A European getaway can be a lot closer than you think. Especially if it’s France you’re thinking of running away to. And should you find yourself in the land of chateaux and croissants, take time to check out Pays de la Loire. Jessica Mann gushes.

“The grapes are our employees.” That was what she said as she gently touched one of the vines.

And then she continued: “They must work night and day to digest this terrible rock they live on.”

We had walked up a narrow path, across a decorative metal bridge that linked the hillside vineyards to the grand Chateau below.

This ageless woman, her English perfect under a heavy French accent, knew every rock, plant, and animal on her land, and was careful to explain how it all came together, organically, to produce one of the finest wines in the Loire region.

You see, Viscountess Evelyne de Jessey-Pontbriand – who else? – is the fourth generation of female vintners to oversee Savennières Domaine du Closel.

And boy is she some class act.

The walk through the vineyard had been an enjoyable digestive (starter, okay?) to what was quickly turning into a weekend celebration of gluttony and libation (that’s knocking back booze in Friday-night-on-George-Street Anglo-Saxon).

I was in Anjou, in the French region of Pays de la Loire, which boasts a long coast on the Bay of Biscay and is bordered by Brittany to the north, enjoying all the wine, cocktails and food the French have to offer.

Yet not even an hour previously I had been hard at work dicing, slicing and sautéeing.

And that’s the great thing about a holiday here – fabulous chefs open their doors to day-long cookery courses like driving instructors in Britain instruct (but obviously with a lot more finesse).

On this particular day though, it was Master Chef Frédéric Tempereau who was holding centre stage at his school in Savennieres, between Angers and Nantes.

I – and the other wannabe Michelin-starrers – were being taught to create everything from grilled scallops to breast of duck.

Our piéce de resistance was our own perfectly formed chocolate tart with homemade pastry and caramel drizzle.

Of course we got to eat everything we prepared, including the caramel, and as with all Michelin-esque meals, a different wine was served with each course.

The town of Angers sits in the heart of the Loire Valley, within the borders of Anjou, and is about a 90-minute train journey from Paris.

Here, the historic combination of fresh fruit growing nearby, wine from local vineyards and the catholic sway of crafty monks, all influenced the Cointreau family in setting up one of the world’s most famous distilleries in the small French town.

For more than 150-years the Cointreau distillery has produced the classic orange liqueur that, when mixed with Perrier and a slice of lime is a cool refreshing tall drink.

A tour of the distillery revealed not only how they make this supreme liqueur, but the advertising force used to keep its brand recognizable worldwide.

In the early days, the family was one of the first to invest in the ‘new technology’ of motion pictures and used saucy images of women undressing to get their message across. The controversy that ensued was exactly what the family wanted and put Cointreau on the map. The fervor continues today by enlisting Dita Von Teese as their brand ambassador.

Which is all very informative and educational, as was the whole three day stay, but what really matters is this – it’s a great place to explore, preferably with someone you fancy, and preferably in a convertible with the roof down.

Sheer bliss.

How to get there: Eurostar from London St Pancras, transfer in Lille instead of Paris.

Less hassle and save money on cab fare. raileurope.co.uk from £79 per person Where to stay: Budget: Hotel de France, across the train station in Angers. hoteldefrance-angers.com Sky’s the limit: Chateau de Brissac, home of the Duke of Brissac, chateau-brissac.fr Where to eat: Favre D’Anne, Michelin star restaurant near the river Maine in Angers. lefavredanne.fr Le Bouchon Angevin, great wine shop and restaurant What to do: Cooking lessons with Frédéric Tempereau, atelierculinaire.com Tour Cointreau distillery and learn how to mix cocktails cointreau.com Walk along the vineyards of Chateau des Vaults, taste the Domaine du Closel, or enjoy an evening of story telling by an open fire.

savennieres-closel.com