Vancouver
- London
London to Paris
The flight from Canada to London, then by a morning train to Paris to arrive
in the afternoon. We leave from Waterloo International Station which adjoins
the Waterloo Mainlain Station. This, until 2006/07 is the departure point for
Eurostar. Sometime in 2006 the Eurostar trains will terminate at St. Pancras
Station. But for now, Waterloo is Britain's largest Train
station with 19 main platforms . We had wanted to take the EuroStar the
first year the Chunnel was scheduled to open. There was a delay in opening and
it was an flight instead.
Paris Hotel:
Paris to Brittany
We will pick up our car in Paris and then drive west towards Dinan
and some of the other towns in the area. After a couple of days we will drive
south to Vannes and hopefully connect up with our friends the LeGouëff's
who live just outside of Vannes in Brittany.
Brittany to Dordogne
From Brittany we will head south west through the Vendée-Poitou-Charentes
and the Agenais, Périgord, Quercy regions.
The Vendée-Poitou-Charentes region is right below Bretagne and buts up along the Atlantic Ocean. The town of Cognac (in the Charentes Segment) is in the southern portion. The wines of this area around Cognac not of the famed level as other areas of France, but distilled they become the best known French "eau-de-vie". Oh, we may just stop there again for an afternoon to "tasting". I will have to brush up on my Cognac lessons: aged in oak barrels, which gives Cognac its rich colour, there are three gradings: after 30 months of aging it rates three stars, after four and a half years it is labelled VSOP or four stars, and after ten years it is called Royal or Napoléon. The most significant Grand Champagne vineyards are between Cognac, Jarnac and Barbezieux.
I hope to try the local aperitif, Pineau. It is available in white or red, it is produced from diluted fresh grape and must be mixed with cognac - served chilled.
Heading south east we next enter the Agenais, Périgord, Quercy regions. The Cro-Magnon of the past is from this area. There are world-famous limestone caves and grottos. The landscape has rivers and streams, plenty of gorges, and hundred of castles and churches that bring you back to the times of the religious wars. Périgord is about food . Famous for its fattened poultry, foie gras, truffles, boletus mushrooms. The wines from the Cahors area are excellent.
The most significant Grand Champagne vineyards are between Cognac, Jarnac and Barbezieux.
Staying near Monbazillac we will be well position to visit many of the interesting towns and châteaux in the area. How we are both looking forward to returning to this scenic area. Can you ever get enough of the area and there is still lots to see even through we visited the area a number of years ago.
Dordogne to Nice
For the third week we plan to spend time in the Luberon or Provence areas.
We are looking to stay in the area around Vaison, just north east of Orange. Then to drop down to the coast, still looking for an affordable place is Casis and then on to Nice. We are hoping to get into Le Hameau.
In the end we have to make it to Nice to drop the car off and catch a flight to London and then back to Vancouver.