October 9 - October 13, 2017
We will dine at our favourite Parisian chic restaurants, show you some hidden gems of the city and get our hands dirty in the kitchen making French pastry and meals from fresh market produce with wonderful French chefs.
If you like to learn about authentic culinary techniques, love exploring specialist food shops and wandering around the city of lights with a great group of food fans than this is the tour for you. Paris is one of the world’s top destinations for gourmands and this tour includes a week of hands-on culinary classes. Working side by side with classically trained French chefs you will learn to make some of the most desirable French treats like macarons, croissants and baguettes. Mornings will be spent in class and in the afternoons you will participate in themed walks and activities, taking in some of the city’s most atmospheric districts and markets. In the evenings you will dine at some of the city’s best-kept gastronomic secrets and have plenty of free time to explore on your own the world-class museums, galleries & wonderful shopping districts.
PARIS TRIP ITINERARY
You are welcome to arrive a few days early, to explore Paris on your own before your culinary adventure begins. Our Foodie-Trips concierge will provide you with a welcome package full of information, helpful documents and information for the rest of your week. A one-week Paris Metro pass will be included in this package for you to hop on and off the easy to navigate public transportation system. Our tour concierge will also be available to answer any questions or recommend places for your free time in Paris.
DAY 1
On your first morning with us we welcome you to the culinary school for a breakfast briefing where you will get to know the culinary school that you will call home for the next week. Café au lait and traditional French pastries will be served.
After that, we roll up our sleeves, put on our baking hats and start the week making the much loved macaron with ganache fillings of various flavours. You will learn from top Parisian pastry chefs the secrets to the perfect macaronage and how to whip your egg whites to perfection for this delectable dessert. With our box of delectable sweets in tote, we follow the class with a city tour, exploring the historic landmarks and architectural highlights not to be missed in the city of love.
A welcome dinner will be arranged at a traditional, cosy and chic Parisian bistro where the group will get to talk about the day’s kitchen adventures over vin rouge and traditional French fare.
DAY 2
Spend the morning creating classic French baked goods! Learn the art of pain au chocolat and the flaky pastry named for its distinctive crescent shape; the croissant. After class, you can enjoy your buttery creations during a lunch break along the Seine River, located opposite the school.
After our kitchen adventures we head off on a sweet walking tour of Paris. We will visit some institutions for French patisserie and macarons including a temple to chocolate by one of France’s most famous Michelin starred chef.
DAY 3
On day 3 we will have a luxurious brunch in the centre of Paris at a sinfully delicious location. You will have the morning free to explore Paris and some of our secret hidden haunts.
We then reconvene at a culinary school near the beautiful Luxembourg gardens where we'll create an elaborate three course meals under the tutelage of the city's most esteem culinary teachers. You will learn to knead and work bread by hand, try out various French sauce-making techniques, and prepare meats using the traditions of French brasseries. After class we will enjoy the fruits of our labour, sitting down with our teachers and peers while we discuss the bistro-cooking experience over with wine.
Your evening is free to explore Paris’s wine bars, bistros and restaurants at your leisure. Recommendations will be provided.
DAY 4
Today you will discover (and master) the art of ‘Choux’ pastry, which is the base for many famous desserts such as éclairs, profiteroles, Brest and more!
In the afternoon there is an optional Bike Tour or Champagne tasting cruise on the Seine River.
The evening's event will be one of the city's most celebrated wine festivals in Paris' picturesque Montemartre. Here you can grab a glass and sample various wines, will also dabbling in sweet and savoury delights from local artisans.
DAY 5
In our last class of the week, we join a chef touring one of the oldest markets, Marche Maubert! Learn how to pick the best products and compose your luncheon menu with our chef. After our market visit we take a pleasant walk through the Île Saint Louis and return to our cooking school bags full of fresh market fare for a hands-on cooking class. There is no set menu in this class; it is up to the group and the chef to be creative and choose their menu based on the fresh fish, meats and produce that they find at the market! After preparing your fabulous French meal, we enjoy it as a group with some wine.
On our final evening, we have a final Farewell Celebration Dinner where we eat splendid food and toast the end of a fabulous foodie week.
We are your personal travel concierge
During your heavenly week of food tastings & experimentation in the kitchen with us you will have a full time Foodie-Trips concierge with you. That’s what we like to call our guides as they are super friendly, knowledgeable about local culture, history and are truly entertaining; some are even known to tell some fine jokes and can help with every detail of your sojourn with us. The trip’s activities have been hand picked by a local expert and curated to make it a truly special, once in a lifetime foodie experience. Past Foodie-Trips excusrisons have brought travelers from around the world together for a memorable and entertaining week where great friendships were made and many laughs were shared. We limit space to 10 guests to ensure an intimate and interactive experience.
Pricing
Pricing includes all culinary classes, select meals and drinks as listed on the itinerary, one week Paris transit pass, welcome pack and a personal concierge service from your Le Dolci host before departure and during your entire journey with us. A souvenir CD of photos will be sent to each guest upon return to their home city.
Cost
- EARLY BIRD BOOKING SPECIAL (until July 31, 2017): $1902.50
- AFTER July 31st: $2102.50 CAD
- A $750 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking
Prices are based on currency exchange rates as of Aug 18, 2016, and may be subject to change if exchange rates fluctuate. The itinerary and pricing is based on availability at the time of booking.
HOTEL AND FLIGHTS
Our foodie trips have received guests from around the globe so whether you are traveling from Europe, the USA, Canada or Australia we welcome you. We leave accommodation and flight options open to your preference and budget. We have however negotiated a preferred rate at a local hotel, a stone’s throw away from our culinary academy.
PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNER
Hotel Jeu du Paume 170 Euros per night -single occupancy, 230 Euros per night – double occupancy
The hotel is located on the incredibly quaint and charming Ile St-Louis in the Seine, and is just a 5-minute walk from Notre-Dame. This small-scale hotel encompasses a pair of 17th-century town houses accessible through a timbered passageway from the street outside. Originally, the hotel was a clubhouse used by members of the court of Louis XIII, who amused themselves with les jeux de paume (an early form of tennis) nearby. http://www.jeudepaumehotel.com/
RESERVE NOW:
To book your space contact our dedicated travel expert:
To book: Contact our dedicated travel professional Clara Power directly at 416.996.6849 or cpower@tpi.ca.
TPI Head Office: 905.896.6948
Clara can help you with all aspects of your trip’s booking process and give you additional information should you wish to find another hotel option or need assistance with flight details. She’s our dedicated travel expert.
