Culinary & Wine Tours> France> Provençal Gourmand

France: Provençal Gourmand
(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Arles, France - 5 or 7 nights


For those of you wishing to get far away from home to escape your normal life, if only for a bit, this holiday is the perfect choice.

Learn to cook from an incredibly talented chef, Erick, a native of Arles. When in Provence, I can honestly say that his cuisine was the very best my friends and I had during our stay.

You will learn to make over 16-20 different Provençal dishes, you will go shopping for the days' ingredients at the local markets, visit a local winery and food artisans, and simply revel in the arts of good food and good wine. You'll share the passion, riches and pleasures of this very special region called Provence.

Depending on the season, you will visit many different culinary artisans and, wineries and the Arles market.

A Typical Workshop Schedule
The evening of arrival dinner at 8:30 pm in the bed and breakfast.

First day:

Visit to the local market of Arles to shop for the day's ingredients
Lunch free
Free time for you to familiarize yourself with the city of Arles and its many sites
Evening workshop followed by dinner (sample dinner menu)

Second day:

Visit to the Honey collector to taste her honeys,
Go for a walk in the hills to collect herbs and wild produce (asparagus, fennel, blackberries... depending on the season)
Lunch: a picnic with the Honey collector
Break in the afternoon
Evening class followed by dinner

Third day:

Visit to the 5th generation baker to learn how to make Provençal pastries
Lunch outside at a special place known to only a select few
Time to wander around St. Remy, shop if desired
Free time
Evening class followed by dinner

Fourth day:

Visit to a winemaker or two to taste and learn about the local wines
Lunch : a picnic by a lake, or in the hills
Break in the afternoon
Evening class followed by dinner

Fifth day:

Visit to the market for ingredients
Lunch free
Time for you to roam the city of Arles, explore its world-famous monuments and museums
Evening class followed by dinner

Sixth day:

Visit to the cheese maker and a potter
A light lunch featuring the cheeses of our friend
Break in the afternoon
Evening class, our last, and a celebration of the week's accomplishments



Typical Menu During a Workshop:

Entrées/Appetizers - As you finish up in the kitchen, you may make some fresh anchovy paste to dip your crudités and nibble on local olives prepared in a number of ways. Then we'll sit down to table.

Brandade in Feuilleté - Tender, creamy salt cod with a hint of garlic enveloped in light flaky pastry.
Wine - The Picboul de Pinet from Languedoc.

Moules Marinières - The lightest and most tasty mussels you'll ever taste.

Tian de Légumes d'Ete - Layers of summer vegetables cooked to perfection with a bit of fresh thyme.
Wine: - A Rosé cuvée caprice from the Domaine d'Eole, Coteaux d'Aix.

Fricôt des Barques - A favorite dish of the Rhône mariners, meat with a savory mixture, cooked long and gently to melt in your mouth.
Wine: A grenache pure from Domaine de Trapadis, Rasteau.

Cheese - 5 to a dozen different cheeses, cow, goat and sheep, fresh and aged.

Dessert - Fresh apricots brushed with honey from the Garrigue in a tarte sablée with crushed hazelnuts. Wine: Muscat from Beaumes de Venise.
Coffee if desired.



*April 30-5 May During our spring class we'll visit farms, taste the new goat and sheep's milk cheeses of the season, make fresh strawberry tarts, and some lovely spring lamb. We'll also visit the chocolate maker and make chocolates with him. Come the 1st of May we'll feast our eyes on the costumers and parades on the of 1st of May in Arles - damsels in satin and lace on horse-back, young girls dancing.

*May 29-June 7 - will see the market expanding from spring to summer produce -- berries, pit fruits, sweet peas and the first zucchini/courgettes, the first beautiful tomatoes, new spring honeys...

*June 27-July 2 This class comes at a time when the market begins to over flow with summer produce, and the city comes to life with costume festivals, bull games, and torchlight parades.

 

HOW TO ARRIVE

Nearest Airports/Train Stations:
Marseille - 80km - 55 min (for clients from America you still must take another plane and switch in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid..., there is not yet an American airline that flies direct to Marseille)
Nimes Domestic Airport - 30 minutes (which would mean switching planes in Paris to the domestic line, Air Litoral, or coming in from London or Ireland on Ryan Air)
Montpelier - 75km - 50 min
Arles Train Station - within 10 minutes walking distance of accommodation. (There are 2 TGV High Speed Trains from Paris that arrive directly in Arles per day during the high tourist season (April through September)

BOOKING INFORMATION
2008 FEES PER PERSON	DEPOSIT
Day Cooking Class: -One to Two Persons     US$430 for class and meal US$675 for a full day -Three or more Persons US$225 for the class and meal US$350 for a full day (Full day is departure at 9am to visit one or two artisans/food producers, then share a lunch together -- either picnic or bistrot -- return to Arles for a 2 hour break, then the 3 hour cooking class followed by the feast of your labors) Five Night Stay Without Accommodations/US$1450 Double Occupancy/US$1775     Single Occupancy/US$2100        Seven Night Stay Without accommodations/US$2325 Double Occupancy/US$2775          Single Occupancy/US$3125	After availability is confirmed, a 50% deposit per person and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due no later than 60 days before your arrival date.
2008 DATES	INCLUDED
Five Night Stay April 30-May 5 June 27-July 2 Seven Night Stay April 20-27 June 1-8	Five Night Stay *Five (5) nights' accommodations *Preparation of four (4) menus featuring favorite dishes *One (1) visit to the Arles outdoor market (Provence's largest) *Visit a local winery or Chateauneuf-du-Pape *Visit a goat cheese maker *Visit a baker of Provençal pastries *Visit to the honey collector *Visit to a potter *Day trips include picnics with local delicacies Seven Night Stay *Seven (7) nights' accommodations *Preparation and enjoyment of five (5) to six (6) menus featuring our favorite dishes *Two (2) visits to the local market in Arles (largest in Provence) to purchase ingredients Depending on the season the day trips can include: *Visit to a baker of Provençal pastries *Visit to a goat cheese maker *Visit to a local winery for tastings *A walk in the hills to collect fresh herbs for our dishes *Visit to a local bee-keeper *Visit to a local olive oil mill featuring the AOC les Baux de Provence *Visit to our chocolatier *Visit to a potter *Day trips include picnics with local delicacies. Both programs include welcome dinner, all meals but a lunch or two on market days, cooking lessons and excursions. Transportation to and from airport(s) or train station(s) is extra (except for the Arles train station) -- 45€ to Avignon TGV, 85€ to the Marseille airport. Airfare and personal expenses are not included.

For further inquiries or to register, click here.



CANCELLATION POLICY

If client cancels within 30 days of arrival date, all but 250€ is returned, and all but 1/3 is returned for shorter programs (less the $50 booking fee). These fees are for administrative costs and may be applied to a future trip within the next 12 months of the original trip. If sufficient notice is given and the clients wishes to change the dates, there is no problem as long as those dates are available. Travel insurance is highly recommended.



CLIENT REMARKS