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press here for details of French Leave

In this essentially personal, yet very appealing and practical book, Richard Binns has wrought a minor miracle. Through the pages of this unique guide, he passes on to you the distilled experience of his twenty-five years of travelling in almost every corner of France. French Leave is, quite literally, packed with advice, encouragement and personal recommendations for travellers, covering 12 principal regions it guides you down the byways to the very heart of France and French life, pointing out places of interest along  the way. There are 15 specially-prepared 2-colour maps - including one for each of the 12 regions, showing over 800 recommended locations, wine villages and places of interest. French Leave lists over 200 hotels and restaurants - not one of them in a city or major town centre - personally selected for comfort, locations and cuisine, where you will find true tranquility and enjoy the best of food, wine and service at all price levels.

press for details of French Leave 2

This new edition has been revised and enlarged to embrace many more regions - 20 in all with 2-colour maps and offering advice, encouragement and personal recommendations for travellers in this fascinating country. French Leave is really three guide books in one. It’s a Good Food guide, listing over 350 Hotels & Restaurants - not one of them in a city or major town centre - personally selected for quiet location, comfort, cuisine and good value at all price levels. It’s a comprehensive Wine Guide identifying over 600 of them, many being good local wines not listed in even the best wine books. French Leave is also a Menu Translator giving a glossary of 850 terms translated into everyday English, well over 1000 references in all. Above all, French Leave is a friendly guide, on hand to advise as you discover) the inexhaustible delights of a country that has so much to offer the traveller.

press for details of France a la Carte

From a wide experience of travelling throughout France for twenty- five years, Richard Binns has compiled a unique guide that brings together under themed headings the many treasures of a rich and rewarding country. From his deep knowledge of France and things French he leads you to the marvels of nature and of man . . . on trails of history, art and sport . . . through the hidden reaches of rivers to the wildest uplands . . . always with an unerring eye for the interesting detail. This book is for every lover of France - the young and the not-so-young, the country-lover and the sightseer, the sports enthusiast and the museum browser, the walker and the car driver. France a la carte offers them all a rich feast of pleasure and discovery.

press for details of Hidden France Hidden France is the latest guide book from the pen of Richard Binns, whose two other books, French Leave and France à la Carte are both bestsellers. This new, intimate guide takes you deep into 25 hidden areas of the French countryside on fascinating journeys of discovery and delight. The sights, sounds and simple pleasures of rural and pastoral France are here revealed for the enterprising and independent traveller. In each area the author has selected four family-run, good-value hotels, from which the local country can be explored. All 100 hotels, representing the best traditions of French hospitality, are new recommendations that do not appear in the 2nd edition of French Leave. Hidden France shares with its companion volumes the author's abiding affection for, and comprehensive knowledge of, the France most tourists never discover.
press for details of French Leave 3 Critical - some may say controversial - reassessments of many established reputations are just one aspect of this lively third edition of Richard Binns' bestselling guide. Almost completely rewritten, and greatly enlarged (twice as many pages as the first edition), French Leave 3 offers the author's independent and uncompromising views about people, places and attitudes. Contents include: 600 recommended hotels and restaurants including many more inexpensive, good-value locations. 22-regions fully described, with maps. 2000-plus menu terms, wines and cheeses translated and explained - many new chapters and innovative ideas - all sections enlarged - plus colour illustrations.  French Leave 3 - better value than ever - still puts the best of France in your pocket.
press for details of Best of Britain Best of Britain is a celebration of Britain’s finest countryside, her historic heritage, and the steadily improving culinary skills of her talented chefs. It is also a mine of information on 160 traditional inns, country hotels and many of Britain’s best restaurants. In Best of Britain, Richard Binns shares with his readers his passion for hidden corners and uncrowded country lanes; his delight in lesser-known places; his extraordinary knowledge of towns and villages, tucked-away valleys and rivers, and soaring viewpoints. Best of Britain covers 15 contrasting areas much loved by the author for their wealth of interest. There are more than 60 maps to guide you around each area and the detailed text leads you from one pleasure to the next. Along the way Richard Binns introduces you to the best places to eat and to stay a night or two - at all price levels.
press for details of French Leave Favourites French Leave Favourites is a compilation of 100 hotels and restaurants that have found most favour with the readers of the three editions of French Leave. Prompted by their commendations, Richard Binns has revisited and reappraised them all again. His observations reiterate anew the attributes that make each one so special: the families who run them, the culinary skills of the chefs, the regional wines and cheeses to be found there, the natural delights and man-made attractIons that can be seen nearby, and much more. in addition, he writes about many people, places and things that he has discovered during his most recent journeys through France. Discover for yourself the characteristics that have made these, above all, the French Leave Favourites.
press for details of Bon Voyage Bon Voyage is an extract of all the culinary information from the French Leave series. Included among the many helpful and interesting chapters are: * 2000-plus menu terms, wines and cheeses translated and explained * 27 maps identifying hundreds of wine and cheese- producing areas * many other pages of invaluable advice ‘. . . the finest, most concise glossary of food terms to be found on French menus - whether at home or abroad - that I have encountered.’   Craig Claiborne, The New York Times ‘. . . fascinating and invaluable information - the best glossary of French menu terms I’ve seen, for example. And a chart showing what wines to drink with what foods. And separate discussions of wine, cheese and nouvelle, regional and bourgeoise cuisines. And directions on exactly what to say when writing (or calling) to reserve a hotel room or a restaurant table. And translations of common road signs. And . .’   David Shaw, Los Angeles Times
press for details of En Route En Route: The French Autoroute Guide by Richard Binns is invaluable for planning a holiday or business trip in France and essential in an emergency. Over 300 French autoroute exits have been researched and mapped by the author. The exit maps identify and locate a selection of nearby hotels and restaurants - which will suit all pockets - garages, banks, supermarkets, camping and caravanning sites, chemists, petrol stations, public telephones, post offices, car parks, tourist information offices, hospitals, churches, police stations and general shopping areas. 26 route maps show autoroute exits, adjacent main towns, toll booths, service and rest areas and facilities for the disabled. Feeling unwell? Locate the nearest chemist. Car in trouble? Locate a selection of garages. Need money fast? Locate nearest banks. Hotels, restaurants with bedrooms, camping sites: all easily found without the need to buy a series of expensive large-scale maps.
press for details of M40 guide Richard Binns' guide is a MUST for every motorist using the M40. The text and maps are easy to understand and easy to follow; they identify and locate a host of personal recommendations and essential motorists' facilities. the latter are particularly useful as the new motorway has no service station, rest area, toilet or public telephone along its entire 90-mile length. Contents include: 32 restaurants, B&Bs and hotels: 32 detours to both man-made sites and some of nature's more interesting landscapes; many are ideal for family visits: 16 motorway exit maps, these show the precise layout of each junction and clearly indicate both access and exit roads for each junction: Larger scale maps locate nearby towns and other main roads in relation to each M40 junction.
press for details of French Leave Encore Completely revised, substantially enlarged and more controversial than ever, French Leave Encore - a unique Three-Guides-In-One - is the long-awaited fifth edition of the popular French Leave series.  

800 hotels and restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets. Every dining room gets a standard of cooking rating. In addition, the type of cuisine - classical, neo-classical, regional, modern or Bourgeoise - is also indicated.  2,500 menu items, wines and cheeses explained. 22 regions described in much greater detail than before - plus many background articles.  85 maps drawn by the author  37 themed chapters 

press for details of Allez France! Allez France! is a unique Three-Guides-In-One. Mapaholics’ France leads you to the best of the country’s hidden scenic and man-made delights. Explore La France profonde with the help of the author’s idiosyncratic text and aides-memoire maps, based on Michelin’s large-scale Motoring Atlas. Favourites are the 60 hotels and restaurants which the author likes most - chosen from a four-figure number visited over the years. Franc-wise France is a guide to 350 hotels and restaurants which provide value-for-money, quality cooking in one or more menus.  Allez France!, together with French Leave Encore (the most recent of the author’s highly-acclaimed series), combine to provide 64 pages of essential reading for every independent, discerning motorist - eager to enjoy the best of France.
press for details of Mapaholics France ‘The more you run the risk of getting lost the more certain you are of seeing the real France.’ Those words, written by the author in the early Eighties, sum up precisely his personal freewheeling philosophy of exploration. Mapaholics’ France is for all independent travellers who recognise the rewarding benefits which accrue when they get off the beaten track. Explore La France profonde with the help of the author’s idiosyncratic text and 44 aides-memoire maps, based on Michelin’s large-scale Motoring atlas. Each of the 44 chapters - covering 1,001 subjects - explores a single Michelin map sheet in great detail. Mapaholic's France, with Franc-wise France and French Leave Encore combine to provide a formidable trio of guides for every discerning motorist - eager to enjoy the best of France.
press for details of Franc Wise France Franc-wise France has one objective: to identify quality cooking for the fewest francs possible. The French have the ideal label to summarise the author’s goal: rapport qualite-prix - a precise term which emphasises perfectly the all-important balance between quality and price.

Franc-wise Franc is a guide to 350 hotels and restaurants which provide value-for-money, quality cooking in one or more menus within three price bands: A under 100 francs; B between 100 and 135 francs; C between 135 and 165 francs. A 31-page section includes an indispensable glossary of menu terms and notes on regional specialities and produce.

press for details of French Leave Finesse French Leave Finesse (every previous edition a TOP FIVE bestseller) has 1065 hotel and restaurant recommendations - to suit all pockets and tastes. No guide is more fiercely independent; and no establishment pays to be included. Every dining room gets a standard of cooking rating and the cuisine type - modern, regional, classical, neo-classical or Bourgeoise - is also indicated. Visitors to France need to be more shrewd than ever in searching out quality cooking - at affordable prices - from skilled chefs. With fewer francs to spend, an especially welcome highlight is the inclusion of 750 Franc-Wise hotels and restaurants - offering value-for-money, quality cooking (rapport qualite-prix is the ideal French label) in one or more menus within two price bands. A 38-page section includes an indispensable glossary of menu terms and notes and lists on the cuisine, specialities and cheeses of France’s mainland regions.
press for details of Binns Breaks volume 1 Binns Breaks is an A5-sized booklet with 27,000 words, three of my pencil drawings and 14 pages of maps. Both the cover and the easy-to-read text pages use quality board and paper. There's a mixture of French and British material. You'll find scores of ideas for enjoyable touring breaks; 90% of the contents is of a topographical nature, covering all sorts of subjects. Importantly, there are also two pages of amendments for French Leave Finesse plus details of page number changes in the 1998/99 Michelin spiral-bound atlas for Mapaholics' France. Please also try to complete the section called “Favourites” on the back of this letter. I would dearly love to know your six “favourite” hotels and restaurants in French Leave Finesse. If many hundreds of you submit entries then the winning hotels and restaurants, say the top 20 or so, could be the subject of a more than interesting and useful chapter in Binns Breaks volume 2.
press for details of Binns Breaks volume 2 I'm writing with news of my latest “less ambitious” project: an all-new Binns Breaks volume 2 (BB2).  An invaluable addition is a 12-page supplement, Lauréat 2000, and you'll also receive a copy of my pocket-sized glossary of menu terms. Why Lauréat 2000? You will remember I asked you to complete a “Favourites” section on the BB1 order form. The response was fantastic: I received many thousands of nominations. The content divides roughly into two-thirds French and one-third British (English, Welsh and Scottish). There's a very big emphasis on RQP and another fresh two-page list of amendments and deletions for French Leave Finesse (FLF); Once more I am taking a gamble. BB2 will only be available from me. Nothing changes: with 17 guides published in 20 years gambles have been a way of life for me over the last two decades.(To do a “Binns”: explore, enquire, encourage, enthuse, eat and enjoy.)
press for details of Mountain Magic On this British equivalent of the Route des Alpes you’ll not encounter any 10,000ft-plus alpine summits. Nevertheless, I maintain our constantly-changing mountain landscapes cannot be bettered anywhere else in Europe. Though the tour’s length, 1,498 miles, is almost identical to the French route, the latter cannot match the variety of mountainous scenery in Britain: myriad horizon-filling vistas; majestic sea-scapes; dramatic coastlines; eye-soothing vales and dales; endless broadleaved woodlands; burgeoning burns and regal rivers; lochs, llyns and lakes of all types; remote wilderness and moorland; and scores of attractive villages where houses are a visual roll-call of our richly-varied geology. Surprisingly, too, the culinary pleasures at most of my 50 hotel recommendations are more than a match for their French equivalents. An asterisk (*) highlights where cooking is of an especially high standard.
press for details of Binns Break volume 3 For the third time I’m writing with news of another ‘less ambitious’ project: an all-new Binns Breaks (BB3) and a 28-page Mountain Magic supplement - 100 pages of varied touring ideas, in both France and Britain, from two-day breaks to trips lasting one to two weeks; my Bon appétit glossary; plus my BB3 cover pencil drawings, one French, one British, printed on two pieces of A5-sized, 170gsm art paper – ideal for framing and both something to remember me by.
  I’m printing 3,000 copies of BB3 and no more. I’m guessing I’ll sell 2,500 copies of the ‘BB3 Package’ offer. The other 500 copies of BB3 will be used for a first come, first served ‘Special Deal’: BB3/Mountain Magic/the two drawings/BB2/Lauréat 2000 and Bon appétit, all for £7 (including postage and packing of over £1); a total of 200 pages of super material, with the free aperitifs offer again available – all of which will make a great Christmas present for your friends.
press for details of RSC This, more than all the other 17 travel guides I’ve written and published, is the book of which I am most proud. RSC? Raymond Stanley Cumming: the story of an “unknown” father brought to life. Raymond was an RAF Halifax pilot who lost his life on February 14, 1945; his daughter Carol was then twelve months old. RSC is a revealing story: of joy and sadness; surprising controversy; compelling coincidences; an invisible “hunter’s” hand; making new friends; compulsive detective work; unstinting help and advice; a happy reunion; chilling statistics; cruel deception; and a daughter discovering herself. I started RSC for Carol. But as the urge to continue became compulsive I realised, one fateful day, that I had to complete my work for Raymond and his six-man crew, lost without trace over the Baltic. If you would like a copy see the Order Page. I’d like to keep the proceeds from RSC separate; and donate them to the planned 78 Squadron Remembrance Corner in All Saints Church at Bubwith, North Yorkshire.