Picasso Normandy Landings Leslie Caron Les Apéritifs Eco

FranceGuide
FranceGuide
2009
Picasso
Retracing the steps of a master
Normandy Landings
65th anniversary of D-day
Leslie Caron
Star of An American in Paris
Les Apéritifs
So famously French
2009
Eco-Friendly France
Welcoming a new era
of responsible tourism
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INTRO
1
© La Lucarne aux Chouettes
© Academy of motion picture Arts and Sciences
LESLIE caron
Auberge La Lucarne aux Chouettes Restaurant
What made you fall in love with Burgundy?
Filmmaker Jean Renoir was like a second father to me. He and
his wife were my family in Hollywood. He used to talk to me
about Burgundy because his mother was from there. Burgundy
has a quality that Renoir had—something very solid, yet simple.
It’s not flat, nor boring. It’s a countryside comprised of lovely, soft
hills, full of vineyards, corn, and wheat. The farms have towers,
there’s an awful lot of stone and it has remained very authentic,
and has not been ruined by modern or tacky buildings. I never
lived in the country and was impressed by the labor of love that
goes into working the land over thousands of years. It’s very
pleasing to the soul.
What inspired you to create your auberge?
I wanted to own something in the region, and I bought a mill house.
One day, when driving, I saw these little seventeenth-century
abandoned warehouses. My son and I fell in love with the humble
buildings and bought them. We were going to restore and offer
them to our friends for weekend places like D.H. Lawrence did
for his circle. But that was extremely expensive and we had to
do something commercial.
Were you going for an esthetic?
My main preoccupation was to preserve the building’s authentic
look and not make it very fancy. It’s intimate and has a sort
of rustic elegance with four bedrooms with oak beams and
four-poster beds. I didn’t go far to find antique furniture because
antique fairs are nearby. I either painted or bought the pictures
on the bedroom walls. I love to paint.
Film legend Leslie Caron talks about her
charming AUberge La Lucarne aux Chouettes,
Burgundy’s allure, her ever-flourishing
career, and why she does not intend to
slow down.
Leslie Caron
by JERYL BRUNnER
How do you feel about the re-release of An American in Paris?
I’m thrilled about it. It may be fifty-seven years ago but it feels like yesterday. I was quite scared
when I made the film. I had never acted; I was just a ballet dancer and extremely shy. I didn’t really
speak English. It was only after my second or third film that I really started to know my way and
enjoy filming. But Gene (Kelly) was wonderful—like an older brother protecting and teaching me.
The movie was filmed entirely in California and Gene’s house was open on weekends. On Saturday
nights, he and his wife, Betsy Blair, hosted great musical evenings with Judy Garland or Lena Horne
singing, or André Previn playing the piano.
This past October, you were honored at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at a
special screening of the new digital restoration of Gigi.
Gigi was one of my most satisfying movies. It’s full of joy, and about a girl who liberated herself
from her background and was triumphant. I am influenced by every part I play and this role gave
me an optimistic, positive attitude and was a great boost. Before I came to America, I lived through
the war in France during the occupation and was a melancholy person.
How do you choose roles?
I always see if I can make someone humanly recognizable. I don’t like parts that seem phony. I like
roles with human emotion, be it funny or sad.
So what is next for you?
I’m putting together a straight play in America. It’s too early to talk about but we would start in the
provinces and hopefully go off Broadway. It’s a terrific undertaking but I am writing my memoirs
to be published next summer. People kept telling me I ought to write them. I was always galloping
forward and never wanted to look back.
What do you hope people learn from your memoirs?
Everyone thinks I’m so sweet and nice; they’re going to find out differently. (Laughs)
Do you consider yourself an icon?
Oh, dear, dear. I don’t know what an icon means. I’m not someone who could ever consider retiring.
And I suppose that, in some way, people are impressed by the fact that I’m still around.
ADVERTISEMENT
© Succession Picasso 2009
Following Picasso’s
footsteps—By train
Pablo Picasso’s Nu assis sur fond vert (1946)—Musée Picasso, Antibes
There’s an art to the perfect Picasso tour. It begins with relaxed rail travel that starts in Barcelona
and ends in Provence, allowing you to gain understanding of his masterworks while being
A comprehensive journey must begin with the famous Museum Picasso in Barcelona, Spain: a
museum that plays homage to the city where Picasso first apprenticed and truly discovered
himself as a young artist. It was also in Barcelona where he met fellow artist Carlos Casagemas,
© Rail Europe
immersed in the environments and culture that inspired them.
whose later suicide was believed to have contributed to Picasso’s own depression and led to
his groundbreaking Blue Period. This museum, built at Picasso’s own behest, is home to 3,800
of his original works.
You can then travel overnight on the Elipsos overnight train, leaving Barcelona at 9 p.m. and
arriving in downtown Paris at 9 a.m., just in time for the opening of the Picasso Museum there.
Housed in an exquisite 17th-century mansion, it follows Picasso’s development from 1894-1972
and is dedicated solely to him with more than 250 paintings, 160 sculptures, 1,500 drawings,
private art collection, from primitive Nimba masks to paintings by Renoir, as well as intimate
photographs chronicling his passion, life and intensity. Consider getting a Paris Museum Pass*
from Rail Europe for entrance to this museum as well as many others for 2, 4 or 6 consecutive
days—a great way to avoid a blue period of your own.
www.franceguide.com
© Jean-Louis Andral
ceramics and his entire engraving works. Equally eye opening is the display of Picasso’s
Musée Picasso, Antibes
Still, when it comes to Paris, Picasso is only the tip of the art iceberg. With so much to see, you might want to consider a Paris Visite
Pass*. Choose a 1, 2, 3 or 5-day pass and see as much of the Louvre, the Orsay Museum or modern-day masters as you like while
accessing Paris public transportation with ease. Not to mention the time to indulge in the other famous Paris art form, dining.
Leaving Paris is always hard, but at least you can make it quick with a high-speed TGV train. In less than three hours, you’ll arrive
in Aix-en-Provence, home to the artist many including Picasso considered the father of modern art: Paul Cezanne. It was Cezanne’s
two-dimensional compositions that later developed into cubism. You can visit Cezanne’s studio during a special Picasso-Cezanne
show May 25 - September 27, 2009 at the Musée Granet. France Railpass holders will even receive a discounted entrance fee.
Of course, there’s no better last stop than Vauvenargues, the picturesque village castle where Picasso lived and is buried. For the
duration of this special exhibit, shuttle service will be available from the museum in Aix-en-Provence to his castle in Vauvenargues,
usually closed to the public.
From Provence, you’ll again travel on a TGV to Nice. In less than three hours, you can see the fruits of a sometimes friendly but always
creative rivalry between Picasso and Matisse. Touring the scenic Matisse museum will give you the context to compare approaches
and techniques as they did, each man seeking to outdo the other in a painterly version of one-upsmanship. It will not only bring to life
the time Picasso lived in, but the tempestuous, competitive and brilliant man he was.
This journey concludes with a gentle ride on the local train from Nice to Antibes, a short 20-minute trip. Here, you’ll find a stunning
permanent exhibit at the Picasso Museum. Twenty-three Picasso paintings and 44 drawings that were selected and donated by
Picasso himself, esteemed works that include Le Gobeur d’oursins and La Femme aux oursins. As if that weren’t enough, other
important artists of the 20th century are displayed here as well.
Following the path of an artist
who followed no one—Picasso.
This is one example of a fulfilling Picasso itinerary, but what if you’d rather plan your own? After all, Picasso never did things the way
everyone else did either. Anywhere, Anytime FranceTM* from Rail Europe might be just the ticket. Included in its money-saving flat fee
is 1st Class rail travel anywhere in France, even on the TGV. And you can book your trip from three months in advance to an hour before
your train departs through an online account. If spontaneity is more your style there’s the France Pass, which gives you unlimited travel
on the national rail network of France with your choice of days within a one-month period. And of course, you can always choose to
buy individual trip tickets from Rail Europe for city-to-city excursions.
Train station, Nice
While Picasso was a complex, intense and often difficult man, at Rail Europe we don’t think learning about him should be. That’s
why we offer so many ways to make your pilgrimage comfortable, relaxing, and indulgent every step of the way. If you’d like more
information or help planning your own journey, visit the European rail experts at raileurope.com. And get everything you need for
a perfect trip in one single, brilliant brushstroke.
*Only available for North America and the Caribbean.
raileurope.com
© Pekka Nuikki
© Photo CNAC/MNAM, Dist. RMN/
Droits réservés - Succession Picasso
FranceGuide 2009
Hotel, château and vinotherapy spa, Bordeaux
4
france in 2009
table of contents
intro
1Leslie Caron
Film legend Leslie Caron talks about her charming
auberge, Burgundy’s allure, and her career
Jeryl Brunner
8A Taste of France in 2009
A sampling of some of the most important events
in France this year
france in 2009
11Chasing Picasso
Several major exhibitions are putting Picasso
in the spotlight the whole year round
Julien Bisson
16Modern Art Makes it to Metz
The Centre Pompidou’s sister museum
opening soon in Metz
Becca Hensley
© Courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme
17French Flower Power
Les Floralies Internationales flower show
Dan Heching
32The Living Horse Museum
Chantilly’s monument to the glory of the horse
Tom Reeves
food & wine
35La Baguette Magique
An unmistakable symbol of France, the baguette
is on every table, at every meal
Louise Gaboury
36Culinary Heritage
Following the roots of food and wine to
their source in Languedoc-Roussillon
Terry Ward
38Crazy for Cru
Le Cinq’s restaurant director Eric Beaumard named
best sommelier in France and in the world
Jeryl Brunner
2065th Anniversary of D Day
The sixty-fifth anniversary of D day on June 6 expected
to be the last milestone that war veterans will attend
Steve MacNaull
40Bountiful Butter
Butter is the magic in cooking, and the best butter
in the world can be found in France
Seth Fishman
24A Voyage to the Heart of French Art
How French craftsmanship became the benchmark
for excellence around the world
Marilane Borges
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
30Celebrity Open House
The homes of some of France’s most iconic
legends now open to the public
Ilona Kauremszky
19Artful Detour to Troyes
Masterful and sacred sixteenth-century sculpture
Becca Hensley
history & culture
23Design for Life
Normandy is designer Anne Fontaine’s refuge
Jeryl Brunner
26Boules
A centuries-old sport still popular today—it’s how
the French test their metal
Peter Wortsman
www.franceguide.com
28Where Writers Wrote
Sites where great ideas were born are faithfully preserved
Peter Wortsman
41Nuts about Nougat!
This Montélimar specialty has become one of
the most popular candies in the world
Julien Bisson
43Bouchons Lyonnais
Lyonnais versions of the Parisian bistro deliver
unique and delicious meals
Sylvie Bigar
44Only the Best
Chef Franck Salein demonstrates the value
of quality, local ingredients
Irvina Lew
food & wine
© Emmanuelle Bonzami
© oceandimages.com
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
© Gracieuseté Arnaud Delmontel
© Andree Putman
history & culture
on the go
overseas france
WHERE TO STAY
45Périgord Treasure
Behold the gastronomic and historical treasures
of the Black Périgord in Aquitaine
Julien Bisson
64Dining for Under 35 Euros
Your inner epicurean will be delighted as you eat where the locals do,
even while you travel on a budget
Nancy Wigston
46Les Apéritifs
A grand tour of France, courtesy of some
of its most historic—and delicious—spirits
Jim Tobler and Jessica Quandt
67Budget Shopping in France
Insider tips from a lover of France who claims she rarely ever pays retail
Suzy Gershman
48Michelin Takes a Spin Overseas
Michelin Guide Director Jean-Luc Naret
has been expanding his horizons
Julien Bisson
on the go
69Paris Populaire
Savoring local flavor in the city of light
Carolyn Heinze
71Higher Ground
Views of Paris from above
Carolyn Heinze
51Secret Gardens
The hidden floral landscapes of Normandy, the French
Riviera, and Aquitaine are secrets to you no longer
Helena Lunardelli
overseas france
73A Taste of Martinique
Martiniquan rum has carried the ultimate French mark of quality since 1996
Eleanor Griffith
54The Spirit of Adventure
The French islands inspire dozens of outdoor activities,
reminding us of the natural side of France
Liz Fleming
76Two Kinds of Tahiti
Sunny relaxation and trekking adventure, why not do both?
Carly Milne
56Ardèche Adventure
River Rafting in Rhône-Alpes
Becca Hensley
58Surf’s Up
Wine isn’t the only commonality between France and California
Carolyn Heinze
59Cycling in Burgundy
A natural way to tour the region
is to take the green approach
José Antonio Ramalho
61Volcanoes of Auvergne
A quiet beauty, charming to the very core
Ilona Kauremszki
62Flea Markets in France
To wander through the flea markets of France is
to discover a thousand and one stories
Violaine Charest-Sigouin
78Sounds of the French Caribbean
Kassav’ celebrates its thirtieth anniversary
Chantal Martineau
WHERE TO STAY
81Cruising the Canals
There is no greater adventure than hopping aboard a holiday boat and meandering along
the canals of France on a trip that mixes gastronomy, art, culture, and the exuberance of nature
Marilane Borges
84Mi Casa, Su Casa
Renting your own place in France has never been so easy
Louise Gaboury
85Zero-Emission Hotels
A variety of green (or almost) settings, without skimping on comfort or luxury
Francine Nascivet
practical information
86Regions of France
Everywhere you’ve been, everywhere you’ve yet to go
90What to Know before You Go
96Look for FranceGuide at the Select Locations
6
franceguide 2009
contributors
In a year of great changes and economic uncertainty, France and North America are still brought
together by sharing our common culture and values, as well as our differing heritages.
And this year is rich with great events and commemoration for the traveler, including the
65th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, and Picasso exhibitions in Provenceand the Rivera.
To our readers, we also want to reveal the secrets of our cities, the views of Paris from the
eyes of a local, the traditional restaurants in Lyon, and the homes of famous writers and icons
in Rouen, Cannes, and Ajaccio.
France is also ready for a new green era, not only by sharing stories about trekking in Tahiti,
and surfing in Aquitaine, but also by welcoming responsible tourism and eco-attitudes.
Welcome to these new experiences and rendez-vous en France!
Based in New York City and Bridgehampton,
writer Sylvie Bigar explores the world in search
of culinary delights and vibrant destinations.
She writes regularly for Food Arts, Town
& Country, and Departures.
Julien Bisson is a freelance writer based
in Paris, after living a few years in Italy and
San Francisco. He is now a literary critic
for various cultural publications.
Marilane Borges is a freelance editor who
splits her time between São Paulo and Paris.
Her articles on fashion, art, luxury travel, and
French culture have appeared in the Brazilian
editions of Vogue, Elle, Sax Magazine, L’Uomo,
and França-Brasil.
Jeryl Brunner is a freelance writer who lives
in New York City.
Violaine Charest-Sigouin is a Montréal
journalist who specializes in tourism and
lifestyle. She is an assistant editor at enRoute
magazine and editor-in-chief of Doctor’s
Review à la française.
Director in Canada
Caroline Putnoki
Editorial Committee
Mélanie Paul-Hus, Caroline Putnoki,
Brice Cicconetti, Emmanuel Marcinkowski,
Marguerite Richards, Jean-Philippe Pérol,
and Mina Bouzid
Advertising Sales
U.S.A.: Marguerite Richards
Canada: Mélanie Paul-Hus
Brazil: Brice Cicconetti
Seth Fishman is a writer and literary agent
living in New York City.
Director for
the americas
Jean-Philippe Pérol
Liz Fleming, editor of NiagaraLife magazine,
writes the “Gearing Up” weekly travel column
and features for the Toronto Star and a syndicated
weekly column, “Great Escapes,” for the
Canadian Press.
Publications Manager
Marguerite Richards
Production
espresso communications & design
Project Executive: Ariane Rondeau
Art Director: Julie Sigouin
Graphic Design: Olivia Keable and Karine Falco
translation
Communications Syllabus
Louise Gaboury has been a travel writer for
fifteen years. She lives in Montréal and her work
can be read in several Québécois magazines,
among them Bel Age.
Suzy Gershman is the author of the Born to Shop
travel guides and lives part-time in the U.S. and
part-time in France. She says she speaks fluent
bad French and hardly ever pays retail. Her book
C’est la Vie can be found at amazon.com.
Eleanor Griffith is a freelance editor, translator,
and researcher. She is also co-president and
co-founder of the Griffith, Latham & Sharma
Intercultural Institute.
For all travel information call
FRANCE-ON-CALL HOTLINE
514-288-1904 in English and French
www.franceguide.com
Dan Heching lived in France for three years to
write and continue his love affair with the French
language. Back in New York, he’s been published
in several magazines, including Heeb and HX,
and continues his industrious career as a
Francelator at www.lostinfrancelation.com.
MAISON DE LA FRANCE in the UNITED STATES - Director Americas, Jean-Philippe Pérol
825 Third Avenue, 29th Fl., New York, NY 10022 - tel. 1 212-838-7800 - [email protected]
TONS RECOMMANDÉS (4)
MINEFI
MIN_08_1926_France
Doc livré le 20/10/2008
A NOUS RETOURNER SIGNÉE AVEC VOTRE ACCORD OU VOS CORRECTIONS
MAISON DE LA FRANCE IN CANADA - Director in Canada, Caroline Putnoki
1800, McGill College, #1010, Montréal (Quebec) H3A 3J6 - tel. 1 514-288-2026 - [email protected]
JFB
CRÉATION
PRODUCTION
ACCORD
CYAN
MAGENTA
JAUNE
NOIR
DATE
ÉCHELLE 1/1 - FORMAT D’IMPRESSION 100%
CONSULTANT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Carolyn Heinze (carolynheinze.blogspot.com)
is a freelance writer/editor.
Helena Lunardelli, a resident of São Paulo,
is a florist and owner of the shop that bears her
name. Her new book, entitled Cidade das Flores,
will be published in 2009.
Steve MacNaull is a travel writer and
photographer with the Canadian Press feature
wire, the service available to fifty-one daily
newspapers across the country. He visited
Normandy during the D-Day festivals of 2008.
Chantal Martineau is a freelance writer from
Montréal, who is now based in New York City.
She writes about the good things in life: food,
wine, spirits, and travel.
Carly Milne has contributed to Variety, Glamour,
Business Traveler, and many more. Her memoir,
Sexography, was published by Phoenix Books
in 2007. When not traveling the world, she lives
in Los Angeles.
Francine Nascivet is passionate about travel
writing and specializes in spas and other holistic
retreats. She has just written her first guide,
Les meilleurs spas au Québec (the best spas
in Quebec).
Jessica Quandt is a writer and Francophile living
in New York City. She also writes about France
for www.franceguide.com’s U.S. Web site.
José Antonio Ramalho is a writer, photographer,
and journalist. He has published 105 books on
technology, mythology, photography, and his
bicycle adventures around the world.
Tom Reeves has been a confirmed
Francophile since he first traveled to France
in 1975. His recently published book Paris
Insights - An Anthology can be previewed at
www.discoverparis.net.
Mônica Salgado is a Brazilian journalist with
an MBA in fashion marketing. As special
projects editor at Carta Editorial, in Brazil,
she coordinates publications such as
Vogue Kids, Vogue Fashion Rio, and Vogue H.
Stern, in addition to writing for Vogue.
Jim Tobler writes frequently on food and wine
in a wide variety of publications. His most recent
sojourn was to the Champagne region, for an
article that appeared in Nuvo magazine. He is
editor of Montecristo magazine, and executive
editor of Wine Access magazine.
Terry Ward is a freelance travel writer based
in Florida. She has lived in Toulouse and Biarritz
and writes regularly for the Washington Post
and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
10
CLIENT + QUALITÉ*
CARRÉ NOIR - 82, bd des Batignolles - 75017 Paris - FRANCE / Tél. : +33 (0)1 53 42 35 35 / Fax : +33 (0)1 42 94 06 78 / Web : www.carrenoir.com
MAISON DE LA FRANCE IN BRAZIL - Director Latin America, Emmanuel Marcinkowski
Avenida Paulista, 509, 10° andar, São Paulo, Capital CEP 01311-000 - tel. (55) 11 3372-5500
[email protected]
MAISON DE LA FRANCE IN ARGENTINA/CHILE - Director Argentina, Valérie Verdun
Av. R.S. Peña 648, piso 9° « A », 1035, Buenos Aires - tel. (54-11) 4345-0664 - [email protected]
MAISON DE LA FRANCE IN MEXICO
Director Mexico, Anne-Marie Fabre - Deputy Director, Marta Barreneche
Corp. Polanco, Calle Jaime Balmes 8, Of. 802, 11510, Mexico DF
tel. (52-55) 21-22-82-11 - [email protected]
Copyright © Maison de la France, French Government Tourist Office, 2009. Advertised services are offered to bona fide U.S. and Canada
residents at the time the services are rendered. Offers made by Advertisers are strictly subject to the terms and conditions available by
calling the telephone numbers indicated by the respective Advertisers. Some offers may be limited in time and availability. Performance
may be excused by conditions beyond the Advertiser’s control. Reference herein to Maison de la France, French Government Tourist
Office does not imply any responsibility on their part for the satisfactory performance of the advertised services. Advertisers are solely
responsible for performance of services set forth herein or any other services promoted in furtherance of their advertisements. To the best
of our knowledge, information is accurate at the time of publication. Maison de la France, French Government Tourist Office cannot be held
responsible for any possible errors.
www.franceguide.com
Dogged bon vivant, Becca Hensley is an
Austin-based travel and lifestyle writer with
a global perspective. Her enthusiasm for
peerless moments in unforgettable places
defines her work. She is a senior travel writer
for Austin Monthly magazine.
Travel writer Ilona Kauremszky has visited
numerous destinations but always has a penchant
for France. She writes a weekly travel column
for the Toronto Sun, edits www.mycompass.ca,
and contributes to leading publications across
North America.
Irvina Lew is a Francophile, author, freelance
food and travel writer, and former French teacher
who delights in writing about her trips to France
in a variety of publications.
Nancy Wigston is a Canadian literary critic
and award-winning travel writer. Although
she lives in Toronto, she also feels completely
at home in France, where she has enjoyed
countless good times.
Peter Wortsman’s travel reflection “Confessions
of a Born-Again American Cowboy in France,”
was included in The Best Travel Writing 2009.
In 2008, his play Burning Words was produced
by the Hampshire Shakespeare Company and his
translation of the German classic Travel Pictures
was published by Archipelago Books.
8
FRANCE IN 2009
A TASTE OF FRANCE IN 2009
MARCH
MAY
JULY
March 27-June 28
May 21-24
July 23-26
Picasso 1945-1949 Era of Renewal
This is only one of several major exhibitions throughout
France - Picasso is at the heart of events for 2009.
For in-depth event coverage, see pages 11-14.
www.antibesjuanlespins.com
Expo Rose
International cut-rose exhibition. 50,000 roses
exhibited in bouquets of 60 to 300 flowers.
www.grasse.fr
Evian Masters
Women’s international
golf tournament.
www.evianmasters.com
June-August
March 10-28
APRIL
Annual International
Organ Festival
Concerts every Sunday
at the Chartres Cathedral.
The last Sunday is the
acclaimed International
Organ Music Competition.
[email protected]
www.ville-chartres.fr
(in French)
April-December
July 2-5
Grenoble Jazz Festival
Dozens of venues in Grenoble and surroundings
in and around Grenoble. [email protected]
www.jazzgrenoble.com (in French)
April-october
Versailles Grandes Eaux Musicales
Grand display of the 50 fountains of
the Versailles gardens set to music.
[email protected]
www.chateauversaillesspectacles.fr
April 21-26
Le Printemps de Bourges
International contemporary music festival
www.printemps-bourges.com/en
April 4-September 26 (every Saturday)
Les samedis de l’oenologie (Wine Appreciation Saturdays)
Saint Emilion’s “Les samedis de l’oenologie,” every Saturday.
Visit the vineyards, underground monuments, lunch and
tasting course included. Make your reservation before June 1.
www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com
Mulhouse
Automobile Festival
Presentations and
parades on the history
of the automobile.
grande-parade@
ville-mulhouse.fr
www.tourisme-mulhouse.
com/en/mulhouseautomobile-festival.html
© Office de Tourisme d’Antibes Juan-les-Pins
Cadre Noir Horse Shows
The Cadre Noir, created in 1814 as a military riding academy,
remains France’s most prestigious school, dedicated
to the French equestrian tradition and riding techniques.
www.cadrenoir.fr
July 11-19
Jazz à Juan
JUNE
June 5-7
65th Anniversary of the D-Day Landing
Annual ceremonies throughout Normandy where D-Day
took place. For more information, see pages 20-21.
www.normandy-tourism.org
June 21
28th Fête de la Musique
Street concerts, bands and other musical happenings
in every neighborhood of most cities and villages
all over France, on the occasion of the summer solstice.
www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr
© Scott Soens
June 27-July 10
www.franceguide.com
Jazz à Vienne
Annual International Jazz Festival which takes place
in the city’s Roman amphitheater. The veritable summer
jazz festival kickoff event.
www.jazzavienne.com (in French)
Ben Harper - Le Printemps de Bourges
Jazz à Juan
South of France’s true
jazz destination for people
from all over the world.
www.antibesjuanlespins.com
July 3-31
Festival International d’art
lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence
60th Annual International
Music and Opera Festival,
Classical Operas
and concerts.
www.festival-aix.com
July 13-31
25th Festival de Radio
France et Montpellier
Close to 100 concerts,
including opera,
symphonies, recitals
and jazz.
www.festivalradio
francemontpellier.com
FRANCE IN 2009
9
FOR MORE 2009 EVENTS, VISIT WWW.FRANCEGUIDE.COM
AUGUST
July 31-August 9
Festival Interceltique de Lorient
Celebration of Celtic folklore and heritage in Brittany, featuring 4,000 traditional
musicians, singers, dancers, and painters from every Celtic nation.
[email protected] - www.festival-interceltique.com
August 19-30
© solangecollery.com
Festival International de Musique de la Chaise-Dieu
43rd annual international classical and baroque music festival in this ancient
Auvergne village known for its fourteenth-century Abbaye St-Robert.
www.chaise-dieu.com
Piano aux Jacobins
SEPTEMBER
wine villages, châteaux, and vineyards.
Half of the 7,500 participants will be costumed,
and each village and estate on the itinerary
will offer spectators music, wine tasting,
parties and other events.
www.marathondumedoc.com
September 5-6
La Braderie de Lille
Giant flea market and fair with visitors
coming from all over Europe.
www.mairie-lille.fr
September 4-13
© solangecollery.com
Festival du Cinéma Américain
35th annual american film festival
in the city of Deauville. Deauville welcomes
a host of stars, actors, scriptwriters,
directors, and producers.
www.festival-deauville.com September 3-26
OCTOBER
Piano aux Jacobins
Annual piano recitals festival at Toulouse’s
prestigious thirteenth-century Jacobins
Cloisters.
www.pianojacobins.com (in French)
All Month
© G. Isaac
September 12
Marathon du Médoc
25th annual marathon through the
Bordeaux/Médoc area and its legendary
Festival Interceltique de Lorient
Festival du Cinéma Américain
Jazzèbre
Throughout the month of October, Perpignan
is the center for jazz, from contemporary, salsa,
and blues, to bossa nova and international jazz.
Surrounding vineyards have adopted the festival
and offer jazz- and wine-themed itineraries and
excursions. www.jazzebre.com (in French) or
www.perpignantourisme.com
October 16-18
NOVEMBER
November 13-15
Les Trois Glorieuses
Prestigious three-day international
Burgundy wine auction at the renowned
fifteenth-century Hospices de Beaune,
with events at Clos de Vougeot
and in Meursault.
www.beaune-burgundy.com
November 19
Fête du Beaujolais Nouveau
Cities and towns throughout France
celebrate the new wine on the day it’s
released. Tradition dictates that massive
barrels of Beaujolais Nouveau be pierced
at midnight, releasing a torrent of wine
for the thirsty.
www.beaujolaisgourmand.com
Les Journées des Plantes de Courson
Annual fall edition of Domaine de Courson’s
major botanical and horticultural fair.
www.coursondom.com (in French)
October 30-November 11
Foire internationale et gastronomique de Dijon
With over 560 exhibitors and an average
of 200,000 visitors, Dijon’s International gastronomic
fair is one of the biggest fairs in France.
www.dijon-expocongres.com
10
© Succession Picasso 2009
france in 2009
Our Calendar for 2009, on the previous two pages, gave you a sampling of the hundreds
of events happening all over France; now let’s take a more in-depth look at some of the
most unforgettable events and expositions being held this year.
N O R D – PA S DE-CALAIS
Colleville-sur-Mer
Port-en-Bessin-Huppain
Longues-sur-Mer
Courseulles-sur-Mer
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
Sainte-Mère-Eglise
PICARDY
© Henry Ely
Isigny-sur-Mer
Merville-Franceville-Plage
Beny-sur-Mer
Bayeux
NORMANDY
Metz
ALSACE
LORRAINE
ILE-DEFRANCE
C H A M PA G N E ARDENNE
B R I T TA N Y
PAY S
DE LA LOIRE
LOIRE
VA L L E Y
© Adagp, Paris 2008
Nantes
BURGUNDY
POITOUCHARENTES
FRANCHECOMTE
LIMOUSIN
RHONE-ALPS
Cannes
Vallauris
Antibes–
Juan-les-Pins
AUVERGNE
PROVENCE
LANGUEDOC–
ROUSSILLON
MIDI-PYRENEES
RIVIERA
Mougins
Les Baux-de-Provence
Arles
Saint-Tropez
Color dot corresponds to the articles in the list below
Chasing Picasso, pp. 11-13
Modern Art makes it to Metz, p. 16
French Flower Power, p. 17
Artful Detour to Troyes, p. 19
65th Anniversary of D day, p. 20
Point of location
Steve MacNaull
CORSICA
© Office de Tourisme de Troyes et sa région
Philippe Pernet
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
A Q U I TA I N E
© Photo CNAC/MNAM, Dist. RMN/Droits réservés - Succession Picasso
Nature morte à la dame-jeanne, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) - Paris, National Museum of Modern Art - Georges Pompidou Center
CHASING PICASSO
The Spanish artist lived and worked many a year in sun-drenched PROVENCE AND THE RIVIERA. Several major
exhibitions are putting Picasso in the spotlight the whole year round, offering a new perspective on his life
and work.
by Julien Bisson
When he christened one of his first major paintings Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in honor of a brothel on
Avinyó Street in Barcelona, Picasso surely did not realize that he was on his way to this Provençal
city; more specifically, to Sorgues—a small town only a few miles from Avignon where he spent three
years (1912-14) with his friend Georges Braque. It was here that he painted his first “Arlésienne,” a
feminine figure emblematic of Provence that Picasso would continue to paint throughout his life. He
also accompanied his friends Braque and Derain, who were mobilized, to the Avignon train station
at the dawn of World War I. The city certainly has not forgotten that Picasso spent time there; some
of his paintings are currently being displayed at the new Musée Angladon.
There was however another painter in the area that Picasso was pursuing, a painter who lived
in the “town of water,” Paul Cézanne. Born in Aix-en-Provence, the master of space and colors
had an undisputable influence on Picasso’s work, as demonstrated in the vast exhibition PicassoCézanne being presented from May 25 to September 27, 2009 at the Musée Granet. At the foot of
the mythical mountain Sainte-Victoire, this event, boasting a hundred pieces from both public
and private collections, promises to be both outstanding and original. Influenced in his younger
© P. Leroux
The love affair between the artist and the region didn’t truly begin however until after World War II.
Regarded as persona non grata in Francoist Spain, Picasso found the sunny bucolic landscapes
resembled those he knew as a child. In 1946, he lived for a short time in Ménerbes (in the heart
of Luberon) and gave one of the village’s most beautiful villas to Dora Maar upon ending their
liaison. Nearby, lies the charming but very touristy Les Baux-de-Provence, where Cocteau filmed his
Testament of Orpheus—in which Picasso played his only film role, that of a painter. More towards
the south, Arles is a must-see destination. A painter like Picasso was bound to be drawn to this
ancient Roman city; firstly, for its bullfighting and secondly, because the presence of Vincent Van
Gogh (who experienced a very inspired period there) could still be felt. In 1971, Picasso donated
two paintings and fifty-seven drawings to the city he was so enamored with; they can be viewed
at the majestic Musée Réattu.
Sainte-Victoire
12
france in 2009
years by the “father of modern art,” notably in his evolution
towards cubism, Picasso collected numerous of his mentor’s
paintings, some of which will be presented at the exhibition
(Vue de l’Estaque, Baigneuses, and Le Château noir). The exhibition will also showcase several themes that the two painters
shared, such as their passion for still life and colorful harlequins.
Why end the trip there when there’s so much more to see? Picasso’s journey brought him all the way
to the French Riviera. He went to Saint-Tropez on numerous occasions; that is, before it became the
most jet set city on the coast. In 1951, it was there that he painted Odalisque, the famous nude of his
lover at the time, Geneviève Laporte. Starting in 1955, Picasso moved a little further down the coast,
to Cannes, from where he enjoyed a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean. There he purchased
La Californie, a sumptuous villa from the 1900s overlooking the bay. This seaside workshop was a
wellspring of paintings, notably the cubist series dedicated to Vélasquez’s Las Maninas. Picasso
rendezvoused with many of his lovers in the even more secluded medieval village Mougins, going
there with Dora Maar, and finally settling there with Jacqueline in 1961 at L’antre du Minotaure
(the Minotaur’s Lair).
The diversity of Picasso’s interests can also be witnessed in Vallauris, a seaside town known
for its ceramics. Influenced by Georges and Suzanne Ramié in 1947, Picasso became fascinated
with this new technique, producing over four thousand pieces in all. As a result of Picasso’s time
spent there, the town drew a large number of artists and still does to this day. Be sure to visit the
Musée national Picasso La Guerre et la Paix in the town chapel where, as well as rediscovering
sacred art, Picasso composed the two-part mural entitled La Guerre et la Paix (1959)—his final
major political painting.
© Claude Germain
© Jean Claude Carbonne
Towards the end of his life, Picasso would bend even further
to his desire to be closer to Cézanne, moving into Château de
Vauvenargues in 1958. “I live where Cézanne lives,” stated the
painter when he moved into the sunny abode at the foot of SainteVictoire, less than ten miles from Aix-en-Provence. What’s more,
this renowned site will be open to the public only for the duration
of the exhibition. A solid building flanked by two fourteenthcentury towers and surrounded by a sixteenth-century wall,
the residence was chosen by Picasso in an effort to escape
unwanted attention. Although he only lived there for a handful
of years, it was nevertheless the place where he lovingly stored
his collections of paintings. His young wife Jacqueline also
chose to bury him there, in 1973, in the château’s garden.
From La Californie to L’antre du Minotaure
Atelier
www.franceguide.com
Musée Granet
france in 2009
13
address book
www.picassoen
provencecotedazur.com
Provence-AlpesCote d’Azur Regional
Tourist Board
www.discoversouthoffrance.com
Riviera Regional
Tourist Board
www.guideriviera.com
Bouches-du-Rhone
Regional
Tourist Board
www.provence
guide.co.uk
© Henry Ely
Aix-en-Provence
Tourist Bureau
www.aixenprovence.com
www.picasso-aix2009.fr
(in French)
Château de Vauvenargues
© DR./Sainte-Victoire 06
© Succession Picasso 2009
The artist’s trail ends in Antibes–Juan-les-Pins, where he
surely spent the happiest days of his life. Accepting an offer
from Romuald Dor de la Souchère (the curator of the town’s
museum) to use part of Château Grimaldi, the painter worked
there for a few months, completing numerous pieces that were
mostly inspired by mythology. Picasso later offered the town no
less than twenty-three paintings and forty drawings that would
constitute the base of the first museum in his honor, opening
within the castle walls in 1966. Still one of the main exhibition
sites of his work in Europe today, the museum is proposing a
major exhibition—Picasso 1945-1949: L’ère du renouveau—
from March 27 to June 29, 2009. Don’t miss this opportunity to
discover a wide selection of pieces from Picasso’s oeuvre that
bear witness to his strong connection with the south of France,
where he experienced love, friendship, and death.
Sainte Victoire
Le Fumeur, Pablo Picasso
Advertisement
Picasso Events
and Itinerary
© The Samuel Courtauld Trust, London
by Estelle Arielle Bouchet
L’homme à la pipe, Picasso Pablo
Picasso, 1945-1949: L’ere du Renouveau—March 28-June 28, 2009
The Musée Picasso in Antibes, on the French Riviera, is hosting a major exhibition. The lavish
renaissance symbolized by this post-war period is recounted through two hundred works (paintings,
drawings, and ceramics), some of which are from the period Picasso spent at Château Grimaldi,
previously owned by the princes of Monaco and now the site of the Musée Picasso. This exhibition
evokes the artistic effervescence and happiness bound with France’s Liberation—a hymn to joy
and creation.
Chateau de Vauvenargues open to the public
May 25-September 27, 2009
With its extraordinary permanent collection—De Cézanne à Giacometti—, the Musée Granet
is located in the famous Roman city Aix-en-Provence. Dedicated to Europe’s twentieth-century
masters, the collection will give you a chance to immerse yourself in contemporary art and portrays
the constellations of artists and influences that linked the Spanish master to his contemporaries.
Similarly, in 2009, the Picasso-Cézanne exhibition (close on the heels of the incredibly successful
Cézanne en Provence exhibition) underlines the deep friendship between Picasso and Paul Cézanne,
an artist originally from the “town of water” and the man behind the uberfamous Montagne SainteVictoire.Picasso collected works by this master who inspired him so much so that, in 1958, he
purchased Château de Vauvenargues at the foot of the mountain Sainte-Victoire, an iconic site near
and dear to Cézanne. A simple stroll through Provence makes it abundantly clear that Picasso’s
work is passionately linked to symbolic places that he cultivated and researched like an alchemist.
Amidst the impressive greenery, in the heart of the rocky landscape characteristic of Les Bauxde-Provence, Château de Vauvenargues marks, like a fortress, the entrance to the valley and keeps
a watchful eye over the noble soul of the greatest master of contemporary art.
www.franceguide.com
© Henry Ely
Throughout the entire year, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region plans to tell the story of
Pablo Picasso’s life through exceptional exhibitions that will be organized in the places the artist
lived and loved.
Château de Vauvenargues
Cathedrale d’Images, open every day from
February 25, 2009 to January 3, 2010
In 1959, Picasso made a cameo appearance in the Testament of
Orpheus, which was filmed here; now, half a century later, the
Cathédrale d’Images is paying homage to Picasso. The show is
the perfect ending to the artist’s story. These visits will not only
enchant you but will also have you returning home with a deeper
appreciation of Provence’s beauty and these masterpieces.
arles and picasso
The Sainte-Victoire area harbors all the symbolism of Picasso’s
love for the place. Actually, his birthplace, Málaga, has been
honoring Notre Dame de la Victoire every September 8 for
centuries. Spain is omnipresent in this part of Provence; Picasso
was especially fond of Arles, the most Roman of French cities,
and could often be spotted at las corridas (bullfights). Musée
Réattu houses two paintings and fifty-seven drawings that were
donated by the artist in 1971. His Hispanic roots became very
evident in the final period of his life; he even chose this part
of Provence, so reminiscent of his native Andalusia, to be his
final resting place.
w w w. g u i deri v i era. co m
COMITÉ RÉGIONAL DU TOURISME
RIVIERA COTE D’AZUR-FRANCE
Crédits photos et Copyright : Ville de Beaulieu (rotonde des jardins du Casino), photo Jean-Jérôme Orsini / “Nu Bleu IV” 1952 Henri Matisse, Musée Matisse, Nice, photo François Fernandez © succession H. Matisse /“Taureau debout” 1947-1948 statuette Musée Picasso Antibes, photo
Michel Sima, © Succession Picasso 2008 / “Colombe de la Paix” Pablo Picasso, © Succession Picasso 2008 / “Victoire de Samothrace bleue” (S9) 1962, Yves Klein, don de M. et Mme Moquay Klein (Phoenix, Arizona – Etats-Unis) en 1999, Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain
de Nice, © Adagp, Paris 2008 / “Erica” 1965, Niki de Saint Phalle, Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain de Nice, © Adagp, Paris 2008 / “Les Femmes au perroquet” 1952, Fernand Léger, Donation Nadia Léger et Georges Bauquier, Musée national Fernand Léger, Biot, © Adagp,
Paris 2008 / “Conversation à Nice” Jaume Plensa, photo Ville de Nice / “Tête carrée” Sacha Sosno, Sculpture habitée, architectes Yves Bayard et Claude Chapus, photo ville de Nice, © Adagp, Paris 2008.
16
france in 2009
Any art aficionado who has ventured away from the big city
crowds to discover the intimate joys of hip, top-quality museums
in provincial destinations will be thrilled to discover the Pompidou
Museum’s new outpost in Metz. Like Renzo Piano’s Klee Museum
in Bern and Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Centre
Pompidou-Metz delights with provocative architecture that is a
piece of modern art in itself. This structure, designed by Japanese
architect Shigeru Ban, tantalizes with its lopsided Chinese hat
shape, forest grotto, and fairytale ambiance. Ban, who found
inspiration in an antique Chinese bamboo hat discovered in a
Parisian flea market, translated the chapeau’s texture and shape
to the structure’s floating, vast conical roof. Light and luminous,
the building offers three galleries that run seemingly randomly
through the interior, suggesting that art can be found in un­
expected places. Likewise, large picture windows angle outward
to capture some of Metz’s most important landmarks, such as
its majestic cathedral and Seille Park. Within, rising a stunning
250 meters, a spire alludes to the year 1977, the opening date of
the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Under construction since 2003, the
Centre Pompidou-Metz will open no later than 2010 with its first
exhibit: Chefs-d’oeuvre, an ambitious retrospective of works by
such luminaries as Picasso, Man Ray, Braque, and Matisse.
As some asked why Bilbao for the Guggenheim, many wonder
why Metz for the Centre Pompidou-Metz? Museum officials and
the city of Metz speak of fate—perhaps love at first sight—
bringing them together for this project. The Centre Pompidou
was looking for a place resplendent with culture, yet far away
from Parisian urbanity for their first decentralized branch. They
wanted a location with easy access to all parts of Europe—and
though Metz was already easy to get to, the new easterly directed
TGV attracts art loving tourists from as far away as Warsaw,
© Adagp, Paris 2008
by BECCA HENSLEY
Les deux péniches (1906), André Derain
Centre Pompidou-Metz
Prague, and Berlin, not to mention London and Brussels. The museum will be a boon for Metz and
its 230,000 inhabitants, ensuring the discovery of this cultural city that has so much to offer.
Born from a movement to democratize the enjoyment of contemporary art and to offer it as a gift to
the people, this new museum will provide a venue for many thousands of works. Centre Pompidou
officials wished to enhance their museum’s influence on the borders and to connect more people
to their institution. Choosing Metz, the capital of Lorraine, achieves their goals. Known as the city
of Charlemagne, Metz boasts a profound historical past and its inhabitants have a reputation for
reveling in art of all kinds. Perfectly located in a part of France that embraces many cultures, Metz
is a hotbed of open-minded repartee and intellectual stimulation. Truly, Metz craved a temple of this
sort and the Centre Pompidou complied.
While the opening of the Centre Pompidou’s sister museum has been greatly anticipated, most
agree it will be worth the wait. Its innovative—even audacious—design will inspire visitors. And its
commodious galleries, suffused with natural light, will offer a stimulating alternative venue to view
the more than 59,000 works once reserved only for Paris.
www.centrepompidou-metz.fr
© CAZM/Shigeru Ban Architects Europe & Jean de Gastines/Arte factory
Yet another reason to venture east of Paris
—The Centre Pompidou’s Sister Museum is
opening in Metz.
© CAZM/Shigeru Ban Architects Europe & Jean de Gastines/Arte factory
Modern
Art MAKES IT
To Metz
Centre Pompidou-Metz
www.franceguide.com
17
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
france in 2009
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
a decidedly green and therefore pertinent message: “The power of plants in their own right and
their contribution to our life on Earth.”
As in years past, the show will be held in Nantes’ charming, open Parc de la Beaujoire, where
upwards of two hundred participants will set up mini-environments that are self-contained worlds
of floral beauty. Les Floralies attracts both professional and amateur exhibitors from around the
world. The selection process to display at the fair is rigorous, demanding a true passion for plants
as well as deep-rooted, practical know-how.
La ‘Fontaine de verre’ d’Eric Fonteneau, Nantes
French
Flower
Power
A green visit to Nantes for Les Floralies
Internationales flower show.
by Dan Heching
Nantes’ premiere flower show, Les Floralies Internationales,
sees some of the most striking and exotic species of plants
assembled from around the globe. Started in the 1950s, the
flower show graces the plant world every five years, each time
with a different theme to coalesce the exotic and eyecatching
displays. Following “Light” in 1999 and “Adventure” in 2004,
for its tenth anniversary in May 2009, Floralies will present
Le Pouvoir des fleurs or “The Power of Flowers,” capitalizing on
The fair promises a true voyage of the senses, using plants and flowers from different countries
and continents to mark the way. Employing state-of-the-art decorating techniques and an astonishing
variety of colors, shapes, and textures, the scenes are sure to evoke feelings of awe, exoticism, and
wonder. The area will be divided into several sub-themes, including “Contrasts,” encompassing the
wide range of environments from the driest to the wettest; “Legends,” evoking a mysterious forest
filled with nymphs and fairies; “Transformations,” focusing on green agriculture, eco-industries
and renewable energies; “Purity,” covering plants that purify the air and water; and “Harmony,”
on flowerbeds. The underlying theme of appreciating and respecting the power of plants (and
the planet) will hopefully be brought to the fore.
The Parc Floral, where the fair is held, was founded during Les Floralies of 1971 as a riverside
addition to the main exhibition ground in Parc de la Beaujoire. This more modern park features its
own varied plants, thanks to several Floralies past: irises, heather, a briar patch, and an impressive
rose garden. Parc de la Beaujoire also plays host to more than two hundred different types
of magnolias.
Dubbed “the most livable city in all of Europe” by TIME magazine in 2004, Nantes is an excellent
jumping-off point for those wishing to explore the fascinatingly beautiful Pays de la Loire region,
or the arresting scenery and diverse flavors of Brittany to the north.
As for Les Floralies, one can count on quite a bit of activity during the eleven-day festival; over
five hundred thousand visitors of all ages are expected to attend, helping to secure the show’s
ranking as one of the most prestigious flower shows in Europe and the world.
www.nantes-tourisme.com or www.comite-des-floralies.com
Aquitaine
Villes
Aéroports
Train à Grande Vitesse
en 3h à Bordeaux
Pgg!uif!cfbufo!usbdl
jo!uif!tpvuixftu!pg!Gsbodf
BORDEAUX
by Samantha and Travis (USA)
Óuif!fmfhbou!
mjgftuzmfÔ
PÉRIGUEUX
by Felipe, Maria, Esteban and Esperanza (Mexico)
Óuif!hpvsnfu!
mjgftuzmfÔ
Our last vacation among friends in Périgueux was
fabulous ! Great and small pleasures to share, such as
walks in the ancient Roman, medieval and Renaissance
town, the colourful market on Saturday morning, cookery
lessons and tasting sessions of foie gras and truffles…
Just few kilometres away you have prehistoric caves,
castles and secret gardens, and a charming open-air café
with live music on the banks of the river...
Aquitaine, the South of France at its best !
www.enjoydordogne.co.uk
www.tourisme-perigueux.fr
www.semitour.com
3H
Bordeaux
BAYONNE & BIARRITZ
Biarritz
by Luiz and Flavia (Brazil)
Amsterdam
Paris
Bergerac
Pau
Madrid
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mjgftuzmfÔ
At the gateway to Spain, the Basque people know how to party and
relax ! In Biarritz we’d recommend the superb golf course, the marine
spas, and great hotels with seaviews stretching to infinity. In the evening
you can eat and party in the port, or right on the beach with the
surfers. Bayonne is great for a rest afterwards, with Basque songs at
the covered market, or pelota games in “Le Petit Bayonne”. Aquitaine,
holidays for body and soul !
www.bayonne-tourisme.com
www.biarritz.fr
www.bearn-basquecountry.com
Óijtupsz
.tuffqfe!
mjgftuzmfÔ
conception graphique : www.poaplume.com / crédits photos © CRTA A. Béguerie / OT de Périgueux E. Cabanes / OTC Pau/dg / CDT 64
This year, we wanted a really special vacation. Bordeaux,
a UNESCO world heritage site, and its region full of
world-famous castles and vineyards, were just that !
Among our favourite moments : the luxurious hotel Le
Régent right opposite the Opera House, a stroll along
the banks of the Garonne river and a stop off at the
Chartrons market on Sunday for a plateful of fresh
oysters. Wine-tasting in the medieval village of SaintEmilion is also a must. Before we went home, we had
to do some shopping in Bordeaux to bring back some
excellent wines and cannelés, Bordeaux’s speciality cakes
flavoured with rum and vanilla.
Aquitaine, what else ?
www.bordeaux-tourisme.com
www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com
Londres
PAU
We are very demanding
by Mary Rose and Jacques (Canada)
about our vacations in France.
We want to get off the beaten
track. Pau charmed us immediately with its rich
natural and cultural heritage. It’s a real historical
journey : the nine centuries of Henry IV’s castle,
the ancient English and American villas and even
the excellent golf course… which is the oldest in
continental Europe. It also means unforgettable
views at the foot of the Pyrenees, from a café
terrace or in the Jurançon vineyards set on the
side of the mountains. Aquitaine, a colourful
personality !
www.tourismepau.com
www.musee-chateau-pau.fr
s
f.brvjubjof/g
xxx/upvsjtn
© Office de Tourisme de Troyes et sa région/Philippe Pernet
© Office de Tourisme de Troyes et sa région/Philippe Pernet
© Office de Tourisme de Troyes et sa région/Philippe Pernet
france in 2009
19
ARTFUL DETOUR
TO TROYES
just outside of Paris, sacred sixteenth-century sculpture Takes
us back to the Renaissance
by BECCA HENSLEY
It will be a spectacle the likes of which Troyes has not seen since the Renaissance. Located in the
heart of the Champagne-Ardenne, perfectly preserved Troyes will host a gathering of glitterati that
has not appeared together in centuries. This so-called glitterati, a collection of sacred statuary
sculpted in the area by some of the of the Renaissance era’s greatest sculptors, will be exhibited
from April 18 to October 25, 2009 in the stunning Gothic church Saint-Jean-au-Marché. A perfect
backdrop for artwork of such stellar pedigree, the church sits amid quaint half-timbered houses
and narrow medieval streets in Troyes’ historical district, where many of the streets are pedestrian
walkways. Within the church, natural lighting will illuminate the retrospective, artistically focusing
on details that might otherwise be overlooked, while stunning aspects of the church’s architecture
will provide a contrast to the body of work on display. With this exhibit, art lovers will discover
the depth, breadth, and beauty of sacred sculpture—the art form that many believe defined the
Champagne region’s Medieval and Renaissance creative world.
Proposed and implemented through a collaborative effort of the city of Troyes, the region of the
Champagne-Ardenne, the state of France, as well as curators from around the world, the exhibit
was initiated to illustrate Troyes’ artistic heritage. The purpose was to introduce these outstanding
works to the world and to show their depth and complexity by displaying them in one place
simultaneously. “The museography done for this exhibit is unprecedented,” says curator Chrystelle
Laurent. In fact, special guidance came from not only the Musée du Louvre, but from museums in
the USA and Germany as well. University students from the Sorbonne provided essential research.
Together, they identified one hundred statues created in sixteenth-century Champagne and
arranged for them to be loaned to Troyes for the exhibition.
Though Troyes is known already for its multitude of churches and its cork-shaped historic
district, the exhibition will remind visitors of the significant role Troyes played as a wealthy market
town centuries ago. Here, masters from Flanders, Spain, Paris, and Italy convened and influenced
artists from the region. This resulted in an unusual variety of styles and very diverse interpretations
in the grace of the virgins, the saints, and the passion of Christ. Most evocative are the sentiments
expressed by the statues’ expressions and the details of their robes. While no statue in the exhibit
is considered by experts to be better than another, those showing some of the original sixteenthcentury colors will intrigue art aficionados. Curator Laurent suggests visitors linger and take
special notice of works by Dominique Florentine, whose atelier made a particular impression on
the art of Troyes.
www.tourism-troyes.com
www.tourisme-champagne-ardenne.com
© Steve MacNaull
france in 2009
© Steve MacNaull
20
The Juno Beach Centre rises from the dunes and beach grasses where 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed on D day (June 6, 1944)
D day is marked every year with cliff-top fireworks at Longues-sur-Mer.
65th Anniversary of D Day
The sixty-fifth anniversary of D day on June 6 expected to be the last big milestone war veterans will attend.
by steve macnaull
“Every five years a bigger D-Day Festival is organized, so the
sixty-fifth will be special,” says Fabienne de Chassey-Schurgers
of Normandy Tourism. “But it will also probably be the last one
where we will see any veterans. Most vets are already at least
eighty-five years old and likely won’t be around or won’t be able
to travel to the seventieth anniversary festival in 2014.” It is
with this poignant thought that French communities along the
D-day landing beaches are planning the sixty-fifth anniversary
festivities for June 5-7.
While every year fewer and fewer Canadian, British, and American
war vets are at the party, the French are determined to keep
marking the date. The festivals attract tourists and locals of
all ages. For generations of French, it’s a party to thank their
liberators. For international tourists, it’s an opportunity to enjoy
France’s joie de vivre and tour the sites where the Second World
War was won. Fireworks, parades, re-creations of military camps,
picnics, and pub nights will all celebrate the liberation of France.
The D-day landings on Normandy’s code-named Juno, Omaha,
Utah, Gold, and Sword beaches are considered the most complex
military operation ever orchestrated. In all, 135,000 Allied soldiers
landed on and parachuted onto the beaches the morning of
June 6, 1944, leading the charge to wrestle France from Nazi
occupation and eventually win the Second World War.
www.franceguide.com
There is a jubilant mood throughout Normandy in early June. Everywhere a French flag flies, there
is also a Canadian, American, and British flag waving in honor of their liberators. Generally, a trip
to Normandy makes you feel proud to be Canadian or American.
The Americans provided the second biggest number of men on D day (behind the British) with
34,250 troops landing on Omaha Beach and 23,250 landing on Utah. A risky massive parachute drop
of men at night, cliffs on the beaches, and prepared Germans, however, meant the U.S. sacrificed
and would suffer the most with 1,465 fatalities and over 5,000 wounded. The giant cliff at Pointe
du Hoc would prove the toughest for the U.S.’s 2nd Ranger Battalion. Under enemy fire they had
to scale the elevation using ropes and ladders and were eventually successful, but suffered
60 percent fatalities. The Americans rallied and dispersed, a necessary tactic that served to
confuse the Germans and fragment their response. The Americans were also responsible for the
first liberation of D day—the town of Sainte-Mère-Eglise—when the 82nd Airborne Divison arrived
on the beachhead and drove the Germans out.
The American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer has 9,387 graves marked with simple white marble
crosses. Adjacent to the cemetery is the free-admission American Visitor Center. Both are close
to Omaha and Utah beaches where 57,500 U.S. troops landed on D day.
The Canadian Cemetery in nearby Bény-sur-Mer is the resting place for 2,048 soldiers. The graveyard
has been customized with specially planted maple trees and perfect rows of headstones, each
one surrounded by a little garden.
The Caen Memorial: A Museum for Peace (admission: 16 euros) is a huge complex in the capital
of Lower Normandy. A fighter jet hangs in its sixty-foot airy main entrance and the vast exhibit
space follows the Second World War timeline. The Pays du Bessin tour boat (16 euros), which
proudly flies the Canadian, British, and American flags, leaves daily from Port-en-Bessin to cruise
past the Omaha landing beach along with a D-day history commentary.
D-DAY JUNE 6 TH ,1944
SIXTY FIVE YEARS AGO,
YOU BROUGHT PEACE TO OUR LAND.
NORMANDY WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL.
WITH THE NORMANDY PASS,
VISIT NORMANDY !
www.normandy-tourism.org
www.normandiememoire.com
22
© MDLF/Patrice Thébault
HISTORY & CULTURE
In the New World, we are endlessly fascinated with the depth of history that the Old
World REVEALS TO US and we can’t help being attracted to the cultural wealth found
there. Learn about age-old traditions and the abodes of those who have left a mark on
France and the world.
N O R D – PA S DE-CALAIS
© Olivier Boisseau
Honfleur
Granville
Croisset
Rouen
Trouville
Bayeux
Deauville
Caen
NORMANDY
Le Port-Marly
Argentan
Bougival
Versailles
PICARDY
Chantilly
ILE-DEFRANCE
C H A M PA G N E ARDENNE
B R I T TA N Y
PAY S
DE LA LOIRE
Château du Clos-Lucé
LOIRE
VA L L E Y
Nohant
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Claude Jacquot
ALSACE
LORRAINE
BURGUNDY
Nevers
POITOUCHARENTES
FRANCHECOMTE
Ferney-Voltaire
LIMOUSIN
Chambery
RHONE-ALPS
AUVERGNE
Antibes–
Juan-les-Pins
Les Savoyons
RIVIERA
LANGUEDOC–
ROUSSILLON
MIDI-PYRENEES
PROVENCE
Marseille
La Ciotat
Saint-Tropez
CORSICA
Ajaccio
Point of location
© Peter Bates
Color dot corresponds to the articles in the list below
Design for Life, p. 23
A Voyage to the Heart of French Art, pp. 24-25
Boules, pp. 26-27
Where Writers Wrote, pp. 28-29
Celebrity Open House, pp. 30-31
The Living Horse Museum, p. 32
© SEMEC
© MDLF/Martine Prunevieille
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Claude Jacquot
A Q U I TA I N E
© Andree Putman
Anne Fontaine boutique, Paris
Design for Life
While her beloved Normandy is her refuge, a bit of Anne fontaine’s
soul remains in her native Brazil.
by Jeryl Brunner
Before she started designing perfectly tailored white shirts for women, Anne Fontaine had a
different passion. “I love fashion, but my second love is biology,” she explains. Fontaine, whose
father is French, left her native Brazil to study in France when she was eighteen. Before departing,
she spent four months living with the Canella Indian tribe in the rainforest, sleeping on a hammock.
“I learned so much from the tribe about the power of plants and their endless varieties,” she recalls.
Ever fascinated by the environment, in France she spent a six-month sojourn on a ship studying
whales and dolphins. Afterwards, she met her future husband, Ari, whose family owned a clothing
business. “I told him I would love to design and I have a lot of imagination, but I don’t draw
very well,” she recalls. One day, she found an old trunk in her mother-in-law’s attic that was full
of beautiful white blouses manufactured by her husband’s family. She had an epiphany. Why not
create an entire collection of white blouses? “Every woman has one white shirt in her wardrobe.
It always makes you look fresh and lights up your face,” Fontaine explains. “And the contrast of
white and black provides a yin and yang equilibrium.”
writers, and musicians are from this little seaside town with
wonderful Viking architecture, including Monet, Satie, and
Flaubert,” she explains. “It’s always been full of artists. That’s
why I established my company here.” Her childhood was spent
in Rio de Janeiro, so she cherishes raising her children in the
countryside where they keep eighty chickens, forty sheep, as
well as duck andrabbits on their sprawling property. “Nature
and animals give you a spirit and responsibility,” says Fontaine.
“When you have animals, you have to think about them.”
As much as she loves living in France, a piece of her heart
remains in Brazil. She adores listening to bossa nova music,
speaks Portuguese with her children, and makes Brazilian desserts
with them like couscous de mandioca. She is delighted that 2009
is the year of France in Brazil, which will celebrate the fashion,
food, and architecture of France, with over five hundred events
in seventy Brazilian cities. “There is a love story between the
French and Brazilians,” she explains. “Brazil loves French culture
and it’s reciprocal. The French like the charm of Brazil and its
people and I’m glad the governments want to share their know­
ledge—it will be enriching for both sides.” When asked if she
feels more Brazilian than French, “I feel a mix,” she offers.
www.annefontaine.com
She also has spas in Paris and New York that offer several treatments that pay homage to Brazil.
The Amazonian Baptism involves being wrapped in a fragrant resin containing eleven essential
oils. During her time with the tribe, she received a baptism where her body was smeared with a
deliciously scented green resin and covered with white feathers. The idea was for the child in her
to fly towards adulthood. “It was an out-of-body experience,” she remembers.
Fontaine lives with her husband, and two daughters, Clara, 9 and Ella, 3, in a four-hundred-year-old
former cider press near her global headquarters in Honfleur, Normandy. “Many famous painters,
L’Absinthe
1, rue de la Ville, Honfleur
Tel. 02 31 89 11 02
www.absinthe.fr
Martine Lambert
76 bis, rue Eugène Colas,
Deauville
Tel. 02 31 88 94 04
Les Vapeurs
162, Quai Fernand
Moureaux, Trouville
Tel. 02 31 88 15 24
www.lesvapeurs.fr
© Anne Fontaine Inc.
Using her creativity and ingenuity, she designed by sculpting the fabric on the mannequin without
drawing. In 1993, Fontaine debuted her first collection of white shirts for women. They quickly
became much-coveted classics worn by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Halle Berry. Since then, she has
opened sixty-eight boutiques around the world with stores in Paris and Tokyo and has expanded
into outerwear, knits, handbags, belts, jewelry, and homewear.
Anne Fontaine
24
history & culture
A Voyage to the
Heart of French Art
© MDLF/Hervé Le Gac
How French craftsmanship became the benchmark for excellence
around the world.
Hand made plates
By Marilane Borges
France being holds handcrafted work in high esteem. It is no coincidence that its artists are
known as the best in the world. All the same, the term métiers d’art is still only vaguely defined.
For specialists, the term is based on the concept of “socioprofessional work with high human
added value, as opposed to mass production.” Artisans consider themselves the true guardians
of national heritage; and, in their workshops, they recreate the master-apprentice relationship,
sharing the secrets of their craft with future generations. Their masterpieces are still produced
using original processes, combining a respect for tradition and contemporary excellence to create
unique pieces for which many French regions are known.
Fashion lovers should travel the Norman Lace Route that winds through towns and villages
famous for their production of lace in Normandy. The tour gives visitors the opportunity to see many
sublime creations, in particular, Alençon and Argentan needlepoint, Caen’s special blonde lace,
and Bayeux’s black lace: beautiful examples of the technical diversity of this refined craft whose
ancient tradition has been preserved.
Still in Normandy, in Granville, the perfume and fashion workshops are the epitome of elegance.
At the Christian Dior Museum, visitors will find two hundred years of perfume history, with
fragrances such as cologne used by Napoleon I; Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit, a tribute to Saint-Exupéry;
and Christian Dior’s L’Eau Sauvage, a landmark launched in 1968. However, the real olfactory
revolution is in Grasse, in southeastern France, the birthplace of luxury perfume, where clients
can customize their own scents with exclusive fragrances at one of the Fragonard, Gallimard,
or Molinard workshops.
© MDLF/Style City
In the fifteenth century, Louis XI decided to build a factory in Lyon to produce silk embroidered
with gold thread. This was the beginning of Lyon’s Silk Road which reached its pinnacle in the
eighteenth century when Philippe de Lasalle used this fabric to decorate the Château de Versailles.
In 1805, another invention helped ensure the perpetuation of this craft: the Jacquard loom. Named
after its creator, it has become synonymous with art and is an integral part of the region’s historical
culture. Lyon is the chosen site for the annual textile fairs where visitors can buy beautiful fabrics
imported from Italy, see the latest fashion trends, and visit family-run workshops that keep this
savoir-faire alive.
Perfumes
www.franceguide.com
To conclude this trip through the métiers d’art, there is one
symbol of the artistic world that cannot be forgotten, and that
is Pablo Picasso. In the summer of 1947, the artist made his
first foray into ceramics, leaving Juan-les-Pins on the French
Riviera, every day to study the craft in the Ramiés home in
Vallauris. At Atelier Madoura, Picasso produced nearly four
thousand original works, which can be admired at the Musée
Picasso in Antibes. Another interesting fact about the city, which
has one of the largest collections of art nouveau in the world,
is the International Biennial of Ceramic Arts, which attracts
artists of international caliber and has several workshops where
visitors can try their hand at ceramics any time of the year.
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Didier Cry
Anyone wanting to learn the art of the true musical architects
should spend at least a day in Montpellier. The town boasts the
largest number of luthiers (stringed instrument makers) in
France, and exports their savoir-faire around the world. Luthiers,
who constitute a community of artists in their own right, craft
musical instruments by hand, reaching the alchemy between
art, style and craft. Many beautiful instruments contribute
to the worldwide reputation of this work, which requires
patience and an excellent sense of music and esthetics.
Old sewing machine
French lace
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Sam Bellet
Delicate porcelain vases from Faenza, Urbino, or Savona,
faïence, or earthenware, tell stories through paintings of
Romantic landscapes. The most famous are those from Gien,
decorated on a black or blue background with motifs from
the Italian Renaissance depicting the loves and mythology of
an entire era. The artisans of Gien specialize in the art of repro­
duction, producing replicas at an affordable price. One-of-a-kind
pieces are also created by painters and decorators who find
inspiration in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century models, or
even Far East faïenceries. Along the narrow streets of Rouen,
visitors will be hard-pressed to miss artist workshops (they’re
on practically every street corner!), where anyone interested in
mastering this nineteenth-century art form will find courses and
apprenticeships year-round. The town of Nevers, in Burgundy,
is known as the “town of art,” and is renowned for its traditional
and contemporary earthenware in royal blue tones. Visitors are
invited to uncover the secrets of this highly esthetic and delicate
craft. One of the secrets attesting to the authenticity of pieces
manufactured here is a tiny “green knot” stamp.
25
© MDLF/Patrice Thébault
history & culture
Colored silk thread
history & culture
© Martine Roch
© Saverio Lombardi
26
Petanque field at Le Couvent des Minimes Hotel & Spa
BOULES
How the French Test their Metal.
by Peter Wortsman
Like the chirp of the cicada, the clink of steel on steel is a signal sound of the south of France. “Ooh
la!” they cry when a deft tireur (shooter) lands a carreau (a perfect pitch), knocking an opponent’s
boule out of the way and dropping his own in its place. “Il a le biais! (He’s got the toss!)” they
declare and toast his prowess with a cool pastis.
But the game of boules is not limited to the Midi. As French as the baguette, it is played with equal
passion—albeit by different rules and with projectiles of various shapes and sizes—on rough and
smooth terrains all over France, and can indeed be said to be the national pastime. Each version
has its own pitch and flavor. There are the indoor games, like boule de fort with its flattened boules
and preferred in Tours and boule nantaise with its big spherical boules that are tossed on a curved
asphalt court. The Bretons play boule bretonne with hard wooden boules and celebrate with cider.
In the northeastern variant, boule des Flandres, they hurl a metallic disc and clink victory over
beer. By far the most popular versions, jeu lyonnais (from Lyon), jeu provençal and its offshoot
la pétanque (both originally from Provence) are now played everywhere.
Boules has been traced back to the ancient Greeks, who hurled round stones, and the Romans,
who pitched wooden balls wrapped in an iron hoop. Rusty archeological specimens have been dug
up in Marseille.
© Oktay Ortakcioglu
The oldest documented version of the game, la lyonnaise, also known as la longue (the long game),
was first played in the eighteenth century in the city of Lyon and its surroundings. The rules were
codified in 1850. The boules are larger and heavier than those of jeu provençal and pétanque and
players take a prescribed three steps to hurl. La lyonnaise has of late gained a global following as a
serious sport. In addition to the French, teams from six other nations (Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Monaco, Slovenia, Croatia, and China) competed last summer at the lovely tree-lined boulodrome
in Gap (Hautes-Alpes) during the Grand prix bouliste. And though the French team from Lyon took
home the trophy, the Chinese offered stiff opposition, earning the crowd’s respect and raising hopes
of one day taking the game to the Olympics.
www.franceguide.com
history & culture
27
You just crouch, aim and pitch. With your palm facing down and a little practice you can put a
backspin on your boule to make it stop short. In fact, it’s more like horseshoes than bowling;
a toss rather than a roll. A century after its creation, the game’s popularity has soared as the leisure
activity of choice from the shady Place des Lices in Saint-Tropez and Marseille’s Parc Borély to
the Place de la Nation in Paris and every autoroute rest stop and village square in between.
© Olivier Boisseau
In Provence they prefer a considerably less strenuous version called pétanque (literally pieds
tanqués, or anchored feet) equally prized by nonagenarians like singer Henri Salvador, stocky
Marseille dockworkers, fishermen, farmhands, bankers in business suits, and bathing beauties in
bikinis. Pétanque was reputedly invented in 1907 in La Ciotat (a port just outside Marseille) by a
certain Jules Hughes (aka Le Noir), a player past his prime who suffered from rheumatism, and
so, refused to budge.
Like pool in America, pétanque is both an amateurs’ passion indulged for fun and a calculated
hustle played for high stakes. In either case, it is no laughing matter, and like every game worth
playing, a test of one’s mettle and a lesson for life.
For more information on the game of boules
and the regions in which it is played:
Provence-Alps-Côte d’Azur Regional Tourism Committee
www.decouverte-paca.fr
La Boule Bleue: www.laboulebleue.fr
And for boules in your own backyard: www.petanque.us
© Karl Thaller
I was coached in one memorable match some years ago by my late father-in-law, a retired teacher,
in the tiny Alpine village of Les Savoyons in the Hautes-Alpes. The object is to place your boules
closest to the little wooden jack, called a cochonnet (literally, piglet), and scatter those of your
opponent. There are two essential skills involved: to pointe (place) your boule and to tire (shoot),
displacing the competition. I was lobbing and hurling with careless abandon, invariably missing my
mark. “Why don’t you aim?!” my father-in-law frowned. It had never occurred to me that I could.
Then to everyone’s utter amazement, not least of all my own, I did just that and pulled off a perfect
carreau. What a lovely clink! Revelations are seldom so simple and sweet.
A group playing petanque in Paris
28
history & culture
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Claude Jacquot
WHERE
WRITERS
WROTE
In almost every corner of France,
sites where great ideas were born
are faithfully preserved.
Alexandre Dumas’ signature
by Peter Wortsman
“Witness of my miseries, my distresses, my great joys, of everything […] My arms almost wore it
down with the weight of my writing.” That’s how Balzac described the little writing table on which
he corrected the proofs of his monumental The Human Comedy in a house on a quiet side street
in Paris’s sixteenth arrondissement. Covered with a second script of scratches and specks, the
table bears silent witness, as does the monogrammed red-striped porcelain coffee pot that fueled
his inspiration. Balzac’s coffee pot has since run dry but you can still sip a fine red wine bottled at
the estate of the great Renaissance thinker Michel de Montaigne in Dordogne before climbing his
tower, the ceiling beams of which are decorated with quotations from antiquity, hand-carved by the
father of the modern essay himself. In Lyon, the old Hôtel-Dieu Hospital where François Rabelais
penned his picaresque life of the giant Pantagruel still glows at night. And down south on the Côte
d’Azur, the Villa Saint-Louis (today the Hôtel Belles Rives) in Antibes retains the seaside aura that
inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald to compose his last completed novel Tender is the Night. In almost every
corner of France, temples of creation faithfully preserve the sites where ideas germinated and
great books were born.
What a thrill to stand, as I did several summers ago, with an open copy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s
Confessions in hand, at the bedroom window of Les Charmettes, the country house nestled in a
wooded valley just outside Chambéry (Savoie), where the great Enlightenment thinker came into his
own! “Here began the brief bliss of my life,” Rousseau wrote of this place, “here came the peaceful
but fleeting moments that gave me the right to say that I have lived.” The rooms and grounds survive
much as Rousseau described them, including the herb garden where he conducted his botanical
studies and the bed into which his fickle lady love, Madame de Warens, invited the gardener.
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Claude Jacquot
I was in good company. Literary pilgrims to Les Charmettes over the years have included the
Romantic poet Alphonse de Lamartine (with a house of his own on view in the hamlet of MillyLamartine, Bourgogne), the novelist Stendhal (whose childhood digs on the Jean-Jacques Rousseau
in Grenoble, Isère likewise comprise a museum), and France’s greatest female novelist George Sand
(whose recent rediscovery has drawn droves of bibliophiles to her native Berry).
Aurore Dupin (aka George Sand) spent her most productive periods at her country estate in the
sleepy village of Nohant (Berry). The renovated manor includes her study; the padded soundproof
piano room she had built for her lover, Frédéric Chopin; the flower garden she planted; and the
www.franceguide.com
history & culture
theater where she and her talented guests kept themselves entertained. The dining room table
is set with place cards comprising a who’s who of illustrious literati, including novelists Gustave
Flaubert, Ivan Turgenev, and Alexandre Dumas, each with houses of their own to visit in Croisset
(Normandie), Bougival, and Port-Marly (Île-de-France), respectively. My appetite whetted, I sampled
the foie gras at a nearby watermill-turned-inn straight out of one of her novels.
Readers of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo will feel right at home, as I did,
in Dumas’ own storybook castle, the Château de Monte-Cristo, in Port-Marly (Yvelines), a short
suburban train ride outside Paris. Designed according to the author’s precise specifications,
the house and grounds—including a freestanding neo-Gothic writing studio surrounded by a
moat, and an ornate Moorish-style sitting room—reflect his rich fantasy and lavish lifestyle.
“When one has the honor of bearing the name of Dumas, one lives the high life […] and does not
refuse oneself any pleasure,” he wrote. The joie de vivre is still palpable more than a century after
his death. A faded menu features his favorite concoction, an oyster omelet no doubt way off the
Richter scale of cholesterol counting. Victor Hugo was among the famous dinner guests.
29
Maison de Balzac
www.parisinfo.com
Stendhal
www.isere-tourisme.com
Chateau de Montaigne
www.chateau-montaigne.com
George Sand
www.maison-george-sand.
monuments-nationaux.fr
Villa Saint-Louis
www.villasaintlouis.com
Les Charmettes
www.litterature-lieux.com
Lamartine
www.litterature-lieux.com
Flaubert
www.litterature-lieux.com
Chateau de Monte-Cristo
www.chateaumonte-cristo.com
Maison de Victor Hugo
www.musee-hugo.paris.fr
Hugo’s own palatial abode on the Place des Vosges is owned and managed as a museum by
the City of Paris. Here he wrote much of his masterpiece Les Misérables, among other works;
entertained fellow scribes, like Lamartine and Dumas; dallied with his mistress, Juliette Drouet;
and conducted séances round the living room table. His reconstituted bedroom features the desk
at which he wrote standing up and the bed in which he died.
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Claude Jacquot
Bibliophile or oenophile, whatever your preference—or better yet, both!—in France, you can
sample inspiration at its source.
Hôtel de Rohan-Guémenée, Where Victor Hugo Lived
30
history & culture
The homes of some of France’s most iconic legends are scattered
across the country, many of which are now open to the public.
From country estate to enchanted island, each unlocks a hidden
world nearly forgotten until, that is, you peer inside these national
treasures and take in the sights.
by Ilona Kauremszky
Clos Lucé, Amboise
Voltaire’s chateau in Ferney-Voltaire
© www.amboise-valdeloire.com
Before celebrity mania erupted over Angelina Jolie, there was
François-Marie Arouet, aka Voltaire. Regarded as a national
celebrity and dubbed “the man of the century” by his peers, the
renowned writer and campaigner was the darling of France’s
inner circles until he fell out of favor with Louis XV and was
blamed for sparking the French Revolution. Turfed out of Paris,
the notorious writer found solace in Ferney (a hamlet straddling
the Swiss border).
Clos Lucé, Amboise
© MDLF/Martine Prunevieille
Today, his thirty-room château situated on a fifteen-acre property
offers an edifying view of his final years. Already sixty-five when
he arrived, Voltaire spent the last twenty years of his life here,
where it is said that he wrote countless letters and plays, and entertained the highbrowed set. Casanova, Mozart, and Maréchal
de Richelieu were among his many guests.
Clos Lucé, Amboise
The home is furnished from period collections and but a few
personal items. Voltaire’s bedroom, where his heart was stored
for a few years before the National Library obtained it, is not
to be missed. This room, in which he found much comfort and
continued to write, looks as though Voltaire has only stepped
out for a moment. His bed, a green silk bathrobe, his portrait
by painter Maurice Quentin de Latour, and a painting of Lekain
(Voltaire’s favorite actor) grace the bedchamber.
© www.amboise-valdeloire.com
www.ferney-voltaire.net
Mona Lisa - Léonardo Da Vinci Park
Clos Lucé, Amboise
www.franceguide.com
© MDLF/Martine Prunevieille
Celebrity
Open House
Leonardo da Vinci’s Chateau du Clos Luce
in amboise
Leave it to the death of a Medici to spur France to adopt a son,
one of the biggest brains of the Renaissance.
As the story goes, upon hearing of the death of da Vinci’s patron
Giuliano de’ Medici, a young King Francis I, only nineteen, declared
his own patronage to the renowned Renaissance man. An exhausted Leonardo trekked across the Alps carrying his beloved
Mona Lisa, Saint Anne, and Saint John the Baptist on the backs
of mules to France’s Amboise, which would become his final home.
On the banks of the Loire River where the sunlight is reminiscent
of Tuscany, Leonardo toiled and set his genius in motion at
Château du Clos-Lucé as the “first painter, state mechanic,
engineer and architect of the King.” Here, he designed his
final masterpiece—a Venice-like royal palace in Romorantin—;
however, it never materialized. This new residence for the King
featured a water drainage system, automatic doors, and a vast
complex of buildings and gardens.
Today, the mansion made of locally quarried pink brick remains
one of the most furnished residences in the region and is still
considered a symbol of France’s own Renaissance movement.
Reproductions of Leonardo’s inventions dot the château’s grounds.
The restored home harks back to Leonardo’s time with the bedchamber where he lived and died; the underground rooms that
house forty machines that were four centuries ahead of their
time; the workroom where Leonardo designed the Château de
Romorantin; and the chapel resplendent with sixteenth-century
Italian frescoes.
www.vinci-closluce.com
history & culture
31
Celebrities in Cannes,
Yesterday and Today
© SEMEC
This fishing village on the
French Riviera morphed
into the “Hollywood of
Europe” in the thirties,
and ever since, celebrities,
world leaders, and royalty
flock to Cannes’s golden
shores. Some come in
search of fame, others to
catch a glimpse of the glitz
and glamour strutting
the legendary red carpet.
Villa Domergue, Cannes
Maison Bonaparte in Corsica
WHERE TO SPOT
A-LIST CELEBRITIES
Down a narrow little street in the old town of Ajaccio stands the
home where Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, and where
the French emperor returned to after conquering Egypt.
At the renowned Palais
des Festivals, the capital
of the Cannes Film Festival,
photographers gather to
shoot stars as they climb
the famous twenty-four
steps while tourists bob
to see over the crowds
as a tsunami of celebrities
appear daily during
the two-week event.
“The interesting thing about this house is showing visitors the
humble home that the family had before Napoléon became an
emperor,” explains Pierre-André of the Musée de la Maison
Bonaparte noting Napoléon’s famous bedroom.
www.musee-maisonbonaparte.fr
Spot the stars
The prestigious Palais
des Festivals, Hôtel du
Cap-Eden-Roc—famous
for its pool and for
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt,
Hot-spot Bâoli nightclub
© Office municipal de tourisme d’Ajaccio
While most of the home was pillaged during the Revolution, rare
original furnishings—taken by Bonaparte’s mother who escaped
with her children to Marseille—are now on display. Inside
Napoléon’s bedroom, original paintings of a young Letizia and
Louis adorn the marble fireplace as well as a sixteenth-century
wooden desk with onyx, lapis, and marble marquetry. The house
became a national museum in 1967.
Villa Domergue,
the Artist’s Abode
The artist Jean-Gabriel
Domergue searched Cannes
for a home that mirrored
those he had seen in Fiesole,
near Florence; he found
it in 1926 at the bottom of
California Hill, known
for some of Cannes most
luxurious residences. Gina
Lollobrigida and Brigitte
Bardot are two of the many
beautiful women who came
to sit for Domergue. Today,
the house belongs to the
city of Cannes and is open
to the public for festivals
and expos, as well as on
national heritage holidays.
May 13-24, 2009,
Cannes Film Festival
Palais des Festivals et
des Congrès de Cannes
www.palaisdes
festivals.com
Maison Bonaparte, Ajaccio
history & culture
The Living
Horse
Museum
Chantilly’s Monument to the Glory
of the Horse.
© Peter Bates
32
Chantilly Living Horse Museum
by TOM REEVES
Located in the town of Chantilly, just thirty miles to the north of
Paris, the Musée Vivant du Cheval (Living Horse Museum) is a
monument to the glory of the horse. It is also the culmination
of one man’s dream to provide a space for the presentation of
magnificent equestrian shows and to educate the public on the
basics of horsemanship.
The museum is sheltered within the Grand Stables of Chantilly,
perhaps the most magnificent stables in the world. In 1721,
prince of Condé Louis-Henri de Bourbon was determined to build
these stables befitting his status as a prince. He hired one of
the best architects of the time, Jean Aubert, to construct them.
Colossal in size, the building rises as high as ninety-two feet at
the central dome and stretches six hundred feet in length. The
horse is represented in all its splendor in beautiful sculptures
adorning pediments over the doorways. When they were
completed, the stables sheltered 240 horses and 500 hunting
dogs. The last prince to live in Chantilly—Henri d’Orléans, duc
d’Aumale—bequeathed the property to the Institute of France.
In 1978, upon seeing that the grand stables were falling into
disuse, a man named Yves Bienaimé entered into negotiation
with the Institute of France. As an accomplished horseman and
owner of three equestrian clubs, his objective was to restore
the stables to their former grandeur and to create a living horse
museum. Today the museum welcomes some 160,000 visitors a
year and provides them with spectacular entertainment. Trained
steeds carrying elegant riders perform bows, Spanish walks,
piaffes, and caprioles as well as coordinated trots and gallops
around a rink measuring forty-two feet in diameter. Colorful
costumes, dramatic lighting effects, and classical music provide
www.franceguide.com
atmosphere and glamour. A special Christmas performance is given each year. The theme for the
2008 season was “Christmas, the Horse, and the Child,” featuring a representation of the fairytale
Sleeping Beauty. The performances are a delight for children of all ages!
Some thirty horses live in the museum, representing several different breeds: Friesian, Appaloosa,
Spanish, Portuguese, Boulonnais, Thoroughbred, Barb, and Shetland. Also living here is the unique
Marwari, an ancient breed of horse from the Marwar region in the state of Rajasthan, India. Ponies
and a jackass complete the group. At any moment during the day, visitors will see them in their
stables and boxes or with their riders giving demonstrations of basic equestrian art in a courtyard.
These demonstrations take place from three to five times a day.
The Musée Vivant du Cheval also plays a role as an equestrian training center. Specialists in
dressage and theatrical production, including an international judge of competitive horse training
and an expert in animal behavior, guide the museum’s team of riders.
It is no exaggeration to say that Chantilly is the horse capital of France. From April to September,
prestigious races are held at the Chantilly horseracing track. And the nearby town of Apremont
is home to Europe’s largest polo club, the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly.
Across the road from the Musée Vivant du Cheval stands the magnificent Château of Chantilly.
Surrounded by moats and gardens, it is the home of one of the finest collections of paintings in
France. And let us not forget two products famously associated with the town—Chantilly lace
and whipped cream (called crème Chantilly in French). The former, Chantilly lace, was fashionable
in the royal court during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The latter was invented by
chef François Vatel for a sumptuous party held in honor of King Louis XIV in 1661.
www.museevivantducheval.fr/uk
Glamorous Cannes - French Riviera
Cannes? Yes, you Cannes!
With its legendary palaces, hundreds of excellent
restaurants and famous casinos, it is no wonder
that Cannes has always attracted celebrities from
around the world.
Yes, Cannes is a surprisingly affordable destination.
But you, too, are welcome in Cannes. This glamorous
city on the Riviera is not only for the rich and famous.
Good value for all budgets can be found in the wide
range of accommodations, restaurants and activities.
Come discover the hidden charm of this once
sleepy fishing village. You can explore the medieval
Old Quarter, the Suquet market or just walk along
the beachfront. Throughout the year Cannes hosts a
variety of festivals, exhibits and competitions so
there is always something going on. And don’t forget Cannes is ideally located for day trips to
Provence and other sites along the Riviera.
Cannes is a 30-minute drive from the international
airport in Nice.
Request a free digital magazine or other information by writing
to: [email protected]
www.cannes.com
AS AN EXTENSION OF YOUR STAY IN PARIS IN SPRING-SUMMER 2009
S P E C I A L
E D I T I O N
CITY ZEN CANNES
2009 I YEAR OF WELL BEING
34
© Château de Raissac
food & wine
France is forever famous for exquisite food and wine. The following pages will develop
your appetite for some of France’s lesser-known flavors, the people behind them, and
the traditions that have withstood the test of time.
N O R D – PA S DE-CALAIS
PICARDY
© Jaime Ardiles-Arce
Isigny-sur-mer
ALSACE
NORMANDY
LORRAINE
Fougères
B R I T TA N Y
Rennes
Vitré
ILE-DEFRANCE
Orléans
PAY S
DE LA LOIRE
Château Pierre-Bise
C H A M PA G N E ARDENNE
Domaine du
Clos Naudin
Dijon
Clos Rougeard
BURGUNDY
LOIRE
VA L L E Y
FRANCHECOMTE
© Robyn Mackenzie
POITOUCHARENTES
LIMOUSIN
AUVERGNE
RHONE-ALPS
PÉRIGORD
Bordeaux
Montélimar
Arcachon
A Q U I TA I N E
PROVENCE
Toulouse
Montpellier
Castelnaudary
Nice
Marseille
Color dot corresponds to the articles in the list below
La Baguette Magique, p. 35
Culinary Heritage, p. 36
Crazy for Cru, p. 38
Bountiful Butter, p. 40
Nuts about Nougat, p. 41
Bouchons Lyonnais, p. 43
Only the Best, p. 44
Périgord Treasure, p. 45
Les Apéritifs, p. 46
Michelin Takes a Spin Overseas, p. 48
Point of location
© Office du Tourisme Sarlat-Périgord
CORSICA
© Pekka Nuikki
© Office de Tourisme de Montélimar
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
RIVIERA
LANGUEDOC–
ROUSSILLON
MIDI-PYRENEES
© Gracieuseté Arnaud Delmontel
La Baguette Magique
The Secret is in the Flour
Arnaud Delmontel won the 2007 prize for the best baguette
in Paris thanks to his “Renaissance” baguette with Guérande
salt and in 2008 he was part of the jury that crowned young
Anis Bouabsa. “The secret of a good baguette lies mainly in the
quality of the basic ingredients,” says Arnaud Demontel, who
uses flour from the Viron flour mill in Chartres. “Then the manufacturing process must be undertaken with a lot of precision
and… love!” No doubt about it, Dumontel is crazy about bread.
Even if he doesn’t particularly enjoy waking up before sunrise,
the thought of breathing in the smell of bread helps him tear
himself out of bed.
An unmistakable symbol of France, the baguette is on every table,
at every meal.
by Louise Gaboury
As Paris awakens, the mouthwatering smell of fresh bread wafts through the streets. The sun is barely
up and Parisians are already rushing off to the boulangerie to buy their first baguette of the day. This
almost mythical bread takes six hours to make and only keeps for just about as long. To ensure a daily
supply, the bakery’s doorbell will be chiming from dawn to dusk.
Elsewhere in France
“There are 650 millers in France and their wheat yields different
breads but good bread can be found all over,” he continues.
Practically every region in France cultivates wheat and many of
them are reintroducing local flours, many of which had sunken
into oblivion. Revived in September 2007, the milling wheat
of Apt is grown within the Luberon Regional Nature Park on
ecologically managed farms. The baguette ardéchoise was
created in 2003 on the other side of the Rhone and is made with
three types of flour: wheat, rye, and chestnut, which bears a
stunning resemblance to breadfruit, of all things!
Baguette Basics
Since September 1993, the appellation of the traditional French baguette has been rigorously
controlled. The length (twenty-four inches), weight (nine ounces), and ingredients (flour, salt,
and water, without added fat or sugar) are defined according to a decree that prohibits additives
and freezing. These regulations have contributed to the safeguarding of the true nature of French
bread and have allowed artisan bakery products to set themselves apart from industrial products
available in supermarkets.
France celebrates bread
for one week every year
starting the Monday
preceding May 16,
in honor of Saint-Honoré
(the patron saint of
bakers). This year,
the festivities will take
place from May 11 to 19.
www.fetedupain.com
© Gracieuseté Arnaud Delmontel
Jury members spend an entire morning randomly admiring,
smelling, touching, and tasting some hundred baguettes. Once
they’ve verified the baguette’s length and weight, they judge
the look, smell, crumb, and last but not least, the flavor. The crust
must be smooth, golden and crackling, with regularly spaced
slashes. The crumb must be airy, full, and cream-colored. The
happy winner becomes the supplier for a year to the Elysée
Palace, the official residence of the President.
© Gracieuseté Arnaud Delmontel
The President’s Bread
For the past fifteen years, the city of Paris has been honoring
the city’s best baguette of the year. The aim of the contest is
to highlight the work of bread artisans and the flavor of an
authentic baguette.
Arnaud Delmontel Bakery
Arnaud Delmontel
36
food & wine
“The region has acted almost like a vanguard for re-plantation and new methods,” Sera Goto,
a Californian, told me. “There are not many growing regions in the world that have made such a
public, dramatic push to re-plant and restyle their approach to wine production for the purpose
of competing on the global market.”
© Château de Raissac
“And the wines are already showing the results of the effort,” Sera said.
Indeed, this south central region of France—hinged between the Mediterranean Sea, Rhone river
delta, and the Spanish border—is the most productive wine region in the world.
Ageing room Château de Raissac
Culinary
Heritage
Following the roots of food and wine to
their source in Languedoc-Roussillon.
By Terry Ward
To be sure, the French have a way with words.
We are rolling along a ribbon of road outside Béziers, past miles
of vineyards that are written into the dry earth like so much leafy
scrollwork and poppies blooming like red exclamation points
here and there.
And words escape me as I take it all in.
We turn down a sun-dappled gravel lane. Filtered light streams
through the plane trees and irises cluster their purple heads
together in the shade. At the road’s end, Château de Raissac—one
of several wine-producing châteaux in Languedoc-Roussillon—
stands as a quiet sentinel. It’s as if the elegant blue-shuttered
building, too, is bathing in the beauty of its surroundings.
“Ça me fait rêver,” breathes my companion. And I couldn’t have
put it better.
France is full of destinations that will make one dream. But a
journey through Languedoc-Roussillon feels to me like a privileged
partaking in a lesser-known side of the country’s good-life soul.
At Château de Raissac, guests can stay in an authentic chateau
that has been in the Viennet family since 1828. The property’s
wine cellar and storehouses date to the seventeenth century.
And the pinot noirs, viogniers, and chardonnays nurtured in the
nearby vineyards have evolved from the area’s rich patrimoine,
dating back to Gallo-Roman times.
Earlier, when I had told a friend who studies viticulture in Bordeaux
that I would be visiting Languedoc-Roussillon, her enthusiasm
poured forth like a convivial bottle of red.
www.franceguide.com
In the past, Languedoc-Roussillon was known for over-produced table wines rather than the vin
de pays varietals that now command the region’s spotlight. From lighter Minervois crus to more
full-bodied Corbières and Fitou appellations, the region is particularly revered for its reds, which
pair delightfully with grilled meats and local sausages.
With an eye (and a nose) on the Corbières region, my next stop is the Abbaye de Font-froide—a
Benedictine monastery dating to the eleventh century. This is Cathar country, and the surrounding
castles and vineyards of the department of Aude add to the splendid setting. After admiring the
thirteenth-century cloister and rose garden, there are Corbières wines to be tasted in the abbey’s cellar.
The pleasures of the table, too, are a big part of what brings me to Languedoc-Roussillon. And when
it comes to gastronomy, the region’s contribution to France’s culinary heritage runs as deep and
wide as its endless seas of vines.
Before its wines evolved onto the global stage, this part of France was long known for the quality of
its gastronomy. Dominated by the subtle flavors of Provence, the cuisine of Languedoc-Roussillon
is typified by a penchant for olive oil, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs and an affinity for red meats,
sausages, and seafood.
Le Castellas, a family-run hostellerie in the village of Collias, remains a local secret despite its
Michelin star. Chef Jérôme Nutile’s menu of creative French cuisine is strong on seafood dishes
such as delicately fried turbot and salt cod ravioli.
For meatier pursuits, there’s the famed specialty of Castelnaudary and Carcassonne. Cassoulet—a
slow cooked stew that blends variations of pork, duck, goose, lamb, and white haricot beans—is
the region’s most renowned culinary calling card. And how the dish is prepared depends on the lieu
where it’s served.
The first time I tasted cassoulet was in Toulouse, where the region’s special sausage and rich
goose confit are key to the local recette. In Castelnaudary, there’s even more emphasis on pork
ingredients, extending from ham shanks and sausages to the skin itself. And in Carcassonne, duck
confit is often replaced by red partridge in the dish.
My only regret, as I tuck into my last savory bite, is that this trip allows no more time to ramble
down the Route des Cassoulets—an epicurean’s dream tour that winds from Caracassonne to
Toulouse, pointing cassoulet lovers to small inns and Michelin-starred restaurants that render
the dish to its maximum.
La prochaine fois, maybe next time, I think to myself. For I know my travels will bring me back to
Languedoc-Roussillon.
www.raissac.com
www.lecastellas.com
www.fontfroide.com
www.routedescassoulets.com
Languedoc-Roussillon, Sud de France
The art of living
Basking peacefully in the vast architectural and natural showcase of the Mediterranean crescent, the
Languedoc-Roussillon region offers visitors a
warm, in�mate and friendly taste of the South.
Situated just three hours from Paris by TGV (high
speed train), with services to Montpellier interna�onal airport, the region boasts a wealth of different landscapes, tradi�ons and talents wai�ng to
be discovered.
With its colourful local markets, its 300 days a year
of sunshine warming its rich coastline, 220 km of
fine sandy beaches, its charming villages and welcoming towns, visitors can experience a harmonious combina�on of listed architectural sites
(some of which have Unesco listed status, including
the for�fied old town of Carcassonne, the Pont du
Gard site, the pilgrim trails, the Vauban forteresses
and the Canal du Midi) and the innova�ve architecture of Montpellier, a regional prefecture and
the cultural capital of the South.
In the region’s hinterland, off the beaten tracks, the
visitor can appreciate at first hand the many things
which make France so unique, including its smallscale wine growers, its cuisine, its popular culture,
its village fes�vals and local tradi�ons...
A joyous art de vivre, successfully combining the
best of tradi�on and modernity, and underpinning
the iden�ty of a truly enchan�ng region.
To organize your next vaca�ons and to discover our
special offers in Languedoc-Roussillon :
www.sunfrance.com
www.sunfrance.com
38
food & wine
Crazy
for Cru
© Jaime Ardiles-Arce
Le Cinq’s restaurant director Eric Beaumard,
named best sommelier in France and in the
world, has tasted over seven thousand wines
each year for twenty-five years.
by Jeryl Brunner
Wine cellar at Le Cinq
© Four Seasons Hotels Limited and affiliates
Eric Beaumard’s love affair with all things culinary began when
he was ten, making chocolate cakes and rice pudding beside
his mother and grandmother. “I love to cook because I love
to create,” says the world-famous sommelier and venerable
director of Le Cinq restaurant in Paris’s George V Hotel. “Every
time you cook, you tell a story. Even with the same recipe, each
dish is different. It’s a representation of you.
© Four Seasons Hotels Limited and affiliates
Eric Beaumard
Le Cinq
www.franceguide.com
Born in Fougères, near Rennes, he worked as an assistant in
various restaurants intending to forge a career as a chef. But
at eighteen, his life was completely transformed when his right
arm was severely injured in a motorcycle accident. “I didn’t
want to change my profession. The kitchen was my passion,” he
recalls. Working became a challenge. He continued cooking at
Les Maisons de Bricourt for a few months, but its great master
chef and owner, Olivier Roellinger, suggested a new path. “Oliver
said, ‘I see your joy for cooking, but it’s too dangerous’,” explains
Beaumard who had lost all sensation in his right arm. “Continue
your passion, but do it with wine.” A new career was born.
He devoured Guy Renvoisé’s Guide des Vins de France, worked
in a wine shop and wine bars, and taught himself everything he
could. “There was much to learn,” he says. “But once I started,
I didn’t want to stop.” Finding work was tricky. “No one wanted
to hire a sommelier who couldn’t use one arm,” he recalls. But
he persevered and ultimately found a position at La Taverne
de l’Ecu in Vitré (Brittany). In 1987, after honing his skills, he
won Best Young Sommelier in France. This title garnered him a
position at the Michelin-starred La Poularde in the Loire Valley.
He lived in the region with his wife and three children for twelve
years. “The Sauvignon Blanc is amazing,” says Beaumard, whose
favorite wine growers there include Château Pierre-Bise, Clos
Rougeard, and Domaine du Clos Naudin. “We say the Loire Valley
is France’s garden. The weather is not too hot, not too cold.”
During his time in the region, more accolades ensued, including
Best Sommelier in France (1992), Best Sommelier in Europe (1997)
and the silver medal for the World’s Best Sommelier (1998). All
the while, he perfected a technique for opening bottles with one
arm. “A glass can be half full or half empty,” Beaumard explains.
“I choose half full.”
In 1999, he was hired by the esteemed George V Hotel to create
the wine cellar (which now boasts fifty thousand bottles) and
mastermind the wine list. From the beginning, he insisted on
visiting the vineyards to select wines. He often brings executive
chef Eric Briffard and sommelier Thierry Hamon. “It’s important to
have a deep connection with the growers,” explains Beaumard.
“So when you speak about wine to guests, you understand
where it comes from, you’ve lived the landscape.”
After tasting over seven thousand wines a year in twenty-five
years, is there one that sticks out? One Christmas, he shared a
bottle of 1969 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti with his wife and
father. “The world became a dream,” he recalls. “Although the
color wasn’t clear, the complexity of the nose was astonishing.”
Every fifteen minutes, the bouquet changed. The sensation on
the palate was velvety. And the experience continues to mystify
him. “It was like when you see a great painting and can’t
describe or compare it to anything,” he says. “It was the perfect
experience—one I wanted to keep forever.”
Rhône-Alpes
A Gratie – Mandrak / Heimermann – Villa Florentine / P. Lebeau / S. Maviel – Mandrak – Getty / S. Maviel – Mandrak Studio / C. Martelet - Kalyana
in full technicolour
Documentaries, reports, interviews, live broadcasts,
competitions, events and festivals…
Travel, Sport and Culture,
the whole of Rhône-Alpes in images:
www.rhonealpes.tv
The Rhône-Alpes special-interest channel package
40
food & wine
Bountiful
Butter
© Robyn Mackenzie
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE—Butter ADDS magic
to cooking, and the best butter in the world
can be found in France.
by Seth Fishman
French cooking has long been at the forefront of the butter
revolution. Ever since Madeleine Kamman rebelled against
margarine in the early 1970s with her book, The Making of a Cook
(Atheneum, 1971), the modern chef has sworn by butter and its
ability to make accompanying flavors burst on the palate. The
French couldn’t agree more, consuming seventeen pounds of
butter per capita per year—the most in the world.
And why is the world so enamored with French butter? Probably
because they have the best conditions: the soil in France is
well maintained, cow-friendly, and under the jurisdiction of
Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC). This organization monitors
pastures, feed, spring water, and gives its much coveted stamp
of approval to only a handful of grazing sites in France, most of
which are in Normandy and Poitou-Charentes.
One maker of delectable butter, Jean-Yves Bordier, has a shop in
the small town of Saint-Malo in northern Brittany—a beautiful
location along the coast well worth a visit. As the undisputed king
of butter, Bordier’s expertise is in demand far and wide. His brand,
Le Beurre Bordier, starts with organic milk taken from pastures
outside of Rennes, in Brittany. Bordier kneads the butter slowly
with a wooden cylinder in small teak churns, all the while adding
dashes of fine sea salt and often his secret ingredient—
seaweed! Bordier is so passionate about his butter that he
refuses to spread it on bread, and instead, says the best way
to eat it is to place a small chunk on bread and allow it to melt
in your mouth. You can also find his incredible butter in Paris at
La Grande Epicerie at Le Bon Marché, Fauchon on place de la
Madeleine, Dalloyau on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Da Rosa,
and the traiteur/gourmet takeout shop Maison Baillon.
To continue your fine butter tour of France, head to the
department of Deux-Sèvres, which is part of the Poitou-Charentes
region in western France about two and a half hours from Paris
www.franceguide.com
by train. Aside from the fabulous street fairs in Parthenay, the
International Birding Film Festival in Ménigoute, and the vast
array of amazing little villages, you’ll find two of the most famous
and delicious butters known to man!
First, in the small village of Echiré, butter bearing the same
name is made and sold throughout the world. The Société de
laiterie coopérative d’Echiré, a cooperative that monitors the
milk for Echiré’s butter, produces 950 tons of butter each year,
a product that famous chefs like Eric Bertoïa, executive pastry
chef at New York City’s Daniel, and Gregory Gourreau, executive
pastry chef at Las Vegas’s Le Cirque swear by.
Also in Deux-Sèvres, you’ll find the Laiterie coopérative de la
Viette (in Vouhé-Soutiers). This butter paradise has existed since
1897 and is made special due to the quality of the soil and the
spring water of the Viette River. Pierre Hermé, pastry chef and
owner of Pâtisserie Pierre Hermé in Paris, swears by La Viette—
try his famous lemon cream tart and you’ll be convinced!
Normandy has its own butter capital with the world-famous
Isigny Sainte-Mère. This prize-winning collective is situated
on the English Channel near Cherbourg and offers a wonderful
tour of their facility, providing first-hand views of the buttermaking process and ending with a scrumptious tasting finale.
The tours are given several times a day in July and August, or
by appointment throughout the year.
French butter is not only the best of its kind in the world; it is also
created in some of the most beautiful locations and in the most
fascinating of ways. A tasty trip well worth taking!
FUN FACTS
The use of butter dates
back some ten thousand
years to Mesopotamia,
when shepherds would
fill goatskins with milk,
hang them from sticks,
and walk through the
meadows, shaking them
until butter formed.
Echire
www.echire.com
LAITERIE COOPeRATIVE
La Viette
79310 Vouhé-Soutiers
Tel. 05 49 63 42 82
www.laiterie-coopla-viette.fr (in French)
Deux-Sevres
tourists sites
www.ita2sevres.org
Fromagerie
Jean-Yves Bordier
9, rue de l’Orme
35400 Saint-Malo,
Tel. 02 99 40 88 79
www.saint-malo.fr
Isigny Sainte-Mere
2, rue du Docteur Boutrois,
14230 Isigny-sur-Mer
Tel. 02 31 51 33 88
www.isigny-ste-mere.com
Guided tours are scheduled
for 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.,
3 p.m., and 4 p.m. in July
and August, from Monday
to Friday, or by appointment
at any other time of the year.
food & wine
41
Although France is well known for its fine food, we often forget
that it is also famous for its confections. Some of these are
among the best known in the world, with the famous Montélimar
nougat at the top of the list. Threatened by competitors like the
Spanish turrón and the Italian torrone, this sweet (made with
honey, sugar, and almonds) has even acquired AOC (controlled
term of origin) status—like fine wines and cheeses—to establish
its identity.
Known in the Middle East since ancient times, nougat was
brought by the Greeks to Marseille, which held a monopoly on
its production in Provence in the Middle Ages. At the time, it was
made from nuts, hence the Latin name nux gatum (nut cake), which
became nougo in Provençal, and later nougat. However, it wasn’t
until the beginning of the eighteenth century that nougat made
its appearance in Montélimar, with the help of Olivier de Serres,
an agronomist from the department of Ardèche, who successfully introduced the first almond trees to the area. As almonds
keep better, they gradually replaced the walnuts in nougat,
making this town in Drôme the center of nougat production.
The locals will tell you quite a different, and much more colorful,
story to explain the origin of nougat. Legend has it that Tante
Manon, who lived in Montélimar in the seventeenth century, had
a knack for making an amazing candy that was as succulent as
it was mysterious. It was so good that each time she would give
some to her nieces and nephews, they would exclaim: “Tante
Manon, tu nous gâtes, tu nous gâtes !” (“Aunt Manon, you’re
spoiling us!”) And so it came to be called “nougat.”
Nougat confection
Nougat
Of course, the present-day Provençal town looks nothing like it did under the Ancien Régime. It
has, however, used the time to promote its specialty. Ideally situated on the famous road between
Paris and the Riviera, Route nationale 7, Montélimar has had its share of tourists come to sample
the nougat during summer traffic jams, which has helped popularize nougat’s taste and look.
The way nougat is made has also changed. These days, nougat is made in large quantities—close
to thirty-five hundred tons are produced every year—by some thirteen reputed maisons who
maintain tradition. Still, the best way to discover this sweet in this little town with its traditional
charm, is to tour one of the workshops like that at Maison Arnaud Soubeyran, the oldest working
nougat factory. Founded in 1837, it has a real nougathèque, recounting the history of the product
as well as the different steps in the nougatmaking process.
More recently, in 2005, the municipality opened the Palais des Bonbons et du Nougat (Candy
and Nougat Palace) to celebrate French confectioneries, naturally starting with the town specialty. In addition to an overview of sweets from around the world, it contains the biggest nougat in
the world, weighing over a ton! It’s enough to make anyone succumb to the sin of gluttony…
www.montelimar-tourisme.com
Maison Arnaud Soubeyran
Zone Commerciale Sud
Route Nationale 7,
26204 Montélimar
Tel. 04 75 51 01 35
www.nougatsoubeyran.com
Palais des Bonbons
et du Nougat
Village au Fil du Temps
100, route de Valence,
26200 Montélimar
Tel. 04 75 50 62 66
www.palais-des-bonbons.com
© Nougats Arnaud Soubeyran
by JULIEN BISSON
© Nougats Arnaud Soubeyran
Over the years, this Montelimar specialty
has become one of the most popular and
enjoyed candies in the world.
© Office de Tourisme de Montélimar
Nuts About
Nougat!
Nougat Arnaud Soubeyran
© 2009 Continental Airlines, Inc.
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food & wine
43
There is molecular gastronomy, nouvelle cuisine, and the back
to basics—boeuf bourguignon fan club, but for visitors to Lyon,
the self-proclaimed capital of French gastronomy halfway
between Paris and Nice, there is nothing like the food to be
had at one of the city’s bouchons.
Simple, humble, and often family-run, many bouchons still have
a woman heading up the kitchen. Created by some of the most
famous female master chefs of the early twentieth century—
Tante Paulette, La Mère Jean, or Mère Brazier (whose eponymous haunt was just bought by Michelin two-star chef Mathieu
Viannay)—they moved to the center of town during Lyon’s
industrial boom to be near the teeming silk ateliers and factories.
Restaurateurs adapted their hours to the workers’ day, opened
at dawn and invented the mâchon, the Lyonnais ancestor of
brunch—a simple, unpretentious, meat-based morning meal.
There are many stories that try to explain the origins of the
term bouchon: an allusion to the cork in a bottle of wine? A
reference to the ancient inn where travelers dined while
servants bouchonnaient (rubbed down) their horses? No, the
best explanation is that it refers to the bunch of twisted straw—
called a “bouchon” in Lyonnais slang—that innkeepers hung
over their doors to indicate a restaurant.
Since 1997, Pierre Grison and his Association de défense des
bouchons lyonnais [Association for the Defense of the Lyonnais
Bouchons] tour the restaurants, test the authenticity of new
applicants, and taste their offerings to decide whether to grant
the “Authentique bouchon lyonnais” plaque, based on décor,
atmosphere, and, of course, cuisine.
With its terroir-based foods and strong industrial past, la cuisine
lyonnaise unites some of the best ingredients of the country with
simple cuts, offal, and unsung vegetables. Order gras-double
à la lyonnaise (tender tripe cooked with parsley and onions)
or tablier de sapeur (fried breaded tripe). For a lighter option,
choose pike dumplings with a crayfish sauce, frisée aux lardons,
chicken liver mousse, or lentil salad.
Our favorites? The no-menu institution Café des Fédérations
and its pig-themed décor, where Yves Rivoiron, a larger-thanlife personality, rules over œufs en meurette (red wine poached
eggs) and the best rosette de Lyon (cured pork sausage). Chez
Abel, opened in 1928 by la mère Abel, sits next to the Porte
d’Aulnay. Its beautifully restored, warm-toned dining room,
complete with an oak-beamed ceiling makes it one of the most
elegant establishments in town. Savor the best pike mousse
in Lyon as well as chewy veal kidneys with mustard sauce, a
gigantic veal chop, or earthy and moist free-range chicken (poulet
fermier) with potato gratin. Joseph Viola, the new chef-owner
at Daniel et Denise, has kept the historic name and the old
charcuterie décor even though both Daniel and Denise are now
retired. The young chef who became a 2004 Meilleur Ouvrier
de France offers, in addition to the Lyonnais classics, his own
interpretation of crispy lamb shoulder confit, veal sweetbread
terrine, and the marvelously light île flottante, a symphony of
meringues floating on vanilla sauce topped with caramel.
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
by Sylvie Bigar
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
More than ever, these Lyonnais versions
of the Parisian bistro deliver unique and
delicious meals.
© MDLF/Michel Laurent
Bouchons
Lyonnais
44
food & wine
by Irvina Lew
© Pekka Nuikki
Chef Franck Salein demonstrates the value
of quality, local ingredients.
© Pekka Nuikki
Only
the Best
4-star deluxe Hotel Les Sources de Caudalie
Morning mist Sources de Caudalie
Speak of Bordeaux and fine wines come to mind. Truth be told, the region’s food products are
equally superb, though lesser known. Franck Salein, the Michelin-starred chef at Les Sources de
Caudalie—the sprawling farmhouse-hotel and vinotherapy spa on two hundred and seventy-seven
sculpture-studded acres of Château Smith Haut Lafitte vineyards in Martillac—serves those
fabulous products to his guests. In his cookbook Flavours of Bordeaux, he introduces the top
regional purveyors of Pauillac lamb, Bezas beef, Arcachon oysters, Gironde caviar, and cep
mushrooms, which he prepares only nine miles outside the city of Bordeaux.
Chef Salein’s dishes emphasize each ingredient’s intrinsic pure
flavor. For this, the Languedoc native credits his Michelin-starred
mentor, Michel Guérard, at the extraordinary Les Prés d’Eugénie.
“[He] opened my eyes to gastronomy, gave me the taste for
products and taught me to search for simplicity,” emphasizes
Salein. He also credits Guérard with teaching him the rigors
of preparing cuisine minceur (low-calorie, healthful cooking),
which became personally important when the chef needed to
reduce his own weight. Now, that cuisine—along with “barrel
baths” overlooking the vineyards—is what lures many guests
to Les Sources de Caudalie.
For Salein, “gastronomy is the choice of products” and the purveyors whom he selects have
one thing in common: a devotion to the best ingredients. The region is known for its oysters (consumption dates back to two centuries BC) and Joël Dupuch, a burly sixth-generation oysterman and
author of L’Huître (The Oyster), is the chef’s choice from among the three hundred and fifty oyster
farmers in the Bassin d’Arcachon. His sturgeon caviar supplier is Claudia Boucher, who developed
sturgeon farming for its caviar in the Blaye area near the Gironde. After grapes, oysters, and caviar,
Bordeaux ceps (special brown-colored mushrooms) are another treasure. Serge Hourteau notes
that they have been sold commercially since the seventeenth century and still grow abundantly
in the wild in oak and chestnut forests. Salein purchases asparagus from Frédéric Frappe, who
grows them in the sandy soil in Blaye and picks them the night before personally transporting them
to market. For fish, he relies upon fourth-generation fishmonger Eric Smith, who hand-selects
top-quality, line-caught sea bass, sole, turbot, mullet, or langoustine from local ports in Arcachon,
Royan, and La Rochelle.
Salein respects each of these ingredients enough to delicately transform them into delicious dishes.
Then he pairs them from an exceptional wine list that focuses on superior Bordeaux wines, including
many vintages from the vineyards at Château Smith Haut Lafitte, such as the grands crus classés
(great classified growths) of Graves.
At La Grand Vigne, the hotel’s newly redecorated forty-five-seat gourmet restaurant, which
overlooks a picturesque pond with swans and one section of the vineyard, Salein serves refined
classics. His gourmand menu has no caloric limitations and may include over-the-top indulgences,
such as lobster, ris de veau (sweetbread), and foie gras. His unique three-course “Aux Sources de
la Minceur” menu totals only five hundred calories; it may star a mousseline of scallops, a saddle of
lamb with steamed, herbed vegetables and a dreamy, yet non-fattening desert. At La Table de
Lavoir, where menus are written on oak wine-barrel slats, there’s a more casual bistro-like
ambiance and a hearty, albeit less ambitious, menu.
www.franceguide.com
Les Sources
de Caudalie
La Grand’Vigne,
Chemin de Smith
Haut Lafitte,
33650 Martillac
Tel. 05 57 83 83 83
www.sourcescaudalie.com
Sturgeon Caviar
Claudia Boucher,
STURIA Caviar et Prestige,
21, rue de la Gare,
33450 Saint-Sulpiceet-Cameyrac
Tel. 05 56 30 27 94
Fish
Eric Smith, Smith Marée,
Pavillon des Mareyeurs,
rue de la Seiglière,
33800 Bordeaux
Tel. 05 57 35 45 15
Oysters
Joël Dupuch, Huîtres Dupuch,
5, impasse de la Conche,
Les Jacquets,
33950 Lège-Cap Ferret
Tel. 05 56 60 92 91
Blayais White
Asparagus
Frédéric Frappe,
Le Breuilh, Pugnac,
33620 Cézac
Tel. 05 57 68 60 48
Markets in: Saint-Loubes,
Ambès, Blaye, Saint-Savin,
and Pessac
Cep Mushrooms
Serge Hourteau,
Cèpes du Médoc,
20, avenue de l’Estuaire,
33180 Saint-Estèphe
Tel. 05 56 59 70 73
food & wine
45
© Office du Tourisme Sarlat-Périgord
Perigord
Treasure
IN the northeastern part of the Aquitaine
region BEHOLD THE GASTRONOMIC AND HISTORICAL
TREASURES OF THE BLACK PeRIGORD.
by JULIEN BISSON
Belves
Don’t be put off by the name; the Black Périgord has nothing to do with scorched earth or even a
thieves’ den. The region gets its name from the surrounding forest’s dark, leafy trees. Located in
the eastern part of the department of Dordogne, the Black Périgord is sometimes known for its
latticework of small roads that wind through the oaks with their ceps and adorn the lovely scenery
with a chain of peculiar, yet picturesque, burgs and villages.
Discover a very special pearl: Sarlat-la-Canéda. Henry Miller called it “France’s paradise.”
This ninth-century medieval town, built around an important Benedictine abbey, is a veritable
architectural jewel. Despite its rich history as a nerve center during the Hundred Years’ War and
the French Wars of Religion, Sarlat fell into a deep slumber of sorts after the Renaissance only to
awaken a few decades ago, almost intact and still cloaked in its medieval adornment. The town
gates open onto a series of gas-lit alleys lined with old ochre-colored stone houses with slate roofs.
© Office du Tourisme Sarlat-Périgord
Although strolling through this “swashbuckling” movie set is enough to make anyone happy, it
would nonetheless be a shame to miss out on a few of the town’s famous monuments, such as the
superb house, the Maison de La Boétie, or an intriguing monument called the lanterne des morts
(lantern of the dead), built around the twelfth century. Tip: If you are going to visit the town, head out
in the morning as the streets tend to fill up early, especially in late July during the Drama Festival.
And yet, staying in Sarlat would mean depriving yourself of the surrounding beauties. You simply
must explore the two valleys flanking the town; the Vézère valley is internationally renowned for its
many prehistoric caves, particularly the Lascaux Cave with its legendary rock paintings.
Further to the south, the Dordogne valley is home to a series of little towns often dubbed some of the
most beautiful villages in France, like La Roque-Gageac, nestled under a cliff, or Belvès, perched on
a rocky peak that houses incredible cave dwellings under the parade square. Yet another treasure
to discover in the Black Périgord where secrets are not the least of its riches.
© Floortje
Winter is the ideal time to visit the region as it’s the season for the marchés au gras (foie gras
markets) that sell the famous goose and duck foie gras, the region’s standout gourmet products.
However, these are not the region’s only products, the Black Périgord is also renowned for its
confits, truffles, cèpes (wild mushrooms), chestnuts, and walnuts! A meal at one of the many local
inns will make you an instant fan of the region’s varied and convivial cuisine.
La Roque
Sarlat and Black
Perigord Tourist Bureau
www.sarlat-tourisme.com
Dordogne Departmental
Tourism Committee
www.dordogneperigord-tourisme.fr
© Newpi
© Hugo Chang
food & wine
© Jan Rihak
46
LEs Aperitifs
a grand tour through France, courtesy of some of its most historic—and delicious—
spirits.
by Jim Tobler and Jessica Quandt
American happy hour tends to unfold in a pretty predictable
manner: Find the nearest bar, sip half-priced bottom-shelf
martinis, order ten-for-a-dollar Buffalo wings. Just across the
Atlantique in France, they have an after-work cocktail ritual too:
the apéritif, or apéro for short. But unlike American cocktail
hour, the apéro is the very embodiment of the famous French art
de vivre. The philosophy of art de vivre is simple—relaxing and
enjoying life are pretty much the only tenets.
© Paul Johnson
Still, the creative and indulgent cocktail is making a big comeback.
Enjoy French cocktail hour anywhere, from a local restaurant
to your own home, or even at one of the many Apéritif à la
Française events held all over the world. Of course, any French
apéritif is best enjoyed in the region where it’s produced,
www.franceguide.com
especially since so many iconic spirits have centuries-old ties
to specific areas.
Lillet, an enduring classic invented in Bordeaux, Aquitaine and
launched in 1895, is a combination of local wine and tropical
and citrus fruits, steeped in alcohol and then barrel aged. Both
the red and white versions are usually taken on the rocks but,
like many other French spirits, they provide the foundation for
a host of cocktail concoctions. Even James Bond—arguably
the world’s most famous martini drinker—orders his signature
beverage made with Lillet in Casino Royale.
In the Languedoc-Roussillon region, Byrrh was invented at the
end of the 19th century, when it was marketed as a health drink.
food & wine
A mixture of dry local red wine and quinine (or tonic water), it’s
now known as an apéritif rather than a medical supplement.
Pernod-Ricard still produces Byrrh in Perpignan in a factory
designed by Gustav Eiffel, and you can stop by for a free tour
and tasting if you’re in town. Byrrh is best enjoyed chilled, and
can be dressed up with lemon rind or crème de cassis liqueur.
In Dijon, capital of the Burgundy region, Kir is the beverage
of choice. Named after Canon Felix Kir, who was the mayor of
Dijon from 1945-1968, it’s a mix of Aligoté (a local white wine)
and crème de cassis liqueur. On special occasions locals swap
the wine for champagne to create a Kir Royale. Virtually every
region in France has its own variant, depending on what the
local white wine is.
The abundant local apples are the base of Normandy’s signature
apéritifs. Apple cider (or cidre) is made and consumed throughout the region, but can also be distilled to make the Calvados
département’s eponymous local apple brandy. Mix cider and
the multi-tasking crème de cassis for a Kir Normand, or try
pommeau, made of unfermented cider and Calvados.
In Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, a spirit native to the area is
the ever-famous pastis, which, though it is anise-based just like
absinth, is considerably milder and less mind-bending. Pastis
goes by several monikers, most famously Pernod, in which it
is mixed with select herbs, or Ricard, which is somewhat less
herbal and more anise driven. These drinks are best taken
with an equal portion of cool water on the side for the drinker
to add according to taste. The liquid turns a milky white and
the bouquet rises, creating a truly memorable experience.
47
“elixir of long life.” The monks finally produced their first batch
of the elixir for use as a medicine in 1737, and it’s gone through
several variations since then. Today it’s sold in two milder,
sweeter versions—Chartreuse Verte (the stronger of the two)
and Chartreuse Jaune—infused with over one hundred and
thirty herbs, roots, and leaves. To this day, two monks of the
Order of Chartreuse are the only people in the world entrusted
with the secret of its exact recipe. And while a glass may no
longer help to cure your ailments, it can certainly help warm up
a winter night in the Alps.
The bucolic and serene Auvergne region is the birthplace of
Suze, which has gentle flavors of citrus, vanilla, and the gentian
roots that form its base. Fernand Moureaux wanted to invent a
new, non-wine-based apéritif when, in 1885, he tried distilling
gentian roots instead of grapes. Suze was born, though it wasn’t
named until 1889. One legend has it a vendor near the Suze river
in Switzerland gave Moureaux the idea for the name when he
told him, “You will see that this apéritif will flow through France
like the Suze at our feet.”
When visiting the French Caribbean, ordering anything other
than a fittingly tropical cocktail would be unthinkable. Luckily,
the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique are known for
producing some of the finest light and dark rums in the world
thanks to their abundant sugar cane crops and age-old distilling
methods. Ti-punch is the local libation of choice and is made
with rum, lime juice, and cane-syrup. Bartenders will often leave
the ingredients out so patrons can play alchemist and concoct
their own glass of paradise before hitting the beaches or even
the local rum museums.
aperitif timeline
1605
Monks receive the recipe
for the elixir that would
become Chartreuse. The
first edition of Don Quixote
is published in Spain.
1866
Byrrh is invented in
Languedoc-Roussillon
1889
The Suze brand is born in
Auvergne. The Eiffel Tower
is unveiled in Paris.
1895
Lillet is launched in
Aquitaine. The Lumière
brothers show their first
moving picture in Paris.
1945
Canon Felix Kir becomes
mayor of Dijon. World
War II ends.
www.french
cocktailhourusa.com
www.lillet.fr
byrrh.com
www.suze.com
chartreuse.fr
www.pernod-ricard.com
No matter what your destination or mood, you can’t go wrong
indulging the French tradition of the apéro. Just choose something local and high quality, and you’ll have the hang of that
whole art de vivre thing before you know it.
© Ekspansio
© Webphotographeer
A glass of Chartreuse in the Rhône-Alps region will take you all
the way back to 1605, when monks from the Order of Chartreuse
received a mysterious manuscript containing the recipe for an
48
food & wine
Michelin Takes
a Spin Overseas
Since HE BECAME DIRECTOR of the prestigious food guide in 2004,
Jean-Luc Naret has been expanding his horizons, publishing New
York, San Francisco, and Tokyo editions. Yet he remains true to the
recipe that made the Michelin Guide famous.
By Julien Bisson
© Michelin
Present in twenty-three countries, does the Michelin Guide incarnate French taste around
the world?
The Guide is French, for sure, but it is French in France, Spanish in Spain, and Italian in Italy. The
teams consist of local inspectors who strive to represent the gastronomic variety of these different
countries. In some American cities, we touch on up to forty different cuisine styles—three stars
have even been bestowed on a Japanese restaurant in New York City. That being said, the chefs
donning the most stars are still French chefs, like Joël Robuchon and Alain Ducasse.
Jean-Luc Naret
Are there any qualities that the different guides in each country look for that are the same?
Of course. A star in Paris has to be at the same level as a star in New York. A restaurant’s rating
is twofold: the classification, ranging from one to five “forks and spoons,” i.e., from the cozy little
bistro to the luxurious restaurant; and the quality of the food, denoted in particular by Michelin
stars. For the latter, we judge on the choice of ingredients, the mastery of technique and flavors,
the chef’s personality in the dish and, lastly, the consistency both throughout the meal and the year.
That’s why these restaurants are visited several times a year by different inspectors.
Are the inspectors anonymous?
Absolutely. When our readers dine in these restaurants, they are also anonymous! Our inspectors
work without ever revealing their identity. Each one completes a report after the meal and it’s the
compiling of all these reports at the end of the year that determines the restaurants’ rating. This
system allows us to guarantee true impartiality.
The Michelin Guide was founded in 1900, basically as an advertising tool. Quite an unusual story
for a food guide, no?
Unusual, yes, but magnificent. At the start of the century, there were approximately three thousand
automobiles in France. Brothers Edouard and André Michelin wanted to entice drivers to tour
France’s roads (and use their tires)! They created this little red guide, which was given to drivers
for free and provided practical information about their cars, but also about their destinations: the
distances between towns, maps, gas stations, and where to eat and stay.
© Michelin
What key changes have been made to the Guide since?
The first star made its appearance in 1926, to reward a good restaurant in its category. Two
stars, created in 1931, signified “worth a detour.” And three stars, in 1933, “worth the journey.” And
well, almost seventy-five years later, these ratings have the same value today. I am often asked if the
Michelin Guide is going to get a fourth star. I don’t think so. Our stars have a clear and specific meaning.
Guide Michelin, France 1900
www.franceguide.com
What are your plans for 2009?
Even though the Guide was created in 1900, it will be celebrating its hundredth edition this year.
It will be a very special event for us, with a few surprises that are sure to make Paris the most
gastronomic capital of the world.
www.michelinguide.com
THIS IS
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This is
This is part of a complete travel experience designed around you. This is BIZ, with the only 180º fully flat bed in business
class from New York to Paris or Amsterdam, so you can get a good night’s sleep. This is PREM+, business class comfort
for less, with power outlets in every seat, so you can work when you need to. This is a thoughtful crew who treats you
like a person, not a passenger. This is not a plane, this is something altogether different. This is OpenSkies.
Call your travel agent or 1-866-581-3596. FlyOpenSkies.com
New York ~ Paris ~ Amsterdam
50
on the go
© MDLF/Patrice Thébault
This year is all about rediscovering France outdoors, whether it’s exploring the city
like a local, the countryside like a native, or the beaches like an islander, you’ll get in
touch with some beautiful regions of France.
© MDLF/PHOVOIR
Deauville
ORNE
Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei
Sens
Tonnerre
© Robert Van Beets
PAY S
DE LA LOIRE
Monbard
Semur-en-Auxois
Saulieu
Pouilly-en-Auxois
Puy-de-Dôme
Lacanau
Cap Ferret
Saint-Arcons-d’Allier
Beynac
ARDÈCHE
Granges-sur-Lot
Biscarosse
Orange
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Seignosse Souston
Capbreton Hossegor
Biarritz
Point of location
www.franceguide.com
© Paris Tourist Office/David Lefranc
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
Color dot corresponds to the articles in the list below
Secret Gardens, pp. 51-52
Flea Markets in France, pp. 62-63
The Spirit of Adventure, pp. 54-55
Dining for under 35 euros, pp. 64-65
Ardèche Adventure, p. 56
Budget Shopping in France, p. 67
Surf’s Up, p. 58
Paris Populaire, p. 69
Cycling in Burgundy, p. 59
Higher Ground, p. 71
Volcanoes of Auvergne, p. 61
© Paris Tourist Office/Amélie Dupont
© MDLF/R-Cast
Menton
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
secret gardens
The floral landscapes of Normandy, the French Riviera,
and Aquitaine are no longer a secret.
by Helena Lunardelli
Flowers are Mother Nature at her best. Truly a visual delight, they provoke a sense of fascination
and contentedness that should be admired.
Flower arranging—with all its infinite possibilities of color, form, and style—is my great passion.
There is nothing more charming than a simple bouquet of flowers in a beautiful vase. You may select
the flowers you want to use first, but it is the chosen vase or container (let your imagination run
wild, but keep the flowers in mind) that will be the basis for the arrangement. Always remember
where you want to place the arrangement, and keep in mind its height, width, and weight. Keep this
in mind when walking through one of France’s secret gardens.
The Jardins de la Mansonière in Orne, Normandy are subdivided into eleven smaller gardens,
each with its own characteristics. The sub gardens include the Rose Garden, the Garden of the
Moon, the Garden of Calm, the Garden of Perfume, the Square Courtyard, the Garden of Contrast,
the Promenade, the Gothic Garden, the Garden of Nut Trees, the Patio, and the Stage. This
clearly marked garden is simple to navigate, easily accessible and its tearoom offers a delicious
conclusion to the tour. The garden is located in Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, a medieval town that has
drawn artists since its founding in the twelfth century. Every year during Pentecost, the town opens
its streets to painters. I recommend renting a house nearby and taking the opportunity to see the
rest of Normandy. The garden is closed in the fall and winter, but will reopen its doors on April 17,
2009, so get ready for an intense program of lectures, exhibitions, and concerts. On some nights,
the park is illuminated by candlelight, and visitors can listen to a concert featuring the music
of Mozart. Absolutely heavenly! Don’t forget your camera and your notebook to record tons of
information about the plants and flowers.
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
France is like a vast park. Some property owners, motivated by a great love of plants and flowers,
open their private gardens to visitors, sharing with tourists and local amateur gardeners the beauty
and history of these hidden places. Three French regions stand out for their beautiful private
gardens: Normandy, the Riviera and Aquitaine.
on the go
© MDLF/Pascal Gréboval
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
52
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Traditional garden, Calvados
If you think the Riviera is only beautiful beaches, think again. The Clos du Peyronnet in Menton, near
the Italian border, is a must see. This private garden, owned by the Waterfield family since 1915,
is an ode to subtropical vegetation, with over six hundred species brought from South Africa and
acclimatized to the Mediterranean soil. Taking advantage of the city’s exceptionally mild climate,
the city offers a tour through its seven fascinatingly diverse main gardens. Each garden is distinct
and has its own captivating history. Guided tours and special events are organized throughout
the year.
with water lilies from here. Could this location, which so resembles an impressionist painting, have been one of the painter’s
inspirations? And the region has so much more to offer: less
than one hour away, you can tour the gardens of Marqueyssac
year-round. The garden includes hundred-year-old sculpted
trees, and offers a breathtaking view of the Dordogne River
valley and its medieval castles, including the impressive
Château de Beynac. A veritable trip through time!
www.mansoniere.fr
www.menton.fr/jardins
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
At the other side of the country is the region of Aquitaine, and, more specifically, the small town of
Granges-sur-Lot, home to one of France’s most beautiful and peculiar botanical gardens. Founded
in 1875 by Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac, who owned the property, this garden is a showcase for
over two hundred varieties of water lilies. The beauty and fragility of the water lily’s white or lilac
flowers remain unsurpassed. The painter Claude Monet reportedly filled the garden at Giverny
Villa Kérylos, Beaulieu-sur-mer
www.franceguide.com
54
on the go
© MDLF/Patrice Thébault
the Spirit
of Adventure
The French islands inspire dozens of outdoor activities.
Sailboat in the Caribbean
by Liz Fleming
There’s always the temptation to spend a holiday lolling on silken sands, but the diverse collection of
French islands offer so many opportunities for hiking, sailing, diving, and exploring that increasing
numbers of travelers are leaving their beach chairs and finding their spirit of adventure in farflung locales.
Hoist a Sail
Always wanted to run away to sea? Sunny St. Martin invites you to sign on for a day to crew on a
genuine America’s Cup twelve-meter yacht and learn to race. If you’re active by nature, volunteer
to be a ‘grinder’ and crank the huge winch that moves the sails. You’ll have the wind in your hair
and breathe the scent of victory!
But French island sailing adventures aren’t confined to the Caribbean. For those in search of serious
yachting, charter companies offer cruises through the sheltered waters around New Caledonia,
between Queensland, Australia and Vanuatu, just northwest of New Zealand. Boasting not only the
greatest number of indigenous plant species in the Pacific, but also one of the world’s most dense
tropical forests, New Caledonia is home to the largest lagoon on the planet. What better place to
drop anchor?
ride the waves
If surfboards are your preferred watercraft, you’ll want to head to Guadeloupe. Whether you choose
the prime surf season (May-October) or decide to have the waves to yourself in the off-months,
Guadeloupe will have just the curls you’re looking for, breaking on coral, rock or lava reefs, with
strong summer trade winds blowing up swells as high as eight feet.
© MDLF/Eric Larrayadieu
So ideal are the conditions in Guadeloupe that the French Surf Championships are held in
Anse-Bertrand, Le Moule, and Saint-François every year in October. Nearby St. Bart’s is another
great surfing destination, with the bays of Saint Jean, Anse des Cayes, Toiny, and Lorient all
producing great waves for serious board devotees.
Keen surfers care about the direction of their swells—no kidding!—so for those who love the
left-curl, one of the best spots in the world is St. Leu, on the central west coast of the little-known,
but lovely Réunion Island. In the middle of the Indian Ocean, not far from the Seychelles, Réunion
is just thirty miles wide but remarkable for outstanding surfing and volcanic black sand beaches.
www.franceguide.com
on the go
55
If you like your vacation adventures under the waves rather
than on top, the French islands have a world of treasures in
store. Guadeloupe is a great place to begin your undersea
explorations, in the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve on
Basse-Terre, the western wing of the island. Whether you suit
up in full scuba gear and tanks or simply pull on a mask and
snorkel, you’ll be dazzled by the vibrant displays of coral and
the neon ballet created by circling schools of tropical fish.
St. Bart’s is also famed for its coral displays, walls, and undersea
caves, particularly those around the small cape of l’Ane Rouge
just off Colombier Bay and Pain de Sucre, an islet off Gustavia
Harbour.
© MDLF/Pierre-Yves David
Undersea Adventures
Maki monkey of Mayotte
Where do those who are truly passionate about sea life go to
dive? You’ll find them in New Caledonia, where the world’s
largest lagoon complex (almost 9,000 square miles) and close to
1,000 miles of barrier reefs shelter an estimated 20,000 species
of invertebrates, 350 species of coral, and 1,500 species of fish.
Are you a true thrill seeker? Then nothing will do but a trip to the
French Polynesian island of Bora-Bora, where trained guides will
sail you out to a sandy lagoon to find a rope stretched between
two buoys. Slip into the water with your mask and snorkel, hold
on tight to the rope, and stay very still. In a few moments, the
guides will toss bits of fish into the water and you’ll be joined
by schools of friendly sharks who’ll swim happily around you,
gobbling up the free lunch. Note: this isn’t an activity for the faint
of heart!
© MDLF/Pierre-Yves David
Looking for something truly unusual in a diving adventure? Head
for Mayotte, a tiny French territory comprised of two islands
(Petite-Terre and Grande-Terre) and approximately twenty islets
in the Mozambique Channel. Its spectacular lagoon offers not
only incredible diving opportunities but also the chance to swim
with sea turtles and observe humpback whales with their calves.
Sakouli Beach
Hiking is the most intimate way to discover the heart of any
destination, and there can be no more beautiful or contrasting
trails than those that lead through the rainforests and waterfalls
of Guadeloupe or up the rugged heights of Mount Pelée, a live
volcano in Martinique.
Whether on or under the waves, in the heart of a forest, or by the
side of a waterfall, you’ll find more than souvenirs and postcards
in the French islands. You’ll discover your spirit of adventure!
© MDLF/Eric Larrayadieu
Hikers’ Heaven
Sailboats, Saint-François, Guadeloupe
on the go
© MDLF/ Fabrice Milochau
56
Vallon-Pont-d’Arc
Ardeche Adventure
River Rafting in Rhone-Alpes
I come up for air, literally. My little canoe has just overturned
in a bubbling section of rapids and I am scrambling to get out
from under it. The water’s not deep though, and it doesn’t take
me long to right my canoe and carry on with my trip down the
Ardèche Gorge. Most of my journey down this river, a tributary
of the Rhone, has been free from danger. In fact, sometimes the
water has been so slow; I have had to push with my paddles to
gain momentum. But every once in awhile, a surge of fast water
carries my boat along and I bump, splash, and careen along
wildly through the water. While I scream, my children, who ride
in another canoe, laugh joyfully as if they were passengers on
a Disney ride. I am just happy to have a guide at my side.
Though many come for the sport and adventure, I have joined a
guided float down this river, located in south-central France, for
the view. Considered by many to be the Grand Canyon of Europe,
the Ardèche Gorge consists of nearly twenty miles of eerily tall,
narrow limestone walls that cradle a swift moving river. Up to
a thousand feet high, the breathtaking canyons set a surreal
scene when experienced from the water. Birds dive and swoop,
shadows dance on the craggy, gray walls, and the surprisingly
turquoise waters shimmer like gemstones. The river’s path winds
in dizzying hairpin turns that add to the drama. Atop some of the
cliffs, ancient villages attract the eye—but don’t stare too long,
or you’ll end up upside down like me.
www.franceguide.com
Not technically difficult, the Ardèche Gorge attracts people of
all ages during the spring and summer. According to my guide,
even children over age seven and senior citizens can join a
flotilla of canoes—or rafts—as long as they know how to swim.
I admit to starting out nervous on my trek, but relaxed into the
rhythm of the paddling and the stunning spectacle of the view.
I’m here in summer when the river is more crowded with folks,
but the water is less wild. Spring is for the experts—or those who
enjoy a good scare. Today, most everyone wears appropriate
gear and some people—those on two-day camping trips—carry
their food and supplies in attached yellow barrels. Not an
intrepid rapid rider, I have committed only to a one-day trip,
and tote only a picnic lunch.
The highlight for most visitors to the Ardèche River is the elegant
natural arch known as Pont-d’Arc. Towering two hundred feet
above the river, this thousand-year-old rock served as a passageway and battleground for warring Catholics and Protestants
in centuries past. Stories and legends abound, but the one my
children like is how the winners tossed the losers from it into
the river. Despite the macabre tales, it’s a visual delight and
makes my ride down the rapids worth the hair-raising effort.
www.ardeche-tourisme.com
© MDLF
by Becca Hensley
Information
for Travelers
Most river riders rent
equipment and hire guides
in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc,
a charming, ancient
commune on the edge
of the gorge. Those too
afraid to boat can drive
the equally harrowing
highway that lines the
top of the canyon.
on the go
© MDLF/PHOVOIR
58
Surf’s Up
Wine isn’t the only thing France and California have in common.
By Carolyn Heinze
Surfing in France is big business, and beach bums the world
over pack up their boards and wet suits to ride the waves along
the coast of the Aquitaine region, where the Atlantic offers
favorable conditions from early spring to late fall. The Silver and
Basque coasts—a wide stretch of sand that extends all the way
down to Spain—houses some of the world’s most renowned
surf spots, such as Arcachon, Cap Ferret, Biscarrosse, Lacanau,
Capbreton, Biarritz, and the popular Hossegor. While the waves
in this region challenge even the most seasoned thrill seekers,
the ocean tends to be calmer at the height of summer, making it
the perfect time for newbies to dip their toes in.
Arcachon
One of the main sources of France’s famed huîtres (oysters),
Arcachon Bay is a lively summer destination, drawing vacationers to its beaches, charming seafood restaurants, and arguably
its most famous attraction, the Dune de Pyla—the highest sand
dunes on the continent. Much of the surfing action takes place in
Lège-Cap-Ferret, where the Surf Club de la Presqu’île (situated
on Grand Crohot Beach) offers equipment rentals and classes
for all levels at pretty much any age; courses start for surfers
www.franceguide.com
as young as six years old, who often put to shame the rather
awkward efforts of beginners that are a little longer in the tooth.
Surfing Vacations
For those seeking a full-out surfing excursion, Nomad Surfers
(an agency based in Spain) offers customized itineraries for all
ages and budgets, although the company notes that the bulk
of its clientele is over twenty, and largely at the beginner level.
Its beginner surf camps offer a comprehensive overview of the
sport, covering everything from its history, how to read currents,
the surfing geography of the region, and, of course, how to surf.
Nomad Surfers works with surf camps in Biarritz, Hossegor
and Soustons, and more experienced surfers may consider the
organization’s guided ‘Surfaris’ and boat trips, which do not
include classes.
Mixing It Up
Want to combine a little R&R with the rush of riding the waves?
Natural Surf Lodge is a surf school and bed and breakfast
emphasizing a safe approach to surfing for individuals, families,
and businesses—seasoned or not. Visitors can test the waters
in Hossegor and Seignosse, and for those who want to pamper
themselves after a long day in the sea, packages that include
yoga instruction and massage are also available. The best part?
You can enjoy all of this in good conscience: Natural Surf Lodge
has a strong commitment to environmental awareness and
eco-friendly practices.
© MDLF/PHOVOIR
Few would argue that one of the most popular French clichés
is the image of a mustachioed Frenchman sporting a beret and
toting a baguette. The country’s southwest region, however, has
much in common with Southern California—with its sprawling
beaches, quaint seaside towns… and thriving surf community.
Natural Surf Lodge
www.naturalsurflodge.com
Nomad Surfers
www.nomadsurfers.com
Surf Club de
la Presqu’île
www.surfingcapferret.com
59
© MDLF/Fabian Charaffi
on the go
Arnay-le-Duc
Cycling
in Burgundy
© Robert Van Beets
A natural way to tour the region is to take
the green approach.
by José Antonio Ramalho
There are many ways to explore the region—from the sky in a hot-air balloon; by water in a
holidayboat; by car. Each one has its own magic. But I suggest by bicycle. Explore the region at a
different pace and you’ll satisfy more senses than one.
Burgundy produces more than just grapes; mustard, cassis,
and other spices will stimulate the senses of anyone willing to
try them.
My first stop by bicycle was in Sens, seventy-five miles from the French capital. From there
I followed the Yonne River, which crosses town, toward Joigny and Tonnerre, where I came upon
a unique sight: the Fosse Dionne, a fresh water spring dating back to Celtic times. Measuring
approximately fifty feet in diameter and filled with sparkling blue water, the spring was enclosed
during the Middle Ages and its water, which wound its way among the houses and buildings to
form a mini Venice in the heart of France, was diverted to feed the river.
Foodies should not skip Saulieu, home of Relais Bernard Loiseau,
an international temple of gastronomy where visitors eat like
princes and sleep like kings!
From Tonnerre I continued along the canal to Monbard. The canal is a cyclist’s paradise, where
the silence is broken only by the sound of birdsong and the hum of my turning wheels. I rode away
from the canal to go through Semur-en-Auxois. Dominated by the imposing tower of its castle, you
should take the time to explore this medieval citadel at a leisurely pace.
The road to Saulieu took me past rolling hills and wheat fields. From Saulieu, I headed on to Pouillyen-Auxois, where I joined the Burgundy Canal, and rode another thirty-seven miles to reach Dijon.
Dijon is the capital of Burgundy. I recommend following the Owl’s Trail, a walking tour that takes you
to twenty-two of the city’s attractions, including boutiques and restaurants that serve local delicacies.
Gastronomy
In Burgundy, gluttony is not one of the seven deadly sins—or if it were, it would be quickly
forgiven. In addition to its famous wines, Burgundy offers endless treasures.
So, get off the beaten track and tour the region by bicycle. Or by
boat! With a thousand miles of canals and lakes, this option is a
must for anyone spending a few days in the area. Visitors may
choose between a holiday boat and a houseboat. The Burgundy
Canal is the main thoroughfare in the region, but the countless
other canals that feed it offer a leisurely alternative.
As a self-confessed cycling enthusiast, I can’t help but encourage readers to explore the region by bicycle. Believe me, the
world seems to move at a different pace looking at it from a
two-wheeler. The flat landscape and remarkable infrastructure
make Burgundy an ideal destination for cyclotourism.
© Charly Herscovici, with his kind authorization— c/o SABAM-ADAGP, 2008
The Breast, 1961, oil on canvas, 90 x 110 cm
E<ND8>I@KK<DLJ<LD
FG<E@E>@E9ILJJ<CJ
@EALE<)''0
In the very heart of Brussels,
the Magritte museum will bring
together for the first time more
than 150 works by the world
famous surrealist painter.
nnn%m`j`kY\c^`ld%Zfd
nnn%dfek[\jXikj%Y\
;@J:FM<IJLII<8C@JD
@E9ILJJ<CJN@K?
:FFC;<8CJ
© Charly Herscovici, with his kind authorization — c/o SABAM-ADAGP, 2008
The Return, 1940, oil on canvas, 50 x 65 cm
9<C>@LD
N?<I<=LE@J8CN8PJ@E=8J?@FE
9ILJJ<CJ Sophisticated Simplicity, Capital of Cool
If the 80 museums, palaces, and public square won’t lure you to Brussels,
the world’s best beer and chocolate will.
9<C>@LD@JN<CC$:FEE<:K<;9 flights a day from the USA to Brussels.
By train: 1 hour and 20 minutes from Paris; and less than 2 hours from London.
M@J@K9<C>@LD%:FD
@E=F7M@J@K9<C>@LD%:FD×)() .,/$/(*'
)''0:FD@:JKI@GJ@E
9ILJJ<CJ8E;9<PFE;
Brussels will be more than ever THE
capital of comic strips! Discover
the many exhibitions and the
comic strip museum in a historical
Art Nouveau building. Tintin, the
Smurfs, Spirou, Lucky Luke, Gaston
Lagaffe, these are just a few of the
heroes dreamed up by the Belgian
strip cartoon artists. They will be
honored in Brussels and in French
Speaking Belgium.
nnn%Yiljj\cjZfd`Zj%Zfd
nnn%ZYY[%Zfd
nnn%m`j`kY\c^`ld%Zfd&jg\Z`Xc%_kd
61
© MDLF/Pierre Desheraud
on the go
Volcanoes
of Auvergne
A quiet beauty, charming to the very core
© MDLF/R-Cast
Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park
Puy Mary
by Ilona Kauremszky
For centuries, the locals of Auvergne have lived life in that slow,
charming way famously known throughout France. Even in the
shadow of Europe’s largest volcano, Puy Mary, it is the joie de
vivre that is pronounced. No urgency. No emergencies. Just
the sheer languid beauty of rich unspoiled nature.
This is the heart of France: the Massif Central. Surrounded by
mountains, beneath a carpet of green plateaus where basaltic
lava rocks rise like a sentinel keeping a watchful eye on the
mountain villages, the locals say “le vieux géant dort,” the old
giant (Puy Mary) is sleeping.
Auvergne boasts eighty dormant volcanoes and is comprised
of four departments. Sandwiched between Clermont-Ferrand
to the west and the highlands of the Cantal department, des
volcans manage to sleep, enveloped by a paradise that continues to lure us there.
In 1878, Robert Louis Stevenson, writer of Treasure Island,
hightailed the Cevennes exploring the nooks and crannies
which he later documented in his book, Travels with a Donkey
in the Cevenne.
Today, travellers can take the ten mile trail named after him, and
criss-cross through the forested volcanic plateau of Le Puy-enVelay in the Lower Auvergne while turning the pages to their
beloved donkey-eared Stevenson copy.
“It is only a traveller, hurrying by like a person from another planet, who can rightly enjoy the peace
and beauty of the great ascetic feast. The sight of the resting country does his spirit good. There
is something better than music in wide unusual silence; and it disposes him to amiable thoughts,”
Stevenson wrote.
Another not-to-be-missed attraction includes Vulcania, a leisure park with its own 3-D movie
experience titled: The Awakening of the Auvergne Giants. Near Vulcania, hike the Puy-de-Dôme
mountain, almost a mile high, and visit the Roman Temple de Mercure. Buses or cars will get you
there too. Nearby, visitors can take a glimpse of the Puy de Pariou crater.
Romanesque villages reveal a bygone day that is still very much alive. Cowbells are heard in the
distance. Bakers display fresh pastries in their windows. The sound of a bouncing ball mixed with
the laughter of children echoes throughout the laneways.
In the Cantal department, visitors can hike the mile-high Puy Mary. A twelve mile path system
includes hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking along with discovery circuits for families.
At the Auvergne Volcanoes Nature Park, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and hiking are popular in
the summer and skiing in the winter.
In the Haute-Loire department, the wild Allier river winds through hilly volcanic terrain and
Romanesque villages.
Many castles pierce the scenery revealing a historic past. The charm of mountain life will have you
wanting to stay for days, if not a lifetime.
www.auvergne-tourisme.info
www.puymary.fr/versen/volcandecantal/natpresentation.htm
62
on the go
Flea Markets
in France
To wander through the flea markets
of France is to discover a thousand and
one stories.
by Violaine Charest-Sigouin
The first flea market came into being outside the gates of Paris.
At the end of the nineteenth century, forbidden to hawk their
wares within the city walls, the rummage dealers set up shop
near the Porte de Clignancourt and founded, in 1885, Les Puces
de Saint Ouen. Today, this market is considered the largest
gathering of secondhand dealers in the world, with some two
thousand stands in seventeen distinct markets. Each weekend,
over 120,000 visitors descend on the chic antique dealers and
curiosity shops in the hope of finding some priceless treasure.
In France, antiquing is practically a national sport! Next to
soccer, it is the favorite French pastime. Enough said—we’re off
to rummage through a few French flea markets.
Negotiation
© Danyel Massacrier/Ville de Clermont/Service Communication
Journalist Brigitte Durieux became enamored with old objects
at a very young age. As a child, she would travel throughout
Burgundy scouring flea markets with her antique-loving grandmother. Later, while writing Inoxydable Tolix (Éditions de la
Martinière)—a book devoted to the iconic Chaise A made in the
thirties in the town of Autun—this pastime turned into a veritable
love affair. Durieux still recalls the day, in a little town in the
very heart of the Morvan, when after much negotiation, she
managed to acquire her first Chaise A—a signed model from
1930! According to her, although the art of negotiating is fundamental to the secondhand trade, a good collector is someone
who has the ability to find the one valuable object in a heap of
scrap. “Chiner (antiquing) is finding a Gras or GLD lamp for ten
euros because the dealer thinks it is just a worthless piece of
junk, whereas in reality, it’s a piece that belongs in the national
collections,” she explains.
Secondhand Dealer’s Market, Clermont-Ferrand
www.franceguide.com
on the go
63
Nostalgia
While some go to flea markets in search of a bargain, others are drawn to them for sentimental
reasons. This is the case with Philippe and Isabelle Berbudeau who, after Isabelle’s father passed
away in 2001, bought back the family farm near Orange in the Vaucluse department and turned it
into a B&B. The establishment (dubbed Justin de Provence after the patriarch) is furnished entirely
with antiques, from the monogrammed linen sheets to the fine porcelain dishes. “Folks who come
here feel like they’re traveling through time,” states Isabelle, who spent months scouring local flea
markets looking for treasures to furnish the premises. The couple drew much of their inspiration
from Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a charming island lined with large paddle wheels where, every weekend,
some three hundred exhibitors display their goods. The island is bursting with life during the
international fair held twice a year: at Easter and mid-August. “All the city squares and parks are
teeming with people from all over France. It’s the best time to get a good deal!” she adds.
Inventiveness
In Auvergne, in the town of Saint-Arcons d’Allier, Laurence Perceval and Pierre Hermet succeeded
in bringing the past back to life through an unusual project: they turned a twelfth-century hamlet
and its château into a hotel. From the old shutters that have been turned into headboards to the
preserving pan made into a shower, by dint of ingenuity, the hotel owners have converted each of
the basalt maisonnettes into rooms that are straight out of a fairy tale. A night in this timeless place
is the stuff of dreams! Afterward, go treasure hunting in Clermont-Ferrand or, if antique furniture is
what makes you tick, check out the secondhand dealer’s market held the first Saturday of the month
at the Place du 1er Mai. There is also the Salins flea market which promises plenty of great finds
every Sunday morning. As you stroll among the stalls that abound with rare finds, you may just
happen on a lamp that reminds you of the one in your grandmother’s living room; then refuel
your engines with a fortifying mulled wine and an andouillette before moving on to a stand where
Bibendum (The Michelin Man), has the place of honor. One thing’s for sure: French flea markets are
full of surprises!
address book
in paris
The Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market
Saturday to Monday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
www.parispuces.com
In Burgundy
2009 Dijon Antique Show
May 15 to 24, 2009
www.dijon-congrexpo.com
Mézilles Garage Sale and Collector’s Fair
August 8 to 9, 2009
www.mezilles.net
in provence
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Antique Villages
www.antiques-islesursorgue.com
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue International Antique Fair and Flea Market
Easter and mid-August 2009
www.foireantiquites-islesurlasorgue.fr
Justin de Provence
www.justin-de-provence.com
in auvergne
Clermont-Ferrand Secondhand Dealer’s Market
Place du 1er Mai, first Saturday of the month,
7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
04 73 42 63 48
Salins Flea Market
Sunday, 7 a.m. to noon
www.puces63.com
© Germain
Les deux abbesses
www.lesdeuxabbesses.com
Chaise Tolix
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
64
on the go
Dining for
under 35 euros
Your inner epicurean will be delighted to eat where the locals do,
even when traveling on a budget.
by Nancy Wigston
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
Today’s France offers not only the world’s best cuisine, but also a wide range of affordable
eateries—from the traditional to the quirky to the ultrachic. On France’s culinary road-less-traveled,
you’ll discover memorable meals that won’t break the bank.
Bordeaux
Dinner in Paris
Elegant and friendly Bordeaux, the capital of Aquitaine, treats business and pleasure with equal
seriousness. Star-chef Nicolas Frion serves up a thirty-five euro lunch that highlights fresh fish and
organic vegetables in the historic rococo setting of Le Chapon Fin (www.chapon-fin.com). At the
very fashionable Café du Musée in the Musée d’Art Contemporain, designed by Andrée Putnam,
a seven-course Sunday brunch that will satisfy art lovers can be had for just twenty-five euros
(www.chezgreg.fr). Dedicated foodies can learn to cook their own lunches in an airy Bordeaux loft,
following the lesson with a “tasting” that includes wine for nineteen euros (www.atelierdeschefs.com).
Pau
It’s a game; it’s a restaurant; it’s a bargain. Called pelote by the French, this Basque sport is honored
at Le Pilota by former champion player chef Jean-Bernard Hourçourigaray. At a cost of twelve
euros for lunch or twenty-eight euros for dinner, guests can enjoy Basque specialties like garbure
in a sports temple dedicated to the game.
Périgueux
At La Table du Pouyaud near Périgueux, variations on local dishes include shrimp ravioli, mushroom
risotto, vegetarian couscous, and luscious homemade pastries. This charming farmhouse promises
a meal to remember with lunches priced at around twenty-five euros and dinners at around
thirty-two euros (www.pouyaud.com).
Capbreton
© MDLF/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
La Taverne du Petit Homme, better known as “Chez Minus,” located near the port, is prized for its
seafood dishes cooked à la plancha (www.chezminus.com).
Biarritz
Known for its Basque heritage and its luxury clientele, Biarritz is justly proud of the fish-centered
traditional Basque cuisine featured at La Tantina de la Playa, just steps from the Atlantic Ocean.
Oyster party
www.franceguide.com
More information on 136 cafés and restaurants of Aquitaine that not only guarantee good food but
also a convivial atmosphere can be found at www.aquitaine.bienvenueaupays.fr.
65
Ardèche
Away from bustling Lyon, the culinary heart of rural Ardèche
resides in the Bistrots de Pays that dot this forested valley.
Village life thrives in the bistrot, amid a rich diversity of local
produce and warm welcomes. Entertainment might include
theatrical evenings, storytelling, music, art, or sporting events.
At their lively best in spring or autumn, bistrots serve home style
hospitality along with generous portions of local specialties
like charcuteries, chestnuts, and fresh berries from local farms.
To discover the fifteen Bistrots de Pays in the Ardèche, go to:
www.bistrotdepays.com.
PARIS
Energy and freshness illuminate the Paris food scene like never
before. At the popular “canteens,” for example, diners at long
tables share their impressions of the cuisine while passing the
jam. Wine and Bubbles, Paris 1st; Le Potager du Marais (a major
hit with vegans), Paris 3rd; La Cantine du Faubourg, Paris 8th;
Le Pain Quotidien, Paris 4th; Wok Cooking, Paris 11th.
Traditionally, Paris sightseers find fresh or prepared foods at
open-air markets, charcuteries, and department stores, then
head to the nearest park for an instant picnic. (Note: Organic
foods are widely available.) Cozy patisseries like Mouff’Tartes
in Hemingway’s old Latin Quarter neighborhood beckon the
budget-conscious indoors with savory tarts, wine, desserts, and
coffee. 53, rue Mouffetard, Paris 5th.
Marais: Seductive aromas and friendly service are hallmarks at
Le 404, a romantic favorite with honeymooners and showbiz folk.
Authentic Moroccan tajines (lamb, fish, beef) are slow-cooked
in clay pots in this renovated sixteenth-century building. 69, rue
des Gravilliers, Paris 3rd.
Ile Saint-Louis: Inexpensive veggie options grace the table at
Le Grenier de Notre Dame. All that, and heaven too (the most
famous cathedral in Paris is close by) at 18, rue de la Bûcherie,
Paris 4th.
Montparnasse/Pigalle: Since 1892, Brasserie Wepler has been
at 14, place de Clichy, serving Normandy oysters—its specialty—to a raft of famous artists, writers, and filmmakers. Complete
meals start at twenty euros; the convivial atmosphere is free.
www.wepler.com
Montmartre: Near the picture-postcard steps, you’ll find Le Croissant, a newly renovated 1820 brasserie. Customers adore old
standards, like steak tartar and chips, red mullet, and foie gras
stuffed duck. Sublime French food plus an excellent wine cellar.
146, rue Montmartre. www.lecroissant.com.
Gourmet museum cafés can prove to be surprisingly affordable. At the Mini Palais au Grand Palais (Paris 4th), chef Gilles
Choukroun blends the “ordinary with the modern” to create the
spectacular. Lunch, wine, and coffee: twenty euros.
For more on eating in Paris, get the inside scoop at
www.parisinfo.com.
© MDLF/Style City
This gastronomic heaven at the confluence of the Rhône and
Saône rivers offers visitors its pedestrian-friendly Renais­
sance quarter plus a myriad of affordable restaurants. Here,
there, everywhere are traditional bouchons lyonnais, intimate
eateries that have welcomed weary travelers since the stagecoach days. Their friendly service and hearty menus have
seduced generals, statesmen, and Michelin-starred chefs
like Paul Bocuse. Awaken your inner epicurean with Lyonnais
specialties (tripe, pike quenelles, white sausage with apples) at
the beloved Café des Fédérations (www.lesfedeslyon.com); try
Brasserie Georges for “great beer and great food since 1836”
(www.brasseriegeorges.com), or visit Chez Mounier (www.igougo.
com/dining-reviews-b118530-Lyon-Chez_Mounier.html), to name
but a few. Prix fixe menus often come with a half-bottle of Côtes
du Rhône. www.lyon-france.com.
© MDLF/Cédric Helsly
Lyon
© MDLF/Style City
© MDLF/Style City
© MDLF/Michel Laurent
on the go
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67
© Paris Tourist Office/Amélie Dupont
on the go
Bercy village, Paris
Budget Shopping in France
Insider tips from a lover of France who claims she rarely ever pays retail.
by Suzy Gershman
ROUEN
It’s time to get crafty, and find alternative ways to live, and shop
well. Prices outside of Paris are generally 20 percent less than
in the capital and, while we’ll always have Paris, it can’t hurt to
have a little bit of Lille, Deauville, Rouen, or Reims as well.
Rouen is the town where Joan of Arc was condemned to death by fire. I mention this now because
one of my favorite souvenirs of all of France is the Jeanne d’Arc brand of coffee, which is French
roast! Rouen (pronounced Ruh-ann) is a charming old town complete with a photo-worthy clock
tower, a cathedral that is one of the best in France, and a local fascination with faïence, which
makes for a nice gift. Fashionistas will enjoy the handful of resale shops, the hat maker in the
shadow of the cathedral, and all the French chain stores.
LILLE
REIMS
Located only an hour from Paris on the Thalys train (the fast
train to Brussels), Lille is home to the second largest museum
in France, but this industrial city is also the heart of the cotton
textile industry. There are two outlet malls and plenty of freestanding outlet stores. Even with a low dollar, you might be
happy to find thousand-dollar sheets for a hundred dollars. If you
aren’t into expensive bed linen, try the bin filled with gants de
toilette (usually one euro each). Pair your new washcloth mitt
with a bar of French soap for the perfect gift to take back home.
Also consider jars of French mustard or honey (usually under
four euros per jar—even for the gourmet brands!) or perhaps
a crêpe pan (sixteen euros) along with a package of crêpe mix
(a little over two euros).
Another Joan of Arc landmark (she had better luck in this town) is located in the heart of this city in
Champagne country. You can take the train into town, check out the cathedral with its Chagall
windows, and then shop in the wine boutiques that circle the cathedral.
Don’t forget that every September, the city of Lille hosts the world’s
largest round-the-clock flea market. Called the Braderie, the event
dates back to medieval times and offers amazing bargains.
DEAUVILLE
Coco Chanel opened her first shop in Deauville and the designer
tradition is still strong. Or, you can hop on a bus to Trouville-surMer (Trouville is to Deauville as Saint Paul is to Minneapolis),
and you’ve got less-flashy stores and a good Monoprix. Brocantes
(antique barns) sit on the outskirts of town.
Though airlines have made it difficult to carry on liquids, these stores have an enormous selection
of “small” bottles. (You can buy four minis as per the U.S. liquor allowance.) Reims (pronounced
Rance) is more spread out than the other towns on this list making it harder to visit without taking
a taxi. The cathedral is set to one side while the modern shopping district is elsewhere; even the
in-town maisons (Champagne houses) and fancy restaurants are off center a tad. Furthermore,
tours and tastings are not free. If you’ve never seen a cave (wine cellar) before, call it an educational
experience. Otherwise, you can worship at the store of your choice and create your own tasting.
James Bond suggests the Bolly, ma chère.
Frugalista tip: In the same region (Champagne), but to the south, lies the city of Troyes. If you’ve got
a car, you can check out the medieval city and then hop around nearby villages to a bevy of outlet
malls. They are only so-so but you can find some big names, such as Armani and YSL.
CLOSER TO PARIS
Use the metro, not the SNCF, to get to the best flea markets in town, either in Vanves on the edge of
Paris in the fourteenth arrondissement (Porte de Vanves, weekends only) or ‘the big flea’ (Les Puces)
in Saint-Ouen (pronounced “San Twan”) in the eighteenth arrondissement. Many dealers in SaintOuen will deal with U.S. dollars at parity with euros in order to make a sale. If you prefer an oldfashioned, American-style outlet mall, the best in Europe is in Val d’Europe; get there on the RER
(about fifty minutes outside of Paris near the Disneyland Resort). Note: Dogs are not welcome.
0
j
tou
dan
s
!
Prices valid until 16.11.2010
© Bal du Moulin Rouge 2003/2009 - Moulin Rouge®
12
et
ans
s
ou r
t
ven
le
Dinner & Show
at 7 pm from 150 � - Show at 9 pm : 102 � - Show at 11 pm : 92 �
Montmartre - 82, blvd de Clichy - 75018 Paris - France • Reservations : 33 (0)1 53 09 82 82 - www.moulin-rouge.com
paris
populaire
Savoring local flavor in the City of Light.
69
© Paris Tourist Office/Amélie Dupont
on the go
Place du Tertre, Montmartre
by Carolyn Heinze
Spanning the nineteenth, tenth and eleventh arrondissements,
the canal Saint-Martin links the Saint-Denis and Ourcq canals
with the bassin de l’Arsenal (which subsequently flows into the
Seine). Built in the early 1800s as a source of drinking water and
commercial transport, today the canal attracts local artists and
young professionals to its boutiques and trendy bars along the
quais de Valmy and de Jemmapes. Arguably one of the most
famous destinations along the canal is the Hôtel du Nord. When
the hotel was established in 1885, it served as the quartier général
(headquarters) for sailors and blue-collar workers from the area;
today it boasts a hip clientele that come for French cuisine with
a modern twist. Across the way, the after-work crowd makes
Café l’Atmosphère and Chez Prune lively spots for an apéro.
Over the Hill
The star of the eighteenth arrondissement, the village of Montmartre never ceases to charm and inspire. For those wishing to
escape the hustle and bustle of tourists on la butte, the district
around Lamarck-Caulaincourt provides a nice refuge. There,
residents meet for coffee or wine at any number of the cafés
and bars that surround the metro station, such as the hipster
favorite, Chez Françis Labutte or the friendly Café Arrosé. After
lunch, take a stroll through the cimetière de Montmartre, between
metros Lamarck-Caulaincourt and Place de Clichy, where the
A stone’s throw away from the touristy grands boulevards, the
neighborhood surrounding Strasbourg–Saint-Denis and Château
d’Eau metro stations allows one to experience a good part of
the world without ever leaving town. Here, those with roots in
North Africa, Turkey, India, Kurdistan, and Pakistan rub elbows,
creating for a vibrant quartier. With the locals rushing around
doing their courses (errands) at the fruit and vegetable markets,
specialty boutiques, butchers, and fromageries on rue du
Faubourg Saint-Denis, stop for a drink at the trendy Chez
Jeannette, wine and dine in the Belle Epoque at Julien, or dive
into the passage Brady to sample delicacies from the colorful
array of Indian restaurants.
Old-Fashioned Charm
Not far from the bustling Place de la Bastille is the Marché
d’Aligre. Built in 1779—just a decade before the fall of the Bastille
prison—this market, originally constructed to serve the bluecollar residents around it, is becoming increasingly gentrified,
as is the entire neighborhood. Still, it continues to hold its old
world charm, thanks to the friendly merchants, savory delicacies,
and quaint location. Be sure to stop in to the nearby Baron Rouge
for a glass of wine afterwards.
Hip and Central
Situated on the edge of Les Halles, rue Montorgueil is the center
of a trendy pedestrian district populated by young professionals
that render it a lively spot on any day or night. Lined with lavish
boutiques, cheese shops, wine stores, and numerous cafés, bars
and restaurants, this is the perfect place to sit out on a terrace
for coffee, conversation… and plenty of people watching.
© Paris Tourist Office/Amélie Dupont
Where Cultures Collide
© Paris Tourist Office/Marc Bertrand
The Seine, bis
likes of painter Edgar Degas, filmmaker François Truffaut, and
singer Dalida are laid to rest.
© Paris Tourist Office/Jacques Lebar
Notre-Dame. The Louvre. Sacré-Coeur. The Champs-Elysées.
Among the most famous addresses in the world, these sites are
synonymous with a city that’s unlikely to lose its status as one
of the most beautiful destinations. While the center of town
boasts an impressive list of must-sees, Paris’s wonders aren’t
limited to its central core… and, thanks to a top-notch public
transportation system, gaining insight into where the locals
hang out doesn’t require one to venture off the beaten path.
ann_200x2560_GB:Mise en page 1
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THE LEADING WORLDWIDE CENTRE FOR RESOURCES IN PERFUMES AND COSMETICS
COSMETIC VALLEY
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Tél : +33 (0)2 37 211 211
Printemps Department store
Higher Ground
Views of Paris from above
© Paris Tourist Office/David Lefranc
71
© Paris Tourist Office/David Lefranc
on the go
Sacré-Coeur
by Carolyn Heinze
It’s true that one can spend a lot of time in Paris looking up—at the architecture, the minute details
constructed into the most unassuming structures, the plaques declaring what famous person
lived in which apartment house and when, and, of course, the monuments that are synonymous
with the city itself. Spend a few days in Paris and you’re bound to develop a kink in your neck,
but your eyes will thank you for it. And just because you may not live here doesn’t mean you’re the
only one to walk around town with your gaze shifted upward; many residents—far from blasé
about the beauty of their home (or adopted) town—pick a different route along their daily commute
just to discover an aesthetic detail that they hadn’t noticed before.
A Walk in the Park
While the center of Paris remains flat, there are a number of spots that provide sweeping views
of the city to give you a break from all of that looking up! A casual promenade around the
working-class (or populaire) district of Belleville in the twentieth arrondissement heeds a number
of impressive vistas, most notably from the large gazebo atop the parc de Belleville, between the
more famous Buttes-Chaumont and cimetière du Père-Lachaise. Here, locals come to bask in the
sun, stroll along flower-lined paths and take in the panoramic view of the City of Light in the heart of
a lively quartier known for its quaint outdoor market and eclectic hodgepodge of shops. An open-air
theater plays host to a number of community events for both kids and adults.
Arabian Nights
By day, the futuristic Arab World Institute acts as a cultural
center representing France’s partnership with twenty-two Arab
countries. Here, visitors can discover Arab culture through the
facility’s museum, library, language center, and exposition space
featuring regular exhibits highlighting the relationship between
France and the Arab world. By night, the ninth-floor restaurant
Le Zyriab by Noura welcomes diners to feast upon a rich selection of Lebanese delicacies while overlooking Notre-Dame, the
Seine, and the heart of Paris.
Towering Heights
Ever wanted to see Paris from up high—with the Eiffel Tower in
view? With a visit to the Tour Montparnasse, you can do just
that… and ride up the 640 feet in Europe’s fastest elevator! After
capitalizing on this stunning photo op, visitors can learn about
Paris via the various interactive displays that are installed
throughout the space.
Shop, Drop, and Look
No trip to Paris is complete without a trip to the grands magasins… and the inevitable shopping
fatigue that ensues. Take a load off and replenish your energy with a light lunch or snack at
Déli-cieux (a play on the words ‘deli’ and ‘cieux,’ or ‘skies’) on the ninth floor of Printemps de la
Maison. The cafeteria-style restaurant boasts a large outdoor terrasse, where diners can nibble
away at their salads, quiche, and sandwiches while admiring an impressive view of Gay Paree.
Next door at Galeries Lafayette, where, after admiring the store’s impressive dome that makes up
the entire ceiling, you can take the escalator up to the fifth floor, walk up a flight of stairs and
out onto the terrace, which offers a similarly expansive view.
Déli-cieux at Printemps
de la Maison
www.printemps.com
Parc de Belleville
www.paris.fr
(click on Parcs et Jardins)
Galeries Lafayette
www.galerieslafayette.com
Tour Montparnasse
www.tourmontparnasse56.com
Arab World Institute
www.imarabe.org
72
overseas france
© oceandimages.com
France’s overseas departments and territories span the globe, each with its own
unique flavor and tradition. They are the heart of France you never knew—something
delightfully tropical, something deliciously adventurous.
© oceandimages.com
S A I N T- B A RT H E L E M Y
Fonds Saint-Jacques
Sainte-Marie
© Courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme
© Courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme
Saint-Pierre
REUNION
www.franceguide.com
© Youri Lenquette
Point of location
© MDLF
© Courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme
Color dot corresponds to the articles in the list below
A Taste of Martinique, pp. 73-74
Two Kinds of Tahiti, p. 76
Sounds of the French Caribbean, p. 78
© oceandimages.com
Depaz Rum Distillery
A Taste
of Martinique
Ninety-five percent of rum in the world is industrial rum, made
from molasses. Martiniquan rum, made from pure cane sugar, is
something special, and has carried the ultimate French mark of
quality, the AOC label, since 1996.
Eleven distilleries producing over seventeen varieties of rum dot the island of Martinique. Begin
the route des rhums with a trip to Sainte-Marie on the Atlantic coast and a visit to the island’s
oldest distillery, Saint James, founded by Benedictine monks in 1765. The English-speaking staff
welcomes visitors with free samples rather than admission fees, and the Rum Museum provides
an introduction to the history of sugarcane and rum that will serve as a great jumping-off point for
the rest of your visit.
Like many great inventions, Martinique’s agricultural rum was initially created in response to an
obstacle. Since the seventeenth century, rum had been distilled from molasses, a by-product of the
sugar refining process. As rum manufacturing became colonial New England’s largest and most
prosperous industry, sugarcane began to replace tobacco as the West Indies’ primary crop. The
advent of the steam engine in the mid-1800s, however, revolutionized rum production, making it
easy to move sugarcane from field to factory—as long as a field lay near a train line.
Plantations excluded from the network of railways found themselves cut off from the newly evolved
sugarcane market. Some of these habitations began to distill the sugarcane directly, creating
“rhum z’habitants,” or what has come to be known as agricultural rum. A stop at Habitation Clément
in Le François—whose main house is listed as a historic monument—will give you a feel for this
time. Although the distillery is no longer in operation, it was restored in 2005 as the Rhums Clément
interpretation center and now offers tours and tastings.
© oceandimages.com
by ELEANOR GRIFFITH
Sugarcane
The Nitty-Gritty
It takes about 22 lbs. of sugarcane to produce just one liter of
rum. The sugarcane is washed of its impurities, then ground
and slowly pressed. Fresh cane juice (vesou) is stored in vats,
where yeast is added and it ferments to 4%-5%. It is then put into
distilling columns, where it is heated and brought up to 70%-75%.
Distilled water is then added to bring the alcohol content down
to 55%, or 110 proof.
Grappe blanche
(white rum) is drunk as an apéritif and also used in cocktails.
Rhum paille
(straw-colored rum) is aged for up to two years, giving it a darker
color and making the rum smoother and mellower.
Rhum vieux
(old rum) is aged in oak barrels for at least three years.
74
overseas france
Direct distillation of rum from sugarcane soon became recognized as the production method par
excellence, and other factories followed suit, transforming themselves into agricultural distilleries
to produce Martiniquan rhum agricole, rather than exporting all of their molasses to the colonies
for production. Much credit is given to the Dominican monk Père Labat, who helped to perfect the
distillation process. A museum named after him is located on the Fonds Saint-Jacques estate in the
north of the island.
As the rum trade grew, Saint-Pierre on the island’s northwest coast became the center of trade,
with sixteen distilleries—all of which were destroyed in 1902 with the eruption of the volcano
Mount Pelée. Once again, Martinique’s history of rum production bears witness to triumph over
adversity. The Depaz family plantation was among those destroyed in the eruption and young
Victor Depaz, then studying in Bordeaux, suddenly found himself an orphan and a pauper. Returning to Saint-Pierre, he decided to rebuild the plantation and to build a replica of his childhood
home. He finally moved in with his wife and eight children, twenty-one years later and a year after
his rum won its first medal in Marseille. The Depaz Rum Distillery and Plantation is still familyowned, and the château that Victor rebuilt was opened to the public in 2008. The sugarcane fields
surrounding Mount Pelée are today some of the most productive on the island.
Visit www.lostinfrancelation.com to view the “Color Me Martinique” episode.
© oceandimages.com
www.martinique.org
www.franceguide.com
ordering guide
Ti-punch
Three parts white rum, one part sugarcane syrup, lime, served in
a small glass (short for ‘petit punch’)
Vieux
Three parts old rum, one part sugarcane syrup, and lime
(served in a small glass)
Planteur
Five parts fruit juice(s), one part white rum, a splash of sugarcane
syrup, vanilla, and nutmeg
Sec-Sec
Neat
Ti-sec
Little neat (with a glass of water afterward)
© Courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme
overseas france
© Courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme
76
Sunset over a pearl farm in the Tuamotus
Motu
Two Kinds of Tahiti
Sunny relaxation and trekking adventure, why not do both?
by Carly Milne
Marquesas islands
Catering to the adventurer, the island of Nuku Hiva is built
for explorative scaling. Even the ride from the airport is an
experience as you wind your way up and over the mountains
on the island’s one and only road—some of which is unpaved,
giving you unexpected 4x4 thrills! But the scenery is worth
it. Stopping at a lookout point to take in the view of the bay
and village of Taiohae, it’s hard to deny that Nuku Hiva’s lack
of modernization is an asset. Lush green forests blanket the
landscape, enhanced by mythic tropical flowers and accented
by the majestic sapphire blue sea.
It’s definitely a sight to behold, but even better to explore. With
its rocky cliff sides and hidden island gems, Nuku Hiva was built
for hikers. Though the trail isn’t intensely challenging, taking a
boat ride around to a secret beach on the other side of the island
to tromp through the tropical forest—wading through streams
and cutting through farms along the way—is a must for any
adventurer. The payoff comes in the form of the hike’s endpoint:
the waterfalls of Hakaui, which make for a perfect private
swim (as long as you don’t mind the eel that resides there!).
Meanwhile, Nuku Hiva is also home to amazing archaeological
sites, such as Hikokua and Kamuihei, featuring some of the most
www.franceguide.com
fascinating temples you’ll ever see—including one used for
human sacrifice, as evidenced by a wayward femur bone that
still calls the temple home. Both experiences can be booked
through the Keikahanui Nuku Hiva Pearl Lodge.
Tuamotu Archipelago
Once you’ve effectively broken a sweat and raised your heart
rate, you’ll want to cool down on the Tuamotu Atoll of Manihi.
You can picture it if you close your eyes and imagine a small
island only four miles wide, bathed in powdery white sand,
flanked by crystal clear water, and decorated with colorful
tropical fish. Quite simply, it’s postcard perfection. You can’t help
but feel relaxed in this setting, where even the activities are of
the laid-back variety.
Taking a snorkeling expedition to the Drop Off is highly recommended. What could be an active adventure winds up being
more of a moving meditation, as you don fins and goggles to
float along with the cartoonish fish next to a massive plunge
connecting you to the deep blue. It’s both a relaxing and
humbling experience. Even the Gilligan’s Island-like adventure
of a motu picnic offers plenty of time for sunbathing, as you
watch your host fish for your lunch and prepare it for you on
a desert island while you sip from young coconuts and catch
some rays. But what relaxing retreat would be complete without
a spa treatment? The Manea Spa at the Manihi Pearl Beach
Resort offers tired travelers the perfect way to rejuvenate on
every level—body, mind and spirit.
Exploratory adventuring, decadent relaxation… the islands of Tahiti
can take care of both sides of your vacation personality, and then
some. There’s just one problem—you won’t want to come home!
© Courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme
When booking a vacation, it can be hard to determine which
side of your personality to nurture. Do you give in to vacationinspired sloth and opt for maximum sun time on the beach, or
cave in to personal trainer pressure and seek out something a
little more rigorous? Booking a trip to Tahiti means you can do
both. With 118 islands to choose from, there’s a vast array of
land to explore… but two stand out from all the rest to nourish
both your yin and yang.
Nuku Hiva
Keikahanui Nuku Hiva
Pearl Lodge
BP 53 Taiohae, Marquises,
French Polynesia,
+689 50 84 53, +689 92 07 10
www.pearlresorts.com/
keikahanui/main.php
Manihi Pearl
Beach Resort
BP 1 98771 Manihi Tuamotu,
French Polynesia
+689 96 42 73
www.pearlresorts.com/
manihi/main.php
www.tahiti-tourisme.com
In
Tahiti, “table for two” takes on new meaning.
There’s a point during your Tahiti vacation when you realize things are unlike anything else you’ve
ever experienced. For many, it happens the moment they step on board an airline rated by travellers
just like you as Best in the Pacific, six years running. Be moved by Tahiti. Be moved by Air Tahiti Nui.
www.airtahitinui-usa.com 1-877-824-4846
TAHITI
LOS ANGELES
NEW YORK
PARIS
TOKYO
AUCKLAND
SYDNEY
overseas france
© MDLF
© Youri Lenquette
78
Kassav’
Mount Pelée, Martinique
Sounds of the French Caribbean
kassav’ celebrates its thirtieth anniversary.
by chantal martineau
If you’ve ever been to the French Caribbean, the sun-dappled
memories of your trip most likely include the smells of coconut
and curry, grilled seafood, and fresh fruit. Scent is, after all, the
most nostalgic of the senses. But sound is a close second, and
the seductive rhythms of French Caribbean music are sure to
stay with you forever once you’ve heard them. The musical star
of the French isles is zouk, a popular genre with roots in African
drumbeats and Latin tempo, and a dash of European pop thrown
into the mix. It creeps into your hips before it reaches your ears,
and even if you don’t understand the words, the lyrics still
manage to speak to your heart.
Before zouk, there was biguine. And before biguine, there was
gwo ka. Gwo ka is a percussion-based music genre that is made
up of seven basic rhythms and often accompanies historical
folk dances. Gwo ka gave way to biguine, a style of music born
on the island of Martinique from a combination of traditional
Antillean bélé and polka. Biguine has often been compared to
New Orleans jazz. In the 1970s and ’80s, the natural progression
of Antillean music took the form of zouk. Super group, Kassav’,
whose fifteen-odd members come from Martinique and Guadeloupe, was instrumental in the explosion of zouk music. Creole
for ‘party,’ zouk has become the music of the French Caribbean,
although its popularity has spread beyond the islands to parts of
www.franceguide.com
Africa, the French mainland, and the Canadian province of Quebec. Kassav’ (whose name comes
from the word cassava—a tasty mix of manioc paste and coconut) made zouk an international
phenomenon with its 1985 hit Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni, literally translated, ‘Zouk is the only
remedy we have.’
Just before the band hit the big time, a young singer from Fort-de-France came into the picture. As
a young pharmacology student in Normandy, Jocelyne Béroard had no idea that she would become
not only the face of the biggest music group in the French Antilles, but also that of the sound most
associated with the French Caribbean.
“I think that to do this job, you must first love people, life, and the things that surround you. You
must observe, watch, and take in everything with joy so that you can retransmit it that way to
others,” Béroard told us in an interview. “Plus, our history of oppression, neglect and brutality is a
source of strength for us. Our view of life and of ourselves has determined our inspiration.”
Kassav’ celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this year. The group will perform with special guests
at the Stade de France in May. But surely fans will be celebrating the world over, especially in
the French Antilles, where the sounds of zouk spreads from beachside lounges to busy clubs in
bustling cities.
“[Zouk] is a music that draws you in. It’s happy, even if the themes within it are sad. The major
rhythm of zouk is the ‘Mas a Senjan,’ which is a rhythm that calls to you. Some of our songs can
express extremely painful sentiments if played as ballads. To the beat of zouk, however, the songs
are rousing without being heavy. Our themes are fundamentally universal.”
Fly & Drive.
(Discover France at unbeatable prices starting at $ 645)
For further information and reservations call Picasso Tours at 1 800 995 7997
www.sixtusa.com
80
where to stay
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
You can always expect a warm welcome in France and, when choosing your accom­
modations, we invite you to explore new avenues and opt for unique locations, many of
which are affordable as well as eco-friendly.
N O R D – PA S DE-CALAIS
© MDLF/Daniel Gallon - Dangal
Le Havre
Honfleur
PICARDY
Rouen
Giverny
Les Andelys
La Petite-Pierre
NORMANDY
ALSACE
LORRAINE
ILE-DEFRANCE
C H A M PA G N E ARDENNE
Vosges du
Nord Regional
Nature Park
B R I T TA N Y
La Gacilly
PAY S
DE LA LOIRE
Ouche Valley
Vandenesse
LOIRE
VA L L E Y
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Didier Raux
Nantes
FRANCHECOMTE
Saint-Jean-de-Losne
BURGUNDY
POITOUCHARENTES
LIMOUSIN
RHONE-ALPS
AUVERGNE
Bordeaux
Saint-Cybranet
ARDÈCHE
Figeac
A Q U I TA I N E
MIDI-PYRENEES
Toulouse
RIVIERA
LANGUEDOC–
ROUSSILLON
PROVENCE
Béziers
© Louise Gaboury
CORSICA
© La Pérouse Hotel
© Louise Gaboury
© Louise Gaboury
Color dot corresponds to the articles in the list below
Cruising the Canals, pp. 81-82
Mi Casa, Su Casa, p. 84
Zero-Emission Hotels, p. 85
www.franceguide.com
Nice
Marseille
Le Somail
Narbonne
Homps
Trèbes
Carcassonne
Castelnaudary
Point of location
Grasse
© Emmanuelle Bonzami
Castelnaudary
Cruising the Canals
there is no greater adventure than hopping aboard a holiday boat and meandering along the canals of France
on a trip that mixes gastronomy, art, culture, and the exuberance of nature.
The canal promotes nautical tourism in regions such as
Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrénées, and Aquitaine, as well
as in important economic and historic centers such as Béziers,
Narbonne, Toulouse, Le Somail, Homps, Trèbes, Carcassonne,
and Castelnaudary. Sailing through these areas makes any trip
even more bucolic, giving travelers an opportunity to take in the
works of art—the bridges, lochs, and aqueducts—on the edges
of enchanting towns.
Boat traffic in France is getting heavy, especially with the advent
and success of hotel boats—authentic means of transportation
transformed into luxurious suites that can rival any five-star
hotel. A perfect alternative for anyone wanting to see France’s
villages is to hop aboard these floating hotels which boast
first-class service to boot. The suites come complete with a
dressing room, living room, mini-bar, and large bathroom (some
even include bathtubs!), making for a very comfortable and
pleasant trip.
One of the tours takes passengers through Béziers, a city
that resembles an open-air museum with its Belle Epoque
architecture, and known for its Roman amphitheatres where
the famous bullfights are held. Be sure to spend a full day in
Toulouse so you can witness every shade of color that the
“Pink City” dons as the day progresses. Near Toulouse, it’s
worth visiting the citadel of Carcassonne, whose fortresses
bear witness to the passage of the Celts, Gallo-Romans, and
Visigoths. Cassoulet is the gastronomic specialty in Languedoc
Roussillon, where the towns of Carcassonne, Toulouse, and
Castelnaudary have been arguing for centuries over which
of them really created the dish. Castelnaudary, for one, has
proclaimed itself the “world capital” of cassoulet.
Another option is to travel back to the Impressionist era. More
specifically, visit the late nineteenth century while drifting
along the Seine River to Normandy in the footsteps of the great
painters, from Monet to Renoir, who left their mark on the
regions of France. Visit historical towns, such as Giverny, where
Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926; check out
the water lilies and azaleas in his garden, along with the famous
Japanese bridge.
Follow this up with a visit to Château Gaillard in the small town
of Les Andelys. A true twelfth-century medieval fortress and a
symbol of medieval architecture, the chateau was built by the
Duke of Normandy, better known as Richard the Lion-Hearted.
Next stop: Rouen, the regional capital that was built during
Canal du Midi
© MDLF/CRT Picardie/Didier Raux
If you’re sailing down the Garonne River, the only way to get
to Sète is to take the Canal du Midi near Toulouse. Located in
southwestern France, this canal is a 150-mile extension of the
Garonne, connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean
Sea. Pierre-Paul Riquet built this artificial canal in the seventeenth century as an economic, military, and political solution
for the transport of merchandise to avoid having to head onto
the Strait of Gibraltar and the open seas. Located in France’s
Midi-Pyrénées region, it is the oldest working canal in Europe.
© MDLF/Fabian Charaffi
by Marilane Borges
Amiens
82
where to stay
the fourteenth century, and where Joan of Arc was martyred and condemned. The birthplace of
impressionism, Rouen will be one of the main stages for an art event being planned for the summer
of 2010 at the Musée des Beaux Arts, Normandie Impressionniste, which will include works from
France and the United States’ foremost museums.
Upon leaving Rouen, the tour heads toward Le Havre, a UNESCO World Heritage site considered
to be the second largest port in France, after Marseille. Musée André Malraux, with its canvases
by French impressionists and fauvist artists, is a must. A short distance from Le Havre—by car
or train—is the picturesque town of Honfleur. Located on the southern bank of the Seine, it is a
favorite stop with tourists, with its narrow alleyways brimming with flowers, charming restaurants
along the quay, and delicious local gastronomy. Don’t miss Musée Eugène-Boudin with its collection
of paintings by nineteenth- and twentieth-century Norman artists, Le Jardin des Personnalités
(a veritable garden of boats), and the architecture of the Eglise Sainte-Catherine.
Ninety-three miles southwest of Paris, continue along the Burgundy Canal (which connects the
Saône and Yonne rivers) for exotic landscapes surrounded by vineyards as far as the eye can see.
On this nautical tour—which starts on the Saône River at Saint-Jean-de-Losne, and contours the
Ouche Valley, Dijon, Pont-de-Pany, Pont-d’Ouche, and Vandenesse all the way to Pouilly—sail past
medieval castles that are home to the nectar of the gods. On the agenda: touring vineyards and
toasting to good food.
© MDLF/Catherine Bibollet
Beyond the vineyards, historical Burgundy consists of Bresse’s rural architecture, Morvan’s forests,
and farmland, as well as the green and luscious landscapes of the Charolais and Brionnais regions,
or even the Côte-d’Or’s striking fields and fully restored medieval neighborhoods.
After this journey through history, art, and culture, the best thing to do is to take it easy on a hotel
boat and dream about this region—a true ode to life.
© MDLF/Daniel Gallon - Dangal
Canal du Midi, Languedoc-Roussillon
Canal d’Ors, Poitou-Charentes
www.franceguide.com
© Louise Gaboury
where to stay
© Louise Gaboury
84
Paris apartment
Mi Casa, Su Casa
Realizing the dream of having your own place in France, for a
couple days or a couple of weeks, has never been so easy.
Tree house
Before Renting
Inquire about any additional charges: the deposit, extras for
electricity, heating or air conditioning, housecleaning, bedding,
linen rentals, and taxes.
A Web site doesn’t always tell the whole story. Do some extra
research in guides, on discussion forums, or through the local
tourist bureau. www.tourisme.fr
by louise gaboury
A pad in Paris or Nice, an attic room in Tarn, a townhouse in Drôme, a château in Dordogne, a
maison de gardien in the Camargue? From modest abodes for two to large villas with private pool—
the options are endless.
Throughout France, the people, proud of their heritage, have converted old buildings into cozy
homes or created contemporary spaces to make visitors feel right at home. Country homes or
farm buildings, they all share that magic touch we call l’art de vivre à la française: traditional
yet fully-equipped kitchens, an arbor where you can enjoy an apéritif, a terrace overlooking the
majestic land of gentle France.
Solo or with others… and resolutely green!
A sign of the times, cottages now rent by two and four, or by five or six. For large families, there are
the big adjoining houses, each with its own pool, like the one in Andressac, near Figeac. The trend
even goes so far as to group together cottages in hamlets or villages. Some of these establishments
offer workshops and local tours.
Gregarious eco-vacationers will appreciate charming, environmentally-friendly housing, like
Le Hameau des coquelicots that boasts three lovely and tastefully decorated houses built on a
magnificent piece of land overlooking a natural pool with a sandy beach. In Saint-Cybranet, the
Domaine du Fraysse offers distinctive cottages housed in fifteen- to nineteenth-century buildings
that circle a vast garden opening onto an eco-friendly pool. Everything is up to standard according
to Bio-hôtels and HQE, Haute qualité environmentale, the standard for green building in France.
Les maisons de Marie, near Figeac - www.lesmaisonsdemarie.com (in French only)
Le Hameau des coquelicots - www.lehameaudescoquelicots.com
Domaine du Fraysse - www.domaine-du-fraysse.com
www.franceguide.com
Find Out More
True to their name, the Citadines apart’hotels are set up in town
and can be found in Aix en Provence, Bordeaux, Cannes, Grenoble,
Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, Paris, Strasbourg, and
Toulouse. www.citadines.com
The Clévacances label covers close to twenty-four thousand
cottages in ninety-two departments and twenty-two regions
of France. www.clevacances.com
Gîtes de France includes 43,800 rural cottages ranked from one
to five swords. www.gites-de-france.com
Interhome boasts five thousand properties in France, a hundred
of which are in Paris. www.interhome.fr
Pierre & Vacances offers apartments in vacation villages.
www.pv-holidays.com
For more good addresses: www.franceguide.com, click on
Holiday Homes.
ALSO
Tree houses at Château Gauthié
www.chateaugauthie.com
Furnished desert tents at Camping Les Ormes
www.campinglesormes.com
Gypsy caravans at Château d’Uzer’s Philomène camp
chateau-uzer.com.sd2i.net
Domaine de Fonroques
www.roulottes-fonroques.com (in French only)
85
© La Pérouse Hotel
© Ecolodge des Chartrons
where to stay
Ecolodge des Chartrons
La Pérouse Hotel
Zero-Emission Hotels
hotels are going green, without skimping on comfort or luxury.
Whether a trend-setter or an organic-savvy globetrotter,
travelers looking for eco-holidays are invited to step into the
coveted world of ecologically responsible hotels.
modern building, which reflects high mountain architecture,
boasts a neutral energy balance with zero CO2 emissions and a
healthy serving of fresh air to boot. A feeling beyond compare!
recharge your batteries
among the olive trees
fair food
Ideally located on the edge of Grasse, a small town just inland
from Cannes, the Club Med village Opio is the first vacation
village in France to be awarded the European Eco-label in the
tourist accommodation service category. Obtaining this green
label rests on eighty-four strict criteria ranging from efficient
energy management to selective sorting of waste and the
preservation of a pesticide-free environment. What’s not to love?
nature preserved
The Vosges du Nord Regional Nature Park is home to,
La Clairière, France’s very first certified BIO, or organic, hotel.
Top-notch cuisine and accommodations go hand in hand with
a variety of treatments and ayurvedic massages, all with the
utmost respect for tradition. A wonderfully organic holiday
destination for the ultimate well-being experience.
pure altitude
At the foot of the Aiguille du Midi, at an altitude of 3,200 feet,
Le Morgane Hotel has every right to be proud of its esthetic
and environmental transformation. Featuring natural materials
(granite, slate, and wood) and vast spaces, this resolutely
Situated in the heart of Nantes, La Pérouse Hotel flaunts its
values and responsible approach, both inside and out. Start
your day with a light but energizing organic and fair trade
breakfast before hopping on a bicycle to take in some culture
and shopping—the perfect carbon neutral alternative to a taxi!
true to its origins
Spanning twenty-two acres in the Breton countryside, the Yves
Rocher Eco-Hotel is graced with an organic vegetable garden,
medicinal plant gardens, green roofs, and semi underground
rooms. Equipped with state-of-the-art bioclimatic technology,
the establishment leaves nothing to chance. Zen fans will love
the spa that caters to all five senses. Instant relaxation!
as good as it gets
Smack in the middle of the antique district, in the heart of Bordeaux,
this stately nineteenth-century house attracts authenticityseeking tourists. Tastefully renovated, with a penchant for mottled
furniture and natural eco-friendly materials (wool insulation,
environmentally friendly paint, lime plaster, and natural latex
rubber mattresses…), the Ecolodge des Chartrons is sure to
make a lasting impression.
© Le Morgane Hotel
By Francine Nascivet
Le Morgane Hotel
Club Med Opio
www.clubmed.fr
La Clairière
www.la-clairiere.com
Le Morgane
www.morgane-hotelchamonix.com
La Pérouse
www.hotel-laperouse.fr
Yves Rocher
www.yves-rocher.com
Ecolodge des Chartrons
www.ecolodgedes
chartrons.com
86
regions of france
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Regional Tourist Board
www.northernfrance-tourism.com
[email protected]
Its main cities Metz and Nancy are
only ninety minutes from Paris on the
TGV Est. They offer a rich cultural
heritage with, for example, the World
Heritage Place Stanislas and Art
Nouveau architecture in Nancy
and the cathedral and historical
city center in Metz.
Lorraine Regional Tourist Board
www.tourisme-lorraine.fr
[email protected]
www.franceguide.com
ALSACE
A visit to Alsace is a journey back in
time, touched by French and German
heritage: prestigious vineyards,
gourmet cuisine, natural parks, the
Vosges Mountains and some of the
most charming gingerbread-house
architecture in the world.
Alsace Regional Tourist Board
www.tourism-alsace.com
www.abcoffrance.com
[email protected]
BRITTANY
Brittany is a peninsula that has been
shaped and reshaped by the sea for
millennia, its coasts redrawn twice
a day by the tides. Under its sky of
changing colors lie expansive bays
of muted shades, capes of granite
and gray rose, dunes that are home
to numerous species of birds and rare
animals, hundreds of islands and the
best preserved coastline anywhere.
It is a land of legend, rich in history,
where painters such as Gauguin,
Monet, Matisse, Sargent, and
Picasso flocked in search of
new sources of inspiration.
Brittany Regional Tourist Board
www.brittanytourism.com
[email protected]
www.discoverbrittany.com
© CRT Champagne-Ardenne/Michel Joly
CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNE
Since the French Presidency of
the European Union in 2008, ParisIle-de-France puts the spotlight on
European art and culture, exhibiting
several European artists’s works:
See Italy or die—The Grand Tour
and ’Max Ernst, A Week of Kindness
at the Musée d’Orsay; Waldmüller
and the Imaginative World of Ariosto
at the Louvre; Asger Jorn at the
Centre Pompidou; and many other
cultural events.
Picardy Regional Tourist Board
www.picardietourisme.com
[email protected]
© Spiegelhalter Erich/CRTB
© CRT/Zvardon
© CDT Moselle/J.C. Kanny
Lorraine is a popular venue for
tourists seeking something that’s
a little bit different for a weekend
break, a touring holiday or a longer
stay. Its spa towns, lakes and forests,
winter sports resorts, artistic diversity
and cultural heritage are just some
of its extraordinary attractions.
PARIS-ILE-DE-FRANCE
Picardy has a strong cultural and
architectural heritage that can be
appreciated through its museums,
cathedrals, painters, writers.
Discover a place to breathe. Enjoy
outdoor activities in the Baie de
Somme, the Compiègne and Retz
forests, numerous parks and
gardens, and la route touristique
du vignoble, a wine road.
Normandy Regional Tourist Board
www.normandy-tourism.org
[email protected]
LORRAINE
© F. Poche-atelier culturel/Photothèque VINCI
PICARDY
Two thousand years of history are
very much alive wherever you go in
Normandy. There are castles, cathedrals, and abbeys, the most famous
of which is Mont Saint-Michel.
Normandy is also the birthplace of
Impressionism. Claude Monet’s home
and garden is in Giverny, on your way
to Rouen. You can also explore all the
places painted by the Impressionists:
Etretat, Le Havre, Honfleur, Trouville, etc.
This year marks the 65th anniversary
of the D-day Landings.
In Champagne-Ardenne, forty minutes
east of Paris on the TGV Est, centuries
of history are still alive: in the medieval
city of Troyes; in Sedan, which is
home to the largest castle fortress
in Europe; in the Reims Cathedral,
where twenty-five kings of France
were crowned; and in hundreds of
internationally famous champagne
houses and vintners’ cellars.
Champagne-Ardenne
Regional Tourist Board
www.tourisme-champagneardenne.com
www.abcoffrance.com
[email protected]
Paris–Ile-de-France
Regional Tourist Board
www.pidf.com
[email protected]
© J.P Klein/SEM Régionale des Pays de la Loire
NORMANDY
From its pristine Côte d’Opale to
the wooded mountains of its natural
parks, Nord-Pas-de-Calais combines
tradition with modernity. Just an hour
from Paris, you will find walled cities,
medieval belfries and a people who
have cultivated the festive spirit
of Carnival.
© CRT Centre/E. Mangeat
NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS
© CRT Picardie/Guy François
© J.Y.Desfoux/CDTManche.jpg
© CRT Nord-Pas-de-Calais/J.P. Duplan
Regions of france
LOIRE VALLEY
Loire Valley is the lush, green garden
of France. The wines from here are
considered by many connoisseur
to be among the best in France.
In the Royal Châteaux Country,
awe-inspiring castles are surrounded
by world-renowned gardens.
Loire Valley Regional Tourist Board
www.visaloire.com
[email protected]
PAYS DE LA LOIRE
Less than two hours from Paris,
explore the treasures from the past:
castles in the Loire Valley, vibrant
cities like Nantes, Angers or le
Mans, wines from Saumur, Anjou
or Muscadet. Enjoy La Loire à Vélo:
a cycling route through a natural
and historical landscape. Wide, wild
and wonderful—that’s the Pays de la
Loire’s sandy Atlantic Coast with the
freshest seafood and two beautiful
islands, Noirmoutier and Ile d’Yeu.
Pays de la Loire Tourist Board
www.paysdelaloire.co.uk
[email protected]
burgundy
franche-comte
How easy it is to fall under
Burgundy’s spell? Superb wine
regions, UNESCO World Heritage
sites, unspoiled nature—all easily
admired from a hot-air balloon,
a boat on a canal, or a bicycle.
Burgundy offers an unforgettable
adventure of contemporary
pleasures steeped in history.
Poitou-Charentes/Cognac Country
Regional Tourist Board
www.visit-poitou-charentes.com
[email protected]
© CRT PACA/Matthieu Verdeil
© CRT Languedoc-Roussillon/Richard Nourry
languedoc-roussillon
Rich in natural diversity, the French
Riviera is a land of contrasts; you
can gaze at snow-capped peaks
from the sea. From sunny beaches to
hilltop villages to the stunning Azure
Alps, Riviera offers a rich palette of
landscapes, leisure activities, cultural
exhibitions and international events.
Franche-Comté
Regional Tourist Board
www.franche-comte.org
[email protected]
PROVENCE-ALPSCOTE D’AZUR
Languedoc-Roussillon, a sun-blessed
Mediterranean region, has a rich
historic heritage (Pont du Gard,
Carcassonne, Canal du Midi), cities
bridging the past and the present
(Montpellier, Nîmes, Perpignan,
Mende), and numerous museums,
as well as 135 miles of beaches,
regional parks, the Camargue
and the Cévennes. In 2008,
Villefranche de Conflent and the
Citadel of Mont Louis was named a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Riviera Côte d’Azur
Regional Tourist Board
www.guideriviera.com
[email protected]
In the south of France, between
the sea and the mountains, lies a
land of luminosity that has always
attracted numerous artists. The art
de vivre, the richness of the local
heritage, and the beautiful natural
sites come together to make the
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region
one of the most visited of France.
Provence-Alps-Côte d’Azur
Regional Tourist Board
www.discover-southoffrance.com
[email protected]
AUVERGNE and LIMOUSIN
Massif Central Original France
Dreaming of the green pastures
of France? Plunge into Auvergne
and Limousin for the lushest vacation
you could ever imagine. Indulge in
the richness of “Hidden France,”
a region of national landmarks.
It is a playground for all kinds of
outdoor activities. Discover great
local food, amazing castles and
Romanesque churches, as well as
the Tapisserie d’Aubusson and the
porcelain and enamel of Limoges.
Auvergne and Limousin
Regional Tourist Boards
www.auvergne-tourisme.info/uk
[email protected]
www.tourismelimousin.com
[email protected]
www.massifcentral-tourisme.com
RHONE-ALPeS
Located in the heart of France,
the Rhône-Alpes is a diverse region
that includes the French Alps and
the Rhône Valley. Lyon, the capital
city, is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. The region is famous for its
gastronomy, vineyards, gorgeous
mountain views, ski resorts, lakes,
historical cities and breathtaking
landscapes.
Rhône-Alpes Regional Tourist Board
www.rhonealpes-tourisme.com
[email protected]
© S.T.C/Ville de Toulouse
© OTVA/Y. Tisseyre
© F. Poincet/OT Bordeaux
Languedoc-Roussillon
Regional Tourist Board
www.sunfrance.com
[email protected]
© Bort-les-Orgues/CRDTA
© CRT Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes in western France
is a richly diverse region. From
the vineyards of Cognac, where
the famous brandy is made, to the
beaches on the Atlantic Coast with
La Rochelle, the islands of Ré and
Oléron, the region has an outstanding
romanesque heritage and numerous
towns of historic interest like Poitiers.
Do not miss the quiet Marais Poitevin,
also called the Green Venice.”
riviera
Vauban, Ledoux, Bartholdi, Pasteur,
Le Corbusier, Peugeot—for centuries,
great figures have shaped this region.
Surrounded by the Vosges and Jura
mountains, this is a rich land colored
with shades of blue and green.
Franche-Comté is yours for recreational,
cultural and gastronomic discoveries.
Burgundy Tourism
www.burgundy-tourism.com
www.abcoffrance.com
[email protected]
POITOU-CHARENTES
87
© CRT Riviera Côte d’Azur
© CRT Bourgogne/A. Doire
© CRT Franche-Comté/E. Chatelain
regions of france
AQUITAINE
One of the most varied regions
of France, Aquitaine stretches from
the Pyrénées to the gentle valleys of
the Dordogne. Discover the countless
vineyards around Bordeaux, such as
Médoc and Saint-Emilion; historic
cities such as Sarlat, Pau and Bayonne; castles and charming villages
in the Périgord or the Basque Country,
and prehistoric caves and some of
the most spectacular beaches
in Europe.
New! Bordeaux is now on UNESCO’s
World Heritage List. Come and
discover the beautifully restored
capital of Aquitaine!
Aquitaine Regional Tourist Board
www.tourisme-aquitaine.fr
[email protected]
MIDI-PYRENEES
From the Dordogne to the Pyrénées,
Midi-Pyrénées is the home of
medieval villages, d’Artagnan and
the three Musketeers, Armagnac and
Roquefort, and the Canal du Midi.
En route to Santiago de Compostela,
visit the capital city of Toulouse and
nearby Albi with the Toulouse-Lautrec
museum. Make a pilgrimage to
Lourdes, the second-largest
Christian shrine in the world.
Midi-Pyrénées
Regional Tourist Board
www.tourism.midi-pyrenees.org
[email protected]
Right in the middle of the Indian Ocean,
497 miles east of Madagascar, the isle
of Réunion makes up, together
with Mauritius and Rodrigues, the
Mascarenes archipelago. A stillactive volcano, the famous Piton de
la Fournaise occasionally comes to
life, offering a magnificent spectacle,
without danger. Explore the heights
on horseback, by mountain bike or
4-wheel drive, walk its 621 miles of
waymarked trails, go paragliding,
or take a helicopter or microlight
flight over the majestic mountainous
terrain, go surfing, fishing…
Réunion Tourist Board
www.lareunionvousattend.com
[email protected]
www.franceguide.com
In the middle of the South Pacific,
if there is an archipelago swimming
in an immense emerald green
lagoon with golden highlights, you
are in New Caledonia. It can only be
described with a litany of superlatives.
The biggest lagoon in the world, the
greatest number of plant species in
the Pacific, one of the richest tropical
forests in the world…
New Caledonia Tourist Board
www.nouvelle-caledonie-tourisme.com
[email protected]
Tahiti
The territory of French Polynesia
extends over a sea area of
2.5 million sq miles, composed of
Tahiti and 117 islands grouped into
5 archipelagos: the Society Islands,
Tuamotu Archipelago, Marquesas
Islands, Austral or Tubuai Islands
and the Gambier Islands. Surprises
in store for water lovers include:
whales, manta rays, sharks, shoals
of multicoloured fish and corals.
For those who like to walk, ride
horses or go mountain biking, there
is every opportunity to explore the
mountains, valleys and waterfalls
of the high islands.
Tahiti Tourist Board
www.tahiti-tourisme.fr
A paradise for eco-tourism, French
Guiana is in the northeast of South
America between Surinam and Brazil.
Rolling out the infinite green carpet of
the Amazon rainforest, French Guiana
reserves many of its charms and
mysteries for those who are prepared
to take the time to explore it in the
only traditional way: by waterway.
Surrounded by the Caribbean Sea
and the Atlantic Ocean, this Island
of flowers welcomes all who dream
of island magic. Bouquets of color,
perfume, spices and flavors of
this Caribbean flower are yours
to be picked.
Martinique Promotion
Bureau/CMT USA
www.martinique.org
[email protected]
Information available at
www.comstbarth.fr
[email protected]
French Guiana Tourism Committee
www.tourisme-guyane.com
[email protected]
© MDLF/Philippe Maille
© Kent Steffens
New Caledonia
French Guiana
martinique
North-west of Guadeloupe,
St. Barthélemy is a tiny island, just
over 15 sq miles. It is divided into
valleys usually dropping down to
the sea and each valley has its own
particular character. Its flora, its
habitat and its architecture are
unique. An ideal place to practice
many water sports.
St. Martin Tourist Board
www.st-martin.org
[email protected]
© Suze Piat
© Koch Valérie
The Guadeloupe Islands
Tourist Board
www.lesilesdeguadeloupe.com
[email protected]
reunion
St. barthelemy
Situated 137 miles north of Guadeloupe,
St. Martin is an undiluted dream in the
archipelago between the Caribbean
Sea to the west and the Atlantic
Ocean to the east. Famed for its
regattas, it is an essential meeting
point for lovers of sailing. Also known
as the “island of painters,” its colors
have been a wonderful source of
inspiration for the artists who exhibit
in its many galleries.
© Stephanie Rousseau
© Astrida Valigorsky
st. martin
Experience Guadeloupe! Sail
or water ski on the crystal turquoise
sea, lounge with a book on the
sparkling white sands, discover
forests and nature, immerse
yourself in tradition and heritage,
and savor the delicious flavors
of the local cuisine!
© Photothèque ATC/R. Huitel
guadeloupe
© Martinique Promotion Bureau/Océan d’images
regions of france
© Markus Gregory
© Comité du Tourisme des Îles de Guadeloupe/
J. M. Lecerf
88
corsica
Corsica, a lush Mediterranean
island, has a rich and distinct
culture best experienced through
its gastronomy, crafts, languages,
music and lively traditions. Corsica’s
heritage and history fuel an unflinching
local devotion to the island, which
is also known as “Beauty Island.”
Corsica Tourist Board
www.visit-corsica.com
[email protected]
St. Pierre
and Miquelon
At the mouth of the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, a stone’s throw
from the island of Newfoundland,
is the most northerly of France’s
overseas destinations. You will see
astonishing sub-arctic landscapes
with their sharp relief, from which
the houses of various hues stand out,
like colorful confetti. The population,
engaging and warmhearted, keeps
French traditions alive in North
America. People live with the sea’s
rhythms, respecting the natural
world and in harmony with the
maritime environment.
St. Pierre and Miquelon Tourist Board
www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.info
90
practical information
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
All U.S. and Canadian citizens,
including infants, need a valid
passport to enter France.
Visas are not required for
American and Canadian visitors
staying in France for up to 90 days.
For more information, contact your
nearest French Consulate. A list
of local French consulates in the
United States is available in the
Practical Information section
of us.franceguide.com.
It is mandatory in France to carry some
form of identification at all times.
If you lose your passport, the nearest
U.S. Consulate will issue Americans
a limited-validity replacement if
travel is imminent or a full-validity
passport if further travel is not within
two weeks. When in France, please
carry a photocopy of your passport
separately from your passport. The
copy will facilitate issuance of a
replacement ($75 fee for adults,
$85 for children). The American
Embassy in Paris is at 2, avenue
Gabriel, tel. 01 43 12 22 22. The
Passport Section is nearby at
4, avenue Gabriel (open 9:00 a.m.
to noon, Monday to Friday). There
are other Consular Offices in
Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille,
Nice, Rennes, Strasbourg, and
Toulouse that provide assistance
to U.S. citizens.
All Canadian citizens must meet the
same requirements as U.S. citizens
regarding passports and visas. The
Canadian Consulate (open 9:00 a.m.
to noon, Monday to Friday) in Paris
is located at 35, avenue Montaigne
(Métro Franklin Roosevelt or Alma
Marceau), tel. 01 44 43 29 02,
www.ambafrance-ca.org.
CUSTOMS
Entering France: Travelers from
countries outside the European
Union (EU) must declare certain
articles when entering France.
Duty and import taxes are levied
on items not for personal use that
individually or collectively exceed
175€ in value. Certain categories
of items for personal use (tobacco
products, alcoholic beverages,
perfumes, coffee and tea, etc.)
may be brought in untaxed up to
certain authorized amounts. The
following are forbidden or subject
to strict control: drugs, radioactive
materials, firearms, endangered
www.franceguide.com
species, plants, ivory, meat and
dairy products. Carry prescriptions
to authenticate any controlled
substances. Monetary instruments
equal to more than 10,000€ (whether
brought into or taken out of France)
must be declared. When in doubt,
consult the French Embassy
(ambafrance-us.org), a French
Consulate or the French Customs
and Excise Service’s Info Douanes
Service in Paris at tel. 08 20 02 44 44
(8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to
Friday), www.douane.gouv.fr.
Re-entering the United States:
Returning U.S. citizens who have
been away for 48 hours or more
are allowed to bring back, once
every 30 days, $800 worth of
merchandise duty-free. You’re
charged a flat rate of duty on the
next $1,000 worth of purchases,
and any dollar amount beyond that
is subject to duty at whatever rates
apply. On mailed gifts, the duty-free
limit is $200. Have your receipts or
purchases handy to expedite the
declaration process.
Note: If you owe duty, you are
required to pay upon your arrival
in the United States using cash,
a personal check, government or
traveler’s check, or money order;
some locations also accept Visa
or MasterCard.
BRINGING YOUR PETS
TO FRANCE
Travelers may bring dogs, cats,
and ferrets into France. Each
family is limited to five animals,
which must have valid rabies
vaccination certificates and be
identifiable by a microchip or
tattoo. For more information,
including details about traveling
with pet rodents, reptiles,
birds, or other species, visit
www.ambafrance-us.org or
contact the French Embassy.
ELECTRICITY
REQUIREMENTS
Electricity in France runs on a
220-volt, 50-hertz AC current rather
than the 110-volt, 60 hertz AC
current used in the United States
and Canada. France also uses
a Type E plug (round pin and
receptacle with male grounding
pin) versus the Type A or B plugs
(flat blade/with round grounding
pin) in North America. If you bring
electrical appliances, you will
need a plug adapter. You may also
require a transformer, although
today, most major appliances have
one built in. When in doubt, check
with the manufacturer. If you are
bringing a computer and it is still
under warranty, you may need to
register it with the manufacturer’s
international warranty department.
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
IN 2009
New Year’s Day
January 1
Easter SundayApril 12
Easter MondayApril 13
Labor DayMay 1
Veterans DayMay 8
AscensionMay 21
Pentecost SundayMay 31
Pentecost Monday
June 1
Bastille Day
July 14
Assumption DayAugust 15
All Saints’ DayNovember 1
Armistice DayNovember 11
ChristmasDecember 25
TOURIST INFORMATION
AND ORDERing
BROCHURES ONLINE
www.franceguide.com
French Government Tourist
Office in the United States
825 Third Avenue, 29th Floor
New York, NY 10022
France-On-Call Hotline: 514-288-1904
us.franceguide.com
French Government
Tourist Office in Canada
1800 McGill College Avenue,
Suite 1010
Montreal, QC H3A 3J6
France-On-Call Hotline:
1-866-313-7262
ca-en.franceguide.com (in English)
or ca.franceguide.com (in French)
Throughout France
Almost every town in France has a
tourist office (Office de Tourisme or
Syndicat d’Initiative). It is usually in
the city center and easily identified
by an “i” on a blue background.
Besides providing information about
local attractions and services, many
tourist offices can book hotel rooms
and sell tickets for events. The Web
site of the Fédération Nationale des
Offices de Tourisme et Syndicats
d’Initiative has links to thousands
of local tourist offices:
www.tourisme.fr (in French).
LODGING
The approximately 18,300 hotels,
inns, and motels in France are
government-classified according
to five levels, indicated by stars:
Luxury (****L), first class (****),
good tourist quality (***) and budget
(** and *). Note: In 2009, France will
add a fifth star, which will become
the highest rating for hotels.
There are also many chambres
d’hôtes (bed-and-breakfasts), gîtes
(country cottages and farmhouses),
auberges de jeunesse (youth hostels),
and private châteaux with guest
rooms. In larger cities, especially
Paris, short-term apartment rentals
are available through specialized
agencies. For specifics, click on
House/Villa at us.franceguide.com.
For the outdoorsy types, camping
is very popular in France and campgrounds are very common. Hikers
also take advantage of refuges
and gîtes d’étape (mountain huts)
along trails. For more information,
visit www.campingfrance.com or
www.gites-refuges.com.
Note: It is normal practice for
hoteliers to ask for your passport
at check-in.
ARRIVING IN PARIS
Most visitors to France, whether
staying in the capital or traveling
elsewhere, fly into one of Paris’s
airports: Paris-Charles de Gaulle
or Orly. Both have direct bus and
train service to Paris and excellent
connections by plane, train, or road
to other cities throughout France.
There is a train à grande vitesse
(TGV, or high-speed train) station
right at Paris-Charles de Gaulle
Airport. General airport information:
tel. 01 48 62 22 80 or 01 70 36 39 50,
www.aeroportsdeparis.fr.
PARIS-CHARLES DE GAULLE
AIRPORT
Airport Transfers by Taxi
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
is 15.5 miles (24.9 km) northeast
of Paris. A taxi ride to the city
center takes 45 to 75 minutes and
costs about 50€. Allow for a 15%
increase between 7:00 p.m. and
7:00 a.m., as well as on Sundays
and public holidays.
Abeille Radio Taxi: 01 45 83 59 33
Alpha Taxis: 01 45 85 85 85
Taxis Bleus: 08 91 70 10 10
Taxis G7: 01 47 39 47 39
(handicap accessible)
Taxis 7000: 01 42 70 00 42
Airport Connection Services
(minivan): 01 43 65 55 55,
www.airport-connection.com
(must reserve in advance).
RER Suburban Express Train
The RER departs regularly from
two locations at the airport: the
RER/TGV station at Aérogare
(terminal) 2 and the RER station
near Aérogare 1. If you arrive at
Aérogare 1, take the free navette
(shuttle bus) to the RER station
called Aéroport Charles de Gaulle
1. From there, RER line B (Roissy
Rail) stops at the Gare du Nord,
Châtelet Les Halles, St Michel,
and Denfert Rochereau Métro
stations every 10 to 15 minutes
(from 4:56 a.m. to 11:56 p.m.;
25 to 45 minutes; 8.40€). www.ratp.fr
Air France Coaches
Buses to and from Porte Maillot
and the Arc de Triomphe depart
every 30 minutes (from 5:45 a.m. to
11:00 p.m.; 40 to 60 minutes; 15€).
Buses to and from Gare de Lyon
and Gare Montparnasse depart
every 30 minutes (from 7:00 a.m. to
9:00 p.m.; 45 to 70 minutes; 16.50€).
www.cars-airfrance.com
Roissybus
Buses to and from Rue Scribe near
the Opéra Garnier depart every
15 to 20 minutes (from 5:45 a.m. to
11:00 p.m.; 45 to 60 minutes; 8.90€).
Tel. 08 92 68 77 14
Noctilien
Night buses cover the dark hours
(from 12:30 to 5:30 a.m.; 50 to 80
minutes; four “t+” tickets totaling
6.40€) along three lines: N120 (to
Orly via Gare de l’Est, Châtelet, and
Gare de Lyon), N121 (to Versailles
via Gare de l’Est, Châtelet, and
Gare Montparnasse) and N140
(to Gare de l’Est via Stalingrad).
Each service runs only once an
hour, so check times. www.ratp.fr
TGV
High-speed trains (TGVs) from
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
offer direct service to Grenoble,
Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux,
Toulouse, Nantes, Rennes,
Montpellier, Nice, and other
cities. www.voyages-sncf.com
practical information
Hotels
There is one hotel at the airport
(Sheraton Paris Airport Hotel,
tel. 01 49 19 70 70) with others
reachable by shuttle, including
the Hilton (tel. 01 49 19 77 77), Ibis
(tel. 01 40 19 19 19), and Sofitel
(tel. 01 49 19 29 29).
ORLY AIRPORT
Airport Transfers by Taxi
Orly Airport is 10.3 miles (16.6 km)
south of Paris. A taxi ride to the city
center takes 20 to 45 minutes and
costs approximately 35€. Allow for
an increase of about 15% between
the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.,
as well as on Sundays and public
holidays.
Noctilien
Night buses pick up where other
services leave off (from 12:30 to
5:30 a.m.; 30 to 60 minutes; three
“t+” tickets totaling 4.80€. Paris
Visite tickets are also valid
depending on the zones selected)
along two lines: N120 (to ParisCharles de Gaulle airport via
Gare de Lyon, Châtelet, and Gare
de l’Est) and N31 (to Gare de Lyon
via Place d’Italie). Each service
runs only once an hour, so check
times. www.ratp.fr
Hotels
There are two Orly airport hotels:
the Hilton (tel. 01 45 12 45 12) and
the Ibis (tel. 01 56 70 50 60).
Orlyval and RER B
An automated train departs from
the airport every 4 to 7 minutes and
connects at Antony station with
RER line B, which then stops at
the Denfert Rochereau, St-Michel
Notre Dame, Châtelet Les Halles,
and Gare du Nord stations (from
6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; 35 minutes;
7.40€-9.60€).
AIR FRANCE BUSES BETWEEN
PARIS-CHARLES DE GAULLE
AND ORLY
Buses between Paris-Charles
de Gaulle and Orly depart every
30 minutes (from 6:30 a.m. to
10:30 p.m. on weekdays and
from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on
weekends; 45 to 60 minutes; 19€).
www.cars-airfrance.com
Shuttle Bus to Orlyrail
A shuttle bus connects Orly with
RER C (Orlyrail), which departs
every 15 to 30 minutes and stops
at the Javel, Champ de Mars-Tour
Eiffel, Invalides, Musée d’Orsay,
St Michel Notre-Dame, and Gare
d’Austerlitz RER stations (from
5:01 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; 40 minutes;
6.10€ for the shuttle, the RER, and
the Métro).
GETTING AROUND
IN FRANCE
Air France Buses to and from Orly
Buses to and from Orly and Gare
Montparnasse and the Invalides
Métro station depart every
30 minutes (from 6:00 a.m. to
11:30 p.m.; 30 to 45 minutes;
11.50€). Tel. 08 92 35 08 20,
www.cars-airfrance.com.
Orly Bus
Buses to and from the DenfertRochereau Métro station depart
every 15 to 20 minutes (from 6:00 a.m.
to 11:30 p.m.; 30 minutes; 6.30€).
Tel. 08 92 68 77 14
Jet Bus
Buses depart every 15 minutes
and connect with Métro line 7 at
the Villejuif–Louis Aragon station
(from 6:15 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.;
15 minutes; 6.40€).
ALL INCLUSIVE CAR PROGRAM,
NO TAX
MINIMUM AGE 18, NO MAXIMUM
FULLY COMPREHENSIVE
INSURANCE WITH NO DEDUCTIBLE
24/7 ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
IN 44 COUNTRIES
BY CAR
Roads in France
Paris and the main towns and cities
throughout the country are linked
by 7,500 miles (12,000 km) of wellmaintained highways (most with
tolls). Distances are in kilometers
(1 km = 0.62 miles; 1 mile = 1.6 km).
Unless otherwise indicated, speed
limits are 50 km/h (31 mph) in towns,
80 km/h (50 mph) on the Paris
périphérique (beltway), 90 km/h
(56 mph) on undivided main roads,
110 km/h (68 mph) on two-lane
divided highways, and 130 km/h
(81 mph) on autoroutes. These
limits are reduced by 10 to 20 km/h
in poor weather.
Driving in France
A valid driver’s license (permis
de conduire) and passport are
required to operate a motor vehicle.
Minimum age for drivers is 18.
Proof of insurance is necessary.
Carry your identification, license,
insurance certificate, and vehicle
registration (carte grise) with you.
Seat belts must be worn in both
the front and back seats of all
automobiles. Children under ten
may not ride in the front seat. If
you are on a motorcycle, scooter,
or moped, you are required to wear
RENAULT EURODRIVE
www.renault-eurodrive.com
92
practical information
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
a helmet. All cars must also carry a
safety jacket or warning triangle at
all times. For more information, visit
the Practical Information section of
us.franceguide.com.
Renting or Leasing a Car
Reserving your rental car before
you leave can mean substantial
savings—most international
car-rental agencies discount
standard rates if you reserve
ahead for a minimum number of
days and pay in advance. For longer
trips, some car manufacturers offer
leaseback arrangements, which
can mean big savings. Gas (essence)
and highway tolls are about twice
as expensive as in the United
States and Canada.
Note: To rent a car in France you
must be at least 21 or 25 years
old (minimum age varies by rental
agency), and have a credit card in
your name. Some agencies may require you to have had your driver’s
license for at least one year. Check
specific rules with individual rental
companies before booking.
Taxis
In Paris and other major French
cities, taxi stands are plentiful
and easily visible. Rates are based
on time and distance and vary
depending on the city or suburb
and whether it is day or night.
Rates are displayed inside the
car as well as on meters.
When called to pick up passengers,
taxis add the cost of that journey
to the fare. Extra fees for baggage,
animals, or a fourth person are
routine.
TGV Atlantique (Paris to Bordeaux),
Thalys (Paris to Brussels/Cologne/
Amsterdam), Artesia (Paris/Lyon to
Italy), and many other trains.
Tipping is customary but completely
at your discretion. 10% to 15% is
generally acceptable.
If you lose something in a cab
(or other public space) in Paris,
go to the police’s Service des Objets
Trouvés at 36, rue des Morillons
in the 15th arrondissement, open
Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Tel. 08 21 00 25 25,
Métro Convention
Passes must be purchased
in advance, before leaving the
United States and Canada. To place
an order or request information on
fares, schedules or passes, visit
www.raileurope.com and then
speak to your travel agent or call
Rail Europe at 1-800-622-8600 in the
United States or 1-800-361-RAIL in
Canada (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m.
to 7:30 p.m. EST). For groups of
10 or more, call 1-800-462-2577
(Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. EST).
BY TRAIN
France’s SNCF national railroad
has the most extensive rail network
in Europe, with its high-speed trains
(trains à grande vitesse, or TGV)
serving more than 150 cities in
France and neighboring countries.
SNCF trains are extremely
comfortable and efficient, and
their frequent departures make
travel fast and convenient.
Rail Europe, the SNCF’s subsidiary
and official representative in North
America, offers a wide variety of
economical rail passes like the
France Railpass and the Eurail
Global and Select passes, as well
as discounted passes such as the
France Youth Pass (age 26 and
under), France Senior Pass (age
60 and over), France Saverpass
(for two or more passengers),
and France Rail ’n Drive Pass
(combining rail and car travel).
Discounts are available for groups
of six or more. Tickets are also
available all across the high-speed
train network, including the TGV
Méditerranée (Paris to Avignon/
Marseille), Eurostar (Paris/Lille
to London), TGV Est (Paris to
Strasbourg/Frankfurt/Munich),
TGV Lyria (Paris to Switzerland),
distance between principal cities
MILES
KILOMETERS
Paris
Lyon
Marseille
Bordeaux
Lille
Nantes
Nancy
Paris
X
289
483
362
137
237
191
Lyon
465
X
195
334
424
407
252
Marseille
777
314
X
400
621
597
445
Bordeaux
583
538
644
X
497
199
526
Lille
220
683
1000
801
X
373
261
Nantes
382
655
961
321
600
X
420
Nancy
308
406
717
847
420
676
X
www.franceguide.com
Pickup and delivery of luggage
from your hotel to your final
destination can be arranged for
delivery in 24 hours by contacting
the SNCF Baggage Service at tel.
36 35 and say bagages or key in the
number 41.
for 56€ and are good for one year.
Even without the Carte Senior,
travelers aged 60 and over are
eligible for the Découverte Senior
discount—a 25% reduced fare on
many TGV trains. Proof of age is
required. www.senior-sncf.com
Senior Citizens
Travelers aged 60 and over can
buy the Carte Senior, which grants
25% to 50% reductions on first- or
second-class domestic rail travel,
depending on the day and time of
travel and on how early reservations
are made. 25% reductions are
also available on train travel to
25 European countries on the
RailPlus network. Cards are for
sale in France only at railroad
stations and at French travel agencies
Other Discounts
It is worth checking on the
availability of other discounts,
especially for children (under 12)
and youth (12 to 25). At the time of
research, Carte Enfant+/Découverte
Enfant+ and Carte 12-25/Découverte
12-25 reduced fares were similar to
those of Carte Senior/Découverte
Senior. Carte Escapade/Découverte
Séjour opportunities exist with
more restrictions for travelers
aged 26 to 59.
practical information
93
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
IN PARIS
The Métro
Simple and safe, the Paris Métro
runs daily from about 5:30 to 1:00 a.m.
A single ticket costs 1.60€, a carnet
of ten tickets, 11.40€. Keep your
ticket handy; you may be asked
to show it to a transit inspector.
Passengers without tickets may
be subject to fines, and tickets
are sometimes needed to exit
Métro turnstiles.
Mobilis tickets are valid for unlimited
travel on Métro, bus, tram, and RER
suburban train lines during a single
day within a set number of zones. For
travel within the city, the minimum
two zones (5.80€) suffice, but for
travel beyond, five zones (12.90€)
is enough to reach the airports,
Disneyland-Paris, and Versailles.
Basic Paris Visite passes are
also good for unlimited travel,
but available for longer stays of
one (8.80€), two (14.40€), three
(19.60€), and five (28.30€) days.
Paris Visite passes that extend
further are 18.50€, 28.30€, 39.70€,
and 48.40€. Unlike Mobilis tickets,
Paris Visite also gives you reduced
fares for some museums and
bus tours. Passes for children
4 to 10 years old are half price.
Children under four travel free.
www.ratp.info/touristes
Passes and tickets can be
purchased at airports, the Paris
Convention and Visitors Bureau,
the Métro, the RER, railway stations
and in the United States (ask your
travel agent or tour operator).
Tel. 08 92 69 32 46, www.ratp.fr
Buses and Trams
Bus and tram maps and information
are available from the Paris
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Bus/tram fare is 1.60€; Métro
tickets may be used. Note that
the new white tickets (as opposed
to the old purple ones) allow for
multiple bus and tram rides with
90 minutes of first use.
Balabus
The Balabus tourist bus, in service
on holidays and Sundays from April
to September (inclusive), stops at
selected regular bus stops (marked
Bb) near main Paris tourist sites:
Gare de Lyon, St-Michel, Musée
d’Orsay, Louvre, Concorde, ChampsElysées, Charles de Gaulle-Etoile,
Porte Maillot, and Neuilly. The fare
is 1.60€ (free with the Paris Visite
pass); Métro tickets may be used.
Batobus
From February to January, the city
of Paris operates a boat service
from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (longer
hours in summer, shorter in winter)
on the Seine River called Batobus.
It passes every 15 to 30 minutes,
with stops at the Eiffel Tower,
Musée d’Orsay, St Germain-desPrés (Quai Malaquais, on the Left
Bank opposite the Louvre), Notre
Dame, Jardin des Plantes, Hôtel de
Ville, Louvre, and Champs-Elysées.
The fare is 12€ for an all-day pass,
14€ for a 2-day pass, and 17€ for
5 days. Children under 16 are half
price. Tel. 08 25 05 01 01,
www.batobus.com
TRANSPORTATION
IN OTHER CITIES
Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Rennes,
Rouen, and Toulouse have subway
systems with stops at major tourist
sites. Trams are making a serious
comeback with functional networks
in more than 15 cities, including
Bordeaux, Cannes, Grenoble, Lyon,
Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg, and
Toulouse. Cities throughout the
country have efficient bus service.
Maps and information are available
at local tourist offices.
BY PLANE
Air France controls the lion’s share
of France’s domestic flights, which
have an average duration of one
hour. Reservations can be made
in the United States, Canada, or in
France. Airports are often beyond
city limits, but are well served by
shuttle services. Most airlines offer
a discount when tickets are bought
more than 30 days in advance.
Senior discounts of up to 10% for
those aged 62 or over are available
in all classes of most domestic
flights; proof of age is required.
Youth or student discounts are also
available on many domestic flights;
inquire when making reservations.
Air France in the United States:
1-800-237-2747; in France:
tel. 08 20 82 08 20, www.airfrance.com
BY BICYCLE
There are more than 18,600 miles
(30,000 km) of marked cycling
routes in France. For information,
contact the Fédération Française de
Cyclotourisme at tel. 01 56 20 88 88,
www.ffct.org (in French). Bikes
may be carried on many trains
in France, sometimes either for
a small fee or for free on certain
trains with space provided, but
otherwise partially dismantled and
packed in large purpose-made bike
bags. On some trains with special
space provided, like some TGVs,
bike reservations are necessary
(up to 10€) and should be made at
the same time as you make yours.
Bicycles can also be shipped ahead
(provide 48 hours for their travel)
using the SNCF Baggage Service
(39€ to 49€). For information within
France, call the SNCF (tel. 36 35) or
visit www.velo.sncf.com (in French).
VELIB’ IN PARIS
In 2007, Paris debuted a new
self-service bicycle transit system
called Velib’ for use on its over
230 miles (371 km) of bicycle lanes.
There are Velib’ stations about
every 900 feet, for a total of 1,451
locations and 20,600 bikes. Access
cards are available from street-side
meters and cost 1€ for one day or
5€ for a week. The first 30 minutes
of each use are free, after which
the first additional half hour is
1€, the second an additional 2€
and each 30 minutes beyond that
an additional 4€. Your account is
debited when you return the bike,
150€ being secured if the bike
is not returned after 24 hours.
In 2009, the Velib’ program began
an extension to about 30 additional
communities surrounding Paris.
www.velib.paris.fr (in French).
Versions of the program have also
been added to other major cities such
as Lyon, Marseille, Aix en Provence,
Caen, Rouen, and Toulouse.
For other bike rentals in Paris, try:
Roue Libre - www.rouelibre.fr
Fat Tire Bike Tours www.fattirebiketoursparis.com
Paris à Vélo, C’est Sympa www.parisvelosympa.com
MONEY MATTERS
BANKS
Banks are usually open weekdays
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. In
many cities outside Paris, banks
open an hour earlier and close for
an hour or two at lunchtime. Most
Paris banks are closed Saturdays
and Sundays; banks outside of
Paris are often open Saturdays
and closed Sundays and Mondays.
ATMS
ATMs (known locally as distributeurs
automatiques de billets) often have
the best exchange rates. Think
of withdrawing directly from your
savings, not from your credit card,
which treats the transaction as
a cash advance. If you do plan to
obtain cash on your credit cards
using an ATM, contact the credit
card company for instructions and
to let them know your intentions.
Virtually all ATMs in France take
MasterCard and Visa, and most
are linked to the Cirrus and Plus
systems. American Express has
ATMs in major cities.
Note: Most French ATM keyboards
have numbers only, so if your PIN
contains letters, remember the
number equivalents. Four- and fivedigit PINs are acceptable in France.
EXCHANGE
Banks and bureaux de change
generally charge at least a 1%
commission (or a minimum
commission) on currency exchanges;
those charging no commission
often use very unfavorable exchange
rates. Traveler’s checks are safe but
many banks charge a service fee
to cash them, and not all hotels,
restaurants, and shops accept them
for payment, even if they are in euros.
All sums, unless otherwise noted,
are in euros. Consult www.oanda.
com/convert/classic for daily
exchange rates.
CREDIT CARDS
Credit cards are accepted in
most hotels, restaurants, stores,
and shops; the exchange rate is
favorable. To avoid trouble, it is
wise to contact your credit card
companies prior to departure and
advise them of your travel and
spending intentions.
For information or to report lost
cards, 24 hours a day, seven days
a week:
Eurocard-Mastercard tel. 08 00 90 13 87
Visa - tel. 08 00 90 11 79
Diners Club - tel. 08 20 82 05 36
(customer service) or 08 10 31 41 59
(lost or stolen cards)
American Express tel. 01 47 77 70 00 (customer service)
or 01 47 77 72 00 (lost or stolen cards)
You will need your credit card
numbers, a record of which should
be kept separately from your cards.
TIPPING
Almost all restaurants include tax
and a 15% service charge (service
compris) in their prices. If a meal
or service has been particularly
good, leaving another 1.50€
(2% to 3%, or up to 5% in expensive
establishments) is customary, as
is leaving the waiter the small
change from your bill if you pay
in cash. If service is not included
(service non compris), a 15% tip
is appropriate.
In hotels, tip porters 1.50€ for each
bag, and chambermaids 1.50€ a
day. Taxi drivers should be given
10% of the fare on the meter. Tip
hairdressers 10% and assistants
5%. Small tips of up to 1€ are
reasonable for cloakroom and
washroom attendants, ushers,
and museum tour guides. It is
standard practice to tip tour guides
and bus drivers after an excursion,
generally 1.50€ to 3€, depending
on the level of service.
SHOPPING
Sales
France has major nationwide sales
(soldes) in January and July.
Tax Free
Non-European Union residents
over the age of 15 who stay
in France or elsewhere in the
European Union (EU) for less than
6 months can get a refund of the
value-added tax (VAT, or TVA in
French) on purchases amounting
to more than 175€ at any single
store. In most cases, the refund
represents 16.38% of the purchase
amount. When making purchases,
ask the store to complete a VAT
refund form, then submit the form
to customs (within 3 months of the
date of purchase) when leaving
France or the last EU country you
visit. If leaving from an airport,
arrive before your check-in time
and be prepared to show your
purchases. Customs will stamp the
form, which must then be mailed
to the store where the purchases
were made within 6 months of
the date of purchase. Refunds
are credited to your credit card
account or are sent by mail within
a few months.
STAYING IN TOUCH
POST OFFICES
Post offices are marked “La Poste”
and most are open from 8:00 a.m. to
7:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m.
to noon on Saturdays. (In small towns,
weekday hours may be 9:00 a.m. to
noon and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.). Mailboxes
are yellow. Major post offices can
cash or send international postal
checks and money orders and have
fax, telex, and telephone facilities.
In Paris, the main post office at 52,
rue du Louvre is open 24 hours.
94
practical information
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Stamps can also be purchased at
café-tabacs, hotels, and some
newsstands. At the time of publication, a normal letter of less than 20 g
cost 0.55? to destinations within
France, 0.65? to elsewhere in the EU,
and 0.85? to all other countries.
www.laposte.com
USING TELEPHONES
All French telephone numbers
have 10 digits, starting with a 0. To
call within the country, just dial the
10 digits. To call France from the
United States or Canada, omit the
initial 0 of the French number. For
example, dial 011 (the international
access code), then 33 (the country
code for France), and then the
telephone number minus the
initial 0 (9 digits instead of 10).
Note: Throughout this magazine,
French phone numbers are listed
in their 10-digit format.
Most public telephones only accept
phone cards, called télécartes or
cartes téléphoniques and which
are sold at post offices or cafétabacs for 7.50? (for 50 unités)
or 15? (for 120 unités). Note that
numbers beginning with 08 have
per-minute rates slightly higher
than standard domestic numbers.
0800 numbers, though, are toll free.
To call the United States and Canada
from France, dial 00, then 1 plus
the area code and phone number.
When using long-distance phone
companies, you must use their
toll-free access number:
AT&T Direct - 08 00 99 00 11
Sprint - 08 00 99 00 87
MCI - 08 00 99 00 19
Canada Direct - 08 00 99 00 16 or
08 00 99 02 16
COLLECT CALLS
To make a collect call (en PCV)
within France, dial 3006 from any
phone in France (private or public),
record your name, then dial the
number. For collect calls to the
United States or Canada, use the
toll-free access numbers above
and follow the prompts.
MOBILE PHONES
France (and the rest of Europe)
uses GSM 900/1800, which is
incompatible with the North
American GSM 1900. Check with
the manufacturer and your service
provider to see if you can use your
mobile phone in Europe. If your phone
can be used, ponder purchasing a
local prepaid phone kit, complete
www.franceguide.com
with SIM card charged with a
specified amount of credit, from
one of the three major mobile
providers. Credit can be recharged.
In France, you pay nothing to receive
domestic calls on your mobile phone;
however, it is therefore much more
expensive to call a mobile phone
than a landline. Mobile phone
numbers always begin with 06.
There are three major mobile
phone providers in France:
Bouygues - tel. 08 10 63 01 00,
www.bouygtel.com
Orange - tel. 08 00 83 08 00,
www.orange.fr
SFR - tel. 08 00 10 60 00,
www.sfr.com
INTERNET ACCESS
Privately operated Internet cafés
can be found just about everywhere,
with rates between 3? and 5? per
hour. Many French post offices also
have a card-operated Cyberposte
(see www.cyberposte.com, in
French), and Netanoo’s Borne
Internet (www.netanoo.com,
in French) is a joint operation of
France Telecom and Orange that
you can pay for using a normal
télécarte. Dial-up access from
your own computer is possible
through local access numbers
of service providers like AOL
and Earthlink, but also through
short-term membership to local
providers like Free (www.free.com)
and Wanadoo (www.wanadoo.
fr, in French). Wireless access
is on the rise, and is available in
many hotels, cafés, and even some
McDonald’s restaurants.
THE OUTDOORS
HIKING & BACKPACKING
Enjoy more than 37,000 miles
(60,000 km) of Grandes Randonnées
(GRTM)—well marked trails dotted
with hotels and inns—as well as
more than 25,000 miles (40,000 km)
of regional paths and about 47,000
miles (75,000 km) of local paths. For
additional information, contact the
Fédération Française de Randonnée
Pédestre at tel. 01 44 89 93 93,
www.ffrandonnee.fr (in French).
For a resource in English, try
www.sentiersdefrance.com. Good
hiking maps are published by the
Institut Géographique National
(IGN), the French government
mapping agency, at www.ign.fr.
GOLF
Contact the Fédération Française
de Golf at tel. 01 41 49 77 00,
www.ffg.org (in French) or visit the
Golf Section of us.franceguide.com
under What to Do.
HORSEBACK RIDING
For horse-related activities,
contact the Fédération Française
d’Equitation at tel. 01 58 17 58 17,
www.ffe.com (in French) or the
Comité National de Tourisme
Equestre at tel. 01 53 26 15 50.
For a resource in English, try
www.tourisme-equestre.fr.
WHITE-WATER ACTIVITIES
Rafting, hydrospeed, canyoning,
canoeing, and kayaking are favorite
white-water activities in many
regions. Contact the Fédération
Française de Canoë-Kayak:
tel. 01 45 11 08 50, www.ffck.org
(in French).
NATIONAL PARKS, RESERVES,
AND REGIONAL NATURE PARKS
France and its overseas departments
have 9 splendid national parks—
Cévennes, Mercantour, Vanoise,
Pyrénées, Ecrins, Port-Cros,
Guadeloupe, Guiana Amazonian
Park, and Réunion National Park—
as well as 147 reserves that offer
opportunities to take walks and
enjoy the flora and fauna. The
44 regional nature parks sustain
the beauty of fragile environments
while accommodating visitors.
For more information, visit the
Web sites of the French Natural
Reserves and the Fédération des
Parcs Naturels Régionaux de France
at www.reserves-naturelles.org and
www.parcs-naturels-regionaux.tm.fr.
ECO-TOURISM
France has developed a healthy
awareness of the need for tourism
to adhere to and promote responsible and ethical practices. If you
are in search of organizations,
destinations, and lodges in France
that espouse respect for the planet
and its human and animal citizens,
start by contacting the Association
Française d’Ecotourisme at tel.
05 61 23 22 59, www.ecotourisme.info
and look at their interactive map
of select locations in France—
and around the world—at
www.voyagespourlaplanete.com
(in French).
MEETINGS &
INCENTIVE PLANNING
The Meetings and Incentive
Department of the French
Government Tourist Office provides
complete advisory services for
companies looking to organize
conferences, conventions, seminars,
exhibitions, incentives or product
launches in France. The goal is to
promote France as a destination
for the corporate, association and
incentive market and to support
meeting and incentive planners in
every way possible. The Meetings
and Incentive Web site has direct
links to more than 150 French
companies (members of the French
Convention Bureau) specializing in
business tourism.
For More Information
Meetings & Incentive Department
French Government Tourist Office
825 Third Avenue, 29th Floor,
New York, NY 10022
Tel. 212-745-0961, Fax 212-838-7855
us.franceguide.com
[email protected]
TRAVEL TIPS FOR THE
BUDGET-conscious
RESTAURANTS
Most restaurants have prix fixe
menus that make meals considerably less expensive than ordering
à la carte, especially at lunch.
Always look for a reasonably
priced house wine, but check
the cost—sometimes the house
carafe or pichet (pitcher) is more
expensive than wines on the
regular wine list.
Also check the prices of bottled
water (specify gazeuse or nongazeuse for sparkling or still water,
respectively), aperitifs, coffee,
cognacs and liqueurs before
ordering. These extras may add
up to more than the cost of the
meal itself if you’re not careful.
In cafés, if you are seated at a
table, even soft drinks and bottled
water may be expensive; prices
are often lower when you stand
at the counter.
MUSEUM PASSES
There are several enticing passes,
including the Paris Museum Pass
(collections of 60 museums and
monuments in Paris and the
surrounding region), the Carte
Musée Côte d’Azur (access to
more than 65 museums in the
French Riviera), the Carte PasseMusées Nice (all the Nice city
museums), Loire Valley Châteaux
Pass Clefs des Temps (valid at
10 monuments) and the Lyon City
Card (for one to three days of
travel and attractions in Lyon). Ask
at the local tourist offices for more
details.
FREE CONCERTS
Many churches and cathedrals in
Paris and throughout France offer
free concerts, especially in the
summer. In Paris, free organ
recitals are given at Notre-Dame,
St Eustache, St-Merri, and Eglise
de la Madeleine on Sundays.
Check with local tourist offices
for more information.
GENERAL INFORMATION
For information on individual regions and cities throughout France
and links to their local tourism offices, visit us.franceguide.com
and click on Discover France. There you’ll be able to view
information on France categorized by both region and city.
French Government Tourist Office www.franceguide.com/us
Martinique Promotion Bureau www.martinique.org
Customs www.ambafrance-us.org
French Embassy in the United States www.ambafrance-us.org
French Embassy in Canada www.ambafrance-ca.org
French Ministry of Culture www.culture.fr
French Phone Directory www.pagesjaunes.fr
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
THROUGHOUT FRANCE
Medical Emergencies and SAMU
(24-hour ambulance). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Police. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Fire Department and
Other Emergencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
IN PARIS
SOS Médecins
(24-hour medical house calls)
National tel. 36 24 (0.12€/min.)
SOS Dentaire (dentist)
8:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Tel. 01 43 37 51 00
Pharmacie Anglo-Américaine
37, av. Marceau, 16th
Tel. 01 47 20 57 37
American Hospital in Paris
63, boulevard Victor-Hugo, Neuilly
Tel. 01 46 41 25 25
British/American Pharmacy
1, rue Auber, 9th
Tel. 01 42 65 88 29
24/7 Pharmacy
84, av. des Champs-Elysées, 8th
Tel. 01 45 62 02 41
SOS Help (in English)
3:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Tel. 01 46 21 46 46
www.soshelpline.org
PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED
In France, special consideration is given to people with restricted mobility and
wheelchairs. This thoughtfulness is observed in many public spaces and in such
adaptations as special access ramps, elevators, toilets, parking spaces, and
phone booths. To learn more about this and the Tourism et Handicap label,
visit www.tourisme-handicaps.org (in French). For information in English,
go to us.franceguide.com/what-to-do and click on Special Needs.
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© 2008, Hilton Hospitality, inc
96
Look for FranceGuide at these select locations:
CALIFORNIA
Aimee’s, 800 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Bernard’o Restaurant, 12457 Rancho Bernardo Rd., San Diego, CA 92128
Blessac, 1788 E. 46th St., Los Angeles, CA 90058
Cavaillon Restaurant, 14701 Via Bettona, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92127
C’est la vie, 373 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Cote Sud, 4238 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114
La Bastide, 10006 Scripps Ranch Blvd., San Diego, CA 92131
La Frite Cafe, 22616 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91364
La frite provencale, 2310 E.T.O Blvd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Le Chêne, 12625 Sierra Way, Saugus, CA 91350
Maitre D’Restaurant, 5523 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla, CA 92037
Pascal Restaurant, 1000 Bristol St., Newport Beach, CA 92660
St James Hall French Gourmet, 960 Turquoise St., San Diego, CA 92109
St-Tropez Bakery & Bistro, 3805 Fifth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103
Jolie Restaurant, 320 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, New York, NY 11201
La Bonne Soupe, 48 W. 55th Street, New York, NY 10019
La Mediterranee, 947 Second Ave., New York, NY 10022
Le Gamin, 132 W. Houston St., New York, NY 10014
L’Express, 249 S. Park Ave., New York, NY 10024
L’Orange Bleue, 430 Broome St., New York, NY 10013
Madison Bistro, 238 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016
Montparnasse, 230 E. 51st St., New York, NY 10022
Park Bistro, 414 S. Park Ave., New York, NY 10016
Patois, 255 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY 11231
Pigalle, 790 8th Ave., New York, NY 10036
Provence en Boite, 236 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY 112131
Rouge French Bistro, 10702 70th Rd., Flushing, NY 11375
Tout Va Bien, 311 W. 51st St., New York, NY 10019
The Wine Messenger, 371 North Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10801
COLORADO
Cafe Aimee, 1614 Miner St., Idaho Springs, CO 80452
L’Absinthe, 1800 Broadway, Suite 150, Boulder, CO 80302
Le Central Affordable French Restaurant, 112 E 8th Ave., Denver, CO 80203
Mateo, 1837 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80302
TEXAS
Bistro Le Chef, 11112 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77042
Bistro Louise, 2900 South Hulen, Fort Worth, TX 76109
La Madeleine, 3072 Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX 75205
Lavendou Restaurant, 19009 Preston Rd., Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75252
Le Rendez-Vous, 5934 Royal Lame, Suite 120, Dallas, TX 75230
Saint Emilion Restaurant, 3617 W. Seventh St., Fort Worth, TX 76107
FLORIDA
Bay Cafe, 233 Alconese Ave., Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Bistro Bisou, 9519 S. Dixie Hwy., Miami, FL 33156
Cafe de Paris, 715 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Chez Vincent, 533 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789
Fresco California Bistro, 1744 SW 3rd Ave., Miami Beverly Hills, FL 33129-1415
Gazebo Restaurant, 4199 Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, FL 33431
L’Anjou, 717 Lake Ave., Lake Worth, FL 33460
La Parisienne, 60 Hypolita St., St. Augustine, FL 32084
ILLINOIS
Barrington Country Bistro, 700 W. Northwest Hwy., Barrington, IL 60010
Brasserie Jo, 59 W. Hubbard, Chicago, IL 60610
Cafe Bernard, 2100 N. Halsten St., Chicago, IL 60614
Cafe Pyrenees, 701 Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Cafe Matou, 1646 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647
Chez Joel, 1119 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60607
Cyrano’s Bistrot, 546 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60610
D-J Bistro, 466 S. Rand Rd., Lake Zurich IL 60047
Froggy French Cafe, 306 Greenbay Rd., Highwood, IL 60040
Jacky’s Bistro, 2545 Prairie Ave., Evanston, IL 60201
La Creperie, 2845 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60657
La Sardine, 111 N. Carpenter St., Chicago, IL 60607
Les Deux Autres, 462 N. Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn,IL 60137
Le Titi de Paris, 1015 W. Dundee Rd., Arlington Heights 60004
Le Petit Paris, 260 E. Chestnutb St., Chicago, IL 60611
Niche, 14 S. Third St., Geneva, IL 60134
Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, 20 E. Chesnut St., Chicago, IL 60611
Saint Viator High School, 1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
University of Chicago, 1116 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637
MARYLAND
Cafe De Paris, 8808 Centre Park Dr., Columbia, MD 21045
Cafe Normandie,185 Main St., Annapolis, MD 21401
La Miche Restaurant, 7905 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814
Les Folies Brasserie, 2552 Riva Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401
NEW YORK
Cafe des artistes, 33 W. 67th St., New York, NY 10023
Cafe Loup, 105 W. 13th St., New York, NY 10011
Escoffier Restaurant, 1946 Campus Dr., Hyde Park, NY 12538
Fada Bar Cafe Resto, 530 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
French Roast, 78 W 11th St., New York, NY 10011-8630
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ALBERTA
Belgo Brasserie, 501 - 8th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2P 1G1, 403-265-6555
La Bohème Restaurant - B & B, 6427-112 Ave., Edmonton, AB T5W 0N9, 780-474-5693
Normand’s, 11639A Jasper Ave., Edmonton, AB T5K 0M9, 780-482-2600
Rouge, 1240 - 8th Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0M7, 403-531-2767
Saint Germain, 115 - 12 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0G8, 403-290-1322
The Creperie, 111, 10220 103 St. NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0Y8, 780-420-6656
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Cassis Bistro, 420 W. Pender St., Vancouver, BC V6B 1T5, 604-605-0420
Le Crocodile, 100-909 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC V6Z 2N2, 604-669-4298
Pastis Bistro, 2153 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6K 1N7, 604-731-5020
Provence Mediterranean Grill, 100-4473 W. 10th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6R 2H8, 604-681-4144
ONTARIO
Arlequin, 134 Avenue Rd., Toronto, ON M5R 2H6, 416-964-8686
Batifole, 744 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON M4M 1Y3, 416-462-9965
Bb33 Bistro + Brasserie, 33 Gerrard St. W., Toronto, ON M5G 1Z4, 416-585-4319
Biff’s, 4 Front St. E., Toronto, ON M5E 1G4, 416-860-0086
Chartreuse Restaurant, 10512 Islington Ave., Kleinburg, ON L0J 1C0, 905-893-0475
Gamelle, 468 College St., Toronto, ON M6G 1A1, 416-923-6254
Le Montmartre, 911 Sheppard Ave. W., North York, ON M3H 2T7, 416-630-3804
Le Paradis, 166 Bedford Rd., Toronto, ON M5R 2K9, 416-921-0995
La Petite France, 3317 Bloor Street W., Etobicoke, ON M8X 1E7, 416-234-8783
Le Saint Tropez, 315 King W., Toronto, ON M5V 1J5, 416-591-3600
Le Trou Normand, 90 Yorkville Ave., Toronto, ON M5R 1B9, 416-967-5956
Matignon, 51 Saint Nicholas St., Toronto, ON M4Y 1W6, 416-921-9226
Michelle’s Brasserie, 162 Cumberland St., Toronto, ON M5R 3N5, 416-944-1504
Midi Bistro, 168 McCaul St., Toronto, ON M5T 1W4, 416-977-2929
Provence Délices, 12 Amelia St., Toronto, ON M4X 1E1, 416-924-9901
Restaurant Nice Bistro, 117 Brock St. N., Whitby, ON L1N 4H3, 905-668-8839
For a more complete list of partner locations, visit www.franceguidemagazine.com.
For addresses in Canada, go to http://ca-en.franceguide.com, then click on Publications.
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"IN
MAKING THE SKY THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH.
4IN
3IN
The elegance of French Style,
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FranceGuide
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2009
Picasso
Retracing the steps of a master
Normandy Landings
65th anniversary of D-day
Leslie Caron
Star of An American in Paris
Les Apéritifs
So famously French
2009
Eco-Friendly France
Welcoming a new era
of responsible tourism
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