The Hôtel des Lys, Le Coteau, Roanne, Roannais

An excellent hotel has been discovered by Purefrancenow in the village of Le Coteau, near Roanne in the Roannais region of the Rhône-Alpes.

The Hotel des Lys is a superbly run, 3 -star quality (Logis de France) establishment, newly refurbished to ensure a very comfortable and welcoming stay for their guests.

It is extremely well-placed in the pleasant village of Le Coteau, close to the large township of Roanne.

There is also conveniently easy access to the railway station in Le Coteau, and the main auto routes to Paris, Lyon, Saint Etienne, Clermont-Ferrand, Vichy, and the direct routes to the French and Swiss Alpes, and the south of France.

Hotel des Lys is beautifully situated facing a small tree-lined park, and within walking distance of local shops, amenities, entertainment, and commercial zones. Roanne canal port, and the famous river la Loire are also close by.

The proprietors, Jean-Philippe and Angélique Lafarge, have stylishly refurbished this regionally well-known hotel. They are exceptionally experienced and qualified in the hotel and catering business, having developed their expertise from the famous ‘Institut Vatel’, and with over 20 years of professional hotel and catering experience.

Their very successful careers have now led them to develop the Hotel des Lys into a high quality, contemporary establishment with the emphasis on ‘best’ service, and convivial atmosphere.

The Hotel des Lys has 18 large, modern, double bedrooms, including two family bedrooms for 2 or 3 persons.

All guest rooms are fully-equipped with air-conditioning, flat-screen, satellite TV, min-bar, telephone, free and unlimited wi-fi access.

Welcoming breakfast room, and separate hotel restaurant for lunch or evening dining. Roannais Hotel Directory

Visit the Hotel des Lys website for more detailed information and reservations www.hotel-des-lys.com
The Hotel des Lys is highly suitable for both leisure-travellers, holidaymakers, and business people alike. Ideal for small conferences, seminars, wedding receptions, and special occasions of any kind, with a very large 140 sq.m banqueting and presentation suite, totally flexible seating and table arrangements, including equipment supplied as required.

A smaller meeting and seminar room is also available. A buffet/banqueting service can be provided for all private and business functions.

Visit: Purefrancenow Business Events and Purefrancenow Celebration Events%0

The Grand Hôtel, Roanne, Roannais

The Grand Hotel in the centre of Roanne, in the beautiful Roannais region, is “L’art et la maniere d’etre un hotel de charme”.

This comfortable and stylish 3-star residence, with an ‘eclectic elegance’, certainly has what it takes to ensure that you have a very pleasant stay.

Ideally situated with easy access to the main Roanne railway station, and close to some of the best restaurants in Roanne and the Roannais region, Rhône-Alpes. For example, the internationally famous, 3-Michelin-starred restaurant La Maison Troisgros, and it’s sister restaurant, Le Central.

All shops and amenities of Roanne are conveniently close by. The Grand Hotel offers exceptional service in warm, convivial surroundings, with refined comfort.

Deluxe air-conditioned guest rooms, equipped with satellite TV. Closed circuit video-monitored parking facilities. Welcoming, lively bar. Buffet breakfast. Purefrancenow Roannais Directory

This superb, well-located hotel is highly suitable for holiday makers, leisure-travellers, and business people, alike.

There are 2 large meeting and presentation rooms available. Ideal for small conferences and seminars, with totally flexible seating and table arrangements, and equipment. A buffet/banqueting service is also available for all private or business functions. Roannais Business Events

Visit Le Grand Hotel website for more information and reservations www.grand-hotel-roanne.fr

More information on the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes: holidays, gourmet week-ends, restaurants, accommodation, events, wine and food, fun, property, and business opportunities

Fromagerie Mons, The best cheeses in the Roannais! By Lucy Franklin

There are many things that we Brits generally associate with the French – wine, bread, cheese, for example.

But the essence that binds these products all together has to be ‘passion’

The French are passionate about everything! Never more so than with their cheeses, and if there is one extremely successful, family-run business that exemplifies this then it has to be ‘Fromagerie Mons’.

And how wonderfully fortunate are we, in the Roannais region of the Rhone-Alpes,  to have this ‘Affineur’ of fine cheeses right on our doorstep.

Many year’s ago we had been pointed in the direction of the Mons Fromagerie in ‘Halles Diderot’, a fabulous high quality indoor market  in Roanne. Having been told that they were simply the best place to purchase cheese, not only for quality, but also breadth of choice – they sell a range of over 230 different cheeses throughout the year.

Fromagerie Mons are specialists in the true sense of the word. For this reason they supply all of the ‘top’ restaurants in the area, and beyond. They, in fact, export all over the world – from the USA, UK, Norway, and Australia, to Russia, Japan, China, and Spain.

Our, eagerly awaited, recent visit to their headquarters and storage caves in Saint-Haon-le-Châtel in the Roannais, has now added a further dimension to our understanding and love of cheese.

It would have been extremely difficult not to share the passion and excitement that exudes from the Managing Director, Laurent Mons, and his Quality Control Manager.

On arrival at the Fromagerie, we were first greeted, surprisingly, by a youthful, and enthusiastic American, Eric Meredith. We were amazed to hearn that he had come to work at Mons only 2 years ago from a cuisine and nutrition background in New York. He is now responsible for Quality Control at  Fromagerie Mons.

Although now Fluent in French, Eric led us through the various stages of cheese affination (the development, nurturing, and flavour refinement of cheeses brought in from 110 small farm producers) in English – which we much appreciated.

It would have been tragic to miss out on any snippets of the deluge of information that was fired confidently, and concisely, in our direction.

‘Passion’ seems too subtle a word to describe Eric’s love and understanding of the whole cheese process. He really does live and breath his work. He is totally dedicated. It is a vocation, not just a job! To achieve the continued quality for which Fromagerie Mons is reputed this is the only way.

From regular liaison with the many suppliers to hands-on nurturing of the varying types of cheese, Eric’s knowledge is outstanding. He treats each cheese ( in fact, each batch) individually, regulating temperature, humidity, position within the different caves, whether the cheese should be kept wrapped or unwrapped (and if so, what in), and on what the cheese should rest – great slabs of wood, or straw matting. All in the name of quality of taste refinement!

Eric understands the nuances of the chemical processes that create, ripen, and develop cheese. He is a true connoisseur. An intelligent, scientific approach, but with enormous passion and dedication to the art of ‘affinage’ (refining of a cheese)

After our superb tour we visited Laurent Mons in his board room. He is ‘fired’ by the love of not only his cheeses, and his historic family business, but also of the Roannais region, full of its many gastronomic delights.

Rarely have I found in the UK such true adoration of a business. Fromagerie Mons is exceptional. A successful, entrepreneurial, family-run company.

Also visit our other Purefrancenow Reviews:  Fromagerie Mons, Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse

Fromagerie Mons, Les Halles Diderot, Roanne Fromagerie Mons, Roanne Table Ouverte

www.purefrancenow.com

J.B.CLAIR WINE CELLARS IN THE ROANNAIS By Lucy Franklin

I do have to admit to my ignorance of the fine art of wine-making!

My knowledge has previously begun and ended with a nice glass(or two) shared with family and friends.

Yes, I understand, that you began with grapes which were crushed, then to the juice you added yeast. Or was it sugar! Then, somehow, the wine was magically created over time.

I never before quite understood the total passion and devotion that so many seem to dedicate to this humble beverage.

However, I recently visited one of our local, long-established, wine producers in the Côte Roannaise, and was suitably enthralled with not only the production processes involved, but also with the family history, dating back to 1536.

Maison J.B. Clair was established in 1896 in its current form. Before this date, however, a certain Anthoine ‘Clerc’ (whose surname later evolved into the family name of ‘Clair’), travelled to the Roannais region, along with many others, for the construction of ‘The Barrage’ (large water dam), high in the Monts de la Madeleine, above the village of Renaison.

His descendants thrived, and liked the region so much that they decided to stay, and bought a vineyard at La Croix Saint-Paul, Renaison, where, in 1896, Jean-Baptiste Clair began to develop his effervescent wine, (which in those days he was able to call it ‘Champagne’).

This same wine is still in production, and it necessitated the construction of 4 large vaulted caves that are in full use today.

If, like us, you visit the J.B. Clair caves you will probably be guided through the detailed, and stringent production process by Claudine Clair’s husband, Guido D’Antonio.  Of Italian descent, Guido speaks excellent English, as well as French, and, of course, Italian.

He explains, beautifully, how important the transportation of the grapes from the vineyard’s growing fields is, and how the use of small caskets ensures that the grapes are not crushed or damaged unduly before the actual pressing takes place.

The care and attention which each bottle receives during its fermentation processes is amazing – its ‘turning’, ‘angling’, and finally the stoppering before being labeled and packaged for sale.

The vaulted ceilings create a ‘classic’ wine cellar atmosphere. Many of the wines are cleverly, stacked in a traditionally way (a disappearing art , in fact!), and all turned by hand.

The wines are kept at a consistent temperature which is extremely important to the distinct quality of the J.B.Clair’s wines.

This also limits production, and in doing so ensures that this small producer of exceptional wines remains a reputable family business with the emphasis on quality, and not quantity!

Maison J.B.Clair, 42370 Renaison,

Tel: 0033 (0) 477 64 40 01

e-mail: claudineclair@yahoo.com  or  dantonio.guido@mailcity.com

The Cote Roannaise is a great place to visit, and not only just for the discovery of its excellent wines, and small, well-run vineyards. Visit www.purefrancenow.com for much more information on, and opportunities in, the Roannais region, Rhône-Alpes.

RESTAURANT JACQUES CŒUR, ROANNAIS

In Renaison, one of the main villages of the Côte Roannaise, between the foothills of the Monts de la Madeleine and Vallee du Roanne in the Roannais, there is an excellent, and well-reputed restaurant called ‘Jacques Coeur’.

The name of which does not relate to the patron and chef de cuisine, but to a famous, historical character in local medieval French history, during the 15th century in the time of Charles VII.

The restaurant’s menu features his unusual story, the essence and moral of which simply translates as ‘ the human triumph against the seemingly impossible’.

In some ways, this is also the lot of a good chef, and a good restaurant.

The fact that their reputation is often as good as their last meal served, and then they have to do it all over again the next day or evening, is a tough one. Often, too, without quite knowing how many people (or ‘covers’) to cater for.

Always dealing with uncertainties of ingredient and produce quality, and availability. And also creating and serving eager customers with the necessary delicacy, and a permanent smile!
Yes, the life of any restaurant, let alone one with a reputation to uphold, is a ‘testing’ one!

The restaurant Jacques Cœur, and it’s patron and chef de cuisine, Jean-Yves Giraudon, is a testament to personal achievement, quality of approach, and success. Like Jacques Cœur, himself, it is a personal triumph! The restaurant, and it’s patron has obviously taken inspiration from this man’s heroism of the past.

A superb, quality, gastronomic restaurant with consistent, exceptional cuisine of a rare choice. Traditional approach with a remarkable difference, unique to Jean-Yves Giraudon.

It is a pure pleasure to experience the culinary delights of this reputable restaurant establishment, with it’s intriguing interior decor, and friezes reflecting the unusual historical story of Jacques Cœur.

Situated in the heart of the delightful, picturesque village of Renaison in the wonderful Côte Roannaise, Purefrancenow can honestly recommend a visit!

For more information on Restaurant Jacques Cœur go to ‘Jacques Cœur’ in the Purefrancenow ‘Roannais Restaurant Directory’.  www.purefrancenow.com

NOVEMBER FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS IN THE ROANNAIS

'Grand Designs' is the title of Brian Franklin's 3rd article about the discovery of the Roannais, and his family's second successful renovation project in this beautiful part of the Rhône-Alpes region in France.

At the end of 2002 the Franklin's were offered an opportunity to buy a very large barn, less than a minute's walk from their first French property.

It was owned by Madame Arlette Siedel, the last French owner of Château des Cresses, near Roanne, in the Roannais region. This included all of the château's wonderful woodland and farmland, which extended as far as the eye could see. Acres and Acres of it!

This 'pressoir' (wine-making barn), or 'cuvage', was very large and superbly situated with potentially dramatic panoramic views across open farmland and the southern Beaujolais hillside.

With the success of their previous renovation and conversion of 'The Stables' in part of the château courtyard, and their excellent relationship with close French friends, they felt confident that they could create something very special with 'Le Cuvage'.

Follow the Franklin's progress with their 'Grand Design' project in French Property News this month(November 2008), and in the following December and January issues.

It's a good read! Particularly for those interested in a home, or life in France!

Go to their dedicated website: www.purefrancenow.com  for more information about the Roannais, and all the opportunities, help, and services available from Brian and Lucy Franklin, and their Purefrancenow team.