Now is the time to plan a trip to France’s vineyards
ith the restrictions and costs of travelling to Europe about to be lifted, hopefully for good, now is the time to plan a trip to the vineyards of France. Apart from Champagne, the vineyards of the
Loire are the nearest French vineyards to England, roughly a five-hour drive from Calais and about four hours from Caen. The Loire is the longest river in France and the vineyards along it and its tributaries constitute one of the most important wine regions of the country.
From Muscadet near Nantes and the Atlantic coast to the hills of Sancerre bordering Burgundy and the Chablis area, there are 51 different wine appellations and a host of grape varieties and wine styles, produced from over 140,000 acres of vines. One of the most interesting regions is the Touraine, near the city of Tours, which is also the prime area for the worldfamous Châteaux of the Loire.
The Relais de Chambord is a contemporary boutique hotel located in the grounds of the magnificent Château de Chambord, so close it seems as if you can almost touch the ancient stone walls. Chambord is perhaps the most majestic of the Loire renaissance châteaux, dating back to the mid16th century, when it was built as a hunting lodge by King Francis I. The Relais de Chambord was originally the stables for the château, now magically transformed into one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and set in a unique position.
The ideal location to stay a few nights, enabling visits to the many grand châteaux nearby, such as the charming Louis XIII Cheverny with its hunting hounds, or Chenonceau dating from 1522, which spans the river Cher. Both of these are in vineyard areas with appellations of the same name. Chambord itself has a new vineyard project started in 2015, with 30 acres of vines planted with some ancient grape varieties such as romorantin, only a mile from the hotel.
The Relais de Chambord was transformed from a run-down two-star hotel started in the mid-19th century, to the present four-star luxury hotel which opened its doors in 2018. Expertly managed by the specialist high-end hotel management company Marugal, the boutique hotel still preserves its authentic charm, the renovation having been undertaken with guidance from the renowned French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
The hotel is set in the most stunning and unique location in the 13,500 acres grounds of Château de Chambord, a Unesco world heritage site. Fabulous views of the château are everywhere, from many of the bedrooms, the Grand Saint Michel gourmet restaurant, the bistro restaurant and the bar with its spacious outside terrace, the most amazing place to sip a glass of local sparkling Loire wine.
A journey back in time, with all the comforts of a modern luxury hotel.
The perfect place to stay among the châteaux and vineyards of the Loire. An unforgettable experience. ommunities across West Sussex are being encouraged to join a national initiative to ‘plant a tree for the Queen’s Jubilee’.
The aim of the Queen’s Green Canopy campaign is to thank Her Majesty
The Queen for her service over 70 years and be a key part of celebrations planned for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
It will also help promote the importance of tree planting and tree conservation to the environment.
Individuals, schools, clubs, community groups, towns and villages, land-owners and businesses can all play a part by planting a single tree, a copse or even a woodland – and forming a key part of a new network of trees.
The West Sussex part of the campaign will be launched on October 2 at the South of England Showground, Ardingly. As part of the Autumn Show and Game Fair, two commemorative trees will be planted – one for the Queen’s Green Canopy and one as a tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh. Her Majesty is patron of the South of England Agricultural Society and Prince Philip was its president in 1979.
The Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex
Mrs Susan Pyper and pupils at Chichester’s Rumboldswhyke Primary School will also be in the spotlight as one of 70 schools across the country, representing each of 70 cities in the UK, plant commemorative trees in October.
Mrs Pyper is confident that the county will rise to the occasion and support the campaign. She said: “The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative
Cwill be one of many ways in which West Sussex communities plan to celebrate Her Majesty’s exceptional service and loyalty to the country in her 70 years on the throne. “It can build on the wonderful work already in hand in the county which involves the planting of individual trees, restoring hedgerows and reinvigorating areas of larger woodlands.
“West Sussex is one of the most wooded counties in England, despite the impact of Dutch Elm disease and, more recently,
Ash die back – and the Queen’s Green
Canopy initiative provides a wonderful and lasting opportunity to both pay tribute to a remarkable monarch and help protect our beautiful countryside and environment for future generations.”
Schools and community groups can apply for packs of free trees from the Woodland Trust, via woodlandtrust.org.uk. The charity has committed to donate three million saplings as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, and is accepting applications now for delivery in March 2022, with a second window of opportunity in November 2022.
As well as planting new trees the QGC programme will also dedicate a network of 70 ancient woodlands across the UK and identify 70 ancient trees to celebrate her Majesty’s 70 years of service. All new trees can be added to a virtual map, covering the country.
The aim is for the Queen’s Green Canopy planting programme to run from October through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.
By Richard Esling BSc DipWSET . Richard is an experienced wine consultant, agent, writer and educator. An erstwhile wine importer, he runs a wine agency and consultancy company called WineWyse, is founder and principal of the Sussex Wine Academy, chairman of Arundel Wine Society and is an International Wine Judge. @richardwje winewyse.com