WORLDWIDE CULTURAL AND CULINARY VACATIONS
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Flavors of the Provincial French Countryside

(Cooking, Wine Tasting, Touring and Michelin-Star Dining in the Loire Valley)

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Priced From
$4,298 USD *
For One Person, Double Occupancy
* Plus taxes. Tours sold on an availability basis.
7 days | 6 nights

A Gourmand's Delight in the Loire Valley
Cooking, Wine Tasting & Michelin-Star Dining!

This gourmand's delight features hands-on cooking, cooking demonstrations, exploring local sites and villages, artisan food makers, lunch with hand-selected wines at the remarkable Michelin-starred Fontevraud Le Restaurant and a walking or cycling tour along a dedicated path through vineyards close to the Loire River (by car for those less able). Start on Sunday, wrap up Saturday and savor the full breadth and variety of every flavorful moment in-between. Not just another cooking school, we created intimate experiences that focus on your desires as a traveler and culinary explorer. We share the best of what this gorgeous region has to offer during an amazing weeklong adventure. (Tours are designed as gentle experiences. Some walking, climbing stairs, and mild hiking may be required. However, if you have mobility issues, we can organize the trip to accommodate your needs. Chefs, Hosts and Guides all speak fluent English.)
Small Group Friendly
Itinerary Accommodations Map FAQ
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS
Please note: Tour inclusions can change depending upon seasonality and weather conditions.
6 Nights Boutique Accommodation
Round-Trip Private Train Station Transfers
Farmhouse Breakfast Buffet Every Morning
Four Cooking Sessions with Lunch and Wine
Dinners as Described in Itinerary with Selected Wines
Two Cooking Demonstrations
Guided Tour of Royal Fortress of Chinon
Michelin Star Multi-Course Lunch & Wine Pairing
Guided Food Market Tour with Chef
Tour of a Sparkling Wine House
Wine Cocktail Demonstration and Tasting
While our tours are designed as soft adventure experiences, walking, climbing stairs, and in rare cases mild hiking may be required. If you have mobility issues, you should speak with one of our culinary travel specialists to determine if this tour is appropriate for your situation.
AVAILABLE DATES
This tour runs Monday to Sunday. April 3rd to 9th, May 15th - 21st, June 12th - 18th, September 4th - 10th, October 2nd - 8th and November 20 - 26, 2023.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Please note: Actual itineraries are subject to change due to seasonality.
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Day 1
Arrival and Transfer to Manoir Miti
You will be welcomed at Poitiers Station (direct connection from both Paris Montparnasse and Paris CDG Airport) in the afternoon and together we will make the 50-minute journey to Manoir Miti.
Dessert Demonstration and Welcome Dinner
Once you have taken some time to settle into your room, you will be invited to join Chef Aaron in the kitchen as he prepares dessert. He will guide you through a tasting of local wines before sitting down to a delightful three-course dinner served with hand-picked wines. After dinner you may relax with an after-dinner drink in the lounge or library, then it's off for a pleasant night's rest in your charming and cozy en suite room.
Day 2
Farmhouse Breakfast Each Morning
Each morning you will enjoy a bountiful farmhouse breakfast of local breads, pastries, yogurts, cereals, home-made jellies and jams along with other regional delights.
Farmer's Market Shopping Tour
After breakfast you will head off for a tour and shopping trip to a local farmer's market. Located in beautiful, inspiring surroundings, all these markets offer an abundance of visual delight, treats to sample and opportunities to explore local history and culture. You will also be given time to wander around, enjoy a coffee and a pastry or just take time to daydream.
Hands-On Cooking Class with Dinner
After our market excursion, we return to the farmhouse to enjoy a market lunch consisting of the goodies picked up during the shopping trip. After lunch, the group will plan a menu for dinner and dive into a cookery session where you learn techniques and then prepare dinner. You will have an early evening break to freshen up and catch your breath before sitting down together to enjoy the dinner we prepared together.
Day 3
Farmhouse Breakfast Each Morning
Each morning you will enjoy a bountiful farmhouse breakfast of local breads, pastries, yogurts, cereals, home-made jellies and jams along with other regional delights.
Tour of Historic Chinon and Dinner at Manoir Miti
After breakfast, we will visit the historic city of Chinon, with its magnificent fortress and largely intact medieval village below. Chinon is one of the most important wine towns of the Loire, and there will be opportunities to taste the local wines. Lunch will be on your own today as there are several restaurants to choose from. You can join the group or head out on your own. In the afternoon we return home with a tarte des vigneronne, part of this evening's light dinner menu.
Day 4
Farmhouse Breakfast Each Morning
Each morning you will enjoy a bountiful farmhouse breakfast of local breads, pastries, yogurts, cereals, home-made jellies and jams along with other regional delights.
Hands-On Cookery Session | Local Winemaker & Wine Tasting
After breakfast today, the group will have a cookery session where you will tackle a complex dish, such as Cassoulet, or try out a technique that fits your interests. After lunch we'll visit a local winemaker and talk about their wines along with a wine tasting. The afternoon will be relaxed, and open to explore on your own.
Apero (French Tapas) Dinner
The group will gather again in the kitchen early evening and learn some new wine cocktails. Sip your libations while watching and/or participating in a demonstration of small plates that you'll enjoy as part of an "Apero" (French Tapas) dinner party.
Day 5
Farmhouse Breakfast Each Morning
Each morning you will enjoy a bountiful farmhouse breakfast of local breads, pastries, yogurts, cereals, home-made jellies and jams along with other regional delights.
Fontevraud l'Abbaye Visit | Michelin Star Lunch with Wine Pairing
After breakfast, we'll head for Fontevraud l'Abbaye. This celebrated abbey is the resting place of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard "Lionheart" and Isabel of Angouleme. In the years after the revolution, it was put to use as a prison. Since the early 1960's it has been painstakingly restored, building by building. One of these beautiful buildings now houses a remarkable Michelin starred restaurant, and it is there that we will take lunch. The setting is stunning as is the food, and it will be accompanied by some of the finest regional wines selected by the sommelier. You will have the chance to visit the abbey grounds both before and after lunch. We will enjoy a light dinner of regional cheeses with bread, crackers and a pear and leaf salad back at the Manor this evening. There will be an option of dessert if you still have any room left!
Day 6
Farmhouse Breakfast Each Morning
Each morning you will enjoy a bountiful farmhouse breakfast of local breads, pastries, yogurts, cereals, home-made jellies and jams along with other regional delights.
Tour of the Loire between Saumur and Chinon | Lunch | Farewell Dinner
Today, after breakfast, you'll embark on a gentle bicycle / walking tour through the vineyards along the Loire on a dedicated path between Saumur and Chinon. We'll take a leisurely pace, visiting a vineyard and other sites along the way (between 4 and 5 miles), enjoying lunch and a fun-filled afternoon on this very scenic route. We will happily provide vehicle support for anyone not wishing to walk or cycle. The group will return for a cooking technique demonstration, followed by a farewell dinner.
Day 7
Final Cooking Session | Brunch | Transfers to Train Station
On your final morning the group will have a short cooking session, followed by brunch and then our farewells. You will be taken to the station to catch your train as you bid a bittersweet Au revoir to your temporary home in the Loire Valley.
Misse, FranceChinon, FranceSaumur, France
Winner
OUTSTANDING
CULINARY TRAVEL
Category
Member of ASTA Member of ATTA Member of GSTC