La Gaule à Vélo: France By Bike. But with a difference - Jérémie splits each year between work and play; a sous chef at a top Parisien restaurant by winter and an explorer of his native land by summer, searching out the essence of French gastronomy.

Last year we met Jérémie while he waited impatiently in the Port for a slow boat to Corsica. He’s back this year for more, and he started up North in Alsace-Lorraine. Prepare to get hungry.

Champagne, Alsace and Lorraine are three of the most emblematic regions of France, marinated (sorry) in cultural, historical and gastronomic heritage. A perfect start for this year’s La Gaule À Vélo adventure.

Champagne first, with its holy grail of sparkling wine in which the whole world dreams of dipping its lips!

Everything here, absolutely everything revolves around the precious beverage and its production. Some essential locations as well as legendary names invite you to visit their cellars and champagne caves or crayères. It’s the perfect amuse bouche for this year’s trip but could hinder progress if I’m not careful.

This playground is ideal and naturally conducive for the establishment of the cuisine of the greatest chefs. I had the chance to encounter some living legends of french cooking, such as Arnaud Lallement at ‘L‘Assiette Champenoise’ (3 Michelin stars) and Philippe Miles at ‘Le Château des Crayères’ (2 Michelin stars and winner of the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France title).

Some might say Lorraine is not as chic and probably not as glamorous as other regions… Although, with open-air museums cities such as Nancy and its Stanislas Square, considered as the most beautiful Royal square in Europe, the point is up for debate.

Whilst it’s tourist attractions may not be so obvious, Lorraine’s countryside is made of a raw and deep terroir. The inevitable Pâté Lorraine and the Quiche Lorraine are masterpieces of rusticity and simplicity that are available everywhere. It’s irresistible. Every chef has to have his guilty pleasure

But Lorraine can also be synonymous with refinement and haute cuisine. The best example is the beautiful restaurant ‘Le Toya’ where young Chef Loïc Villemin offers a range of food and wine from his homeland that seems to get better with each course. Undoubtedly eating here was one of the highlights of this year’s trip.

Lorraine merges with Alsace like garlic and butter (sorry again)… I spent more time here than expected, but it was for the best of causes. It is THE gourmet French region par excellence.

At every single stop, in every village, even the most insignificant one, gluttony is never far away. Pedalling from one restaurant to another, of 1, 2 or 3 Michelin stars, strolling at the feet of the Massif des Vosges in one of the most striking vineyards of La Gaule, passing through the most enchanting colourful villages I had ever seen, or teasing the heights of the famous Route des Crêtes with its breathtaking Cols; this is indeed a paradise! And the cities and their architecture are first class - take Strasbourg and its prefecture for example, it sums up the beauty of Alsace.

The Chefs defend a rich and diverse terroir, and values, but with the expertise of a goldsmith such as Thierry Schwartz at ‘Bistro des Saveurs’ in Obernai (1 Michelin star), or the undisputed master of the region, Olivier Nasti and his restaurant ‘Chambard’ (2 Michelin stars) in Kaysersberg. From another world!

But Alsace is also birthplace of countless number of regional specialties : Kougloff, Sauerkraut, the Pretzels, the Gingerbread, the Baekeoff, Foie Gras… And this is only the top of the iceberg! And the competition and the pride taken in these regional speciailties means it is very difficult to find artisans who have not mastered their craft.

What’s next? Jérémie and his mount are now heading for the Franche Comté, the Alps and the French Riviera. Watch this space…