In 2009, French Girl will be expanding, both in terms of tour themes and dates. In addition to our ever-popular knitting tours, we will be leading a Cuisine/Wine Tasting Tour in September.
Knitting Tours
For the knitting tours, we will be offering two different formats. In September, we will be leading our traditional knitting tour with an instructor yet to be determined, while in June, French Girl will be offering a knitting retreat, without instructor or formal knitting classes.
The knitting retreat, June 20-27, 2009, will be all about relaxation, community, and immersion in French daily life. Tour members will have plenty of time to sit by the pool and knit, share stories and techniques, read, and relax into French culture. Our afternoons will be spent visiting local yarn shops, a one-of-a-kind quilt museum, colorful markets, and charming seaside villages.
For both tours, we will be lodged in the beautiful 14th century Chateau de Navarre, once home to Marguerite, sister of King Francois I. The chateau sits on a quiet street in the small village of Montblanc, just 20 minutes from sunny Mediterranean beaches. With its walled, shaded courtyard, inviting pool, and old world charm, it is a wonderful place to spend a relaxing week, far removed from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Each morning you’ll wake to the sound of church bells, and a walk through the winding streets of the village will take you into a world very different from your own.
Our ever-popular knitting tour is scheduled for the week of September 12-19, 2009, during which knitting classes will be held on three mornings with a world-renowned designer and instructor. As with the knitting retreat, our afternoons will be spent taking in the markets, villages and history of this beautiful, yet unspoiled region of France.
Special note: Spouses/partners are welcome on all CFG tours. Even if your spouse or partner is not a knitter, they will be able to participate in all of the week’s activities. During knitting classes, they can relax on their own.
Itinerary (Please note that the itinerary below is for the knitting retreat. For the September tour, classes will be held on three mornings; otherwise, the schedule will be very similar).
Fee Schedules
Knitting Retreat - June 20-27 2009
Tour fee of $3600 includes:
Seven nights' lodging
All breakfasts, lunches & dinners
Unlimited wine at chateau
Transport to and from Montpellier Airport
All transport to local sites on itinerary
Tour fee does not include:
Airfare to Montpellier, France
Any items purchase for personal use during tour
Knitting Tour, September 12-19, 2009:
Tour fee of $3800 includes:
Seven nights’ lodging
Three mornings (9 hours) of knitting instruction
All breakfasts, lunches and dinners
Unlimited supply of wine at chateau
Transport to and from Montpellier Airport
All transport to local sites on itinerary
Tour fee does not include:
Airfare to Montpellier, France
Any items purchased for personal use
Itinerary:
Saturday: Arrive at Montpellier Airport, where we'll meet you and transport you to the beautiful Chateau de Montblanc. Since you will probably be tired from your long flight, there are no activities planned for today. You will have time to settle into your room, start to let that jet lag fall away, and accustom yourself to life in village France.
Sunday: In France, Sunday is truly a day of rest, so we’ll start the week in true French fashion, with plenty of time for relaxation. After the traditional French breakfast (“petit dejeuner”) of croissants, baguette, home-made jam, coffee and juice, we’ll spend the morning exploring our own village and enjoying the sun by the pool. After lunch at the chateau, we’ll head to the beach. Later in the day, we’ll drive the tree-lined roads north to Faugeres for wine tasting and dinner at La Vigneronne, site of our 2007 tours, where hosts Christian and Regine will make this a most memorable evening.
Monday: 8:00 – 9:00 Petit Dejeuner
10:00 – We’ll visit the nearby, historic town of Pezenas, once home to famous playwright Moliere. The “centre ville”, or ancient quarter of the village, is an intriguing mélange of history, inviting boutiques and cozy cafes. Browse the many shops, or take time to sip a “grande crème” at one of the charming outdoor cafes that line the central square. We’ll have lunch here in Pezenas.
2:00 – Guided tour and wine tasting at L’Abbaye de Valmagne, a 12th century gem nestled in the vineyard-laced hills of the Herault. Built by the Benedictines in 1179, the abbey managed to avoid the destruction of the Wars of Religion, and was eventually converted into a winery. After the tour, we’ll head back to the chateau for a few hours of relaxation. Dinner at Cote Bleu, a wonderful waterfront restaurant overlooking the oyster beds of the Etang du Thau.
Tuesday: 8:00 – 9:00 Petit Dejeuner
At 10:00, we’ll take the two-hour drive south to Collioure, truly one of the most beautiful seaside villages in all of France. Lying just below the vineyard-covered foothills of the Pyrenees along the azure-blue waters of the Mediterranean, Collioure is a wonderful place to spend an entire day, and we’ll do just that. After lunch at a waterfront café, you’ll have time to browse the many shops in this pastel-hued village, visit the old chateau, swim, or just sit on a tree-shaded bench and knit the afternoon away.
We’ll depart Collioure at 5:00, and after a brief rest at the chateau, head for dinner at La Table D’Emilie.
Wednesday: 8:00 – 9:00 Petit Dejeuner
10:00 – 12:00 – Relax by the pool
Today’s highlight is “Le Centre Europeen de Patchwork”, a former winery, converted into a one-of-a-kind quilt museum, that sits along the beautiful tree-lined Canal du Robine. We’ll have a picnic lunch, after which our host Marie will give us a tour of the museum, which houses quilts from around the world, and has been a favorite stop for our tours in the past. There will also be time to take a short walk along the canal and watch the barges as they navigate the locks.
8:00 – Dinner at Les Palmiers restaurant in Pezenas, which has continued to be a client favorite in all of our tours.
Thursday: 8:00 – 9:00 Petit Dejeuner
Today is Montpellier day. Often referred to as “The Paris of the South”, Montpellier will lure you in with its winding, café-lined streets, lively squares, and old-world atmosphere. We’ll start with lunch at Le Saleya, one of our favorite cafes, after which you’ll have the entire afternoon to visit the endless shops along Rue Ancient Quartier (there is a Phildar yarn shop, as well as several button/accessory shops in Montpellier), take a guided tour of the “centre ville”, or sit at a café along the amazing Place de la Comedie, watching the colorful world go by.. Dinner at Les Bains, a unique restaurant that was once a Roman public bath.
Friday: After our busy day on Thursday, we’ll slow down the pace for this, our final day in France. After a morning at the chateau, we’ll have lunch in Pezenas at La Pomme D’Amour, then take in a final wine tasting at Chateau St Martin. Kristeen will serve us a home-cooked, delicious dinner at the chateau.
Saturday: Departure
Fee Schedule:
Tour fee of $3600 includes:
Seven nights’ lodging
All breakfasts, lunches and dinners
Unlimited supply of wine at chateau
All transport to and from Montpellier airport
All transport to local sites on itinerary
Tour fee does not include:
Airfare to Montpellier, France
Any items purchased for personal use during tour
Registration:
Chez French Girl requires a deposit of one-third of the tour fee to hold a spot. Deposit of $1200 is payable by check, PayPal, or any major credit card. Deposits are fully refundable for up to 45 days after date of deposit, or 90 days prior to due date of final payment, whichever comes first, after which they are non-refundable. Balance of payment is due no later than 120 days prior to tour departure date.
Please note that all credit card payments are subject to a 3% surcharge
Please complete the Registration Form, and return it to French Girl with your deposit. Once you are registered for the tour, you will receive an additional package of information, including the itinerary, French Girl’s own publication, “A Survival Guide To France”, and other tour details. In addition, all tour participants will be invited to join a Yahoo email group set up solely for our tour clients, as a way to meet each other before the tour and share ideas. French Girl will use this forum to keep you posted on any changes in the itinerary and updates as the tour date approaches.
Cuisine/Wine Tasting Tour
This year, French Girl is very excited to announce the beginning of our new Cooking & Wine Tasting Tour, to be held the week of September 19-26, 2009.
There is no doubt that France has a reputation for world class cuisine and wine, and our goal with these tours is to give our clients a taste of what France has to offer. Our week will be an immersion not only into the world of French cooking and wine, but into French life and culture as well. We’ll spend our mornings browsing the food and vegetable stalls at local village markets, then return to the chateau for courses in French cooking. We’ll also visit many local wineries to taste the incredible variety of offerings in this, the most prolific wine region in all of France.
More details, including itineraries and tour fees, will follow soon.
For more information, contact:
chez french girl tours
Kristeen & Phil Grimes
frenchgirlknits@yahoo.com
206-948-6495
