Days 1-2 Paris
Our first day finds us arriving from all parts of the world. We ask that you be
in the hotel by 6pm, where our first group meeting will take place, followed
by a delicious dinner in a charming local restaurant. Paris is a beautiful city,
and arriving early is highly recommended if you've never been before. From
the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower and a thousand points in between, there
is so much to see and do here. Just strolling one of the many promenades
or getting lost in the back streets you cannot fail to be delighted with
the architecture, local patisseries and enchanting neighbourhoods that
make up this most magical of cities.
We will spend part of our second day learning the art of elegant French
cooking. Muriel-Marguerite will teach us how to produce local dishes
as well as some French classics.
Day 3 Reims
The bubbles of champagne attract wine lovers to the golden triangle
of Reims, Epernay and Chalons-en-Champagne. Champagne in
roman times was known as Campania - 'the land of plains'. It is largely
an agricultural region famous around the world for its sparkling wines,
made here since the days of Dom Perignon. Reims is the home to some
of the best known 'Grandes Marques' in champagne and plays an important
part in the production of champagne. It is also historically significant
as all the Kings of France were crowned in the remarkable gothic Cathedral.
During our stay in the Champagne region we have time to wander and
explore the towns and inhale the bubbles and aromas of the maturing
champagne at the various cellar doors. A stop at the Veuve Cliquot winery
where we take their excellent champagne tour, culminating in a
taste of their vineyard produce. With a free morning on day 4, we
have a chance to explore Reims in more depth before we hit the
road again towards Dijon (3 hours).
Day 4 Dijon
Burgundy is France's richest province - historically, culturally,
gastronomically and economically - and in Dijon we find Romanesque
architecture and some of the best wines in the country. Regional
cuisine includes the famous boeuf bourguinon, coq au vin, garlic
snails and the famous mustard. The delightful city centre boasts
numerous medieval and renaissance buildings and a warren of narrow
little streets - the hours will quickly pass as you spend time
exploring. Despite its long history, Dijon has a youthful feel about it
due to its large and well known university.
From Dijon on Day 5, we visit the delightful town of Beaune located in
the wine region of the Cote d'Or. This area produces some of the best
wines in France and is made up of the Cote de Beaune and Cote de
Nuits, where vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. The best
Burgundian wines grow in the golden reddish soil, hence the name
Cote d'Or (land of gold). We can take the opportunity to cycle through
the vineyards and visit one of the region. After a lunch savouring the
local specialities we travel by train back to Dijon in time to connect with
our trainto Lyon in the early evening.
Days 5-6 Lyon
We arrive into Lyon at 8pm on day five. The following day we will
visit the local produce market beside the Saone river, followed
by an orientation walk of Lyon and a free afternoon. You may
like to explore the Fourviere area and its myriad traboules and
miraboules (underground passages that snake their way up the
hill and all over the city). Visit the Rose Gardens, the Basilique or
the Roman Theatre, or sit back and enjoy a cyclo tour of Vieux
Lyon, then take in an afternoon puppet show. Lyon also boasts
an impressive Fine Arts Museum and the Gadagne Puppet museum.
We have the possibility of finishing the day with dinner at a Paul
Bocuse restaurant. Food is a huge part of Lyonnaise life, so you
will find other bouchons (restaurants) of all styles in town to satisfy
your hunger until then.
Days 7-9 Arles
Market Day finds us in Arles, and we use fresh ingredients from the
market to prepare four different dishes for our Provencale cooking class.
These dishes will vary depending on the season and what the market
has to offer, but we'll produce delicious meat, fish and vegetable
dishes, and a tasty dessert. Our hosts know the area and the local
producers, and we benefit enormously from their hospitality and care.
There will also be time to catch up on some shopping, searching for
the perfect pottery 'Tian' and Provencal linens.
We may have some triple or quadruple accommodation at this charming and
comfortable homestay, depending on the number of Intrepid passengers
and rooms available.
You are free to depart at any time on day 9. Your leader will be able
to help you organise transfers to Avignon, Nice (closest international
airport), Paris, or any other European destination.
Travel Style
Gourmet Tours are the perfect trip for food lovers. Travelling in countries
renowned for their delicious cuisine our Gourmet Adventure trips make the
most of "food glorious food" while not forgetting to explore the cultural
and environmental highlights. From elaborate banquets to street side
stalls, from busy markets to frenetic kitchens we taste and discover a
country, meeting its people and experiencing its culture as we get to
know the locals and enjoy an insight into their lives and palates!
Group Size
12 maximum
Accomodation
Small family owned hotels (6 nights), homestay (2 nights)
Transport
Train, bicycle, local bus, metro.
Activities included
Half day market visit & cooking school in Paris, Reims champagne
tour, Visit to Mustarderie and wine tasting in Beaune full day
Provencal cooking school with market visit.
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