Burgundy – Chardonnay, Charolais and Cloisters – travel review
Archaeological evidence suggests that viticulture in Burgundy started as early as 200 AD, and later the monks and monasteries were to have an important influence...
Fontenay Abbey – travel review
Late spring in Burgundy. The banks of the canal were festooned with the colours of wild flowers: the blue of cornflowers, the blood red of...
The Bells, The Bells of Jura
When you wake in your hotel room in the beautiful green mountains of the Jura, in Eastern France, you may hear, for the first time,...
111 Museums in Paris That You Shouldn’t Miss!
More Than Art and History. We love to travel. A cruise is nice. Perhaps a week on a tropical Island. But in reality our travel...
Champagne: Wine of Kings and the King of Wines
Champagne: Wine of Kings and the King of Wines by Tom Bruce-Gardyne introduces the reader to the colourful story of how this delicious sparkling wine...
Freewheeling along the Voie Bressane
A modern-day adventure in step with today’s tastes, cycling tourism is the latest thing in travel. In order to welcome an ever-growing number of enthusiasts,...
The Jewels of the High Jura
La Taillerie – the Gemstone Shop Although precious stones are not found naturally anywhere in the Jura mountains, the cutting and polishing of imported stones...
A Spectacular Museum in Jura
In the beautiful Jura mountains of Eastern France, in the small town of Morez, there is a big museum. It’s dedicated to a rarely-seen industry...
There’s no smoke without … a Saint-Claude pipe
You, dear reader, will be unusual to say the least if you own one; your father probably didn’t have one, either; more likely your grandfather...
Bonnet Jujurieux Silk Factory Museum
This is a charming museum, and it seems to encompass most of the original Bonnet silk factory in Jujurieux, a small town in the department...
Absinthe – Green Hills & Green Fairies of Jura
Originally produced in the Val-de-Travers region in Switzerland and in Pontarlier, France, Absinthe is a distilled anise-flavoured spirit made from herbs including the flowers and...
Côte d’Or: The Heart of Burgundy – review
The Wines and Winemakers of the Heart of Burgundy The name Côte d’Or might not be well known but it is one of the original...
Affordable Fizz from Les Grands Chais de France
Les Grands Chais de France Group is a company based in the Northern Vosges region of France. It’s run by the Helfrich family. When Joseph...
Flavors from the French Mediterranean by Gérald Passedat – review
It will soon be summer. We start to muse over al fresco dining and lighter fare. Ingredients with colour and freshness will take centre stage...
Rennes – living with history – travel review
History is everywhere in Rennes but it’s actually considered by thoroughly modern folks to be one of the most liveable cities in France. That’s a...
Bayeux – A stitch in time – travel review
It’s inevitable that the first thing people think of when you mention Bayeux is the tapestry. Though it’s not actually a tapestry but a very...
Reims – Tasteful Souvenirs – travel review
Reims is a beautiful and historic city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. It is only 130 km from Paris with easy access by train....
The Sparkle of Vilmart & Cie – travel review
The Champagne house Vilmart & Cie was founded in 1890 by Désiré Vilmart and is considered by many an authority to be perhaps the leading...
La Belle Epoque – 5-star floating through Burgundy – travel review
What a grand title for a barge! Luckily the lady lived up to her name and our expectations, which she did actually exceed in every...
Champagne – a brief encounter – drinks review
One is spoilt for restaurants in London. Highend Michelin-starred, white-tableclothed establishments abound. The weather becomes warmer. We dream of those balmy days and longer evenings...