Gastronomic tours in France

From beef Burgundy to Lyon sausages and the famous bouillabaisse of Marseille, France has led the way in delicacies for centuries. Today, France has amazing food experiences for gourmets, food lovers or true epicures. There are many possible routes in terms of a gourmet tour. A gastronomic trip can include food and wine tasting, cooking classes featuring Michelin star chefs, superb restaurants, and plenty of opportunities to sample the local specialities, such as cheese or truffles.

Take advantage of your food tour in France to stay in beautiful places full of history such as Relais et Châteaux or wine estates in the heart of the vineyards. La Vallée de la Gastronomie - France ® helps you plan a personalised culinary tour of France.

 

How to plan a gastronomic tour in France?

The best way to plan a gourmet tour is to visit the La Vallée de la Gastronomie – France ® website and choose the restaurants, tours and experiences that attract you the most. Read the description of the many domains, châteaux, restaurants and plan your food tour in France according to your tastes.

You will find hosts of activities that can be shared by all ages to design a tailor-made stay.

First choose a location, a region or a French department based on the territory covered by La Vallée de la Gastronomie – France ®. Then select a type of culinary tour in France, depending if you are travelling with your family or if you are planning a romantic getaway. Finally, opt for experiences and places that sound appealing to you based on your tastes and on your interests.

 

What is the ideal length of a food tour in France?

It is often said that you need at least a week to let go completely and enjoy the places you visit. Rest assured, even a shorter duration will allow you to enjoy all the activities offered during a food tour in France.

For example, a weekend allows you to explore large cities such as Marseille or Lyon: sample the many restaurants that offer typical, original, and varied menus. If you prefer smaller cities, Nimes or Dijon are full of treasures to discover. Lovers of wide open spaces will prefer a stay in the heart of nature in a castle or wine estate.

If your gastronomic trip is longer, combine town and countryside for the best of both worlds: choose from the proposals of La Vallée de la Gastronomie - France ®, which covers a large territory that is as suitable for a road trip as it is for a relaxing stay.

 

When should you plan a gastronomic trip to France?

You are still hesitating about which season to choose for your culinary tour in France? Here are a few tips to help you decide.

If you want to enjoy beautiful beaches during your gourmet tour in Provence, then the period from June to September is the best, July and August being the hottest months. The rest of the year is also very pleasant and even in winter the days are often beautiful and sunny allowing you to savour your gastronomic trip.

If you opt for the regions north of Provence, Auvergne or Burgundy, it is a bit cooler in winter but there is no best time to visit. Each season is accompanied by different fresh products and flavours. Discover them at the local farmers markets, open all year long, during your food tour in France.

Some people also enjoy visiting the same places at two different times of the year for two very different experiences making for a great change of scenery.

Couples, families, friends: something for all ages and tastes

It is sometimes difficult to organise a holiday that appeals to all participants, be it family or friends. By choosing a food tour in France, you make it easy to find activities for everyone, regardless of age and interests!

Cooking and the related activities are unifying and prone to sharing and discovering. It makes for unforgettable experiences that you will enjoy recalling back at home. It will be an opportunity to remember the good times and to put into practice what you have learned. Take part in a wine tasting in a cellar or a chateau and become unbeatable at choosing the best wines to match your dishes.

Are you travelling with children? Don't worry, they are not forgotten and keeping them occupied is easy. A visit to a chocolate factory is always a great success, they can taste and learn new chocolate recipes. A visit to the farm is a great opportunity to discover and get closer to the animals but also to go fruit picking when the season is right.

 

What region is best for a gourmet tour in France?

There is no right or wrong when it comes to choosing a location for your gourmet tour, but there might be a few things to consider to make sure that you get what you expect.

You can choose to stay in a specific region or opt for a road trip that will have you discover a maximum of places and culinary specialities.

Dijon is a wonderful city surrounded by peaceful rural areas that offer amazing opportunities to taste all sorts of wine and walks in the vineyards of Burgundy. It might be a preferable area if you want a peaceful romantic weekend or if you want to taste really typical French cuisine.

Lyon and its area is more buoyant and might be great for young people who want to have fun in the city while enjoying their gastronomic tour.

The city is ideal for both its rich culinary culture and its historical heritage: enjoy beautiful and charming strolls along the banks of the two rivers that cross it. Lyon is the cradle of a diverse and refined gastronomy. Most definitely associated with that of the famous Michelin-starred chef Paul Bocuse, there are many restaurants led by a new generation of talented chefs to discover. Don't miss the untranslatable local specialties: the famous pâté en croûte, a pork and veal pâté baked in a savoury pastry, the exquisite pike dumplings called quenelles, the herb-flecked cheese spread Cervelle de Canut which has nothing to do with brains, the tripe based dish Tablier de Sapeur for the aficionados, the Volaille Demi-Deuil a truffled braised poultry cooked in a broth or steamed and served with a crème fraîche based suprême sauce. And for sweets enjoy a Coussin de Lyon, a chocolate and almond paste bite-sized specialty, or a slice of a tarte à la Praline, a pink praline tart.

 

Marseille and the South of France are ideal for people who want to enjoy healthy food, full of colourful vegetables and fish.

 

It has a warm and vibrant atmosphere, and its people are keen to share their love of the area with you. And if you gain their trust, they will gladly share their secret addresses off the beaten track! As for the area, it will probably match most people’s dreams of France and Provence.

Don't wait any longer and visit our website La Vallée de la Gastronomie - France ® to prepare your food tour in France!