NOTES ABOUT THE EVENT
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A French Kitchen Garden Weekend
Kitchen Gardeners International Global Meet Ups are being arranged in France, Australia and Maine.
France in 2009
Australia in 2010
Maine in 2011.
FRANCE 2009
Friday evening, September 18th - Sunday evening, September 20th.
How to get here:
Issigeac is near Bergerac in South West France. We are about 5 kms from Issigeac village and 15 kms from Bergerac Airport.
You will need a car to get around for the weekend or to share with other people.
BERGERAC AIRPORT (EGC) handles flights from the UK and Amsterdam with low cost airlines such as Ryanair .
BORDEAUX AIRPORT (BOD) handles some international flights and flights from London and Paris
The high speed train (TGV and SNCF ) goes to Bordeaux from various parts of Europe including Paris. (Paris- Bordeaux: approx 3 hours)
If you are working to a budget, it is often cheaper to fly to London and then come to France.
Planned Itinerary so far:
Note. Some of those people travelling from afar will be coming for longer than just the weekend, probably Friday to Tuesday so there will be a kind of ongoing festival atmosphere here for that time. Please feel free to join in during this extended period if you wish..
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Friday 18th September 2009 |
Evening |
Buffet
(Les Fontenelles) |
A chance to meet your fellow gardeners from around the world. Welcome talk by Roger Doiron(Founder, KGI). |
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Saturday 19th September 2009 |
9.00am |
Coffee and Croissants
(Les Fontenelles |
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10.00 |
Villereal Market |
Villereal is a local Bastide village. Built in the 13th Century with an impressive amount of the original buildings still standing, including the magnificent covered market place. |
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12.30 |
lunch |
Picnic lunch and salads. (near Chateau Biron) |
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14.30 |
Villefranche du Perigord |
Mushrooms and chestnuts |
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17.30 |
tour of small, local, 5th generation vineyard, with tasting |
you can purchase wines here |
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Evening |
dinner with selection of local wines
(Les Fontenelles) |
by the swimming pool. Walk around the garden. |
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DVD (Our Seeds) and discussions about this and that |
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Sunday 20th September 2009 |
9.00am |
Leave for Issigeac (5 minutes away) |
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Issigeac, a 12C medieval city |
walk around the village during the extensive morning market |
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12.30 |
Ferme de Laspissotes |
A lakeside barbecue will be followed by a tour of this permaculture farm |
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16.00 |
drive and walk around the local area visiting several gardens |
a walk in the countryside including a visit to our local "source" to collect fresh spring water |
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Evening |
at leisure at Les Fontenelles |
a chance to chat beside the swimming pool with your new friends |
Costs
The cost for the weekend is €40.00 per person, which covers everything in the above itinerary except those items specifically mentioned. All meals will be prepared by us, from home-grown and local produce.
You are welcome to bring a tent and camp on the grass.
For local accommodation see:
If you would like to stay on for a few days, you are welcome to rent our guest house, Gite Les Fontenelles.
Some local things to do:
This event is being hosted by Ian Holden. This link will take you to my website page covering local attractions Local Things
In the immediate vicinity there are lots of attactions that may be of interest to those who are planning to be in the region for more than the weekend
Here are some suggestions:
The whole area is great for cycling and walking and there is an abundance of flora and fauna to see. We can provide two bicycles.
Issigeac itself is a magnificently preserved medieval village - 5 kms away.
There is a market somewhere nearby almost every day of the week.
Bamboo Gardens, Planbuisson - less than 1 hr drive
Wildlife tour and History of Bergerac by Gabarre on the river Dordogne (1 hr on boat) - 20 minutes away
There are numerous 12th and 13th century villages nearby, called bastides, built during the 100 years war. For more information on Bastides Click here
Some further away things to do:
For those people travelling from afar, other places of interest in France are.... distances given are from the event to the place of interest (one way)
Chateau Villandry . Magnificent Chateau in the Loire Valley with amazing vegetable gardens. - 375kms (230miles). Another KGI member has a gite (guest house) in the Loire Valley, called Mousseaux with reduced rates for visitors from this event.
Le Potager d'un Curieux . A nice mix of art with vegetables, with seeds, with a lifestyle and a life.... visit by appointment.... its worth it - 546 kms (340miles)
Le Potager du Roi , Near Palais de Versailles (near Paris) the historic Versailles palace and the magnificent gardens - 549 kms (341miles)
People attending:
Roger Doiron - Maine, USA
Ian - Bergerac, France
Kate - Adelaide, Australia
Lou Milazzo - Adelaide, Australia
Sarah Mabbutt + 3 friends - France
Teleri and Richard - France
Adrian and Sally Fox - France
Mary Heaner - Portugal
People Hoping to attend:
zooooz - France
..........Back to A French Kitchen Garden Weekend