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BORDEAUX OENOPHILE TOUR BY CHEF DIDIER:
Friday APRIL 26 to Sunday MAY 5, 2024
The following itinerary includes all of the following: 10 days and 9 nights of daily hotel accommodations, all breakfasts, all meals (8 Luncheons & 5 Dinners ) are 3 to 4 courses, with choices, always accommodating everyone’s diets, accompanied with wines & beers, coffee, etc., sometimes aperitifs too. Only 4 evenings will be at your leisure. This Tour also includes all bus travel, entrance, and tickets to daily activities (see activities below). All daily travels (from Friday, April 26th to Sunday, May 5th) with a 44-seat Deluxe A/C and Heated Motor Coach.
Every new day is more enticing than yesterday!!!
The price is based on double occupancy, at $3300 ( with the 5% “Early Bird“ discount ) Regular price is $3475. Single occupancy is available at $425 additional. The tour price does not include the airfare from the United States to Paris,
nor train travel from Paris to Bordeaux and return.
Take the TGV, the Fast Speed Train, which takes about a couple of hours from Paris. From Paris airport Charles De Gaulle (CDG), go to Gare Montparnasse and take a TGV Train to Bordeaux (Gare Saint Jean, in Bordeaux, is the only train station). These train tickets are inexpensive, book them online in advance at www.sncf-connect.com. If you are flying into Paris on Friday, April 21 you can also connect to an Air France flight into Bordeaux (BOD) from CDG( Paris Airport ). It is a little over an hour's flight. Upon arrival at Bordeaux-Merignac airport, you can take a taxi to the tour meeting point
near Bordeaux Gare St. Jean.
Friday, April 26th
Meet Chef Didier in Bordeaux, at La “Tavern du Midi Restaurant” across from the train station, Gare Saint Jean, by 2:30 pm).
La Taverne du Midi - Restaurant in Bordeaux
Chef Didier’s cell: 773-620-3986
Email: chefdidierdurand@yahoo.com
(If you arrive early, have a bowl of fresh mussels with a Stella Artois or an espresso, I probably will be there myself, if you are late, the bus, and I will wait for you.)
NOTE: If you are arriving in France before the tour starts or staying on after the tour ends, contact Chef Didier for hotel arrangements if you wish.
Friday, April 26th. The Tour begins :
-Leaving Bordeaux, with the bus, going to a 3-star Hotel, in Bergerac where we will stay for 2 nights and visit the Dordogne area
-Visit and wine degustation at Chateau THENAC, a prestigious winery, along with little food bites
-Arriving at the Hotel in Bergerac
-Welcome Dinner at a restaurant along the Dordogne River
Saturday, April 27th :
-Breakfast at the Hotel in Bergerac
-Lecture about the two Cyrano De Bergerac statues with Chef
-Visit 2 farmers markets, around the church and visit the Church
-Taking the bus for Lunch to Monbazillac at the Restaurant La Grape d’Or,
where chef cooked during his cooking school years 1977/79
-Visit from outside of the Chateau de Monbazillac
-After Lunch, visit and degustation at the beautiful winery, Chateau TIREGAND, all Pecharmant Wine
-Return to the Hotel in Bergerac
-Dinner at your leisure in the old town of Bergerac
Sunday, April 28th :
-Breakfast at the Hotel in Bergerac
-Check out from this Bergerac Hotel
-Going to the region of Sarlat La Caneda for 2 nights
-Visit "Le Gouffre de Proumeyssac", called "The Cristal Cathedral", near the town of Rocamadour. The most famous cave in Europe and the most interesting geological site, with stalagmites and stalactites
-Lunch: Le Toune-Pique with rabbit Leg as an entrée. Many bicyclists, from Germany were there last year.
-Visit of Chateau Des Milandes and the life of Josephine Baker. Visit of its surrounding Gardens. And watching the Falcons and Birds of Prey SHOW! An exceptional outside show.
-Going to a 3-star hotel in Sarlat-La-Caneda, where we will stay for 2 nights as we visit the area
-Dinner at a Sarlat Restaurant, across from the Hotel
-Back to the Hotel
Monday, April 29th :
Breakfast at the Hotel in Sarlat
-Visit of the old town of La Roque Gajeac, taking a boat to cruise up & down the Dordogne River
-Lunch at La Laugerie Basse with Guinea Hen as main course, picture in front of restaurant,
-Bus to visit the Lascaux IV Caves, world known and unique opportunity to explore primitive painting from 20,000 years ago
-Visit to a goose farm and buying some goose foie gras cans
-Return at the Hotel
-Dinner and evening at your leisure
Tuesday, April 30th :
-Breakfast at the Hotel in Sarlat
-Check out from this Sarlat Hotel
-Cooking class in the old town in Perigueux, learning how the famous
Pate’ Truffe de Perigueux is made
-Some newspapers were there. We had a nice article next day.
-Lunch in the old town in Périgueux at Chef Francis Delpey, Chef’s Didier best friend.
-Tour of the Cathedral Saint Front in Perigueux, from its roof to the underground
-Going to a 4-star hotel in Perigueux, where we will stay for 2 nights as we visit the Perigord area
-Visit and option to buy some porcelains at a store, SAMIE PORCELAINE
-Going to Bio-Cop for Beluga Caviar Lentils
-Dinner at L’étang Des Reynats in Perigueux
Wednesday, May 1st
-Breakfast at the Hotel in Perigueux
-Visit of the local 3 different farmers market around the town of Perigueux, a medieval town
-Lunch at Chef Francis Delpey, Sixieme Sens Restaurant
Chef will open bottles of wine from his personal French wine cellar.
-Visit of some authentic Perigord Homes from the XVeme to XIXeme Century
-Cooking class on Foie Gras that Chef will lead
-Time on your own this afternoon to explore Perigueux. Maps available at the hotel.
-Back at the Hotel in Perigueux
-Dinner and evening at your leisure
Thursday, May 2nd
-Breakfast at the Hotel in Perigueux.
-Check out of this Perigueux Hotel
-Visit & degustation of the exceptional wines of Chateau Haut Sarthes with a wonderful lunch,
lead by Daniel & Catherine Hecquet, the Winemakers.
(This is the only Bergerac wine available in Chicago at all Binny’s: Rouge, Blanc and Rose.)
-Visit and degustation at Chateau Millet in Grave area of Bordeaux.
-Going to a 4-star hotel in Bordeaux for 3 nights, close to the train station so we can go back to Paris easily, Sunday or later
Dinner and evening at your leisure
Friday, May 3rd
-Breakfast at the Hotel in Bordeaux
-Mademoiselle Margaux Chocolate Boutique & Degustation of Chocolates.
https://www.mademoiselledemargaux.com/boutique/
-Welcome, Visit, Degustation and Lunch at Chateau Giscours https://giscours.com/en/
A Fabulous Experience!
12 Noon: Hors D’oeuvres served with Champagne
12:30pm: Degustation Lunch, menu to be detailed later, but we are in for a great, Michelin-quality experience, by a Chef who worked at
Michel Guerard Kitchens, as Chef Didier did!
2:30pm: Visit of their wonderful souvenir shop
-Visit and Degustation at Chateau Desmirail
-Stop at a large grocery store
-Return to Hotel in Bordeaux
-Free afternoon until 7.30pm
-8pm: Dinner at a Brasserie, well known for its Alsatian Specialties. Memoir of the trip.
-Return to the Hotel in Bordeaux
Saturday, May 4th
-Breakfast at the Hotel in Bordeaux
-Visit in Bordeaux to La Cite du Vin, on the banks of the Garonne River. This is a world-class museum about wines around the world. You will love the interactive exhibits and thoroughly enjoy a glass of wine from its top floor with a 360-degree view of the beautiful port city of Bordeaux.
-Lunch at the local Farmer’s Market across from Cite Du Vin!
-Visit and Degustation at Chateau Fourtet
-Visit and Degustation at Chateau De Ferrand
-Tour of underground Saint Emilion, its collegiate church and its cloister
-Light snacks & ice cream at “Les Cordeliers” a shop where we had bread, bubbly, wine, salamis, rillettes.
-Memoir of the Trip
-Winemaker’s Dinner in Saint Emilion, where 80 Grand Crus Winemakers will offer their wines, along with a wonderful menu (see below). Enjoy this unique annual experience.
Veloute’ of peas, whipped cream with spices, bread chips
Poultry ballotine, mushroom cream, seasonal vegetable tian, cream juice
Assortment of three cheeses
Chocolate and hazelnut
-Return to the Hotel in Bordeaux.
Sunday, May 5th
-Breakfast at the Hotel
-Late check out possible.
-On Sundays, lots of Farmers and antiques Markets could be visited if you are not leaving Bordeaux right away. Morning at your leisure
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