THE GUIDE WINTER 2021/22


two-star Michelin chef Bruno Oger in the resort’s fi ve fabulous restaurants. www.mondedesneiges.com


GOURMET GIFTS If you can’t make it to France this winter, you can bring a little bit of France to your home, with our handy guide to some of the most delicious stocking fi llers for the gourmand in your life.


Amanda’s Wines


Whether you’re looking to stock up the cellar ready for the festive jollies or want to source a fantastic bottle or two as a gift for a friend, Amanda’s Wines is the place for you. The carefully curated selection of wines from small, independent growers in the Loire Valley offer delivery direct to your doorstep in the UK. The offering is aimed at introducing oenophiles who are bored with uninteresting wines to delicious unoaked wines without making a huge hole in their pocket! www.amandaswines.co.uk


Cognac Godet Armagnac is the perfect fi reside drink, to be savoured with friends, and the Bureau National ‘dArmagnac is the place to go to learn all about it


renovated and expanded, this boutique hotel oozes contemporary refi nement while being friendly – perfectly embodying the spirit of this fantastic resort. hotelmarielle.com/en


Ours Blanc Hotel & Spa Perched on the heights of Les Menuires, the 4-star Ours Blanc Hotel & Spa is a ski-to-door establishment which has undergone a total renovation and now offers 66 rooms with vintage décor, designed by Leslie Gauthier. Check out the library-lounge with its thousands


142 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Oct/Nov 2021


of books stretching on two levels (and including a fun area reserved for children upstairs). A Nuxe spa and ice cave add to the enjoyment. en.hotel-ours-blanc.com


l’Étoile des Sybelles The apartments offered in mountain tourist spots can be a practical option, especially if you have young children to consider. Announced last year, the MMV l’Étoile des Sybelles residence in Le Corbier kicks off its fi rst winter season in December 2021. Its ecological construction in modular wooden


blocks built off-site is a fi rst for a mountain resort in France. ww.mmv.fr


Le Monde des Neiges This 5-star resort on the slopes of Auron opens this winter, with a choice of apartment or chalet with hotel service. South-west facing with a 180° view of the ski area and the peaks of the Mercantour National Park, the Monde des Neiges area is located on the slopes of Riou, making access to skiing super easy. Relax in the spa and when you’re hungry enjoy the exquisite menus cooked up by


In 1588, Bonaventure Godet set up a salt and wine business in the harbour of La Rochelle and was one of the fi rst to distil his wines to reduce transportation costs. Four hundred years later, Godet Frères Cognac is still family-owned, and remains in La Rochelle harbour. Its cognacs have a fl oral nose, fruity palate and a well-balanced length and sophistication in spades. Light the fi re, pull up a chair and savour every last drop. cognacgodet.com


Bureau National d’Armagnac If you’re thinking of splurging on a top-notch bottle of Armagnac but aren’t sure where to start, let this excellent new site from the Bureau National d’Armagnac be your guide. It’s bursting with useful info on the craft of Armagnac, producers, events and suggestions for your next visit to the region. We’re rather taken with La Blanche d’Armagnac Dartigalongue,


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IMAGE © MICHEL CAROSSIO


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