James Martin's French Adventure

James' first stop takes him back to the place that inspired his passion for food, St Émilion. He visits the legendary Chateau Cheval Blanc to cook up his first dish and sample a glass or two, before going back to the kitchens of L'Hostellerie Plaisance, where he worked as a lad more than 30 years ago, to enjoy a meal.

James continues to the Canal du Midi. Starting in historic Carcassonne, he joins the mass of tourists taking in the sites and doing a little shopping. After cooking up a delicious fish stew on the banks of the canal, James hops aboard a boat for a trip towards the coast.

James visits Languedoc - famous for its wine and the hearty meaty dish, cassoulet. After stopping at a roadside fruit stall run by some British expats, James uses some great local produce to create an unusual first dish with Melon and Onion Rings! James then treats himself to a wander around a very special museum dedicated to Citroën 2CVs.

James is in picturesque Charente. He starts his journey in the heart of the Cognac region. Inspired by a visit to a distillery, James uses cognac for his first al fresco cook. He then follows in the footsteps of the Queen Mother to pay a visit to Chateau Venteuil, home of the De La Rochefoucald family.

James visits a region known for its traditional hearty cuisine, buried treasures and a love of all things duck, the Dordogne! After a visit to a market to find some ingredients, James makes a delicious summer pudding. As he continues to explore the Dordogne, he tastes not one but three local specialities all cooked for him by the Auberge owner, British expat Chris.

James ventures to the city of Lyon, known as the 'Gastronomic Capital of France', to explore the two sides of the culinary scene. A visit to the city's famous food market provides plenty of inspiration for his first dish, a Lyonnaise bacon salad. James then uses Lyon's inspiration to cook up a tasty pork dish with Lyonnaise potatoes.

On the stunning shore of Annecy's crystal-clear lake, James cooks dishes showcasing delicious local tomatoes, red mullet and lobster. World-famous cheesemonger, Pierre Gay shows off his amazing selection of cheeses and inspires James to cook a mouth-watering cheese and endive bake back in his home kitchen.

Heading eastwards, James's French adventure takes him to the region of Jura. Local farmer, Matthew Tissot, shows James around his beautiful orchard and teaches him about the region's remarkable apples and pears. Next, James visits Fort des Rousses, home to one of France's most popular cheeses, Comte, where he is shown around the extraordinary corridors of the fort.

James heads to Bresse, home to one of France's most famous ingredients: The Bresse chicken. James cooks using the region's revered chicken in his sumptuous chicken blanquette, then goes to a chicken farm and museum to meet some of the chickens and learn just why they are so special. But they prove elusive, as if they know a chef can't be trusted!

James is in Burgundy, a region famous for its wines and mustard fields. James visits the region's capital, Dijon. He tours a factory, which gives his Granny's gingerbread a run for its money before turning his hand to making the city's more famous export, mustard. After all the hard work of mustard making, James returns to the vineyard to cook chicken livers and chanterelles on toast.

James's journey through France leads him to the glitz and glamour of St. Tropez. He starts by exploring the fantastic seafood market in search of ingredients for his first dish. Cooking, in true St. Tropez style, aboard a yacht, James makes the most of the local seafood, cooking it en papillote. After exploring the town, James drops in on an old friend, Michel Roux.

James is in the bustling Provencal port of Marseille. James finds himself in heaven, starting the day in the old port where the fishermen are selling fresh seafood on the back of their boats. After exploring all they have to offer, James buys sea bass for an outdoor cook on the waterside. Venturing into town, James visits Marseille's oldest bakery, famous for the Navette biscuit.

James's culinary tour of France leads him to the distinct and diverse region of the Camargue. He begins his exploration at Les Marquises, the Laurent family's farm, where James learns all about the Camargue bull. James then barbeques a local fish, which he serves with squash chutney for the family. We also see how the region is famous for fleur de sel.

James is in the city of Arles, famous for its Roman architecture and a sport with bulls where young daredevils play a dangerous game. It's also home to the largest market in Provence, and James sets up his mobile kitchen there to cook a dish of John Dory with tomatoes, courgettes and clams - all from the market stalls around him.

James's journey has brought him to the adopted home of his food hero, Keith Floyd - the pretty riverside town of Isle Sur La Sorgue, where Floyd once had a restaurant. Buying produce from its floating market and a Floyd-style hat, James sets up his mobile kitchen on a bridge overlooking the river, and cooks peaches pain perdu in the sunshine.

James's French adventure brings him to the historic Pegasus Bridge. He drives across it in his beloved 2CV and experiences a slice of wartime history. Normandy is dotted with reminders of our recent past. It's also peppered with orchards and dairy farms - because it's cider and Calvados country, as well as home to beautifully rich, world-famous butter.

James arrives in the misty gardens of Claude Monet's house in Giverny. Monet famously loved his food. James sets up his mobile kitchen nearby to cook a delicious dish of crab dulse. We get a peek inside Monet's kitchen and hear how he collected recipes from the various restaurants at which he dined.

James is in one of his favorite cities in the world - Paris. He's off to one of the largest wholesale food markets in Europe - Rungis, at four in the morning. Paris is home to both artisans and fine dining. And James is lucky enough to visit the kitchens of world-renowned chef Pierre Gagnaire. Inspired by his Parisian stopover, James makes a bavette steak baguette and a gin and cucumber savarin.

James arrives at the golden palace of Versailles. As well as beautiful grounds, it's also got an incredible market, where James shops for some ingredients for his first dish - sole Veronique, which he cooks at the King's allotment - the Potager du Roi. James later meets the allotment director to discuss food fashions and seasonality ahead of cooking the biggest veal chops around!

James arrives at the Bois de Boulogne, a beautiful park on the outskirts of Paris. It's race day at the Auteuil Hippodrome - a prestigious steeplechase course within the park. James pays a visit to the Michelin-starred Pré Catalan restaurant and enjoys his favorite meal of the trip. Back home, he cooks a partridge dish that would perfectly complement some artisan mushrooms.