Nothing says Christmas like the smell of cinnamon and other spices. And nothing keeps you warmer as you stroll the French Christmas markets than a "vin chaud," so here's our recipe to enjoy in your home, smells, warmth and Christmas twinkle.

Ingredients

For 6 people:

  • 1 bottle of red wine (like Pinot noir)
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • some lemon and orange zests
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 cloves
  • a short piece of fresh ginger
  • a pinch of grated nutmeg
  • orange slices for decoration

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients except the orange slices into a pot and bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes.
  • Take out the spices, and serve hot, adding an orange slice to each glass for decoration.

Vin chaud - Mulled wine

Delicious vin chaud - © Pixabay

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Robert
My wife and I completed a 3 week driving trip out of Bordeaux which was organized by France Just for You. The Bed and Breakfast accommodations were superb, the personalized guidebook comprehensive and well-organized, and the booked activities were high quality. Having the rental car booked for us was a major advantage (Don’t drive in France without …
Nicole
My husband and I used Emilie from France Just For You to plan a special trip for our anniversary. We loved the fact that our trip had structure, but at the same time, we had freedom to explore as we wished. We also loved the fact that the trip included guided tours, but we were not tied to a tour group as such. Emilie planned our trip according to …
Jan & Ray
We were overwhelmed by the wealth of information available when attempting to plan our 6 week self drive holiday in France. Never having been to France before we found the task daunting and sifting through forums full of information only confused us. We have traveled in New Zealand using a New Zealand based travel adviser and decided to look into …
Sandra
My husband and I prefer to travel independently not on tours but I am getting tired of doing all of the planning. Emilie did an excellent job of planning the trip. I gave input on the type of hotels and the places that we wanted to see and she took care of the details. The hotels that she picked were outstanding. All but one day we followed her …
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Emilie deserves every 5 (actually I give her 10!) star review since we never dreamed our 2 week trip through the Loire, Normandy and Paris could be so perfect. One of the many steps above and beyond was arranging a full-day private tour in Normandy since my husband's uncle (who is still alive) was there on D-Day. Our guide, Noémie, knew in advance …
Harriette
We were referred to this company by some friends that had traveled with them in the past. I was celebrating my 70th birthday and wanted to visit the Provence area of France. Our trip ran smooth as silk. The B & B's were wonderful. The events planned by France Just for You were delightful. The rental car made our trip so easy. I highly recommend …