loire by bike

Cleverly the French have produced an integrated approach to using the glorious Loire Valley as a tourist cycle route, enabling visitors to plan a route in detail (including hotels, restaurants, cycle shops etc) – details of access to the cycle route by car or public transport – maps, signposted cycleways, places to hire bikes and up-t0-date information via Facebook.

We know the French love cycle racing, but this is altogether a gentler matter – river valleys tend to be fairly level, and vehicular traffic can be avoided, so it should be family friendly.

And remember part of the Loire Vally is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and amongst the many attractions is Orléans (2012 is the 600th anniversary of the birth of Joan of Arc(aka the Maid of Orleans), and Nantes continues to rock as a venue for extravagant modern art.

Not to mention Angers, Saumur and the rest

For more on the Loire Cycle route  see Loire à Vélo, for mobiles see m.loireavelo.fr.

Find the best rate for hotels in Orléans and elsewhere.

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The Fourme de Montbrison has only a small number of mould veins throughout and has a reddish rind. Its flavour is very mild with light nut and mushroom flavours.

On the weekend of 2-3-4 October 2009 the town of Montbrison celebrates its “Journées de la Fourme”

To accompany this mild cheese the local Cotes du Forez AOC wine which is made from Gamay would make a good choice – and this is also likely to be available to taste on the “Cheese Days”

For more info on Le Forez see www.foreztourisme.fr/

For more info on the cheese see www.fourme-montbrison.com

For more info on the Cotes dy Forez AOC wine see http://cotesduforez.fr

To be able to pursue this interest in the heart of France in a beautiful setting, dominated by a fine chateau, looks even more tempting – and this is what is on offer at the Chateau de Tigny at Pouilly-Sous-Charlieu (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) north of Roanne near Charlieu.

Here Tony and Lorraine Dicks bought the chateau some 18 months ago, since when they have been renovating the chateau, preparing and stocking the lake and coping with French bureaucracy. The result looks to be stunning, with some gite acccommodation also coming on stream in 2009!

The charming medieval village of Charlieu is steeped in history and was founded in 875 by Benedictine monks from the Touraine. Charlieu has many attractions such as the Abbey Benedictine, a beautiful church, museums, plus many bars, shops and restaurants. Surrounded by country lanes and woodlands Charlieu is an idyllic place suitable for walking, cycling and enjoying the fresh country air. There are many local town markets open during the week so there is always plenty to do.

The enchanting Chateau de Tigny is a 16th century French Bourguignon style castle complete with two towers and a beautiful pigeonnier. The Chateau is surrounded by a moat on three sides.
Situated in front of the Chateau is a tranquil, 12 acre lake stocked with large Carp making Chateau de Tigny a most desirable place for Carp fishing holiday’s. The lake is for 1- 6 anglers.
Either stay in our luxury bed and breakfast accommodation or you can choose the “Drive-and Survive” package. The Chateau offers two luxury suites of accommodation. The Queen Ann suite has a romantic four-poster bed and the Rococo suite, comprising of a double and two single beds, which can sleep up to a family of four. The rooms are both en-suite and a continental breakfast is included.

And, whilst the main attraction may be the carp fishing for some, there is plenty for non-anglers to enjoyThere are resident Barn Owls in the front Tower, Red Squirrels , Eagles and Hawks around the grounds with kingfishers on the lake, ducks on the islands and the occasional deer in the fields behind the lake – ideal if you are in to photography, painting or just enjoying the tranquility of the French countryside!

For more info see www.chateaudetigny.com

For more info on Charlieu see www.ville-charlieu.fr

It is hardly surprising then that a substantial proportion of the hundreds of thousands of Brits who own French property have been tempted by the apparently bucolic life of a vigneron……
Are there any French winemakers left down there?
I asked Walter McKinlay, whose Domaine de Mourchon southern Rhône wines are some of the most successful from a British domaine, whether his Domaine de Mourchon wines were financially viable. He frowned. “Just about,” he said cautiously, then smiled. “But it’s a lovely lifestyle though.”

My own observation would be that it can be incredibly hard work and despite the attractions of the climate, landscape and the French way of life, it can also be very stressful. And as with all winemakers, a bad harvest, particularly in the early years can be devastating.

So, here’s our list of British vineyard owners (and 1 Irish couple) – that we are aware of (not an exhaustive list I am sure). Visits can be much more informative if the language is no barrier:-

Domaine de Laroux – Cotes de Gascogne, Armagnac (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) – Nick and Karen Kitchener
Chateau Haut Garrigue - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) – Sean and Caroline Feely (the Irish couple running an organic vineyard also known as Wild Earth Vineyards)
Domaine de Fontenay – Cote Roannaise AC (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) – Simon and Isabelle Hawkins

Chateau Richard – Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) – Richard Doughty

Domaine de Merchien – Coteaux du Quercy and beer! (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees – David & Sarah Meakin

Clos d’Yvigne – Cotes de Bergeac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) – Patricia Atkinson

Chateau des Milles Anges – Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Cadillac AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Heather van Ekris

Chateau Lezongars - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Philip and Sarah Iles

Chateau Teyssier – Saint Emilion Grand Cru AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Jonathan and Lyn Maltus

Chateau de Sours – Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Esme & Sara Johnson

Domaine Gourdon – Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) – John Coulthard
Domaine du Grand Mayne – Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) – Andrew Gordon
Domaine de Begude – Limoux AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) – Catherine and James Kinglake
Domaine de Mourchon – Cotes du Rhone Seguret AC (84 Vaucluse, Provence) – Walter McKinley
Maison des Bulliats – Regnie AC Beaujolais (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) – Fred and Helen Lockwood
Chateau Méaume – Bordeaux Superieure AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill

Domaine a Sauvageonne – Coteaux du Languedoc AC, Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc – Roussillon) – Gavin Crisfield

Domaine Sainte Rose – Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) – Charles and Ruth Simpson

Chateau Bauduc - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Gavin and Angela Quinney

Domaine Sainte Croix - Corbieres AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) – Jon & Elizabeth Bowen

Chateau Monplaisir – Bergerac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) – David and Helen Baxter

Chateau du Seuil  – Graves AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Sean and Nicola Allison

Chateau Civrac- Bordeaux – Côtes de Bourg AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) – Mark Hellyar

Chateau Maris,  La Livinière, Minervois (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) – Robert Eden

For more on the domaine see www.domainedufontenay.com

For more on the domaine see www.domainedufontenay.com