Culinary Adventure in the Loire Valley Itinerary

Day 1 - Sunday

• Arrive any time after noon, and settle into your room.

• Around 7:00 pm, meet your hosts for a welcome glass of champagne, followed by dinner in the cooking school.

• Overnight.

 
Day 2 - Monday

• Breakfast.

• In the morning, begin your first cooking class by focusing on some of your hosts’ most popular dishes, and in the process learning the art of butchering and working with poultry.

• Guinea fowl fricasse with Touraine sauce and morels

• A seasonal duck dish

• Pomme fondantes, Dauphinoises, and a dish of seasonal vegetables.

• Lunch based on your efforts, along with some favorite French artisanal cheeses and freshly baked bread.

• In the afternoon, begin your journey into the world of French pastries starting with the chef’s latest take on a trio of gourmet brûlées. This hands-on class will focus on how to create stunning desserts with a brûlée as the centerpiece of the dish.

• After class, around 4 p.m., take some time to relax with a beauty spa treatment (these services must be booked in advance, and cost is not included; please inquire), or explore the area by bicycle, taking a walk or canoe trip along the river, or playing boules in the village square.

• At 7:30, enjoy a dinner demonstration by both the chefs, followed by dinner.

• Overnight.

 
Day 3 - Tuesday

• Breakfast.

• This morning, depart for an excursion to the popular Chateau Chenonceau, where you’ll have some time on your own to explore the beautiful chateau on your own. Once property of the crown and later a royal residence, the castle is an exceptional site not only for its design and collection, but as a place that was loved, overseen, and protected by women. Otherwise known as the “Chateau des Dames,” it was built in 1513 by Katherine Briconnet, and later renovated by Diane de Poitiers as well as Catherine de Medici.

• Lunch today will be at the Chateau Chenonceau’s charming Orangerie restaurant located in the property’s gardens.

• In the afternoon, return to the kitchen for another hands-on cooking class. This course will focus on ice cream as well as a mousse au chocolat.

• Around 7:00, enjoy a dinner based on seasonal dishes.

• Overnight.

 
Day 4 - Wednesday

• After an early morning coffee in the garden, depart for Tours.

• Start in Tours with a stop in the town’s best bakery to choose some breakfast pastries to enjoy.

• This morning, we’ll explore both the indoor Les Halles food market, and the twice-weekly outdoor market.

• Next, visit the old town, which clusters around Place Plumereau, where the old houses have been restored to their former glory. Small, narrow streets take you into the historic medieval city, and to the south, there’s the Romanesque basilica, the Cloitre de St-Martin, and the new Basilique de St.-Martin.

• Return to the cooking school for a lunch that’s been prepared by one of the chefs.

• In the afternoon, your next cooking class focuses on creating and preparing some of the most classic French desserts. Some items on the menu may include an exotic chocolate macaron, a seasonal macaron, and a futuristic macaron.

• Time on your own until dinner.

• Tonight, take part in a dinner at a wonderful Michelin starred restaurant with one of the chef’s friends.

• Overnight.

 
Day 5 - Thursday

• Traditional French breakfast

• This morning at 4 a.m., our fish delivery arrived off the boats that came in late last night at the Atlantic port of La Rochelle, a 2-hour drive from the cooking school.

• In today’s morning cooking class, learn about the best catch for each season, and how to identify your fish and ensure it is fresh. The day will include techniques on how to prepare your fish.

• The chef’s “smoke, fire, and spice” fruits of the sea creation

• A dish featuring mussels

• Seasonal dish based on the fresh ocean catch of the day

• Lunch based on your efforts.

• In the afternoon, enjoy time on your own before dinner. Perhaps play boules in the village square, or enjoy a spa treatment at the local spa. (Spa services must be booked in advance.)

• Return to the cooking school for a tasting of Loire Valley wines and French chocolates, as well as dinner.

• Overnight.

 
Day 6 - Friday

• After a traditional French breakfast, visit the local goat cheese farm and producer to taste and experience the best goat cheese in the world, St. Maures AOC.

• Return to the cooking school for a cooking class to learn the art of soufflés and how to prepare a variety of dishes using goat cheese. Sample menu:

• Cheese soufflé

• Souffle Grand Marnier

• Bread of the moment

• Lunch in the orchard to follow based on your culinary efforts.

• Around 2:00 p.m., learn the pastry chef’s ‘dessert of the moment’ with a hands-on class utilizing local and fresh ingredients.

• You’ll also have the opportunity to help the chef prepare for the farewell Zulu BBQ dinner, which includes preparing some exotic dishes from Africa. Some dishes you may make include Mozambique chicken peri peri, chakalaka sauce, and lamb samosas. Dinner based on your efforts to follow.

• Overnight.

 
Day 7 - Saturday
Traditional French breakfast.
Check out and departure by 11 a.m.
 

• Price Per Person

• This program requires a deposit of US$1500 per person.

•  Prices based on double occupancy.

•  2017 - 6-night program, US$2,680 per person

• +US$470 (use of a double room by one person) single occupancy

 
2017 Women Only Week

• September 3-11, 2017

• US$3,990 per person

Single occupancy supplement, please inquire.
 
Transfers from train station to the cooking school available on request:

St. Pierre des Corps OR Poitiers:

• 1-2 people on the same booking: 45 EUROS PER CAR EACH WAY

• 3 people on the same booking: 70 EUROS PER CAR EACH WAY

• 4 people on the same booking: 90 EUROS PER CAR EACH WAY

Chatellerault:

• 1-2 people on the same booking: 25 EUROS PER CAR EACH WAY

• 3 people on the same booking: 40 EUROS PER CAR EACH WAY

• 4 people on the same booking: 50 EUROS PER CAR EACH WAY

• Transfers for groups of 5 people or more, please inquire.

 
NOTE: THE CHATEAU IS NOT OPEN FOR LUNCH, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO HAVE LUNCH BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL. YOU CAN BUY SANDWICHES AND SALADS AT ANY OF THE TRAIN STATIONS.
IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN PREORDER A COLD LUNCH PLATE TO BE LEFT IN YOUR ROOM AT 20 EUROS PER PERSON. (FEE PAID LOCALLY).