In my Taste & Travel Blog, I share with you my passion for food & travel, including recipes and food-oriented trips to (mostly) France, the gastronomic capital of the world. The key to good food starts with good ingredients. The highest quality, and best-tasting, ingredients are those that are locally grown and produced.
An abundant array of vegetables produced from my husband’s organic farm in Northwest Arkansas, Foundation Farm
Gâteau de l’opéra
A favorite highlight of my Paris trip is the chocolate tour and tasting. Our guide, Iris, leads us on a 2-hour walking tour to discover hidden alleys and special addresses.
The first stop was at Gosselin near Palais Royal, a pastry shop specializing in my favorite cake of all ~ the opéra. It’s delicate balance of coffee and chocolate. It’s not mocha, as the coffee and chocolate remain distinctly separate.
Iris describes the opera cake as we stop for a tasting in the Palais Royal gardens.
This is as good as it gets; witness the chocolate glaçage, smooth as glass, topped with a pinch of edible gold leaf. Inside you will find layers of chocolate, coffee cream, and cake.
To my delight, I just booked myself a class to learn how to make the Opéra at Ecole de Pâtisserie du Pavillon Elysée Lenôtre before returning to the States ~ I look forward to sharing this recipe once I have it down … stay tuned!
9 Days in Paris ~ The City of Lights
Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world. But it’s not enough for me to just go there. The fun part is sharing it. And sharing it from an insider’s perspective is even better. Imagine yourself saying “bonjour” to your French neighbors as you come and go each morning from your Paris apartment. One can certainly travel alone in a place like Paris, where it’s so easy to walk everywhere and public transport abounds at every turn. But there is only so much you can do on your own.
Traveling with me allows you special access to activities that you wouldn’t otherwise have. A special highlight is a dinner party in a private Parisian home in which a French chef comes to cook just for us. In addition to various private tasting tours, we also dabble a bit with history and art. As important as anything is down time: I make sure to allow at least 1 full day – and a few good half days – of free time for you to discover Paris at your own pace, be it shopping, museum-going, sipping coffee in a café, or simply wandering the cobble-stone back streets or grand boulevards.
Do you enjoy the flexibility of traveling on your own, while having access to exclusive “insider” activities, punctuated with select gatherings to socialize over food & conversation? Experience timeless Paris, the capital of food and fashion, on the inside track with me.
9 Days in Paris ~ The City of Lights
June 13 – 21, 2023 (6 openings)
Highlights include
Your very own beautiful & private Parisian apartment in the chic & hip
neighborhood of the Marais, Paris’ oldest and most historic quarter
Historical walking + orientation tour of the neighborhood
Outdoor food market + optional picnic in idyllic Place des Vosges park
Behind-the-scenes bakery tour & tasting
Privately guided visit to the Louvre museum with an art historian
In-Home Dinner Party with Chef Karen
Private chocolate historical walking tour & tasting
Privately guided visit to the Orsay Museum with an art historian
Rural Normandy ~ Monet’s House and Gardens at Giverny
Exclusive dinner party in a chic Parisian home with an esteemed French chef
Optional Add-ons
yoga, massage
escorted visit to Paris flea markets
escorted visit to hidden corners of Montmartre ~ Paris’ oldest vineyards,
Belle Epoque mansions, quaint alleys & picturesque parks
Contact us for pricing and terms.
Includes: 8 nights lodging in high-quality, centrally-located apartments, airport pick-up & return, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, entrance fees to Louvre and Orsay museums, transportation to Normandy, unlimited metro/bus in Paris, Big Bus hop-on/hop-off open tour, privately guided visits & tours, all highlights above, and Karen’s services as trip organizer, travel advisor, and full-time trip escort. LAND PACKAGE ONLY. Excludes: International flights to/from the US or other European city, transportation/taxis other than specified above, tips for guides, carbon offsets for flight, and trip insurance.
Activity level: MODERATE – This tour involves a lot of walking, some stairs, cobblestones, and gravel pathways.
Note on travel style: My focus on well-being affords you an itinerary with a slow start to offset the stresses of travel, a comfortable sight-seeing pace, periodic downtime (a couple of free half days and several free evenings), attention to healthful practices, such as balanced meals, fresh vegetables, and the option to participate in meditation. With advance notice, travelers with food sensitivities or allergies can be accommodated, please inform me upon booking. Tour is whole-foods plant-based and gluten-free friendly.
For more information & photos, visit daily itinerary description & photo gallery
Practical Information
- Allow 10 days total travel time.
- You are responsible for arranging your flight; however, Karen is happy to advise you.
- When booking your flight, please note the followings:
– Outbound flight: Due to overnight flight, you will need to depart the U.S. one day prior to desired arrival.
– Inbound flight: Departs France and arrives USA same day. - Arrival/departure times: Arrival – Please select flights that arrive Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in the morning (7-10a is preferable, so that you may be included in the group lunch at 1:00pm); if you cannot make the lunch, you will be given the cash equivalent for a different day. It is highly recommended to arrive at least one day early, in order to offset the effects of jet lag. Please notify Karen if you wish to arrive early, so that we may try to secure your apartment for your first night in Paris.
Departure – Most flights return to the U.S. in the morning, but in the event that yours does not, please consider the 10:00am check-out time. Commute time from the airport to the city center (and vice versa) ranges from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on traffic. It is recommended to at Charles de Gaulle airport at least 3 hours prior to flight departure due to added security.
Read more on Travel with Karen
Travel to France
with Culinary Instructor Karen Gros
Exclusive tours for small groups of 8 people
Private activities & excursions focusing on food, tradition, history, culture, and people
Unique experiences not available elsewhere …
Become acquainted with locals, meet & cook with great chefs, travel in comfort & beauty
Behind-the-scenes bakery tour
Given the association of Paris with croissants and baguettes, it’s unthinkable to come to Paris without an understanding of how the buttery, flaky pastry and light & fluffy bread du jour are made. Croissants and other pastries made with puff pastry are known as viennoiseries because they originate from Vienna.
My group delights in a behind-the-scenes bakery tour, where we hover inside a bakery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris to witness firsthand the preparation of baguettes and croissants.
Croissants au beurre are made with, you guessed it, pure butter (versus the “croissant ordinaire” made with margarine). How to know the difference? The croissants au beurre are usually an oblong shape, whereas the croissants ordinaire are shaped in the rounded crescent form. If in doubt, ask.
The boulanger rolling the baguette dough onto floured canvas, shaping the canvas to hold the form of the baguettes while they rise
Inside the boulangerie kitchen, we see the inner workings of how baguettes are made.
Everyone delights as they become part of the process, slitting the baguettes prior to their baking in the hot, steamy ovens. Some boulangeries even have their own signature “slit”.
Fennel & cauliflower soup
I get inspired when I see beautiful produce at the farmers’ markets or in the grocery store; I was impressed with the massive fennel bulbs available this week at Ozark Natural Foods in Fayetteville.
This recipe marries the freshness of spring with the comfort of winter.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
3 T. + 1 T. unsalted butter
2 T. extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil
2 medium yellow onions1 large fennel bulb
1 head of white cauliflower
Salt
2 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 t. dried tarragon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/ Peel the onions, and cut in half through the root and sprout, lie flat side down, and slice thinly in the direction of the grain. Cut the stalks from the fennel, reserving the fronds for garnish. Peel the outer bulb, slice in half, and remove the core. Slice bulb thinly across the grain.
2/ Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-sized stockpot. Add the olive oil, and toss in the sliced onions. Sprinkle generously with salt, and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced fennel, sprinkle with salt, and cook about 5 minutes.
3/ Remove the tip of the stem, along with the leaves, of the cauliflower. Slice head in half down the middle, then quarter. Slice off the core, and reserve 12-15 tiny florets. Coarsely slice the remaining cauliflower, and add to the cooking pot. Sprinkle with salt. Cook about 5 minutes until slightly tender. Add the stock, and add enough water to cover vegetables by 1/2-inch. Bring to a brief boil, then reduce to simmer. Add the tarragon (rubbing with fingers as you add it to the pot), cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until cauliflower is very tender.
4/ Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter. Add the cauliflower florets, and cook gently about 5 minutes until tender. Add a spoonful or two of water, if necessary, to prevent burning. Set aside.
5/ Ladle about 2 cups of soup into a blender. Pulse gently to start the motor, then gradually increase speed to high (in order to avoid building pressure from the hot liquid too quickly). Be sure to secure the lid tightly, covering with a dish towel initially, if necessary, then remove the inner circle to release steam. (The pressure from the hot soup builds quickly and could cause the lid to expel; exercise caution). Blend on high for almost a full minute to ensure the creamiest consistency possible. Add the lemon juice. Taste, and add salt if desired. Add a little water, if necessary to thin slightly. Repeat process until all soup has been puréed.
6/ Garnish each bowl with warm cauliflower florets and fennel fronds; serve warm.
10 Days in the South of France ~ Provence
My tour of Provence takes you through quaint villages and the picturesque countryside of the region’s interior, as well as the strikingly beautiful coast between Marseille and Cassis. The region is large and varied, and we allow ourselves the time to explore as much of its charm as possible, while still retaining the serenity aroused by rolling vineyards & the song of cicadas. With family & friends peppered throughout, Provence has become a home away from home for us.
I limit this trip to 8 people, determined by the number of seats available in the non-commercial minivan that I rent. With me in the driver’s seat of a 9-passenger minivan, we take off, as a group of friends on an adventure ~ exploring the backcountry villages, as well as the coast. Throughout the trip, we stay in villages tucked away from the bustle, and explore places that are evocative of the movies, Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources (our daughter’s name is Manon, if that tells you anything about where our heart lies).
With me, you get to experience it, rather than just witness it ~ for instance, we not only watch locals play pétanque in the “boulodrome” in Vaison-la-Romaine, but you get to learn the game and play it together. We even practice our French a bit during a French 101 Conversation Class while having lunch with a with our niece, native of Nice, in a hill town in the Var surrounded by rolling vineyards. My trip incorporates interaction with local French people. Perhaps the best feature of my trip is that you will reside in an authentic Provençal home for the majority of the trip, a way to truly “go local.” Experience the vibrancy and colors of the South of France on the inside track with me.
The South of France ~ 10 Days in Provence
September 11 – 21, 2019 (Completed)
September 28 – October 8, 2019 (Completed)
Highlights include:
Dinner with our French family at a beautiful, chic restaurant in Marseille
Villages of the Var and a beautiful Côtes de Provence winery
Private boat outing along the calanques of seaside Cassis
Private French language course & lunch with linguist Elise
Tour & tasting at olive oil mill ~ visit the orchards, learn the production, and savor a tasting
Privately guided visit of Les Baux de Provence and “Footsteps of Van Gogh”, the St. Paul Asylum in St. Rémy de Provence from where Van Gogh painted “Starry Night”, “The Irises”, and “The Wheat Field”
Game of pétanque in Gallo-Roman village of Vaison la Romaine
The largest archaeological site of Roman vestiges in France in Vaison-la-Romaine
Medieval “Haute Ville” of Vaison
& the story of the Counts of Toulouse whose château remains perched atop the high town
Provençal outdoor market tour & dinner party in your Provençal home with Chef Karen
4-kilometer scenic walk through the countryside of rolling vineyards
Postcard villages of the Vaucluse & Drôme at the base of Mont Ventoux
Privately guided tour of a family-owned lavender & herb distillery ~ witness the distillation and experience essential oils; conclude with a gourmet artisanal lavender- or herb-infused treat at the on-site tea salon with terrace
Pont du Gard ~ the astonishing Roman aqueduct
Privately guided visit of historic Avignon and the Palace of the Popes
Private dinner at the chef’s Guest Table in the 19th-century kitchen of a luxurious hotel in Avignon, originally a 14th-century cardinal’s mansion
Villages & vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône, including Ségueret and Gigondas, and a prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape winery
Exclusive Provençal dinner at the home of our hosts in Vaison-la-Romaine
Tour & tasting a family-owned nougat maker, almond grower & bee keeper workshop & boutique ~ the highest quality confections in Provence
Contact us for pricing and terms.
Includes: 10 nights lodging in beautiful, high quality accommodations with private bathroom (3 nights in villa in Cassis, 7 nights in Vaison-la-Romaine rental home), 4 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners, train station pick-up & return, van rental, insurance & fuel charges; tolls & parking; privately guided tours & visits; all highlights above, and Karen’s services as trip organizer, travel advisor, and full-time trip escort. LAND PACKAGE ONLY. Excludes: International flights to/from the US or other European city, transportation/taxis other than specified above, tips for guides, carbon offsets for flight, and trip insurance.
Activity level: MODERATE to STRENUOUS – This tour involves a lot of walking, standing, stairs, hills, cobblestones, and gravel pathways.
Note on travel style: My focus on well-being affords you an itinerary with a slow start to offset the stresses of travel, a comfortable sight-seeing pace, periodic downtime (free time during some days, and several free evenings), attention to healthful practices, such as balanced meals, fresh vegetables, and the option to attend a yoga class. Travelers with food sensitivities or allergies may be accommodated, please inform me upon booking.
For more information & photos, visit our daily itinerary description & photo gallery
Practical Information
- Tour limited to 8 travelers; reservations honored on a first come, first served basis.
- This is a LAND ONLY package beginning in Cassis and ending in Avignon; price does not include airfare, nor transportation to and from Paris or other French cities other than pick-up and return from/to cities mentioned herein.
- Arrival pick-up and return is included only for arrivals at Marseille train station (Marseille St. Charles) and departures from Avignon train station (Avignon TGV).
- Travelers must consult Karen before finalizing flight plans
- Prior to booking your international flight, please consider the following:
- Please plan to spend one night in Paris before and after the tour, allowing 14 days total travel time:
1/ Outbound flight: Due to overnight flight from the US, you will need to depart one day prior to desired arrival in France
2/ Inbound flight: Departs France and arrives USA same day - The group will take the train together from Paris to Marseille on the start date of the tour. You may return together by train from Avignon to Paris (details below). In order to ensure that everyone arrives on the same train, Karen will purchase 1st class train tickets on behalf of each traveler at the best price (to be reimbursed by traveler).
- How to get from Paris to Marseille: High-speed train from Paris to Marseille; trip duration: approx. 3-hours; cost: approx. $100 per person, to be paid by you. Meeting point: Gare de Lyon in Paris, time be confirmed 3 months prior to travel. Karen will then collect the minivan for the group at Marseille train station, and we will drive together to Cassis. In order to ensure that everyone arrives on the same train, Karen will purchase 1st class train tickets on behalf of each traveler at the best price (to be reimbursed by traveler).
- How to get from Avignon to Paris: Non-stop high-speed train from Avignon to Paris; trip duration: approx. 2.5-hours; cost: approx. $80 per person, to be paid by you. You will be driven to Avignon TGV train station to catch your return train to Paris. For your convenience, Karen will purchase 1st class return train tickets on behalf of each traveler at the best price (to be reimbursed by traveler).
- Please plan to spend one night in Paris before and after the tour, allowing 14 days total travel time:
Read more on Travel with Karen
Travel to France
with Culinary Instructor Karen Gros
Exclusive tours for small groups of 8-10 people
Private activities & excursions focusing on food, tradition, history, culture, and people
Unique experiences not available elsewhere …
Become acquainted with locals, meet & cook with great chefs, travel in comfort & beauty
10 Days along The Country Roads of Normandy & Brittany
Full of charm and fascinating history, my trip to Normandy & Brittany is both rustic and serene. The architecture, the weather, the food, the history, and even the seafood are all unique to this area of rich medieval origins.
I limit this trip to 8 people, determined by the number of seats available in the non-commercial minivan that I rent. With me in the driver’s seat of a 9-passenger minivan, we take off, as a group of friends on an adventure ~ exploring the coastline, as well as the country villages.
Regional specialties delight; learn why the Camembert cheese you’ve tasted at home can never be as good as that in Normandy. Sip cider and walk through apple orchards as we meander along the Route du Cidre, and enjoy a Hands-on Cooking Party in a 19th-century Renaissance castle. Walk through the Celtic sea salt marshes with a salt worker and understand the manual method of salt production that has been in place for over 1,000 years …. all this and much more as you experience an enchanting journey through time on the inside track with me.
10 Days along The Country Roads of Normandy & Brittany
September 13 – 23, 2018 (Full)
Normandy Highlights
Picturesque harbor of Honfleur
Charming Normandy countryside & villages of the Pays d’Auge
Private visit & tasting at an organic apple orchard & cider distillery in Calvados
Bayeaux Cathedral & Tapestries of William the Conquerer & 1066 Battle of Hastings
Private DDay & Battle of Normandy outing with retired British Major General Hollands; Eglise Ste Marie, Point du Hoc, landing beaches, American & German cemeteries
Private visit & tasting at award-winning AOC Norman dairy specializing in
artisanal “Beurre de Baratte,” crème fraîche, and hand-ladled AOC Camembert cheese
Brittany Highlights
Rocky tidal island Mont St. Michel & private VIP tour of the historical Abbey
Privately guided walking tour of walled medieval town of St. Malo
and private tour of a shipowner’s mansion in the countryside
Scenic “Emerald coast” & Cancale with its bustling outdoor market on the church square
Hamlet of Mont Dol in the Bay of Mont St. Michel & exceptional gourmet dinner
prepared with local specialties and organic produce from the kitchen garden
Village & Château of Fougères ~ a masterpiece of medieval military architecture
Private “Secret Treasures” walking tour of historic Rennes, capital of Brittany
Outdoor market tour in a quaint Breton village & Hands-On Cooking Dinner Party in Renaissance castle
Pre-historic monument of La Roche-aux-Fées
Medieval, picturesque village & Château of Vitré
Contact us for pricing and terms.
Includes: 10 nights lodging in beautiful, high quality accommodations (2 nights in Honfleur, 2 nights in Bayeux, 4 nights in Mont Dol, 2 nights in Torcé); all breakfasts; 5 lunches; 5 dinners; van rental, insurance & fuel charges; tolls & parking;privately guided tours & visits; carbon offsets for flights; all highlights above, tips & advice from trip escort Karen Gros. LAND PACKAGE ONLY. Excludes: International flights to/from the US or other European city, transportation/taxis other than specified above, tips for guides, and mandatory comprehensive trip insurance.
Note: This tour does include hills and stairs, and can be strenuous at times.
For more information & photos, visit daily itinerary description & photo gallery
_______________________________
Celtic Sea Salt Marshes of Guérande
Optional 2-day add-on
September 23 – 25, 2018
Artisanal Crêperie in ancient salt village
Private walking tour in the salt marshes with professional saltworker
Contact us for pricing and terms.
Includes: 2 nights lodging in beautiful, high quality accommodations in Vannes); 2 breakfasts; 1 lunch; 1 dinner; continued van rental, insurance & fuel charges; tolls & parking; privately guided tour. Excludes: Mandatory comprehensive trip insurance.. This Add-on is only available to travelers who book the 10-Day Normandy & Brittany Itinerary.
For more information & photos, visit daily itinerary description & photo gallery
_______________________________
Practical Information
- This is a LAND ONLY package beginning in Caen (Normandy) and ending in Rennes (Brittany)*; price does not include airfare, nor train travel to Caen/from Rennes, or within Paris.
- When booking your flight, please note the following:
- 1/ Outbound flight: Due to overnight flight from the US, you will need to depart one day prior to desired arrival in France.
2/ Inbound flight: Departs France and arrives USA same day
3/ It is necessary that travelers spend one night in Paris before and after the tour, due to airline arrival and departure times. Therefore, please allow 14 days total travel time. If doing the Add-On, allow 16 days total travel time. - The group will take the train together from Paris to Caen, and return together by train from Rennes to Paris (details below). In order to ensure that everyone arrives on the same train, Karen will purchase train tickets on behalf of each traveler at the best price (to be reimbursed by traveler in euros).
- How to get from Paris to Caen: Non-stop train from Paris to Caen; trip duration: approx. 2-hours; cost: approx. $40 per person. If desired, a private chauffeur may be arranged to collect each party in their respective hotels and drive everyone to the train station in Paris; cost: approx. $10 per person. Karen will then collect the minivan for the group at Caen train station.
- How to return from Rennes to Paris*: High-speed train from Rennes to Paris; trip duration: approx. 3-hour; cost: approx. $75 per person. Karen will drive everyone together in the minivan to the train station in Rennes; van will be returned at the Rennes rail station prior to departure. Once at the Paris train station, Karen will escort you to the taxi stand to see that you are securely on your way to your hotel.
- Please consult Karen before finalizing your flight plans.
* For those who do the Add-on, the tour will end in La Baule Escoblac, from where the rental van would be returned and high-speed train taken to Paris. Price for train ticket from La Baule to Paris will be quoted upon request.
Read more on Travel with Karen
Travel to France
with Culinary Instructor Karen Gros
Exclusive tours for small groups of 8-10 people
Private activities & excursions focusing on food, tradition, history, culture, and people
Unique experiences not available elsewhere …
Become acquainted with locals, meet & cook with great chefs, travel in comfort & beauty
14 Days in Greece ~ Athens & the Greek Isles
I first came to Greece over 25 years ago. Then, as now, I find blissful joy in wandering aimlessly, exploring, and taking photos of the white-washed houses, staircases and doorways, flower pots, turquoise domed-churches, and the food of course! Seeking out authentic food is my most passionate mission of all.
The stunning white villages against the striking blue Aegean Sea provide a magnificent backdrop from which to begin a journey of discovery ~ our history, Greek food, culture and tradition. We start this journey at the base of the ancient high city, and watch history unfold as we enter the time capsule. The view of Athens as seen from roof-top restaurants, and the Acropolis high above, is simply magnificent ~ a sprawling, yet picturesque undulating city surrounded by rolling hills, gradually flattening out into the sparkling blue sea. A rejuvenating stay on the Cycladic islands of Santorini and Sifnos is following by an exciting stay in the heart of Athens.
Greece has six groupings of islands, plus Crete and mainland Greece. The choice is utterly overwhelming, and all are wonderful and interesting in their own right. Why the Cyclades? With their dazzling white-washed houses, twisting cobbled alleyways, blue-domed churches, hilltop windmills, and stunning beaches, the Cycladic islands offer the quintessential Greek island experience, they are everyone’s image of the perfect Greek island. Santorini simply cannot be missed, and Sifnos is charming & quaint.
Athens & the Greek Isles
May 16 – 19, 2023
(8 openings)
Athens Highlights
Privately guided visit to the modern Acropolis Museum
Privately guided city of Athens & Acropolis tour
Culinary Secrets of Downtown Athens ~ Privately guided “insider” food & eating tour
Private dinner in the home of a native Greek family, just outside of Athens
Greek island Highlights ~ the Cyclades
Volcanic island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea
Guided visit of the Akrotíri excavations on Santorini
Catamaran outing to view the caldera & striking sunset
& traditional way of life on the island
Picturesque village of Oía
Quiet, traditional island of Sifnos
White-washed villages, cobbled alleys, churches with turquoise domes and beautiful bell towers
Private half-day outing with Sifnos native
Chrysopigi Monastery & crown jewel village of Kastro
Ancient Mycenanean acropolis Agios Andreas archaeological site
Remote fishing village & dining at a restaurant owned by family of fishermen
For more information, visit our daily itinerary description.
Contact us for pricing and terms.
Includes: 13 nights lodging in beautiful, high quality accommodations (4 nights in Santorini, 5 nights in Sifnos, 4 nights in Athens), 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners, airport and port pick-up & return (roundtrip taxi transfers between airport/port and Athens hotel), rental vehicles on Santorini & Sifnos, full auto insurance, fuel, tolls and parking, domestic ferries to/from Greek islands, privately guided tours & visits, customized food & restaurant itinerary in Athens, carbon offsets for international flight, and all highlights listed above. LAND PACKAGE ONLY. Excludes: International flight (arriving in Santorini, departing from Athens), transportation/taxis other than specified above, tips for guides, and mandatory comprehensive trip insurance.
Practical Information
- Tour limited to 8 travelers; reservations honored on a first come, first served basis.
- This is a LAND package beginning in Santorini, Greece (airport code: JTR) and ending in Athens, Greece (airport code: ATH); price does not include airfare.
- Allow 15 days total travel time. When booking your flight, please note the following:
– Outbound flight: Due to overnight flight, you will need to depart the U.S. one day prior to desired arrival in Greece (i.e. to arrive Santorini on October 6, you must depart on October 5). Please aim to arrive Santorini between 2:00-5:00pm, if possible.
– Inbound flight: You will depart Athens and arrives USA same day, October 19, 2020. Check-out is 10:00am. Please book flight to depart no later than 2:00pm. - You have the option to arrive Athens a day early at your own expense, and meet the group in Santorini on October 6.
- Please note that domestic ferries have been budgeted at current market prices, and if the price increases, you agree to pay the amount of the increase (i.e. ferry from Santorini to Sifnos, and ferry from Sifnos to Athens).
Read more on Travel with Karen
Travel to the Mediterranean
with Culinary Instructor Karen Gros
Exclusive tours for small groups of 8 people
Private activities & excursions focusing on food, tradition, history, culture, and people
Unique experiences not available elsewhere …
Become acquainted with locals, meet great chefs, travel in comfort & beauty
Dinner with our French family in Marseille
One of the highlights of my trip to Provence is weaving in time with our French family. My husband is from Marseille, and the majority of his family is still there.
My sister-in-law Christine and brother-in-law Claude graciously invite us over for a buffet dinner with family in their charming garden.
Needless to say, a delightful time was had by all. It was the first night of the tour, and as was hoped in the van to depart, one traveler exclaimed, “WOW, how are we ever going to top THAT?”
Franco-American buffet with our French family in Marseille
Colorful and diverse buffet dinner prepared by my sisters-in-law, Christine and Bernadette
Photos by Sallye Hof.
French conversation with our niece Elise
Our niece, Elise, is a linguist who teaches French to foreigners. She lives with her fiancé, Sébastien, on his family winery nestled in the rolling hills of the St. Tropez peninsula.
Elise guides us on a seaside walk, followed by a lovely lunch and French conversation. Lunch is composed of Sébastien’s grandmother’s recipe of anchoïade (thick anchovy vinaigrette served with a platter of crudités), quiche lorraine, baguette and cheese plate, fresh fruit tarts and the famous tarte Tropézienne. Sébastien joins us for a presentation of his AOC Côtes de Provence wines along with a tasting.
A seaside walk around the St. Tropez peninsula en route to the beach side vineyards
Beach entrance to the Domaine de la Tourraque
French language course with linquist Elise
Wine presentation and tasting with producer Sebastien
An idyllic day with locals in a picturesque lieu.
Photos by Sallye Hof.
Meeting locals in the South of France
My mother-in-law is a piano teacher with students of all ages. What a pleasure for my group to be able to meet Madame Emilie in her home in the hilltop village of Castellet surrounded by rolling vineyards. I had heard about Mme. Emilie because it was she who recommended our restaurant for lunch, but we had not planned to meet her. While wandering in the village, I mentioned to a shop owner that Madame Larrieu is my mother-in-law, and she cheerfully informed me that she knows my mother-in-law well because she comes to the village every week to teach Mme. Emilie, who lives just next door, piano. The next thing we knew, we were inside Mme. Emilie’s home.
Madame Emilie is over 80-years old and has been taking piano with my mother-in-law for quite some time. In her former life, she was an artist and a curator at the Louvre museum in Paris. We see evidence of that from the multitude of paintings in her home.
A glimpse of the breathtaking view from her “outdoor” living room
Madame Emilie enjoys a spectacular view of the rolling Côtes de Provence vineyards and the Mediterranean Sea from her apartment. She enclosed her terrace as a way to extend her living room, and had a large sliding window installed on the outer wall for an unobstructed jaw-dropping view. “I’ve lived here 56 years, and I never tire of the view,” she says.
We were bowled over to see ratatouille simmering on the stove.
We could not believe our luck ~ my travelers thought I had pre-arranged everything. Not only did we get to meet Mme. Emilie in person and bear witness to her lovely home, she insisted we see her traditional Provençal kitchen (an “eat-in” kitchen with a long rectangular table, designed for prepping, as well as dining), and there – lo and behold – we found a pot of ratatouille simmering on the stove. In the perfect image of a Provençal grandmother, she had prepared the quintessential dish in anticipation of her grandchildren’s upcoming visit.
Antique vaisselier, or buffet, found in Mme. Emilie’s kitchen.
The visit with Madame Emilie was a delightful surprise for us indeed! These are the moments that make our trips so special.
Photos by Sallye Hof. Note: Mme. Emilie’s name has been changed in order to protect her privacy.
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