Whilst the Somme is usually connected with sombre moments of our history, it is nevertheless an area of considerable natural beauty – from the many “étangs” or lakes inland, to the river valley iself which snakes across the landscape – to the Baie de la Somme, the Bay where the river meets the sea with its wide sandy flats proving to be a haven for birds – you can hardly fail to see a wide selection of wildlife if you take the time to stop and look. Or take advantage of the flat cycle and walking paths which are provided in abundance. The Somme Bay covers 7,000 hectares and is also known as “the Camargue of the North”.

The Bird and Nature Festival is held every year in April, a period which is favourable for observing birds in the Somme Bay.
It is an event for the general public offering activities for the whole family over a period of 9 days :
* Guided nature rambles,
* Screenings of ornithological, animal-related and environmental documentaries,
* Exhibitions of animal art or photos,
* Children’s workshops,
* Lectures,
* Photography and watercolour painting courses,
* Shows…
The Festival is the event offering the widest range of guided nature rambles over a 9-day period in France (over 200 rambles on foot, horseback, bicycle, in kayaks, etc.).
2 international competitions (a film competition and a photo competition) which are open both to professionals and amateurs, are held as part of the event.

There are just a couple of interesting villages in the area of the Bay – Le Crotoy and St Valery-sur-Somme which face each other across the sandy bay – linked in summer by a Tourist Steam Tran service.

Centrally situated just a few minutes walk from the town centre of St Valery-sur-Somme in the Rue des Moulins is the up-market Hotel des Corderies which offers 11 stylish rooms providing calm and comfort.

The area is just a short detour off the A16 autoroute near Abbeville between Boulogne and Rouen. For more info on the Bird Festival see www.bird-nature-festival.co.uk/

Many visitors may feel squeamish or even disapproving about the spectacle of bull-fighting, but it is a long-maintained tradition in Provence and southern France, especially in the Camargue.  You can however still enjoy the spectacle (and avoid the risk of any gore)by seeing the noisy and colourful parades and bull-running through the town. My view is that if you really object to this form of “entertainment” then avoid the area.

The bull-fighting (corrida) takes place in the spectacular Roman Arena in Arles, and there are other options such as the  Course Camargaise, which is another local form of bullfighting without the drawing of any blood.

About course camarguaise:  It is a summer pastime practiced in many small towns around Arles and the area. There are local leagues which are reported in local newspapers..
This different kind of bullfighting is known alternately as “course libre” or “course camarguaise“. This is a bloodless spectacle (for the bulls) in which the objective is to snatch a rosette from the head of a young bull.

The participants, or raseteurs, begin training in their early teens against young bulls from the Camargue region before graduating to regular contests held principally in Arles and Nîmes but also in other Provençal and Languedoc towns and villages.
Before the course, anencierro — a “running” of the bulls in the streets — takes place, in which young men compete to outrun the charging bulls. The course itself takes place in a small (often portable) arena erected in a town square.
For a period of about 15–20 minutes, the raseteurs compete to snatch rosettes (cocarde) tied between the bulls’ horns. They don’t take the rosette with their bare hands but with a claw-shaped metal instrument called a raset or crochet(hook) in their hands, hence their name. Afterwards, the bulls are herded back to their pen by gardiens (Camarguais cowboys) in a bandido, amidst a great deal of ceremony. The star of these spectacles are the bulls, who get top billing and stand to gain fame and statues in their honor, and lucrative product endorsement contracts!

For more info on the Feria see www.arenes-arles.com

Arles is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its ancient Roman and medieval history: “It has some impressive Roman monuments, of which the earliest – the arena, the Roman theatre and the cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) – date back to the 1st century B.C. During the 4th century Arles experienced a second golden age, as attested by the baths of Constantine and the necropolis of Alyscamps. In the 11th and12th centuries, Arles once again became one of the most attractive cities in the Mediterranean. Within the city walls, Saint-Trophime, with its cloister, is one of Provence’s major Romanesque monuments.”

Arles also has strong connections to Vincent Van Gogh who spent 15 months of his most productibe period in the town; also nearby is the Camargue, a largely unspoilt regional natural park lying between 2 arms of the Rhone delta. To the east are the charms of Les Baux de Provence, St Remy-de-Provence and the wines of Les Baux de Provence AC – where I would recommend a visit to Mas Ste Berthe to try (and buy) some of their wines and/or olive oil and to takes a walk around the signpost route around the vineyard.

For more info on Arles and the surrounding area see www.tourisme.ville-arles.fr
Arles is twinned with WISBECH in Cambridgeshire – although I doubt you will find much bull-running there! – although it is known as the Capital of the Fens which could be considered as comparable to the Camargue – flat, marshy and a haven for wild life.

Find best hotel rates in Arles

Moby are introducing a new service from Toulon (83 Var, Provence, Alpes. Cote d’Azur) to Bastia from April 2010. Moby and other ferry operators also sail from Marseille, Nice and numerous points on the Italian coast. You can also go via Sardinia.

Corsica differs from the idea one has of the Mediterranean islands. In fact, no other island is as green as Corsica: from its Laricio pine forests and emerald-green mountain lakes, to its fragrant maquis [scrub], cooling high mountain pastures and wine-growing lands. If Corsica is an “emerald isle”, it owes it to its unique topography in the Mediterranean: this “mountain in the sea” is well deserving of its nickname, with 120 peaks above an altitude of 2 000 m, which remain snow-capped until the spring. The 25 watercourses that flow through it make the island the best irrigated in the Mediterranean Basin. To top it all, Corsica offers the luxury of 1 000 km of the richest, most varied coastline. With a “Parc Naturel Régional” [Regional Natural Park] that covers two-thirds of its surface area, Corsica is a well-preserved island divided between nature reserves and listed sites.

Other ferry operators to Corsica include
S.N.C.M

CORSICA FERRIES,

see also Corsica Tourist Office website

Book Ferry crossings on MOBY and throughout Europe –

Easter is known as Pâques in France. Although it is a religious holiday, nowadays, it is treated as mostly a secular holiday and enjoyed mainlyby the French children. The children— as in many other countries— receive a gift basket, resembling a bird’s nest, containing colourfully decorated eggs and chocolates.
The French like to begin their Easter season several weeks before Easter arrives. The shop windows, particularly those of chocolatiers and confiseries as well as patisseries and boulangeries, are adorned with elaborately decorated eggs (les œufs de Pâques). Shops, even the butcher and the fashion boutique, also display bunnies, chickens, bells and fish, often created as edible works of art in either white or dark chocolate.
The symbol of flying bells (cloche volant)is also part ofthe French Easter tradition. Most village churches, many of which date back to the 12th century, have a bell, which is rung throughout the year to mark certain events and the passage of time. However, on the Thursday before Good Friday (vendredi saint), all the church bells are silencedthroughout France in acknowledgement of Jesus’ death.

It is said that the bells fly away to the Vatican in Rome on Holy Thursday (jeudi saint),and the bells carry with them all the misery and grief of those who mourn Jesus’ crucifixion. On Easter morning, the bells return to France from Rome and ring out in celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, declaring that Jesus is alive again. In some villages, people kiss and embrace one another when they hear the bells ring out.

French children are told that the church bells miraculously fly to visit the Pope in Rome and that the cloche volant will return to the villages on Easter morning in time for the Easter festivities. Les enfants de France are also told that if they’ve been good all year, that the bells will bring them goodies such as decorated eggs and yummy chocolates.

Barely able to sleep, French children greatly anticipate Easter morning. Parents wake up early and hide les oeufs de Pâques for their children in the gardens, playgrounds or homes. The chocolates (and sometimes, other candies) are usually placed in the baskets, and are typically hollow and shaped as eggs, bunnies, chickens, bells or fish.

Most Easter games played by French children involve eggs. Some of the games include rolling raw eggs down a gentle mountain slope. The surviving egg is declared the victory egg. There is also the egg toss, which requires tossing raw eggs up into the air and catching them on their way down. The first child to drop and break his egg is the loser, and in some versions of the game, must pay a penalty by giving up a piece of his Easter candy to his brothers or sisters.

French Easter fish, known as poisson d’avril are often presented by village chocolatiers or confiseries who create delicious and decorative chocolate fish for Easter, although Poisson d’avril is celebrated on the first day of April and is the French equivalent of April Fool’s Day.

French children stick a paper fish onto the back of as many tolerant adults as possible and then run away shouting “Poisson d’avril!” which means, of course, “April Fish”! This ritual dates back many centuries to 1564, yet its true origin is not known. One popular belief is that it has evolved from a trick where an unknowing French person was sent off to market to purchase freshwater fish when it was not in season. (Proof that almost everything has to do with food in France!).

There is usually an elaborate lunch with family (or friends) on Easter Sunday. In this area of France, an Easter menu might include a starter of baked, poached or scrambled eggs followed by a main dish of roast leg of lamb (gigot d’agneau), served with new potatoes and early spring vegetables. A cheese platter with an assortment of local cheeses would follow the main dish. And, finally, to “cleanse the palate”, as the French like to say, the meal would finish with a wonderful dessert such as chocolate fondant or a fresh strawberry tart with a dollop of crème fraiche and a sprig of fresh mint.

The following day, Monday (Pâques de lundi), is declared as a national holiday in France so everybody enjoys a three-day weekend, which is time often spent with family. Schools observe a two-week spring holiday, usually around Pâques; however, the school holiday periods differ slightly for the children in accordance with their designated school zone.Since there are so many families taking holidays in France, the French have devised a special system where they stagger certain school holiday periods into three zones. Easter is one of these popular travel holidays so a child in the Aveyron enjoys a different holiday time than a child in the Loire. This, as the French rationalize, is done to share and manage the flow of French tourists!

Easter marks the beginning of the tourist season in many places in France with smaller hotels and restaurants making their annual debuts. While many restaurants in Paris and other large cities typically close for Easter, here in Entraygues-sur-Truyere and in other resort villages, many of the local restaurants open their doors for the first time in the new year and offer a special Easter menu to local families and tourists alike.

Plus, to tempt you to this enticing part of France, there is a special offer for Easter at one of the Sweet French Cottages

**SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER**

Book a Cottage for Easter Week (April 3 – April 10)

& receive 15% off our usual Holiday Rates!

Bonne Fête et Joyeuses Pâques!

For more info see www.frenchduck.co.uk

Those who thought black pudding was a purely Scottish affair need think again, as the international contest to find the best black pudding takes place next March in the historic French village of Mortagne-au-Perche in the Orne area of Normandy.
The 46th annual black pudding festival will celebrate the culinary traditions of the region, with local cook-offs, celebrity chefs as well as a host of gastronomic stalls and exhibits open to the public.
The main part of the festival is the black pudding competition which sees over 650 competitors from across Europe but there are also two fiercely fought culinary competitions open to professional and amateur chefs who reside in the Orne. They are charged with creating and cooking the best dish – fish-based for the professionals, and a desert for the amateurs – using local produce such as apples, calvados, cider, pommeau, cream, butter and cheese to create their dish.

Specialist butchers and delicatessens will be demonstrating the art of making a black pudding, and visitors may sample and be their own judge of the best recipe.

For more info see www.normandy-ornetourism.com

Where to stay (B&B) in Normandy?

Amongst the bands appearing are the UK’s BBC Big Band, the French Band of the Republican Guard and a quintet of trumpets “Les Trompettes de Lyon“. There are also fringe events so the otherwise quiet town will be full of rich sound.

For more info see www.festivalcuivre.fr

Limoux is a good base for visiting the Pyrenees, Cathar country and the spectacular fortified medieval city of Carcassonne. Local wines include the still and sparkling white wines of Limoux (visit Antech), and furthe east you enter Corbieres country.

Interesting that the French refer to Brass in this context as “cuivrée” which is more literally “coppered” – in general the term “brass” does not necessarily imply that the instrument is made from brass, but it belongs to a group of instruments where the sound is made by “lip vibration” – and of course includes the Saxaphone which is promarily made of wood. Presumably the same applies to the French use of the term “cuivrée”!

Although no great fan of Ryanair’s outrageous pricing policy which ends up charging you extra for almost anything they can think of, such as luggage, payment by credit card etc – the airline has enabled many Brits to access parts of France by air which might not have been possible. So, you could spice up a stay in Poitou-Charentes with a few days in Spain – and Barcelona is well worth a visit with its architecture, proximity to the Mediterranean and vibrant day and night life!

Unlike some airline destinations, Poitiers-Biard Airport is close to the centre of the town

There is also a new route starting in March 2010 from Pau (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) in the foothills of the Pyrenees to Beauvais (60 Oise, Picardie), north of Paris. – which takes just 90 minutes in the air! – and Edinburgh to Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) from March 2010

For more info see www.ryanair.com

Paris is a city full of culture and is home to some of the most recognisable tourist attractions in Europe – including the Eiffel Tower, the cathedral at Notre Dame and Arc du Triomphe. According to price comparison website travelsupermarket.com:  “whether you’re a romantic, a culture vulture, or a foodie, there’s loads to keep you busy in Paris.”

There is a wide variety of things to see and do within Paris, from sightseeing tours of the iconic city quarters to nights at the opera in the historic theatre district -  travelsupermarket.com offers this guide to things to see and do in Paris:

• Take a scenic sightseeing trip at night

There are many historical sights to take in during your visit to Paris. For those who want to explore, there are a wide variety of tours around the capital available, all within easy reach of many Paris hotels– from the artistic museum tours to the bizarre tours of the ancient sewer system beneath the city.

Paris is also known as the City of Light, and night tours are a fantastic opportunity to see Paris’s most famous monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower and the cathedral at Notre Dame, in stunningly beautiful illumination against the night sky.

• Explore the Louvre

The world famous Musee du Louvre is one of the world’s largest museums, and houses some of the most culturally significant works of art in the world. From ancient Egyptian artifacts to the iconic Venus de Milo statue to Da Vinci’s world famous Mona Lisa painting, there is a lot to explore in the Louvre.

• Take in a show

Paris is renowned for its Opera and Theatre districts, and there are opportunities to take in dinner and a show through a range of packages. From the Opera National de Paris to the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, there is a wide variety of shows and music events to satisfy a range of musical and cultural tastes.

• Go on a gastronomic journey

Speaking of tastes, Paris is home to a wide variety of dining options, giving you the chance to sample some authentic Parisian cuisine. Whether you’re looking to enjoy a coffee and croissant at a quaint little cafes or bistro or indulge in a meal at a Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant, you can really get a taste for Paris during your visit. There are a variety of food-based tours available to satisfy all appetites and palettes, so you’ll never be short of choice in this fine gastronomic capital.

LD Lines’ tourist fares on the Ramsgate – Ostend service will be available for cars and passengers, cars and caravans, motorhomes, motorcycles and for added on board passenger comfort facilities include cabins and sleeper seats. LD Lines’ launch offer starts from £24 single for a car and five passengers.

LD Lines’ cross channel ferry service network includes : Dover – Boulogne, Newhaven – Dieppe and Portsmouth – Le Havre routes.

This may not seem an obvious option for travel to France – but it can make sense for North East and Eastern France – e.g. Alsace. The absence of autoroute tolls in Belgium may make a difference, The crossing however takes slightly under 4 hours.

Book LD Lines through FerryCheap.com

Albi is perhapes best known for its pink brick Cathedral, the Toulouse Lautrec museum and the birthplace of the Albigensian Crusades which led to the Cathar heresy and battles.

However for a week in February the town goes into Carnival mode with Carnival Queens, Parades, floats, music etc to jollify the streets of the town.

I have stayed at the Mercure Bastides Hotel in Albi is centrally situated by the River Tarn with great views of the Cathedral.

Whilst in the area you can visit the vineyards of Gaillac AC. I can recommend the Domaine de Labarthe at Castanet which produces some very good Gaillac reds, dry and sweet whites. Sparkling and Gaillac Perlé ( a lightly petillant dry white).

For more info on the Albi Carnival see www.carnaval-albi.com

For more info on Albi see www.albi-tourisme.fr

For 4 days the Cloister of St Benedict in the Palais de Papes is bedecked with hundreds of varieties of roses,  including some new strains – making the whole place a riot of colour and perfume. There  is a competition for the best rose and the opportunity to buy or just enjoy.

However implausible it may seem even southern Provence has had snow this winter – so its not just the northern climes which have suffered – see www.avignon-tourisme.com for pictures of Avignon in the snow!!

Avignon is always worth visiting any time of year – a great combination of lively modern city, medieval walled town and Palace, the famous truncated Pont d”Avignon Bridge across the Rhone (real name Pont St Benazit) – surrounded by superb Provencal countryside (St Remy de Provence with its market and Van Gogh connections is only a short distance away- plus plenty of great wines and local produce to enjoy.

For more info on Altera Rosa see www.alterarosa.com

For more info on Avignon see www.avignon-tourisme.com

Find best hotel rates in Avignon

The carnival processions, comprising 20 floats telling the story of the “Blue Planet” work their way up to a crescendo of gigantic decorations on the Place Masséna. These giant, colourful parades take place day and night, with entertainment provided by over 1,000 musicians and dancers from across the world.

In a unique setting, on the Promenade des Anglais, the elegant “flower battles” are part of the carnival not to be missed. On floats decorated with the most stunning floral compositions, extravagantly dressed characters throw out mimosas, gerberas, and lilies into the public …

Carnival provides locals and visitors with a chance to enjoy themselves before the privations of Lent and certainly brightens up the long dull winter days – although the Riviera is seldom dreary even in mid-winter.

For more info see www.nicecarnaval.com

The Spanish terminal is at Santurtzi about 10 miles from the city on the edge of the Basque country. For francophiles the advantage is that Bilbao is less than 2 hours from the French border and destinations such as Biarritz and Bayonne, and as such offers a much more convenient journey to the Pyrenees than driving all the way from the Engish Channel, Normandy or Brittany. By comparison Biarritz is more than 660 miles from Calais, over 500 miles from Caen, Le Havre and Cherbourg and 450 miles from St Malo. By the time you factor in the cost of autoroute tolls and overnight accommodation the higher cost of the 35-hour crossing (or cruise).

After September 2010 the only alternative will be the Brittany Ferries Service to Santander which is about an hour further west than Bilbao.
I keep hoping that someone would open a ferry service from UK to Bordeaux which would be an ideal entry point for the whole of SouthWest France.

The most famous, the nosiest, the most mental, but also the oldest, is the Dunkerque Carnival. For weeks on end, groups called fisherbands take the measure of each other, confront each other with sarabands and songs, disperse and liven up the town, and finally come together in one huge choir to celebrate their sailors, honour Jean Bart, and claim, with body and voice, their herrings thrown from the top of the belfry.
If you’ve never done Carnival here, you’ve never seen a real carnival !

For more info see www.northernfrance-tourism.com
Of course Dunkerque is directly connected from Dover with Norfolkline Ferries – but beware that the port (near Loon-Plage) is some 18km from the town centre

So bringing these two classic regional delights together should make for a great combination:

….. our first exclusive 2010 event in Château de Haute-Serre: “Truffle & Malbec Tuesdays” from January 12th to March 2nd in the restaurant La Table de Haute-Serre, with a special menu made of truffles. A perfect pairing between food and our wines has been set up by our 1 Michelin Star chef Philippe Combet. You can extend your stay in the land of the ‘black diamond’ with a visit to Lalbenque where the traditional truffle market starts every Tuesday in winter at 2 p.m. in the main street.

For more info see www.hauteserre.fr

Using a site such as www.ferrycheap.com offers price comparisons and is currently advertising the following early booking fares:

P&O Ferries from £25

SeaFrance from £22

LD Lines from £18

Eurotunnel from£53

NorfolkLine from £14

Some fares may be single, or day trip – be sure to check and make sure you know the booking conditions in case you need to change the date/time of the crossing. Most companies, make some allowance for late arrivals because of traffic or breakdown, but there are limits, and of course on some of the longer crossings the next ferry may be 6 or more hours later/

The festival celebrates the piercing or tapping of the barrels of the Jura’s famous “Yellow Wine” (vin jaune) which has spent 6 years and 3 months maturing, to enable the vintage from 6 years ago to be bottled, sold and enjoyed for many, many years to come.

British locals John & Carolyn Scallan run a B&B (Chambres d’Hote) at Sens-sur-Seille  and have put together a special weeked offer for the Festival which includes a special Jura Discovery dinner and transport to and from the Festival. With their local knowledge of wine, food, markets and things to see this would be a great way of getting the very best out of the Festival and learning more about the local wines and region – all at a bargain price:-

Come and spend the weekend discovering the wines and foods of the Jura region, meet the producers and enjoy the festival, on a specially arranged weekend break, which includes two nights bed and breakfast accommodation in our comfortable B&B, a special Jura Discovery dinner on Fridaynight, and transport to and from the Percée festival on Saturday.
PROGRAMME

Friday evening, arrive and check into your room here in Sens sur Seille. Rooms will be available from 4pm onwards. Freshen up and then at 7pm join us for a special Jura Discovery dinner, with an introduction to different Jura wines from different producers, carefully matched with each course.
Saturday morning, after a copious breakfast, feel free to discover the local market in St Germain du Bois. 11.30am leave for the Percée festival – transport is provided.
6pm return transportation
The evening is free for you to try one of the excellent local restaurants. There are 2 here in the village, and several more in the nearby towns.
Sunday, depart after yet another copious breakfast.
PRICE PER PERSON €82
Price includes 2 nights bed and breakfast accommodation (based on two people sharing a double room) special dinner on Friday night (wines included) and transport to and from the wine festival.
Not included: Transport to Sens sur Seille, entry to the wine festival (€11), other meals.
Additional nights may be booked at a discount to the normal room rate. Please ask for more information.

For more info and an enquiry form CLICK HERE

From Thursday 14 January to Sunday 17 January 2010 Valloire in the French Alps  (73 Savoie, Rhone-Alpes) hosts an international Ice Sculpture competition

This is followed  from Tuesday 19 January to Friday 22 January 2010 by the  27th anniversary Snow Sculpture competition with traditional art from Canada.

Valloire is the only place in France to organise this international event.

With good snow conditions in the Alps this year the exhibits may last a little longer than some years

For more info see www.valloire.net

Charles de Gaulle was a controversial figure who made a significant impact on French and European history in the 20th Century until his death in 1970. Outspoken, obstinate, proud and vain he embodied many aspects of the French character, but he gave the French a noble alternative to General Petain and Vichy France during the war, shaped much of modern France after the war and blocked Britain’s initial attempt to join the European Community. It is interesting to speculate how our relationship with Europe may have developed differently had he not vetoed our application – viewed here then as both humiliating and ungrateful!

His haughty profile and impressive height and bulk made him unmistakeable. He was passionate about France and was revered by many (but no means all Frenchmen)

His home and memorial is at Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises (52 Haute-Marne, Champagne-Ardennes) where a huge Cross of Lorraine dominates the landscape. There is now a new memorial exhibition which documents his life and events:

the new Memorial at Colombey-les-deux églises focuses on the unusual personality of General de Gaulle and looks at his work through the unusual prism of his attachment to the countryside of Colombey-les-deux-églises.
The Memorial uses its modern architecture and innovative scenography to look back on the outstanding events marking not only the General’s life, but also France and the world in the 20th century.

The visit is accessible to all and can be read at different levels: the visit incorporates giant and interactive screens, reconstituted décors, texts, archives…

Situated about 10 miles east of  Bar-sur-Aube in the southern Aube Champagne producing area, it is well worth a visit – great views over the local countryside and a visit to the exhibits may help to better understand the French!!?

www.memorial-charlesdegaulle.fr

• January 1 (Friday) – New Year’s Day (Jour de l’An)
• April 4 (Sunday) – Easter (Pâques)
• April 5 (Monday) – Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
• May 1 (Saturday(- Labour Day (Fête du Travail)
• May 8 (Saturday) – WWII Victory Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945)
• May 13 (Thursday) – Ascension Day (Ascension catholique)
• May 23 (Sunday) – Whitsun (Pentecôte)
• May 24 (Monday) – Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte)
• July14 (Wednesday) – Bastille Day (Fête Nationale)
• August  15 (Sunday)- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assomption)
• November 1 (Monday) – All Saints’ Day (Toussaint)
• November 11 (Thursday) – Armistice Day (Armistice 1918)
• December 25 (Saturday) – Christmas Day (Noël)

Montrachet boasts two Grand Cru vineyards – Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet – and then there is neighbouring village of Puligny-Montrachet. These vineyards produce some of the most expensive and long-lived white wines in the world – here the Chardonnay grape is supreme,  although red wine is also made from the Pinot Noir grape.

For the weekend the village opens all its cellars for tastings; food stalls adorn the streets for snails, cheese, charcuterie and other burgundian gastronomic delights; a church service, parade and intronisation (induction)  ceremony – a lively scene in this otherwise  sleepy wine village.

For more info see www.st-vincent-tournante.fr

Starting at 11PM, and lasting more that an hour, the Tower will offer a special show: an exceptional and one-of-a-kind lightshow that will disappear with the start of the New Year. After the last regular session, at 11:05PM, the Tower will repeat its light show at 11:30PM,followed by a totally new 20-minute creation using the technical possibilities offered by the new LED lighting to mark the symbolic countdown to 2010.
At midnight the lightshow, a popular highlight of Parisian nights, will provide a sparkling backdrop to the first minutes of the 2010.

Visible only from the Trocadero (Seine) side you can participate in the celebrations from the comfort of your computer by going to
http://31decembreaparis.com

OK – they are not real bears (although Bears have been reintroduced in some parts of the Pyrenees) but young men blacked up and wearing sheepskins as the “bears” which are then chased through the town by “hunters” – culminating in music and dancing in the town centre.

For more info see www.pratsdemollolapreste.com

It is very isolated and high and served as a redoubt for the Resistance against the Germans and a base from which they launched guerilla tactics to harry the occupiers. The Germans however launched numerous massive armoured attacks to try to wipe them out, which resulted in many acts of heroism from the resistance members. However what is clear is that survival inthe environment must have been difficult even without the threat of the Germans – this is no bocolic Robin Hood existence but a tough and unforgiving place to be.

In addition to the Memorial and Museum there is also a small café.

Musée de la Résistance du Mont-Mouchet

43300 Auvers

Opening times: 1st May – 15th September: every day, 9.30am-12.00pm, 2.00pm-7.00pm.

16th September – 15th October: weekends, 10.00am – 12.00pm, 2.00pm-6.00pm.

The choice includes Brittany, Normandy, Western Loire and Aquitaine; Hotels, gites, villas. cottages, apartments, camping etc.

For more info see Brittany Ferries

;Now the Administrators Ernst & Young are reporting that the proceeds of the sale of assets (including SpeedOne) will not even raise enough money to pay off the Bank who are secured creditors; so there is nothing to be shared with preferential or  unsecured creditors such as ticket holders.

The Bank of Scotland got about £2m back, and Ernst & Young earned over £880,000 for being Administrators.

The only hope for paying customers would appear to be through the credit card companies if you paid by credit card.

Since the collapse of SpeedFerries LD Lines has been developing the Dover – Boulogne route which remains one of my preferred routes into northern France.

An amazing new event for everyone who wants to enter the legend of Father Christmas. A unique, magical performance in front of the Palace of the Popes, a thirty-minute show featuring special effects, giant sets, fireworks and beautiful lighting to tell a wonderful story which takes place in Provence. After the show, young and old alike can meet Father Christmas and his elves, who will be distributing hot chocolate, Christmas crackers and surprises.

Whilst there you can also indulge in the Christmas Market(Marché de Noel)  in the Place d’Horloge (26 November 2009 -2 January 2010 ) with a village of 60+ chalets offering craft jewelery, candles, lamps,  specialities such as local wines, nougat, candied fruits, chocolate, honey, gingerbread, games and wooden toys.  Free entertainment, parades, concerts for children and adults accompanying the event.

Make a weekend break of it with Eurostar and TGV –
Find best hotel rates in Avignon

For more info see www.provenceguide.co.uk

A multicoloured festival under the sun! The town comes alive on Sunday mornings, when coaches and cars dance through the streets, an endless farandole of people swaying down the alleyways to the sea. Laughter and joy shine from happy faces everywhere.

Today is a holiday! A wide-eyed child stares in wonderment at the confetti showering from the sea blue sky… Creative masks and sumptuous costumes abound; fanfares twirl and zigzag through the citrus-laden floats to the sound of traditional drums.

On Thursday nights there is a Moonlit Parade with more floats, music and fireworks! Then there is are displays of local crafts and stalls offering every variation on citrus fruit.  This area of the French Riviera enjoys a sub-tropical climate with a steady temperature of 6-13° C ,and is  shielded from harmful winds by the nearby mountains.

See www.feteducitron.com