France – one of the most renowned and most visited destinations in the world, which attracts more than 80 million tourists from all over the world every single year! Here you can enjoy both admirable landmarks, such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Notrе-Dame cathedral and the Palace of Versailles, as well as true culinary, wine, fashion, perfume and beauty masterpieces. If you find yourself, unable to resist the magic of this lovely country, read on, as this month our rubric “Passport to…” is taking you right there!
The route of wine
Crème de la crème. The best of the best – this is what the French wine is about. Its millennial history and expertise have led to its impeccable reputation and undeniable international prestige. Apart from being well renowned for its varieties such as chardonnay, sаuvignon blanc, merlot, cabarnet sаuvignon and syrah, French winemaking is also recognized for its so-called “terroir”concept. According to it, wine is to reveal different characteristics, quality and taste relative to factors such as the climate of the region, the soil type, on which the vines are growing, the altitude of the vineyards and… the human factor! The production of authentic French wine is polished to the last detail with no compromise: from the vine harvest, through the vinification to the fermentation and the years of long aging… It is a mirror of the French themselves: balanced, delicate and paying special attention to the finer things in life. Gift yourself the bitter-sweet taste of the quality wine with this tasting of 5 wines and a 5-course meal, the wine experience in the Windy Hills mansion, this wine and SPA near Sandanski or this mysterious tour, which will walk you around beautiful Sofia and selected boutique cellars. And, because fine wine and romance go hand in hand, we are sending you on a two-day adventure for two among the endless vineyards of villa Yustina or the forests of Saccar and the symphonies of the crickets in Zaara Estate! In Sofia, you can indulge in a 7-course bohemian wine tasting with a personal sommelier…
In the footsteps of the Sun King
The Sun King – one of the most remarkable figures in the history of France, during the reign of whom the monarchy reached its absolute peak. He believed that the power of the king had a divine origin, so he built a majestic palace – a symbol of his unlimited potential and even more unlimited authority. This was how one of the biggest symbols of France was born – the Palace of Versailles! Splendor, magnificence, majesty and glory live on every step of its 63 000 square meters, where remarkable rooms were built. One of them is the Mirror gallery, decorated with 357 shining mirrors, golden statues and stunning chandeliers. An unknown author has written: “In the big gallery thousands of lights were lighted and they reflected in the mirrors on the walls as well as on the brilliants of the ladies and the gentlemen. It was as bright as a day. All was shining in beauty and majesty as if it was a dream or some enchanted kingdom”. From the inside, composed of 2300 rooms, through the marvelous gardens of the palace, to its very own gates, covered with 100 000 tiles of gold – everything in Versailles is simply this way – exquisite, fairy and as if unreal… Have a taste of the life of a true royalty by indulging in some royal experiences such as the secret trip, taking you back in time to take a sneak peek of the royal family archives, with the getaway in the romantic chateau-winery Chateau Copsa or with this royal menu for two in a magnificent garden under the sky!
The French paradox
One of the most distinctive things about the French is that they are unsurpassed gastronomes and absolute culinary virtuosos. Every region of France is known for its signature dishes with quite popular all over the world being the French onion soup, beef bourguignon, ratatouille, foie gras pate and the so-called “escargots” or the shocking for many tourists cooked snails, from which the average French consumes about 500 per year! Of course, it’s impossible not to mention the baguettes and the cheeses with over 1000 varieties! But, what is this “French paradox” all about? The traditional French diet includes regular consumption of high-fat cheese, cream, white bread and lots of carbs and fat overall. At the same time, in comparison to other nations, the French suffer from oncological and cardiovascular disease less often. The secret is actually in their parallel regular consumption of quality red wine, which consists of many antioxidants neutralizing this effect. And, this exactly is what creates the French paradox, which works in benefit of the French! Of course, they highly value food itself, they eat slowly, spend a lot of time around the table and consume more homemade dishes. Get closer to the art of the French cuisine with the culinary class for making pancakes and waffles, summer or easy French desserts for everyday. Or, you can indulge in a true gourmet dinner just like the French do with the five-course meal for two of chef Sevda Dimitrova!
See more: Passport to Japan: with food, zen buddhism, ikebana and beauty rituals and Passport to Brazil: for the carnival in Rio, a cup of nice coffee and a getaway in the Amazon rainforests.