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www.thisfrenchlife.com keeps you wonderfully informed about France

Here at www.purefrancenow.com we have, for a long time, supported ‘This Frenchlife’ – a dedicated website for all things French. It is informative across virtually all subjects, and is always up to date with news, reviews, and hints to help you understand and fully enjoy the French way of life.

Run by journalist Craig McGinty, this website is a ‘must’ for all Francophiles.  Which is why www.purefrancenow.com has a permanent weblink to www.thisfrenchlife.com on our ‘Home Page’. We also believe that ‘This French Life’ provides a complimentary service to our own website services, products, and opportunities in France.

So, take a good look at us!

www.purefrancenow.com

www.thisfrenchlife.com

Château de Champlong is a paradise in the Roannais

Château de Champlong’s move from renowned Gastronomic Restaurant, Business and Wedding Venue to one of the Roannais region’s best Hotels, is simply astounding. Purefrancenow can report from  first-hand experience of the Château’s highly successful, completed renovation, and conversion programme.

Brian Franklin, Director of Purefrancenow, had a personal tour of the new Hotel facilities during May 2009, and visited every room. A man with many air miles of international travel under his belt, along with extensive experience of some of the UK and Europe’s top quality hotels, Brian was extremely impressed with Château de Champlong’s quality of approach, architectural finish, and interior design style for their new hotel.

A picture is better than a thousand words, and tells the story with more impact. The reality of Château de Champlong’s hotel offerance is, of course, even more impressive!

Purfrancenow announced the opening of the Château de Champlong’s three-star hotel at the end of March, but, to be fair, this is the first time they have managed to visit for more accurate editorial purposes.

The theme for the 12 hotel bedrooms is based on the names of spices, which relates perfectly to Olivier Boizet’s gastronomique creations in the Château’s kitchen. The regional reputation for excellent cuisine is well known.

The spice French names used, which gives them an additional air of romantacism, are; SAFRAN, RÉGLISSE, CARDAMOME, CORIANDRE, PAVOT BLEU, POIVRE DE MALABAR, MUSCADE, BADIANE, PAPRIKA, CANNELLE, ANIS, MACIS.

All rooms are extremely well equipped, as you would expect. In fact the overall quality and presentation is o good that the standard of accommodation and hotel experience you receive is more like five-star!

No expense has been spared in ensuring absolute comfort, service, and ‘moody’ contemporary ambience for their guests.

The cost of staying at Château de Champlong for a night or week-end will not break the bank, either!

Rooms are very reasonably priced from 85€ per night.

For more information on Chateau de Champlong go to their website at www.chateau-de-champlong.com

Also, if you want an inspirational Gourmet Week-end, combining some of the best of the Roannais in the Rhône-Alpes, including Château de Champlong, then let Purefrancenow give you a very special, personal treat – visit Purefrancenow Gourmet Week-ends.

Purefrancenow also provide a personally tailored service for these, and other, week-end breaks, or stays during the week, so try us – you won’t regret it!

Costs, timescales, and type of break can be customised according to your individual requirements or special occasion, including golf, wine and cheese tasting, visits to medieval villages, or to cities like Lyon and Vichy.

Purefrancenow our now offering ‘Amazing Autumn Sensation’ 3-day breaks at ‘Le Cuvage’ (a beautifully converted wine-making barn), combined with a ‘gourmet dinner’ at Château de Champlong, and other ‘tailored’ activities in the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes.

This Autumn opportunity at ‘Le Cuvage’ is available for reservation now, September to November 2009 for couples or 4 to 6 persons. A 10% discount and champagne welcome is offered for early bookings!

Contact Brian Franklin, personally, at Purefrancenow for more information and a friendly, informal explanation on how it all works, on these and other opportunities in the Roannais: info@purefracenow.com

‘Yes, Chef!’ Magazine and ‘Le Central’ in the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes!

Yes, Chef! magazine has arrived in the Roannais, courtesy of Brian Franklin, Director of www.purefrancenow.com – the website dedicated to the promotion of the Roannais region in the Rhône-Alpes, famous for its local cuisine and quality of gastronomy.

This high quality, beautifully produced magazine, extolls the virtue of good product, good cuisine, and good cooking. It is a specialist publication directed at UK chefs and trade buyers who are looking for the best produce, and good ideas. As well as interesting perspectives on the restaurant trade and food industry in  general.

This month’s issue has the famous Raymond Blanc of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons on the front cover, and a double-page spread on how he and his wonderful restaurant is successfully coping with the current economic climate.

There are superb articles featuring different products and restaurants around the world.

One such editorial piece by Nicholas Landers covers his ‘five favourite restaurants’, from London, Venice and San Francisco, to Spain and France, which, coincidentally, included ‘Le Central’ one of several high quality restaurant establishments in the Roannais.

Purefrancenow was asked to provide exterior and interior photographs for the feature, so Brian Franklin, ever keen to promote the Roannais, promptly searched his image archives, and sent them.

Nicholas Landers in his article goes on to say about the restaurant ‘Le Central’, Roanne: ” This extraordinary bistro belongs to Michel Troisgros and is located next to his far better know three-star restaurant with rooms, called La Maison Troisgros.”

“But this is where his grandfather, father, and uncle began the transformation of French provincial cooking into something more appealing. Yet Le Central somehow still retains the charm of that bygone era.

It is small and intimate. The walls are covered in photos of all the food and wine suppliers who have contributed to the restaurants’ longevity. The menu is full not just of traditional French classics but also Michel’s modern take on them. And the prices are extremely reasonable. A slice of French history on a plate.”

For more information on ‘Le Central’ visit The Purefrancenow Roannais Restaurant Directory

Purefrancenow ‘Le Central’ Review’

For more on the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes visit www.purefrancenow.com and Inspirational Gourmet Weekends