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David Biraud, 50,  was born in La Roche-Sur-Yon, France. Following studies in catering and sommellerie in Bordeaux, Biraud went to Paris to start his career working as a commis sommelier at Alain Passard’s L’Arpège. In 1955, the Frenchman moved to Les Ambassadeurs at the Hotel de Crillon where he worked with some of …

From left, Pierre Montégut, Christian Seely and Jean-René Matignon After 36 years as Technical Director of Chateau Pichon Baron, Jean-René Matignon has decided to step down and retire in April of this year. Since 2001, Jean-René Matignon has been working with Christian Seely, Managing Director AXA Millésimes, and during this time he …

Greetings from Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport. I am catching a VTL flight home back to Singapore. As SQ335 departs 1040 hrs, I slept last night at the IBIS Hotel in Terminal 3 Roissypole instead of dragging myself from Paris at an ungodly hour this morning to get to the airport. …

Villeneuve-Loubet, just ten minutes from Nice Airport, is where Auguste Escoffier was born Auguste Escoffier (1846 – 1935) is the single individual who has influenced French cuisine more than any other person. Before his time, chefs were not highly regarded in France. They were seen as a servant/service class. What, today, …

Half-bottles are great when dining alone, even when there are two of you. A full 750 ml bottle, drinking eight glasses of the same wine is like eating eight bowls of rice for dinner. Who needs that? A half-bottle doubles our choices!! The other great thing about half-bottles is the …

Tourtour is about 15 minutes to drive from my house in Lorgues. The hilltop jewel is one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in France”. Perched 637 metres above sea level, Tourtour is dotted with intimate restaurants and stone houses. The fact Sotheby’s has an office here attests to Tourtour being a highly sought-after place …

  Brad Pitt: winegrower, business entrepreneur, and Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt, better known to us as an actor, is also a dedicated vigneron and highly successful business entrepreneur. After purchasing Chateau Miraval in 2008, he grew the estate in the commune of Correns in the Var Department from what was then 500- to …

Anthony Barton left us on 19 January, 300 years after Thomas Barton arrived in France in 1722. Legends are due their milestones. I was driving in the direction of Champagne – after visiting Domaine d’Eugenie and Clos de Tart in Vosne-Romanee and Morey-Saint-Denis respectively – when, at a petrol station, my …

Great news in the New Year of the Tiger from Fondation Louis Vuitton. The Morozov Collection • Icons of Modern Art – originally due to end February 22nd – is now extended to 3 April 2022. Book your ticket in advance at www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/fr/. The Paris exhibition brings together 200 masterpieces from the French and Russian modern art …