Culinary & Wine Tours> France> Culinary Provence

France: Culinary Provence
Provence, France - 6 nights


Have you always dreamed of discovering the sun-splashed splendors of Provence—with your own personal guides to reveal the Provençal landscape, culture, foods, wines, and restaurants as only a native of the region can appreciate them? Your dream can come true when you join an acclaimed chef and restaurateur and her French-born husband, for their Culinary Tour in Provence.

Carole and Bernard's special delight is to introduce sophisticated travelers to the rich history, natural beauty, and culinary delights of this extraordinary region in the south of France. Intimate tour groups of 8 to 10 persons allow each participant to enjoy an unforgettable personal experience as they discover Provence from a true insider's perspective. You will be Carole and Bernard's guest at their restored home in Montfrin, Prieuré Notre Dame, which boasts a history dating back to the 12th century and all the contemporary comforts of today. Montfrin is conveniently located in the heart of Provence at the center of a triangle formed by the cities of Avignon, Arles and Nimes, each about 20 minutes' drive from the village.

As executive chef and owner of her very successful restaurant in Connecticut, Carole has received the coveted four-star rating from Connecticut Magazine and acclaim in Gourmet, The New York Times and other national publications for her pioneering and original culinary creations rooted in a commitment to use of fresh and organic foods grown by local producers. So it was only natural that she fell in love with the bounty of Provence with its thriving open-air markets and small farms.

The first goal of Carole's cooking class in France is to pass along to her guests her knowledge and technique, taking full advantage of the wealth of fresh ingredients available in Provence in order to provide a better understanding of their many flavors and uses. But unlike most cooking classes, these lessons are not limited to Carole's demonstrations in the kitchen of the Prieuré Notre Dame. Carole takes her guests to visit and learn from various chefs of the region, and often brings a local chef to the Prieuré as a guest instructor.

Going on location enables Carole to show the Provence profonde — the real Provence — in all its beauty and diversity. Thus, in addition to cooking classes, each tour sets aside time for a wide range of other culinary and cultural activities such as wine tastings in local vineyards, a tasting and workshop at the Institute of Olive Oil, or touring in Les Baux de Provence and the Camargue. Our guests also discover both established and up-and-coming restaurants in Provence, as Bernard constantly tours the area to search out the best chefs, restaurants and wines in the region. Of course, no weeklong tour in Provence is complete without shopping — but here, too, we stay off the beaten tourist paths to seek out those special craftsmen, artisans and designers rooted in the true culture of the region.

Provence, France

Sample Itinerary

Following is a sample itinerary to offer a taste of your Provençal tour. But no two tours are the same! Carole and Bernard are constantly seeking out fresh discoveries and experiences to share with new and returning guests. Specific events are planned to fit the season and availability, and of course the particular interests of our tour guests.


Day One
Bernard or Carole will greet guests upon their arrival in Avignon or Nimes. We drive you to your tour accommodations at the Prieuré Notre Dame, our Montfrin retreat, a village home painstakingly restored to its 12th & 14th century origins with sophisticated comforts and modern design. When everybody is settled in, we begin with cocktails and a convivial dinner in the true Provençal manner.

Day Two
Each day of your tour begins with an informal breakfast for all of us. Today we drive to Avignon for a cooking class at the famous La Mirande cooking school taught by a master chef. Following lunch at La Mirande, we spend the afternoon in Avignon at the Palais du Pape and other historic sites, as well as some shopping in the city. We return home for a little R&R, then on to the charming village of Uzès for a captivating dinner and an evening stroll.

Day Three
We are off to Nimes for sightseeing the Roman ruins and arena in this historic city. We visit Les Halles market to view the rich bounty of foods and purchase our evening dinner. After lunch in Nimes, we return via the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct to the Prieuré, with an informal evening cooking class conducted by Carole and a local Provençal cook. All the members of the group join in creating dinner from our purchases at the Nimes marché while sampling some of Bernard's local wine choices.

Day Four
In the morning after our petit déjeuner, we head off to Les Baux, the spectacular plateau and historic village which can't be missed. Then we have a light lunch at our favorite bistro in St. Remy de Provence. This could be a great shopping day. We head home for a break before we drive to the Camargue on the Mediterranean coast to view the landscape of this nature preserve, the natural habitat of the famous white horses, black bulls, pink flamingoes and other wildlife of Camargue. And on to the celebrated country restaurant Chez Bob for a fun dinner.

Day Five
We depart for Chez Serge in the town of Carpentras. There we enjoy visiting wineries offering private tastings with Serge featuring Chateauneuf du Pape and other varietal wines of the region. We have a leisurely lunch at Chez Serge, with a return to Montfrin to enjoy the pool and prepare for an evening drive to Gordes, for dinner at the innovative Le Mas des Herbes Blanches.

Day Six
This morning we visit Arles, the old ville of Van Gogh's paintings, and a bustling farmers' market. Lunch in Arles, and then a visit to the Museum of Roman Antiquities. Back to the Prieuré for a snooze, cocktails, and capping off our week with our last supper together. They're always a blast!

Day Seven
We enjoy a final brunch in the morning and bid farewell. Bernard or Carole will take you to your point of departure in Avignon or Nimes.

Other destinations that have been featured in recent tours include lunch in the beautiful and rugged Luberon region, antiquing at the known L'Isle sur la Sorgue, plus Bernard's ever-expanding list of bistros, restaurants, chocolatiers, wineries and other discoveries off the beaten track of other tours.

We promise you will enjoy an unforgettable journey savoring the landscape, culture, foods and wines of Provence.

BOOKING INFORMATION
2008/2009 FEES PER PERSON	DEPOSIT
Double Room $3500 Single Room  $3800 2009 FEES PER PERSON Double Room US$3800 Single Room US$4100 EARLY RESERVATION PROMOTION Guests who reserve for a 2009 tour no later than June 30, 2008, are offered the early reservation option to reserve at the 2008 tour package rate of $3,500 per guest for double-occupancy, and $3,800 for single-occupancy accommodations.  Reservations under this option will be confirmed only after receipt of a 50% deposit payment in the amount of $1,750 per guest, double occupancy, or $1,900 per guest, single occupancy. Remaining balances on reservations must be received by March 1, 2009, for tours scheduled in June 2009; and by July 1, 2009, for tours scheduled in September and October 2009.	Guests may reserve at any time for a 2009 tour at the 2009 tour package rates of $3,800 per guest for double-occupancy, and $4,100 per guest for single-occupancy accommodations. Confirmed reservations under this option require an initial 25% deposit payment in the amount of $950 per guest, double occupancy, and $1,025 per guest, single occupancy. A second payment in the amount of $950 per guest, double occupancy, and $1,025 per guest, single occupancy, is due no later than Dec. 31, 2008. The remaining 50% balance on reservations must be received by March 1, 2009, for tours scheduled in June 2009; and by July 1, 2009, for tours scheduled in September and October 2009. A completed and signed reservation form is also mandatory to confirm your reservation.
2008/2009 DATES	INCLUDED
May 19-25 - SOLD OUT June 2-8 - SOLD OUT September 22-28 - SOLD OUT October 6-12 - SOLD OUT 2009 DATES June 1-7 June 15-21 September 21-27 Ocober 5-11	*Accommodations with private baths *Three (3) meals a day plus all wines and other beverages *Sightseeing and ground transportation *Pickups for tour participants arriving by air or rail are made in either Avignon or Nimes, and departure drop-offs are made in the same cities. Personal expenses, airfare and rail fares for transportation to Avignon or Nimes are not included in the package cost.

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RESERVATION AND CANCELLATION POLICY

Payments for tours scheduled for June 2009 are fully refundable until March 1, 2009. Payments for tours scheduled for September and October 2009 are fully refundable until July 1, 2009. After these dates, operator will refund payments only if the reservations vacated due to cancellation can be filled. In the event of unanticipated circumstances beyond our control that require cancellation of a given tour, all guests reserved for the canceled tour will receive refund in full of any payments made to operator.

Operator and Active Gourmet Holidays are not responsible for payments made by guests in connection with international transportation, lodging and other costs outside the package cost of the tour. We strongly recommend that all participants take the precaution of securing travel insurance from a reputable provider as additional protection against financial loss in the event of cancellation.

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