Alastair Sawday's

A brand new title from Sawday's... Special Places to Stay: French Vineyards is an unmissable guide for those who want to delve deeper into French culture and the rhythms of rural life. Spend lazy days sauntering around La Belle France, quaffing, learning, meeting interesting owners with tales to tell, eating regional food in convivial company and then staying put for the night. There are gîtes, châteaux and B&Bs on wine producing estates in the country's best wine regions. All have been inspected and are special, so rev up the old deux chevaux (making sure there's room for a few crates), don your best panama and prepare to meander.

There are over seventy entries, each with a double-page spread of a large-format book with an extensive write-up, full colour photography and wine tasting notes from each estate for those eager to learn how to distinguish their clarets from their cabernets. The larger coffee table format of this guide makes planning your trip a real pleasure.