In the heart of the Roanais, Rhône-Alpes, Chateau de Champlong is a great place for a special birthday or anniversary dinner.

And no more so than when I was celebrating my 60th birthday there at the beginning of October. I was even given my own birthday desert!!

Great fun !

For any special occasion , whether personal or business, Olivier and Veronique Boizet have created a great environment with excellent cuisine.

There is much to admire at the 15th century Chateau de Champlong, set in a tranquil garden paradise in the heart of the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes. Our complimentary expletives can only do it limited justice! A superb, stylishly presented establishment, run by a wonderful married couple – Olivier Boizet, ‘chef de cuisine’, and his wife, Veronique, mâitre d’hôtel.

Original, quality cuisine served with exceptional panache.

Just has to be visited !

Purefrancenow Roannais Directory – Chateau de Champlong. Plus special Reviews !!

www.purefrancenow.com

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The Painter’s House in the Roannais !

Our friend, Jean-Marc Dublé opened his new Atelier (Studio) at his home in Pradines, Roannais, this September.

An evening soirée for over fifty people was organised by him, and his close friends Jacques and Pierrette.

The new studio has been beautifully designed by a talented Swedish architect, and built by a local artisan craftsman.

A superb contemporary building with special exterior styling in wood, complete with large aluminium windows, and its own decked terrace, is impressive.

Jean-Marc has  been an artist, creator, and ‘bon vivant’ for sometime, and now he is retired from his day job he has an incredible opportunity to pursue his art with more vigour, and deservedly so !

This new studio will certainly help him concentrate on more works of art.

The evening party was an enormous success. Congratulations to all, and thanks for inviting us – it was a real pleasure.

We wish him well for the future, and look forward to seeing his new creations in due course. Maybe we’ll buy some !

The Pure Art Gallery

www.purefrancenow.com

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In our own ancient village of Perreux this year during one special day in May all the different age group categories enjoyed the ‘Fête de Classes’ with individual floats, themed to each age.

The carnival atmosphere was tremendous, along with a very hot, blue sky, sunny day. It was great fun!

This year our own son, Ellis, who was born in the Millenium year 2000 celebrated his tenth year with friends. Their themed dress and float was based on astronauts complete with rocket. In fact, I should certainly have done it myself this year, as I was born in 1950, and will be 60 this year (however, I try not to remind myself too much about the passing year’s !!)

It is a time of celebration and fun, but one also of merriment, dancing, drinking, and eating. A truly exceptional day.

I enjoyed myself, too, along with my wife, Lucy, and some of our good French friends.

I can honestly say it was a magical day for all of us, especially Ellis. And several perfectly grilled Merguez sausages were eaten, washed down with some excellently chilled lager!

www.purefrancenow.com

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Developed over the years from the 19th century when on one particular night people commemorated the Virgin Mary by lighting candles in their windows.

The modern four-day event sees millions throng the streets to see marvellously illuminated buildings and an array of multi-media effects. Simply, awesome!

Visit the superb picture show of Lyon’s Féte des Lumiéres featured on the BBC’s dedicated website now. It’s not like being there, but the photos are amazing.

Also visit Purefrancenow’s visual coverage of last year’s event The Bright Lights of Lyon

Lyon’s Festival of Lights

www.purefrancenow.com

An exceptional evening of fun, excellent food, good friends, and entertainment. All laid on free and gratis by the owners Francis Kuchenbuch and Jean-Louis Clot. Over 400 guests were invited for this great evening of celebration – it was a packed house! Champagne flowed and a local rock band played into the night. A great bash!

Many thanks, Francis and Jean-Louis, and all at Clemenceau!

Brasserie Clemenceau is brilliantly situated in the beautiful setting of Place de Clemenceau, near the original Roanne chateau (now partly occupied by the Roanne and Roannais Tourist offices). It is exceedingly welcoming, and suitable for either individuals wanting a quite coffeee or beer, business men having lunch, holidaymakers,or local French families.

It is contemporary and professionally presented with a great front-of-house terrace. Superb for relaxing in the warm Roannais sunshine.

Great, simple, good value-for-money, ‘plat du jour’ served efficiently and quickly. Also with a semi- sports bar ‘feel’ – TV, pool table, wi-fi connection.

A successful mixture to suit a wide audience, very well! Go there!

Purefrancenow Roannais Directory

www.purefrancenow.com

The annual event of ‘Table Ouverte’ (Open Table), held throughout the month of October, was well and truly inaugurated on Monday 5th October, 2009 with the first evening ‘Soiree’.

Demonstrations and offerings of impeccable ‘tasting’ dishes and ‘Mise en Bouche’ were given by all the different food and wine businesses, celebrating the fantastic reputation of the Roannais’s well-reputed gastronomy.

Over 1000 visitors were recorded – eager to sample the best of the Roannais!

Top quality local businesses were, as usual, well represented, including Cheese from Maison Mons, creative delicacies from Chateau de Champlong, wines from the Cote Roannaise, chocolate and patisserie from Pralus, along with a whole range of other food tastings from many other quality producers and sellers.

A perfect evening of gastronomic indulgence!

www.purefrancenow.com

Roanne Table Ouverte

Exceptional Gourmet Week-ends in the Roannais!

Food and Drink in the Roannais

Purefrancenow Roannais Directory

We thank all our friends, business partners and associates who have enjoyed a very successful year with us in 2008. All your support and help throughout the year has been much appreciated, and we look forward to 2009 with hope and excitement for an especially pleasurable and successful time for us all.

Purefrancenow has had a particularly remarkable 2008, with many new developments and improvements on our dedicated website which promotes the wonderful Roannais region in the Rhône-Alpes.

We have many new business partners joining us on our website to promote their different businesses, whether, restaurant, hotel, food and wine producers, or other services. Purefrancenow has benefited from their support and presence on our special website, and they, in turn, have increased their exposure and their presentation to a wider regional and international audience.

We hope this will increase in 2009, and create more opportunities for business.

SOME INTERESTING PUREFRANCENOW 2008 STATISTICS !

● Over 50,000 individual page visits to www.purefrancenow.com were recorded during 2008.

● 60% were from the UK and USA, 40% were from France and other parts of Europe.

● 75% of the UK visits were from London, and 75% of the France visits were from Paris and Lyon.

● There are over 500 different ‘active’ page presentations on the Purefrancenow website.

● We have currently around 200 pages of editorial, news, and reviews which appear on our website, and this is growing weekly.

● Our blog, news, and reviews stories regularly feature on the first pages of major search engines like google and yahoo.

● Advertising, promotion, and linked websites in the UK and Europe for www.purefrancenow.com create over 2 million potential site visit opportunities.

● Targeted mailing, literature, and promotion to businesses throughout the Roannais region encourages more local and regional interest in the Purefrancenow website.

● In November 2008 Purefrancenow established a ‘Bureau de Liaison’ in the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes, for all regional communications, promotion, and organisation related to all Purefrancenow activities offered via the dedicated website.

● As well as a full-fledged member of the ‘Manchester Chamber of Commerce’ in England, Purefrancenow is also a certified member of ‘Roanne Chambre de Commerce et Industrie’ in France.

● Purefrancenow has the support of specialist creative and technical teams, based in the UK. Our experienced website technicians are based in Manchester, and provide reliable day-to-day services. www.virtuaffinity.com

● Purefrancenow has also established links with several partner businesses which are available for any aspect of our dedicated event management opportunities, including our ‘gourmet week-ends’, holidays, ‘escape days’, private and business celebration events.

So, Purefrancenow has been exceedingly busy in 2008 developing its website and communication and promotional strategies in order to increase and maximise the impact and effectiveness of all its services and website offerances.

There will be more in 2009!

We are determined that our successful achievements in 2008 will be mirrored by the same level of success and development in 2009. www.purefrancenow.com

Since 1852 the residents of Lyon have celebrated the anniversary of the unveiling of a gold-leafed, bronze statue of the Virgin Mary on the Fourviere hillside overlooking Lyon.

On average, Lyon’s ‘Fête des Lumieres’ event means that Lyon welcomes over 4 million visitors during 4 days of eventful celebrations. Visitors, both local and international, all come to view the 80, or so, different light projects that are staged throughout the city.

Around 8 million small candles are also sold in Greater Lyon, and surrounding towns, to be placed on window ledges at dusk on the 8th December as a ‘thank you’ to the Virgin Mary (or Saint Marie, as she is known in France.)

This delightful tradition was a surprise to me the day before we visited Lyon for the event. When I picked up Ellis from his village school in Perreux, Roannais, all the children came out carrying lit candles that they then placed on the window ledges around the school – so sweet!

Anyway, back to Lyon!

For the very first time we visited Lyon’s Fête des Lumieres this year. We were a little apprehensive, wondering just how busy the Lyon was going to be, and where on earth we would park.

We arrived early afternoon on the Saturday – Day 2 of the event – and were pleased to drive into Lyon without much of a problem, and we eventually ended up parking at ‘Perrache’, Lyon’s main railway station. We walked into Lyon centre.

As dusk fell the light show began, and this grand city was illuminated. We wandered from one venue to another (albeit very slowly due to the vast numbers of people.) The atmosphere was magical!

Whilst at one time the buildings would have been lit up fairly simply, with advancing technology this has now meant that incredibly spectacular , colourful, and animated displays illuminate the great facades of the churches and various historical and important buildings.

Music and commentary is piped through loudspeakers, helping to create the overall atmosphere – from choirs singing outside the cathedral Saint Jean-Baptiste in Vieux-Lyon (Old Lyon), to the fantastic and elaborate children’s story told and animated at the Hotel de Ville.

Of course, the streets are decorated for christmas and this adds to the festive cheer, along with the annual ‘Big Wheel’ that graces La Bellecour, and the traditional Swiss market that fills the square near Perrache station.

Both of which are well worth a visit – though I did leave it to my husband, Brian and son, Ellis, to test the wheel which was 60 metres high with open carriages and no strapping-in! Definitely not for me!

Although we only managed to visit 7, or so, of the special light shows we really felt that we had got a true flavour of the whole event. We had certainly walked far enough, and had been in Lyon for over 7 hours!

Lyon, as a truly international and cosmopolitan city, does France proud with this spectacle. Whilst showing off the beautiful architecture of its many historical buildings in an imaginative and technologically brilliant way, it does not forget the fundamental religious historical basis, and true meaning, of its Fête de Lumiere.

We will certainly be back next year to soak up this pre-Christmas festival, and marvel at the night-time beauty of one of our favourite cities!

Some Interesting Facts!

Following the wishes of the Lyon magistrates in 1643, to mark the end of the plague, the 8th September was chosen as a festival to celebrate the event.

This date was also then chosen to inaugurate the grand bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, placed on the new dome of the steeple that dominates the city.

This statue, measuring 5.6 metres in height, was a commission of the sculptor, Fabisch, who in 1863 was to make the statue of the ‘Immaculate Conception’ at the grotto in Lourdes.

For more information on Lyon, the Rhone-Alpes, and the Roannais visit our dedicated website: www.purefrancenow.com

This includes exclusive wedding receptions, anniversaries, special celebrations, business or club parties, gourmet week-ends, and inspirational luxury breaks throughout the region.

All tailor-made to suit the occasion, the budget, and any special individual requirements.

Purefrancenow can also combine any occasion or event with various sport or leisure activities, and visits to the regions finest cities, such as Lyon, Vichy, and Annecy.

This includes brilliant overnight stays in top quality hotels, and chateaux. Plus dining out in famous 3-Michelin starred restaurants, and experiencing incredible gastronomic delights in many other regional eateries of high local reputation.

The pure magic of the Rhone-Alpes, and the Côte Roannaise in particular, and all it has to offer, is simply amazing.

After explaining your requirements and particular interests, let Purefrancenow organise a special itinerary for you, including all accommodation and travel arrangements in France.

 An unforgettable time will be had by all!

For example, let Purefrancenow take some of the strain, but give you all of the pleasure of a superbly organised private event at the 15th century Chateau de Champlong in the beautiful Côte Roannaise.

Or, alternatively, come and experience the opportunity of a little 'taste' of grand luxury and exquisite cuisine on one of our introductory special ' 'Luxury week-ends' or 'Luxury 3-day breaks'.

Enjoy the wonderful Chateau de Champlong, the gardens, golf, and exceptional cuisine.

But, much, much more…

The delights of the Côte Roannaise are on your doorstep. This is France's most renowned gastronomic region with exquisite cuisine, fine wines, and wonderful hospitality. Beautiful countryside, vineyards, medieval villages, and the wonders of the river La Loire.

So, Purefrancenow will develop your private celebation party or themed reception, for either individuals, club, or business. Purefrancenow will liaise closely with you to ensure that your special day or week-end is a perfect success.

For more details on all Purefrancenow Services visit www.purefrancenow.com  Or to make an enquiry send an e-mail to info@purefrancenow.com