LOIRE VALLEY “SAVEURS D’ANJOU

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The Loire Valley is one of the most beautiful France region, chosen by the Kings since the Renaissance to build somptuous chateaux and to develop a flourishing trade. Criss-crossed by the wild river Loire listed at the Unesco world heritage, the Anjou takes part of the Loire Valley region mid-distance to Paris and to the Atlantic coast.
Besides the chateaux, the Loire Valley boasts a unique gastronomic heritage. Nicknamed the “Garden of France”, the region grows lush with fresh vegetables and fruits, along with fish and world class wines such as the Anjou, Saumur and Savennieres which produce intense ruby reds, sparkling whites, and sweet amber-coloured wines. From the mushrooms of Saumur that grow in the troglodytes, to the asparagus that find the best sandy soil along the river, and the fishes like salmon, pickerel, perch or eel that fishermen sell on the market early in the morning, the region offers to chefs and gourmet enthusiasts a delightful bounty on which to base their recipes.

Saveurs d’Anjou is a unique program combining cooking classes, wine exploration, visits to local producers, and cultural excursions. Luxury accomodation at a 13th century private château. This program is exclusive to Lifestyle Vacations.

YOUR LOCATION : A PRIVATELY OWNED LUXURY 13TH CENTURY CHÂTEAU

Located 12 miles from Angers TGV station, the Chateau de l’Epine is a pure thirteenth century architectural jewel renovated at the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. It’s nestled in
a 18 acres private park boarded by the quiet Loire river tributary called “La Boire”. This remarquable chateau was almost in ruins when its current owners bought it and begun a five-year renovation works before welcoming guests in a luxury and elegant environment.
The chateau offers a wide living room with a monumental white stone fireplace, and an elegant dining room where home-made breakfasts and dinners are served. The first and the second floors lead into eight wide rooms and suite from 270 to 485 sqft each. All rooms and suites overlook the park and are luxuriously decorated with stylish antiques and furnished with modern comforts. Wood or waxed tile with carpets line the floors, paintings or 18th century mural frescos deck the walls. The fireplaces and high ceilings remind the history of the chateau and give the rooms an elegant style and a wellbeing feeling to the guests. Modern amenities include a private bathroom with tub and shower, hairdryer and bath robes. The property has a pool, a tennis court, and places bicycles at the clients disposal.

COOKING AND WINE TASTINGS CLASSES

The cooking school which was located in Savennieres now moves to Chemillé, about twenty minutes south to the château-hotel, on the way to Montjean sur Loire. Owned by Executive chef Frederic T. whose the list of accomplishments includes numerous Michelin-star restaurants in France. Under the chef direction, you experience easy-to-make recipes using fresh seasonal produces from the market and from local producers, such as : gambas with morels, semolina and emulsified juice, or lobster carpaccio with marinated preserved vegetables and whipped creamed bisque, sea bass with chorizo and braised roman lettuce flavoured with a black olives juice. Desserts highlight chocolate tarts or soufflé, pineapple and cherries raviolis and its vanilla home-made icecream, strawberries “gariguette” cappuccino and sorbet, “financier” almond cake with its light lemon cream and fresh fruits… Yummy !
Classes are initimate, limited to 8 participants, and are taught in English. The school offers a wide professional teaching kitchen with modern cooking equipments and appliances. Each participant has a sink, cooktop, blender, and other necessary appliances. Classes are scheduled on a three-hour basis and give you the opportunity to cook a three-course meal. Food and wine pairing tasting lunch or dinner follows each class.

EXCURSIONS & VISITS TO LOCAL PRODUCERS

Aside from your culinary instruction, you will explore the Anjou-Loire Valley region through excursions totally off-the-beaten paths, including visits and connections to local people, artisans and producers :
• You will visit Angers, city of arts and history, and of course the chateau to admire the amazing 14th century Apocalypse tapestry, tribute to the medieval craftsmanship.
• You will see Saumur and its vineyards. Saumur gained an international recognition thanks to the prestigious horse school “cadre noir”, the château built at the 11th century, property of the Plantagenêts before being a part of the King Philip II royal domain in 1200s. Today Saumur remains a high touristic attraction, thanks to its history, and to its wines : fine sparkling whites as well as full-body reds.
• Listed at the Anjou most beautiful villages : Montsoreau and its chateau built on the river bank (the only one which has the “feet in the water”) overlooking the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire rivers, distance to Saumur and Chinon.
• Fontevraud and its Royale Abbey founded at the early 12th century, one of the largest and most-preserved monasteries in Europe housing the Gisants of Eleanor of Aquitaine, King Henry II and King Richard I of England.
• You will be also connected with local people and producers at the open-air food market in Chalonnes. You will meet with a fisherman in Montjean sur Loire, and spend “good” time at different wine properties in Savennières (one of the French finest dry white), in Saumur (fine light reds) and in Chaudefond-sur-Layon (wonderful sweet whites). Exploring the wine properties means also visiting the cellar with wine makers and enjoying wine tastings.

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DETAILED ITINERARY

>Day 1 (Sunday) : Arrival – Welcome drink – Welcome dinner
Pick up at Paris CDG airport or at Angers TGV station according to your request. Private transfer by minibus to the property. Check-in and relax time.
Evening welcome aperitif in the living room. We will review the program together. Dinner and night at the chateau.

> Day 2 (Monday) : Excursion to Angers – Afternoon Cooking Class
After your breakfast, we will link the beautiful city of Angers by private minibus. One-hour sightseeing with an English-speaking guide starting at 11:00am. Lunch at Gerard Bossé new gourmet restaurant in Angers. Afternoon audioguide visit to the chateau, or free shopping.
At 4:30pm, private transfer to the cooking school to partake your first hands-on class under Executive chef Frederic T. direction. This class celebrates the fish from the Loire river and organic vegetables and fruits from local producers. The class lasts about three hours and it’s followed by a food & wine pairing tasting dinner. Private transfer to the chateau-hotel and night at the property

> Day 3 (Tuesday) : Visits to the Chalonnes Food Market & to a wooden barrels artisan - Excursion to Savennières including visit to a wine property – Afternoon Cooking Class
After breakfast, we drive to Chalonnes to visit the traditional open-air food market and meet with local producers. Nearby the village works an artisan which still produces hand-made wooden barrels. We will meet him and discuss of the technique. We drive to Savennières/La Pointe : lunch at La Terrass restaurant offering a great view on the Loire river, walk in the vineyard and visit to the Domaine aux Moines wine property. You will meet with the wine makers (a mother and her daughter), visit the cellar and enjoy a wines tasting. Private transfer to the cooking school to partake your second hands-on class at 5:30pm. You will cook a refined three-course meal using fresh seasonal produces from the market. Tasting dinner follows the class. Transfer to the chateau. Night at the property.

> Day 4 (Wednesday) : Full-day excursion to Saumur through the wine route, Fontevraud and Montsoreau : Saumur guided tour – Visit to the Fontevraud Abbey – Early Dinner in Montsoreau
Early breakfast at the chateau to depart at 9:00am. All along this day you will explore the beautiful Anjou wine route and the Loire river banks while visiting the medieval city of Saumur and the Fontevraud Royale Abbey. Between Saumur and Montsoreau, you will see the houses carved in the rock, also called “Troglodytes”. This region is one of the Europe largest network of underground caves created when the tufa (limestone) was extracted over the centuries and used to build the chateaux, churches and elegant mansions. We will stop at a “troglo” and at a whitecap mushroom production site (the climate of the region and the humidity of the caves offers the perfect conditions for this cultivation. The two-thirds of France whitecap production comes from the Anjou region. Lunch in Fontevraud and dinner in Montsoreau (Diane de Meridor). Transfer to the property. Night at the chateau.

> Day 5 (Thursday) – Morning free relaxation – Excursion through “La Corniche Angevine” overlooking the Louet valley - Visit to a Coteaux du Layon wine property – Afternoon cooking class and farewell dinner
After your breakfast, morning free until 11:30am. Excursion through the Corniche Angevine touristic route that takes in the Loire’s higher hills and promontories, and offers an outstanding panoramic view across the Loire Valley. Lunch at l’Auberge de la Corniche. Afternoon visit to a Coteaux-du-Layon sweet white wines property before linking the cooking school for your third and last cooking school celebrating the finest French cuisine served for special occasions. Farewell food & wine pairing tasting dinner at l’Atelier de Cuisine. Transfer to the chateau and night at the property.

> DAY 6 (Friday) – Check out & transfer to Angers or Paris
Morning breakfast and check-out before noon. Private transfer to Paris or to Angers TGV station according to your request.

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PRICE PER PERSON (DOUBLE OCCUPANCY)

$ 2,900.00 (4-star Chateau de l’Epine) – Single supplement $ 480
$ 2,500.00 (charming B&B Moulin de Beaupréau in Savennières) – Single sup. $ 120
Round-trip private transfer supplement from/to Paris airport by minibus : $ 190

Rates are subject to change based on currency exchange. Call for updated rates.

Prices include :
• Round trip private transfers from/to Angers TGV station
• 5 nights accomodation at the Château de l’Epine or Moulin de Beaupréau, based on double occupancy
• 3 hands-on cooking classes, followed by food & wine pairing tasting dinners
• Visit to the open-air food market in Chalonnes
• Visit to a wooden barrels artisan in Montjean sur Loire
• Guided tour of Angers and entrance ticket to visit the chateau (audioguide included)
• Guided tour of Saumur
• Visit to the Fontevraud Royale Abbey
• Visit to a whitecap mushrooms underground production
• Visit to a troglodyte house
• Full-day excursion to Saumur, Fontevraud and Montsoreau
• Half-day excursion to Savennières incuding visit to Domaine aux Moines and wines tasting
• Half-day excursion to the Corniche Angevine and the Coteaux du Layon vineyards, including visit to a wine maker
• Welcome aperitif and dinner on Sunday
• All lunches (wines are extra at restaurants)
• Ground transportation during the weekly tour, as mentioned on the itinerary
• All excursions escorted by Corinne Preteur.

Are not included : international airfare and train tickets in France, drinks at the restaurant, personal expenses and personal insurance.

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2009 TOUR DATES

May 24-29
June 14-19
July 26-31
August 30 – September 4
Other dates available upon request for a group of 6 minimum

A minimum of 6 participants is required for each tour. Tours limited to 8 persons

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