“WINES & CUISINE”- ALSACE, EASTERN FRANCE

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• You plan to visit France in the near future, you already know Paris and you prefer to explore another region. Indulge in Alsace, Eastern France!
• For a week-end break, Alsace is simply perfect, linked to Paris by TGV within 2 hrs and 30mn
• Book now our exclusive 4-day /3-night Alsatian week-end break, designed to food, wine & arts lovers.
Program includes:
• Cheese & Wine Tasting Class,
• Hands-on Cooking Class,
• Visit to artisans local producers,
• Full-Day Excursion to the Alsatian Wine Route,
• Colmar Sightseeing,
• Dinners at fine restaurants
• Accomodation in elegant 3 or 4-star hotel or charming B&B Inn

ABOUT THE ALSATIAN CUISINE

Alsace is a enchanted region to explore for gourmets and wine lovers. One of the most well-known traditional dish is sauerkraut (choucroute). Baeckeoffe (vegetable and meat stew) is another one traditionally eaten on Sundays. Fried fish (carp) belongs to the local southern area specialities, as the cakes, kouglof “almond-brioche” and other delightful pastries, biscuits, and brioches which celebrate the alive traditions of Christmas. But Alsace is not only renowned for its delicacies but also for its high culinary “savoir-faire” that reaches the summit of perfection when you dine at Michelin-starred restaurants such as l’Auberge de l’ill, or Le Buerehiesel, or Le Rendez-Vous de Chasse operated by woman executive chef Michaela Peters. Visiting Alsace is simply amazing thanks to the picturesque villages & its fairy-tale ambiance, and to the magnificient landscapes between hills, forests and vineyards. Visiting Alsace is for sure tasting cheeses paired with flowerish wines among the French most prestigious whites.

ABOUT YOUR LOCATION

No city has a better location than Colmar, which allows to explore Alsace easily, and to indulge in the food and the wines. Colmar is certainly the most beautiful city in Alsace, besides Strasbourg and the surrounding picturesque tiny villages boardering the wines route. Colmar is a historical city criss-crossed by medieval and renaissance architecture dating back to the 11th century. Steps by step you discover extraordinaire houses, timbered fairy-tale buildings and monuments, between the rivers and canals of La Petite Venise, Le Quartier des Tanneurs and Le Quai de la Poissonnerie. Colmar also remains a dynamic city with shops of all kind, restaurants, bars & cafés, theaters & museums, that you have the liberty to explore after your cooking and wine classes.
On booking your week-end in advance, you can easily choose your accommodation among different hotels and B&B Inns such as Le Colombier*** Hotel Saint Martin***, the elegant Maison des Têtes****, and the adorable B&B Inn at Leslie’s. All offer nicely decorated rooms with private en-suite bathrooms, and furnished with queen or king size bed. Accomodation is very central, walking distance to the cooking school, the old district and the shopping area.

ABOUT YOUR ACTIVITIES

This week-end getaway celebrates the very best of the Alsatian cuisine & fine wines through classes & tastings, while offering a cultural approach along visits and excursions. You will be granted a unique VIP welcome at a renowned cheese cellar including a lecture to improve your understanding in the Alsatian cheese and wine pairing. You will also partake a hands-on cooking class celebrating the Alsatian and light cuisine and learn to cook a three-course meal under executive woman chef Isabelle direction. You will visit the renowned Maison Ferber in Niedermorschwihr (Christine Ferber makes the most delightful jams I’ve ever tasted!) and the Beauvillé fabrics outlet store offering an outstanding choice of table linens, tablecloths and napkins.
Along a full-day excursion on the wine route, you will visit the villages of Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Bergheim… and indulge in the great world of the Alsatian wines through visits to wine properties and tastings. Dinners at a typical “winstub” and at a Michelin-star restaurant are included in the program.

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Detailled Itinerary

> DAY 1 (Thursday) : Welcome to Colmar
Arrival by your own to Colmar (city is linked to Paris by direct TGV within less than three hours). Private transfer to the hotel or B&B Inn of your choice. Welcome and check-in. Afternoon two-hour private sightseeing of Colmar by walking, through its beautiful and picturesque districts. At 5:00pm, short drive to Buhl (a village located west to Colmar) for experiencing the cheese & wines. After visiting the cheese cellar and improving your understanding with an expert, you enjoy a tasting cheese & wine dinner. Back to Colmar around 8:00pm. Overnight at hotel or B&B

> DAY 2 (Friday) : Cooking Class & Visits to artisans & local producers
After your morning breakfast, hands-on cooking class at the Colmar Culinary School located ten minutes by walking from your hotel. You partake a three-hour course under woman executive chef Isabelle S. direction, celebrating the regional cuisine with an original touch of fusion cuisine. You learn to cook a three-course meal including starter, main course and dessert. The menu uses the seasonal produces, and could be such as: celery creamy soup with truffle, light crispy fish with fresh vegetables from the market or endives orange-flavored tatin tart, pineapple carpaccio with candied fennel and ginger icecream. The class starts at 9:30am and ends at 1:30pm. The tasting lunch, wine included follows.
After relaxing and refreshing at the hotel, we depart for an excursion to the north of the wine route, to Ribeauvillé. After visiting the village (one of the most beautiful in Alsace), we stop to Beauvillé homeware fabric and outlet store. We then return to Niedermorswihr for visiting Maison Ferber and tasting the delightful artisanal jams.
Back to Colmar at 6:00pm, relaxing time before having an unforgettable dinner at the top renowned “winstub” typical Alsatian-bistrot Brenner. Overnight at hotel or B&B

> DAY 3 (Saturday) : Excursion on the Wine Route including visits to wine properties & tastings, Gourmet Dinner
After your morning breakfast, you have time to relax or to make some shopping in Colmar. At 11:30am, depart to the Wine Route by private car or minibus. You will explore the beautiful villages of Ammerschwihr, Kaysersberg, Kintzheim, Riquewihr, meeting with local people… and also enter the secret (and great!) world of the Alsatian wines through visits and of course wine tastings. Light lunch (or tea break) by your own. You will be back to Colmar around 6:30pm. Farewell dinner at Le Rendez-Vous de Chasse gourmet Michelin-star restaurant (chef is Michaela Peters). Overnight at hotel or B&B

>DAY 4 (Sunday) : Morning free – Noon check-out & transfer to Colmar station
After your morning breakfast, time free. Check-out before noon. Private transfer to Colmar train station.

OUR PRICES PER PERSON (double occupancy)

At the charming B&B Inn “At Leslie’s
US$ 1,430.00 (single supplement US$ 85.00)

At the 3-star hotel Saint-Martin
US$ 1,580.00 (single supplement US$ 100.00)

At the 3-star design-hotel Le Colombier or at the 4-star hotel Maison des Têtes
US$ 1,725.00 (single supplement US$ 125.00)

Please note that prices are subject to change based on exchange rates. Call for updated rates.

PRICES INCLUDE:
• 3 nights accommodation, breakfast included
• One cheese & wine tasting class at the cellar in Buhl
• One hands-on cooking class at the Colmar Culinary School followed by tasting lunch
• Half-day excursion to the north of the Wine Route to visit Beauvillé & Maison Ferber
• Full-day excursion to the south of the Wine Route including visits to wine properties, walks in the vineyard, wine tastings
• Visits to picturesque villages of Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, and more
• Two-hour guided tour of Colmar
• One dinner at Winstub Brenner (wines not included)
• One gourmet dinner at Michelin-Star restaurant Le Rendez-vous de Chasse (wines not included)
• Private round-trip transfers from/to Colmar train station
• All ground transportation by private car or minibus for the visits and excursions

PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE : airfare to/from France, drinks at the restaurants, lunch on Saturday, personal expenses and personal insurance.

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2010 TOUR DATES

April 8-11
May 20-23
June 15-18
August 19-22
September 2-5

Program available for a minimum of 4 persons, and limited to 8 participants.
Other dates available upon request, for a minimum of 6 persons.
Please contact us.

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