'All the country was 'en plein vendange,' she told us; wherever we went we could see the vintagers, and if we wished to make a 'jolie petite course a pied' we could not do better than walk to the little village of St. Lambert. En effet, she herself was proprietaire, and it would give her son great pleasure to show us his cuvier and all else that we might care to see.'

As a Francophile with an interest in Virago Travellers this Virago non fiction book upon the subject of women travelling to the Bordeaux region of France in 1891 was set to win me over. Within the first few pages it was evident that I would not be disappointed. The two ladies, cousins, decided to explore the Medoc wine making regions and relate their tale in careful detail. For those who love France and the language of rural life this book is set to delight with historical story telling resonating today. We hear of visits to vineyards, the vendange, the treading of the grapes and the details of travel by train and boat of the late 19th century. All the more interesting as we read of these redoubtable ladies who not only sketched but also caefully carried their Kodak wherever they went. The black and white sketches add to the narrative and again awaken memories of my childhood holidays travelling in parts of rural France. Relax and enjoy armchair travel - along with the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of the Medoc vineyards. ( )