Sunday, October 26, 1997 — North Shore News — 35 We'll Get You Cruising and you'll love it! 64 Day World Cruise from Rome to San Francisco on beard the island Princess Outside Deluxe Cabin © from 21,359 Onty 2 cabins left - Book now!l! OS. PRINCESS CRUISES * Air Add on $765 yvr. Please call ervises)ipcenters.. 1823 Capilano Road 985-7447 Portugal affordable winter breaks Photo submitted THE 16th century monastery of Brou in Sourg-En-Bresse was ransacked after the French Revolution and parts of it used as a pigsty and lunatic asylum. The gothic masterpiece was built by the daughter of the _ Austrian emperor as a tribute to her husband, who died at the age of 24. Off the beaten path in = the south of France ry INCLUDES: * Airfare from Vancouver « Algarve apartment stay ° Overnight in Amsterdam ¢ Transfers ¢ And more! i 11 nights from ($1,399 Bex, deeconeesovenenetessenessesescesscseneeeeseccs = uated at the confluence of the VONNAS, FRANCE — YOU won’t find this little town too casily without a good map of France, but those who abandon the mad dash of the autoroute rough- ly halfway between Paris and St Tropez usually know exactly where they are going. What I did was catch the Air Canada non-stop from Vancouver to Paris, which allowed plenty of time to pick up a car and drive to Dijon, mustard capital of France and former seat of the Dukes of Burgundy — the dynasty founded by Philip the Good in 1364. Dijon, incidentally, is a popular place to board a peniche, or hotel barge. But while a peniche takes a week to trundle a few miles, and what a wonderful cruise it is, travellers by car can experience Dijon to the cui- sine capital of Lyon in a day or two and get a taste of the best of France, its food, wine and history. Just south of Dijon, for example, are the golden slapes of Burgundy, since the Revolution broken into hun- dreds of vineyards clustered around hamlets with names that bring a surge of exhilara- tion as the road signs appear. There’s Gevrey-Chambertin and Vougeot, the latter with vineyards planted in 1098. The 125 acres have 66 own- ers, and judging by the num- ber of Mercedes dealers around here nobody is com- plaining. Then Beaune with its his- toric caves, where you can taste by candlelight. Stay on the narrow roads and there’s Pommard, Mersault and Mercurey, and for me a good lunch with a personal favorite, Volnay. The Maconnais vineyards with their white burgundies are farther to the south, as is the picasant market town of Macon on the Soane, entered via a restored 14th century bridge. It’s worth making a short detour to Solutre, a village nestling under a soaring cliff which used to be climbed by Mitterand every year. Alphonse de Lamartine, the 19th century polirician and poet, was born here. Now go cast over the autoroute to Bourg-en- Bresse and the ]6th century monastery of Brou, a gothic masterpiece built by the daughter of the Austrian emperor in memory of her husband, a Duke of Savoy who died at 24. Although the monastery was ransacked after the Revolution and parts of it used as a pigsty and lunatic asvlum, there is much to admire in this extraordinary building with its white marble tombs. Bourg-en-Bresse, where a marker has been held every Wednesday since 1758, has surviving 15th century wood- en houses and a square where armored knights on horse- back practised tilting. The Bresse countryside is home to the poultry of the same name, the only one in the world with a controlled appellation d’origine like fine wines. What better place to try the perfect chicken in a cream sauce than Georges Blane’s three- Michelin star restaurant at Vonnas, like Pau! Bocuse’s at nearby Lyon a temple of good living. A meal and a bed here will break the bank but make this your splurge of the summer. The frogs’ legs are also a local specialty, unlike the cheap imports hopping on to plates in Paris these days, rather the real thing from the nearby Dombes, a huge area of lakes teeming with water- fowl, fish and frogs. The French delight in using every part of an animal so keep a look out for pigs’ trotters or savoury grattons, browned particles of pork or goose fat on toast. Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne, a flower-filled town not far to the south, makes a fine hase for exploring Beaujolais, The narrow, hilly roads of Beaujolais bring more vine- yards and magic names ike Brouilly, Fleurie, Mergon and Pouilly-Fuisse. 1 had anorher superb lunch of coq-au-vin and Chiroubles, the fruity friend [ discovered on my first peniche outing 25 years ago. Finally, Lyon, second citv of France and majestically sit- Soane and the Rhone. Here you can rejoin the autoroute and be at St Tropez or Nice in a few hours, after which the best thing to do is drop off the car and zip back to Paris on the TGV express train. Best time to go is spring, or fall. Air Canada operates the non-stop to Paris cill the end of September, bur if you want to stay longer you could take the Eurostar under the channel to London and fly back from London. PARK ROYAL NORTH’ / | West Vanhcou Leg 268-565 $77.1 million is spent each year on personal air travel und package tours by the North Shore residents. 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