Sunday 10 June 2012

Creating a tour "The Art of Living in Provence"


Whilst out on our scouting missions, unveiling unique travel experiences, we also have to test the restaurants go around museums, and find accompanying visits for our main tours. It's a hard life, but strangely enough everyone at Kairos Travel seems very willing to muck in. True devotion! One of the accompanying visits essential for touring in France is the vineyard visit. The quintessence of French culture is wine, and every region of France has it's vineyards from the world famous Burgundy, Bordeaux, Alsace and Rhone Valley domains to but name a few, to the estates who's existence is known due to local knowledge, or pure chance. It is a combination of both of these factors that has led us to some remarkable discoveries.
Château Marguï, Coteaux VaroisA good example of this is one of our recent trips down to L'Abbaye de la Celle, an Alain Ducasse Inn. We knew of the surrounding wine region, the Coteaux Varois, and some of the famous vineyard owners (a certain Mr. Pitt and Ms.Jolie)  but that was where our knowledge stopped. Famous people have vineyards all over France, and it is perfectly understandable purchase, as who could not get a thrill out of drinking wine from their very own estate. However famous people + vineyard does not always mean quality, and so the presence of Hollywood superstars no matter how good looking, did not inspire us to jump in our cars to go and taste their wines. It was the sommelier of Alain Ducasse, who's recommendation to visit Chateau Marguï became the catalyst for the creation of an entire tour. 
The discovery of this domain and it's delicious offerings, as well it's incredible situation, led us to go out and search for others, the Coteaux d'Aix soon revealed it's secrets, thanks to Jean-Sebastien Gentil, an old friend and chef at the restaurant "Les Sarments" with the "Domaine des Masques". Take  these combined with a personalised cooking lesson from Benoit Witz, the chef at Alain Ducasse's Abbaye de la Celle, and "The Art of Living en Provence" tour,  a truly unique gastronomic, wine travel experience came to be. 
And that is how so many of our tours are created, and that is why the name Kairos Travel is truly apt.

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