Food & Wine Tour – Burgundy & Alsace

Arrival in Paris CDG airport. Meet & Greet by Artoo Travel CEO. At your convenience, your private transfer will escort you to your luxurious hotel in Dijon and will assist you for the check in.

After refreshing yourself in your room, your private guide will provide you with a detailed introduction to the history and heritage of the medieval city of Dijon, capital of Burgundy and world-famous for its mustard and its wine. 

Your first dinner in a trendy restaurant serving traditional and regional cuisine will prove delicious: You might taste one of the following Burgundy culinary specialties such as Le Coq au vin à la bourguignonne, the Snails of Burgundy, the Beef bourguignon, and the Burgundian Potée.

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Transfer | Dinner | Accomodation

After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel and will escort you for a guided visit of the city hall lounges: To host the meetings of the Burgundy Statesmen, the ‘State Room’ building was started in the 17th century, followed by the rehabilitation of the medieval Palace. Discover the Palace halls which are housing today the City Hall. 

Then we head to the south of Dijon to visit a snail farm (Helicicole farm). Discover the different facets of the snail, its history, its virtues, its morphology, the different stages of production, from the breeding, through to the harvest, to the processing. Have an in-depth glimpse into the life of the breeders of these atypical animals and their know-how! Snail tasting at the end of the visit will delight connoisseurs.

Optional: Truffle hunting experience: Olivier, one of France’s expert truffle hunters and its canine companion who helps sniff out the musky scent of the fungus and dig them up, will teach you the secrets of black and white truffle while having an entire exhibition and educational tour followed by a tasting of the noble product.

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation | Catering

After breakfast, your private transfer will drive through the road of great vintages, proudly called the Champs-Elysees of Bourgogne, with Paul, our passionate wine expert. Drive through the famous villages of Gevrey Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Nuit-Saint-Georges…During this wine discovery program, you will be taught the history of Burgundy wine region, the grape varieties unique to Burgundy region, the viticulture and winemaking practices, the uniqueness of individual French wine region and the art of tasting wine. Visit the Château du Clos Vougeot, a Historic Cistercian winery built in the 12th and 16th Centuries by monks, set in the heart of Burgundy’s Grand Cru Vineyards. The visit ends with a film that retraces the history of the Château and the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin (an exclusive bacchanalian fraternity of Burgundy wine connoisseurs). 

Treat yourself with a fantastic picnic made of traditional local products, inside the vineyards. After this romantic, chic and bucolic Burgundian picnic, your private driver will escort you to château de Pommard. Enjoy a wine tasting experience which will guide you through the three centuries of this Château which survived to the French Revolution and two World Wars. Learn how to professionally taste wine with a trained professional wine advisor.

After the visit, your private driver will escort you to your gorgeous boutique hotel in the heart of Beaune. Dinner in a gastronomic restaurant which was the first in Europe to offer an entire wine list by the glass, with nearly 70 references (some of which cannot be found) thanks to a superb Wine Library. You can also taste other regional specialties such as the truffle of Burgundy, the marbled ham, and the eggs in meurette…and discover the tasty creations of the chef.

Optional 1: For the romantic couples, you may have a French romanticism & art of “hand kiss” workshop. You will find out the origins of French romanticism and the proper way of making a hand kiss to a lady. 

Optional 2: “French Tableware and French Gallantry” workshop: Knowing how to be received and receive your guests with naturalness, to highlight them or to have ease in the middle of the French in society, it is quite an art! But how to set a beautiful French table and use the right cutlery in the right place, this is another… Also, your aristocrat consultant will remind you of the expected behavior of a distinguished guest… and the appropriate dress according to the invitation! This is for men and couples. French Gallantry is the “must” of French masculine elegance and remains highly appreciated by women… It is therefore essential to know the rules and to know how to practice them if you have professional and friendly relations with French women.

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation | Catering

Your day will begin with a masterful introduction to the art of French cuisine in the heart of Burgundy. Take part in Michelin-starred chef Laurent’s cooking classes, taught in the kitchens of his restaurant that opens its doors to lovers of cooking and travel: Turbot, Pigeon, Asparagus, Shell Knives or Tomatoes? The Chef gives priority to his cuisine made of quality and seasonal products, chosen with passion: the sensitivity of energies, creativity, rigor. French gastronomy mixes here with Japanese know-how.

Following the course, a lunch is organized with the whole group. Our Pastry Chef will have made for you the sweetness of the sweet. The course is also oenological since our Head Sommelier will offer you a food and wine pairing with the dishes you will taste. A unique experience for a culinary journey around the world. 

After your meal, your private driver will escort you to your gorgeous boutique hotel. Afterward, you will have the remainder of the day at your leisure.

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation | Catering

After breakfast, you will visit the “Hospices de Beaune” with a professional English speaking guide. Its glazed tile roofs of sparkling colors are the symbol of Burgundy and its Gothic architecture, an amazing throwback to the golden age of the Dukes. The Hospices created in the 15th century was a hospital for the poor.

Lunch on your own.

Your private driver will escort you to the Fallot mustard factory. You will be able to discover for yourself all the steps involved in transforming the wild mustard seed: from the storage silo right up to packaging the end product. While “La Moutarderie Fallot” has been able to preserve its traditional and ancestral manufacturing methods, which involve grinding the seeds with a millstone. You will enjoy a mustard tasting at the mustard bar.

After the visit, you will proceed to the Cassissium factory where you will discover genuine art of liqueur-making. During the guided tour, you will see through the different steps of production that all the measures are taken in order to extract, capture and bring out the best of aromas and flavors of the fruits.

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation

After a sumptuous breakfast, your private driver will escort you to Besançon: A historically fascinating city on the UNESCO World Heritage List because of its Vauban fortifications (French engineer, military architect, urban planner, hydraulic engineer and essayist. He was appointed Marshal of France by Louis XIV).

Enjoy a guided visit of the citadel, one of the most beautiful citadels in France: The fortress is one of Vauban’s masterpieces, and it is said that its construction was so costly that Louis XIV enquired as to whether the walls had been made out of gold.

Then, you will visit the birthplace of Victor Hugo (French poet, playwright and romantic prose writer): The house where Victor Hugo was born is on the same square where Charles Nodier (French writer, novelist and academician) and the Lumière brothers (Auguste and Louis were manufacturers of photography equipment, best known for their Cinematograph motion picture system and the short films they produced between 1895 and 1905 which places them among the earliest filmmakers) were born and where Gustave Courbet (French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting) lived.

After lunch, your private driver will escort you to Colmar city, the most Alsatian city of Alsace! Nestled among vineyards, its traditional houses, canals, floral displays, amazing cuisine, famous wines and charming accommodation make Colmar an outstanding microcosm of Alsace.

Check in your luxurious hotel in/near Colmar. 

Dinner at a one Michelin-starred restaurant. As soon as the threshold of the restaurant  is crossed, you are wrapped in a feeling of lightness and timeless purity. Be ready to live an authentic gastronomic experience in a cozy and personal atmosphere and to taste the chef’s cuisine rich in flavors and character. In the spotlight, impeccably cooked fish, meats from our terroirs, fragrant broths, seasonal vegetables, fruity and chocolate sweets…

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation | Catering

You will take part in the grape harvest in Alsace. The harvest is for all those who are not afraid boots and rain, who love the countryside and are patient in the effort! Indeed, even if the actions are simple, the grape is picked by hand and requires perseverance. All these efforts are largely rewarded by the friendly atmosphere of the teams of the harvest and the clness to nature that renews whoever rubs!

You will  know the joy of the harvest by becoming a “Grape-picker for a day” during which you can spend half a day with a winemaker. This is an absolutely special time during which you can discover the world of wine, the charm of hand-picking in Alsace and even participate for a cellar visit and a wine tasting. The evening is free for your own trekking  in Colmar.

OR

Day 7. Optional: Visiting Colmar (France’s fairytale town) and other beautiful villages

Let’s discover otherwise Colmar, with a local guide to admire the Alsatian heritage.

Colmar was apparently the inspiration for the village in the Disney film Beauty and the Beast, and it’s not hard to see why. Walking through its streets is like seeing childhood fairy stories come to life. Everywhere you look there are colorfully painted waterside houses, wooden shutters, twisting cobbled streets and window boxes draped with blooms.

Lunch at a two-star Michelin restaurant in the heart of Colmar. The Chef invites you to share a unique gastronomic experience through a cuisine in his image, free and sincere. In the spotlight, Salmon cooked on a cucumber corolla with dill, Beef tartare with caviar and a slightly spicy oyster, Stretch of seabass in bread crust with shrimp cooked on the grill, Roasted deer fillet with bursts of roasted cocoa beans with pepper sauce. All your taste buds will marvel.

After lunch, you will leave Colmar for the Alsatian countryside and visit some of the most beautiful villages in the region. Start with a guided walking tour of Kayserberg, a village renowned for its peaceful alleys and half-timbered houses. You can marvel at the imperial castle ruins that dominate the town. 

Then take the Alsace Wine Route where you can make a few stops to take great photos of the surrounding landscapes. Upon arrival in Riquiewihr, take part in a guided walking tour of this walled city, a true jewel surrounded by vineyards. The flowers and plants omnipresent participate in the charm of the village. Head to Hunawihr, one of the most beautiful villages in France, renowned for its many craft shops and various cultural sites.

Your private driver will bring you back to your lovely accommodation. 

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation | Catering

You will discover the Alsatian wine route offering a true picture-postcard image; fresh vines climbing to the forests of the Vosges, ruins of castles dating back to the Middle Ages, villages with old ramparts, lively cellars. But it also pictures romanesque churches or fountains generously left by the Renaissance. You will meet wine-growers, taste their wines, then, go through the wine-growing paths and admire, in perched vineyards, the panorama that will belong to you.

Lunch on your own.

Then head to the Munster cheese house: Discover a terroir and a cheese, the different stages of cheese making and enjoy a demonstration of the making of Munster, and a mouthwatering tasting…

After the visit, your driver will escort you to Strasbourg, a city overflowing with medieval half-timbered buildings and flower-lined canals. 

Check in your elegant boutique hotel in the heart of Strasbourg.

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation

Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace, is also the formal seat of the European Parliament and sits near the German border, with culture and architecture blending German and French influences.

Start your day with a guided walking tour in the historic and charming district named “Petite France”. 

After lunch, discover the gothic style Notre Dame cathedral, the second most visited in France. During a canal boat trip you can see the medieval city on the Rhine that has survived through the ages to become anchored in the contemporary era.

Your farewell dinner will take place at a one-star Michelin restaurant. This great house, rich in its history and traditions, cultivates with passion the French Art of Living. For a unique moment with the Chef: Your table is located in the heart of the kitchens for an unforgettable experience…You will enjoy an exceptional moment punctuated by the kitchen and pastry brigades. Menu in 6 acts with 1 glass of champagne offered.

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Tour | Transfer | Accomodation | Catering

After a hearty breakfast and at your request, you private driver will escort you from your hotel to either the Strasbourg train station or the airport so that you can return home.

ARTOO TRAVEL TEAM WISHES YOU A SAFE TRIP BACK HOME

♦ WHAT IS INCLUDED ♦ Transfer | Catering