This tour offers a fabulous culinary immersion experience for people who love French food and wine, Paris bistros and wine bars, who delight in exploring vibrant neighborhoods, marche volants and market streets, and who love to meet, talk and taste with culinary artisans. Lunch (or dinner) daily will be savored in top bistros, wine bars, or unique restaurants chosen for their sympathetic ambiance and excellent food. “Paris Culinary Treasures” tour guests visit the best market streets, vibrant marche volants, select gourmet boutiques and culinary artisans. Sally Peabody and Allen Kalik, two Paris-experts, lead the ten-day tour, assuring a high level of personalized service.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Paris and Hotel Check In. Guests arrive in Paris. Arrive Hotel Trianon Rive Gauche (or similar 3 star hotel). Early check in will be available for Paris Culinary Treasures Tour guests. In the afternoon we will have an introduction to "Monumental Paris". Guests meet Sally Peabody and Allan Kalik in hotel lobby at noon. Then, we will go by metro to the Arc de Triomphe for an afternoon walk beginning at the Arc. We will walk down the Champs Elysées, take a one-hour Seine Cruise, and then walk on to the Jardin des Tuileries and the place de la Madeleine. We’ll visit the exceptional gourmet emporiums, patisseries and boutiques lining the place including Fauchon, Hediard, Ladurée, Maille Mustard and more. We will end the day relaxing in the Tuileries gardens, followed by early dinner (included in the tour). We will have the early dinner at Brasserie or bistro du quartier easily walkable from the hotel. We will have a free evening.
Day 2: Upscale Markets and Market Streets. We will start the day with a visit to the superb President Wilson Market in the wealthy 16th ème. After walking through this quintessential upscale market we’ll make a quick stop to visit the delightful Jardin Japonaise tucked behind the annex of the Guimet Asian Arts Museum. Next we walk to Trocadero and across the Seine to the Eiffel Tower and the Champs de Mars. We’ll enjoy lunch at La Fontaine de Mars, just off the Champs de Mars. Following lunch we visit the wonderful rue Cler market street and visit the famed fromagerie of Marie-Anne Cantin and the boulangerie of Jean Luc Poujaran. We’ll complete the day with a walk back to Invalides to relax on the esplanade. We will lunch at La Fontaine de Mars, 129 rue St. Dominique Metro Ecole Militaire.
Day 3: Markets and the Marais. We will have a day of exploring the hip and ancient Marais and Bastille quarters. In the morning we will begin the day with a walk through the typical Place d’Aligre covered market in the 12th. This market expands on weekends to include a lively small flea market/brocante and a fruit and vegetable market with an African influence. We’ll point out noteworthy bakeries, bistros and wine bars surrounding this quintessential neighborhood Paris market. Then we will walk over to the large and top quality Richard Lenoir market running along Boulevard Richard Lenoir. This high-quality market is one of the largest in Paris, animated, extensive and lively with wonderful fresh and prepared food and more, including great buys on gift items such as scarves, soaps, leather goods.
Next, we explore the Marais via a walking tour of this marvelous quartier. We’ll walk via the rue St. Antoine, to visit the beautiful Place des Vosges. We will explore prime shopping and gallery-street, the rue des Francs Bourgeois, and the atmospheric rue des Rosiers, the heart of Jewish Paris. Guests may sample the superb felaffel at L’as du Felaffel or at another of the excellent shops along the rue des Rosiers. Then, we will explore the rue de Vielle de Temple, the rue Pont Louis Phillipe and the rue St. Paul and the Village St. Paul (which is full of antique shops). Following the walking tour guests are on their own to return to the hotel, or may choose to visit one of the Marais’ excellent museums, the Carnavalet, the Picasso, the Jewish Museum, or the Cognac Jay—or attend one of the many free concerts offered in the Paris Churches on Sunday afternoons. We will have dinner at 7:30, at gourmet-bistro, Mon Vieil Ami, 69 rue St. Louis-en-Ile, on the charming Ile St. Louis. Metro: Hotel de Ville or Pont Marie. Includes: (D).
Day 4: A Day in Champagne. This day will be our one “day out of Paris”. We’ll visit the small city of Reims, the heart of the Champagne region. Highlights of the day will include visits to the exceptionally beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral and to two top Champagne Cellars—Taittinger and Mumm. Lunch (included in the tour) is at the lovely art nouveau-era Brasserie du Boulingrin. Time permitting, we can visit one of the excellent wine and local products shops on the Place by the Cathedral for a choice of fine Champagnes or Champagnes produced from up and coming small producers. (Also, local products perfect to accompany Champagnes, or made with Champagne). Van pick up at hotel at 8:30 a.m. Return approximately at 7:30 pm. Dinner is on your own, when back in Paris.
Day 5: A Walking Tour of the Viaduc des Arts and the Promenade Plantee. We will visit the Copper Cookware Atelier in the Viaduc des Arts. In the late afternoon we will taste wine, regional French cheeses and charcuterie at Fil ‘O’ Fromage, 13 rue Neuve Tolbiac. We will begin this day with a walking tour of the stunning Viaduc des Arts in the 12th to visit the Atelier du Cuivre (10:30 a.m.), and explore the other notable artisans (for example, antique doll and toys restoration specialists, antique lace and textile restorers, painted and gilded furniture makers) that have shops and ateliers in the Viaduc des Arts. If time permits we will take a walk on the elevated Promenade Plantee, a fascinating green space/ park that now fills the recycled railroad right of way atop the Viaduc des Art- this garden has been developed on the site of railroad tracks, and now runs all the way out to the Bois de Vincennes.
Following the visit to the Atelier we will metro over to visit Bercy Village, a newly developed quartier developed in and amongst the antique wine entrepots (warehouses) in Bercy. Bercy offers many options for light lunches in its cafés, creperies and winebars which guests can choose on their own in light of the substantial tasting we will enjoy later that afternoon (included in the tour). We’ll take a walk through the lovely Park Bercy and then walk across the Seine to the 13th éme for our very special talk and wine/cheese/charcuterie tasting with Sherif Barbit, Master Fromager and Master of Wine. We will have a free evening following the tasting with Sherif. Includes: (L).
Day 6: Exploring Village Paris. We will take a walking tour of Montmartre. We will have lunch at an excellent bistro du quartier such as Chez Michel, Chez Casimir or La Boulangerie. In the late afternoon wine tasting with Tim Johnston, proprietaire of Juveniles Bar A Vins. In the morning: we will begin the day with a walk through the remarkable market at Barbés Rouchechouart in the teeming 18th. This market offers an opportunity to tour one of the main markets serving Arab and African Paris as well as savvy shoppers of all nationalities.
Following our walk through Barbes we will tour Montmartre, one of Paris most storied bohemian quarters for artists, writers and its charming, village-like life. We’ll stop at an exceptional patissier/ chocolatier and point out other notable boulangeries and food shops while browsing the lively neighborhood near Sacre Coeur, the Place des Abbesses, the rue Lepic shopping street and the ‘back of the butte’. In the afternoon we’ll take the #2 metro to our chosen bistro, to enjoy a lovely three-course lunch. After lunch (included on the tour) we’ll return to central Paris to visit the beautiful Palais Royale gardens, arcades and shops and close the day with a regional French wine tasting and selected "small-plates" at Juveniles Bar a Vins with proprietaire Tim Johnston (4:30). Juveniles: 47 rue de Richelieu. Metro: Palais Royale/ Louvre.
Day 7: Exploring Village Paris. This day will begin in the upscale 17th, with a visit to explore the Batignolles quartier, a charming and little-visited neighborhood full of excellent gourmet shops and characterful boutiques. On the rue des Batignolles, a short street leading through the "village" there are two boulangers who have won the ‘Best Baguette in Paris’ competition in the past three years- exceptional to have two in one small neighborhood! Batignolles truly feels like ‘village’ Paris with its small shops, lovely park, and lively square anchored by a classic church as well as the abundance of families and residents of all ages.
We will follow our visit to Batignolles with a walk over to 132 rue Cardinet to enjoy a delicious lunch at the Restaurant LeClou, an excellent bistro-du-quartier that features well chosen Corsican wines and cheeses along with delicious plats du jour. Lunch included in the tour. Time permitting we will walk back to the metro via the rue Levis market street, to ride over to St. Germain to visit Peter Beier Chocolatier, 62, rue Monsieur Le Prince. Metro: Odeon or St. Michel. We will end the afternoon with a visit to owners Lene and Lars Boehme, of Peter Beier, an artisan chocolatier to enjoy their delectable chocolate beverages (hot or cold) to taste chocolates and learn about the art of fine chocolate making. Afterward, we will relax in the nearby Luxembourg Gardens. Dinner is on your own and we will have a free evening.
Day 8: A Day Exploring the Culinary Treasures of St. Germain des Pres. We’ll start the day at 8:30 a.m. with a visit to the bakery underneath the glorious patisserie of Gerard Mulot, 76 rue de Seine, in St. Germain des Pres. Metro: Mabillion, Odeon, or St. Germain des Pres. After our bakery visit we will walk through the rue de Seine/rue de Buci market streets visiting various top-quality wine and food boutiques including the Dernier Goutte wineshop, Cacao et Chocolat, and Huilerie Le Blanc. We will also visit the block-square Grand Epicerie of the Bon Marché and walk along the rue de Bac and rue de Cherche Midi, two excellent shopping streets. As we walk through St. Germain we will visit the Church of St. Sulpice to see the famed Delacroix murals, and the Eglise St. Germain, one of the oldest churches in Paris.
We will point out other notable gourmet shrines such as La Maison du Chocolat, and the famed patisseries and boulangeries of Pierre Herme and of Poilane. Lunch will be our special "Dejuner Gastronomique" at the Ecole Superieur de Cuisine-Ferrandi on rue de l’Abbe Gregoire in St. Germain. Following lunch, (included in the tour) which takes two hours plus, we will once again, relax in the Luxembourg Gardens, and guests are free for the balance of the day. Dinner is on your own and we will have a free evening.
Day 9: It is a free day. Guests may choose to go to Versailles (not included in tour), visit museums, return to quartiers they wish to visit, to shop or explore more of Paris. Allen and Sally will gladly facilitate any guest’s questions about planning this free day. Tour leaders can also facilitate arranging for a cooking class if guests wish on this free day or on any day of the week when we are in Paris. Cooking classes are optional add-ons and are priced additionally to the tour. We can arrange a class through International Kitchen or other contacts we have. We will celebrate our time in Paris with a visit to Chef Christian Etchebest’s acclaimed bistro Le Troquet, 104 rue Francois Bonvin, Metro: Cambronne. We have reserved the "Degustation" menu for our group.
Day 10: Breakfast and Transfer to Airport.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Three star hotel, (double occupancy), hotel taxes, daily cold buffet breakfast
- Daily multi-course meal and coffee (either lunch or dinner)
- Metro tickets and passes
- All tastings, tours and admissions to culinary artisans ateliers when formal tour activities
- Van transportation to Reims, tours of two Champagne Cellars included
- One-hour Seine cruise
- All tour organizing and in-Paris guiding (two leaders) included.
Price Excludes:
- Wine or beverages, snacks and meals other than those noted as included in the tour
- Travel insurance is not included and guests are strongly urged to purchase insurance.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Local Culture
Food & Wine
Cultural Journey
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