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WINE-KNOWS TRAVEL, INC.

A Week in Provence with Julia Child
June 23-30, 2018
SOLD OUT


Julia at her Provence property in the hills above the Riviera


This week will be spent at the actual estate in which Julia wrote both her famous cookbooks, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Dinners at the villa, prepared by the group, will be made from Julia’s recipes.  Excursions will be to outdoor food markets in which Julia shopped.  Likewise, we’ll visit boulangeries, fromageries and pastisseries which were some of Julia’s favorites. The trip has been timed for Provence’s most idyllic time of year…in advance of the height of the tourist season, and at the most favorable time for perfect weather.

The group will be divided into small teams of three persons in advance of the trip.  Each team will be responsible for selecting prior to arrival one of Julia’s first course recipes, one main, and a dessert.   Teams will only have to prepare one course each night.  We’ll rotate courses nightly so that after three dinners, teams will have made their three recipes.  (The remainder of the week’s dinners will at carefully chosen restaurants, or a chef will be hired in).

 

Trip Highlights: 

  • A once in a lifetime opportunity to stay on the estate where Julia wrote her cookbooks
  • Visits to many of Riviera’s most charming villages & towns (Antibes, Cannes, Mougins, Valbonne & Biot)
  • Foodie excursions to some of Provence’s most famous outdoor markets
  • Nightly wines chosen by an expert (journalist & owner of Wine-Knows Inc.)


June 22, 2018:   Last Day Possible to Leave the USA!

You are strongly encouraged to leave at least one day before today to allow for missed flights and to provide a few days to recover from jet lag.  (Hotel space in Nice or any of the towns along the Riviera can be arranged for early arrivals).


June 23:   Welcome to Julia's Homage


Our villa for the week…just 15 miles from the Nice airport but a world away

  

Morning:  Free time to allow for international arrivals, or for time locally to sightsee…or relax.

Afternoon:  After checking-in to our famous villa there will be time to unpack, take a swim, or just soak the splendor of the estate.

Evening:  We’ll dine in tonight where the chef will prepare a gala welcome dinner of Provence's specialties.

June 24:   Stunning Antibes

Morning:  We’ll kick off the trip by heading to nearby Antibes where you’ll have free time in the historical center.  In addition to a bustling outdoor food market, Antibes has a plethora of tres charming boutiques, and even a Picasso Museum.  For those who love walking, there’s a jaw-dropping walk that traverses the city’s ancient walls along the Mediterranean.

Afternoon:  We can’t leave Antibes without seeing the Riviera’s most fascinating supermarket, a kind of “Whole Foods on steroids.”  Complete with a kitchenware section, this is a great place to pick up foodie gifts for friends back home.

Evening:  Dinner tonight will be in the beautiful garden of a country restaurant.  It’s a good possibility that Julia dined here considering the close proximity to her estate and the fact that the restaurant has a long history of serving some of the region’s best specialties.


June weather brings a bounty of heavenly goodies


June 25:   The City of Perfume


Grasse is France’s capital of perfume.

  

Morning:  Today we’ll head to the epicenter for perfume production in all of France, nearby Grasse.  There will be options to visit one of the city’s perfumeries and observe the details involved in production of perfume.  Grasse is also well known for its outdoor market---this is a must-see as Julia was a frequent customer.

Afternoon:  The remainder of the day will be spent cooking either a first course, main, or dessert from items procured at the market.  Naturally, all of the recipes will be Julia’s.

Evening:  Tonight we’ll toast Julia as we dine on our group’s first dinner, paired with a wine from Provence.


June 26:   Seductive Cannes

Morning:  While Cannes is most known for its celebrity-studded Film Festival, it’s also famous for its extraordinary covered food market that supplies the Riviera’s most famous restaurants.  There is a delectable assortment of fruits and vegetables, cheeses, breads, and multiple flavors of tampenade.   However, it’s the fish and seafood section that is mind-blowing.  Divided into teams, we will buy our ingredients for tonight’s dinner.

Afternoon:  Back at the villa, we’ll break into our teams to prepare either a first course, or second, or a sweet.

Evening:  Who will initiate tonight’s toast to Madame Child?   What will the teams have chosen for their Julia recipe?   Will there be any leftovers?


Julia bought her fish at Cannes’ legendary market


June 27:   Magical Mougins Village


Exclusive Mougins has been home to many celebrities over the years

Morning:  We’re off to one of the most charismatic villages on the Riviera.  Yves St Laurent, Christian Dior, Catherine Deneuve, and Pablo Picasso are just a few of those who have chosen to live in Mougins.  Known for its art galleries and tony boutiques, this pedestrian-only, small hilltop village is certain to offer something for everyone.

 

Afternoon:  Next, another special hilltop village, Biot.  Famous for its handmade glass, Biot is off-the-beaten-track except for “those in the know.”

Evening:  Dinner tonight will be in the heart of Biot at a restaurant that has been in the same family for several generations.   We’ll dine outside on a quiet square on Provence specialties.


Biot offers a mesmerizing collection for those who love to entertain


June 28:   Michelin-Star Dinning


Small & quietly elegant…with quality Provençal countryside cooking

  

Morning-Afternoon:  Today is free.  There are lots of options for excursions, or you can just chill at the pool, or enjoy a spin on one of the nearby walking trails.

Evening:  We’ll start with an early evening blind tasting at the villa, featuring hand-selected wines from the region.  Next, we’ll journey to one of this area’s culinary jewels, a Michelin-star restaurant, located in an undiscovered town in Provence.


June 29:   Shopping at Julia's Market

Morning:  This morning we’re off to one of Provence’s best markets….and since it’s only a few minutes from Julia’s home so we know that Julia was a regular patron.  Located in the delightfully attractive Provencal village of Valbonne, this market will provide everything we need for our final homage to Julia.

Afternoon:  Again, working in teams, we’ll spend the remainder of the day preparing our last feast.

Evening:  Dinner tonight will be on the terrace in our swankiest outfits.  Raise your glass to toast this magnificent opportunity of cooking with new-found-friends, old chums… and Julia!


Markets feature farm-to-table ingredients but also local crafts


June 30:   Bid Your Adieu

Morning:  The trip ends after breakfast at the villa.  (We can easily arrange transport to the airport, or to another destination in the Provence region.)

Links to the following:

 
     

 

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