This Week...

Burgundytoday´s weekly roundup of news, views & events

King Arthur is propaganda, say French

The UK Telegraph has picked up on this King Arthur story going the rounds in France.

Rennes in Brittany is hosting an exhibition this month, ‘King Arthur: A Legend in the Making’

together with the annual conference of the International Arthurian Society. Read Peter Allen’s article

As readers of burgundytoday will know, we have our own theories on King Arthur, and, that Avalon is in fact Avallon in Burgundy. You can read Marilyn Floyde’s work King Arthur’s French Odyssey on the site – she has now completed the hypothesis, a publisher is hopefully in the offing when all will be revealed.

Via Mokas

A touch of New York or Milan came to Beaune when Via Mokas boutique hotel, spa and restaurant opened last year. Owner Marc Siles, who had been responsible for Club Med in south-east Asia, hung up his suitcase to concentrate on this ‘urban trendy’ establishment.

David Zuddas, Michelin chef from the Auberge du Charme in Dijon Prenois came in as a consultant, creating a new style menu in the form of ‘mokas’ a word which translates as ‘a surprise, a journey or an escape’. Suites cost from 165 euros per night. Via Mokas, 1 Rue Spuller, Beaune.

Third, "aromatic" Vinestivales

If you would like to know more about the aroma of different wines, visit Vinestivales in Beaune this summer from July 1 – September 7.

This original, fun and educational exhibition  presents the 12 main aromas of Burgundy wines in the ‘Cave aux Arômes. Several other wine-related activities will be available to wine-lovers and novices alike, including a competition and wine-tastings.

Last year the exhibition attracted over 14,000 people, including many foreign tourists. It is organised in association with the Beaune Chamber of Commerce, the Burgundy Wine Office (BIVB) and the Burgundy Wine School. It will take place as part of the "Cours, eau, jardins" festival and will be open every day from 10:00am to 12:30pm and from 2:00pm to 6:00pm in the "Salle d'honneur" room of the Beaune Chamber of Commerce, rue Vergnette de La Motte.

Burgundy Wine School - Tel. +33 (0)3 80 26 35 10  

ecoledesvins@bivb.com

Noyers Music Festival

The medieval town of Noyers-sur-Serein, north of Avallon and east of Auxerre, offers a full programme of classical music throughout the month of July. Concerts and recitals will be performed in the churches of Noyers and Isle-sur-Serein, followed by wine tastings offered by the local producers – Crémant de Bailly, Henry de Vézelay and Chablis. The Office of Tourism in Noyers 00 33 (0) 3 86 82 66 06 and Tonnerre  00 33 (0) 86 55 14 48 for more information.

Magny Cours 2008 – a Success

Visitors to the Magny Cours Formula One Grand Prix in June increased by 6,000 on the 2007 figure of 72,000. The General Assembly of the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile (FFSA), the national sporting authority in France, and the promoter of the French GP, met last week and having reviewed the results of this year's race, agreed that they would continue to finance the race at Magny-Cours in 2009 in line with the existing contract and the assistance of the Conseil Régional de Bourgogne, the Conseil Général de la Nièvre and the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours..

The FFSA has asked that venues wishing to bid for the 2010 race should declare themselves before the end of this year. The bidders will include Magny-Cours, which, as we have reported, is due a major revamp.

ChAteau St. Aubin-sur-Loire

If you are travelling in the Nièvre, you might like to visit Château St Aubin, seven km south-west of Bourbon-Lancy. The château is open to visitors until September 15 and ongoing restoration by the owner continues both inside and out.

L’Ecluse de la Charme

At the lock at St. Victor-sur-Ouche on the Canal de Bourgogne, a full programme of summer music has been organised, including Wednesday events for the kids. There’s a shop selling gourmet products from Burgundy too: crème de cassis, cheeses, mustard and wine etc., open until September 6.

http://www.cotedor-tourisme.com/index.php?lg=fr&rub=10&id_objet=FMABOU0210005168&section=detail&pg=1&ref=news4

Looking Ahead

The holiday season kicks off on July 5 with heavy traffic forecast (red on the bison futé). For more…

June 27  

Young Wine Writer Award

If you have aspirations of becoming a wine writer, you are under 30 years old,

and based in the UK, you might like to enter the Young Wine Writer of the Year. Applicants should not yet have had a wine book published nor yet be an established wine columnist or regular contributor to a magazine, and the organisers say they are "looking for wine writing potential and commitment to popular consumer wine-writing rather than extensive knowledge or experience." Deadline for applications is 26 September 2008. Two prizes are on offer,  a £1000 travel bursary, and a 14 day tour of Australia's wine regions. For further information on how to apply please contact Fiona Holman at Pavilion Books, fholman@anovabooks.com or +44 (0)207 605 1403.

Foot Passengers, travel aCross the Channel for under 10 euros

We have long been fans of Speedferries who have been changed the face of cross channel travel over the last four years for cars and their passengers. It takes just 50 minutes from Boulogne to Dover. They are now introducing a service for foot passengers from July 11, at under 10 euros per passenger each way.

Rosemary George on Chablis

Rosemary George, Master of Wine and well-known wine writer, first became known for her  book on Chablis, published in the 1980s. ‘Wines of Chablis and the Grand Auxerrois' is her new work about the wine she clearly loves. There are dozens of face-to-face interviews, profiles of 130 wine growers, tasting notes and 60 new colour illustrations. Lovers of Chablis will find this a value addition to their book collection.

June 16

Loiseau receives Legion d’Honneur

Dominique Loiseau, the widow of Bernard Loiseau received the decoration of the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur from President Nicolas Sarkozy last week. Dominique Loiseau has run the three star establishment Relais Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu, Loiseau des Vignes in Beaune and the other group business ventures since her husband’s death. She received the award for her courage and skills as a business woman.

Property Finder Service

Caroline Gigandet has launched her business Burgundy Home and Services in Beaune.

If you are short of time and need professional help, Caroline specializes in finding prestigious properties for her clients, helping them through the buying process, the building alterations and interior design side of things. More on her website  www.burgundy-home-services.com

Hide-out of the Maquis gets a Faceflift

George Millar wrote an excellent book about life in the Resistance in Burgundy and the Franche Comte under the Gestapo. As a member of the Maquis, he hid in what was known as ‘The Carlton’, a filthy château near Bescançon. This building has since been restored and is now up for sale for £385,000. If ou like the idea of a château with a distinguished history, read more in the Telegraph.

Beaujolais Revival

Beaujolais has long been considered the inferior neighbour to Burgundy in wine terms.

Now the large Burgundy producers are snapping up the vineyards reports the Wine Spectator.

"It's a good time to buy, but there is a lot of work to do," said Louis-Fabrice Latour, managing director of Maison Louis Latour, which took control of Vins Henry Fessy in northern Beaujolais in January and now plans to more than double Fessy's land holdings, starting with the purchase of Château des Reyssiers, a 37-acre estate in Régnié. "There are quite a few of us in Burgundy who believe there is great potential in the terroirs of Beaujolais." more

Talking About Wine – It’s Our Right!

From Cécile Mathiaud at the BIVB:

 
"Tomorrow, in our country, will we still be able to talk about a wine festival in the columns of a

regional daily newspaper, describe a wine route on the website of a tourist office, recommend a particular vintage on a cooking programme, speak about our success of our exported wines in the economic supplement of a magazine, set our television soaps in wine regions, recite a verse of poetry or show a work of art which features wine? Certainly not, if things continue the

way they are going.”

Legal decisions are increasingly being made in favour of banning wine references from all information communicated to the public. Le Parisien was thus condemned for publishing an article deemed too provocative, while the advertising of alcoholic drinks has already been banned from the Internet. An absurd and intolerable situation - a sad and strange case for France. Vin et Société has launched a media campaign to heighten public awareness on the risks incurred by the freedom of the press in a context describing a phase of near-prohibition.

Vin et Société has also issued a proposal to amend the Code of Public Health that in no way questions the required health policy on alcohol, to which the association has shown its active commitment (partners the road safety authority, advertise drinking alcohol in moderation on www.vinetsociete.fr, etc.). This proposal was transmitted to the Head of State and to the

government with a view to being presented to parliament.

Cécile Mathiaud - Tel. +33 (0)3 80 25 95 76 - cecile.mathiaud@bivb.com 

Lots more wine news…