|
|
|
| review by The Sunday Times | |
|
The following article appeared in THE SUNDAY TIMES published on 11 September 2011 |
|
|
FRANCE IS SIMPLY BETTER |
|
|
Our Gallic cousins will do eating, drinking, walking, cycling so well in the next few months, it will be daft not to join them. Anthony Peregrine reveals how |
|
|
Walking and cycling The landscape is relaxing after summer extremes – but remains, God willing, warm. Soft light is dappled by woodland, and dinner will be copious and convivial. The temptation to walk or pedal off into the autumn French countryside is, in short, overpowering. You may satisfy it amply at Scillé, a little-visited hamlet in Poitou-Chatentes, north of Niort and near enough to La Rochelle. Barely detectable in its own valley, the 17th century Moulin du Chemin was once a watermill. Now it’s a homley four-star auberge with glorious grounds. It’s also a base for a week’s walking through pasture and forest, orchards, rolling hills and the Poitevin marshes. The auberge’s British owners run the place as if hosting guests, not customers. Meals are taken together. Picnics are included, as are all the drinks, all the time, which is astonishing. ……. |
 |
|
Moulin walkers and cyclists at the Wednesday picnic photo le Moulin du Chemin |
|
|
SUNDAY TIMES ONLINE - Peregrine's France: plotted on our glorious map, at thesundaytimes.co.uk/travel (by subscription) |
|
|
Picnics are included, as are all the drinks, all the time, which is astonishing. |
|
|
|
|
