Ardèche Gourmet, Cooking & Cultural original Tour in the South of France

COOKING VACATIONS

Southern France Culinary Tour in Ardeche

$4,820.00 – $5,260.00

JOIN CORINNE IN ARDECHE TO EXPERIENCE THE AUTHENTIC FRENCH CUISINE WHILE DISCOVERING A REGION OF A GREAT BEAUTY.

6 days / 5 nights (Sunday-Friday)
– Valence TGV train station round-trip private transfer
– Privatized Villa Bellevue**** accommodation
– Daily breakfasts, lunches and dinners
– Cooking Classes & Gourmet experiences
– Cultural guided Tours, Transportation included
– Market tours and connection with local producers & artisans

BEFORE BOOKING THIS TOUR, PLEASE CONTACT US.

We want to be sure that this tour, the itinerary and the food offered match with your wishes, likes and expectations. Thank you.
We look forward to speaking with you and to welcoming you soon!

Welcome to Ardèche in the South of France,

Ardèche is our “Secret France” authentic region to explore, far from the crowd and tourists spots.


From northern Provence, you just have to cross the Rhône valley to discover the Ardèche well preserved and rich territory. Time your trip from mid-June to early July to admire lavender fields from the heights of medieval hilltop villages. In addition to their purple backdrop, lovely villages have other places worthy of your gaze. You will stroll across their narrow-cobbled streets, colorful markets, and lively town squares. Time your trip in the fall to enjoy the chestnuts harvest and to experience the wine harvest.

Ardèche is well known for its stunning engraved and painted caves including the UNESCO listed Grotte Chauvet, one of the most significant heritage of the Paleolithic era from 30,000–32,000 BC.

Another point of interest is the silkworm breeding. From the 16th to the 19th century, the silk threads were sold to the tailors of Lyon for nobles’ luxurious clothes. You will visit the silkworm farm eco-museum and see how Bombyx caterpillars make silk cocoons to get the precious silk threads then.

In choosing our culinary and cultural exclusive tour in Ardèche, you will experience and enjoy an exquisite cuisine prepared with tasty organic local products including chestnuts, cheese, meats, delicious veggies and fruits. In Ardèche, the local cuisine is paired with fine and elegant local wines. You will experience and enjoy this cuisine in traditional and Michelin restaurants, and in partaking in hands-on cooking classes.

Privatized B&B accommodation nearby Aubenas

Located in the outskirts of Aubenas charming town, Villa Bellevue is the perfect place to relax and to explore the region and its rich heritage. It offers 2 spacious bedrooms with all modern comfort, furnished with queen beds and stylish antiques. Each one has its en-suite bathroom. The villa has a heated pool. Free WiFi connection. Villa Bellevue is privatized for you!

Daily breakfasts include ham, cheese, crispy baguette, croissants, brioches, butter, home-made jam, honey, cereals, organic milk, fresh fruits, fruit juices, crepes, cakes, tea and coffee… to start the day on the best way!

Cooking Classes & Gourmet Experiences

La cuisine de l’Ardèche… what a delight !
From the foothills of the Massif Central volcanos in the north, to the lavender fields and the Rhône valley with its Mediterranean climate in the south, Ardèche offers scenic landscapes and a large variety of tasty organic produces that you will discover on colorful farmers markets and at the producers.

One of the better known produce of Ardèche is the chestnut. But the richness of the county is not limited to it… Ardèche offers a wide range of meats, dairy products, sparkling mineral waters, fruit juices, tasty sorbets and jams, honeys, olive oil, truffles, organic breads, organic fruits and vegetables, fine wines and all kind of flours to bake delicious cakes and tarts.
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Choosing to visit Ardèche is the opportunity to experience and enjoy a healthy and flavorful cuisine. You will join Corinne in the kitchen for hands-on cooking and baking classes. Each three-hour lesson offers the right timing to learn how to cook delicious and well balanced 3-course meals from scratch, including an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. Each dish is prepared with local seasonal produce from the market.

You will enjoy shopping on farmers market, visiting wineries, chestnut farm and chestnut candies factory. You will enjoy lunches and dinners in traditional and gourmet restaurants.

Cultural guided Tours

Ardèche features stunning villages including Balazuc, Vogüe, Labeaume, Lagorce and many others.
You will get the chance to visit several ones including its chateaux, artisans, markets, etc. Visiting also means taking time for you, for enjoying a drink in a café, for shopping, for taking photos…

You will visit Chauvet 2, the world’s largest decorated cave replica. Between light and shadow, surrounded by stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, sinter and bones, you will walk in the footsteps of our ancestors, while almost hearing the breathing of the 14 species of animals painted or carved on the walls.

ITINERARY

Day 1 (Sunday) ∼ Welcome to Ardèche!
Early afternoon Valence TGV private transfer to Villa Bellevue. From Paris CDG airport Terminal 2, the trains are direct to Valence, France.
Check-in at Villa Bellevue, welcome drink and snack. Relaxing time.
Early aperitif and dinner in the villa.
Overnight.

Day 2 (Monday) ∼ Hilltop villages Cultural Tour including visits to a winery and the Silkworm Farm Eco-museum ∼ Dinner in Corinne’s villa
Breakfast in Villa Bellevue.
Transfer to Rochecolombe and Lagorce – Visit to a winery and to Verasoie then.
Lunch in Vogüe.
Afternoon hilltop villages guided walking tour.
Transfer to Villa Bellevue. Relaxing time.
Dinner at Corinne’s villa (10mn away).
Overnight.

Day 3 (Tuesday) ∼ Market tour & shopping ∼ Artisans ∼ Cooking class & dinner
Breakfast in Villa Bellevue.
Transfer to Largentière.
Market tour, shopping and visits to producers and artisans: cheese farm, chestnut eco-museum, pottery, pepper and salt mills manufacture… with the lunch in between.
Transfer to Aubenas.
Hands-on cooking class celebrating the Ardechoise cuisine run in Corinne’s villa
Food and wine pairing tasting dinner.
Overnight.

Day 4 (Wednesday) ∼ Cooking Class & lunch ∼ Afternoon free at your leisure
Breakfast in Villa Bellevue.
Morning Cooking Class celebrating the Ardeche and Mediterranean cuisine, followed by tasting lunch.
Afternoon free at your leisure. Just let us now where you would like to go and what you would like to do. We provide the transportation.
Dinner in Villa Bellevue
Overnight.

Day 5 (Thursday) ∼ Full-day tour “on the footsteps of our ancestors” ∼ Michelin farewell Gourmet Dinner
Breakfast in Villa Bellevue.
Transfer to Banne.
Païolive petrified rocks and woods forest walking tour.
Visit to an essential oils distillery and experience an aromatherapy atelier.
Lunch in Labeaume.
Afternoon visit to Chauvet 2.
Transfer to Villa Bellevue. Resting time.
Dinner at Claude Brioude’s gourmet restaurant in Neyrac-les-Bains.
Overnight.

Day 6 (Friday) ∼ Check-out ∼ Train station transfer ∼ End of the tour
Breakfast in Villa Bellevue.
Check-out at 11am or earlier at your convenience.
Private transfer to Valence TGV train station.
End of the tour.

PROGRAM PRICES

$4,820 per person (DBL occupancy)
Single occupancy supplement: $440
VAT and all taxes included.

Price includes:
♦ Valence TGV station round-trip private transfer and daily transportation for visits and tours
♦ 5-night private Villa Bellevue**** accommodation
♦ 2 hands-on cooking classes
♦ Daily breakfasts, lunches and dinners
♦ Marketplace tour and visits to local artisans and producers
♦ Quaint villages and historic sites guided tours.

Not included: airfare from your country, wine in restaurants, personal expenses, personal insurance and all which is not listed in “price includes”.

2024 & 2025 TOUR DATES

September 29 – October 4, 2024 (4 spots left)
May 18-23, 2025 (6 spots left)

Other dates can be offered upon request in June, September and October.
This tour is confirmed with 4 people and it is limited to 6 participants.

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