Apparently, the Romans doused themselves in wine in the name of beauty, so the concept of Les Sources de Caudalie, albeit wholly unique, isn’t new. At the 72-hectare, 18th-century Château Smith Haut Lafitte, modern winemaking techniques combine with age-old traditional methods using organic compost. Vines rich in nutrient-heavy polyphenols are packed with free radicals. Grape pulp, stalks and seeds are all powerful detoxifiers with anti-ageing properties around 10,000 times stronger than Vitamin E. Wine-lovers can revel in a dégustation extraordinaire thanks to a 100 per cent Grape Therapy vinotherapie package. Over 35 wine-inspired lotions, potions, scrubs and tonics include the sumptuous oils created by husband and wife team Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, under the motto Salus per Vinum, (meaning ‘Healthy Living through Grapes’).
In France, forgoing the finer things in life is practically sacrilegious, even in a health spa; denial and deprivation are certainly alien concepts at Les Source de Caudalie, where rejuvenation takes many forms. Aside from the Bordeaux Barrel Baths, Merlot Wraps and Red Vine Detoxifying Teas, there’s an ultra-romantic, candle-lit, Michelinstar restaurant with a 13,000-bottle cellar (complete with wine-tasting sessions) to ensure every aspect of the the grape’s sophistication is truly relished.
Enjoy a full-bodied vin experience before relaxing in one of Les Sources de Caudalie’s beautiful bedrooms.
016 LIMOGES
CONTACT St Just Le Martel Cartoon Festival Tel: +33 5 55 09 26 70 Fax: +33 5 55 09 26 33 www.st-just.com
At one time, to openly discuss caricature as ‘art’ was considered a silly presumption worthy of ridicule. Today, these hand-drawn, whimsical sketches represent a highly regarded artistic genre, in which gentle mockery and fond affection interfuse. A centuries-old art form that experienced its first successes in the closed aristocratic circles of Paris, the art of the caricature portrait remains a long-standing French tradition. Drawing on the natural characteristics of the subject (large, puppy-dog eyes or crooked smile); acquired characteristics (facial expressions and mannerisms); and vanities (spectacles and hairstyle), a caricature distorts the essence of a person to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. While some caricaturists stretch that artistic embroidery to extremes, the prevailing style in France is kindly teasing. Like a photograph, hand-drawn caricature provides a commemorative snapshot of a cherished moment in time. Nowadays, France’s caricaturists ply their ancient art amongst the county’s boardwalk flower stalls and boulevards to offer unique, deeply-personal and treasured sentimental keepsakes that are sure to raise a smile.
Couples keen for an unconventional romantic portrait are increasingly turning to caricature as a medium as it can often better reflect the importance of humour in the life they share. The romantic sentiment is there, it just requires deciphering with subtlety more than overblown amplification. ‘A sense of humour is très importante to a lasting marriage... oui?!’ joke the artists at their easels. Less formal than a stuffy engagement photo and more personal than a standard wedding announcement, an off-the-wall illustration can capture the essence of a fun-loving couple in humorous terms.
Some of France’s greatest caricaturists include Charles Philipon, owner of the magazine La Caricature, who pushed satire to the limits in the 1800s. In the 1900s, Comte Amadee de Noe, better known as Cham, reflected his eccentric noble lineage in his artistry while Honoré Daumier (1808–1879) is considered to be a pioneer of the modern caricature style. Even Claude Monet, an artist better known for his expressive canvasses, was a passionate caricaturist, sketching family and friends for mutual amusement during celebrations at his home. Today, Europe’s largest Festival of Caricature is held at St Just le Martel, just to the east of Limoges. During the week-long October event, visitors can commission works and buy one-off sketches from Frances’s most prized illustrators who draw in friendly competition for a fittingly unconventional award – a fully-grown cow.
A caricature drawing makes a fun memento.
017 LOIRE
CONTACT Château Villandry Tel: +33 2 47 50 02 09 Fax: +33 2 47 50 12 Email: [email protected] www.chateauvillandry.com
With its annual ‘Rendezvous in the Gardens’ and Candlelit Garden Evenings, the Château de Villandry is no stranger to romance. Since its construction in 1536, as one of the last Loire Valley Renaissance-era châteaux, Villandry was built by Jean le Breton, a former ambassador to Italy, who had developed a passion for the art of romantic gardens whilst studying in Rome.
Today the château’s exquisite, re-laid 16th century parterres continue to draw gasps from visitors to this extensive, geometric garden punctuated by clipped box hedges and neatly trimmed, low-lying shrubs. Particularly resplendent are the stunning displays of varicoloured year-round blooms planted on two stepped terraces. Combining the style of a French monastic garden with Italianate models like those depicted in Du Cerceau etchings, these flowered checkerboards are truly breathtaking – and guaranteed to make every green-thumbed visitor weak at the knees.
Set on the banks of the Cher River and flanked by a cliffside pathway, the gardens of the Château de Villandry have been crafted around the flow of water, beginning in a large basin toward the rear of the grounds. Individually created stepped gardens are broken by bridges and small waterfalls, ringed by a canal-fed moat and centred on a main courtyard. A handsome potager sits amongst a vast, embroidery-like carpet of rare and colourful flowers. Fragrant herbs form a tufted rug beneath a boulevard of 1,500 perfectly manicured mature trees. Pungent spices hide amongst a decorative kitchen garden, segmented into perfect squares by fruit tree borders and vegetable beds, whilst saplings gaze up at vast canopies amidst triangular lawns and precisely cut box sculptures. A swan-filled ornamental lake offers subdued calm amongst the vibrancy and colour of the rest of the garden, a spectacle that is enhanced during the Château’s celebrated festivals when myriad lanterns adorn pebbled pathways and pergolas.
Romantics keen to whisper sweet nothings amongst the hedgerows should visit during the French lunchtime (12–2pm). The blissful seclusion offered by the Château’s leafy, labyrinthine paths makes it the perfect spot for amour. Stroll across the gardens dedicated to adoration, as well as ornamental terraces displaying rich depictions of the ancient symbols of chivalric love. Pass by the dahlia-planted hearts of the Tender Love area before pausing amongst the blooms of the Passionate Love garden. Delight in a voyage of romance where floral odes to the facets of love have blossomed over many centuries past.
The picture-perfect potager at Château Villandry; punctuated by fountains and shielded by formal hedges, this is a true garden of romance.
018 BURGUNDY
CONTACT Bourgogne