CITY FOCUS ❘ COGNAC
“THE LOVELY OLD TOWN RETAINS A CHARM THAT MAKES ITS COBBLED STREETS A DREAM TO WANDER”
discover the fi rst luscious strawberries of spring, neat rows of asparagus and the stacked leaves and delicate fl owers of local bear’s garlic. On weekends, you can slurp fat Cocollos oysters and sample briny Sturia caviar, farmed in nearby Saintes. The highlight, of course, is the centuries-old Cognac houses themselves. Their stately mansions lining the beautiful Charente River and tasting rooms scattered around town offer a range of dégustations and visits and even a lazy river cruise. Back at the Chais Monnet hotel and spa, an elegant ancient- meets-modern structure set in the former storage houses of the historic Monnet Cognac house, I perch on a high stool in the chic Jazz bar to discover another aspect of the local alchemy – the Cognac cocktail. The barman’s ambrosial concoctions are uniformly sublime, but my favourite is the Sidecar, a refreshing mix of hand-squeezed lemon juice, Cointreau (a brand of triple sec owned by Cognac house Rémy Martin), and VSOP Cognac aged between four and nine years (XO is aged ten to 13 years; XXO 14 on up, then come your Napoléons, Reserves and Hors d’Age bottles, cellared anywhere from 30 to 100-plus years). Chais Monnet is also home to Les Foudres, Cognac’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. Take your time over a masterful dish of John Dory, Russian kale and local morels fl ecked with a brilliant green pesto made from wild bear’s garlic; or balsamic- glacéed pigeon so tender it melts in the mouth, its velvety goodness highlighted by a tangy beet purée and rose peppercorns. Dessert is a towering lemon souffl é accompanied by, you guessed it, a glowing snifter of the local best. FT
Clockwise from top: A bridge over the Charente; the Chais Monnet’s Jazz Bar; the magic of Cognac is demonstrated at Bache Gabrielsen; the historic Porte Saint-Jacques; the bell tower of Saint-Léger Church
by the barrel in Cognac’s hundreds of houses, it’s a hazard of the trade – and in more ways than one. So many barrels of the ageing eaux-de-vie rest in the town’s subterranean network that Cognac is obliged to set laws limiting the number that can be safely harboured within city limits – too many and they risk being blown sky high in the event of a fi re. Despite Cognac the beverage’s luxury status and worldwide renown, Cognac the town is refreshingly free of high-end boutiques and global chains. In the glory of spring, it is also free of tourists. Even in high season, Cognac will never approach the crush of people in the towns of nearby Dordogne or the Loire, as most visitors are here to trade or are Cognac enthusiasts. Maybe that’s why its lovely old town, hewn from the creamy white local limestone, retains a charm and authenticity that makes its cobbled streets a dream to wander. In a delightful two hours you can wander from Place François 1e (named after the Renaissance king, who was born in the Château de Cognac), past the old town’s half-timbered medieval townhouses and Renaissance façades, to the graceful 12th-century Saint-Léger church with its 15th-century Gothic rose windows, stopping in at Chocolaterie Letuffe for a taste of their handmade Cognac- perfumed chocolates and Le Gourmet Charentais grocer to stock up on all the local specialities, including Cognac. In the halls of Cognac’s soaring Belle Époque-era covered market I
36 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Oct/Nov 2023
COGNAC ESSENTIALS GETTING THERE
BY TRAIN
The easiest way to get to Cognac is by train. It’s about three hours from Paris Montparnasse to Cognac station via Angoulême.
Cognac
WHERE TO STAY Opened in 2021, Chais Monnet Hotel & Spa is a destination unto itself. This beautiful hotel and luxury resort is a romantic spot for couples and great for families, with gorgeous rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a full-service spa, a Michelin-starred restaurant and top-notch bistro, Cognac tastings, cocktail classes and live music at super-chic La Distillerie Jazz bar and panoramic views at Le Rooftop bar.
WHERE TO EAT Les Foudres, at the Chais Monnet, is Cognac’s reigning gastronomic choice. La Poulpette, a stylish gastro bistro offers a reliably excellent menu of market-fresh cuisine that changes weekly.
CONTACTS Cognac Tourist Offi ce: Stop in for all the information you’ll need for making the most of your visit: guides to the Cognac houses and visits, maps for navigating Cognac’s old town, guided visits, and schedules for La Demoiselle boat rides.
www.tourism-cognac.com/uk
IMAGES @ SOLÈ NE GUILLAUD, THEO SCHUMAN, COGNAC TOURISME
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