Scotland – France 2020 – update

Bonjour from Port Chalmers.

We are back from our tours in Aquitaine, where we had fabulous weather, good company and some wonderful meals. The highlight was a five course tasting menu at MILES in Bordeaux.  They call it a surprise menu based around the best produce of the season and every course was a delight; both inventive and delicious.  The price (55€) was also a surprise, being significantly more than on their web site, but it was worth every Euro and we cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough.  An added bonus was finding Domaine Templier’s Bandol rosé on the wine list.  This is a wine we have wanted to taste for many years and it was so gorgeous that we ordered a second bottle – with food and wine this good, who cares about the budget?

Our next stop was Scotland, where the weather was cooler and more varied, but we relaxed with old friends on a rental boat and cruised up the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. No Nessy; only glorious landscapes and lots of conversation.  

 

We also visited the luxury 27 cabin cruise ship, Lord of the Glens (above), before continuing our research for our 2020 tour, which is now finely tuned.  The main change is a six night stay in Collioure (instead of four) and our last night in France will be in Perpignan, allowing us to enjoy the tasting menu at a Michelin starred restaurant.

Scotland-France 2020 explores the Charles Rennie Mackintosh connection between Glasgow and the Catalan region of south-east of France.  It starts in Glasgow on Tuesday 22 September 2020 and ends on Sunday 11 October 2020 in Perpignan, which has good connections north to Paris or south for Barcelona.   We will travel by minibus and ferry to the isles of Bute and Arran, followed by a 5 nights aboard the Lord of the Glens, cruising from Inverness to Mull and Oban.  

 

After a night in Edinburgh, we fly to France for a six nights at a rambling old house with fabulous views (above) in the centre of Collioure.  We’ll explore the Mackintosh Trail by foot, minibus, boat and the Petit Train Jaune, as well as relaxing in this charming village and sampling the unique local wines and cuisine.  The price for the 20 day tour is 8695 Euros per person share twin, so send for your brochure and secure your place on this unique small group tour.

 

Boating holidays are our specialist area and last March we introduced you to the Serenity; a new affordable six passenger hotel-barge, cruising in Champagne.  It’s owned and operated by a Kiwi-English couple who offer good-value, informal cruises, “providing the welcome and comfort associated with a quality, family-run hotel”.  

Cruises are all-inclusive with transfers from Paris, all meals, drinks and daily excursions and for 2020 the price is just 2,950€ per person for the six-night cruise.  Having three en-suite cabins the Serenity is ideal for small group charters, but they also offer individual cabins by arrangement and currently have the following departure dates available for 2020 – 
6 MAY from Sillery to Chateau Thierry
23 SEPTEMBER from Sillery to Dormans (5 nights only)
30 SEPTEMBER from Chateau Thierry to Sillery.

Phone or email for more information on the above or any of our holidays in France.

Cordialement,
Robert & Barbara

BESPOKE FRANCE
Robert Buchanan & Barbara Keen 
52 George St, PORT CHALMERS 9023, NZ
ph (64) 03 472 7856,  freephone (NZ) 0800 147 856
email info@bespokefrance.co.nz