Festive Fall Fun

Festive Fall Fun There’s a ton of fun to be had in the fall in France with festivals galore in every region. Here we share three of our favourite autumn events. La Flamme de l’Armagnac Gers Flaming fun at an alambic party at the Chateau de Millet, Gers It’s party time in the Gers in late autumn thanks to Armagnac, the most ancient French eau-de-vie. It’s produced in the Gers department, AKA Gascony, and is at least 700 years old. Armagnac is made in the heart of Gascony in three territories - each with different soils and terroir: Bas-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Haut-Armagnac. Together they form 16,000 hectares of vines. White, red and rosé wine are produced as well as Floc de Gascogne (a mix of Armagnac and grape juice, and a popular aperitif) and Pousse Rapière, an orange flavoured armagnac liqueur (mix with sparkling wine for a Gascon cocktail). White wine is double distilled to create armagnac, and the process starts with the heating of the grape juice. Big companies and cooperatives have their own distilleries, but the small producers hire a still known as an alambic Armagnaçaise. The stills are mobile devices, made of copper and heated by wood. They have an air of steam punk to them, looking like a rather eccentric steam engine, and many are more than 100 years old. They’re towed around the countryside stopping off at the domains of the producers where they’re operated by experts who work their magic through the days and nights, sometimes for several weeks at a time. It’s a long and lonely process which relies on the operator keeping the temperature constant, monitoring the flow of wine and the heat of the boiler. An Alambic still in action And since the French need little excuse to party, the Flamme de l’Armagnac (the flame of Armagnac, which refers to the furnace that roars in the still) runs from late October until February with exhibitions, cellar tours, open days, parades, farm markets and cultural events. A small number of cellars open up to the public to witness the distillation at an “Alambic Party” - the majority of which take place in November and December. Tickets sell out fast - the events are well known within France but hardly heard of outside of it. The lucky partygoers can expect music, dancing, seriously good food (this is a gastronomic region with a passion for the finer things in life), and a taste of the first eau de vie as it gently dribbles from the still, known as Blanche Armagnac - takes your breath away. Expect an exuberant atmosphere at an alambic party, and to make new friends in a short time whether you speak French or not. tourisme-gers.com Gascon apple pie and local wines at an alambic party 46 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 47