Our Contributors Karen

Our Contributors Karen Booth-Burns is our queen of French cuisine. A freelance food and travel writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a passion for local, seasonal ingredients. She has an award winning blog and runs a seasonal cookery school in SW France: lavenderandlovage Carol Drinkwater is a multi award-winning actress who is best known for her portrayal of Helen Herriot in the BBC television series All Creatures Great and Small. She is the author of twenty-one books, both fiction and non-fiction, and has achieved bestselling status, over a million copies sold worldwide with her quartet of memoirs set on her olive farm in the south of France. Peter Jones is our regular columnist. A writer and photographer with a French mother and a Welsh father, he brings a fresh insight to the world of travel writing. He is a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines. www.jonesphotos.co.uk Dr Terry Marsh is a regular contributor to The Good Life France. He has written extensively for magazines and produced guidebooks for walkers in the French Pyrenees and the French Alps. He runs the France travel websites - francediscovered & lovefrenchfood Linda Matthieu is a regular contributor to The Good Life France. She's an American photographer living in France with her French husband. and is the Author of Secrets of a Paris Tour Guide. lindamathieu.com Duncan JD Smith is a historian and photographer. Since 2003 he has been exploring European cities and publishing his findings in the ground breaking ‘Only In’ Guides. Visit www.onlyinguides.com for more details. Editor: Janine Marsh Deputy Editor: Lucy Pitts Editorial Assistant: Sandra Davis Creative Designer: Mark Allen Technical Support: Umbrella Web Solutions

Page 32 Page 10 Above: Chateau Vaux-le- Vicomte; right above, cycling in Champagne in Autumn; right Jardin de Luxembourg, Paris Page 46 FEATURES 10 Chateau de Vaux-le- Vicomte A story of betrayal, passion and love at this magnificent castle. 18 A passion for France We chat to Carol Drinkwater about her favourite French things. 24 5 fabulous autumn visits With a vineyard theme - utterly glorious... 32 Secret part of Champagne The Haut-Marne department... 42 Saffron Spice and all things nice Susan Hunting meets a couple who grow saffron in France. 46 The Magic of Montparnasse Not as touristy as some Paris districts Duncan Smith says it has a lot to offer. 52 A long weekend in Auvergne Peter Jones visits the Volcanic region. 58 Mini break to Angers Terry Marsh finds a Loire Valley gem.