Make it a murder mystery year to remember
Visitors to The English Riviera can uncover even more ways to follow in the footsteps of the world’s greatest crime fiction writer, Dame Agatha Christie, with a number of new iniatives launched by the new English Riviera Tourism Company for 2011.
Fans of the famous author – as well as her two best-known sleuths, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot – can turn detective themselves to discover a whole host of Christie connections on the English Riviera, in South Devon, throughout the year.
New for 2011 and designed for the independent traveller is the new ‘Agatha Christie Literary Trail’ based on the 20 special places that inspired her life and works across South Devon and the English Riviera. Agatha Christie fans will also enjoy the ‘did you know?’ snippets included as part of the trail.
With a front cover boasting an iconic Poirot image, (pictured) the new trail leaflet includes an authentic and detailed map, complete with Agatha Christie connections.
In addition to the new literary trail the famous Agatha Christie Mile in Torquay takes people to some of the additional places that were so special to her in her younger years including: Princess Pier where she enjoyed roller-skating, Beacon Cove where she was a regular swimmer and the Victorian Pavilion where she loved to dance.
The biggest celebration comes later in the year with the Agatha Christie Festival, (11th-18th September 2011). This annual Festival is packed with themed events across the English Riviera, including all-star theatre productions, guided tours and special events including Murder Mystery Dinners on steam trains to name but a few!
There’s also Torre Abbey, home to the new Agatha Christie’s Potent Plants featuring many of the poisonous plants that inspired some of her dramatic storylines and Torquay museum with its fascinating Agatha Christie Gallery, and the town’s bronze Agatha Christie bust statue situated at Royal Princess Gardens.
A little further a field and accessed by boat or classic bus is Agatha’s former summer home at Greenway, which opened for the 2011 season this month.
Greenway, described by Agatha as ‘the most beautiful place in the world’, re-opened to the public in 2009 after a multi-million pound refurbishment by the National Trust and is set in a stunning location overlooking the river Dart. A visit to Greenway is an intimate affair with the house containing many personal collections insightful scrap books and mementoes of the world’s most famous crime writer in the world!
But your first clue to discovering more about the Agatha Christie’s Riviera is to visit: englishriviera.co.uk/agathachristie
