Today we leave Allos and head to Mâcon – one of our favourite wine tasting cities in the Burgundy region of France. The journey back down the mountain is not quite as daunting as on the way up! We stop at a small cafe en route and enjoy a great coffee with stunning views.

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Soon we arrive in Charnay Les Mâcon at La Maison de Marie (booking.com). This is a wonderful apartment in the village and is pure luxury compared to our hostel in Allos. The weather has also vastly improved and we take a tour of the pretty village before heading off to Mâcon for dinner.

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We park by the Saône river in the town and take a tour of this fascinating city. The church of St Pierre is beautiful and Mâcon town hall is stunning (as are most of the town halls in France).

The St. Laurent Bridge started out as a small ford and was turned into a wooden bridge by the Romans. In the 11th century it was rebuilt as a stone bridge with 6 arches. During the religious wars, the governor of Macon threw the Hugenots from the bridge. St Laurent is one of the few bridges that survived the Second World War and since then, has been extended to 12 arches. Truly stunning.

Another important landmark in Mâcon, is the statue of Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat Lamartine. Lamartine was born in Mâcon in 1790 and was a poet, writer and a politician. He was involved in the founding of the Second Republic and for continuing the use of the Tricolor as the flag of France.

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RECIPE FOR LAMB WITH GOATS CHEESE (from our last night in Allos)

This recipe is best made with left over lamb.

500gm cooked lamb from shoulder or leg, shredded

1 large garlic clove crushed

I shallot, finely chopped

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp coriander

2 tbsp red pesto sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE SALAD

Half a cucumber, sliced lengthways and chopped into 1cm pieces

90gm pea shoots (they really compliment this dish)

100gm mixed leaf lettuce (red and green)

80gm rocket

80gm asparagus, cooked for a few minutes and drained

200gm Goats cheese or feta, crumbled

3 small sweet beetroots (not in vinegar as this will spoil the flavour) cut into quarters.

Heat the the olive oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic, cook for 5 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika, coriander and pesto and cook for a another few minutes. Then add the shredded lamb and heat through until the dish is piping hot. Season with salt and pepper and leave to one side.

In the meantime, put the salad together. Start with the mixed leaf lettuce, followed by the rocket, cucumber and pea shoots. Put the asparagus and beetroot on top. Spoon the lamb mixture onto the salad and crumble the goats cheese or feta on top to finish.

Bon Appetit