Apart from the rich history of this region, the lush forested countryside and beautiful river valleys are a magnificent landscape in which to enjoy the charming towns and villages, fabulous cuisine (particularly if you like duck and geese, but also featuring walnut, preserved fruits, fruit liqueurs, assorted oils and wonderful goats’ cheeses) and excellent wine both of the local area and nearby Bordeaux.

We always begin by training from Paris to Bordeaux, which is a wonderful historic city on its own, and then visiting the gorgeous historic town of St Emilion. The whole town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and apart from the historic monuments (including the largest monolithic church in Europe) boasts magnificent architecture, lovely little cafes, restaurants and boutiques.
 

We continue on to our base in Sarlat (full name on the map: Sarlat-La-Caneda) which is an amazing, perfectly restored and very beautiful town with buildings dating back to the C12th and mostly from the C16th when the town was a successful mercantile and judicial centre and a place of importance in the Catholic Church. Sarlat is a delight to wander around at night as the cobblestoned streets and tiny alleyways, beautiful illuminated honey coloured stone facades and lauze (a local limestone) roofs evoke a facon de vivre from centuries past.

Sights not to be missed in this region are the stunning perched villages of St Cirq Lapopie (which is actually slightly over the border in the Lot region), Rocamadour (an incredible, spectacular ancient pilgrimage centre); the riverside village of La Rocque Gageac (where you should definitely take a river cruise on the Gabares – old river boats) and the splendid chateaux of Castelnaud and Beynac, where you really will follow in the footsteps of the famous French Knights of the Middle Ages. The Dordogne is also renowned for the world-famous ancient cave paintings dating back to Cro Magnan man – fascinating images of bison, reindeer, mammoth and horses dating back 14,000 years - and the site of the ancient Rocque St. Christophe, a troglodyte town set in the cliffs and inhabited up to the 18th century.

Where we stay in Sarlat: “Le Renoir” is a charming hotel only several minutes walk from the historic quarter (there are no hotels right inside the old town) and has the only hotel swimming pool in town, with a lovely relaxing outdoor area. Rooms are spacious and charmingly decorated, with some duplexes overlooking the pool area, and there is a delightful bar area as well. Our friend Patrick, the manager, always makes an effort to offer special treatment to guests booked by us, where possible offering the best rooms available.

Where we eat: We love dining at “Le Bistrot”, right opposite the church; “Les Quatre Saisons”, with its excellent seasonal dishes; and the gorgeous “Le Presidial”, offering outdoor dining in its beautiful garden and which was once the Royal Court in the C16th!!

HOWEVER I must end by saying that we cannot give away all our secrets!! Such as our wonderful little hidden treasure of a restaurant right in a tiny village lost in the countryside, known only to the locals; the best shops in the region in which to find local specialties; our special wine tasting where you will learn about the scents and bouquets of different wines, in a very entertaining setting; and of course our special stories and historic anecdotes that we have gathered and grown over the years from local sources – never to be found in your average guide book!

Yes, some things must remain sacred!! Well…. all right…. if you really want to know about all those extra special experiences, you’ll just have to come with us on our “Spectacular South West” tour!! The tour this year is full but will be running again next year (normally two departures per year) – in the meantime have a look at the current itinerary on the website!!

President Sarkozy’s battle with the maker of a “Voodoo Doll kit” has hit a snag, with a Paris court blocking his appeal to ban the sale of the dolls. The court awarded him the minimum 1 euro damages, but ruled that the dolls could be sold as long as they come with a warning that sticking pins in the toy is an affront to Sarkozy’s dignity.

A Frenchman caused a two-hour train delay recently when he got his arm stuck down a toilet while trying to retrieve his mobile phone. The 26-year-old passenger’s arm became trapped up to the shoulder by the powerful suction flushing system on board the high-speed train from Paris to La Rochelle. Firefighters took more than an hour to free the man, before lifting him from the train on a stretcher with the entire toilet still stuck to his arm. A pompiers (firemen) spokesman said, “he was cut free from the toilet on the platform and apart from bruising and smelling a bit, he suffered no other injuries”.

Source: “France” magazine, a British publication

We really value your input when we are making plans for new tours, so we would very much appreciate it if you could take the time to respond to this survey – and there might be something in it for you!

We are constantly floating ideas for new experiences in France, and it has been suggested many times that a Winter tour could be a wonderful idea - less crowds, different experiences and sights, excellent shopping! Some fabulous things that you can experience in Paris and the rest of France) at this time are fantastic illuminations, lovely Christmas markets, interesting exhibitions, excellent accommodation deals, and of course the fabulous January Sales!!

BEFORE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS, HAVE A LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING LINKS:

Paris Christmas Lights (probably the first minute or two is what will interest you)

The Perfect Winter Break

Winter in Paris

THEN, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. Would you be interested in a tour to Paris (including winter sights, lights, markets & shopping) in Winter time, ie Just after Christmas - early January?

2. Would you be interested in booking on the above tour if we offered a departure in late 2009/early 2010?

3. Would you be interested in staying in really special, deluxe accommodation (our idea being that it would be a wonderful retreat after a cold day out!!), or would you be happier in 3 - 4 star accommodation?

4. Would you be interested in an additional few days in a really picturesque Winter region such as Alsace (ie divine villages, vineyards and the backdrop of the magnificent Vosges mountains)?

Please email me directly with your responses (probably easiest to cut and paste the questions from here), and we will randomly choose a winner to receive a special hamper from L’Occitane (yes this can be for men too!!) – we will ensure it is delivered to anywhere within Australia!

DON’T FORGET TO SIGN YOUR FRIENDS UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER – IF THEY ARE THINKING OF GOING TO FRANCE OR ARE JUST PASSIONATE FRANCOPHILES WE WELCOME THEM AS FRIENDS OF TOUJOURS FRANCE!

A Bientot, See you soon,

Sue Heine

Tour Manager