Renowned for its alpine scenery and lush countryside, the French region of Franche-Comté is an excellent place to take in the landscape aided by local tipples.

Touring the region, preferably on foot or bike, is better while tasting the region's home produced wine and cheese.

A favourite with Louis Pasteur, Vin Jaune, is the flagship wine of the region. Best with a chunk of local Comté cheese, this unusual nectar is matured for six years and three months in oak casks. Fermentation ends with the "Percée du Vin Jaune", a festival of local food and wines where the year's vintage is first available for tasting. A Vin Jaune pit stop during a cycle will make the road ahead appear easier.

Best saved until the cosy B&B is within sight, a visit with the Absinthe fairy, born and still residing in the region, is a must. A sip of the potent spirit is the perfect end to a day's touring, guaranteeing uninterrupted sleep before hitting the gourmet trail the next day.

Saying "cheese" for the holiday snaps is best accompanied by the real thing. A bite of Comté whilst picnicking on the aptly named, "route de Comté", is another suggested box to tick whilst in the region.

Other gourmet highlights in the region, to be discovered at the leisurely pace for which the Franche-Comté is known, include: excellent Chardonnay, Savagnin, Poulsard, Pinot Noir and Trousseau wines, as well as the sweet "Vin de Paille" to accompany a variety of desserts, many made with the region's signature "Griottines" or local blue cheese "Bleu de Gex".

Franche-Comté's delicious memories can be evoked post-holiday too. Nicholas distributes Vin Jaune, Absinthe (Distillerie Guy) is sold at Harrods and the newly opened Whole Foods Market in Kensington is the place to pick up Comté cheese for that picnic in honour of a delicious trip to the Franche-Comté.