|
Venessa
Alexander
I found myself in
the tourism industry quite by accident but now I am
here, there really is nowhere I would rather be. Having
studied languages at A Level, I had no clue what to
do afterwards until I heard that the first ever Tourism
Studies degree course was being launched in Bournemouth.
The location and the course sounded like they would
go quite well together and with visions of long afternoons
spent on the beach (in my dreams) I found myself on
a four year degree course. I never did use my languages
but the course did catapult me into a fantastic industry
that is never the same from one day to the next.
My specialist subject
is marketing and I started marketing US destinations
to the British holidaymaker and the British travel
industry. Being half French, I knew that one day, one
way or another I would find myself back in France.
So here I am in the Languedoc and what a fantastic
place. Less well known that the French Riviera and
the Dordogne, it offers a little of everything, great
food and wine, great weather, beaches, skiing, amazing
scenery and history and some of the most interesting
characters you could meet. Having worked with the Alabama
Tourist Board, that is really saying something.
Having bought a little
house in the vineyards, I felt I wanted to contribute
in some way. The Languedoc is the largest wine producing
region in the world and for many years the quality
of this wine was at best average. A new generation
of wine producers have now emerged who really are passionate
about what they do and are producing wine of exceptional
quality. The problem is that only a minority know how
to sell this wine outside of France. Hence Tastes of
Languedoc. I call this wine tourism! Of course not
only wine - there is the food. Here shopping is a daily
ritual, everything truly revolves around eating and
drinking and frankly let's face it, with the fresh,
beautifully tasty ingredients on offer here, who can
blame them!
Lits
Philippou
 Lits
came to the Languedoc almost by accident after he had
reluctantly sold his busy restaurant, which he loved
dearly. After twenty years of working with his brother
they decided to separate. He was feeling a little lost
and with his future undecided he volunteered to help
his friend move to her newly acquired small hotel in
the Haut Languedoc. It was a region he knew very little
about and was soon so allured by it that he began to
return more frequently and eventually stayed for longer!
These days Lits is
more settled and has made many friends. He is a 'people
person' and is happy again to be able to share his
knowledge and enthusiasm for life in this magical region
of southern France. He will ensure you experience the
taste and flavours of life behind the scenes in the
real Languedoc.
He is an expert on
the local way of life of what is good to see, do and
eat: whether sat outside a small bar watching the sun
set over the small fishing boats, whilst feasting on
freshly opened oysters washed down with a bottle of
well chilled Picpoul de Pinet or resting under the
shade of an olive tree at midday surrounded by vineyards,
to the sound of the clicking crickets, picnicking on
saucisson, creamy goats cheese and a rich red wine
of St Chinian.
Lits knows exactly
the right place and what's more he will ensure you
enjoy the best. He is never happier than when he is
sharing these experiences with his guests and introducing
them to the local characters either at work on their
farms, down in their cellars, amongst their vines or
selling their wares at the market providing us with
the most wonderful cooking ingredients:
Bountiful fresh fruits;
mounds of sweet smelling cherries, apricots peaches
and melons; home grown vegetables; asparagus, artichokes,
courgettes, sweet onions, peppers and tomatoes. Meat
and cheeses from naturally reared animals and shiny
fish and shellfish of all varieties freshly landed
from the shores of the Mediterranean only minutes away.
What more could we wish for to prepare our meals!
Lits also loves the
countryside and will help you to explore the beautiful
unspoilt landscape; from remote sandy Mediterranean
beaches, to rugged wild herb covered hillside whilst
revealing secrets of its rich culture history with
stories of the Knight Templars and Cathars.
Finally Lits is passionate
and knowledgeable about the wines of the region. Languedoc
is the largest wine region in the world. Formally renowned
for supplying copious quantities of 'vin de table'
it is now offering exciting, quality, and affordable
wines. Blessed with such a variety of styles to choose
from, it is a veritable voyage of discovery for either
the beginner or the expert, to learn and taste . .
. Lits will ensure you do both!
Jane
Neal
 Jane
is the eldest of the trio in years, but not in spirit!
She moved to the Languedoc on a whim in 2002, what
the French call a ‘coup de foudre’, even
more crazy was being unable to speak the language.
Who could have blamed her though as her eight bedroom
maison d’hotes is part of 17th century chateau
and 11th century abbey and is quite special.
Jane has had a life long love affair with food. Firstly
at her Mother’s knee learning baking and preserving
and the basics of what was then called ‘domestic
science’. She was taught by the master chef Robert
Carrier and The Cordon Bleu Cookery School and her
two sons (and their many friends) enjoyed the trials
and tribulations of this. Latterly she was employed
during the summer months cooking in Portugal for clients
in their own homes.
As a mature student she attended the Merrist Wood
agricultural college and obtained her City & Guilds
in all aspects of horticulture which fuelled her
passion for growing and eating naturally produced
fruit and vegetables and was proud of her own potager
in Surrey. These skills have boded well for her new
life here in Languedoc where guests can enjoy her
home cooked evening meals, jams for breakfast and
individually prepared picnics.
She has swapped her own potager for the local markets
with bountiful fresh fruits; mounds of sweet smelling
cherries, apricots peaches and melons; home grown vegetables;
asparagus, artichokes, courgettes, sweet onions, peppers
and tomatoes. Meat and cheeses from naturally reared
animals and shiny fish and shellfish of all kinds freshly
landed from the shores of the Mediterranean.
She looks forward to sharing her recipes and some
of her secrets with you!
|
