September 9th-13th -The Loire Valley Kitchen Garden Extravaganza with Mark Reinfeld and the Gentle Gourmet
The ultimate tour for those who love Kitchen Gardens, great vegan cuisine and are looking for an intimate journey into French culture and history - we are happy to announce this September's first 2-part Loire Valley Kitchen Garden Extravaganza tour with the Gentle Gourmet and celebrated vegan fusion cookbook author and chef Mark Reinfeld !
A very special 2-part week with the very special chef, teacher and cookbook author Mark Reinfeld who will accompany us and teach daily classes in kitchens of the great chateaux whose vegetable gardens and orchards we will visit and study. This magical week is the trip of a lifetime for anyone passionate about kitchen gardening,vegan cooking and France!
During 5 days of chateau-hopping, hot-air balooning, kitchen-garden visiting and gourmet cooking and dining, you will discover how the French turned the simple growing of fruits and vegetables into a high form of Art.
To make the tour available to all who would like to fit it into the visit to Paris, we have divided the tours into 2 parts that can be taken as a whole or separately.
Sept 9th - Leave Paris by train to Tours then heading off to the magical Chateau de Valmer where we will visit the beautiful, organic kitchen garden , taste their wines and cook up a lovely meal ; then off we go by hot air baloon to get an overall look at the chateau-dotted "Valley of Kings" and then we settle in to the fairytale domaine of the Chateau Rivau.
Sept 10th - After breakfast we will do an in-depth tour of this enchanting garden and then off we are to the now celebrated Tomato Festival at the Chateau de la Bourdaisiere, and then back to the professional kitchen for a late afternoon of cooking and dining
Sept 11th After breakfast we can enjoy on spot the Chateau Rivau's yearly pumpkin festival and then later a class and dinner with Mark . We will be met here by those joining us for part two of the tour who will have visited with other members of the Gentle Gourmet team the Chateau de la Bourdaisiere festival before meeting up with us.
Sept.12th - Breakfast, class and lunch at the Chateau Rivau and then off to the Queen of all kitchen gardens - Villandry where we will visit , marvel and dine!
Sept.13th - Morning cooking class and lunch and last look around the garden before departure from our home away from home at the Chateau Rivau. Off to the Chateau de la Chatonniere and the Chateau de Chenonceau after which we will take the train beack to Paris.
Rates which include all transportation from Paris to the Loire Valley and back and during the tour, accomodation, all meals, all classes, garden visits, activities, embroidered apron and travel log/recipe book.
A. Full 5-day tour 2500 euros
B. 3dy/2 night - leaving after the Rivau festival on the 11th. 1350 euros
C. 3-day/2 night - arriving for the Bourdaisiere festival on the 11th to the 13th. 1150 euros
Contact Deborah at for all information and reservations.
