EXCLUSIVE PROVENCE - July 2010

L’OCCITANE, WINE & CHOCOLATE
July 4 – 8, 2010 Bonjours! We at Chocolatine are very excited to offer an exclusive four-day excursion to beautiful Provence. This tour is available only to eight lucky guests, so we wanted to put the word out early!

With our extensive list of expert contacts in the region, we have designed a unique Provence experience. Over the course of four days privileged guests will be treated to the very best the region has to offer, indulging all five senses.

The centerpiece of the excursion is a day in the village of Manosque, home to the celebrated L’OCCITANE EN PROVENCE. Olivier Baussan, the company’s founder will join the group for a tour. Everyone will have a chance to create their own special product before savoring a picnic in the blooming lavender fields.

The tour includes VIP transfers and four nights accommodation in a gorgeous hideaway villa surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. Guests will enjoy prestigious wine tastings, meals prepared by private chefs (including a 2-star Michelin chef), and a hands-on pastry workshop and tasting at the Chocolate School of Valrhona.

PLEASE CONTACT CHOCOLATINE FOR MORE DETAILS.

BRING ON THE FÊTES!

It’s hard to believe we’re rounding the corner into the 2009 holiday season! Paris, and every other city and town in France, loves to celebrate and there is no more magical, or romantic, time of year than now to be part of the scene.

SHOPPING DE-LIGHTS
December lends a special glow to the shop windows of Paris, which really does live up to its “City of Lights” appellation at this time of year. Among the best and brightest:

• The department store, Printemps and the Galleries Lafayette
• Au Bon Marché (which lights up its building exterior)
• BHV - Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (one of Paris’ most historic department stores), famous for the animated dolls and puppets that frolic in the store’s windows

ILLUMINATIONS
Many of Paris’ avenues and neighborhoods sport beautiful holiday illuminations. Our favorites include: The Champs Elysées • Avenue Montaigne • Place Vendôme • Rue de la Paix • Rue de Castiglione • Rue Saint-Honoré • the top of Montmartre


TAKE NOTE:
• The Paris Catacombs are closed at the moment – they were vandalized & the repairs are most likely to last until early 2010…

• The Picasso Museum, Paris, closed for renovations until early 2012

• D’Orsay Museum – certain galleries will be closed, starting in December, while the impressionist exhibits are being reorganized

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES! We’ll be back with the blog next week, Tuesday, December 1.

TASTES OF PARIS

SPECIAL PLACES TO DINE
When I was in Paris recently, I had the pleasure of scouting out both new and classic restaurants. Following is a list of some of my favorites, and ones which clients are sure to enjoy.

• Bistro Les Papilles – Our tour guides brought me to this wonderful spot (its name translates into “taste buds”!), which offers a wide range of fine wines, bistro-style cuisine served in copper pots, cured meats at lunch, and a fantastic four-course tasting menu.
30 Rue Gay Lussac

• Les Fous de L’Ile – Located on the Ile Saint-Louis, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris, this is also one of my favorite lunch places in the city. It’s modern, decorated with all kinds of hen and rooster motifs, and serves delicious dishes.
33 rue des Deux Ponts

• Bistro Les Petits Carreaux – I had a drink at this charming bistro in the Les Halles shopping district. Pssst: they’re famous for their traditional onion soup topped with bubbling gruyere!
17 Rue des Petits Carreaux

• Terre et Soleil – Lovely place, serving excellent Italian dishes, including homemade pizzas and pastas. You can also take these to go.
20 Rue Tiquetonne

• Madrigal – Chic, modern, in the heart of the Champs Elysees, this a great place for people-watching over one of their fabulous cocktails.
32 Avenue des Champs Elyseés

• Au Vieux Paris – Some local Parisian friends brought me to this historic restaurant, just around the corner from Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cité. Situated in an old 1512 residence, the décor is sumptuous, complete with rich draperies, tented ceilings, and exposed stonework. This is perfect for a romantic evening, and the food, made with organic ingredients, is heavenly and classically old world French.
24 Rue Chanoinesse

TIFFANY IN PARIS

With the holidays on their way, over the next couple of weeks we’ll be posting information about special December events, as well as some practical information travelers will appreciate knowing.

TIFFANY EXHIBIT illuminates the season! Museé du Luxembourg. Through January 17, 2010.

This is a wonderful exhibition that no visitor to Paris should miss. Louis Comfort Tiffany, Couleurs et Lumière (Colors and Light), showcases nearly 160 masterpieces by the famed glass artist (son of the famous jeweler). This is a unique opportunity to view spectacular Tiffany stained glass windows, brought to Paris in pieces and reassembled at the Museum. In addition, vases, lamps, jewels, mosaics, and drawings and watercolors offer an overview of this passionate artist and his huge contribution to the world of decorative arts.

DETAILS: The museum is open daily (late on Mondays and Fridays). For reservations: Go to the museum website: http://www.museeduluxembourg.fr/ and click on “reservations.” Musée du Luxembourg, 19 rue de Vaugirard

And speaking of museums...
PARIS MUSEUMS: HOLIDAY CLOSINGS

•The Louvre – closed Dec. 25th & Jan. 1st
•Musée D’Orsay – closed Dec. 25th & Jan 1st – closes at 5pm on Dec. 24th & 31st
•Versaille – closed on Dec. 25th & Jan. 1st

LOVELY LILLE!

During my travels last month I spent some time in northern France in the beautiful city of Lille, situated near the Belgian border. Beautiful architecture, streets that wind through its charming Old Quarter (Vieux Lille), and numerous excellent restaurants are all reasons to visit.

Here are three restaurants I recommend:

•L’Huitriere
An old and famous restaurant in Vieux Lille, it’s an easy place to spot with its front covered in painted tiles depicting a fishing scene. This is a one-star Michelin establishment with a beautiful dining room. Oysters (huitre means oyster) and fish are the specialties here – its signature dish is the turbot poché – turbot baked in a potato crust with butter.
Tip: If you don’t have a reservation, clients can take advantage of the restaurant’s mid-week business lunch menu, excellent value for money.
3 Rue Chats Bossus
Reservations: 03 20 55 43 41

•Brasserie La Chicorée
I had a very pleasant lunch here – moules with cream sauce (delicious!) & frites (mussels and fries, very traditional). Just look for the Visitor Center on Place Rihour and the restaurant is across the way. Lively atmosphere, and in warm weather, guests can enjoy the terrace.

•Le Sebastopol
I stopped here to meet the owner of this classic, one-star Michelin restaurant even though it was closed, and he showed me around the elegant dining room. A special feature is the three separate rooms where guests can dine privately (2-4 people in one, 4-10 in another and 8-20 in another).
1 Place Sébastopol
Reservations: 03 20 57 05 05

TRAVEL TIP: The Eurostar train stops in Lille, so it’s an easy destination to reach if clients are coming from London to Paris, or vice versa.

BEST OF BORDEAUX…Cont’d.

So many wonderful ways to enjoy Bordeaux – one of my favorite cities and wine regions in France.

I am excited to report that I met with a new contact there, a superb sommelier who will happily set up wine tastings for guests of any level. These can be arranged for 2 hours, a half day or even a full day. Contact Chocolatine.

Following is a short list of hotels, restaurants and vineyards I visited during my recent trip and highly recommend:

HOTELS:
Hotel Sources de Caudalie. I spent time with the hotel director here, sipping wine in the gorgeous garden…The hotel offers s totally unique experience surrounded by the Smith Haute Lafitte vineyards (pssst: largest wine cellar in the region!). Guests can enjoy five different types of accommodations; sumptuous spa treatments which blend the mineral waters of the local springs with grape extracts; and two excellent restaurants.

Le Logis de la Cadene – I also visited this lovely and traditional 18th-Century accommodation right in the heart of St. Emilion, perfect for those exploring the region but who also enjoy being in a small historic town.

DINING:
Café Lavinal, in Pauillac, is a great place for lunch (on the terrace in seasonal weather). For extraordinary baba au rhum pastries, visit the local boulangerie.

WINERIES (I visited several chateaux where we take clients, including):
•Chateau Mouton Rothschild
•Chateau Haut-Brion
•Chateau Pichon Longueville
•The Winery (a vineyard with a novel idea!)

PLANNING AHEAD: The 2010 Bordeaux Wine Festival, June 24-27

BEST OF BORDEAUX – PART III

NOTES FROM MY TRIP...
When I was in Bordeaux a few weeks ago, I researched some new places to share with clients traveling to this gorgeous city. Among them:

• Endless Jazz at The Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux. We wrote about this hotel in an earlier blog (I can’t emphasize enough what a wonderful place it is. I highly recommend it after spending three nights here during my area visit). I want to mention an upcoming event here: The Endless Jazz Quartet, with Camélia Ben Naceur & Alain Coyral, will offer an atmospheric evening of exceptional music by an ensemble renowned for playing the many different kinds of jazz, from be-bop to blues.

Where: The Regent Grand Hotel, Place de la Comédie, Bordeaux
When: Friday, November 13. 9:30 p.m.
Contact: +33 5 57 30 44 44

• Café Opéra – Grand Theatre de Bordeaux
Considered one of the most beautiful neo-classical buildings in Europe, the Grand Theater productions include both opera and ballet. Hour-long tours are available of the interior. I recommend having lunch at the Café Opéra inside the theater. The décor is lovely and the atmosphere reflects an old-world elegance. The menu includes a wide selection of creatively-prepared salads, fish and meat dishes at reasonable prices. You can also go just for pastry and coffee.
Grand Theatre, 2 Place de la Comédie

Next Week: More Bordeaux – vineyards, wine tasting, and great places to stay and eat!

DIJON: BEYOND MUSTARD

DIJON INTERNATIONAL & GASTRONOMIC FAIR Through November 11
Visitors to Burgundy can join the thousands of foodies who come to Dijon to indulge their senses in the 500 food and wine booths that showcase the French culinary arts. Each year another country is invited as a guest of honor and this year it’s Greece and its Mediterranean cuisine. Daily cook-offs, demonstrations, tastings, conferences, and competitions among renowned chefs and vintners are all part of the fun.

Where: Palais des Expositions et des Congrès, 3 Boulevard de Champagne, Dijon
When: Daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (through November 11)
Admission: €5.20

PARIS PARFUM BOUTIQUE Maison Francis Kurkdjian
One of the world’s most celebrated perfumers (creator of dozens of fabulous scents for just about every major perfume house in the world), Francis Kurkdjian, just opened his own boutique on tiny rue d’Alger near the Tuilleries Gardens. Perfumed bubbles spray out into the street in front of its doorway. Just inside, shoppers are greeted with a cutout cityscape of Paris made from tin and gold colored metal. In addition to Kurkdjian’s personal signature fragrances, which include Aqua Universalis, APOM, and Lumière Noire (one each, for men and women), are perfumed bracelets, candles, soap bubbles, washing powders, and scented paper strips that release their fragrance upon burning. A customized perfume service is also available upon reservation.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian 5 rue d’Alger, Paris 1st

DID YOU KNOW…?
National French Week is celebrated in the U.S. from November 4 – 10. Teachers, students, Francophones and Francophiles are invited to spread the word about the beauty of the French language and the heritage of this wonderful country.