For over 20 years, she ran the hotel-restaurant Les Terrasses de Corton, before joining the Athenaeum’s central cash desk. As part of our special Summer newsletter series, she opens up her holiday luggage to us…
Which novel will you be taking with you this summer?
Mathieu, a modest farm boy in the Médoc, falls madly in love with Mélanie, the daughter of his masters. This impossible love, exacerbated by the Algerian War, leads to a shocking encounter with dramatic consequences. A captivating novel.
« This great adventure novel takes place during the Algerian War. It’s a period I knew very little about, but it’s given me a new insight.«
Will any guidebooks, recipe books or other ‘practical’ books be included?
With 500 of the tastiest recipes, immerse yourself in authentic Provençal cuisine. Gui Gedda, known as the ‘Pope of Provençal cuisine’, shares his secrets and his culinary heritage, celebrating the evolution of this major southern gastronomy.
« My daughter now lives in Avignon. Thanks to her, I’ve discovered this region, the Luberon, the Alpilles… and their cuisine!«
What bottles of wine would you recommend your family and friends to drink this summer?
Vinified with meticulous care by Romain Chapuis, this wine comes as a pleasant surprise to wine-lovers, thwarting the usual expectations associated with Corton Grand Cru. Ageing in oak barrels and the use of whole harvests give it remarkable aromatic freshness and fine tannins. Already highly accessible, this 2021 vintage will seduce you with its notes of peony, red fruit, light tobacco and cocoa, as well as its astonishing delicacy. Enjoy it now, or cellar it for up to 10 years for added aromatic complexity.
« I ran a hotel-restaurant in Ladoix-Serrigny for 21 years. I’m still very attached to the wines of Corton. It’s my point of reference.«
Which bottles would you like to (re)discover?
From a terroir overlooking the estate, Cuvée R56 is a pure, luminous wine that sets the tone for the whole Brandini style. The magic of the southern exposure, combined with the high altitude, gives this cuvée an incomparable tension, with exuberant fruit from its earliest youth. Aged for 18 to 20 months in oak barrels, the result is a great wine with fine tannins and notes of orange peel, blackberry and red fruit…
« My daughter is married to a winemaker in the south of France. With him, I’ve learnt to appreciate powerful, sun-drenched wines, like this Barolo.«
What accessories do you always take with you?
Made from organic cotton, this square stands out for its exceptional softness and deep colours, produced using environmentally-friendly printing techniques. Hand-drawn in France and printed in India, it embodies the natural elegance and bohemian inspiration of Les Belles Vagabondes creations.
« As a bandana, on your head to protect yourself from the sun; around your neck when it’s cold… With its shimmering colours, this square lends itself to every occasion!«