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Sojourn in Savoie

Savoie vinescape

There's no surfing in south-east France, but surfer/philosopher/wine writer Chris Howard finds many other reasons to visit this little-known corner of France. Above, vineyards surrounding the village of Jongieux.  

‘The more I meditate upon the order of nature, the more I admire the wisdom which governs it.’ – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, ‘The Profession of Faith of the Savoyard Priest’, in Émile, or On Education (1762)

We were late booking our summer holiday. As a surfer living in Paris, my sights were set on the coast of south-west France, a region promising good waves and wine in equal measure. Finding everything booked...