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France: Culinary Escapes in the South of France
Uzès, France - 7 nights


Join Peta Mathias for a memorable week-long journey into the culinary world of the South of France. Peta Mathias is a respected and prolific New Zealand chef, author and broadcaster, who now builds on the culinary travel experience with her cooking school in France.

Having started off her culinary love affair in Paris with her restaurant 'Rose Blues' in the 5th arrondissement, she returned to New Zealand ten years later to teach, cook and write. 'Fête Accomplie', the first book about life in Paris with recipes, is also the first of her eight gastronomic travel books written about North Africa, France, New Zealand, Ireland and Vietnam. The most recent book is called 'French Toast'.

Peta has been presenting the prime time television travel/food shows 'Taste New Zealand', 'Taste Takes Off' and 'A Taste of Home' for thirteen years, and in 2006 did the food segment on TVNZ's 'House & Garden'.

Peta was born and bred in Auckland, a stunningly sparkling port city where she still lives but travels extensively researching books and filming her series. She is a member and judge of Slow Food and is proud of the fact that she lives in one of the cleanest, most beautiful countries in the world.

The Mas des Oules is the old farm estate of the Château de Saint Victor. It is a traditional country mas at the foot of the St Victor des Oules village. The setting is commanding, calm and beautiful with an exceptional view of the plains, Uzès and the Cèvennes mountains. At the heart of the U shaped courtyard is a tiled pond with a little fountain and eccentric sculptures. The gardens full of flowers, shaded terraces and little paths lead to the various gites. Walk through the courtyard and out through to the other side of the mas and you find a park full of olive trees, a fish pond and a well. There is a huge swimming pool and breakfast is served in the courtyard. There is also a restaurant and communal room.

This is the third year of the now legendary Fête Accomplie gastronomic adventure, where fearless guests join us in a week long dinner party charged with culinary tips, foodie outings, much hilarity and cultural insight.

Our mission has always been to provide really authentic gastronomic and cultural experiences, far from the well-trodden tourist circuits and into the homes, restaurants and kitchens of people with real food soul.  We sample everything, from the chic to the humble because ... variety is the spice of life! This year we have added an extra day (for the same price) to allow guests more time to soak - or buy - up the local colour. And due to constant badgering from potential guests, an extra destination: the incredibly exotic and hip city of Marrakesh.

As usual the most difficult task has been to choose between all those delicious recipes ... those tempting wines ... those magical interiors ... those overflowing markets .... Someone's got to do it - why not you? I hope you can join us.  To get to the real heart and soul of a culture means understanding how and what it eats. A culture's cuisine confirms its sense of belonging, bringing alive ancestral memories through stories of local traditions and daily life.  These are passed down through the genes and the fingertips. Cooking is living history. Deeply understood, joyously shared. This has been my raison d'être for more than thirty years. Our culinary weeks go in search of this. In Morocco, where time passes on slippered feet, we divide our stay between the rural charms of authentic Berber hospitality, and the riotous but sophisticated life of Marrakesh's medina. Moroccan food is aromatic, they have a million kinds of pastries, eat with their fingers and the men call you gazelle.  

In Southern France we hole up for the week in a glorious pastel-tinted Mas (country home) outside the medieval splendour of Uzès, and venture forth daily to experience the intoxicating, colourful and sensual cuisine that is Provençe. Sybaritic pleasures and cultural insights ... Say au revoir to all you knew before and enter into our charmed and poetic gastronomic world.

HOW TO ARRIVE

Train: TGV High Speed Train to Nîmes (35 mins drive) direct from Paris/Charles de Gaule Airport and connections with all major cities in Europe.
Airports: Marseille (1h15mins), Montpellier (1h), Nîmes (45mins), in descending order of connections. Nîmes is only served by Ryanair to Luton (London)

For further inquiries or to register, click here.



CANCELLATION POLICY

If written notice of your cancellation is received 31-60 days prior to the start of the course (and have also received payment in full for the course) we will refund 50% of your total fee, less your original 800€ deposit and booking fee. There shall be no refund for cancellations made 30 or less days before the start of the course, unless we are able to fill the place; in this case we will refund all fees except the 800€ deposit and booking fee. Operator reserves the right to cancel any course should the minimum number of people not be reached. The refund of all payments received from you, less any forfeiture of deposit, shall release operator from any liability to you. The quoted price is in Euros and based on current costs; if there is a change in cost, you will be notified with a full refund guaranteed if you choose to cancel. Travel insurance is highly recommended.



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