cuvee: french cuisine + wine tours

Cuvéefrench cuisine + wine tours


frenchcuisineandwinetours.com

Your tour begins with your arrival at the Montpellier airport or train station on Saturday, September 5, 2015, where we will meet you and transport to your lodgings, Manoir Ventenac, for the week. Arrival time

in Montpellier should be between 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM, depending on whether you’re arriving by train or plane. Because we can’t check in at our lodgings until 4:00, we may make a short stop en route.

After arrival, our hosts will lead us on a tour of Manoir Ventenac, and we’ll follow that with a brief wel-come and orientation. You’ll have time to decompress, unpack, and sip wine around the pool, before we leave for our regional dinner at L’Anais in the village of GInestas (optional).

SATURDAY



After our petite dejeuner of croissants, coffee, juice, tea and yogurt, we’ll trav-el to the Narbonne market. “Les Halles” is one of the better indoor markets in the South of France, where you’ll find everything from fresh fish from the

Mediterranean to locally made goat cheese, along with a vast array of seasonal produce. Sunday is also market day here, so you’ll be able to browse the stalls that line the colorful Canal du Robine.

After the market, we’ll lead you to the stunning Cathedral St Just, whose first stones were laid in 1272, but which was never completed. The cathedral is a virtual museum of medieval tapestries, time-worn statues, and hidden sanctuaries that will transport you to centuries past.

Then it’s on to Le Salin de L’Isle St Martin in Gruissan, where some of the most delicious Mediterra-nean salt in the France is produced. After lunch at the rustic outdoor cafe overlooking the salt flats, you’ll be taken on a guided tour, and we’ll finish off this stop with a visit to the salt atelier/museum, where you’ll find many options for gifts for friends and family.

SUNDAY


The South of France is well known for its high quality olive oils, and we’ll spend the morning visiting some of the local producers. We’ll follow that with lunch along the canal in the tiny village of Le Somail, then return to our

lodgings for a few hours of relaxation around the pool.One of our favorite discoveries in the Minervois region has been L’Auberge St Martin, a wonderful, charming restaurant nestled in the tiny village of Beaufort, and here we’ll spend the late afternoon under the tutelage of chef Christophe and his wife Mylène. We’ll work with seasonal ingredients, hand-selected by Christophe as we learn about the bounty of the region; our day ends with the sump-tuous dinner we’ve created completed with paired Minervois wines.


In late afternoon, we’ll return to Manoir Ventenac for a short break, before driving north to Faugeres, home of our favorite wine-makers in France, Christian and Régine Godfroid.

Here at La Vigneronne, you’ll be treated to a wine tasting like none other, as Christian takes you on a mesmerizing tour through the world of Languedoc wines. Be sure to visit their wine shop after the tasting. We’ll end the day here with a wonderful, family-style winemaker dinner, replete with some of Christian’s own wines and paired with Régine’s perfect, rustic French cuisine.

SUNDAY

MONDAY


TUESDAY


The market at Olonzac is one of the largest and most impressive farmers’ markets in the area, and we’ll spend the morning meeting some of the food artisans lining the winding streets of the village, and gathering provisions

for our lunch at Manoir Ventenac. After lunch, there’s some downtime before our next round of wine-tastings. The village of La Liviniere, well known throughout Languedoc for its numerous high quality vineyards, is our next destination, where we’ll spend the early afternoon tasting some of the delicious Minervois vintages at Chateau Ste Eulalie.

It’s only a short drive to the village of Minerve, classified as one of the 144 “Plus Beaux Villages de France”, and for good reason. The setting is absolutely stunning - Minerve is perched on a high cliff between two river gorges. This was one of the last holdouts of the Cathars during the Albigensian Crusade, and a weathered inscription still marks the spot where 140 of the Cathars were burned at the stake in the year 1210. You’ll have some time to wander the cobbled streets of Minerve, and we’ll end the day with dinner at Relais Chantovent (optional).



Montpellier is often called “The Paris of the South”, and retains a permanent place on any Cuvée tour. With its vibrant student population (Montpellier was the site of the first medical school in

France), bustling Place de la Comedie, and winding shop-lined streets, the city will not fail to captivate you.After lunch at La Saleya (optional), or restaurant of your choosing, you’ll have the afternoon to browse the shops along the enchanting Rue de L’Ancien Courrier, take a tour of the historic centre ville, visit the impressive Musée Fabre, or while away the time at a sidewalk cafe.

After a day in Montpellier, we’ll be in serious need of some beach time, so we’ll drive to Valras Plage to spend the last few hours of the day soaking up the sun and enjoying the numerous coquillages stands with seafood fresh from the Mediterranean. Dinner will be on your own in Valras (optional).

WEDNESDAY



After our petit dejeuner, we’ll drive south to Collioure, one of the most picturesque fishing villages in all of France. Nestled along the beauti-ful Cote Vermeille at the foot of the Pyrenees, Collioure captivated the

Impressionist painters of the early 20th century, and remains one our clients’ favorite visits during the tour. Spend the day checking out the pastel-hued shops, or take Le Petit Train that winds up into the vineyards above the village, providing spectacular views over the coast. We’ll have wine tastings on the schedule of course, a tour of Catalan cuisine specialty shops, and recommendations for a walking tour up into the hidden back streets, lined with stunning, colorful homes.

Lunch will be on your own - there are many cafe’s and restaurants that line the harbor, and we’ll let you in on our favorites for experiencing the regional cuisine of Catalan France. Around 5:00 PM, we’ll return home for a couple of hours of relaxation, and then drive into Narbonne for dinner (optional).

THURSDAY



You haven’t seen anything until you’ve experienced the Friday fish market in Sete, a bustling port wedged between the Mediterranean and the Etang du Thau. We’ll stop for coffee at the neighborhood boulangerie along the canal,

then join the locals at this, one of the largest fish markets in the South of France. If time allows, we’ll drive up to Mont St Clair, which offers stunning views of the Mediterranean coast.

After lunch in Meze, a working fishing village just opposite Sete on the Etang du Thau, we’ll spend a few hours in Pezenas. Once home to the playwright Moliere, Pezenas is rich in history and medieval architecture. Enter its cobbled, shop-lined back streets, and experience the France of centuries ago.

FRIDAY



Departure: We say au revoir to Manoir Ventenac & wish you a Bon Voyage! Note: Because the main flight from Montpellier to Paris de-parts at 7:20 AM, we will have a very early departure from the chateau.

Allowing an hour for the drive, and at least an hour for check-in, we will depart at approximately 5:00 AM. This will be the only departure, so for those taking the train at a later time, we will be happy to drop you off at the train station after the airport drop-off.

SATURDAY

On our final evening together, we’ll all prepare a tasty supper using the in-gredients we gathered at the market and dine under the stars at our beautiful lodging, toasting a week spent in the glorious South of France. We’ll have a

chance to share our experiences, partake in the best of locally sourced produce & artisan made deli-cacies, and raise a glass of outstanding Languedoc wine to celebrate our week.

FRIDAY


2015 Tour Itinerary - September 5-12, 2015Saturday: Pick-up at Airport - 1:00 PM4:00 - arrive at Manoir Ventenac5:00 - Orientation & Welcome; wine & snacks6:30 - Dinner at L’Anais in Ginestas (Optional)

Sunday:9:00 – 11:00 Narbonne Market11:00 – noon - Visit Cathedral St Just12:30 – 3:00 - Lunch & tour at Les Salines – Gruissan (covered)3:30 - Wine tasting at Mas du Soleilla4:30 - 5:15 - Brief stop at Manoir Ventenac5:15 - Depart for La Vigneronne6:30 - Wine tasting & dinner at La Vigneronne (Covered)


A note about the itinerary: the tour cost includes the dinners at La Vigneronne, Auberge St Martin, and Le Selette, and the lunches at La Cambruse du Saunier, and at our lodgings, Manoir Ventenac. All meals not included with the tour cost are labeled “optional”. In most of these “optional” cases, we will still be eating together, but for some lunches, you will have the option of eating at a restaurant of your choice


Monday:Morning - Visit to olive oil mill in Bize Minervois12:00 – Lunch in Le Somail (Optional)2;30 - 3:30 - Relax at Manoir Ventenac4:00 – Cooking class at L’Auberge St Martin7:00 - Aperatif & Dinner at L’Auberge St Martin (Covered)Tuesday:9:00 – 11:00 – Olonzac market12:00 – Lunch at Manoir Ventena2:00 - 4:00– Wine tastings in La Liviniere (covered)5:00 – Visit to Minerve7:00 – Dinner at Relais Chantovent in Minerve (Optional)Wednesday:9:00 - 10:00 - Relax at Manoir Ventenac10:00 - Depart for Montpellier 12:30 – Lunch on your own in Montpellier3:30 - Depart for Valras Plage - beach time7:00 – Dinner in Valras Plage - (Optional)



Thursday:9:00 Depart for CollioureOptional activities in Collioure: Culinary Tour, Petit Train, beach, shoppingLunch - on your own4:00 – Depart Collioure5:00 - 7:00 - Relax at Manoir Ventenac7:30 - dinner in Narbonne (Optional)

Friday:9:00 - Sete fish marketLunch in Bouzigues or Meze (Optional)2:00 - 4:00 shopping in Pezenas; optional: guided tour of historic center5:00 - 7:00 - Optional Cooking Class/Meal Prep at Manoir Ventenac7:30 - Dinner at Manoir Ventenac

Saturday: Departure




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cuvee: french cuisine + wine tours

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