Normandy
For private French tours, email TamaraDay 1 – Sunday
ARRIVAL
- Group transfer from Loire Valley to Caen OR make your own arrangements.
- Check into your riverside hotel and perhaps take a walk around town.
- Dinner tonight in one of Caen’s best known seafood restaurants.
Day 2 – Monday
CAEN, CIDER AND CHEESE
- Breakfast
- AM. This morning we will take a walking tour around the city centre of Caen, including the Château de Caen, a circa-1060 castle built by William the Conqueror. There will be plenty of time to learn about the history of this fascinating capital of Lower Normandy and we will stop in one of the most popular spots for coffee and a pastry during the morning.
- Lunch in a local bistro.
- PM. This afternoon we join our guide for a private tour on the ‘Fromage and Cider Routes’ and visit the birthplace of Camembert. We will discover several cheese producers such as Livarot and Pont l’Eveque as well as cider and calvados producers and enjoy opportunities to taste and buy.
- Dinner in Caen.
Day 3 – Tuesday
MONT ST MICHEL AND VILLEDIEUX-LES-POELES
- Breakfast
- AM. Today, our guide will take us to the stunningly beautiful Mont St. Michel – one of the most popular destinations in Normandy. Our journey takes us along the gorgeous Emerald Coast and once we arrive in Mont St Michel, we will visit the Abbey founded in the 8th century.
- Lunch today will be the famous ‘Omelette de la Mer Poulard” which is a real indulgence but an institution when visiting ‘the mont’.
- PM. During our drive back to Caen, we will visit the quaint town of Villedieux-Les-Poeles, which has been producing copperware and church bells for centuries. We will have some time to walk the alleyways and visit copper workshops and buy copper kitchenware.
- Dinner tonight at your leisure. Choose from one of the many bistros in town or perhaps just a baguette after our busy day trip!
Day 4 – Wednesday
GOURMET TASTINGS AND COOKING CLASS
- Breakfast.
- AM. A more relaxed day today, we meet our private guide for a ‘gourmet walking tour’ around the City.
- Artisan producers of bread, patisserie, foie gras, chocolate and of course, cheese will be high on our list of priorities but there will also be some extra surprises such as the local Calvados, amongst others.
- PM. This afternoon we will enjoy a ‘hands on’ cooking class in a picturesque village not far from Caen, nestled amongst the cow paddocks and marshes near Pont L’Eveque. The class will focus on regional, seasonal produce such as mushrooms, pears, duck and truffles.
- If weather permits, we will forage for local herbs, mushrooms and flowers to use in our cooking. After we finish cooking, the results will form the basis for our dinner before we return to Caen.
Day 5 – Thursday
DEAUVILLE, TROUVILLE, SEAFOOD
- Breakfast.
- AM. We depart Caen for a day of discovery in the twin towns of Trouville and Deauville. Trouville is a beautiful fishing town with an active fish market and wonderful restaurants. We will wander the market and try some local oysters before lunch at one of the most popular seafood restaurants in town.
- PM. After lunch we head to Deauville, once the darling of the Parisian aristocracy. This ‘Belle Epoque’ town retains all the glamour and elegance of its former days and for those who like a little retail therapy, Deauville won’t disappoint. The town is full of beautiful spots to people watch and we will enjoy a local aperitif before heading back to Caen.
- Dinner plans will depend on the energy levels of the group.
Day 6 – Friday
CAEN MARKET DAY AND MICHELIN STARS
- Breakfast.
- AM. Friday is one of the best market days in the region and Caen’s market in Saint Saveur won’t disappoint! Wander the many stallholders selling local fruit, vegetables, cheese, charcuterie, truffles, mushrooms and so much more. Local market traders here also sell clothing, kitchen items and antiques so we will have some time to enjoy all the market has to offer. Our market morning will finish with a visit to my favourite fromagerie in Caen specializing in artisan local cheese and enjoy an extensive tasting with bread and local wine.
- PM. This afternoon, enjoy some free time to shop, rest or book a spa treatment nearby.
- This evening we will dine at one of Caen’s premier Michelin starred restaurants. A Contre Sens is fresh, fun innovative and delicious and the staff are fantastic!
Day 7 – Saturday
PATISSERIE AND MORE STARS
- Breakfast
- AM: French dessert and pastry is quite an art and today we will meet Stephane and experience a ‘once in a lifetime’ pastry class with this Michelin Star Restaurant chef. Stephane has cooked in some of France’s best restaurants and also takes classes in wine matching so we will be in very good hands today.
- This afternoon, we will have some time to relax, pack, shop or just take a last walk around this beautiful town.
- Our final group dinner tonight will be back at Stephane’s restaurant where we will experience the elegance and style as well as the modern french cuisine he is so well-known for.
- Stephane’s plating is incredible and the degustation menu will give the cooks amongst us lots of ideas for future dinner parties of our own!
Day 8 – Sunday
DEPARTURE
- Breakfast.
Note: For those making their own arrangements, this is the biggest market day in the region, so you may like to take some time to wander the market while the hotel minds your baggage.
Rates & Bookings
Rate per person sharing twin room: € POA
Single supplement: € POA
TO BOOK PLEASE CONTACT:
Tamara
Ph.: 0414-250-754
bookings@tamaraskitchen.com
Rate per person includes:
- Seven nights accommodations in Caen, Calvados, France,
- Recipe folder, recipes and apron,
- Meals: daily breakfast, lunches and dinners as per itinerary,
- Cooking classes and excursions as per itinerary,
- Entrance to all excursions,
- Transportation for all excursions
We reserve the right to substitute some activities on the itinerary in circumstances (such as weather) which are beyond our control.