Peter Tate for his inspiration, humour and love of France. Claire, Neil, Rosie and Tristan for offering us shelter and sharing their stories. My agent, John Saddler, and my publisher, Alan Samson, long may their enthusiasm for a glass of ros remain undimmed, and for their continued support in America, George Lucas of Inkwell and Michael Flamini of St Martins. Thanks to Katie White and Mark Rusher at Orion for all their help in promoting and marketing the books, and Lucinda McNeile for all her hard work, turning a blind eye as she passed out the peanuts and above all for being such a good friend.
Ali George for giving his time so freely and not receiving the proper credit in these pages, Annie, John, Jean-Claude, Claudine, Isabelle and their families for making the whole adventure possible and allowing us to share their bars with them, the vignerons who provided us with ros at very favourable prices, Mike Hawkes for some crucial advice and the following friends and family who helped us along: PJ, Lisa, Amandamoo, Martine, Michelle, Guy, Deborah, Faiza, Pierre, Nick, Kate, Trigger, Alan and of course the Aarvolds.
And finally my thanks to Tanya. Although nominally I am the author, it is of course very much our book.
Find out more about the travels of Jamie, Tanya and Peter at www.extremelypalerose.com
Extremely Pale Ros
Caf de la Renaissance
6 place aux Herbes, 30700 Uzs
Tel: 04 66 03 11 82
Murphys Bar
5 rue Maubet, 30000 Nmes
Tel: 04 66 26 38 31
Le Saint-Antoine
6 place de lHtel de Ville, 06400 Cannes
Tel: 04 93 39 43 80
Pinde Plage
Square Gould, 06160 Juan-les-Pins
Tel: 04 93 61 07 03
LAssorti
7 quai Rouget de lIsle, 84800 LIsle-sur-la-Sorgue
They are all bloody good Peter Tate (head sommelier)
Bordeaux
Chteau de Parenchre, 5 Parenchre, 33220 Ligueux
Tel: 05 57 46 04 17
Chteau Lauduc, Maison Grandeau Lauduc, 5 avenue de
Lauduc, 33370 Tresses
Tel: 05 57 34 11 82
Despagne, 33420 Naujan et Postiac
Tel: 05 57 84 55 08
Chteau de Sours, 33750 Saint-Quentin-de-Baron
Tel: 05 57 24 10 81
Champagne
Vilmart & Cie, 5 rue des Gravires, 51500 Rilly-la-Montagne
Tel: 03 26 03 40 01
Champagne Ren Geoffroy, 150 rue du Bois des Jots, 51480
Cumires
Tel: 03 26 55 32 31
Languedoc
Flicie Plantation, Domaine de Sainte-Marie, 34370
Maureilhan
Tel: 04 67 90 50 32
Chteau de Caladroy, 66720 Belesta-de-la-Frontire
Tel: 04 68 57 10 25
Mas dEspanet, 30730 Saint-Mamert-du-Gard
Tel/Fax: 04 66 81 10 27
Loire
Domaine Pascal and Nicolas Reverdy, Maimbray, 18300 Sury
en-Vaux
Tel: 02 48 79 37 31
Domaine Robert and Franois Crochet, Marcigou, 18300 Bu
Tel: 02 48 54 21 77
Provence
Chteau la Dorgonne, Domaine de la Dorgonne, 84240 La
Tour dAigues
Tel: 04 90 07 50 18
Chteau Sainte-Marguerite, 83250 La Londe
Tel: 04 94 00 44 44
Domaine Saint Jean-Baptiste, 1525 route des Arcs, 83510
Lorgues
Tel: 04 94 73 71 11
Chteau la Calisse, route D-560, 83670 Pontevs
Tel: 04 94 77 24 71
Chteau de Roquefort, quartier des Bastides, Roquefort-la
Bdoule
Tel: 04 42 73 20 84
Domaine Saint-Hilaire, route de Rians, 83470 Ollires
Tel: 04 98 05 40 10
Chteau Montagne, quartier du Gr, 83390 Pierrefeu-du-Var
Tel: 04 94 28 68 58
Chteau de Fonscolombe, 13610 Le-Puy-Sainte-Reparade
Tel: 04 42 61 70 00
Chteau de Rochebelle, 400 chemin des Luquettes, 83740 La
Cadire dAzur
Tel: 04 94 90 13 37
Chteau Barbeyrolles, 83580 Gassin
Tel: 04 94 56 33 58
Abbaye de Saint-Hilaire
route de Rians, 83470 Ollires
Tel: 04 98 05 40 10
Hiding in the countryside to the north of Aix is this renovated old farmhouse. Its been converted into about ten apartments, some of which sleep two people, others up to ten. Theres a pool, horse riding, a field of lavender nudging the windows and spectacular views of Mont Sainte-Victoire. Oh, and the farmhouse is built within the lands of Domaine Saint-Hilaire so you dont have to travel far if you run out of ros.
Htel du Gnral dEntraigues
place de lEvch, 30700 Uzs
Tel: 04 66 22 32 68
We spent one night in this hotel on the outskirts of the old town in Uzs. Bedrooms with terraces have spectacular views of the Tour Fenestrelle; theres a small pool and a large terrace where you can dine under olive trees in the evening. There can be few better bases to explore the town of Uzs, and it is only five minutes walk from Le Renaissance.
Htel la Villa Tosca
11 rue Hoche, 06400 Cannes
Tel: 04 93 38 34 40
Web: www.villa-tosca.com
Clean, comfortable, affordable town-house hotel with ever so funky bathrooms. Its just two minutes from La Croisette, and you can enjoy a nice glass of wine on the terrace of the Carlton with the money you have saved on the room. Its also a short walk from the station, where a Carte Isabelle allows you unlimited travel up the coast for a day Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, Nice, Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Monte Carlo its got to be among the prettiest train rides in the world.
Hotel Brise-Marine
58 avenue Jean Mermoz, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Tel: 04 93 76 04 36
This was the only affordable hotel we could find on Cap-Ferrat. Unfortunately for us it was full. Its just outside the centre of the village; the terrace is draped with bougainvillea and commands wonderful views over the Mediterranean. Theres an old-fashioned beach club a five-minute walk up the road. If you go for a swim, check with the lifeguard for jellyfish sightings first the waters around the cap are unusually warm and, as the unfortunate Tanya learnt, prone to schools of mduses.
Hotel Horizon
100 promenade Saint-Jean, 06530 Cabris
Tel: 04 93 60 51 69
The hotel couldnt be more aptly named. The views from the terrace and the swimming pool are absolutely stunning. To the north are the villa-studded hills of Haute-Provence, to the south the sea, and if you believe the owners explanation about thecurvature of the earth, on a clear day you can see Corsica. If you are planning on visiting Grasse, then Cabris is the perfect stop-off point. Its a ten-minute drive up the road and much more picturesque.