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Friday 19 April 11-11.30am |
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Route for Programme 2 - Jura
Arthur first visited the home of VOLTAIRE
Francois Marie Arouet (Voltaire) was born on 21 November 1694 in Paris. One of the greatest French authors and philosophers, his most famous novel was possibly Candide, which he wrote in 1759. He lived in Ferney, following his banishment from Switzerland in 1759. Guided tours of his estate, chateau, chapel and 17 acre park are available in July and August on Saturdays at 3, 4 and 5pm. Contact M. Loichemol (00 33 4 50 40 05 45), he is the director of the chateau and Voltaire cultural centre.
VACHERIN MONT D'OR CHEESE
(The filling for Arthur's philosophical sandwich)
The only French cheese that can be eaten with a spoon - hot or cold. It is made between 15 August and 15 March with un-pasteurised milk from cows grazing above an altitude of 800m, it develops a nutty taste from the spruce bark in which it's wrapped.
One of the producers of this French cheese is the Cooperative de Longeville Mont-d'Or, you can buy the cheese in Britain from many suppliers. For a full list of suppliers in France contact Sophie Dayet at the local tourism office - 00 33 3 81 49 13 81 - Office du Tourisme des Hopitaux-Neufs
Just 12 factories in Jura are allowed to produce it, the French believe that the bacterial tragedy which claimed 34 lives between 1983 and 1987 happened because the Swiss copycats used pasteurised milk.
A delicious way of eating this cheese is to cut a small hole in the top of the box, pop in a clove of garlic and a tablespoon of white wine, wrap the box in foil and put it in a hot oven for half an hour.
We stayed in the lovely Auberge du Coude, 25160 Labergement Sainte-Marie
03 81 69 31 57, the auberge is very near the cheese producer and the owner Mme Michele Letoublon served us frogs legs and everything else local you could desire.
Other places to stay recommended by the local tourist board:
Hotel Les Sapins, 58 rue du bief blanc - 25370 Les Longevilles Mont d'Or, tel: 0033 381 49 90 90
Auberge Montagnarde also in Les Longevilles Mont d'Or, tel: 0033 381 49 90 95
Hotel les Geraniums, 34 rue du village, 25370 Metabief. tel: 0033 381 49 11 77
Hotel Les Deux Saisons, 4 rue de l'eglise, 25370 Jougne, tel: 0033 381 49 00 04
JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU
The philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived in a country house outside Chambery from 1736 to 1742 with his lover Baronne Louise Eleonore de Warens. You can visit the house at Les Charmettes, Chambery (00 33 4 79 33 39 44). It's 1.5km south east of Chambery . It's open from April to September 10am to noon and 2 to 6pm, closed on Tuesdays. During the rest of the year it closes at the earlier time of 4.30pm. In the summer musical evenings are held on Wednesdays and Fridays and if you haven't your own transport a bus service operates during July and August, for details contact the tourist office, 00 33 4 79 33 42 47
Official Chambery website
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PART OF FRANCE
Getting there:
Easyjet from Luton fly to Geneva, www.easyjet.com or call 08706 000 000
British Airways, tel: 08457 222111, www.british-airways.co.uk
Swiss Air, tel: 08456 010956, www.swiss.com
Travel Guides
Charming Small Hotel Guides France by Paul Wade and Kathy Arnold, published by Duncan Peterson Published Ltd, ISBN 9 781903 301142, packed full of wonderful places.
Cadogan France by Philippe Barbour, Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls, ISBN 1 86011 978 6.
France, published by Lonely Planet, ISBN 0 86442 612 7, a comprehensive guide
If you French is good and you would like to read more about Rousseau, there is a booklet: Les Charmettes, the Maison de Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the ISBN no. is 2 908240 05 X.
French Tourist Board, 178 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9AL, tel: 09068 244123, www.franceguide.com
Swiss Tourist Board, 10 Wardour Street, London, W1D 6QT, 0207 851 1700.
Music
Theme music for the series is Vas-Y Mimile by Marc Perrone, track 8 from the album, Rough Guide to Cafe Paris, published by Rough Guides, RGNET 1084 CD.
Other music in this episode was La Villageoise a rondeau composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau, track 20 from the album Pieces de Clavecin, published by Chandos Records, CHAN 0659
Find out the route used in programme 1
Find out the route used in programme 3
Find out the route used in programme 4
Find out the route used in programme 5
Find out the route used in programme 6
Pas de Calais
Read Arthur Smith's Diary of the visit
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RELATED LINKS |
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BBC French Steps - French online for beginners
BBC Language Courses on the web
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