A Day in Provence with Goût et Voyage en Francais

A Day in Provence

On a sunny late Spring morning, we gather on the terrace of our small, boutique hotel for breakfast. Over warm, freshly baked croissants, home-made jam, fresh fruit and local cheeses our group of six (6) contemplates the day’s itinerary. The topic of our French conversation this morning is “le marché.”  We’ll practice our market vocabulary, how to make purchases at the market and brush up on the terms for local produce, local cheese and local wine.

After breakfast, we’ll drive into the vine-covered Côtes du Rhone countryside for a hands-on cooking class in a local chef’s home.

Before preparing the recipes for our lunch, we’ll stop at the local market with our chef to gather our provisions. We’ll participate in the lively French market discourse as we ask the vendors for their recommendations. We’ll ask for tastes of the olives, the olive oil and the tapenade.

Our next stop is a local winery where the proprietor will guide us, en français, in wine-tasting and wine selection.

Over the next several hours, we’ll chop, sautée, stir and taste the various dishes our chef has selected for today’s class. We’ll hone our use of French cookery terms while the chef provides direction.  A cool glass of rosé and tasty tapenade provide a nice break before we put the finishing touches on our plates and sit down to our multi-course, wine-paired lunch. The leisurely meal under the grape arbor is filled with laughter and talk (in French; bien sûr) of our culinary feats.

Practice Your French

Refreshed and fortified, this afternoon we’ll explore a little known cultural site with incredibly well-preserved Roman ruins. Our local guide will explain the Roman influence in Provence as we stroll through this open-air museum. We’ll admire the paved streets, the shops, the baths, the columns, the fountains and the noble patrician homes that date back to the 1st century BC.

We return to our boutique hotel in the late afternoon. The sparkling pools beckon us to take a swim, the luxurious gardens invite us to relax with a book- perhaps the latest French novel, or just take a nap.

Those interested in shopping can take a leisurely 5-10 minute walk into the charming Provencal town.

Tonight’s dinner is a short drive away, in a small nearby village. The fine dining restaurant has only a handful of tables and is presided over by the chef and his wife. The chef is offering a tempting 5-course menu featuring local produce, fresh seafood, artisanal cheeses, delectable desserts and, of course, local wines.

We practice a few newly learned expressions as we linger over dinner and our last glass of wine before returning to our lovely home base for a restful night’s sleep.

Tomorrow promises another exquisite Taste of Provence and another opportunity to practice our French.

Goût et Voyage Tour Details

Taste of Provence:

June 2024 tours are fully booked.

June 4 – 11, 2025

Taste of Provence for the Holidays: Accepting inquiries

To book your Goût et Voyage tour, contact Martine via email at info@goutetvoyage.com
Tel: +1 973-222-7957

Space is strictly limited to 6 clients per trip.

For additional details on these “Taste of Provence” tours, please click here.