Making a meal of France
Want to know where the top Gallic foodies head? reveals their stunning secret locations
Quintessentially French, this region is all romantic châteaux and historic hilltop villages wrapped in green vineyards and endless meadows, with the River Dordogne undulating by.
Specialities are duck and goose, served in a variety of rich ways. Try confit de canard (slow-cooked duck leg, preserved in fat then fried in it), and foie gras (goose liver), ideally topped with black Périgord truffles. Foodie activity: The medieval town of Sarlat has a world-famous Saturday market, stalls groaning with artisan produce. Potatoes being slow-fried in garlic scent the air, and farmers tempt you with slivers of Cabécou goat’s cheese and foie gras.
Go early before the crowds, then drive to Sorges for lunch. Here, the Auberge de la Truffe (auberge-de-la-truffe.com) is the place to taste truffles, either via an expansive tasting menu or a modest truffle omelette. Stay: Mas de Garrigue (i-escape.com/mas-degarrigue), an enchanting former hunting lodge with exceptional table d’hôte meals. Doubles from £107, B&B.
Europcar (0871 384 9900/ europcar.co.uk) offers car hire from £32 per day. easyJet (easyjet.com) offers return flights from various UK airports to Bordeaux from £70. The French Riviera is truly irresistible and a magnet for the rich, stylish and beautiful.
The party on this exquisite stretch of coast runs year-round and there are 300 days of sunshine annually. The roads may get gridlocked, prices are high, but St Tropez’s boutiques, Cannes’ yachts and the golden beaches will bewitch you.
Restaurants dish up platters of spider crabs, clams, sea urchins, lobster and mussels. Bouillabaisse is the best; a delicious broth with fresh fish, tomatoes, saffron and garlic. Prepare your palate with an icy pastis, an aniseed liqueur. Foodie activity: La Merenda (lamerenda.net) is chef Alain Ducasse’s top tip for the region, a small, simple restaurant near Nice market. They only take cash and you can’t book but their food will delight: stuffed sardines, ratatouille and fritters of zucchini flowers. Stay: Hotel du Clos (i-escape. com/hotel-du-clos) near Antibes has a Michelin-star restaurant, gorgeous gardens and contemporary French-style rooms. Doubles from £88, room only.
Europcar (as before), £30 per day. British Airways (0344 493 0787/ba.com) offers return flights from London Gatwick to Nice from £72 return.