Glass half full

Wandering through the fairy-tale cove, all ferns and waterfalls springing from mossy caves, I begin to understand why some of France’s most creative minds have sought respite and inspiration in the Jura Mountains; Louis Vuitton and Victor Hugo among them. The landscape here is crisscrossed with hiking trails, all backdropped by dramatic limestone cliffs that are a haven for rare and endemic flora and fauna. It’s cool and quiet and the air smells sweet – like fresh rain and jasmine.

I came to this part of the country, around 360 kilometres south-east of Paris, expecting Michelin-starred restaurants and award-winning wines – after all, monks have been crushing grapes in Burgundy since the reign of Charlemagne. And while there are vines aplenty