A first-class culture and wine holiday in Chablis. 

Day one: Arrival late morning, just in time for a bite to eat in one of the village’s wine bars. Next it's off to see the vines, because that’s partly why you’re here, right? Head to Domaine Guy Robin for a perfect example of a local producer. Vineyard visit with the owner then a tasting of the Chablis, Premier Cru and Grand Cru. The cellar is vaulted, the winemaker is independent and the welcome is warm and friendly. 
Then it's time to drop off your luggage in a bed and breakfast before heading to Le Clos restaurant with its warm and elegant atmosphere. The food menu contains carefully selected dishes and the accompanying wine list is extensive.

Day two: Start with a morning of time travel as you visit the world’s oldest Cistercian abbey, the Abbaye de Fontenay, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Opt for the guided tour to immerse yourself in the 13th century monk-like atmosphere. Then prepare for your homeward journey with a meal at La Mirabelle in Saint-Rémy, featured in the Michelin Guide 2015. Excellent regional dishes set against an exposed brick decor.

We’re steering you towards La Maison du Colombier in Beaune because the owner, Roland Chanliaud, his new and completely revamped gastro-bar is a mirror image of his epicurean vision.

Stone walls, black paint, crystal chandeliers. You’re torn between flopping into a period armchair or standing at the bar to keep the chef company. And while the setting is elegant, the food isn’t too bad either. Because even though Roland will be the last one to tell you, he’s an important figure on the local gastronomic scene. With 22 years of experience at two and three star restaurants under his belt, he picked up this ultimate accolade himself at his former restaurant in 1996. At La Maison du Colombier he has more freedom to pick and choose produce that interests him. So there’s no menu, just a changing variety of daily inspirations. We’ve heard talk of amazing organic eggs en cocotte with thin slices of Bourgogne truffles. It’s an unmissable part of any visit to Beaune.

Château Lamothe-Bergeron has a couple of famous neighbours, Margaux and Saint-Julien, and some great ideas too.

In 2013, Managing Director Laurent Mery decided to change the way visitors experienced the estate, lock, (vine) stock and barrel, and with impressive results. Light effects, holograms projected onto vats and an easy and relaxed script are all used to make wine-making more accessible and put beginners at ease. Projecting images onto an object used in the alchemy of wine-making is ambitious but effective. Even children love it. After the tasting, it’s off with the shoes for an on-site picnic. Wicker basket, tablecloth, country loaf, terrine, saucisson, cheese and the estate’s Cru Bourgeois followed by cannelés for dessert, all set within the Château’s park. Worth a photo, wouldn’t you say?

To set the scene for you, the Bergerie estate contains 36 hectares of Chenin, Cabernet and Grolleau and is a little over 30 minutes south of Angers.

David Gitton, the young chef whose refined and inventive cuisine has not gone unnoticed by the major food critics, opened his 'La Table de la Bergerie' restaurant in buildings on the family estate in 2009. After completing international classes (USA, Monaco, London) with Ducasse and Robuchon, he moved to Anjou to sample a different style of exoticism in Champ-sur-Layon. A gourmet connoisseur such as you won’t get lost in David’s menu, which contains just two starters, two mains and two desserts. This simple approach ensures that recipes and produce are prepared with a careful attention to detail, making La Table de la Bergerie a blend of simplicity and finesse. A winning recipe: in 2017 the restaurant has gained a Michelin star. The dining room and terrace overlook the estate’s vines, but the vineyard tastes as good as it looks, something you can find out for yourself thanks to the chef’s carefully selected food and wine pairings.

For your next holiday in Alsace, we’re transporting you to the Pays d’Art et d’Histoire (Land of Art and History) that is Guebwiller.

This escape includes mountains, cultural discoveries on the Route Romane (Romanesque Road) and gastronomic delights on the Route des Vins d’Alsace (Alsace Wine Route). There’s something for culture seekers to see, eat and drink. Let’s start with what you’ll see, because this valley, nicknamed the Florival (valley of flowers), contains some remarkable historical remains within its mountainous landscape, including the Murbach Abbey, the Collegiate Church of Saint-Michel de Lautenbach and Thierenbach Basilica. Next up, what to eat. Because the farmhouse inns of the Hautes-Vosges always prepare a local marcaire (add italics) meal, favoured by cheese farmers of yesteryear. This workers’ food is substantial, to say the least, and includes a covered pastry tart or pie, smoked pork and 'roïgabrageldi' (potatoes slow-cooked in a tightly covered casserole with onions and lard), Munster and white farmhouse cheese. Finally, to improve your knowledge of the area’s seven AOC Alsace Grands Crus, be sure to take a guide or audio guide along the 50kms of stone walls that separate the vineyards.

A gourmet connoisseur such as you will be parachuted into Barr, near Obernai, to explore some of the region’s culinary delicacies.

And because you’re in Alsace, let not spare the clichés: it’s sauerkraut all round! Don’t laugh, they take it very seriously round here. Christian Boulard, chef at the Château d’Andlau restaurant, prepares the most famous example if this dish: Krautergersheim sauerkraut. As for wine, hold onto your glasses, because the 'Coeur d’Alsace' region contains seven renowned AOC Alsace communale denominations, including 'Klevener de Heiligenstein' made from savagnin rose, a grape variety that is only grown in the area, and nine AOC Alsace Grands Crus. The next day pay a visit to Gertwiller, a village famous for its pain d’épices (gingerbread). This other local speciality will add a touch of Alsace to your next stews.