The Weather. The Languedoc has a mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and rainy, wet winters. It annually receives 300 days of sunshine on average and in the months of July and August the temperature can reach 30 Celsius. The average annual temperature is 15 degrees. The area also can be quite windy, in the summer months The Tramontane comes from the north west and brings a cooling influence in the hot summer months. For many early autumn is a great time to visit the region with clear blue skies and warm temperatures.
The History. The Languedoc region is steeped in history, from the Roman amphitheatre and Tour Magne in Nimes, the Pont du Gard to the medieval city of Carcassonne you won’t feel short changed. There is much do see, do and admire. The region also has its own language, Occitan, however you are unlikely to hear in spoken in everyday use.
The Wine. Vines have been grown here for over two thousand years and the Languedoc is the largest wine growing region in the world with over 245,ooo hectares of vines spread over 36 appellations. In total the production of wine annually is in the region of 1.2 billion litres. In the past the Languedoc was seen as producing large volumes of ordinary wines for the mass market in France but this has changed in the last twenty years or so. New growers have been attracted here, driven partly by the cheaper land prices than in other wine growing regions and by the opportunities to experiment and be innovative. The first organic vineyards were in the Languedoc region. The result is that wines of the region offer great value for money and are well worth investigating.
The Landscape. Much of the region has a wild, natural beauty with small, beautiful villages and stunning views. There is also 200km of coastline with sandy beaches and the welcome cooling waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Away from the autoroutes driving is a pleasure as the roads are relatively quiet and are in good order. There are many stunning drives to be undertaken taking in hill villages and getting you right to the heart of the region and discovering its culture.
The Canal du Midi. Opened as long ago as 1681 and given its current name 100 years later it stretches 150 miles from Toulouse to the Mediterranean Sea. Originally built to carry freight, principally wheat and wine, it today is used for recreation and tourism and is one of the great wonders of France. Boats can be rented for holidays on the water or bikes can be hired to cycle alongside the canal. The banks of the canal are also very pleasant for walking with trees giving shade from the hot summer sun.
Dale Chihuly is an American sculptor known for his large scale glass installations. His work can be seen in museums around the world and his current exhibition, entitled Reflections on Nature, can be found in the grounds of Kew Gardens until the 27th of October. There are twelve locations around the gardens where his work can be seen and a map provided along with entrance to the gardens gives you a route to follow to ensure that you don’t miss anything.
The sculptures are a perfect complement to the formal structure of the gardens, adding colour, contrast and a sense of scale. The first sculpture on the trail, just to the left of the entrance gate, is Sapphire Star, it gives a real idea of what is to come. The intensity of colour in the blown glass is amazing.
The second location features smaller pieces inside the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. Once again it is the colour that strikes you immediately and the lighting in the gallery has been set to ensure they show at their best.
The Lime Crystal Tower is almost camouflaged against the surrounding vegetation.
The beauty of the placements of many the sculptures is that you don’t really see then until you are almost on them so well have they been blended in to the landscape.
The Temperate House at Kew is one of the most iconic and popular places to visit. Opened in 1862 it is Grade 1 listed and has recently undergone a major renovation. Chihuly has placed several pieces in here including Persian Column which is suspended from the roof and was specially created for this exhibition.
Just outside the Temperate House on either side of the central entrance are two Opal and Amber Towers.
Cherry Walk leads from the Temperate House to King William’s Temple. Here Chihuly has placed Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds. The grass has been allowed to flower here with no mowing giving height from which the blown glass emerges. it is a wonderful explosion of colour against the flower heads.
The area below King William’s Temple is perhaps one of my favourite sections of the exhibition. The setting is perfect and the choice of colour stunning.
While some of the pieces emerge from the surrounding vegetation others are statement, stand alone pieces that are almost in complete contrast to their surroundings. This is perhaps best illustrated by the Scarlet and Yellow Icicle Tower.
From the tower a short walk through the Rose Garden brings you to the Water Lily House. Red Reeds can be found outside, growing straight and tall and in such a vibrant red colour.
Inside the Water Lily House is another of the absolutely stunning installations entitled Ethereal White Persian Pond. Numbers entering are controlled so that it doesn’t get over crowded, giving you space to move around and enjoy the work from a variety of different viewpoints. I took so many photographs here I could probably do a post on this area alone.
Paintbrushes are a fantastic impact piece with sharp contrast between the red and green.
Finally Summer Sun can be found in front of the Palm House on the edge of the lake. Reminiscent of a setting sun it is a perfect end to what is a wonderful trail through these beautiful gardens.
Kew Gardens open at 10am every day however closing times do vary a little so it is worth checking if you prefer entry later in the day. I arrived shortly after 10 and the queue to get in was very short and the gardens themselves very quiet. By the time I left three hours later it was considerably busier and the queue stretched out and along the main road. That said it was a Saturday and the weather very pleasantly warm. If you visit mid week outside school holidays you may well find it quieter.
Kew Gardens are perhaps best reached from central London by taking the Richmond branch of the District Line. It is only a short 5 minute walk from Kew Gardens station down Lichfield Road to the Victoria Gate entrance.
Covent Garden ranks among the top tourist destinations in London. It actually covers quite a large area but many visitors don’t ever go far beyond the famous piazza. Once the home of a fruit, vegetable and flower market the square is now bustling with shops, bars, restaurants and street performers. It can get very busy, especially at weekends, so not surprisingly the best time to visit if you don’t like the crowds is early morning while most people are still tucking in to the hotel buffet breakfast. This gives the best opportunity to savour the area and its buildings which include the Royal Opera House and St Pauls Church which is also known locally as the Actors Church.
Beyond the piazza there is so much more to enjoy, especially in the narrow streets in and around Seven Dials. It is such a lovely area to wander around with its eclectic mix of independent retailers, restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Here are some of my personal favourites in and around the Covent Garden area.
Monmouth Coffee (27 Monmouth Street). An institution in Seven Dials having opened as long ago as 1978 when they roasted beans in the basement and brewed coffee in the shop above. The roasting is now undertaken elsewhere but the coffee in the shop remains as good as ever. They take pride here in sourcing coffee from small independent growers around the world so there is always something new on offer. The only downside is that the shop is small with only a limited amount of seating but the coffee is so good no one really minds.
Neals Yard Dairy ( 17 Short’s Gardens). London has some great cheese shops and this is one of them. Specialising in mainly British and Irish cheeses it is a great place to come if you want to discover more about local products. They also offer courses but for those you will have to travel to their other outlet in Borough Market.
The Cross Keys (31 Endell Street). The demise of the great British pub has been well documented in recent years. If you want to a see an example of why they should be wholeheartedly supported and preserved look no further than the Cross Keys. The exterior is enticing enough in itself with its lush vegetation and floral hanging baskets. You could almost be excused for not being able to locate the door. Inside it has real character with plenty of pictures, instruments, mirrors and bric a brac. A real feast for the eyes. The beer is pretty good too.
10 Cases (16 Endell Street). Restaurant, shop, wine bar, there is something for everyone here. For me though its all about the wine. Not content to serve the same wines all the time the philosophy here is one variety and exploration. The wines change frequently, are always excellent and prices are reasonable compared to many similar establishments in central London. It does get quite busy as people leave work so getting in can sometimes be a challenge but it is well worth it.
Hawksmoor (11 Langley Street). Located in there basement of the former Watney-Combe brewery this is probably my favourite steak restaurant in the capital and is one that I return to time and again. Prices are not cheap but the quality is high and the cocktails excellent. They also have a very reasonable, if limited, pre and post theatre menu. Always advisable to book ahead here.
Stanfords (7 Mercer Walk). A presence in Covent Garden since 1853, and having recently moved from premises on Long Acre to its current location, this is the number one place for travellers. They have an incredible selection of travel, guides and maps downstairs that you will never be stuck for ideas for where your next destination should be. I love it in here and they also serve a nice line in coffee if you feel you need a little caffeine to help with the browsing and decision making.
Margot (45 Great Queen Street). I went here for an early dinner one evening recently and was very impressed. From the minute you walk in the door the welcome and service are excellent. This is a restaurant that I know I shall be visiting again. The Italian menu has such a good range of dishes that I found making a choice difficult, in the end I went with pasta and wasn’t disappointed as it was perfectly cooked. The wine list offers a good range of wines by the glass.
Rules (34-35 Maiden Lane). Rules can lay claim to be London’s oldest restaurant dating back to 1798. It specialises in traditional British food including a good selection of game. Upstairs is the cocktail bar which to me is one of London’s hidden gems. Unquestionably traditional it is a great place to start an evening even if not eating in the restaurant. The cocktails are wonderful and prepared and presented as they should be. Not cheap but well worth if for a special treat.
Polpo (6 Maiden Lane). Following a delightful negroni at Rules head across the street to Polpo for a selection of Venetian small plates of well crafted Italian food. The atmosphere here is casual, relaxed and informal and the food is always good and the bill won’t break the bank.
Champagne + Fromage (22 Wellington Street). An excellent selection of grower champagnes together with a menu that includes cheese and charcuterie boards, salads and baked cheeses. Buy by the glass or bottle you can’t go wrong here if you are a fan of champagne and who isn’t?