Charming g�tes and secret campsites are all very well, but staying in a stunning chateau can be surprisingly affordable. Here's our pick of 10 of the bestLes Fontaines d'Escot, near Pau, AquitaineA former monastery in an isolated valley below the Pyrenees, Les Fontaines d'Escot has been a haven for travellers for more than 600 years. A fascinating melange of architectural styles, the chateau has its own thermal waters ? first used by the Romans. Walks along the river or into the mountains are de rigueur, while adventurous souls can try out a section of the nearby Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.? Self-catering g�tes (sleep four) from ?49 a night, double rooms from ?31. +33 5 5934 5440, fontaines-escot.comLe Ch�teau Fort, Sedan, Champagne-ArdenneClaiming to be the largest fortified medieval castle in Europe, this mighty chateau dominates the ancient town of Sedan from its 30m ramparts. Its bright contemporary bedrooms add welcome homeliness. At night, you can join a torch-lit guided tour of the chateau followed by a medieval banquet. Any extra pounds can then be walked off moseying around Sedan.? Doubles from ?60 a night. +33 3 2426 1100, tinyurl.com/6cny7vs Ch�teau de Cherveux, Cherveux, Poitou-CharentesOn a high plateau rises the village of Cherveux, inhabited since prehistoric times. Its castle ? of the fairytale variety ? has a pleasingly complicated history, with its present incarnation built by a Scotsman, Robert Conningham, in the mid-15th century. You can buy food produced on the estate to recipes from the middle ages (check out the amazing mushroomy beer), or take a group and the staff will put on a medieval banquet.? Doubles from ?50 a night. +33 5 4975 0655, tinyurl.com/6gudetxCh�teau d'Alteville, near Dieuze, LorraineDon't be surprised if, on entering this chateau, you begin to feel like a Napoleonic general ? it was built for one and it retains the grandeur its owner clearly felt was his due. Set in 10 acres of parkland with its own lake, Alteville is a window on a lost world of opulence.? Doubles from ?77 a night. +33 3 8705 4663, sawdays.co.ukH�tel Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, near Chinon, LoireCovering 35 acres, Fontevraud is not so much a chateau as an entire medieval city. The extraordinarily well-conserved double monastery ? it housed both monks and nuns ? boasts a magnificent abbey church, seemingly endless cloisters and the tomb of England's Richard I. Happily, the 52 bedrooms are less spartan than the cells they once were. And if you can bear to step outside this Unesco world heritage site, there's the typical Anjou village of Fontevraud to be explored.? Doubles from ?66 a night (from ?52 for two-night stays). +33 2 4151 7316, tinyurl.com/5tfbrabCh�teau Font Guitard, Cambounet-sur-le-Sor, Midi-Pyr�n�esBuilt close to the river Sor, this 19th-century chateau may lack history, but it makes up for it with a rose garden and a park adorned with orchids, 100-year-old linden trees and more than a thousand species of flowers and shrubs. There's also an open-air swimming pool. To zip back in time, head for Cordes-sur-Ciel, a wonderfully preserved medieval town romantically perched on a hilltop.? Doubles from ?192 a week (daily and weekend rates available). +33 5 6371 7408, chateaufontguitard.comL'Hostellerie du Ch�teau, Bricquebec, NormandyUnusually, Bricquebec is believed to have been built by a Viking. Still a commanding presence on the Cotentin peninsula more than a millennium later, the castle has its own museum, while the knights' hall is a restaurant offering reasonably priced haute cuisine. For those craving more recent history, the D-day beaches are within striking distance. Thanks to Henry V, Bricquebec was in English hands for 32 years, but it's best not to mention this when booking.? Doubles from ?75 a night (three-for-two offers from mid-October). +33 2 3352 2449, lhostellerie-bricquebec.comCh�teau de la Guillonni�re, near Dienn�, Poitou-CharentesGuillonni�re was a favourite of King Fran�ois I, who came hunting here with the apparently gorgeous local girl Diane of Poitiers. Sitting prettily in its own 25-acre park, the 16th-century castle runs to a scattering of bedrooms and small apartments, one of which was once home to feisty novelist George Sand. Beyond the grounds, there's horse riding in Dienn�, or you can go all 21st century at a high-ropes adventure forest (parcours-aventure.eu).? George Sand apartment (sleeps four) from ?400 a week. +33 5 4942 0546, a-castle-for-rent.comCh�teau de Cautine, near Aurillac, LimousinThe Barons of Cautine have owned this chateau in the Dordogne since it was built in 1670 until two years ago, when it was captured (oh, all right, purchased) by an English couple. Cautine is awash with beams, huge fireplaces and a Rapunzel tower.? Doubles from ?44 (three-night minimum stay). 020-3287 9212, chateau-de-cautine.comH�tel Le Couvent Royal, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Provence-Alpes-C�te d'AzurTucked beneath the Sainte-Baume massif, just north of the C�te d'Azur, the Couvent Royal is one the finest gothic buildings in France. Built in the 13th century by Charles II of Anjou to house the relics of Mary Magdalene, the Dominicans' quarters have been converted into chic, bijou bedrooms. In summer, there's alfresco dining in the cloisters, while a vaulted hall serves as a bar. Try wine tasting with a twist at the Casino du Vin (oenosud.com).? Doubles from ?62 a night. +33 4 9486 5566, tinyurl.com/5u5tl3fFranceHotelsLuxury travelBudget travelEuropeShort breaksFamily holidaysDixe Willsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Authentic Ski Tour: Bridger Bowl, Day 5
..... Bozeman, Montana (Ski Press)-We linger over coffee and bacon in the Summit Hotel at the base of Big Sky, hoping that the sun will soften the snow. But there is a cloud growing like a purple crown over Lone Peak, like ink into the early blue, and I imagine the high steeps like vertical white lanes custom frozen for human bowling balls. ?It?s slide for life conditions,? said the patroller at the top of Lone Peak when we walked in to see about signing out for the Snowfields. When Dax Schieffer and Doug Wales and I were the only three skiers on the tram that should have been a clue. For me, it?s just as well.� But Dax is devastated. He isn?t going to get to show off some of Big Sky?s most sensational skiing treasures, especially its adventurous alpine bridge to the expansive terrain of Moonlight Basin, and all morning he keeps glancing back up the hill. ?Sorry we didn?t hit it,? I told Dax. And with Lone Peak separating the sky with its cascading terrain like the flanks of a volcano behind him he said, ?How?d you know that?s what I was thinking about right now?? So that then it was just me and Doug driving to Bozeman, eating vinegar chips and drinking Gatorade, and losing count of all the white crosses by the side of the road. It is gorgeous country, expansive and glacial. With hot Augusts and frozen Januarys and sunsets that are among the most beautiful in the world. ?I?m glad to have lived in the East,? was the refrain that I heard. ?But I knew I would live in the West since I first saw the Rockies as a child.? That light going gold and red through the peaks as we drove into Bozeman at the end stop of my Authentic Ski Tour of Yellowstone Country, from Red Lodge to Chico Hot Springs to Yellowstone to Big Sky and now to Bridger Bowl, as I had the sense that I was finally going to ski the most authentic mountain of them all. I asked Doug, ?Who was it that wrote the story for Rolling Stone?? He said, ?Tim Cahill.? Published in 1985, before he became an outdoor writing legend first at Outside Magazine then with books like ?Jaguars Ripped My Flesh? and ?A Wolverine is Eating My Leg,? Cahill enshrined Bridger?s ?Ridge Hippies? in the article ?Going to Extremes ? Adventures in the Endo Zone.? With Bridger Bowl as the setting, the article introduced extreme skiing to much of America, explaining the passion for hiking past the chairs to ski the same chutes and gullies that in the summer you climbed with harnesses and ropes. And it focused on some of North America?s most soon-to-be famous ski astronauts like Tom Jungst, Scot Schmidt and Doug Coombs. That kind of skiing is the industry standard now, with open gates and steep skiing stars from Vermont to Vail. But in 1985, it was revolutionary. And at Bridger, the hike-to access for the Ridge had already been open for 12 years. Add the fact that Bridger Bowl operates as a non-profit, funded by lift tickets and association membership dues (membership being open to any Montana resident 18 years or older) instead of condo sales, and you?ve got a mountain with 100 percent focus on the ski experience, and nothing else. Or as Wales said, ?All of the net profit goes right back into the hill.? In the past few years that net profit has enabled Bridger to continue to lead the way in opening technical terrain, including the rugged Schlasman?s Lift (which you can?t board without a transceiver). It will also result in a new triple chair ? replacing the Deer Park and Bridger lifts next year. On the day we ski, though, the snow that had been baking in the sun for nearly a week is frozen as hard as a coral reef under a cold bank of clouds. On the steeps I feel as if I am at the top of a great frozen wave, trying not to skitter too quickly to the frozen ocean below. ?I?m pretty sure this is the worst day of the year,? Wales said, pointing to the top of the Bridger Lift where the crew has hoisted the Jolly Roger. ?Maybe the last two years.? ?It?s all a matter of degrees,? he said later, still thinking about it on the chair. ?Whether it?s temperatures or steeps, a couple degrees can make all the difference in the world.? Halfway through the afternoon Wales returned to his office to take another phone call about the history of skiing at Bridger. The same way he?s taken my calls for more than a decade, answering questions about open boundaries, avalanche control and now alpine hydration. And I kept skiing because there were still decent slopes, and the lifts haven?t closed. There were still people speeding down the steeps, even hiking the Ridge, and calling out to each other from the chair as if even a day like that there were still nothing better in the world to do. I laughed at the bumper stickers behind the bar at Jimmy B?s Bar and Grill that say, ?Did you move here to be in a hurry?? and, ?Custer was an out-of-stater, too.? At the Montana Ale Works we had bison patty melts and I heard a favorite song by Son Volt that I had never heard sung live before. In the morning it was snowing and I thought, ?what if I stayed for a few days more?? Links Bridger Bowl: www.bridgerbowl.com Montana Ale Works: www.montanaaleworks.com Good Lodging: www.cmoninn.com/midwest-hotel-locations/bozeman/ Special thanks to: Doug, Jeff, Robin, Dax and Colin.
The Authentic Ski Tour: Bridger Bowl, Day 5
..... Bozeman, Montana (Ski Press)-We linger over coffee and bacon in the Summit Hotel at the base of Big Sky, hoping that the sun will soften the snow. But there is a cloud growing like a purple crown over Lone Peak, like ink into the early blue, and I imagine the high steeps like vertical white lanes custom frozen for human bowling balls. ?It?s slide for life conditions,? said the patroller at the top of Lone Peak when we walked in to see about signing out for the Snowfields. When Dax Schieffer and Doug Wales and I were the only three skiers on the tram that should have been a clue. For me, it?s just as well.� But Dax is devastated. He isn?t going to get to show off some of Big Sky?s most sensational skiing treasures, especially its adventurous alpine bridge to the expansive terrain of Moonlight Basin, and all morning he keeps glancing back up the hill. ?Sorry we didn?t hit it,? I told Dax. And with Lone Peak separating the sky with its cascading terrain like the flanks of a volcano behind him he said, ?How?d you know that?s what I was thinking about right now?? So that then it was just me and Doug driving to Bozeman, eating vinegar chips and drinking Gatorade, and losing count of all the white crosses by the side of the road. It is gorgeous country, expansive and glacial. With hot Augusts and frozen Januarys and sunsets that are among the most beautiful in the world. ?I?m glad to have lived in the East,? was the refrain that I heard. ?But I knew I would live in the West since I first saw the Rockies as a child.? That light going gold and red through the peaks as we drove into Bozeman at the end stop of my Authentic Ski Tour of Yellowstone Country, from Red Lodge to Chico Hot Springs to Yellowstone to Big Sky and now to Bridger Bowl, as I had the sense that I was finally going to ski the most authentic mountain of them all. I asked Doug, ?Who was it that wrote the story for Rolling Stone?? He said, ?Tim Cahill.? Published in 1985, before he became an outdoor writing legend first at Outside Magazine then with books like ?Jaguars Ripped My Flesh? and ?A Wolverine is Eating My Leg,? Cahill enshrined Bridger?s ?Ridge Hippies? in the article ?Going to Extremes ? Adventures in the Endo Zone.? With Bridger Bowl as the setting, the article introduced extreme skiing to much of America, explaining the passion for hiking past the chairs to ski the same chutes and gullies that in the summer you climbed with harnesses and ropes. And it focused on some of North America?s most soon-to-be famous ski astronauts like Tom Jungst, Scot Schmidt and Doug Coombs. That kind of skiing is the industry standard now, with open gates and steep skiing stars from Vermont to Vail. But in 1985, it was revolutionary. And at Bridger, the hike-to access for the Ridge had already been open for 12 years. Add the fact that Bridger Bowl operates as a non-profit, funded by lift tickets and association membership dues (membership being open to any Montana resident 18 years or older) instead of condo sales, and you?ve got a mountain with 100 percent focus on the ski experience, and nothing else. Or as Wales said, ?All of the net profit goes right back into the hill.? In the past few years that net profit has enabled Bridger to continue to lead the way in opening technical terrain, including the rugged Schlasman?s Lift (which you can?t board without a transceiver). It will also result in a new triple chair ? replacing the Deer Park and Bridger lifts next year. On the day we ski, though, the snow that had been baking in the sun for nearly a week is frozen as hard as a coral reef under a cold bank of clouds. On the steeps I feel as if I am at the top of a great frozen wave, trying not to skitter too quickly to the frozen ocean below. ?I?m pretty sure this is the worst day of the year,? Wales said, pointing to the top of the Bridger Lift where the crew has hoisted the Jolly Roger. ?Maybe the last two years.? ?It?s all a matter of degrees,? he said later, still thinking about it on the chair. ?Whether it?s temperatures or steeps, a couple degrees can make all the difference in the world.? Halfway through the afternoon Wales returned to his office to take another phone call about the history of skiing at Bridger. The same way he?s taken my calls for more than a decade, answering questions about open boundaries, avalanche control and now alpine hydration. And I kept skiing because there were still decent slopes, and the lifts haven?t closed. There were still people speeding down the steeps, even hiking the Ridge, and calling out to each other from the chair as if even a day like that there were still nothing better in the world to do. I laughed at the bumper stickers behind the bar at Jimmy B?s Bar and Grill that say, ?Did you move here to be in a hurry?? and, ?Custer was an out-of-stater, too.? At the Montana Ale Works we had bison patty melts and I heard a favorite song by Son Volt that I had never heard sung live before. In the morning it was snowing and I thought, ?what if I stayed for a few days more?? Links Bridger Bowl: www.bridgerbowl.com Montana Ale Works: www.montanaaleworks.com Good Lodging: www.cmoninn.com/midwest-hotel-locations/bozeman/ Special thanks to: Doug, Jeff, Robin, Dax and Colin.
Gear as Memoir: The Trad Climber?s Rack
A "rack" is the collection of artificial chockstones, camming devices, and other tools that trad climbers use to anchor their ropes to the rock and protect against falls. Here, Adam Roy inventories his rack and the memories linked to it.
Classic France: the insiders' guide
Camp on the beach on the Emerald coast, take a tour of Cognac country or follow in Proust's footsteps around Normandy ? our experts reveal their dream trips that won't break the bankBrittanyIt is called the Emerald coast and bears its name with panache. From Cancale, world capital for oysters, to St Briac, where Renoir loved daydreaming, this stretch of granite rocks and gold sand shelters resorts with everything discerning visitors on a budget could dream of. Among them is Dinard, between St Malo and St Lunaire. There, pitch your tent at the Camping du Port Blanc (rue du Sergent Boulanger, +33 2 9946 1074, camping-port-blanc.com) on the beach, from ?13pp a night, or rent a studio at the charming La Pens�e in St Lunaire (la-pensee.pagesperso-orange.fr) from ?195 for a week.Among the many things to do in and around Dinard: swim, sail, walk, eat and hunt for antiques. In Dinard and St Lunaire, Point Passion Plage (digue de L'Ecluse, Dinard, +33 2 9988 1520, pointplage.fr) provides kayak, catamaran and windsurf lessons and rentals. You can also purchase a ?92 pass that will give you access to all their activities.Your stay on the Emerald coast wouldn't be complete without a taste of the region's best galettes, such as those of Cr�perie du Roy (9 boulevard F�art, Dinard, +33 2 9946 1057). Go for the galette soubise (onions cooked in muscadet) and cr�pe pomme maison flamb�e au calvados ? your palate (and wallet) will be forever grateful.If you want to treat yourself, then veer towards the promenade au Clair de Lune. At the end stands La Gonelle (+33 2 9916 4047, lagonelle.com), a seafood and fish restaurant open from 15 April to 30 September. You can choose your fish from the aquarium; the chef will present it to you on a platter as it breathes its last.There's no need for a car in Dinard. Public transport, such as the bus linking St Briac to St Malo (illenoo-services.fr), or the vedette (boat) taking you to St Malo every half-hour (vedettes-saint-malo.com), are reliable and cheap. You can also rent a bike for the day near Dinard's market (8 rue St Enogat, +33 2 9946 2725, breizhcycles.com) and cycle to the medieval city of Dinan (dinan-tourisme.com). You'll pedal through sunflower fields and old villages and hug the River Rance for a few miles. Dinard will leave you with wonderful and enduring souvenirs.French-born Agn�s Poirier is a political commentator and film critic based in ParisNormandyIn order to do the Marcel Proust tour of Normandy properly, you should ideally be driven by a bisexual chauffeur you're lusting after. If you can't manage that, then hire a convertible two-seater and get your significant other to wear goggles, kinky rubber coat and close-fitting aviator's hat while you shout relevant passages from A la Recherche du Temps Perdu from the passenger seat.Drive first to the Grand H�tel Cabourg (les jardins du Casino, +33 2 3191 0179, accorhotels.com) on the lovely C�te Fleurie (Flower Coast). Proust checked into his fourth floor suite here feverish and exhausted in the summer 1907. He wrote: "? menaced by the enemies thronging around me, penetrated to the very bones by fever, I was alone and wanted to die". When I stayed in the Marcel Proust suite with my beloved, by contrast, I couldn't have been happier. I flung open the French windows on to the Promenade de Marcel Proust and rang for the best room service I've ever had ? champagne with confite de daurade aux hu�tres.You could splash out and do the same ? a double room costs from ?165. Or stay at nearby La Raspeli�re (from ?80 for a double, chambres-hotes-cabourg.fr), and then dine at Le Balbec restaurant below the Grand H�tel, with its marvellous seasonal seafood menu (three courses from ?56). First, though, have a Proust cocktail (gin, cointreau, orange and cura�ao bleu) in the Belle Epoque bar while listening to Scott Joplin on the computerised pianola.Next morning follow Proust and the love of his life, chauffeur Albert Agostinelli, on their tour of Norman architecture. They went to Bayeux, not to see the tapestry, but to pay homage to oriental figures in the romanesque part of Bayeux cathedral. They didn't, as far as I can find out, have lunch in Bayeux's restaurants (try La Rapi�re, off rue St Jean, +33 2 3121 0545, larapiere.net) offering Norman-style cooking. But you should.Rejoin Proust's tour by visiting the abbeys of Jumi�ges, Saint-Wandrille and Saint-Georges de Bouscheville, perhaps taking tea at the Ch�teau de Balleroy (chateau-balleroy.com), where Proust savoured Boucher's tapestries.Check into another grand hotel ? the Grand H�tel de l'Esp�rance at Lisieux (from ?69 a night, lisieux-hotel.com) and after dinner, get your chauffeur to drive you to the cathedral of St Pierre. It was here that in 1907 Proust studied the facade's foliated tracery, illuminated by Agostinelli's headlamps.The following morning drive towards Illiers, where adolescent Marcel stayed. On the way, you'd be idiotic not to visit Chartres cathedral (chartres-tourisme.com). Illiers itself is a scruffy backwater village transformed into Combray in the novel. Today the house where Proust's Tante L�onie lived is a little museum (marcelproust.pagesperso-orange.fr). From Illiers, you could drive to Monet's garden at Giverny (?8, giverny.org/gardens). Proust repeatedly planned to go, but never made it. A shame: given his love of botany and his hypersensitive openness to beauty, he would have adored it.Stuart Jeffries is a feature writer and ex-Paris correspondent for the GuardianLoireThe Loire Valley has to be France's most fran�ais region. Its people speak the purest French, and it's also at the heart of the country's history ? a fascinating base for a week's touring.The most famous chateau, and justifiably so, is Chenonceau (chenonceau.com) in Indre-et-Loire ? it straddles a lake on a series of arches, and was a gift from King Henri II to his lover Diane de Poitiers, a woman so sexy that the Queen, Catherine de Medici, used to spy on the couple's lovemaking to learn a few tricks. Chenonceau is to chateaux what Monica Bellucci is to cinema. Le Relais de Chenonceaux (+33 2 4723 9811, chenonceaux.com), close to the chateau, has double rooms from ?52, half-board from ?92.To the south-west, across vineyard-covered countryside stands the hilltop Ch�teau de Chinon (visit-loire.com/cities-loire/chinon). You can stand in the very room where Joan of Arc performed a "miracle" in 1429. To test her divine inspiration, Prince Charles (no, not that one) hid in disguise among his courtiers. Unerringly, Joan picked him out. Miraculous, until you realise that the knock-kneed, squinty-eyed prince was one of the most recognisable men in France.A great-value day out is a rent-a-bike ride along the Loire riverbanks from the medieval Ch�teau de Blois (chateaudeblois.fr): Tra�neurs de Loire (traineursdeloire.com) rent out bikes for ?13 a day from several locations along the river.In the evenings, the region is the perfect place for a gourmet feast. In the old centre of Saumur, Auberge Saint-Pierre (6 place Saint-Pierre, auberge-saintpierre.com) has traditional regional cuisine at reasonable prices, such as boeuf bourguignon for ?11.50.And if I taste a wine I like at dinner, I ask the restaurateur for the grower's address, then drop by next day to stock up at wholesale prices. Chinon blanc sec, for example, is a golden drink that inspires descriptions like "harmonious", "fruity" and "generous with its charms" ? very much like this part of France itself.Stephen Clarke, author of A Year in the Merde (Black Swan, �7.99). His new book, Paris Revealed, is out on 31 MarchAquitaineThe first time I travelled down to France's south-west corner, it was to investigate the region's separatist movement, Iparetarrak (IK), a more amateurish and considerably less violent version of Eta. For many years, IK was secretly applauded by those Parisians lucky enough to own houses along that pristine stretch of Atlantic coastline. Twenty years on, the revolutionaries that fed IK have retired and development along the coastline has mushroomed. New-builds have sprung up on the hills, and traffic jams along the coast's route nationale are the norm.There is one place, however, that has not changed. Gu�thary is a small fishing village nestled between the chichi seaside towns of Biarritz and Saint Jean-de-Luz. It is also one of Europe's more confidential surf spots and so it has been contaminated or preserved, depending on your point of view, by a certain alternative vibe that seems to co-exist quite nicely with the well-heeled Parisian families who have been holidaying there since the 60s.The village is sliced in two by the route nationale, so you'll want to make sure you're staying on the right side of it. Head straight to the Hotel Madrid (+33 5 5926 5212, lemadrid.com) in the heart of the village. Here the sound of the ocean rubs out the distant rumble of traffic. Unaltered since the turn of the last century when Paul Klee stayed here and sat with Kandinsky on its windswept terrace overlooking the sea, Le Madrid is still a simple, family hotel with five pretty rooms, from ?59 a night, and a good restaurant.Gu�thary is one of those magical places to which people return faithfully all their lives. My own children would play for hours on its vast fronton (court), theoretically for pelota but more often for impromptu football, or rollerskating, or teenage flirting or, at night, dances and fireworks or Basque games (shows of strength).In the morning, you might walk down to one of Gu�thary's three beaches: la Plage du Centre to mess around in the rockpools and eat chipirones (tiny squid) or gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp) at Kostaldea, a little place right on the beach. Or there are the wilder beaches of Les Alcyons or Cenitz, where you can lie on the white sand or body-surf in the big waves. Later, while the children play outside you can be in the Bar Basque opposite the Madrid, drinking sangria and watching the sunset.Lucy Wadham is the author of The Secret Life of France (Faber, �7.99)AlsaceWith a unique Franco-German character, Alsace offers stunning mountainous scenery, gorgeous villages, fascinating museums and wonderful wines. My ideal itinerary around the region kicks off high up in the Vosges mountains. The wonderful little eco-hotel Villa Rosa (rue Thierry Schoerem, +33 3 8949 8119, villarosa.fr) in Trois-Epis, near the town of Colmar, is the perfect place to relax. It has eight comfortable rooms costing from ?63 per night, and its owner, Anne-Rose, creates wonderful meals with the vegetables, herbs and flowers from her garden (?26 for three courses).After winding down for a day or two next to the solar-heated pool or taking walks from the hotel, I'll jump in the hire car for some thrilling drives through the mountains. The hairpin bends aren't for the faint-hearted, and the roads' steep hills are a popular challenge for cyclists. My destination is the nearby village of Turckheim. Like my other favourite villages, Eguisheim and Riquewihr, Turckheim has wonderful narrow streets rambling through colourful timber-framed houses with window boxes in full bloom. My stroll will also have me sniffing out one of Turckheim's wineries where I'll sample the local riesling and gew�rztraminer.Not far from Turckheim is the imposing Ch�teau du Haut-Koenigsbourg (haut-koenigsbourg.fr). Sitting high over the vineyard-lined valley, the castle dates from the 12th century and offers incredible views across to the Black Forest in Germany. After a poke around its battlements, I'll carry on to Colmar, a gorgeous little town in the heart of Alsace. Lunch is at the characterful restaurant Maison Rouge (9, rue des Ecoles, Colmar, +33 3 8923 5322), where I'll tuck into a salad of the local Munster cheese, or a delicious tarte flamb�e, before walking it off along the canal in the area known as Petite Venise (Little Venice).Carolyn Boyd is editor of France magazine (francemag.com) Poitou-CharentesBeneath Tiepolo skies, it's a gentle amble through shimmering cognac vines down to the Charente river for a dip in the calm waters. Such is the idyllic nature of summer days in the Charente, second-sunniest corner of France, after the Riviera.The riverside town of Cognac has for four centuries been the home of cognac-making, now a booming export trade, not least among the American rapper fraternity where it's known as "yak". In the courtyard restaurant of the quirkily decorated but comfortable Hotel Heritage (25, rue d'Angoul�me, +33 5 4582 0126, hheritage.com, doubles ?70) or in the smartly cosy Le Bistro de Claude (35 rue Grande, +33 5 4582 6032, bistro-de-claude.com) the spirit Victor Hugo dubbed "the liquor of the gods" is served in tulip glasses to stop aromas escaping.Most cognac houses ? such as Hennessy, Martell and R�my Martin ? offer visits and tastings. But Baron Otard (baronotard.com) has the advantage of being in the Ch�teau de Cognac so the tour takes in Renaissance halls designed by Leonardo da Vinci and plunges into a fungi-draped dungeon, the "paradise cellar", where cognacs from centuries past are stored.For sustenance of the soul, the nearby thousand-year-old Abbey of Bassac (+33 5 4581 9422, abbayebassac.com) has a tangible spirituality and visitors are welcome to stroll in the near-silent gardens. Within the same tiny village there's a choice of two good restaurants, L'Essille (rue de Conde, +33 5 4581 9413, hotel-restaurant-essille.com) and L'Auberge de Cond� (, doubles ?35, rue Rixendis Loriches, +33 5 4583 0967, auberge-de-conde.net).But for an insight into contemporary French culture, head to Angoul�me, historic home of papermaking and capital of the comic book. On a ramble through the hilly Charente capital you'll spot some of the 20 or so giant-scale cartoon scenes painted on to the sides of buildings by top comic strip artists.Lennox Morrison is an author and journalist based in ParisDordogneThe prehistoric Lascaux caves, Bergerac, and Sarlat are the famous sites of the Dordogne region of Aquitaine, but in the bit I know well I've found many surprising treasures. Make a base in the pretty village of Sainte Alv�re, such as the sweet Roquebrune en P�rigord (+33 5 5361 2418, roquebrune-perigord.com, ?75 for two), where you will be tempted to spend a week scoffing saucisson, truffles and foie gras from the weekly market (the rotisserie chicken van is amazing). Go dancing one night with local farmers, families and dreadlocked hippies at La Guinguette de Neufonds, a fun restaurant beside a lake (where you can swim) near Vergt, that has a cheap buffet with live music ranging from Gypsy jazz to local ska-punk.My top day trips are as follows. A wonderful chateau with an interesting backstory is Ch�teau des Milandes (milandes.com) in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, once the home of Josephine Baker, the African American who became an exotic dancer in Paris in the 20s. She also spied for the French resistance, was a major player in the American civil rights movement and the Angelina Jolie of her day, adopting children from around the world. Look out for the gorgeous art deco bathrooms modelled on perfume bottles and her famous banana skirt. Another day drive to Limeuil, where the Dordogne and V�z�re rivers meet and you can go for a high-speed float in the strong currents, or kayak. Further away, on the coast, the incredible Dune du Pyla is Europe's biggest sand dune, and if you're in the area in May, the Bergerac jazz festival (jazzpourpre.com) is excellent.Gemma Bowes, acting travel editor of the GuardianProvence-Alpes-C�te D'AzurProvence and the C�te d'Azur don't take kindly to budgets, but experiencing the region on the cheap is possible. I'd head to N�mes (just over the border in Languedoc-Roussillon), preferably between 8-13 June for the F�ria (viva-la-feria.com), and either buy a ticket for the bullfighting at the Roman arena of Les Ar�nes (4 rue de la Violette, arenesdenimes.com) or settle for some gardiane, a bull casserole. I'd sleep at the excellent N�mes youth hostel (?35 for a double, +33 4 6668 0320, hinimes.com).On to Arles and the fascinating Van Gogh walking tour (+33 4 9018 4120, arlestourisme.com) then, bellyful of bull finally digested ? it won't go down without a fight ? I'll have pizza at Chez N�n� et B�b� (12 impasses du Forum, +33 4 9093 4949, tinyurl.com/5sg57fg).I'd like to hit Avignon for its festival from 6-26 July (+33 4 9027 6650, festival- avignon.com) and to eat at Au Tout Petit (?25 for three courses, 4 rue d'Amphoux, +33 4 9082 3886, autoutpetit.fr), which serves good value, inventive dishes.Last stop, Aix-en-Provence, and I'd stretch the budget to stay at Le Manoir (?67 for a double room, 8 rue d'Entrecasteaux, +33 4 4226 2720, hotelmanoir.com), set in an historic house with a beautiful courtyard and 14th-century cloister.Neil McQuillian is a travel writer for Rough GuidesLanguedoc-RoussillonIt is easy to find the Languedoc. Just follow the Rh�ne river, and when you hit the southern French coast, instead of turning left to head to St Tropez or Provence, head right towards Spain. The region stretches over 16,000 square miles.Your first major stop is B�ziers, a city that seems almost more Spanish than French. It was a Cathar stronghold in medieval times and the site of a horrendous massacre in 1209 when crusaders besieged the city. The worst bloodshed took place in the cathedral, which you should visit, if only for the views across the city and the Orb. Then you have two choices for lunch; either the best wine-bar in the region, Le Chameau Ivre (15 place Jean Jaur�s, +33 4 6780 2020, tinyurl.com/5s93d5t), or a charming restaurant called Le Petit Monmartre (+33 4 6728 5654, lepetitmontmartre.net) in the elegant Place de la Madeleine. Stay at the H�tel des Po�tes, overlooking the park (80 all�es Paul Riquet, +33 4 67 76 38 66, hoteldespoetes.net).Next stop is the Etang de Bages, just outside Narbonne. You can walk along the wooden walkways over the water, or simply along the coastal paths, admiring the nature and the pink flamingoes. If you're hungry there is no nicer place to eat than the restaurant Le Portanel (pas de Portanel, +33 4 6842 8166, leportanel.fr).From there it is a short drive to Spain, but please don't miss Collioure (collioure.com), just before the border, a favourite haunt of the fauvist artists and famous for its anchovies.Helena Frith Powell is the author of Love in a Warm Climate (Gibson Square, �8.99)FranceDordogneProvenceBrittanyNormandyPyreneesFood and drinkAgn�s PoirierStuart JeffriesLucy WadhamGemma BowesHelena Frith Powellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Friday, March 25, 2011
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Marcel Theroux goes in search of the rebel spirit of St Pauli, and finds fans fighting for the club's soulMarcel TherouxShehani Fernando
The perfect English country walk: five ingredients
Filed under: Europe, United Kingdom, Budget Travel
The country walk near or around London is a venerable tradition. Every weekend, in good weather and bad, scores of Londoners descend upon different areas of the Home Counties--the counties surrounding London--to tramp along country roads, walk adjacent to (and sometimes through) cultivated fields, and wander into rural churches.
My first walk transpired this past Saturday. I was lucky enough to do a walk with a group of friends, some of whom have spent many a weekend exploring the countryside. Our meander, a circular walk based on a Surrey town called Guildford, came from Time Out's Country Walks Volume 2, which was written by a committed group of walkers called the Saturday Walkers' Club. The Time Out volumes are well-known and very well researched. Most of their walks require only very basic fitness.
Here are five ingredients for the perfect country walk. First up is a tip for making things affordable from the get-go.
1. Take the train to your origination and from your termination points, and take advantage of discounts for groups. Go in a group of three or more. My inaugural walk last weekend required the purchase of a group round trip ticket from London Waterloo to Guildford, a snip at £6.95 ($11.10), considerably less expensive than the lowest normal round trip fare of £13.90 ($22.30).
2. Make sure there is a good restaurant or pub at the midway point as well as at the walk's conclusion. A filling midday meal, capped with a scone slathered with insanely good clotted cream and jam, is part of the tradition. And a crisp refreshing drink at the close of the walk, alcoholic or otherwise, is also key. There should be a pub close to the termination of your walk.
3. Do your research. Time Out has published two Country Walks volumes, with over 80 walks between them. Take a look at these and examine walk durations, transit times, and level of difficulty. The Time Out volumes certainly aren't the be-all and end-all of country walks, either. Check out the walks detailed at Urban75 for some additional ideas.
4. Walk with someone with a good sense of direction, or, barring that, good navigational gear. Some of the Time Out walks travel through unmarked territory and will accordingly be made more pleasant by including someone comfortable with a compass.
5. Not to belabor the obvious, but dress appropriately. You'll need rubber books or hiking shoes with very good traction for walks during or following rains. For some walks, sneakers will do. Other walks will require shoes with an especially good grip. Pay attention to the difficulty grade and description of your walk beforehand. And layer appropriately.Continue reading The perfect English country walk: five ingredientsThe perfect English country walk: five ingredients originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The country walk near or around London is a venerable tradition. Every weekend, in good weather and bad, scores of Londoners descend upon different areas of the Home Counties--the counties surrounding London--to tramp along country roads, walk adjacent to (and sometimes through) cultivated fields, and wander into rural churches.
My first walk transpired this past Saturday. I was lucky enough to do a walk with a group of friends, some of whom have spent many a weekend exploring the countryside. Our meander, a circular walk based on a Surrey town called Guildford, came from Time Out's Country Walks Volume 2, which was written by a committed group of walkers called the Saturday Walkers' Club. The Time Out volumes are well-known and very well researched. Most of their walks require only very basic fitness.
Here are five ingredients for the perfect country walk. First up is a tip for making things affordable from the get-go.
1. Take the train to your origination and from your termination points, and take advantage of discounts for groups. Go in a group of three or more. My inaugural walk last weekend required the purchase of a group round trip ticket from London Waterloo to Guildford, a snip at £6.95 ($11.10), considerably less expensive than the lowest normal round trip fare of £13.90 ($22.30).
2. Make sure there is a good restaurant or pub at the midway point as well as at the walk's conclusion. A filling midday meal, capped with a scone slathered with insanely good clotted cream and jam, is part of the tradition. And a crisp refreshing drink at the close of the walk, alcoholic or otherwise, is also key. There should be a pub close to the termination of your walk.
3. Do your research. Time Out has published two Country Walks volumes, with over 80 walks between them. Take a look at these and examine walk durations, transit times, and level of difficulty. The Time Out volumes certainly aren't the be-all and end-all of country walks, either. Check out the walks detailed at Urban75 for some additional ideas.
4. Walk with someone with a good sense of direction, or, barring that, good navigational gear. Some of the Time Out walks travel through unmarked territory and will accordingly be made more pleasant by including someone comfortable with a compass.
5. Not to belabor the obvious, but dress appropriately. You'll need rubber books or hiking shoes with very good traction for walks during or following rains. For some walks, sneakers will do. Other walks will require shoes with an especially good grip. Pay attention to the difficulty grade and description of your walk beforehand. And layer appropriately.Continue reading The perfect English country walk: five ingredientsThe perfect English country walk: five ingredients originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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