Magnifique 12-Day Cheese, Food & Wine Tour of France: From Bordeaux to Basque April 1-12, 2022

Magni que 12-Day Cheese,
                         Food & Wine Tour of France:
                         From Bordeaux to Basque
                         April 1-12, 2022

Up to 12 adventurers are invited on this culinary voyage through the back door of France that only a
European expert can open.

A local French tour guide will be with us the entire journey to give us behind-the-scenes access and
insight to the best of each stop.

This delicious tour also includes pre-adventure meet-&-greet at Venissimo’s Academy of Cheese, a
gift bag and more.

This is the fourth tour presented by Veni Voyages from Venissimo Cheese and See Italy Travel!

Cost (excluding air) is $5,400 per person double-occupancy / $5,995 per person single occupancy.
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DAY 1: Bon Jour Bordeaux, Hub of Wine Country
Arrive at Bordeaux-Merignac Airport (BOD).
Check in for a 4-night stay at Burdigala in Bordeaux, home of 11th century Saint Andre Cathedral.
Relax before a welcome cheese and wine event at a winery, with an introduction to the region.

DAY 2: Bordeaux City Centre
Breakfast at hotel.
Visit central market Marche des Capucins for famed caneles and a guided food and gastronomy tour.
We will go food shopping together and cook a seasonal lunch together with a local chef.
Then it’s time for a guided afternoon stroll and tour of the city centre, including the Pont de Pierre.
Head back to the hotel for free evening and dinner on your own.

DAY 3: Seafood on the Beach and Wine Tasting
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart for the town of Bassin d’Arcachon in a bay on the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest coast.
We’ll take a half hour boat ride to Cap Ferret on the headland separating the bay from the ocean.
Enjoy lunch in cabane à huitres, little ocean-front houses where fishermen sell their oysters, shrimp
and paté (no cooked meals are allowed). Savor these local delicacies on the beach with crisp Rosé.
Ride to Medoc to visit the sixth-generation Chateau Angludet wine estate for a wine tasting tour.
Snooze on the bus on the ride back to the hotel for an open evening at your leisure.

DAY 4: Your Day in Bordeaux
Breakfast at hotel.
This day in the 9th largest city in France is all yours to relax, shop, tour the city or drink more wine.
Optional excursions available (additional charge applies): Cité du Vin, bike tour, boat tour

DAY 5: Cheese and Beer in the Real South of France
Breakfast at hotel and check out.
Depart for Betzeber d’Armagnac to a dairy farm specializing in goat cheeses for a tour and tasting.
This family dairy traditionally breeds goats and has a harmonious training stable of Frisian horses.
Savor lunch at the farm.
Stroll around the village of Lectoure, including a local beer tasting at one of the many brasseries.
Check in to Grand Hotel de L’Opera in Toulouse for 3-night stay and enjoy a hosted special dinner.

DAY 6: Regional Foods and World Heritage City
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart for guided tour of the Episcopal City of Albi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Indulge in the specialty of the region, cassoulet, a hearty French white bean and meat stew.
Transfer to Lavaur for a tour of a small family-owed duck farm and decadent foie gras tasting.
Evening and dinner in Toulouse are yours to spend at your leisure.

DAY 7: Tasty Toulouse
Breakfast at hotel.
Spend time with our passionate guide Mary for a chocolate and pastry tour.
Meet cheese shop owner Emilie at the Marche Victor Hugo for a local fromage tasting.
Stroll around the market at your leisure to grab a few more local bites (but not too much!).
Embark on a péniche (river boat) in Ramonville-Saint-Agne for a 3-hour tour and dinner.
Back to hotel to rub your belly and get a restful sleep.

DAY 8: Your Day in Toulouse
Breakfast at the hotel and your day to explore Toulouse, the 4th largest city in France.
Be sure to visit the “violet atelier” on the river who uses violet flowers to make delicious treats.
Optional excursions available (additional charge applies): indoor skydiving, Theatre du Capitole

DAY 9: Bask in the Basque Region and Bayonne
Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
Head to Auch, the historical capital of Gascony, land of the musketeers.
Off to Biran to visit a donkey farm and experience traditional soap production.
Savor a special seasonal lunch in this charming Midi-Pyrenees medieval village.
Nap on the way to Bayonne for a city walk and delicious dinner.
Depart for the hills of Sare and check in for a 3-night stay.

DAY 10: Pyrenees Peppers and Sheep Cheese
Breakfast at the hotel.
Stop in Macaye for a cheese tour and tasting at a maker of traditional Bleu des Basques cheese.
Visit a cheese consortium, featuring Ossau-Iraty cheese, the most famous in this sheep-rich region.
Discover the famous espelette pepper on a farm tour that starts in the field and ends in the kitchen.
Stroll through the lovely village of Espelette at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains near Spain.
Enjoy dinner at your leisure in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the “most beautiful village in France.”
Head back to Sare hotel.

DAY 11: Amped Apple Cider in Ascain
Breakfast at the hotel.
Wander around the picturesque coastal village of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
Travel to Ascain to tour a Basque cidrerie where they make the regional “apple wine” called patxaka.
Savor lunch in the sagardotegi (cider house) and learn about century-old traditions.
Explore a traditional fabric factory to discover the art and history of weaving.
Discover the “gateau Basque” and participate in an Armagnac tasting.
Relax for a few hours back at the hotel before enjoying a fabulous farewell dinner.

DAY 12: À bientôt…
Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
Transfer to Biarritz Pays Basque Airport (BIQ) for departure when scheduled.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE
     $500 refundable deposit due upon reservation
     $2,450 dbl / $2747.50 single due January 1 (ok to book air travel / deposit non-refundable)
     $2,450 dbl / $2747.50 single due March 1 (30 days prior to departure, total non-refundable)

RESERVATIONS AND QUESTIONS                              AIR ASSISTANCE OR HOTEL UPGRADES
      Rob Graff at 858-431-6731                               Laura Massoni at 858-201-6424
      voyages@venissimo.com                                   laura@seeitalytravel.com

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

                     Professor McCheese Rob Graff:
                     RobbyG is the inspiration behind Venissimo’s Academy of Cheese educational &
                     event group. He has traveled the world to meet cheese makers and learn
                     everything he can about what makes cheese so incredible and loved around the
                     world.

                     SEE ITALY TRAVEL by Laura Massoni
                     “I was born and raised in Italy, and have lived in San Diego since 1992. This has
                     allowed me to share my Italian culture and heritage in great detail with my
                     American friends and family in a way that has made them excited to experience
                     the environment I grew up in. After working in the travel industry for over two
                     decades, I realized that I wanted to get back to my roots. So I made the
                     decision to concentrate on Europe. It was only after making this decision that I
                     realized how much I loved sharing my homeland with clients.” — Laura Massoni