|
| SHORT
BREAKS COOKING : FRANCE |
COOKING
VACATIONS |
 |
 Cooking
in Provence
with Chef Patrick Payet
. . . and discovering
the heart of the Luberon
"The
year began with lunch", stated Peter Mayle in his
famous book A Year in Provence, and so begins
your wonderful week in Provence as the guest of Chef
Patrick Payet - Patrick even gets a mention in the book!
Everyone has in their mind's eye an image of Provence
but not to have experienced the real Provence, away
from the coastal strip, is not to have experienced Provence.
If you travel just a brief half an hour beyond the busy
beaches and coastal towns, you will find lonely hills
and steep mountain passes, water falls, clear mountain
lakes, villages shaded by hosts of hundred-year-old
trees and a fraction of the people. A region of wonderful
colours, wonderful smells and a magic landscape. The
deep blue skies of summer are seldom clouded and the
sun has baked the houses, that gregariously crowd together
in the little villages, to shades of ochre and rose
whilst the deep red soil has provided roof tiles that
remain a rich red.
 |
 |
The many olive trees found throughout Provence provide
one of the staple ingredients of the local cuisine,
a fine olive oil used extensively in the cooking of
local food. Garlic is used more here than in any other
part of France whilst the tomato is very much a part
of Provencal cuisine. Wine is not grown as extensively
in Provence as it is in other parts of France, although
some are quite good, especially those produced in the
Luberon region.
And right in the heart of Provence is the Luberon where
you will find your host for the week, Chef Patrick Payet
and his partner Babeth.
Patrick and Babeth will greet you in his superbly restored
and furnished house in Cavaillon, which offers you incomparable
comfort. Well sheltered between the Luberon and the
Alpilles, Cavaillon offers picturesque scenery, tradition
and history.
Day by day the team will help you to discover the characteristic
way of life of the Provencal people. You will visit
some traditional markets of this region offering all
the local produce for which Provence is renowned - from
olive oil to fine wines, chesses, fruits and vegetables.
Also on the itinerary will be visits to the surrounding
countryside and neighbouring villages . . . that are
the very essence of Provence.
They want to offer what they belive is the perfect
combination for a vacation - a fantastic cooking experience,
fine food and wine, a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere
and time for exploration of all the great things that
make Provence famous!
Your
hosts:
Patrick and Babeth are very delighted to welcome you
in their Provence and will make their best to make your
stay unforgettable with each day full of new surprises
and visits.
They will guide and inspire you, and your spare time
will be filled with new places to discover and good
restaurants to enjoy!
During the afternoon, Chef Patrick will be displaying
his culinary art and disclosing the secrets of Provencal
cuisine.
Patrick graduated from the school of Roger Verge and
has run his own restaurant for twenty years in the town
of Goult in Provence. He has even had a cameo mention
in
Peter Mayle's famous book "A Year in Provence"
. . . as well as a small role in Ridley Scott and Russell
Crowe's movie released summer 2006!
Patrick and his team are very happy and pleased to
welcome you to Provence and with their different programs,
it is now your turn to choose your own way to discover
all the tastes of their amazing Provence! Decide if
you want to cook and visit or cook and walk.
Cooking
in Provence
Highlights
of this trip includes:
-
Wine tasting: wine of Luberon, Domaine de la Citadelle,
Domaine de Marie and Chateau La Canorgue, where Ridley
Scott's movie, A Good Year, was shot!
- Visit
to the Lavender Museum in Coustellet and the Corkscrew
Museum in Menerbes and Truffle and wine House in Menerbes.
- Fun
hands-on cooking classes
- Cheese
tasting (selection of the best cheese from France
and Provence) and Provencal olive oil tasting
- Visit
to the beautiful and antique villages of Luberon such
as Gordes, Menerbes, Roussillon or Les Beaux de Provence
. . . and the beautiful landscape of Provence
|
Cooking
in Provence Program |
| DAY
1 |
Guests
are welcomed and shown to their rooms. Lunch
is offered and the itinerary is discussed.
Guests are able to arrive at any time of the
day. The usual means of arrival are via Marseille
Provence Airport, by car or by train to Avignon.
There is free time in the afternoon to rest,
go for a walk or to discover the village.
Dinner is served at about 8:00 pm. |
| DAY
2 |
8:30
am Breakfast.
10:00 am Depart for the country market of
Coustellet, where the local produce for
all your cooking is purchased. Antique dealers
are also to be found here, revealing some
hidden secrets of yesteryear.
Visit to Lavender Museum Afterwards there
will be drinks in a local cafe, followed
by free time during the afternoon to visit
the Antique Market of L' Isle sur la Sorgue.
5:00 pm Cooking Class hands-on.
8:00 pm : Aperitif and dinner.
|
| DAY
3 |
Breakfast
10:00 am Leave for the village of Menerbes,
an ancient fortified town which was once
a Protestant centre in the Vaucluse. It
was this village where the author, Peter
Mayle chose to settle and write his best
selling book 'A Year in Provence'. Here
too can be found the Corkscrew Museum, which
displays history, sociology, technology
and the arts from the Seventeenth century
to today.
Visit to the winery of Domaine la Citadelle
and wine tasting
If there is enough time, you will also visit
the ancient village of Oppède le
Vieux and visit the Olive Mill.
12:30 pm Lunch at Babeth's house: Cheese
and olive oil tasting and free time in the
afternoon. Some suggestions for your free
time: visit of Cavaillon's Synagogue or
Roman cathedral, some shopping or swimming
at Babeth's gorgeous home.
5:00 pm Cooking class hands-on.
8:00 pm Aperitif and dinner.
|
| DAY
4 |
Breakfast.
10:00 am You will visit the village of the
Bories. These dry stone shelters, built
by the local peasants and shepherds, constitute
a real ethnological museum in the open air
on the plateau of Gordes.
10:30 am You will visit the village of Gordes,
with its local village market and its castle
which was rebuilt in the mid Sixteenth century.
Dominating the valley of the Coulon, this
village was built on a spur of a mountain
range.
12:30 pm Free time for lunch and in the
afternoon.
Some suggestions for your free time: discover
the beautiful village of Bonnieux and the
cedar forest . . . a lovely place to walk.
Also very close to Bonnieux can be found
one of the oldest working Roman structures,
Le pont Juilen . . . year 111 BC.
5:00 pm Cooking class hands-on.
8:00 pm Aperitif and dinner.
|
| DAY
5 |
Breakfast.
10:00 am Visit Roussillon, a picturesque
hilltop village perched on a bed of red
and yellow ochre, which has been used to
colour the facades of its local buildings
for many hundreds of years. Also worth a
visit is the Provencal Colorado on the southern
side of the Doua Valley, where there are
some spectacular walks through some old
ochre quarries. No other village looks so
warm and rich so harmonious and inviting.
We will pass by the Abbey of Senanque, a
superb Roman building, located in the heart
of the small valley of the Senacole. A place
for meditation thanks to the silence and
the surrounding beauty.
Then we will visit Fontaine de Vaucluse,
a medieval village, tucked in a closed valley
and its truly amazing and unique sight of
a river gushing up out of the ground into
waterfalls.
12:30 pm Free time for lunch and in the
afternoon.
5:00 pm Cooking class hands-on.
8:00 pm Aperitif and Dinner.
|
| DAY
6 |
Breakfast.
10:00 am A visit to Avignon, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Avignon's architecture is
marked by papal history. Going through any
of the seven doors of the superbly preserved
walls one discovers the city of the Popes.
Visit the Poe's Palace "the most beautiful
and strongest house in the world" (Froissart).
It is the symbol of the Church's influence
over the Western world during the Fourteenth
century. In July Avignon is the greatest
theatre festival in the world. Then visit
to the Bridge of Saint-Benezet.
12:30 pm Free time for lunch and for shopping
in Avignon. Take your time wandering about
the streets of Avignon. The ancient streets,
the courtyards of the private mansions,
the renovated facades will all charm you!
5:00 pm Cooking class hands-on.
8:00 pm Aperitif and Dinner.
|
| DAY
7 |
Breakfast.
9:30 am A visit to Les Baux-de-Provence,
a classified beauty spot and historical
monument. Here there is much to discover
of the old village. The old castle, dungeons,
towers, etc. Another place full of magic
is the Cathedral of Images located in the
antique quarry of Les Baux-de-Provence.
12.30 pm Free time for lunch and in the
afternoon. Some suggestions for your free
time: visit the Roman archaeological site
of Glanum, where extensive excavations reveal
a district of Roman houses, all constructed
with inner courtyards and lined with columns.
Or shopping in Saint Remy de Provence.
5:00 pm Cooking class hands-on.
8:00 pm Aperitif and dinner then Diploma
ceremony.
|
| DAY
8 |
Breakfast
with Patrick and preparations for your departure
during the morning, with the hope that you
will return again soon! |
| |
|
Arrival
& Depart:
Avignon TGV or Marseille Airport. Guests
need to rent a car for free time and transportation
to Goult.
For
an additional fee, Patrick can provide transfers
to and from Avignon TGV station as well
as transportation during the week.
Seven
nights accommodations, welcome lunch, apertifs,
all breakfasts and dinners, unlimited wine,
cheese tasting, all excursions and fees
associated with planned itinerary, six hands-on
cooking lessons.
FOR
PRICES AND DATES PLEASE CONTACT PATRICK
<CLICK
HERE>
7
NIGHTS
|
|
| |
|
 |
 |
Cooking
and Hiking in Provence
Highlights
of this trip include:
- Wine
tasting: wine of Luberon (Domaine de la Citadelle)
and famous wine of Chateauneuf du Pape (Cellar
of Château les Fines Roches)
- Dinner
at le Chateau les Fines Roches
- Visit
to the Lavender Museum in Coustellet and Corkscrew
Museum in Menerbes and Truffle and Wine House in Menerbes
- Fun
hands-on cooking classes
- Cheese
tasting (selection of the best cheese from France
and Provence) and Provencal olive oil tasting
- Beautiful
and ancient villages of Luberon, each different from
the other and the beautiful landscapes of Provence
- The
Pope's Palace in Avignon.
- Two
great hikes in The Luberon
 |
 |
 |
 |
| le
Chateau les Fines Roches |
| |
|
| Cooking
and Hiking in Provence Itinerary |
| DAY
1 |
Meet
with your host in Cavaillon in Provence. Guests
are welcomed and shown their rooms. Lunch
is offered and the itinerary and program are
discussed. Guests are able to arrive at any
time of the day.
There is free time in the afternoon to rest,
to swim, or to go for a walk in the pine forest
with Patrick or to see the chapelle of Saint
Jacques with the view over the valley . .
.
Aperitif and welcome dinner are served at
about 8:00 pm. |
| DAY
2 |
Breakfast
10:00 am Depart for the farmer's market of
Coustellet where the local produce (vegetables
and fruits) for your cooking are purchased.
Antique dealers are also here, revealing some
hidden secrets of yesteryear.
Visit to the Lavender Museum where you can
buy perfumes, soap and essence of Lavender.
Afterwards there will be drinks in a local
café (a typical Provencal drink is
Pastis or wine) followed by free time during
the afternoon.
4:00 pm Hands-on cooking where you prepare
your own Provencal dinner
8:00 pm aperitif with Tapenade (olives, anchovies,
capers, basil, garlic and olive oil) and dinner. |
| DAY
3 |
Breakfast
10:00 am Hiking and picnic. There are two
possibilities depending on the weather
Walk number 1: Discovery tour of the water
mills around Gordes. This last for two and
three-quarter hours and goes all along the
gorge of the Veroncle, from the village of
Murs to the hamlet of Grailles, where youwill
discover the remains of various water mills
from the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth century
or
Walk number 2: History of stone around Goult.
This last for two and a half hours.
Leaving from the beautiful village of Goult,
you will walk on footpaths bordered by typical
old stone walls, finding Marie-Madeleine and
Saint-Michel Chapels and discovering a wonderful
landscape which has been shaped by terraced
cultivation, built in the traditional way
with stone. Return to Goult at about 2.30pm
for a rest.
4:00 pm Visit to Roussillon a picturesque
hilltop village perched on a bed of red and
yellow ochre, which has been used to colour
the facades of its local buildings for many
hundreds of years. Also worth a visit is the
Provençal Colorado on the southern
side of the Doua Valley, where there are some
spectacular walks through some old ochre quarries.
No other village looks so warm and rich, so
harmonious and inviting.
8:00 pm Dinnert |
| DAY
4 |
Breakfast
10:00 am You will visit the village of the
'Bories'. These dry stone shelters, built
by the local peasants and shepherds, constitute
a real ethnological museum in the open air
on the plateau of Gordes. They dated from
3500 BC and were regularly rebuilt, using
ancient methods.
You will visit the village of Gordes, the
local village market and its castle which
was rebuilt in the mid Sixteenth century.
The building was bought and restored by the
Op Art painter Victor Vasarely. Dominating
the valley of the Coulon, this village was
built on a spur of mountain range.
Free time in the afternoon.
4:00 pm: Hands-on cooking class
8:00 pm: aperitif and dinner. |
| DAY
5 |
Breakfast
10:00 am to 1:00 pm cooking class
Lunch
3:00 pm Walk number 3: Charming stream hiking
in Sivergues, at the top of Luberon with a
duration of two and three-quarter hours. You
will depart from the magical village of Sivergues,
built by the Lord of Provence in the Sixteenth
century, from where you will follow the course
of the charming Aiguebrun stream.
You will be able to admire on the right bank
of the brook, perched on a dizzy and inaccessible
cliff, the blue lavender, and the dry and
stony plateau de Claparèdes. On the
left bank, the wood and pastures of the Big
Luberon. During the walk you will be fascinated
by the troglodyte houses, farms and refuges.
Back to Gianni's farm-auberge in Sivergues
at 6:00 pm to admire the beautiful sunset
on the Luberon Valley
Around 7:00 pm Aperitif and Dinner with authentic
produce made on the farm. |
| DAY
6 |
Breakfast.
10:00 am Leave for the village of Menerbes,
an ancient fortified town which was once a
Protestant centre in the Vaucluse. It was
this village where the author Peter Mayle
chose to settle and write his best selling
book 'A Year in Provence'. Here too can be
found the Corkscrew Museum, which displays
history, sociology, technology and the art
from the Seventeenth century to today. The
corkscrew museum has more than 1,000 pieces
on exhibit . . . starting with the first corkscrew
forged by hand in steel, to the decorative
objet d'art in solid gold. Let yourself be
guided through the centuries and across countries
whilst discovering this unique collection.
You will also visit the ancient village Oppede
le Vieux of which the dominating ruined castle
belonged to Jean Maynier, Baron of Oppedes,
whose bloody crusade against the Luberon Vaudois
in 1545 destroyed eleven villages. Then a
visit to the olive Mill, Moulin Mathieu, and
visit of the winery, Domaine de la Citadelle,
and wine tasting of red, white and rose wines
. . . these fresh and smooth flavours reveal
a typical Luberon soil character.
12:30 pm Lunch and a cheese and olive oil
tasting.
Free time in the afternoon.
4:00 pm Hands-on cooking class
8:00 pm aperitif and dinner. |
| DAY
7 |
Breakfast.
10:00 am Visit to Avignonm and the Palace
of the Popes, "the most beautiful and
strongest house in the world". The Palace
of the Popes is the symbol of the Church's
influence over the western world during the
Fourteenth century. In July Avignon holds
the greatest theatre festival in the world
and you can visit the Bridge Saint Benezet.
The legendary bridge was built during the
Twelfth century . . . the famous song Sur
le Pont d'Avignon goes back to the Fifteenth
century and is known the world over.
1:00 pm Free time for lunch and shopping in
Avignon.
3:30 pm Departure for Chateauneuf du Pape
to visit the beautiful wine cellar in the
castle, Chateau les fines Roches, and wine
tasting followed by dinner in Le Château
des fines Rochess |
| DAY
8 |
Breakfast
with Patrick and preparations for your departure
during the morning, with the hope that you
will return again soon! |
| |
|
Arrival
& Depart:
Avignon TGV or Marseille Airport. Guests
should consider renting a car for free time
and transportation to Goult.
For
an additional fee, Patrick can provide transfers
to and from Avignon TGV station as well
as transportation during the week.
Seven
nights accommodations, welcome lunch, apertifs,
all breakfasts and dinners, unlimited wine,
cheese tasting, all excursions and fees
associated with planned itinerary, four
hands-on cooking lessons.
FOR
PRICES AND DATES PLEASE CONTACT PATRICK
<CLICK
HERE>
7
NIGHTS
|
|
Patrick will greet you in his newly and beautifully
restored house in Cavaillon, which offers you incomparable
comfort, large and well equpped kitchen, and swimming
pool with Jaccuzzi in its pine tree garden.
Situated in the heart of the Luberon and well sheltered
in a pine forest, this beautiful house has an exceptional
panoramic view which includes the Mont Ventoux and the
hills of the Luberon . . .
|
