Culinary Treasures of the French-Southwest

October 15-21, 2008

Culinary & Cultural Treasures of the French Southwest:
An Immersion in Regional Cuisine & Wines, Visiting Notable Markets, Culinary Artisans, Medieval Villages & Famed Prehistory Sites

Join two expert leaders, Sabine le Dualt of Paris Authentique and Sally Peabody of Your Great Days in Paris for an intimately scaled gastronomic tour in southwest France. This tour offers lovers of French culture, food and wine, a weeklong immersion in the markets, villages, vignobles, and specialty foods of a glorious region of rural France. In addition to its numerous gastronomic specialties, hearty cuisine and good wines, the region is full of architectural, cultural and historic temptations. Sabine is a native of Varen, one of the charming petit villages that we will explore, and her local knowledge and contacts assure that we will explore, experience and enjoy each day on and off the beaten path.

The tour is limited to six guests. Transportation is via Sabine’s comfortable Renault van. While this tour is first and foremost a culinary tour, we will have ample time to visit notable historic bastide towns and charming medieval towns, many of which were important sites during the 100 Years War and the great era of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. We will visit selected historic churches, and at least one superb prehistory site, such as the caves of Pech Merle. The region boasts other three-star cultural attractions noted in the Michelin France guides including Rocamadour and the Gouffre de Padirac.

Once in the southwest, we will stay for one night in the Dordogne in or near Sarlat, and three nights in comfortable Bed and Breakfast accommodations with private bath in the charming and bustling medieval village of St. Antonin Noble Val, famed for its lovely location, ancient town hall and major weekend market. We will enjoy day trips taking us into various villages and departments of southwest France including the Dordogne, Quercy, the Aveyron, the Lot, and Tarn et Garonne. The St. Antonin Noble Val B&B is called La Residence www.laresidence-france.com and if offers excellent table d’ hote dinners, along with various other good dining options in St. Antonin. Accommodation for our two nights in Paris will be in a comfortable two star hotel in the Marais or in St. Germain des Pres.

Day One: Wednesday, October 15

Arrive Paris, transfer to hotel on your own. Tour commences with a late afternoon welcome and brief orientation from Sally Peabody, followed by dinner together at gourmet bistro in the neighborhood of our hotel as we have an early start the next day (dinner included in the tour).

Day Two: Thursday, October 16

Sabine will meet us at our Paris hotel at 9:00. We will drive to Sarlat, a jewel of a medieval town in the lovely Dordogne region. We will have a relaxed lunch in Sarlat and then enjoy a walking tour of the town.

In the afternoon we will choose between a visit to a local farmer-producer or a visit to the medieval pilgrimage town of Rocamadour.
Dinner together in an auberge or bistro of Sabine’s choice. Dinner included in the tour.

Day Three: Friday, October 17

Drive to St. Antonin Noble Val and check in to our B&B. Sabine will give us a brief orientation to this lovely town that will be our base for the next three days. In late morning we will drive to Monteils to the farm of G. Carles. Monsieur Carles raises ducks for pates, confits and foie gras. We will learn about these ancient traditions and then enjoy a lunch in the beautiful barn that has been transformed into a dining room with a large fireplace. Meals are cooked in the fireplace and the experience is convivial and delicious. (Lunch included in tour.)

After lunch we will explore the classic villages, Najac and Caylus. We plan to visit an artisanal charcuterie in Caylus in the afternoon.

We’ll end the day with a drink at Sabine’s brother Bertrand’s home. Bertrand’s house (built behind the ruins of a medieval chateau) has an outstanding view of the lovely river Aveyron.

Diner on your own in Saint Antonin Noble Val.

Day Four, Saturday, October 18

We will visit the charming perched village of Cordes Sur Ciel, the stop in at selected vineyards in the Tarn on the way from Cordes Sur Ciel to Albi.
We will stop at the Chateau de Mayragues (www.chateau-de-mayragues.com) where Gaillac wines have been made since Roman times. Chateau de Mayragues was in ruin when the current owners purchased it in the mid-1980’s. Their painstaking restoration has won them an award from the French Government. The wines are fine too!

Afternoon in the beautiful city of Albi where there is an exceptional
cathedral entirely made of brick. We’ll enjoy some time to walk (on your own or with Sabine leading as you wish) in the tiny picturesque streets, splendid architecture, half-timbered houses of this lovely small city. Albi is also home to a famed museum of Toulouse Lautrec’s work which we can make time for an optional visit if guests wish.

Lunch in one of the Bastide towns or a shared table d’hote dinner at our B&B featuring organic vegetables and regional specialities. To be determined.

Day Five: Sunday, October 19

We will commence our day in the outstanding weekly market in ‘our’ town, St. Antonin Noble Val, which is colorful and rich in local products. We will have a relaxed lunch in an excellent restaurant situated over the valley of Aveyron, called La Corniche. (Lunch included in the tour).

Afternoon: leisurely visits to beautiful typique villages such as Bruniquel,
Penne, Vaour. Diner on your own.

Day Six: Monday, October 20
After breakfast, we will leave St. Antonin Noble Val and head for Cabrerets to visit the exceptional pre-history site of Pech Merle. Pech-Merle is an outstanding cave complex dating from roughly 18 million years ago. Access is very limited and must be reserved well in advance. Pech Merle is famous for exquisite cave paintings including the spotted horses, wooly mammoths, a ‘wounded man’ and hand prints… an amazing place and not to be missed. Lunch will be in the picturesque hillside town of St. Cirq Lapopie or similar (to faciliate our visit to Pech Merle). Time permitting we will visit an additional village such as Caussade or Labenque. Mid-afternoon, drive back to Paris.

Dinner on your own once back in Paris. Sally will provide numerous recommendations.

Day Seven: Tuesday October 21

Breakfast at hotel. Tour ends.

Guests may wish to book additional Paris Culinary or Cultural Touring with Sally or Sabine. Priced individually. Sally will be offering a “Paris Off the Beaten Path” day exploring the charming Batignolles quarter, the Parc Monceau, and time permitting, the rue de Martyrs market street.

Tour Details:
Included: Two nights hotel in Paris, four nights B&Bs in Sarlat and in Saint Antonin Noble Val, all double occupancy, private bath. Breakfast daily. Lunch or dinner daily including wine and coffee/tea. Visits to artisans, tastings, visit to winemaker in Gaillac. Admissions: Pech-Merle. Two leaders, transportation in the SW via Sabine le Dualt’s Renault mini-van. Not included: airfares, airport transfers in Paris.

Price: $3,375 double-occupancy. Single supplement: $375. Deposit: $350 via check to Your Great Days in Paris, LLC Balance due with signed Tour Agreement 70 days prior to departure. Payable by major credit card or check.

Questions? Please contact Sally Peabody, President, Your Great Days in Paris LLC
sally@yourgreatdaysinparis.com

Sabine Le Dualt, Driver/Guide, Paris Authentique parisauthentique@yahoo.fr