FLAVORS AND SCENTS OF PROVENCE
One-of-a-king cooking, wine and lifestyle vacation featuring Avignon, Chateauneuf du Pape and the lavender Route.

6 days / 5 nights (Monday through Saturday) at US$ 2750 / pers

Avignon is a historical city of great beauty. The 14th century Popes Palace dominates the old city-center as the most prominent remaining example of the town's long and prestigious history, overlooking the Rhone river and the famous Saint-Benezet bridge from a hilltop. The city-center is filled with winding mediaeval streets with cobblestones glowing in the warm southern sun, and ancient buildings nestled into each other along the pathways.

For this tour, Avignon is our “headquarter” conveniently located in Provence for exploring the regions from the north to the south, and to the east where the lavender grows. Avignon, historic city listed at the Unesco world heritage, boasts beautifully restored old buildings today transformed into luxury bed and breakfasts. Some of them have a garden, some others a roof terrace with a view. All rooms are nicely decorated and furnished with modern comforts and amenities. All of them have a private bathroom.

These lovely houses are set in the old district while offering a quiet environment. It’s also walking distance to the Popes’ Palace and to the cooking school. On entering these places, you feel like at home, and you will be granted a very warm welcome. Better than a hotel, the owner prepares a delightful home-made breakfast with tea, coffee, baguette, butter and home-made jam, brioches or croissants, fresh fruits and juice, yogurt, etc...

YOUR COOKING SCHOOL AT LES HALLES WITH CHEF JULIEN

Les Halles means “indoor food market”… and features an enchanted environment where merchants display their colourful and flavorful products. We couldn’t expect a better place to host a cooking school! In Avignon, Les Halles are simply the heart of the city and the central place where locals meet each other, make their food shopping, and the chefs are coming there each day to buy the freshest produces. Les Halles are located in the ancient city surrounded by fortified walls.

The School in Les Halles offers a very interesting program that includes:

• Market visit with the chef – While enjoying the bounty of the market, you learn how to choose and buy the right produces under the chef’s direction.
• Hands-on cooking class celebrating the France Southern healthy cuisine follows. During about 2hrs30mn you prepare and cook a three-course meal including a starter, a main course and a dessert.
• Tasting lunch accompanied by wine follows the class. It’s the time to relax and to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Classes are taught in English, and scheduled only in the morning, from 9:30am to 1:30pm. No cooking experience is required to attend these classes geared towards gourmet amateurs.
The school is operated by the Executive French chef Julien C. who owned several restaurants in France before opening his school. Julien speaks a very good English as he has lived and worked in California, Florida and New-York/Manhattan for five years in the `90s.

At the School in les Halles, the sample menu you will learn to cook includes delightful Provencal and Mediterranean specialties such as: ratatouille tart with fresh basil and sun-dried garlic, salmon “rillettes” with lime, pissaladière (onion tart with anchovies and black olives), rolled sole fillets with asparagus, olive oil and lemon emulsion, fillet of tuna with sesame seeds, tomatoes purée and pilaf rice, roasted peaches in a herbal tea “vervein” juice, aspic of granny smith and tea, strawberries millefeuille and chiboust cream, pistachio and red berries crumble… Yummy !

YOUR EXCURSIONS : Chateauneuf du Pape, Dentelles de Montmirial, Beaumes de Venise, or the Lavender Route

Aside to cooking classes, you will visit Avignon, its narrow streets and historic mansions, and its Popes Palace. But the idea is also to explore the Provence vineyards and the picturesque countryside between hills and olive groves or lavender fields, to have connections with local people, and to meet with producers and artisans.One of our excursion celebrates the greatest Chateauneuf du Pape vineyard.

Corinne will guide you to the village of the same name. You will visit the Brotte wine museum to provide the right information about the vineyard, the wine production, and the tasting technique. We will stop at Domaine Roger Sabon or Domaine des Fines Roches or Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe to meet with the wine makers, to visit the cellar and to enjoy a unique white and red wines tasting.

Another unique part of this tour is certainly the full-day excursion to the Provence countryside. In June, we definitely schedule the Lavender Route, located one-hour East to Avignon. Sault is the capitale of the lavender. This beautiful village also boasts a nougat artisanal factory whose visit cannot be missed. We will enjoy a nice walk amid the lavender fields, as well as a visit to a distillery.If you decide to visit Provence at another period, you will explore the amazing sites of the Dentelles de Montmirail at the foot of the famous Mont Ventoux, and explore the hilltop villages of Suzette, La Roque Alric, and Beaumes de Venise which produces a unique sweet white “Muscat”, and one of French finest olive oil

> Day 1 (Monday) : Welcome to Avignon in Provence. Gourmet Dinner.
- Welcome at Avignon TGV train station. Private transfer to Avignon, and check-in at the B&B.
- If you don’t feel too tired, we can enjoy a short walk in the old city of Avignon before dinning at La Fourchette restaurant.
- Overnight at the property.

> DAY 2 (Tuesday) : Cooking Class 1 / Afternoon visit to Avignon, the Popes palace and Pont Benezet.
- After your breakfast,
- 9:30am – 1:30pm : First hands-on cooking class with Executive chef Julien at Les Halles Cooking School. Market visit and shopping with the chef. Hands-on cooking class celebrating the Provencale Cuisine. You will learn how to prepare and cook a 3-course meal including a starter, a main course and a dessert. Tasting lunch accompanied by wine follows.
- 2:00pm – 5:00pm : . Visit to the old city of Avignon including the Popes Palace and the Benezet bridge. Dinner by your own.
- Overnight at the property

> DAY 3 (Wednesday) : Full-day excursion to the Lavender Route (June tour only) or to Les Dentelles de Montmirail, Beaumes de Venise and Gigondas
- Morning breakfast.
- Lavender Route > Private excursion by car to the Lavender route located one hour north-east to Avignon. We visit Sault, the capitale of the lavender in Provence. Morning walking tour of the village, and visit to Boyer, the nougat artisanal factory. Lunch in Aurel, a perched village of painters. Afternoon visit to Aroma Plantes producing aromatic and medicinale herbs, as well as essential oils. Visit to La Ferme sur le Parc at Malemort du Comtat. Giorgia and Lionel Lambertin produce organic olive oil, grapes and fruits. Before returning back to Avignon, we stop at Pernes les Fontaines, a picturesque village famous for its artcrafts and numerous fountains
OR
- Dentelles de Montmirail > Private excursion by car to the Dentelles de Montmirail, at the foot of the Mont Ventoux. Northern Provence to enjoy the beauty of Les Dentelles (laces) de Montmirail, a limestone chain of mountains peaks surrounded by forests and vineyards. Here, the sun reflects on the rocks and it contributes to get very sweet grapes. Gigondas and Beaumes de Venise one’s of Provence finest wines. First one produces a full-body red and the other a unique sweet white Muscat. Beaumes de Venise and Mazan also produce a unique olive oil, and artisanal specialities (honey, jam, biscuits, etc.) Morning visit to the picturesque village of Sarrians, Vacqueyras and to Gigondas. Food & wine tasting lunch in Gigondas.
- Afternoon excursion to Beaumes de Venise, La Roque Alric, Mazan, and to Pernes les Fontaines before returning back to Avignon.
- Dinner by your own. Overnight at the property.

> DAY 4 (Thursday) : Morning Cooking Class 2 / Afternoon excursion to Chateauneuf-du-Pape
After your early breakfast,
- 9:30am – 1:30pm : Second hands-on cooking class with Executive chef Julien at Les Halles Cooking School. - - Food shopping with the chef. Hands-on cooking class celebrating the Mediterranean Cuisine. You will learn how to prepare and cook a 3-course meal including a starter, a main course and a dessert. Tasting lunch accompanied by wine follows.
- 2:30pm – 7:00pm : Excursion on the Wines Route to Chateauneuf-du Pape in the Southern Rhône. Walking tour of the village. Visit to a wine property in Chateauneuf du Pape with an expert including a walk in the vineyard, a visit to the wines cellar followed by a tasting of whites and reds.
- Dinner by your own. Overnight at the property.

> DAY 5 (Friday) : Morning Cooking Class 3 / Afternoon free shopping or visit in Avignon / Farewell food & wine pairing dinner at Michelin-star restaurant
- After your early breakfast,
- 9:30am – 1:30pm : Third hands-on cooking class with Executive chef Julien at Les Halles Cooking School. - Food shopping with the chef. Hands-on cooking class celebrating the delightful French Cuisine. You will learn how to prepare and cook a 3-course meal including a starter, a main course and a dessert. Tasting lunch accompanied by wine follows.
- Afternoon free for shopping or visits.
- 8:00pm : Farewell food & wine pairing dinner at Michelin-star restaurant nearby Avignon.
- Overnight at the property.

> DAY 6 (Saturday) : Check-out and transfer
- Morning breakfast and check-out. Private transfer to the TGV station

> TOP

---

PRICE PER PERSON (DBL) : US$ 2,750.00
Single supplement US$ 330.00
Rate are the subject to change based on currency exchange. Call for updated rates.

Price includes
• 5 nights accomodation (double occupancy) charming B&B Inn
• 5 home-made breakfasts,
• 3 hands-on cooking classes at the School in Les Halles, including the market visit and shopping with the chef, and tasting lunches accompanied by wine to follow
• Welcome drink on arrival,
• Welcome dinner accompanied by wine on Day 1
• Avignon sightseeing on Day 2
• Entrance tickets to the Popes’ Palace and Saint Benezet bridge (audioguides included)
• Full-day excursion on Day 3, to the Lavender Route (June tour only) or to Les Dentelles de Montmirail at the foot of Mont Ventoux
• Lunch accompanied by wine on Day 3
• Half-day excursion on Day 4 to Chateauneuf du Pape, including visit to wine properties and tastings
• Farewell food and wine pairing dinner at Michelin-star restaurant on Day 5
• Private escort all along the tour (except on Friday as you have time free)
• Private transfer from/to Avignon TGV station and all ground transportation during the tour.

NOT INCLUDED : International airfare to/from France, and TGV train tickets to/from Avignon, Dinners on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Personal expenses and personal insurance.

A minimum of 3 participants is required for each tour. Tours limited to 6 persons

> TOP

2012 TOUR DATES

> TOP