French cooking tour with Marlene van der Westhuizen

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Join celebrated South African chef and author Marlene van der Westhuizen on a 6-day cooking adventure in the 12^th century French medieval village of Charroux, Allier. Set in the rugged Auvergne region deep in the heart of Bourbonnais near Vichy, the Van der Westhuizens’ charming 15th century home, Bagatelle, is now the setting of immersive French cooking experiences that include long early morning walks, gentle bicycle rides, the odd picnic, visits to local food markets and antique dealers, communal cooking and, of course, long, lingering lunches and dinners with plenty of local wine.

Highlights
Convivial, small-group culinary experience in a drop-dead gorgeous location
Cooking classes at the hand of one of South Africa’s best-loved chefs
Visits to fresh food markets to gather ingredients
Lovely lunches & dinners around the huge hard pear table in Bagatelle’s kitchen
Foodie outings to local producers and places of interest
An immersive introduction to the French way of life

Overview

As a truly passionate gourmand with an unquenchable yen for travelling, Marlene van der Westhuizen has spent the larger part of three decades cooking her way around the world, with a particular emphasis on France and its exceptional cuisine. What started as food demonstrations and gatherings around her kitchen table in Cape Town, soon turned into guided tours to an ancient village in the middle of the Auvergne, where she introduces spellbound audiences to the essence of French cooking.

The Van der Westhuizens bought Bagatelle, their charming 15th century home in Charroux, near the French spa town of Vichy, in 2004 as a place to spend family holidays. It didn’t take long for Marlene to fall head over heels for the medieval town and move her French kitchen to Bagatelle, where her huge old chef’s cauldron now steams away in front of the window facing the ancient mustard shop in Rue de la Poulaillerie.

Naturally, small-group cooking tours to Charroux weren’t far behind. “Charroux, at heart, is a food destination,” says Marlene. “The town only has about 350 permanent residents, many of whom are artisanal producers. We have a mustard man, walnut oil purveyor, chocolatier, jam maker, deli proprietor and the best foie gras chef in all of France. I simply couldn’t keep this bounty all to myself!” And so, it was decided to throw open the doors to Bagatelle to welcome adventurous cooks who want to experience the true allure of French cuisine as part of an immersive travelling experience.

Each tour is wholly unique and makes the most of the season. For six days, Marlene’s guests get to experience life as it truly is in the French countryside. She lifts the corner of the metaphorical tablecloth to allow a glimpse into the beating heart of this fascinating region and it’s many foodie charms. This includes everything from tastings at secret little wineries and forays to fresh food markets, to antiquing, picnics, strolls along the ancient cobbled streets of Charroux and, of course, lots and lots of cooking around the kitchen table. Every day is an opportunity to revel in the singular pleasures of this gorgeous destination and there are plenty of delightful surprises along the way.

With only two of these wonderful tours scheduled for 2017, it’s highly recommended that you book your spot ahead of time to avoid disappointment. Go ahead, we know you want to!

Details

Included
Not Included
Important Information
Itinerary

Lunch & dinner throughout your stay
Wine & all liquid refreshments
All road transport during the Cook’s Tour
Cost & entry to all included excursions
Cooking classes & demonstrations

Air- and road travel to Vichy, France from your home country
Accommodation in Charroux – Marlene recommends certain nearby B&Bs, but the arrangements are yours to make

An initial deposit of 200 euro secures your date. A further deposit of 925 euro is required for final confirmation of your booking (10% of which is non-refundable); the remaining balance is to be paid 8 weeks prior to departure for Charroux. The initial deposit is paid in Rand and pro-rata adjustments will be made to the second deposit based on the exchange rate at the time.
Guests are encouraged to bring Euros in small denominations as spending money – traveller’s cheques are not accepted and small business owners do not take the larger notes
When it comes to packing, do so lightly – there are so many delicious things to take back home!
No more than eight participants per tour

Each scheduled tour has an unique itinerary. Itinerary for your selected tour date is available by request (email: info@eatsplorer).

What eatsplorers are saying

For six days, Marlene’s guests get to experience life as it truly is in the French countryside. This includes everything from tastings at secret little wineries and forays to fresh food markets, to antiquing, picnics, strolls along the ancient cobbled streets of Charroux and, of course, lots and lots of cooking around the kitchen table.

Review

We would love to hear how your experience was so please leave a comment and review!

Review

We would love to hear how your experience was so please leave a comment and review!

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