This Week...

Burgundytoday´s weekly roundup of news, views & events

May 2

‘If God forbade drinking, would He have made wine so good?’

Cardinal Richelieu’s acclaimed quotation is picked up by Anthony Peregrine writing in the Sunday Times on the Abbaye de la Bussière, one of the most luxurious places to stay in Burgundy.

St. Boris

No, he hasn't been beatified yet, but It’s some co-incidence, France celebrated the Saint’s Day of St. Boris on May 2, the very day that Boris Johnson was confirmed as the new Mayor of London. A good omen?

bag a bargain

The 36th Dijon Antiques Fair takes place from May 16 - 25, welcoming trade buyers and the public alike. There's back-up from the organisers to smooth the purchasing and shipping of your finds, and

plenty of interest for all.

April 26

New magazine for gourmets

The launch issue of the glossy magazine ‘Etoile’ from the Guide Michelin stable features a route taken by the inspectors in Burgundy.  Driving up the N6, the featured restaurants include Le Beaujolais at Belleville, the Table de Chaintré in the village of the same name, the Auberge de Gourmets in le Villars, Aux Terrasses in Tournus, L’Amaryllis in Sennecy-le-Grand, Lameloise in Chagny and Loiseau des Vignes in Beaune. Seven restaurants for a seven day gastronomic adventure – including two new one star additions in the red guide, the famous three star in Chagny  and a new Bib Gourmand 2008. The magazine is in French with a special offer subscription of 48 euros for 12 issues in France, 56 euros in Europe and 68 euros in other countries.

Michael de Larrabeiti

The death of acclaimed author and travel writer Michael de Larrabeiti last week has brought to light a memorable essay he wrote for the Sunday Times in June 1993 entitles ‘A Labour of Love in France’. Set in the Morvan village of Corbigny where he worked as grocer's boy to the bad-tempered M Foulet, he describes how he had ‘landed on the first page of a Balzac novel’.

He continues, ‘I came to love Corbigny and for a long while it meant all of France to me. It was perfection of a sort, a perfection of that French provincial life which up until then I had only read about or glimpsed in paintings. And the Morvan too had been new; a region within a region, a bit of Burgundy but not Burgundy; defined north and south by two wonderful churches Vezelay and Autun, and in the west by Corbigny, last outpost of the Nivernais; and on the eastern side by Saulieu, looking down into Burgundy proper.’

His essay says it all – take some time to travel with him to the Copper Canyon in Mexico and Cuba too, More

Cathedral St. Lazare Springs into Life

Autun is staging a new show in July and August, ‘Les Nuits de la Gargouille’ in the Cathedral of Saint Lazare. Discover the cathedral as it was in medieval times through little plays and musical sketches, together with clever illumination. The performance begins at 22.00, dates and more details from the Tourist Office in Autun.

Chablis Wine Tours

Burgundy Discovery has branched out to include the ever popular wine region of Chablis in the list of day trips. Visit three winegrowers for a comprehensive tasting session and enjoy a three course lunch, accompanied by some more ‘liquid gold’.

Paris Revisited

As Lorenzo Bohme explains in his article, 'Lost in Translation', the word “roman” in French, and its feminine version “romane”, does not mean Roman at all causing much confusion. Lorenzo loves France and apart from translation (his bread and butter), writing (his passion), illustrating is another favourite pastime. Some years ago drew a series of charming pen and ink images of Parisian scenes featuring words from French poets such as Villon and Baudelaire which he sold in the Latin Quarter at the time. More

April 19

NEW LUXURY BARGE

There are some 30 barge hotels cruising along the Burgundy canals and the Randle is the latest arrival. This classic Lux Motor barge with skipper and crew sleeps up to four guests and unlike some of the larger boats, dinner is not included in the week’s holiday leaving you free to explore the excellent restaurants in a different location each evening. The Randle is operated by Edge Charter, a Norfolk based luxury travel company in the UK. For more on life on the barge hotels.

VEZELAY MUSIC FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

The ninth Vézelay Music Festival which takes place in the Basilica will run from August 21 – 24. The programme has just been announced and this year features works by the composer Bach.

WHERE FRANCE LEADS …

When Robert Parker speaks, the world listens. Such is the dominance of this American wine critic. Le Figaro carried an interview with the guru this week where he states that ‘French wine remains the reference for all the other great wine producing countries.’ Parker however, besotted by the wines of Bordeaux, doesn’t seem to acknowledge that the other wine regions in France exist. More (in French)

April 11

THE FINESSE OF FLYING

La Patrouille de France, the French air force display team similar to the US Air Force Thunderbirds and Britain’s RAF Red Arrows are coming to Dijon to perform their breath-taking skills on June 29.

Charles Bremner writing his blog on the Times website talks to Virginie Guyot who is in the news being first woman to fly in la Patrouille de France. Virginie who flies Mirage fighter jets, is 33 and a mother. Moreover, she is tipped to become commander of the eight-jet team next year. ‘Flying a plane nowadays requires finesse more than physical force’, she says. More

BIODYNAMICS

We have touched on biodynamic wines in the past on burgundytoday. Food and wine journalist Fiona Sims, writing in Caterersearch, asks ‘what’s going on … until a year or two ago, nobody even dared mention the word’.  There are now 20 producers making wine from biodynamically grown grapes, including  ‘convert, Dominique Lafon, from the great Meursault estate of the same name, who adds: "At first you can't believe the stories that you hear, but once you see for yourself what is going on in the vineyard, you are more ready to accept it."

Lafon, who first started experimenting with biodynamics more than 10 years ago, says: "You see etter growth in the vineyard - longer shoots, with roots that go really deep. I saw a vineyard that wasalmost dead double its crop after being farmed biodynamically." And he declares: "Our fruit is riper, more intense, and better balanced in terms of acidity, with a more even crop. And all of us have felt that there's more energy in the wines - in the whites, especially." More…

HOPPING ON AND OFF EUROPEAN TRAINS

Travelling by train around France is a pleasure, and apart from the efficiency of the services, the new trains such as the Teoz Corail with updated facilities are adding to this enjoyment.

Getting information about the services however, is not always so easy and booking online you often have to know the almost exact time and the exact name of the stations in order to get past go. 

This is where the European Rail Timetable from Thomas Cook, in publication since 1873, comes in. It is updated 12 times a year and contain advance information of changes in the pipeline. Unless you are a travel agent, the 150 pound sterling annual subscription may seem steep, but editions can be bought singly.

FRENCH CAFÉ LIFE

French Café life has always been immortalised by writers and artists. A favourite is the Café Parisienin the centre of Saulieu which dates back to 1832. It has received the listing Café Historique ’Europe and while always full of atmosphere and locals with its art nouveau décor, it also stages exhibitions and events which are more of the moment, see the cafe parisien site.

BURGUNDY BY BIKE

Our cycling section gives the gist of what to look out for when planning your trip. Acknowledging how popular cycling holidays are in Burgundy, the tourist office has set up

a site burgundy-by-bike with detailed routes and back-up information such as bike rentals and epairs in each area, maps and attractions along the way.

NEW ROAD SIGNS, ANY GUESSES?

France has just come up with some strange new road signs. There is a ‘faintly erotic half-moons’ design which apparently informs passing traffic that nearby is “a garden that has been officially certified as a garden of note”. On inquiry, the Ministry of Culture defines this as a garden certified as having “design, plants and care of a remarkable level”. More

QUICK BURGUNDY INFUSION

If you can’t get down to Burgundy in the near future but could do with a quick top up of good Burgundy wine, head down to the cellars of Berry Bros and Rudd in London SW1. They have tasting sessions planned for April 28, May 8 and May 21. tel: 00 44 (0)870 900 4300. 4 (0)870 900 43004 (0)870 900 4300

April 4

Magny Cours 2

 After immense pressure from Bernie Ecclestone, the Magny Cours racing circuit near Nevers is oing to receive a massive facelift, commencing in the second half of this year. This is France’s number one racing facility and 30 million euros will be spent building 27 new stands, a press centre, restaurant and better facilities both for the teams and the public. Larger and better hotels will also be built to cater for the events. With all the glamorous venues springing up around the world, it can’t come a moment too soon.

The recent competition on burgundytoday to win two tickets to the F1 Grand Prix in June has been won by Peter Reed from Hampshire in the UK. He and his son are huge fans and we are thrilled that the tickets are going to be much appreciated. 

Your Wedding Ceremony in English

Festive France, the wedding planners can help you celebrate your wedding, civil partnership or renewal of vows. They are now offering a new addition to their services - Jo Stark, one of the partners can conduct your wedding ceremony in English, written with the support of a ceremony scriptwriting company.

Chateau St. Fargeau

The rosy château in the Puisaye has a new website: www.chateau-de-st-fargeau.com with a good nglish translation. Apart from the chateau itself, there are steam engines, stage coach rides, a working farm and the summer spectaculars which are staged each Friday and Saturday night from mid July to mid August. A good family day out.