The Good Life France Magazine




The Good Life France Magazine brings you the best of France - inspirational and exclusive features, fabulous photos, mouth-watering recipes, tips, guides, ideas and much more...


Published by the award winning team at The Good Life France

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SUMMER 2026

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  • France
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  • French culture
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Brimming with brilliant features and beautiful photos - bursting with inspiring, entertaining and informative guides from sun-kissed, pickled-in-the-past villages and dazzling historic cities, plus articles about French history, heritage and culture from royal feasts to to the Roman Pont du Gard in Provence. Discover Paris, Provence, Saint Paul-de-Vence and more picture perfect Provence villages, the Loire Valley, the sun-kissed Var in southern france and Le Cannet, the arty town above Cannes, Brittany, Normandy and lesser known, but utterly beautiful, treasures in Burgundy, southern France, Vienne, cities that are perfect for a car-free break, stunning seaside towns and many more dazzling destinations. Plus mouth-watering recipes, history, culture, heritage and much, much more. Bringing France to you - wherever you are.

Chateau de Monbazillac

Chateau de Monbazillac © Gillian Thornton Not far from Bridoire in the hamlet of St- Julien-d’Eymet, at the Domaine Albert de Conti I chat to Guillaume de Conti, a thirdgeneration vineyard owner and prime example of young winemakers promoting local wine tourism. Alongside his bestselling organic wines such as the white AOP Bergerac Sec, Cuvée des Contés, Guillaume is also trying new vintages such as Mondeuse. A bright spacious building on two floors adjacent to Guillaume’s wine-making facilities is open for individual tastings and sales. Next I head to Chateau Monbazillac, which stands on a ridge overlooking the Dordogne valley, just 10 minutes from Bergerac. The world’s largest producer of dessert wines, the late-16 th century castle combines two architectural styles with a Medieval dry moat and corner towers, but with the large windows and interior layout of the Renaissance period. Explore the visitor centre, castle rooms and grounds at your own pace with a comprehensive leaflet in English, starting with a multi-media exhibition on the history and characteristics of the wine. Around 40 winegrowers run Château de Monbazillac as a co-operative, all charged with preserving and maintaining the domaine and its strict methods of production. Early morning humidity from the river followed by afternoon sunshine encourages the growth of a mushroom that sucks moisture from the grapes, thus increasing the sugar content. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand at intervals to ensure that each one is picked in peak condition. © Pays de Bergerac Visits finish with a tasting of one to three wines - it’s a fascinating opportunity to compare how different climatic conditions affect the colour, taste and degree of alcohol year on year. After something exceptional for your next dinner party? Look out for Monbazillac 2015 or 2025. Dessert wines can be drunk at any time I am reliably informed, so after a small glass as my aperitif, I head off for lunch with a view at the nearby Bistrot de Malfourat. My balcony table looks out over the vineyards to the rooftops of Bergerac and the distant airport runway. The perfect spot to relax before I continue my adventures in Dordogne-Périgord. Fly into Bergerac Airport from the UK from a choice of 8 regional airports. For discounted deals on UK airport parking, hotels, lounges and transfers, visit Holiday Extras. Tourist information: Dordogne- Périgord Tourism In the heart of Bergerac, Hotel de France has 20 modern bedrooms plus courtyard garden and outdoor pool. For leisure facilities and regional cooking in the nearby countryside, try Le Tropicana at Douville. Or book a B&B or gîte vineyard stay at wine-making Château Masburel in the heart of the Bergerac vineyards in Fougueyrolles, a 30 minute drive from Bergerac town. Refined dining at Signature in the centre of Bergerac, and bistronomique fare at Le Bistrot de Malfourat in Monbazillac. 34 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 35

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