Part 2 of the Tauck River Cruising Rhone Experience

1. Saturday June 3, 2017 39The Herald Magazine
STYLE AND SUBSTANCE
This bijou village pub in Egerton, near
Ashford, has been refurbished by husband-
and-wife team Sarah and Dane Allchorne,
and reopened in September 2016. The
interior is modern but the timber frame
ensures a traditional charm remains.
There’s a bar – housing a decent
collection of board games – a separate
dining room and a more casual area best
suited for enjoying morning coffee.
SLEEPING MATTERS
Upstairs are three bedrooms, named after
different types of barrows (burial sites) –
Bowl, Bell and Disk. Bowl offers guests a
large bed and an en suite with a bath and
rainfall shower. The room has superb views
of the countryside and offers a quiet setting
for anyone needing to unwind. Many
touches demonstrate the owners’ attention
to detail, such as locally-sourced toiletries.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The menu is modern British and makes the
most of seasonal produce from the local
area. Nothing is too complicated, and many
of the options, such as bangers and mash
or ham, egg and chips, are synonymous
with home cooking. But here they are
given the premium treatment, such as a
bespoke sausage recipe developed with
a nearby butcher.
NICE TOUCH
Above the fireplace are the signatures of US
and Canadian airmen who drank at the pub
during the Second World War. It is a listed
feature and adds to the character of
the venue.
ABOUT THE AREA
Egerton is around nine miles from Ashford
and is one of many picturesque villages in
the area. It’s an ideal base for exploring
various National Trust properties, such as
Bodiam Castle, and Chapel Down vineyard.
Doubles from £80. Visit thebarrowhouse.
co.uk or call 01233 756599
BY NEIL LANCEFIELD
THE BARROW HOUSE
KENT
had a game of boules with the locals in the
village club, which delights in the name
Fanny Petanque. OK. I confess, the two
Aussie couples, English couple and yes, my
husband and I did revert to Primary 7 for a
few titters which rose to outright laughter
when the losing team had to kiss the bronze
statue of Fanny, who is illustrated pulling
up her skirt and showing her ample derriere
to all and sundry.
Moving on, Arles, filled with Roman ruins
and sites immortalised by van Gogh, came
next, with the afternoon spent at a private
ranch in La Camargue for a banquet of
farm-grown Provencal specialties, a musical
serenade, a chance to see the region’s
iconic white horses and a demonstration by
fleet-footed “gardians” (cowboys) and the
famous black bulls they raise here.
If this sounds like touristy, cheesy tack,
you’d be mistaken. In common with many
of the excursions, this is exclusively for
Tauck guests so there were no crowds, no
queues and no compulsory souvenir stalls.
When in Arles the next logical stop has
got to be Avignon, and so it was for us. As
we sailed in at night under the stars an
accordionist popped up on deck, as if from
nowhere, complete with stripy top and
beret. And – bien sur – he sang the obvious
song as we reached the eponymous bridge.
The Pope’s Palace, the destination of
choice for the Pontiffs in the 14th century,
is yet another highlight, and while you’re
still getting your head around that, you’re
off to the Pont du Gard – a Roman
aqueduct over the River Gardon that is now
a Unesco World Heritage Site.
This part of southern France is one treat
after another, but if this all sounds utterly
exhausting, the remarkable thing was
that it actually wasn’t. They have giving
you free time down to a fine art, allowing
opportunities for lazy lunches and plenty of
refreshment stops (by which I mean drink
stops not, as our American travellers might
say, “comfort breaks”).
Next day, after cultural overload it was
back to liver overload as we headed for
Roussillon and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Roussillon is famed for its ochre cliffs
and purple lavender hills, all backed by
pine forest. Chateauneuf-du-Pape, on the
other hand, is famous for the obvious –
spectacular wine, thanks to more than
200 days of sunshine per year. Yet another
tasting ensued before requiring some
serious siesta time as the boat glided
along to Tournon-sur-Rhone and
Tain-l’Hermitage.
T
HIS was the final day and it
didn’t disappoint. The twin
medieval towns are divided
by the river and set in lush
vineyards. We were in luck
because the Onion Festival was taking
place and Tournon was buzzing with one
of the largest markets I’ve ever seen. With
everything from tractors and roof tiles to
live rabbits and every kind of fresh produce,
it was a wonderful experience, and the
perfect place to stock up on fromages and
saucisson to take home.
The last hurrah was a cookery class and
cheese and wine pairing at Anne-Sophie
Pic’s Cookery School. A native of Valence,
Pic is one of only four female chefs in the
world to attain three Michelin stars. It was
everything you could hope for, and the gift
shop proved a goldmine for nifty why-didn’t-
I-invent-that kitchen equipment. The only
thing that ruined it for me was my husband
– who hasn’t cooked a decent meal in his
life – winning the class prize for his effort at
a tomato chutney. Oh well, least he won a
lovely chef’s apron. Trouble is, I reckon I’ll
be the one using it, comme toujours …
Tauck River Cruises’ A Taste of France tours
start at £3705. Visit tauck.co.uk or call
0800 810 8020
CHECKOUT
The whole
experience
could be
likened to
a floating
country
house
party with
excellent
food