French Culinary journey
NORMANDY CULINARY tour 2024
OCTOBER 06 TO OCTOBER 12 2024
OCTOBER 13 TO OCTOBER 19 2024
PRICING
$4,965+GST per person per week -All inclusive - Based on double occupation
Travelling solo? Single supplement $1,699.00+GST.
Join us for our information session on Sunday October 1, 2023.
This in-person session at our Centre in Calgary will discuss all details from where we stay, to our expected itinerary,
and activities during our trip. Complementary wines & amuse-bouches will also be served during fun introduction session.
Pre-registration is required.
Tour Details
What's included?
Full package price includes:
Transfers from the airport or the train station of Bergerac (Périgord tour) or Cherbourg (Normandy tour) to our private estate.
6 night/seven days in an exquisite and authentic French XVIII century chateau (Périgord tour) or a converted orphanage dating back to the 1700's (Normandy tour).
One queen or 2x twin bedroom with ensuite and/or private bathroom.
All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) starting on Sunday dinner, until the Saturday breakfast, including wine, local specialty drinks and non-alcoholic beverages.
All visits, tours, and tastings.
Pricing does not include:
Airfare/travel to one of our pick-ups location.
Medical insurance and/or travel insurance.
*Please note that our estate is a non-smoking facility
Reserve Your Spot
Our tours fill up in advance; reserve your spot now. Full payment may be made at the time of booking, or you can choose to pay a partial deposit, with full payment due by July 1st, 2023 (Normandy tour).
Please click here for complete terms and conditions.
The regions
The Périgord region (Spring tour)
The culture and craftsmanship of the region remains as it was decades ago. This scenic area is built on rolling hills shaped by the winding Dordogne River as it makes its way west to Bordeaux. Here you’ll discover impressive fortified villages, medieval castles, a remarkable community of vintners, farmers and craftsmen, and markets famous for foie gras, walnuts, truffles and goat cheese.
Your chef and guide, Thierry Meret, has family here and has forged a special relationship with the artisans that are bound to inspire you.
Normandy region (Fall tour)
Welcome to Normandy - the birthplace of Camembert. Here, local farmers and producers are waiting to share their lifestyle and regional bounties.
Orchards, pastures and sea shores will be part of our daily experience. Visits to
oyster farms, dairies, markets, cheese makers and regional museums will fill our days. Do a little or do a lot!
Our home for the week is a converted orphanage dating back to the 1700's, nestled in a rural landscape, surrounded by breathtaking views. Each room has its own queen-sized bed and private bathroom. The estate is specially equipped with a double-sized kitchen, making it the perfect setting for hands-on demonstrations, classes and gatherings, with a focus on specialties of the area.
From boot fishing to Brandy making, prepare to experience the best of the region!
Your Trip is Yours to Design
Daily Activities
Do as much or as little as you please during your stay with us. Participate in all aspects of our itinerary, or request a picnic lunch and venture off. Whether relaxing by the pool (Périgord only), hiking, biking or enjoying the sanctuary of the estate, the experience is yours to create.
Cooking Classes
During your stay you may participate in a different arrays of hands-on kitchen gatherings. Topics will range from dessert to local specialties. Our open kitchen atmosphere invites observation and participation for this one-of-a-kind experience. Our market tours are designed to be both informative and fun.
Farm Visits and Tastings
Attend the daily goat milking in Périgord or Camembert making in Normandy and learn how cheese is made at a local fromagerie , stroll through on of the oldest market of France to gather fresh produce for an improvised dinner at our estate!
In Périgord, you will spend the early hours of a day at a boulangerie to make your own croissant while bread is baking and take part in a “hunt” like no other, with the famous black truffle as prey!
In Normandy, you will explore the countryside and connect to local oyster farmers or cheese mongers; you will take part of the daily miller’s life and lean the ancestral secret of bread making and the use of local buckwheat in making regional crepes!
Vineyards and Wines (Périgord tour)
In Périgord, you will tour the Bergerac wine region and discover its five main varietals. Enjoy a discussion with local winemakers and taste some of their best wines while learning how the hundred years war influenced the region's wine industry . Participate in a very special wine education session lead by local wine œnologists followed by a 1900's "Bourgeois" dinner in our seventeen century dinning room.
Museums, Historical Sites and cooking
The Périgord Dordogne valley is known as The Valley of 1001 Castles. From medieval strongholds like the village of Beynac, the chateau of Castelnaud or Bridoire and the UNESCO-recognized village of Les Eyzies, our carefully selected destinations will give you an intimate understanding of the region and its culture.
Normandy, from middle ages ruling and the Scandinavian invasions all the way to the D.day operations, this region will delight you with all the local artisans, local bounties and unique way of life. Communal cooking classes are definitely the highlights. Did we mention Calvados?
Cycling and Hiking (Périgord tour)
Your hybrid bicycle is yours to use at any time and endless biking and hiking trails await. The itinerary includes opportunities to cycle to some destinations; however, for those who prefer, our van is always available.
Please note that inclement weather and unforeseen circumstances may cause itineraries to change without notice.
For more information, please email us or call us at 403-764-COOK (2665) and we will be happy to set-up an appointment with you to answer any question you may have.