The Etape stage is chosen…its coming our way. La Madelene will host a cycling party via specialists cyclomundo who will take part in the Montelimar-Ventoux stage on the 20th July next year…full details: 

L’ETAPE DU TOUR 2009

Monday 20th July

Montelimar to Mont Ventoux, 172km

“Ride a classic mountain stage of the Tour de France”

Last visited in 2000, the Etape du Tour will return to the Mythical Mont Ventoux in 2009 on Monday July 20th, and will follow the exact route of stage 20 of the 2009 Tour de France.

This will be the 17th edition of the famous Etape du Tour, the stage of the Tour de France that the public can ride, and over the years, we have seen many famous stages replicated but only few live up to the sensations of climbing and finishing on top of Mont Ventoux.

Mont Ventoux “The Giant of Provence” is seldom visited by the Tour de France and when it is everyone hopes it will be the stage chosen for L’Etape du Tour. Well, in 2009 your wishes have been granted….

This will be an extremely popular Etape du Tour that appeals to all cyclists. The route is challenging enough for the hardened cyclo sportive rider yet within the capabilities and a huge achievement for the Etape virgins.

The stage route starts from the city of Montelimar, on the Rhone valley and features four smaller climbs (3rd & 2nd category climbs (Côte de Citelle 19km, Col d’Eye 70km, the Col de Fontaube 92km, and the Col de Notre-Dame des Abeilles 126km) before a long descent to Bedoin and the 21.5km climb to Mont Ventoux.

Route details19km Côte de Citelle 5.2km at 3.9% (3rd Category)70km Col d’Eye 6.3km at 5% (2nd Category)92km Col de Fontaube 4.7km at 4.3% (3rd Category)126km Col de Notre-Dame des Abeilles 7.8km at 4% (2nd Category)172km Mont Ventoux 21.2km at 7.6%

The start in Montelimar is only 70km from the base of Mont Ventoux and therefore makes it possible to offer fixed centre location packages.

Over the last few days we have hosted the 2008 WSET wine tutor’s tour of the Southern Rhone. There were many highlights notably : Nick Thomson of L’Ameillaud gave a fascinating perspective of the economic evolution of wine making in the region and the lobbying process that Cairanne is going through with the INAO to achieve full Cru status; Christine Saurel of brilliant wine makers Montirius hosted a great tasting including what she called a “birth of a wine” experience - a comparative tasting in the cellars from the maceration vat of a single wine ( a Gigondas) from samples gathered two days apart,  the object being to see how the taster knows just when the time is right to release the wine from maceration to avoid over extraction. We had visits to Bernardins, Vatican, Solitude, Goubert, and Maby as well as great meals at L’Oustalet, Verger des Papes and chez nous of course. Here is the full tasting list..

Tasting list for WSET study tour: 22^nd – 25^th October 2008

In order (vintages where I am certain):

Domaine des Bernardins, AOC Beaumes de Venise

-       Cotes du Rhone, rouge

-       Beaumes de Venise, rouge

-       Muscat doré, dry white

-       L’Esprit Libre, vendange tardive

-       AOC Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, sweet white

-       Hommage, haute gamme, aged sweet white

Domaine Brusset, Cotes de Rhone, Les Clavelles 2007, Viognier

Domaine Champ-Long, Cotes du Ventoux, dry white, 2007

Domaine de Travers, Rasteau, Cuvee Marine, white, 2006

Domaine Nalys, Chateauneuf du Pape, rouge, 2005

Domaine Rabasse-Charavin, 100% Mourvedre, Vin du Pays, 1999

Domaine Beauvalcinc, Beaumes de Venise, dessert white, 20

Domaine de la Presidente, Cairanne, 2006

Domaine Alary, Cairanne, 2006

Domaine L’Ameillaud, Cairanne, 2006

Domaine L’Oratoire St. Martin, Cairanne, 2006

Domaine Rabasse-Charavin, Cairanne white, 2006

Domaime Montirius

-       Cotes du Rhone, Jardin Secret

-       Vacqueyras, white

-       Vacqueyras, Garrigues

-       Vacqueyras, Le Clos

-       Gigondas, Terres des Aines

-       Gigondas Confidential

Domaine Goubert

-       Cotes du Rhone Village, Sablet, white

-       Cotes du Rhone Favoris (Rousanne/Viognier)

-       Gigondas

-       Gigondas, Cuvee Florence 2005 and 2004

Gigondas Raspail-Ay 2003

Gigondas Domaine la Bouissiere 2005

Cuvee de Vatican, Chateauneuf du Pape

-       White, Traditonal

-       White, Cuvee Sixtine

-       Red, Traditional 2005 and 2004 (chez nous)

-       Red, Cuvee Sixtine 2005 and 2006

Domaine de la Solitude, Chateauneuf du Pape

-       White, Traditonal

-       Cuvee Barberini, white

-       Red, Traditional 2005

-       Red, Special Cuvee, 2007, 100% Grenache

-       Red, Cuvee Secret, 2001

Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau de la Gardine, red 2006

Domaine Maby, AOC Tavel/Lirac

-       Lirac, white

-       Lirac, Prestige blanc

-       Tavel rosé, Prima Donna

-       Lirac, rouge

-       Lirac, rouge special cuvee

Clairette de Die brut, Jalliance, sparkling white

Beaucastel 1999, Chateauneuf du Pape

Hermitage, Tain L’Hermitage, 2002

Beaumes de Venise Chateau Redortier, red, 2003

In all 51 wines over the 3 days..

When Coco mysteriously disappeared Jude and I agreed he was irreplaceable..and he was in the sense that he had a very special personality for a young cat, a very appealing combination of affection and gravitas/cool. However within weeks we find ouselves with another, about the same age as Coco and with many of his mannerisms…a neighbour called us having found him, and thinking he might be our Coco…they were about to have him put down so there seemed no alternative but to claim him. He is begining to settle in quite nicely with Milkshake after a bit of a rocky patch last week…..oh and hes called Pumpkin by the way.

The fabulous colours of October are back, the vineyards ablaze with orange, red and purple, it all looks spectacular at this time of year….some of the Ventoux vignerons are yet to start the vendange , these photos were taken yesterday afternoon, some desperation methinks for a little more sun ripening…we’ve certainly had some lovely days here this week, temperatures at 25 c. in the afternoons  

 We all have  very heavy hearts in our house since Coco went missing on sunday. After extensive searches and canvasing the neighbours we can only fear the worse. The local consensus is that he was taken by a fox or shot by hunters.  It makes me so mad that idiots with shotguns can kill other people’s pets with impunity.  I’ve noticed that other cats who have gone missing have also been tabby. Perhaps it is less easy to distinguish a tabby cat from wild boar.Coco will be greatly missed. He was an extraordinary cat who  has brought us  much joy over the past year. He, and his brother Milkshake, helped us deal with all the stress of moving country and renovating a huge house simply because he was so exceptionally sweet-natured  and tolerant.  He loved being cuddled, loved being involved with people and seemed  very affectionate with his brother.  He was a special cat and I am so sorry that he has gone.From Jude.  

Jude and I were pleased to have been invited by our friends Anne-Marie and Bernard Forestier to a book  launch held in  the lovely grounds of Chateau Juvenal The book in question is a marvelous tome  - Patrimoine Gourmand des pays des  Ventoux - a history of all things culinary in our immediate area of Ventoux, and a collection of local recipes and  suggestions of Cotes du Ventoux wines to accompany the dishes. Its beautifully photographed - in Anne-Marie’s kitchen - and name checks amongst many others our neighbour and wine-maker Gely at Domaine Champ long ( who incidentally I see just picked up a 2-star recommendation for their white, our everyday house white, in the 2009 Hachette guide, and deservedly so) and the charming game specialist , the St.Hubert restaurant at Entrechaux that many of our guests will know. 

Lily, or lillie as she prefers to be known, celebrated her 11th birthday with a pool side party and 6 of her school mates….a breakthrough as last year she was way too shy to have french girls chez nous. A good time was had by all - no one to my knowledge being permanently damaged by the freezing october pool temperature - and some parents stayed on for a very “agreable”  aperitif after the event.