[Travel] A quick weekend in Paris

Can you believe that until recently, I had never been to Paris? I had passed through Charles de Gaulle Airport several times, moving between one flight and the next, but I had never been in the city centre itself. So I must admit that I was quite excited when we booked a short weekend in Paris in March. 

As I was working in Amsterdam, I travelled via Thalys (high speed train) to Paris and it was a comfortable relaxing experience. I arrived at the Gare du Nord station, where I then caught a metro to our hotel on the Place de la République. The tall statue of Marianne (the personification of the French republican) at the centre of the square was still covered in tributes to the victims of the November 2015 Paris shootings and the grey, bleak wintery weather suited it well. 

Metro entrance near Place de la République

[Travel] Wine Tour in Bordeaux

Early this year, we chose Bordeaux as a destination for a long weekend. Thanks to Aer Lingus, we got good value flights, with flight times at sensible hours and we sorted a lovely apartment in the old town through Airbnb. The only thing left to think about was which vineyards we would visit. I thought briefly about renting a car, but instead I booked a "Best of Wine Tourism" day trip via the Bordeaux Tourism website. The Tourism office offers a good selection of half-day and day-long tours in the various appellations surrounding Bordeaux, making it the perfect way for us first-time visitors to see Bordeaux. The "Best of" tour visits 3 different châteaux, selected from the 16 châteaux who won "Best of Wine Tourism" awards in 2015. The destinations rotate for every trip, meaning that we would not know which vineyards we would be visiting until we set out. 

On a bright Saturday morning, we joined our tour group outside the Bordeaux Tourism office and boarded our coach for the days' fun. The first stop was relatively close by in Pessac-Léognan, where we would be visiting the winery at Château Couhins. Most of the estate is owned by the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) who use it for viniculture research while still also producing a white grand cru classé.

In fact, this would be the only white wine we would taste on the day, not surprising given the predominance of red wines in the Bordeaux region. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc and full of crisp fresh fruit such as grapefruit and gooseberries, accompanied by good acidity and balance, this wine would give the top New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs quite a run for their money.

Chateaux Couhins-Lurton

Vines at Château Couhins

On the tour at Château Couhins

The cellar at Château Couhins

Tasting the wines

Our second stop of the day would be in the appellation of Fronsac, where we were visiting the beautiful Château de La Dauphine. Once hailed throughout the word for their quality, the wines of Fronsac fell out of popularity after phylloxera hit. Dating back to 1670, the struggling château was purchased by Jean Halley in 2000, who set out on a program of modernisation and revitalisation. The property is now being farmed organically and boasts a state-of-the-art vinification cellar with concrete and steel tanks designed to match each of the 14 plot sizes. 

Following a walk through the vineyards and the vinification cellar, we entered the château itself for lunch. Here we were treated to a superb 4 course meal, served by black-jacketed French waiters and  accompanied by lashings of wine from the estate. We started with the second label Delphis de La Dauphine (90% Merlot, 10% Cabarnet Franc), before moving to the first label Château de La Dauphine (also 90% Merlot and 10% Cabarnet Franc). I enjoyed both wines but the main wine was a very classy affair with fine tannins, dark red fruit and blackcurrants and good length.

After a very lengthy lunch, and lots of chat with our dining companions, it was time to board the bus for the last château. To be honest, given the free-flowing wine at lunch, I was a little surprised that we all made it back to the bus safely without losing any companions to the land of nod. 

The vines at Château de La Dauphine

The picturesque village of Fronsac

More grapes, nearing ripeness

The modern vinification cellar at Château de La Dauphine

The cellar at Château de La Dauphine

The beautiful Château de La Dauphine

The final stop was Château de Candale, a Saint-Émillion Grand Cru vineyard, set amongst field after field of beautifully maintained vines. The château is famous for its restaurant which, along with an outdoor terrace, is located on a gentle slope, affording us a chance to sit in the evening sun with a glass of fine wine. Following a tour of the winemaking facilities, we tasted two wines from the château. We started with the house rosé, S off Scandal, a light and fresh Bordeaux rosé, made especially for easy drinking. Next was the second label Roc de Candale, a nicely silky wine with lots of peppery notes. Disappointingly, we didn't get to taste any of the first label wine.

The gateway at Château de Candale in Saint-Émillion

The Saint-Émillion countryside

Getting the tour at Château de Candale

S off Scandale rosé from Château de Candale

Our tour guide had hoped that we could visit the village of Saint-Émillon itself, but due to time constraints, we were limited to a quick drive-past, which also took in a stop outside the gates of the  (disappointingly restrained) world famous Pétrus estate. 

Having set out at 09.30, we arrived back in Bordeaux at 18.30. I must admit to being a little surprised at how quickly the day had passed. Tickets for the tour cost €105 per person, but I thought it was excellent value for the trip, considering it had 3 private guided tours, lashings of wine and a delicious, boozy lunch. Plus, there was no need to worry about drink-driving or being over the limit. 

Frommer's Paris Free and Dirt Cheap - Anna E. Brooke

There is always going to be a demand for a guide that can steer you around the City of Romance on the cheap. As we all know, romance usually comes with a hefty price tag, but this simple and easy book from Frommer's offers a wide-range of free or cheap attractions.

Attractive but purse-friendly hotels or relaxing cafes that don't charge an arm and a leg for a drink. How about a nice meal in a neighbour restaurant off the tourist-track? This guide offers them all. It's simply laid out with clear maps and it offers a different view of the city when compared to the more conventional travel guides. Some of the suggestions may be a little offbeat, but it's also got plenty for the regular tourist. It also fits in nicely with the current trend of both saving and splurging while on holidays. If you can save a few bob on one part of your trip, that means you can splurge later!

Île Sainte-Marguerite - Cannes

While on our recent holiday, we decided to take a day-trip to the lovely Ile Sainte-Marguerite, just a few minutes by ferry from Cannes. It's the largest of the Lerin Islands and its main attraction is the fortress prison which is allegedly the source of the story of The Man in the Iron Mask.

The ferry departs on a fairly regular basis from Quai Maxime Laubeuf and it's only about 10 minutes to the island. As you approach the island, you can see the fortress to your left and the clear blue water with moored yachts will take your breath away.



We spent a while wandering around the fort, followed by a long walk through the forest and pathways of the island. A word of warning, there are some restaurants on the island, but they are pricey, although there is a great little van that does good value coffee. Bring some bottled water with you to keep you hydrated.

The island is a perfect antidote to the tourism of Cannes. We spent a while following a little salamander through the shrubs and later watched birds nest. The island was a welcome change of pace.

Sapore Restaurant, Nice

We ate a lot of French food in Nice and the South of France. A hell of a lot to be honest. Therefore, we were looking for something different for our last night in France. The Ryanair guide to Nice (available here) mentioned Sapore as follows:

Pick and choose from lots of small, delicious tapas-style dishes. Décor in stylish metal and light-coloured wood. The chef has been trained at some of the Riviera’s most highly-regarded kitchens.

When we checked out the restaurant on Google Maps, we realised that it was just around the corner from our hotel, the All Seasons Nice Vieux Port on rue Emmanuel Philibert. We hadn't noticed it before when we walked around the area, but we decided to walk over and see if we could get a table. To be honest, we nearly walked past it again, as it is quite discreet, but thankfully it wasn't busy and we were easily able to get a table.

The interior is simple and very stylish. Different colour water glasses are on every table and a selection of bread slices are bought to the table while reading the menu.

The menu is simple; The Menu Decouverte consists of a selection of 8 tapas style dishes for E30. If you like, you can make one or two substitutions from a short list chalked on a blackboard but we placed ourselves at the mercy of the chef. The menu is changed every 15 days and was as follows on the night we visited

Crab Veloute
Bruschetta sur un air Espagnol
Fagotin d'asperges, reduction Balsamique

Barande de morue, 'facon Catalane'

Pave de bouef et foie gras poele
Gratin d'epinard

Tarte au chocolat 'Caraque'
Sabayon passion sur son lit de bananes

The 8 dishes are served in 4 distinct groups, as split above. The Crab veloute really reminded me of the traditional french soup of the region, but creamier and more pleasant. The asparagus bundle was delicately flavoured by the piece of ham wrapped around the stalk, while the bruschetta featured more ham, a delicious roasted tomato and some grilled pepper.

The barande de morue was a mix of mashed potatoes and the local salt cod. Served in a little glass, like a mousse, it was deliciously light and slightly salted.

Next up was the beef and foie gras, served with a portion of gently creamed spinach au gratin. The liver was beautifully cooked and crumbled at the touch of the fork, while the beef was perfectly seasoned and cooked.

Two fantastic desserts finished the meal. The sabayon was sweet and creamy, hiding a bed of caramelised bananas and served with a creme brulee crust. The tarte au chocolat was darly rich and very decadent. Two espressos, along with a bottle of red and one of sparkling water meant that our total bill was just under E100. The staff were superb and friendly and it's easy to tell that the chef is quite skilled. All the dishes appear quite simple, yet the execution and presentation was top notch. Thoroughly recommended.

Sapore, 19 rue Bonaparte, 06300 Nice. 04 92 04 22 09

All Seasons Nice Vieux Port, 8 rue Emmanuel Philibert, 06300 Nice. 04 92 00 59 00

A Sunday in Cannes

We arrived into Cannes around midday on Sunday and went immediately from the Gare SNCF to our hotel, the lovely, modern Hotel Le Renoir on rue Edith Cavell. Our room on the 4th floor was huge and beautifully decorated in soothing creams with a large bathroom. Our balcony provided a beautiful view of Northern Cannes as well as the Alps to the East. Pleasant and polite staff added to the charm of the hotel. This place really is a little treasure, especially if you can book it at a reduced price on the internet.

The one downside to Hotel le Renoir was the fact that WiFi access was not free. In fact it was quite expensive. I hate paying for WiFi access, especially in hotels, and I really dislike high internet charges. Hotels, especially cool ones, really need to cop themselves on in this regard.

We took a walk towards the port, and had an excellent lunch at Restaurant La Farigoule, 82 rue Meynader located towards Le Suquet. Chicken liver salad and fish soup were the starters while we had fish and duck for mains. Desserts were also included in the menu for E16. The addition of some sparkling water, a half bottle of rose wine, two coffees bought the total to around E50. The waitress added two shots of apple liquer on the house. Excellent!

We wandered up the hill to La Castre, in Le Suquet, or the old town part of Cannes. The Castre Tower and the Chateau were built in the 11th Century by the monks of Lerin to protect the port of Cannes. Climbing to the top of the tower is not hard (not when compared to the belltower in Brugges) and affords a spectacular view of both the town and the port. You can see all the yachts moored below as well as the ferries which sail regularly to the Iles.


The whole area around Le Suquet is charming and picturesque with steep paved streets, stairs and flowers blossoming. It's a refreshing part of Cannes when compared to the blowsy eastern part of the town.

Later that evening, we went in search of food on Le Suquet. We had walked up the steep rue du Suquet earlier in the day when most of the restaurants were closed, but later in the evening it had transformed into a bustling hive of activity with restaurants perched on the edge of the narrow street. After walking up the whole street, we chose Prego, 16 rue du Suquet, this decision being based on the modern decor and funky red chandelier.

Prego was offerning a menu de degustation for E25 outside the door, but we had to especially ask for the menu once we were seated inside. The restaurants here will take every chance that they can to extract a few extra quid. I had a delicious terrine de foie gras to start while he had petit farcis de Nicois - essentially delicious little meatballs served in grilled vegetables. I then had the St-Jacques, or scallops, served with the coral on, while he went for seabass. Both dishes were served with rataouille and a mix of sauteed leeks. Desserts were chocolate fondant and a creme brulee. One bottle of house red and some sparkling water cost just under E80. It was pretty good food, served in a lovely setting, but such a pity that you had to look for the special menu rather than having it given to you.

Hotel le Renoir, 7 rue Edith Cavell, 06400 Cannes. 04 92 99 62 62

La Farigoule, 18 rue Meynadier, 06400 Cannes. 04 93 38 94 95

Prego Restaurant, 16 rue du Suquet, 06400 Cannes. 04 93 99 92 93

Frog Restaurant, Nice

We arrived in Nice on Saturday evening. We were staying at the Cityblue Malmaison on boulevard Victor Hugo. It's a nice simple hotel which did us perfectly for one nights stay in Nice.

We went out for a walk and looked for something to eat. Wandered around the Promendage Anglais and Vieux Nice, we ended up on the tourist trap that is Cours Saleya. We sat down in one seafood restaurant on the basis on the menu de jour, but when the waiter only provided us with the more expensive a la carte menu, we got up and left. We may be tourists in Nice, but we have no desire to be deprived of our hard earned cash.

We had passed by Frog Restaurant earlier, and it had looked good, so we went back. It's a nicely modern and cool restaurant, in sharp contrast to the mostly tourist restaurants in that part of town. The interior is lovely with white rough walls and comfortable seating areas. We ordered a mojito and a kiwi cocktail while we read the menu. The waiter insisted on translating all the specials into English, a lengthy process, but we finally ordered a millefuille of mozzarella, aubergine and tomato along with frogs legs for starters. Mains were red mullet en papillotte served with an olive and achovy polenta and a duck confit served with potatoes and compote. We ordered a demi-bouteille of the self-branded Pays du Var house red to accompany the food.

All dishes were excellent. Portions were not huge but very tasty. I especially loved my duck confit, which came layered in a glass pot with the mashed potato and onion compote. A cheese plate with 4 varieties and a basket of delicious bread finished off the meal. The total cost for this lovely meal was approximately E85, with excellent service throughout.

Frog Restaurant, 3 Rue Milton Robbins, 06300 Nice, France. 04 93 85 85 65