| | | | | | A JOURNEY LIKE NO OTHER | CULINARY WONDER
4 days and 3 nights in the Loire Valley, designed by 2 Michelin-Starred Chef Christophe Hay
Travel solo or accompanied - private & inspirational regional culinary tours
Castles, medieval fortresses, abbeys, cathedrals: the
Loire region is full of treasures. Each one calls to France’s glorious
past, that is the envy of the whole world. In Bourgueil, Chinon, Sancerre, Vouvray and Montlouis, discover the many dishes and the talented winemakers with their fine wonders.
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| | | | | | DAY 01
TOUR - BLOIS Two (2) hours from Paris, flip a page in the great book of French history. The valley of the Loire is a succession of UNESCO World Heritage castles, neatly and beautifully minded gardens and small villages full of charm. This flowery escape has undeniable charm.
Train, self-drive or chauffeured (extra charge) will bring you from Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to Bourré (45km), visit a surprising tuffeau stone quarry turned into a mushroom farm, specializing in rare varieties (their “blue footed” mushroom is exported all the way to NYC and Tokyo). Head to Chaumont-sur-Loire (20km) to enjoy lunch at your own convenance, before heading to the castle of Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medici… with sumptuous gardens and contemporary art exhibitions. Our ambassador will meet you at around 17:30, to guide you to Port Chaumont. At sunset, enjoy a timeless experience
with a truly local apéritif dinatoire (dinner of small snacks and
appetizers accompanied with wine) in a gabare. This traditional flat-bottomed
riverboat was used to ship merchandise along the river, from the Middle Ages to
the 18th century. This very private light dinner will be accompanied
by a tasting of vintage wines and many anecdotes from our ambassador (cruise duration:
2 hours and half).
Drive to Huisseau-sur-Cosson
where the beautiful Château des Grotteaux stands proud. Cécile and Gaël welcome you for the next two nights in this 17th
century gem with a refined atmosphere.
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| | | | | | DAY 02
LOIRE RIVERSIDE
A one-of-a-kind morning: a cooking class with a two
Michelin-starred Chef is memorable for sure! The rest of the day is carefully
planned: local wine and cheese tasting: taste the sweetness of life!
At 10 am, head to Fleur de Loire to meet with
Christophe Hay. A heartfelt and gastronomic morning all for yourselves. It
starts in the Chef’s vegetable garden (10 min by bike or horse-drawn carriage,
depending on availability) where you meet chief gardener Alain Gaillard. He
will show you all the secrets of the 4 acres garden, an everchanging haven
where local varieties are regularly introduced, along with rare or foreign
species.
Back in the restaurant, it is time for your workshop
with Christophe Hay himself. The chef humbly shares his passion for a light and
simple style of cooking; and, perhaps above all, his love of nature and local
produce. This unique experience ends with a lunch of your own making.
Still starstruck, head to Soings (30km)
where a private tasting of Gamay and Sauvignon wines awaits you at 3 pm. The
vineyard has been chosen by Fleur de Loire’s very own sommelier for its
“franc de pieds” vines, which means the varieties have not received any grafts
and are fully natural. This vineyard is also the only in France to still
produce wine batches of a cépage now extinct: red “Gamay de Bouze”,
which originated in the small Burgundy village of Bouze-lès-Beaune. On your way back, Atelier Voyage invites you
to meet with one of the Chef’s goat cheese producers. This soft cheese is unctuous
and melts on the tongue, with a strong taste and subtle aromas of nuts. You
will learn everything about how to eat this emblem of the region (possibility
to watch the milking of goats).
At 17:00, Gaël organizes a visit
of the Domaine des Grotteaux during which he reveals many secrets of the
castle, its garden and the Eiffel bridge which crosses the river Crosson
(booking and payment directly at the Grotteaux). We recommend having dinner at the
restaurant Le Favori aux Sources de Cheverny, a delicious, lovely place a
dozen kilometres from the castle (to be paid locally). | | | |
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| | DAY 03
SOLOGNE
An exceptional day starting strong in Chambord,
the “king of the Loire castles”, and going to a fish farm for a Sologne caviar
tasting, before ending at Christophe Hay’s table to revel in pure gastronomic
pleasure. Before sunrise, Atelier Voyage can organise a
flight in a hot-air balloon. For an hour, flow to the wind and admire the
stunning view of the region (extra charge, on request). For lunch, you should try Le Grand
Saint-Michel, the gastronomic restaurant of Le Relais de Chambord,
with a decoration by Jean-Michel Wilmotte (to be paid locally).
A few dozen kilometers away, in the
“little Sologne”, you will meet Annie Cosson, a talented ceramicist working
with Christophe Hay to create some of his restaurant’s plates. Annie has taken
inspiration from Japanese pottery as well as “the spirals in the water of the
Loire and on the chimneys of Chambord” to design saucers, teapots and plates
incredibly beautiful and pure.
Finish your day on a private tasting of
the surprising “black gold of Sologne”, which Chef Hay widely uses in his
cooking. Vincent and Patricia have had the audacious idea to open a sturgeon
farm in the region to make Baërii-type caviar. Its salty and nutty taste make
it as delicious as the renowned caviar productions of Russia or Iran.
Back in Blois (15km), settle in Fleur de Loire in a
Superior room. Opened in June 2022, this brand new Relais & Châteaux hotel
is located on the Loire riverside, in a former hospital built by Gaston
d’Orléans, son of Henry the 4th and Marie de Medici. Spa treatments at the
magnificent Sisley Spa, 450 square meters of vaulted
cellar under Fleur de Loire (extra charge, notify us when at the
time of booking). For your palate’s delight, a 9-course dinner has been
booked at the 2-Michelin starred Restaurant Christophe Hay (drinks to be
paid locally). After your dinner, marvel at Blois castle’s Sound & Light
show, with immersive special effects and majestic projections (shuttle provided
by the hotel).
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| | DAY 04
BLOIS - TOURS
Enjoy your last moments in the soft
breeze of the Loire riverside. Treat yourself to a peaceful break at Fleur de Loire’s spa and relax before visiting the historic
town centre of Blois.
During your free morning, enjoy the
magnificent Sisley Spa, located in the 450 square meters of vaulted
cellar under Fleur de Loire. Should you desire any spa treatments,
please inform us when booking your trip.
Free visit of Blois, at your own pace. Go
up the monumental Denis Papin staircase which offers a unique view of the city
and its bridge. Lunch at your own convenance.
Atelier Voyage has chosen to include in your
itinerary a visit of the castle of Blois without a guide. Take your time to visit
the favourite residence of 17 kings and queens of France! Mixing gothic,
medieval, classic and Renaissance architectural traditions, this marvel of a
castle is also home to masterpieces of Ingres, Rubens and Boucher.
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