings with other Francophiles about their

experiences in France. The group hopes to continue to teach the importance of

French language and culture in the Taunton area for many years to come.

www.u3asited.org.uk

Do you belong to a group with French connections? Tell us all about it by emailing

[email protected] or write to the address on the facing page.

S a y bon jour to...

visiting smaller vineyards or small local

producers. There is no pressure to buy;instead it is more a case of “this is one

we’ve made, we’re proud of it, we’re sure

you’ll like it”. And if you don’t they will

find one that you do.

Peter Brambley

Spondon, Derby

Constant inspirationUnfortunately, I didn’t discover

FRANCE Magazine until the spring of

1995, so I missed the first few editions.

Since then it has been a constant source

of inspiration for places to visit and

things to do. Therefore I was very

interested in the May edition, which

marked the 200th issue by naming the

200 best experiences in France.

As I read the magazine I began to

wonder just how many of these

experiences I had enjoyed myself

(including only the named restaurant,

hotel or vineyard, where given) and

started counting. I was amazed to

discover that I had chalked up no fewer

than 73 of your top 200 in the 20 yearsthat I have been a subscriber.

On reflection, why should I be

surprised, when FRANCE Magazine has

been my inspiration for those places to

visit? Thank you for giving me 20 years

of fantastic experiences. I look forward

to the next 200 inspirational issues!

Adrian Walter

Hertford

Lifting the spiritsI have just found this photo of my

husband (below) taken in the lovely

village of Saint-Satur, near Sancerre.

He is pictured reading a much earlier

issue of FRANCE Magazine – we havebeen receiving your publication every

month from the very first edition back

in 1990. We love the magazine for the

way it lifts our spirits in the winter

months and all its wonderful summer

holiday inspiration, too. Keep up the

excellent work!

Dr and Mrs S La Frenais

Runcorn, Cheshire

How often do you returnto the same holiday

destination in France? Always Often Sometimes Never

Fill in our online poll at:http://sameplaces.questionpro.com

READER POLL

LAST MONTH WE ASKED:

Are you satisfied with the

level of your French?

No44%YES

56%

Alexis Marbury Sheehy

Why is everything in Franceso beautiful?!

You can find FRANCE Magazine’ s

new updated index for issues 100-200on our website via this link:

www.completefrance.com/FMIndex

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P H O T O G R A P H

S : F A B R I C E R A M B E R T ; R O B B I E C O N D E R

A D D I T I O N A L R E P O R T I N G : E L E A N O R

O ’ K A N E

Wh ere to sta y...Whether you’re taking buckets and spades or surfboards, we havefound great accommodation for your holiday on the French coast

L’HERMITAGE BARRIÈRE,La BauleThere is something undeniably soul-

stirring about waking up to the sight and

sounds of the sea. From my bedroom

balcony, I wipe slumber from my eyes

while watching the hazy morning sunshinespread across the cobalt-blue ocean as it

laps softly at swathes of golden sand.

I’m staying in the five-star

L’Hermitage Barrière hotel, which

occupies a prime position along the

seafront promenade of La Baule-

Escoublac. The resort in the Loire-Atlantique département is not only

blessed with a nine-kilometre beach

– one of the longest in Europe – but

many beautiful villas, high-end boutiques

and casinos.

The hotel, built in 1929, is a bastion

of old-word elegance, with a sprawling,

half-timbered façade complete with

pointed roofs and jolly red balconies.

Inside, a makeover has given the place

a sense of renewed splendour. Between

the soaring ceilings and gleaming

polished floors of the foyer, you’ll find

satin-soft sofas and tiered chandeliers,

gilded mirrors and rococo lights, with

glass doors opening on to an outdoor

swimming pool. Rooms, all 200 of them,

take on a nautical sophistication;

mine was spacious and themed in cream

and marine in perfect harmony with

my sea view.

Those not itching to bury their toes in

the sand can make for the gym, indoorpool or sauna. After a three-course buffet

breakfast of fresh fruit salad and cereal,

Beside the sea

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WHERE TO STAY


THE BEACHHOUSE,GirondeA trip to the seaside is a chance for

a good old-fashioned holiday where you

get back to basics. This 1930s house lies

just five minutes from Gironde’s Atlanticcoast and is full of charm. Original

features, bleached floorboards and

vintage touches evoke childhood holidays

and memories of sun-drenched trips to

the beach armed with buckets and

spades, blankets and picnic hampers.

The house has seven bedrooms but

still feels cosy and there is a 20-metre

terrace with plenty of room to stretch

out, play board games and compare

suntans. Situated in Montalivet, the

Beachhouse is a two-minute stroll from

the town’s daily market where you canstock up on seafood and Médoc wines

for a long, lazy lunch on the veranda.

23 Avenue de la Brède Montalivet

33930 Vendays-Montalivet

Tel: (Fr) 5 56 09 32 65

www.sawdays.co.uk

Sleeps 16; from €1,200 per week.

croissants and eggs, I sashay to the

treatment rooms for an hour-longback massage, which makes me feel

deliciously decadent.

From the lobby, a path leads directly

to the Eden Beach, the hotel’s idyllic

beachfront restaurant, which has

a breezy, laid-back feel and serves

delicious platters of seafood. The

speciality is bar en croute de sel , a whole

sea bass baked in a thick salt crust to

keep it moist and juicy.

In the afternoon, I drag myself away

from the hotel and walk into the centre

of town. I weave through the boulevards

admiring the flamboyant villas, built in

all manner of brick, wood, glass and

mosaic tiles, which look like something

out of a fairy tale. On my way back,

I can’t resist the beach for a tranquil

stroll in the sunset, making a perfect end

to my seaside stay.

Zoë McIntyre

5 Esplanade Lucien Barrière

44500 La Baule-Escoublac

Tel: (Fr) 2 40 11 46 46www.lucienbarriere.com

Doubles from €175 including breakfast.

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LES CRIQUES DEPORTEILS, Pyrénées-OrientalesCamping holidays and five-star luxury

are not two things you would

automatically put together but the two

go hand in hand at Les Criques de

Porteils. The Mediterranean settingalone, between Collioure and Argelès-

sur-Mer, is enough to make this

a memorable experience. Hard-core

campers can pitch their tents while

campervans and caravans are also

welcome. You can hire a mobile home or

choose to unfurl your sleeping bag in

a Polynesian-style wooden cottage or

faré . Car-free visitors can reserve pitches

with easy access to the coastal path for

walks towards Argelès and Collioure.

At the on-site restaurant you can dine

on Catalan dishes and enjoy panoramic

views over the resort’s private beaches.

Nature lovers will lap up the rocky

coastline and secluded coves while

watersports fans can explore this heritage

area by stand-up paddleboard or

immerse themselves in the azure waters

of the Cerbère-Banyuls marine reserve

on a scuba dive.

Corniche de Collioure RD114

66701 Argelès-sur-Mer

Tel: (Fr) 4 68 81 12 73

www.lescriques.co.ukCamping pitches from €24.50 per night;

mobile homes from €299 per week.

Hôtel du Parc,Hardelot,Nord-Pas-de-CalaisJust a short hop south from Calais on

the Côte d’Opale, the Hôtel du Parc at

Hardelot-Plage is a great destination

for beach-lovers of the active

persuasion. With tennis courts, golf

courses and horse-riding activities all

easily to hand, it’s a great place to

breathe in the sea air and get your

heart pumping. The Hôtel du Parc ispart of the Najeti group, which has

several hotels (many focused on golf)

across France. This particular hotel

offers 81 rooms and ten apartments,

along with a bar, restaurant, heated

outdoor pool, tennis courts and

(somewhat untidy) pétanque court.

Our twin room was big, bright and

airy, with a balcony at the back looking

out toward the pine trees that cover

the landscape between the hotel and

the beach, two kilometres away.

Decorated in light green and white,

with green-checked bedspreads, the

colour scheme was a little dated, but

mod cons came in the shape of

a flat-screen TV offering French

channels, and a nice modern bathroom

with excellent shower and big fluffy

towels. Sadly tea and coffee making

France - July 2015 UK

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