Let Us Guide You Through the French Countryside
A Moveable Feast Tour
A Culinary and Cultural Tour of the Dordogne and Provence
9 days/8 nights
A Moveable Feast is a delightful, personalized small-group journey to two
of the most beautiful regions of France. The adventure begins when your
hostesses meet you in Périgueux and take you to the hamlet of St-Cirq,
deep in the heart of the Périgord, land of prehistory, foie gras,
and truffles. You'll settle into a typical secluded stone country house
with massive fireplace, mansarded bedroom with 17th-century beams, and a
commanding view over the Vézère Valley.
During your four-day stay, you'll shop at local markets and prepare regional
dishes, sample Périgourdin cuisine in area restaurants, meet local
artisans, tour châteaux and prehistoric sites, meander the cobblestone
streets of old Sarlat, and enjoy sweeping vistas of the green hills, majestic
cliffs, and stunning rivers that make the Périgord one of the most
picturesque regions of France.
Next, you'll be transported to Provence by van. The trip will be break
for a picnic lunch in the Languedoc, and by late afternoon you will be in
the Alpilles region...the heart of Provence. For the next three days your
home will be the Moulin de Gréoux, a restored and renovated 18thC
olive oil mill nestled among olive trees at the foot of the Alpilles mountain
range. (www.moulindegreoux.com)
We will visit local artisanal producers of olive oil, goat cheese and other
food products and see one of the few remaining Marseille soap factories
in the region. We will visit markets to shop for the freshest produce and
lovely provençal fabrics, as well as taste the most delicious cookies
and hand made chocolates produced in the village where Nostradamus was born.
You will be able to see how the Romans influenced this area...and how much
they left behind. Beautiful ruins, colisseums, theaters and aquaducts in
some of the most spectacular settings.
Your guides’ intimate knowledge of these two areas will enable you
to become part of the local fabric and experience France as a native. Mellen
Candage, owner of the residence in the Dordogne, began her love affair with
France more than 25 years ago as a chaperone for student groups in Paris
and the Loire. She has made more than 50 trips to various regions of France
and has owned her home in the Dordogne since 1993 and has spent countless
months there—and the months in between studying the region and its
history, culture, and cuisine. Patricia Bachrach has lived in Paris and
Provence for more than 16 years and in Europe for more than 30 years. She
has run a B&B from the Moulin de Greoux for the past 8 years, where
one of her specialties is teaching guests the art of preparing authentic
Mediterranean cuisine. The two have been friends and colleagues for the
past 6 years and have traveled extensively in France and North Africa together
to enhance their understanding of local culture and cuisine.
Your guides’ intimate knowledge of these two areas will enable you
to become part of the local fabric and experience France as a native.
Itinerary
Tours conducted in April, June, and September. Contact
us if you wish to experience A Moveable Feast at another time of year.
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| You will be met at the train station in Périgueux and we will make
the 45-minute drive to St-Cirq. There, you will settle in and relax
a bit before leaving for dinner at a nearby restaurant where you will
enjoy your first taste of foie gras, confit de canard, and other local
specialties. |
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| We'll visit the market in Le Bugue (designated a “marché
de France”), where we will purchase the makings of a delicious
dinner and, weather permitting, the ingredients for a picnic on the
banks of the Vézère river. Then we will head to the château
de Castelnaud and its museum of medieval warfare. This evening we will
prepare and consume a communal meal and sample regional wines and liqueurs. |
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| Today we will step back in prehistory. In the morning, a visit to the
inspiring Grotte de Font-de-Gaume and La Roque St-Christophe. Lunch
will be in St-Léon-sur-Vézère. That afternoon,
we will visit a local producer of cheese, walnut oil, foie gras, or
other regional specialty. Back in St-Cirq, the intrepid may wish to
visit the Grotte de St-Cirq, just down the lane. We will dine this evening
at a local restaurant where we will enjoy Périgourdin specialties. |
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| On our last day in the Dordogne, we’ll head to the beautifully
restored town of Sarlat, the region’s market hub. We’ll take
a walking tour of the town, explore the shops, and have lunch there
before taking a ride along the majestic Dordogne River. We'll stop at
the hill town of Domme, then two of “les plus beaux villages”
de France: La Roque-Gageac and Beynac, where we’ll tour the imposing
castle or take a leisurely guided boat tour. Your hosts will prepare
dinner for you tonight while you pack for the following day’s trip
to Provence. |
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After breakfast, we will begin our journey to Provence. We will take
a short break in a spot where you will have a breathtaking view of Carcassonne,
the most famous of walled cities. Once in Cathar country, we will stop
enjoy a picnic lunch before proceeding to Maussane-les-Alpilles. Upon
arrival, you will have time to settle in before we visit the clifftop
village of Les Baux de Provence. We will then have dinner at one of
the many local restaurants that serve specialties of Provence.
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After an early breakfast, we will go to Arles for a visit to the
largest outdoor market in Provence. There we will choose the ingredients
for our afternoon cooking class. After our marketing, you will have
an opportunity to see the Roman theatre, coliseum, and if time permits,
the Museon Arlatan. This museum has marvelous exhibits showing the
traditional Provençal way of life.
Upon our return to the Moulin in the mid afternoon, we will walk
to the Moulin du Mas des Barres, where you can see a working olive
oil mill. This is also your chance to purchase olive oil soaps and
gourmet items such as black olive jam and tapenade. Back to the Moulin
de Gréoux and a cooking class in the spacious kitchen. Weather
permitting; we will enjoy our fabulous feast on the terrace.
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| This morning we will drive into the village of St. Rémy de
Provence, birthplace of Nostradamus, for a walk around the shops and
sights. We’ll then head to Aigues Mortes in the Camargue. This
walled city—a miniature compared to Carcassonne—was the departure
point for the Crusaders. Driving through the Camargue, you will have
a chance to see the horses and bulls, as well as the rice fields that
the region is famous for. We’ll have lunch in the beautiful square
of Aigues Mortes, and there will be time to explore the town. We will
have dinner this evening at La Petite France, a charming tiny restaurant
in Maussane.
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| Today we will visit the awe inspiring Pont du Gard before proceeding
to the former Duché of Uzès. After lunch in one of the
charming restaurants that line the Place aux Herbes, we will visit the
Duché, which is still owned and lived in by the descendants of
the original family. We will then enjoy a guided visit of a medieval
garden where we will taste an infusion based on the plants grown there.
There is wonderful shopping in Uzès, a chance for everyone to
pick up those last minute gifts. We will return to the Moulin where
your hosts will prepare a light dinner while everyone prepares their
luggage for the next day’s departure. |
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| After a leisurely breakfast, we will deliver everyone to the TGV station
in Avignon or to the airport in Marseille, depending on your travel
plans.
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Note: Itinerary subject to change based on local scheduling changes.
