Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Wednesday 28 January 2009

Future TGV lines in the Loire + Fête de la Saint-Vincent

The Nouvelle Republique carries a couple of studies on two future high speed rail projects: the extension towards Bordeaux of the existing high speed line from Paris to Tours and a TGV Centre from Paris to Nevers and onto Clémont-Ferrand and Lyon.

The new line TGV Sud Europe Atlantique (LGV) is definitely due to go ahead with the section from Tours to Angoulême expected to open in 2016. The TGV Centre is considerably less certain – it might be in service around 2020, although apparently it hasn’t been identified as one of the rail projects that will add a further 2000 km of high speed lines to the French network by 2020. It would, however, have the advantage of reducing the pressure on the existing very busy Paris-Lyon line, the first TGV that was built.



There are three different routes through the region that the proposed TGV Centre might take. Both the direct and the one through Cosnes look as though they could threaten to go through the vineyards of Sancerre and Pouilly respectively.


The annual Fête de la Saint-Vincent (the wine saint) is celebrated in many of France's wine regions. Saint-Vincent's day falls on 22nd January but the celebrations are normally held on the weekend following as a long lunch is a customary centre-piece of the celebrations.


Epeigné-les-Bois: Mairie

Today’s edition of the NR carries a report on the Sunday's Fête du Saint-Vincent in Epeigné-les-Bois.


Alain Tranchard: Le Saint-Vincent 2009
(photo: Mark Robertson –
Epeigné garagiste
and a previous Saint-Vincent)


Epeigné-les-Bois: church dating from 11th century


The folk group La Gidelle provide entertainment before an extended lunch
(photo: Mark Robertson – Epeigné garagiste and previous Saint-Vincent)

Epeigné-les-Bois: church in the snow in early January

2 comments:

Mark said...

A very enjoyable St. Vincent Jim. Whilst the weather threatened the Gidelle dance group were able to complete their presentation before the rains came. The Comite des Fetes sold out of brioches and the petit salle was packed for the degustation. I had a very enjoyable 2008 chenin from M. Legrand - 12% alcohol 30g residual sugar and a refreshing level of acidity.
75 sat down for a copious lunch prepared by M. Emery of Luzille and the dancing finished late in the night. A real success for all involved.

Jim's Loire said...

Hi Mark. Thought you might send me a message. I was intending to call you – any photos of the event available please?

Thanks

Jim