SEPTEMBER SURVEY RESULTS

2007 - Discover France - we welcome any feedback or additonal comments to the info below. You are also free to spread this survey around and post any info you wish with it!

The results of our little survey are below, responses in blue and the 'correct' or intended answer is shown below in red.

1. The Loire Valley in France is famous for its castles, wine, gardens and royal history. In which administrative region is the famous "Loire Valley" found?

A. Centre 5%
B. Pays de la Loire 33%
C. Both A & B 47%
D. None of the above 10%
E. Ho hum...I just want good wine, cuisine, and some R&R! 5%

Answer: C: the administrative division of the area is in both of these regions. There is no administrative region called the Loire Valley. This area is mostly understood to include the regions/departments that are alongside the Loire River from about Orleans to the west of Angers. However, in the promotion of travel it is within this area that most of the press is given. Castles, gardens, wine are what make this area famous and what draws most to visit.

2. Which of the following cities are accessible from Paris in under 3 hours by TGV:

Avignon: 65%
Bordeaux: 57%
Strasbourg: 65%
Lyon: 81%
Toulouse: 46%
Who cares - that's why I book through an agent! 5%

(Mulitple answers were possible)
Answer: All except Toulouse are correct (even the last one!)! Strasbourg only made this list this summer with the opening of the new TGV Est line. Bordeaux trains vary, but are mostly right around 3 hours, plus a few minutes. Poor Toulouse, at more than 5 hours on average, its possibly still better to fly to Toulouse. OR, take the TGV to Montpellier or Bordeaux and then drive to your destination if it isn't Toulouse center.

3. The best wine produced in France comes from which region:

There is no "correct" answer now is there?! It is a matter of opinion. It may be true that some regions are known to produce higher rated wines, or it could be said that some regions have more AOC labels, more Grand Cru's, and so forth, but for the purposes of this survey there is no such criteria. The point is to show that wine is good all over France and that just about every region produces wine. Some additional comments by region are below:

Aquitaine: 11%
famous for rich food, it is also where we find all the Bordeaux region wines; big names like St Emilion, Rothchild, and the Sauternes that go with fois gras. There are of course MANY, many more!

Bourgogne: 34%
AKA Burgundy, need we say more??? Includes both reds and whites (Chablis).

Rhone Alpes: 8%
Think Cotes du Rhone and Beaujolais!

Alsace: 0%
uh oh! Wines of Alsace are among the best whites in all of France! Riesling and Gewurztraminer among others; check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsace_wine

Languedoc Roussillon: 6%
Ok, not well known...but great wines! Some small but great names to seek out: Banyuls, Collioure, Rivesaltes, Corbieres, Cotes de Nimes

Franche Comte: 0%
Again not famous, perhaps, but Jura wines are from this region and they are also excellent wines. See more on this link:
http://www.interfrance.com/en/fc/ga_la-cave.html

Bretagne: 0%
yep, not much here, but YET there are producers in the region.

Champagne: 20%
Does the name of this region give it away? Just a note; Champagne is wine; it is a special method of production that makes it unique. AND, there is only one Champagne region. This is why California and other producers must call their version "sparkling wine". Who invented champagne? A monk! His name - Dom Perignon! Thank you father!!

Centre: 0%
uh oh! See question 1 above!!! Vouvray, Bourgeuil, Montlouis, Chinon, Touraine, and more VERY good wines! Both reds and whites

Pays de la Loire: 3%
Perhaps confused with the Centre as in question 1 above!

Poitou Charentes: 0%
Ahem...Cognac! Ok, this is a 'spirit', but comes from the grapes of the region. Other small producers of wines exist, but the neighbors to the south (Aquitaine) seem to have a monopoly in this part of France and wine.

Other: 14%
What else is there?? Provence-Alpes-Cotes d'Azur - great! Some of the oldest vinards in France are in this region, in the Var department. If anyone reading this has some other suggestions - Please share!

I didn't know they made wine in France: 0%
Good thing nobody answered this one!

Last question:
4. Which of the following sites are found in the city of Paris:

Ile St Louis: 95%
Stade de France: 38%
Le Beaubourg: 51%
Disneyland: 8%
La Grande Arche: 59%
Cimitiere du Pere Lachaise: 73%
Chateau de Versailles: 19%
Uhh...Everything in my Museum Pass? 19%

Answer: Trick question! Everything is in the Paris region known as the Ile de France, but not everything is in Paris. The Stade de France is north of Paris in St Denis. Disneyland is well east of Paris in the Seine et Marne department. La Grande Arche is in La Defense which is surrounded by Neuilly sur Seine, but administratively controlled by the City of Paris; its really not in Paris though. Versailles - that is a town/city all to itself; southwest of Paris. The Museum Pass actually covers 61 different sites in Paris AND the Ile de France, so a number of sites in the pass are outside of Paris. Other trivia: Le Beaubourg is also known as the Pompidou Center and is in the heart of Paris. Pere Lachaise is where many celebrities are buried including most famously Jim Morrison of The Doors.