T
he delights of Deauville in Au-
gust have been well document-
ed. And, while the weather may
have become a little more inclement by
then, a trip to Arqana's December Sale is
equally enjoyable, especially if a wander
around town to take in the stunning can-
opy of Christmas lights across the Place
Morny is fortified with a generous helping
of vin chaud.
But what about January? Barring ski
resorts, nowhere in the northern hemi-
sphere is particularly appealing in Janu-
ary, right? Well, if like me you're a blood-
stock tragic, then there is indeed a very
appealing alternative to the Alps in Janu-
ary and I'm afraid it takes us right back to
Normandy.
La Route des Etalons, a project that was
born of a need to stimulate flagging inter-
