Introduction
Southern France Gourmet Route.
Price $1,680 CAD* (7-Day excluding transport)

Take Your Pick.

Choose your route - taste, cook and learn about French and Catalan regional cuisine, wines and culture.

4-day Southern France Gourmet Route.

A deluxe package for as few as 2 persons, this short program will give you a sample of the best this area has to offer.  You will be met upon arrival by an English speaking driver and his Mercedes E Class for a posh 3 days of exploration and fun. Personalized hands on cooking with 2 recognized chefs will give you wonderful insight into specialties of the region, and with your wine visits you will discover some of the best wine in France yet less known than some of the other regions.

NEW! Pamper yourself at the SPA for a half day during your 4-day food adventure, at a fantastic price (see Tour Details for further information).

OR

7-day Southern France Gourmet Route.

Take yourself on a culinary and wine discovery tour.  Cover the best of Southern France by savouring dinners daily at authentic Catalan and French restaurants.  Take guided and self-guided walking tours of key sites of the area.   And meet numerous local wine producers for a personalized taste of the full-bodied, and rich French Catalonia wines.   The region is also home to prehistoric sites of Tautavel and Belesta, some of the oldest human findings in the world. 

Photo Hervé Sansun

The Languedoc Roussillon produces excellent wine in abundance - it has the largest production of any area in Europe.  It’s a land of diversity, reflected in the myriad varietals of its wines.  Full-bodied, robust wines are produced from arid soils, well-rounded wines come from the rolling valleys, and perfectly structured wines are from the terraces with lively wines from the coasts.  The wine growing areas have varied landscapes, micro-climates and highly varied soils, each producing its own unique wine.

Way of Life.

The region is noted for its relaxed pace of life (probably a result of the stifling hot summer temperatures).  It’s a popular tourist destination with long stretches of coastline.  The area is also unique because of its double identity, French and Catalan.  The Catalan culture is alive and kicking and it shows, with Catalan spoken and written freely but also with the renewal of cultural traditions such as the Sardane dance.  The arts are very strong here as well; many artists are drawn to the region because of its stunning landscapes.

The History.

Amongst the great provinces of France, this region is without doubt the one most affected by the mark of history.  The region is also home to prehistoric sites of Tautavel and Belesta, some of the oldest human findings in the world.  One could also travel the length and the breadth of the Via Domitia (the oldest Roman way connecting Italy and Spain) or, you could visit Carcassonne (the largest medieval city in Europe). 

Photo Hervé Sansun

The Languedoc-Roussillon Area.

No account of Languedoc-Roussillon can begin without reference to...

the extraordinary variety of landscapes which make up the region, with its terraced lands facing out towards the Mediterranean.  Located in the southwest of France, it is here that the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees meet. The landscapes are varied; its coast stretches along the Mediterranean and provides a fantastic climate.  It also stretches inland to the most picturesque mountainous regions of the world. 

The Land.

This is a land scented like a secret aromatic garden. Thyme, lavender, rosemary, sage, wild thyme and summer savory all grow wild in the warm, limestone soils. Parsley, dill and fennel flourish in the cool, porous soils. These are aromatic soils, which envelop the vineyards with their scent and infuse the wines with hints of saffron, aniseed, cloves and juniper.