EPICURIOUS EUROPE

Take the direct morning train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Avignon where you will be met and transferred to your boutique hotel, centrally located in the town. (Alternatively, we will be staying at a large country house).

After a light lunch in town, take a guided walk around this gorgeous city.

A pre-prandial pastis or cocktail will be enjoyed at Hotel Nord Pinus, the former cult hotel that was the haunt of bullfighters and artists. Dinner tonight in one of Arles’ finest restaurants.

Today, enjoy the centrally located museums of Arles: Museon Arlaten is dedicated to the ethnography of Provence; Fondation V van Gogh that explores the impact of van Gogh and a bridge between contemporary creation and the artist; LUMA the most recent addition to Arles’ cultural scene designed by The Frank Gehry; Musee Departemental Arles Antique is an important archaeological collection devoted to antiquity in all of Provence; Musée Réattu, an art museum that holds exhibitions of contemporary art.

A fabulous dinner tonight at Chassagnette, where the menu elevates the fresh offerings of his garden and the bounty of the nearby Mediterranean sea.

Saturday is the lively market day on Bd. des Lices where the heady aromas of Arabic spices will assail you and where we shop for the casual collaborative cooking session at the new home of my friend Martin Grant who is restoring a lovely Mas in the countryside. Together we will create a sumptuous al fresco lunch.

Today coincides with Féria du Riz, the celebration of the rice harvest that takes on a Spanish feel with street parades of horses and locals in traditional dress, vendors selling delicious paella and other dishes prepared with regional Camargue red rice.

This morning stroll the glamorous city of Aix en Provence, a university town of 140,000, that spills out from a core of 18th-century buildings made of the golden Bibémus Quarry stone with tall plane trees lining the Cours Mirabeau, a boulevard with splashing fountains.

Continue to one of the most thrilling domaines of South France, Château la Coste where Irish owners have created a visionary and special place where art, architecture and land have come together. Artists and architects as famous as Tadao Ando, Frank Gehry, Alexander Calder, Louise Bourgeoise, Richard Serra Jean Nouvel chose a place in the domaine that spoke directly to them and were given the freedom to create something that would live there. The visit will include a self-guided walking tour, a wine tasting and lunch.

Today drive to your next destination Lagrasse.

En route stop in Sète, that is bordered by the Étang de Thau, a biodiverse saltwater lagoon and the Mediterranean linking the Canal du Midi to the Rhône-Sète Canal, and the setting for the famous production of seafood.  – mainly oysters and mussels, as well as wine production inland. Stop for a lunch enjoyed with the local Picpoul de Pinet wine.

Later visit Via Narbo Museum a new museum designed and engineered by British architectural firm Foster + Partners to house the display of Roman antiquities found in Narbonne that was once a major Roman port.

Settle into your accommodation Bouquerie, before apéritifs and le dîner d' acceuil of local cheeses, and regional charcuterie.

This morning, shop for the ingredients for this afternoon’s cooking class and enjoy a typical lunch at Les Halles de Narbonne, one of the best food halls in Languedoc, known for its friendly atmosphere, excellent cheese and pate as well as an outstanding selection of fishmongers, butchers, local wines, olives, tapenades, and patisseries. The market underwent a major restoration and has operated continuously from 1897.

Dinner tonight will be the culmination of our cooking class held in the beautiful new culinary studio created by Christoff and Peter, accompanied by fine local wines.

Today is a more leisurely pace – time for a walk or gentle trek with a picnic lunch. Later in the afternoon, a guided tour of the Abbey followed by beautiful sung evening vespers.
Dinner at a local restaurant with wines.

Today visit two of the region’s most notable wineries for tutored tastings - Famille Fabre au Chateau de Luc – a vineyard located on the stony terraces of the Orbieu where the Famille Fabre, passionate winemakers have been perfecting their techniques over fourteen generations. And, Domaine de Baronarques, a very old estate, dating back at least to the 17th Century, now owned by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and her two sons, that has the AOC Limoux rouge appellation.

Lunch will be at a surprising Italian outpost where the Antonini family have established a buffalo herd in the Corbières hills, and a restaurant that celebrates their mozzarella and authentic soulful rustic dishes.

Farwell Dinner tonight is at Lagrasse’s top restaurant that offers creative cuisine highlighting local and seasonal products.

Today drive to San Sebastian, stopping near Castelnaudary, to visit Poterie Not Frères., whose history dates back to 1857, and is now the only handmade pottery in the region. Local Lunch en route.
Arrive at San Sebastian and settle into your hotel, a recently refurbished 25-key Belle Epoque 19thC aristocratic villa, that combines rural charm with urban sophistication in gorgeous rooms, with a peaceful ambience, spacious landscaped grounds, a spa and gym, and noteworthy antiques and sculptures.

This evening dine at at Arzak, ranked 3 stars by Michelin where Juan Mari and his talented daughter Elena, who trained with Adrià for 8 years, have created an enriched, reinvigorated Basque cuisine that retains a sense of tradition and place.

Today venture out to the famed wine region La Rioja, with its fertile valleys, dramatic piedmont escarpments, medieval towns, striking modern winery buildings and strategic Camino crossroads.

The wines are amongst the finest in Spain. Two VIP tour and tastings have been arranged. First, Bodegas Roda, of the most significant innovators where they create superb, unique high expression, fruit-driven red wines in a modern style. And Contador, owned by oenologist extraordinaire, Benjamin Romeo, who has enjoyed the highest praise from the hardest hitting critic Robert Parker.

Lunch is at the exciting Gehry-designed Marques de Riscal complex where famed Michelin awarded Hotel Echaurren chef, Francis Paniego presides over a menu that ranges from exquisite traditional to nouvelle dishes of great delicacy.

Today explore Getaria, a fishing village set between the sea and vine-covered mountains. Some time will be spent at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa, the world’s first great museum dedicated exclusively to a couturier.

This region is also famed for its high quality anchovy production, and the unique high acid, low alcohol wine known as Txakoli – the country’s smallest D.O. wine region: Both will be tasted before a fabulous late seafood lunch.

Enjoy a walking tour of San Sebastian with our inimitable local guide, Gabriella to visit specialty providores, have tastings at the wonderful markets housed in the Old Quarter (Mercados de la Brecha y Percaderia), stop for a local cider, and appreciate the many charms of this wonderful town.

After lunch in town, visit Museo Chillida Leku an open air park that celebrates the sculptural and artistic work of Basque Sculptor Eduardo Chillida and San Telmo Museum, an exciting new building, that along with the 16th century Dominican convent has housed the museum since 1932 where the collection addresses old and contemporary Basque culture, arts and history in a European, global context.

There will be some time to explore or shop before our final dinner.

San Seb is renowned for its pintxos bars and with Gabriella’s insider knowledge, tonight you will sample the best of the best.

A cooking demonstration will also take place on one of the above days.

The Tour ends today, Tuesday 19 September, after a leisurely breakfast. Farwell to friends.

Bilbao is a 90-minute drive from San Sebastian and the nearest international airport
Barcelona can be reached by a high-speed direct train service that runs daily. We can assist with onward travel arrangements and transfers.