Every year, European destinations attract more and more attention from tourists who want not only to get acquainted with the culture of the country, but also to comprehend its culinary traditions. PAC GROUP experts will offer a variety of bright ideas and unique enogastronomic travel routes across Europe.
One of the most popular and delicious travel destinations is definitely France. For many years, it has not only maintained its position in the top five most visited countries, but is also rightfully considered one of the main gastronomic places on the planet.
The velvet season is a great time to visit France and taste the fashionable seafood delicacy - oysters. True gourmets know that the oyster season opens in autumn, which lasts from September to April. Connoisseurs say that the freshest and juiciest oysters can be tasted in months containing the letter “r”!
Tour operator PAC GROUP invites its clients to open the oyster season with a glass of white wine in France and take advantage of interesting travel ideas:
You can expect a visit to the world wine capital - the city of Bordeaux, a tour of Arcachon - an elegant resort on the Atlantic coast of France, an unforgettable lunch on the fashionable Cap Ferrat with panoramic views of the Cote d'Azur, tasting of the best wines and, of course, oysters!
3-day tour, including a tour of the medieval fortified city of Saint-Malo, a visit to Mont Saint-Michel - a natural-historical complex included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as the “Emerald Coast” - the city of Cancale, where oyster farms with a glass of white wine you will be invited to taste the freshest seafood delicacies.
The excursion route begins in the ancient port city of La Rochelle, which will introduce you to its pristine architecture and quarters of the Old Town. You will visit not only the favorite place for oyster lovers - the island of Oleron and its oyster farms, but also the Marennes oyster park, which is not only the largest in Europe, but also the leading center for growing oysters in the world. The final stage will be a visit to the small town of Cognac, which attracts many tourists with its beauty, rich history and... the famous alcoholic drink!
Autumn spent in the coastal resorts of France will give you a unique opportunity to enjoy its beauty, unique charm and maritime climate, and fans of French cuisine will have a chance to discover a bright gastronomic palette of flavors and taste exquisite French delicacies and wines!
The scene is early May 2017, we are in Paris and we have a week. The northern regions of France have long been attractive, and therefore it was decided to spend this week just there.
Our route looked like this (map):
Day 1: Giverny - Rouen
Jumping into a rented car, we leave the unloved Paris.
On the way to the city of Rouen - the gateway to Normandy, there is at least one place worth visiting - the house-museum of Claude Monet. If you want to see with your own eyes the water lilies that inspired the master’s numerous paintings and made him famous, be sure to stop by Giverny (about 80 km from Paris).
The city of Rouen is notorious for the fact that it was here that poor Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. If we abstract from this sad event, the city is very beautiful and definitely worth a visit.
Hotel: I can recommend the Mercure Rouen Center Cathedrale (it couldn’t be more central, there is underground parking, everything is new).
Food: Don't miss the market on the main square, and especially the fish shop, where the freshest seafood is prepared right in front of you.
Day 2: Etretat - Fecamp
100 km from Rouen is the town of Etretat - a place of attraction for all tourists in Normandy.
It is in this place, on both sides of the town, that there are limestone cliffs that Monet loved to paint! The view from the rocks is truly mesmerizing. The climb up the mountain is quite difficult, but older people and small children can also climb it.
If you are lucky enough to find a decent hotel in Etretat, then you can spend the night right there to admire the white cliffs in the evening illumination. For my dates, there were no rooms in local hotels, so we “had to” spend the night in the town of Fecamp, which is 20 km from Etretat.
Fecamp is a small port town, famous for the fact that it was here that the Benedictine monks invented the famous Benedictine liqueur. They say that the recipe was lost, but in the last century some enterprising person “found” it and made a huge fortune from the production of the drink. Benedictine on ice is wonderful! The town has an entire palace-museum dedicated to this liqueur.
Note: The Normandy coast is notorious for the fighting that took place here during the Second World War. On the way there are many memorial plaques, fortifications, and forts. There is also a huge cemetery and memorial. Everyone decides for themselves whether to visit places of military glory during a trip to Normandy or whether to limit themselves only to historical and natural cities and attractions.
Rennes is a fairly large city that didn’t particularly impress me. A good stop-over for an overnight stay, nothing more.
Day 7: Tours - Vouvray - Amboise
When planning a route through Normandy and Brittany, I had a couple of “extra” days left, which I decided to spend on the Loire Valley!
The Loire Valley is a famous wine-growing region that stretches almost from the ocean to the middle of France. The vineyards are located on both sides of the river (the river itself, by the way, is not at all expressive or attractive).
Whistling 250 km from Rennes, we made a short stop and stretched our legs in Tours, and from Tours we drove along the Loire River towards the wineries.
I can recommend (1) a tour and tasting at the Marc Bredif winery in the Vouvray region - the guide speaks good English, the tasting is not expensive, as is the wine itself (there is even sparkling wine), (2) the biodynamic winery Domain Vigneau-Chevreau (no excursions, tasting and sales only), as well as (3) the family winery Caves du Pere Auguste - headed by the grandson of the founder, almost only family members work there!
Hotel: In the Loire Valley, I really wanted to stay in an old chateau, preferably with a good restaurant. After a long search, the choice fell on Chateau de Pray, founded in 1244! Very beautiful interiors, small but well-kept area.
Food: The chateau has a restaurant of the same name with one Michelin star; reservations are required. In short, the food is delicious, but the service is just terribly slow and long! Our two courses took 3.5 hours!! It is unacceptable, in my opinion, to torture guests like that!
Day 8: Chenonceau - Sancerre
The Loire Valley is famous not only for its wines, but also for its castles, of which there are several dozen. One of the most famous is the Chenonceau castle, built in the 16th century and owned at different times by Catherine de Medici, the wives and mistresses of kings, etc. The interior of the castle is very well preserved, including furniture, carpets, fireplaces, etc. A notable feature of the castle is the gallery bridge built across the Cher River! During the Second World War, the opposite bank was occupied by the Nazis, and they say that almost all the time guns were aimed at the castle, ready to destroy it at any moment, but by some lucky chance this did not happen, and the castle has survived to this day in its original condition sight!
The Sancerre appellation is a very famous wine region in France and the most interchangeable representative of the wines of the Loire Valley region (along with Pouilly-Fumé). The main grape variety here is Sauvignon Blanc.
Map
The town of Sancerre itself is located on a hill, and there are vineyards around - the view is stunning! After buying wine and cheese, we had a picnic right on the fortress wall =)
We didn't have time to book a tour of the winery, so we just went for a tasting at almost the first one we came across - Eric Louis.
After admiring Sancerre and crying over the ridiculous prices of local wines, we loaded back into the car and after some 210 km we were already in Paris.
Flow Weekenders by VW Polo - these are tourist guides to six European countries, compiled by our compatriots. The authors will talk about how to make an exciting trip by car around Europe, visit a lot of non-trivial attractions and do it in just one weekend.
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Graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University. For seven years I did whatever I could in different publications, and worked at Esquire magazine for three years. A year ago, I decided to change my type of activity, quit my favorite job at Afisha magazine and, having participated in the creation of Boris Khlebnikov’s new film, went to study as a director at the CECC film school in Barcelona. She lived in Singapore, traveled almost all of Europe, and is planning to emigrate to South America. He doesn’t understand how you can live your whole life in one place, when the world is big and life is small. He cannot imagine himself without constant movement and travel. |
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I really love Europe because, having left one city in one country, after a few hours you can easily find yourself in another city in a completely different country, with a different culture and traditions, nature and architecture, people and language. One of the advantages of Barcelona is its location. Now I don’t mean the climate and the Mediterranean Sea, but the distance from the capital of Catalonia to the French border. In general, trips to the south of France are very typical for Catalans, especially for residents of Barcelona - the thing is that part of these French lands was once Catalonia and Catalan is still spoken there.
One of the reasons I'm excited about the proximity of France is the oysters. Of course, you can eat oysters in Barcelona, but not at all for the money that French oyster farms offer. One of the closest is located near Port Leucate, a small city in the south of France. You can get there in just two and a half hours. So if your goal is only oysters (and not France), then go straight there. If you want to combine a trip for seafood delicacies with a trip to some nice French town nearby, then I suggest going to Montpellier, named by the editors of The New York Times “the French place to go in 2012” (as every fifth poster will tell you in the city). The drive is a little over three hours, and along the way you’ll stop at the second and seemingly main oyster place in the south of France - the resort town of Bouzigues, which is located just 28 kilometers from Montpellier. The ideal option, in my opinion, is to combine all trips and do the following: leave Barcelona on Friday or Saturday morning, having had a good breakfast, so as not to kill your appetite until lunch. First, go to Bouzig, arrive there around one o'clock in the afternoon, go to one of the restaurants on the coast, order a tray of oysters on ice, a bottle of ice-cold white wine and spend a full two hours at this feast. Then walk around the town, get into the car and drive to Montpellier - in order to visit the best local bars in the evening and spend the night there. And the next day, after having breakfast in one of the classic French cafes, head towards Spain, stop at Port Leucate on the way back, buy a box of oysters and continue the oyster weekend on one of Barcelona’s beaches. If you like this plan, then use this guide in its entirety, but if it all seems a little too much, then divide it up in any way that suits you.
Montpellier
Montpellier
Montpellier
Montpellier
Montpellier
BUSIG
The distance to Buziga is about 324 kilometers, so it’s better to leave in the morning, around ten. In just over three hours you will find yourself in the tiny and very picturesque village of Bouzigues, which is famous throughout France for its oyster farms. Drive to the coast, leave the car and walk a little along the coast on foot to see from the piers long poles in the lagoon, going deep into the water. Special metal meshes, called poshes, are attached to them, in which young oysters ripen after being collected during the breeding season. This protects them from predatory starfish and from being covered with silt. If you are not yet hungry, but looking at the poles, you become interested in oyster fishing, then first go to the museum of oysters (and the inhabitants of the entire lagoon) Musée de l’étang de Thau, which is located right there on the coast. This is a small museum with a permanent exhibition, where you will learn how the culture of eating oysters began, study the anatomical structure of the mollusk, find out the differences between their species, learn about all the ways of growing oysters and how to eat them correctly (if you happen to haven’t tried it yet and came here just for that), in general, find out everything you can about oysters.
Now the most important thing. Place for lunch. Most likely, you will notice that all the restaurants and cafes on the shore offer tastings or special menus. Of course, you can choose any place you like and stay there, because the oysters in all restaurants are local and you won’t feel any difference. But if your eyes wander and you’ve been walking from place to place for several minutes, comparing restaurant offers and can’t decide, then go to Chez La Tchepe. Prices for a dozen here start from six euros. A bottle of house white costs six and a half. Even if you don’t know French, feel free to go up to the counter, point your finger at the oysters you like (it’s better to order several different varieties) and take a table on the terrace. In about ten minutes, you will be brought a shiny metal tray with open pearl shells, lemons, vinegar, oil, bread and wine.
If this is your first time tasting an oyster, don’t expect a miracle. I remember the first time I tried it. I won’t describe my own feelings and associations, but I’ll tell you honestly that, most likely, you’ll begin to really get the taste for it around the fifth oyster. How to achieve this: first of all, you must be in good company, in which you can treat what is happening with irony. Actually, I mean self-irony, because if your first instinct is to spit out the oyster immediately, you should do it and laugh carefree, and not worry about it all evening. Second. It's the weather. For example, in good sunny weather I am much more open to all sorts of dubious adventures than on a gloomy rainy day when I want to sit at home with a cup of hot chocolate, wrapped in a blanket. And thirdly, a strict sequence of actions. First, sprinkle the oyster with lemon juice, then very carefully use a fork to separate its leg from the shell. After making sure that nothing else is holding the oyster, take the shell with one hand and the glass of wine with the other. Don't look at the oyster. Don't think about what's happening. Just drink it straight from the shell along with some of the seawater that will be there, and immediately follow it with a sip of wine. That's it, you can exhale. As I already said, don’t expect a miracle right away and don’t give up. Company, beautiful weather and wine will soon do their job, and oysters will become easier and easier for you, and then you will love them just like everyone who surrounds you in the cafe at that moment.
Bouzig
Bouzig
Bouzig
Bouzig
Bouzig
Ustica Museum
Bouzig
Chez La Tchepe
Oysters at Chez La Tchepe restaurant
Road to Montpellier
Road to Montpellier
MONTPELIER
Since one of the oldest universities in Europe is located here (where Nostradamus and Rabelais once studied), the average age of a local resident is twenty-five years old. Taking into account student interests, there are a lot of pleasant cafes, restaurants, bars, that is, everything is in order with nightlife. There is also something to do during the day. While walking around the city, go to the Arc de Triomphe. It was built on the initiative of Governor de Broglie in 1693 in order to replace the old city gates with something more pompous like the Parisian Gate of Saint-Denis. The arch was restored in 2003, and now you can see Bertrand's works on it: four allegorical scenes depicting the repeal of the Edict of Nantes, the construction of the Canal du Midi, the capture of Mons and Namur, as well as Louis himself in the image of Hercules, crowned by the goddess Victoria and defeating the British lion and the imperial eagle. Just behind it is a park where locals traditionally jog, couples hold hands, families picnic, and students play truant. At the end of the park you will see a powerful aqueduct, which is very reminiscent of the ancient Roman one. In fact, it was built in 1776 according to the design of Henri Pitot in order to solve the city's problems with water supply. If you have time before sunset, go to the famous botanical garden of Montpellier, this is the oldest botanical garden in France. It was originally laid out in 1593 to grow herbs needed by medical students, and now the garden contains more than ten monuments to outstanding physicians, such as Carl Linnaeus. The main square of the city is the Comedy Theater Square, in its center there is the Three Graces fountain, and around there are the opera house, the most expensive hotels and cafes. The square has recently become pedestrian; it is crossed only by a tram line, which was painted by Christian Lacroix. The rest of the city squares in the center are very tiny and nightlife focuses on them.
Montpellier
Montpellier
Montpellier
Montpellier
Montpellier
Ma Primiere Cantine near the prefecture. The decor inside is very cozy - tables, chairs, wooden chests of drawers, flowers in pot-bellied vases and home-cooked food made from organic products. The service is very fast and attentive.
Skip the first glass, go to
In general, I didn’t want to engage in oyster education in this blog. Oyster lovers seem to have already figured out clairs and croeses. And if people like to think that oysters are squeaky, have a jelly-like consistency, that in the summer months they are inedible because they accumulate toxins and radiation, that farmed oysters are artificial and synthetic, and also that you can only eat oysters where they grow - Well, let them think so, we will get more.
But the friends strictly said: “It’s necessary, Fedya, it’s necessary.” OK. I looked at the calendar - it’s time to talk about the notorious rule of the letter “R”.
Traditionally, the oyster season in our Northern Hemisphere is considered to be from September to April. Remember, from Remarque in “Life on Borrow”: “Lillian reached the hotel. Now she lived in the mezzanine; she only had to go up one flight of stairs. At the entrance to the cafe there was an oyster seller.“Today I have wonderful shrimp,” he said. - The oysters are almost gone. They will appear only in September."
“It’s not the season for oysters, but peaches have replaced them.”
During the summer months, anyone looking to sample bivalves will likely hear someone remind them of the R-month rule. It states that in May, June, July and August - months that do not have the letter "r" in their names - you cannot eat oysters.
Listen, it’s the 21st century, and someone is still guided by a rule that was relevant back in Ancient Rome. In the first century BC, Cicero, in his treatise De Ostreis, reflected on the dangers of oysters in the hot months and the introduction of the R-taboo.
Well, since the rule has such deep historical roots, I will explain the essence of the old prohibitions and what happens to oysters in the months without “r”, with the help of the ancient Roman god of the seas, Neptune.
His symbol of power over the sea has three prongs. There are also three reasons for introducing restrictions on the consumption of oysters in the summer months, remember:
1. Nature has designed the oyster so cleverly that this mollusk can live quietly for several days on the road or in a warehouse in the water that it managed to slam shut in its shell at the time of collection. The main thing is temperature. Optimal for oysters is from +1○ to +4○. Of course, previously, during the hot months, it was almost impossible to transport a load of shells while maintaining such a temperature regime. Oysters spoiled while still in transit and became a truly hazardous product for health.
2. In the Northern Hemisphere, the breeding season begins in summer for many mollusks. Warming water is a signal for the mollusk to begin this important process. Oh, it's getting warm! At this time, the oyster produces caviar, becomes “milky” and changes its taste. Oyster milk may taste bitter, and shellfish meat becomes less elastic. Algae also begin to bloom in hot weather, changing the chemical composition of the water in which the oysters live. This also changes the taste of the shellfish, not for the better.
3. Uncontrolled harvesting of oysters led to the fact that in the 18th century, populations off the coast of France, as well as on the East Coast of America, rapidly declined. In 1762, the Council of the City of New Haven, Connecticut, in an effort to prevent the complete and irreversible destruction of oyster colonies, prohibited the collection of oysters during their breeding season - from May 1 to September 1, and established a severe penalty for violating the ban. In France, in 1771, a temporary ban on the sale of oysters from May to September was imposed by the Royal Edict on the Regulation of Fisheries in order to preserve the population.
Do you remember? Now look at. It also has three teeth. Each of these teeth is a reason to forget about those old prohibitions and calmly eat oysters in a restaurant far from the sea and at any time of the year:
1. Technical progress has advanced far enough to ensure fast, careful transportation of oysters and their storage in compliance with the required temperature conditions.
2. Restaurants offer oysters grown on farms where all processes in the life of mollusks are strictly monitored. The temperature and chemical composition of the water are under the strictest control. Oyster milk is not poisonous; you cannot be poisoned by a fresh “milk” oyster. And I even know people who like the taste of these summer oysters just as much. In addition, in the 1980s, a technology for producing all-season oysters that are never “dairy” was invented. This is a sterile oyster that tastes good at any time of the year. And as soon as ordinary oysters, once in warm water, begin to produce milk, producers send them on vacation. And only “4 seasons” oysters are supplied to restaurants and shops.
3. Seasonality is different for mollusks of the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. Most Australian and New Zealand oysters have a breeding season between November and March, with their peak season occurring during the non-r months. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond the control of oysters, restaurateurs and suppliers, Australians have been unavailable to gourmets in Russia since 2014. But this summer, New Zealand shellfish will certainly delight our shellfish lovers with their excellent taste.
The only rule really worth remembering is don't even try an oyster that looks and smells bad. A fresh oyster should exude the smell of the sea, be shiny and full-bodied, and contain colorless, clear juice, which connoisseurs call “oyster liqueur.” And eat oysters in trusted places where professionals are responsible for quality.
Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 20:00. Remote booking is also possible (including for club members) after agreement with the project curator by mail [email protected] , and with payment by card (only this tour).Important! If these tours were not sold to you in the office, write to us by email
kachestvo(dog)cheaptrip.ru, we will sell with a 3% discount!
Weather forecast*:
Paris in November during the day +10…+12°C/night +5…+7°C
*weather is approximate at the time of travel
Other dates and durations are possible - please inquire!
Special project H
Oyster season + scallop joys of Saint-Jacques continue, because, as you know, in addition to the absorption of Camembert, Livor, Pont-Leveque, cider and Calvados and (before after and instead), the population of the cool coast of France is actively engaged in oyster eating and oyster science + does not shy away from mussels, shrimp and Saint-Jacques scallops.
photo from the festival website
Having tasted the most delicious Saint-Jacques in wine, Calvados, under a cheese crust and simply baked on the grill, we keep our nose to the wind and move along the coast, looking at all the towns and villages ending in Sur-Mer, breathing the oceans, counting the tides and catching the sun of Normandy , Brittany and, if we get there, Aquitaine, read the route details
Paris: Departure 10.11 for 3 nights
Tour program: 10.11 departure and arrival in Paris (regular flight with connection 45 minutes), from 10.11 to 13.11 accommodation in Paris, during the festival, independent transfer* to Port-en-Bessin-Huppen and back, 13.11 departure from Paris (evening flight), arrival to Moscow on the night of November 13-14 (regular flight with connection 45 minutes)
*How to get there:
upd 04.11, the price has increased, now from 350 euros, ask for a calculation of current options in the comments!
Douglas Hotel 3*, no meals, 274 euros
Saint Georges Lafayette 2*, without meals, 296 euros
Corona Rodier 3*, breakfast, 313 euros
Glasgow Monceau 3*, breakfast, 324 euros
Villa Royale Montsouris 3*, without meals, 328 euros
Brittany 3*, without meals, 341 euros
Mondial 3*, without power supply, 347 euros
Libertel Montmartre Duperre 3*, without meals, 398 euros
Best Western Premier Opera Faubourg 4*, without meals, 354 euros
Hotel Les Theaters (ex. Best Western Les Theatres) 4*, without meals, 381 euros
4*, without meals, 455 euros
luxurious & cheap
4*, without meals, double comfort room, 438 euros
4*, without power, absolute levitation room, 477 euros
Maison Albar Hotel Paris Opera Diamond (ex. Best Western Premier Opera Diamond) 5*, without meals, 518 euros
Victoria Palace 5*, breakfast, 523 euros
How to organize an interesting independent holiday in Paris by purchasing an inexpensive tour or air ticket, read, and
Port-en-Bessin-Huppen: Departure 10.11 for 3 nights
Tour program: 10.11 departure and arrival in Paris (regular flight with connection 45 minutes),private transfer* to Port-en-Bessin-Huppen,from 10.11 to 13.11 accommodation inPort-en-Bessin-Huppen, 13.11 private transfer* to Paris, 13.11 departure from Paris (evening flight), arrival in Moscow on the night of November 13-14. (regular flight with connection 45 minutes)
*How to get there: Port-en-Bessin-Huppain is located 275 km from Paris, the most convenient way to get there is by car, the journey takes about 3 hours along the A13 highway. The cost of renting a Fiat 500 class car from November 10 to 13 is from 62 euros, you can find out more about the prices and book a car. You can also take a train from Paris to Bayeux - the journey takes 2 hours, ticket costs from 15 euros and then to Port-en-Bessin-Huppain by bus or taxi (about 10 km). You can view the train schedule and book tickets.
upd 04.11, the price has increased, now from 387 euros, ask for a calculation of current options in the comments!
King Hôtel, Port-en-Bessin-Huppen, no meals, 353 euros
Ibis Bayeux Port En Bessin 3*, Port-en-Bessin-Huppen, no meals, 375 euros
Mercure Omaha Beach 3*, Port-en-Bessin-Huppen, no meals, 386 euros
luxurious & cheap
Chateau La Cheneviere 5*, Port-en-Bessin-Huppen, no meals, 748 euros
Accommodation in apartments(the price is per person, the apartment must be paid in full)
Attention, apartments are on request and guaranteed!
Let’s look at what “on request” and “guaranteed” accommodation is.
Apartment for 2-4 people, near the beach, request
Area:
Premises: bedroom, living room with kitchen, 2 bathrooms
Number of people: 2-4
Price per person at 4-seater placement – 310 euros
Price per person at 2-seater m placement – 343 euros
Small duplex apartment of 44 m2 in Port-en-Bessin-Huppai, near the beach and fishing port. The apartment has: 1st level - kitchen (dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator), living room with sofa bed, TV, bathroom, 2nd level - bedroom with double and two single beds, bathroom. Free parking, free Wifi.
Apartment for 2-4 people, with sea view, request
Area: Port-en-Bessin-Huppai, Basse-Normandine
Premises: 2 bedrooms, living room with kitchenette, bathroom
Number of people: 2-4
Price per person at 4-seater placement – 314 euros
Price per person at 2-seater m placement – 370 euros
Apartment 75 m2 , with sea views. The apartment has 2 bedrooms, a living room with an equipped kitchenette , washing machine, TV, free wifi. Within walking distance from the promenade and the beach.
House for 4-6 people, guarantee
Area: Port-en-Bessin-Huppai, Normandine
Premises: 3 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, board games room, 2 bathrooms
Number of people: 4-6
Price per person at 6 seater placement – 371 euros
Price per person at 4-seater m placement – 446 euros
+refundable deposit 200 euros
