Journeys for Women presents:
Private Gastronomic Tour in France
with a Michelin Chef
Two weeks / Two regions: Alsace & Burgundy
Sept 7-21, 2022
Private Gastronomic Tour in France
with a Michelin Chef
Two weeks / Two regions: Alsace & Burgundy
Sept 7-21, 2022
Alsace Accommodations
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Burgundy Accommodations
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Food, food, and more food, all of it varied and delicious. And great touring as well. The Journeys for Women group spent two weeks in France, guided by Michelin Chef François, who also cooked for us each night at our lodgings. We were most fortunate that his wife, Esther, accompanied us, too. Six days a week we toured the regions and enjoyed restaurant lunches. One day a week was a down day to relax and enjoy our surroundings.
Week 1: Alsace
We spent the first week in the Alsace region, where the food has a decidedly German influence. (François says, "DON'T call it German, it's Alsatian!") In fact, our meal the first night was merlu fish over tender, newly-made sauerkraut. We jumped right into touring the next day, visiting Riquewihr and Colmar, including a boat ride on the Lausch River and a walk through the Petite Venise district. Our restaurant lunch was backeoffe and our dinner was fleischschnacka, both very meat-centric. The next day we had a morning tour and tasting at Achille Winery in Scherwiller. Their wines are all organic. There had been no rain in 3 months so the grapes were 1/3 normal size. Vinters are forbidden by law to irrigate. Lunch was at Animus in Bergheim, followed by a visit to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle. François treated us to crème brûlée for dessert that night.
The following morning, we were indulged with some retail therapy at Obernai, where almost every chimney has a stork's nest. At L'Ami Fritz in Ottrott we were served humungous portions of pork and sausages over sauerkraut and potatoes. Then we and sampled eau de vie and whiskey at Lehman Distillery. Dinner was a savory onion tart (our fave dish of the trip) and rabbit with mustard sauce. We walked off a little of this the next morning at Lac du Gerardmer, only to be served pork pie, followed by sliced pork with Alsatian potato salad--and more--at Ferme Auberge Treh in the Vosges Mountains. We spent the rest of the afternoon at Écomusée d'Alsace open air museum, and somehow we still had room for stuffed quail and quetsch tart for dinner.
The next day was a free one at our chalets, so we explored our surroundings. And a group of us played yahtzee. François and Esther put out a lovely buffet for lunch and served us raclette for dinner. We spent our final day in Alsace at Strasbourg, starting with a wine tour and tasting at Les Hospices caves. After an incredible lunch at Les Haras Brasserie, we saw Strasbourg's Notre Dame Cathedral and took a boat ride on the Ill River. For our grand finale dinner in Alsace, François served duck breast and chocolate soufflé.
Week 2: Burgundy
Our wonderful bus driver for the two weeks, Angélique, transferred us from Alsace to Barbirey in Burgundy. En route, we lunched in Arbois on lamb and a delightful lemon dessert. Later we did a Comté cheese tasting, and that evening François roasted guinea fowl for dinner at our Chateau. There was more cheese the next morning when we toured a goat farm, then tasted goat cheese of various ages and curing methods. Our restaurant lunch in the town of Fuissé was steak frites, something familiar and tasty! Then we were off to Chateau de Rougeon winery and a tour with the 7th-genration winemaker. Dinner that night was a little lighter, cod en papillote, followed by a cheeseboard dessert.
The following morning we had a delightful tour of Fallot mustard factory in Beaune where we tried our hand at making some Dijon. Lunch was at Les Falaises in St Romain, where the main course was chicken in mustard sauce. That afternoon we visited a Crémant factory, where they make the Burgundy version of champagne. That night François treated us to beef en brioche and an apple-strawberry crumble. The next morning we were off to the Beaune Saturday market, a feast for the eyes--and the mouth. Lunch was at Maufoux, where the main dish was blanquette de veau (veal stew). That afternoon we visited Les Hospices of Beaune that served the medical needs of the poor from the 1400's to the 1900's. We rounded out the day with a dinner of roasted lamb.
The following day, we toured Dijon, then lunched at Bistro Lucien where we had escargots, the incredible cheese biscuits called gougères, plus profiteroles for dessert. Well-sated, we then made our way to Chateau de Clos de Vougeot in the middle of the Burgundy wine region. The 51 hectares of vines have 84 different owners. Grand cru and other levels of wines are produced. This domain was founded by monks in 1110. Dinner was boeuf bourguignon. The next day was our day off and we explored the grounds of the chateau and its wonderful gardens. We had another amazing buffet lunch, mostly charcuterie, then a cooking lesson from François on choux dough; as a sweet it can be made into cream puffs, and as a savory, it can be made into gougères. Dinner was stuffed tomatoes followed by crème caramel. On our final day, we visited Cluny Abbey. Lunch was outdoors at La Table de Chapaize. The highlights were an amuse-bouche of watermelon and cantaloupe gazpacho and a dessert of strawberry soup w/ yoghurt ice cream. Our grand finale dinner was vinegar chicken over noodles--and a raspberry cake, as we celebrated the last of three birthdays for our group. As a thank you, we presented François and Esther with the book Six California Kitchens. We explained that California cuisine, as in many parts of France, had its roots in the farm to table movement of serving what's local and seasonal.
In sum, it was a fabulous food and wine adventure. Our meals were heavier on meat and lighter on vegetables than we're accustomed to, but everything was so good! Our touring days were long, generally 9am to 5pm, but François wanted to share with us as much as he possibly could each week. Several of us would follow him to another region of France in a heartbeat.
Week 1: Alsace
We spent the first week in the Alsace region, where the food has a decidedly German influence. (François says, "DON'T call it German, it's Alsatian!") In fact, our meal the first night was merlu fish over tender, newly-made sauerkraut. We jumped right into touring the next day, visiting Riquewihr and Colmar, including a boat ride on the Lausch River and a walk through the Petite Venise district. Our restaurant lunch was backeoffe and our dinner was fleischschnacka, both very meat-centric. The next day we had a morning tour and tasting at Achille Winery in Scherwiller. Their wines are all organic. There had been no rain in 3 months so the grapes were 1/3 normal size. Vinters are forbidden by law to irrigate. Lunch was at Animus in Bergheim, followed by a visit to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle. François treated us to crème brûlée for dessert that night.
The following morning, we were indulged with some retail therapy at Obernai, where almost every chimney has a stork's nest. At L'Ami Fritz in Ottrott we were served humungous portions of pork and sausages over sauerkraut and potatoes. Then we and sampled eau de vie and whiskey at Lehman Distillery. Dinner was a savory onion tart (our fave dish of the trip) and rabbit with mustard sauce. We walked off a little of this the next morning at Lac du Gerardmer, only to be served pork pie, followed by sliced pork with Alsatian potato salad--and more--at Ferme Auberge Treh in the Vosges Mountains. We spent the rest of the afternoon at Écomusée d'Alsace open air museum, and somehow we still had room for stuffed quail and quetsch tart for dinner.
The next day was a free one at our chalets, so we explored our surroundings. And a group of us played yahtzee. François and Esther put out a lovely buffet for lunch and served us raclette for dinner. We spent our final day in Alsace at Strasbourg, starting with a wine tour and tasting at Les Hospices caves. After an incredible lunch at Les Haras Brasserie, we saw Strasbourg's Notre Dame Cathedral and took a boat ride on the Ill River. For our grand finale dinner in Alsace, François served duck breast and chocolate soufflé.
Week 2: Burgundy
Our wonderful bus driver for the two weeks, Angélique, transferred us from Alsace to Barbirey in Burgundy. En route, we lunched in Arbois on lamb and a delightful lemon dessert. Later we did a Comté cheese tasting, and that evening François roasted guinea fowl for dinner at our Chateau. There was more cheese the next morning when we toured a goat farm, then tasted goat cheese of various ages and curing methods. Our restaurant lunch in the town of Fuissé was steak frites, something familiar and tasty! Then we were off to Chateau de Rougeon winery and a tour with the 7th-genration winemaker. Dinner that night was a little lighter, cod en papillote, followed by a cheeseboard dessert.
The following morning we had a delightful tour of Fallot mustard factory in Beaune where we tried our hand at making some Dijon. Lunch was at Les Falaises in St Romain, where the main course was chicken in mustard sauce. That afternoon we visited a Crémant factory, where they make the Burgundy version of champagne. That night François treated us to beef en brioche and an apple-strawberry crumble. The next morning we were off to the Beaune Saturday market, a feast for the eyes--and the mouth. Lunch was at Maufoux, where the main dish was blanquette de veau (veal stew). That afternoon we visited Les Hospices of Beaune that served the medical needs of the poor from the 1400's to the 1900's. We rounded out the day with a dinner of roasted lamb.
The following day, we toured Dijon, then lunched at Bistro Lucien where we had escargots, the incredible cheese biscuits called gougères, plus profiteroles for dessert. Well-sated, we then made our way to Chateau de Clos de Vougeot in the middle of the Burgundy wine region. The 51 hectares of vines have 84 different owners. Grand cru and other levels of wines are produced. This domain was founded by monks in 1110. Dinner was boeuf bourguignon. The next day was our day off and we explored the grounds of the chateau and its wonderful gardens. We had another amazing buffet lunch, mostly charcuterie, then a cooking lesson from François on choux dough; as a sweet it can be made into cream puffs, and as a savory, it can be made into gougères. Dinner was stuffed tomatoes followed by crème caramel. On our final day, we visited Cluny Abbey. Lunch was outdoors at La Table de Chapaize. The highlights were an amuse-bouche of watermelon and cantaloupe gazpacho and a dessert of strawberry soup w/ yoghurt ice cream. Our grand finale dinner was vinegar chicken over noodles--and a raspberry cake, as we celebrated the last of three birthdays for our group. As a thank you, we presented François and Esther with the book Six California Kitchens. We explained that California cuisine, as in many parts of France, had its roots in the farm to table movement of serving what's local and seasonal.
In sum, it was a fabulous food and wine adventure. Our meals were heavier on meat and lighter on vegetables than we're accustomed to, but everything was so good! Our touring days were long, generally 9am to 5pm, but François wanted to share with us as much as he possibly could each week. Several of us would follow him to another region of France in a heartbeat.