Author: 7 Years of French

After taking seven years of French in school, I should be more than "pretty close to fluent," but I firmly believe my devotion to French wine makes up for all imperfect verb conjugations. I love French wine, the French people, the French language, the French countryside...and France, in general. I lived there for a year in 2016, and I visit as often as I can.

Itinerary: Amboise, Sancerre, and Chablis

Day 1

Meet and depart from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. En route to Amboise, stop at the Alain Ducasse restaurant, Ore, in the Palace of Versailles, for lunch with wine pairings. Afterwards, the restaurant staff give us exclusive access to the Palace from a back door, skipping the hours-long entry lines.

Drive to Amboise and check-in at Hotel Le Pavillion des Lys.

Walk to dinner at Chez Bruno.

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The ornate Palace of Versailles.

 

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The town of Amboise is positioned along the banks of the Loire River.

Day 2

Free time to explore Amboise before enjoying a wine tasting and lunch at Chateau de Montdomaine.

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Spend the afternoon with the charming and gracious Louisa and Fred Plou at Chateau de Montdomaine.

Day 3

Visit Chateau Chenonceau, then we’ll have lunch at a café in the nearby village.

Drive to Sancerre and check-in at La Chanceliere, a boutique B&B we’ll have all to ourselves. Walk to dinner at Le Laurier, a short walk from our B&B.

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Chateau Chenonceau

Day 4

Meet our dear friends and wine producers, Lynne and Philippe Raimbault, while touring their domaine and tasting through the 10 wines they produce annually. Sip Domaine Raimbault Sancerre blanc with your locally-sourced Crottin de Chavignol (local goat’s cheese) at Cafe des Arts in the village. Stroll the shops, then we have the option to meet another wine producing family before later enjoying dinner at the Raimbault home.

Philippe, Lynne & Julie high atop the Maison de Sancerre, overlooking the area’s vineyards on a sunny day.
Wine producer Philippe shares wines from his private cellar at dinner in his and Lynne’s home.
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La Chanceliere, our charming B&B with stunning views of the hilltop village of Sancerre.
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Overlooking the Raimbault vines and their winery (top right). Julie took this photo herself, just after harvest in October 2016!

Day 5

Depart for the stunning hilltop village of Vezelay. Arrive in time to hear the hauntingly beautiful sounds of the monks and nuns singing in the Abbey’s noontime mass.

Enjoy lunch at Sy La Terrasse, then we’ll be treated to a private tour of the village by one of the nuns or monks who live in the abbey! Spend time exploring the village shops before heading to the Burgundian town of Chablis.

Check-in at the Maison du Moulin des Roches. This is a beautiful Bed & Breakfast about a 10 minute walk from the center of Chablis. We have the entire home to ourselves, situated on 7 acres of land along the Serein River. After a big lunch in Vezelay, we’ll enjoy a casual dinner tonight of quiche, charcuterie, and cheeses at our leisure in the B&B.

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Vezelay Abbey

Day 6

We’ll start the day with a drive to the top of the Grand Cru “Les Clos” vineyards where we’ll be treated to an overview of the region with an esteemed local wine consultant. Then we’re off to visit my friends and wine producers at Domaine Daniel Seguinot et Filles. After our morning tasting, prepare for the meal of a lifetime at my friend Fabien’s famed Au Fil du Zinc.

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A past Belle Vie group thanking Daniel for a wonderful tasting!
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The Burgundian Trifecta! Left: esteemed local wine consultant Brendan Moore, Center: restauranteur extraordinaire Fabien Espana, and Right: wine producer Daniel Seguinot join us for lunch in Chablis.

Day 7

Following morning meditation and a wrap-up of our extraordinary week together, we depart for nearby Auxerre, a hilltop city along the Yonne River. We’ll enjoy a bistro lunch and a walk around the town’s narrow, winding streets before we hit the road for Paris. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner together at the Novotel Charles de Gaulle before morning flights out the next day.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR OUR OCTOBER 2019 TRIP