France Champagne and Burgundy Regions

Posted on Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Most of the vineyards in the Champagne region can be found in Epernay and Reims.  In Reims you will also find the amazing Louis XV Palace, the Roman Porta de Mars, and many museums dedicated to the art of making effervescent wine. The 13th century Reims Cathedral is a famous jewel of Gothic architecture. The cathedrall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was destroyed in World War I, but was restored with its stunning facade, interior and stained-glass windows. Try to make time to visit Moet Chandon and Taittinger vineyards.

Beaunne, is the wine capital of Burgundy, and an ideal base to explore the vineyards.  The burgundy region is known as the meeting place of civilizations. Located in the center of France, it is easily accessible via the high speed TGV trainand numerous highways winding throughout.

Julie and Julie France Vacation

Posted on Tuesday, August 18, 2009

On August 7th, the movie Julie and Julia released in theatres.

I was lucky enough to see a preview and in addition to Bon Appetit, all I can say is Viva La France! The movie is partly based on Julia Child’s book “My Life in France.”

There is no way to see this marvelously entertaining movie without wanting to see Paris. Whether it’s a first trip or a tenth, the movie is a love song to the City of Lights and makes one want to be there tomorrow. The Eiffel Tower, a cruise down the Seine, the Place de La Concorde, Montmartre, you name it…

Julia and her husband Paul dine in restaurants that are so French they couldn’t possibly be anywhere else. There is a charming scene about Julia’s very first meal in France and it’s Sole Meuniere. It was love at first taste and several years later, we all were in love with Julia and her French Chef series.

Please check out the low airfares to Paris so you, too, can taste the Sole, Boeuf Bourguignon, a freshly baked baguette, or chocolate dessert baked by a French chocolatier. My first meal in Paris was in a small local café and it was just chicken and French Fries. Yummmmm...one of the best meals ever!

There are many different types of tour vacations for France that include Paris only, or perhaps combined with a trip to the Normandy Beaches, the Chateaux in the Loire Valley, Provence or Monte Carlo & Nice in the South of France. If buses are not your style, you can travel by train or by riverboat as well.

Written by: Laura U
laura@atlastravelweb.com

French Cuisine

Posted on Saturday, July 11, 2009

Lunch in France is generally served between 12 and 2pm. It may be difficult to find restaurants open in the afternoon. Dinner is served from 7-9pm. Set menus, like the menu du jour, the menu of the day, is usually good value.

A bistro may offer a better value than a restaurant. A brasserie is also a less formal experience than a restaurant. Traditional rich and heavy French meals are no longer everybody's choice but modern French cuisine - light and healthy, in stylish bistros - is becoming more popular. There is also a fantastic selection of ethnic foods thanks to ex-colonial immigrants from Indochina, the Middle East, Caribbean and South Pacific. But best of all is taking your time over a simple petit déjeuner [breakfast] - a big cup of strong coffee and brandy with a perfect croissant.

Traditional French cuisine of the protein-covered-with-rich sauce kind has been top of the gastronomic world since Romans travelled there to eat wild boar with cranberries in 34AD. But it's finally out of fashion - too heavy, too fattening, too taste-limited, but the quality and variety of regional ingredients is still outstanding and simple seafood dishes are particularly exquisite, not only on the coast, but inland too.

Ethnic cuisines are also excellent, interesting and widely available, but the real pleasure of French food is the simple mid-trip picnic bought from a local market or shop - freshly baked baguettes with cheese, salami or paté, olives, salad and wine.

Steak-frites [steak with chips/ fries] is typical fast food in France, along with crêpes [pancakes with fillings], pizzas and baguettes [sandwiches] with various fillings - which can be found on streets everywhere, and make popular meals for Euro poor or time poor travellers. Vegetarian travellers can often have problems with fixed menus [menu fixe] as the French do love meat.

French cuisine is very varied, with the differences based on the produce and gastronomy of each region, a few are below;

PERIGORD/DORDOGNE: Some regard this as the best regional cuisine in France. This region is famous for truffles, foie gras (goose liver pate) and poultry. Walnut oil and goose fat are used in a lot of the cooking. Also popular is pork, duck, freshwater fish (which can all be stuffed with foie gras or cooked with truffles), crayfish, rabbit, beef. Keep a look out for desserts such as chestnut gateaux, tarts and flans with plums, quinces, grapes, cherries and pears,

PROVENCE: This region is sometimes called the “Garden of France” due to its fantastic range of spices, herbs, fruit and vegetables. The culinary term á la provençale relates to this region, you can guarantee that if you order a dish á la provençale, it will come with garlic and olive oil infused tomatoes. Other ingredients that frequently appear on menus are aubergines, zucchini, squash and onions, combine these ingredients with garlic and herbs and you get the all-time Provençal favourite, ratatouille. Aïoli is a sauce made by mixing olive oil made mayonnaise with plenty of fresh crushed garlic, which can be spread over asparagus or eggs and codfish. Provence’s most famous soup is bouillabaisse, which is made with at least 3 different kinds of fresh fish, onions, tomatoes, saffron, bay leaves, sage, and thyme.

Information provided by Peregrine Adventures

Burt Wolf Cruises

Posted on Wednesday, March 18, 2009

There's still time to book a river cruise with travel, culinary and cultural journalist, Burt Wolf to benefit Public Broadcasting. For each booking made through Atlas Cruises & Tours, a significant donation will be made to help support the Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) in your community, so even though you are booking online, the funds are distributed locally.

Burt Wolf will accompany all 9 guaranteed departures, warmly sharing his in-depth knowledge of each intriguing port, and its culture and customs. All boats in Avalon Waterways' fleet average just two years in age and offer the largest staterooms of any European river cruise operator. The fleet varies from 50 to 80 cabins per ship, each with an English-speaking crew.

With Wolf actively hosting each departure, you'll have lively discussions of the history, food and drink and customs of the particular region. On shore, guests will have the opportunity to visit Wolf's favorite places, have a beer or a glass of wine with friends who own unusual pubs and famous vineyards, taste the regional delicacies and generally "hang out" with people who have been in his television programs.

Burt is the ultimate host....he is literally with guests 24/7, sharing his insider knowledge of each destination. The many extras that he treat his guests to - the chocolates, cheese, beers and wines and much more are valued at more than $2,000 per person.

BURT WOLF CRUISES FOR 2009
For full trip details on all of the Burt Wolf 2009 cruises, please call us at 1-800-942-3301.

TULIP TIME CRUISE
March 28 to April 5, 2009
Holland & Belgium
Cruise priced from $2,859 to $3,378 pp (plus airfare).

RHINE RIVER CRUISE
April 18 to 26, 2009
France, Germany, Holland
Cruise priced from $3,131 to $3,650 pp (plus airfare).

CRUISING THROUGH FRANCE
May 24 to June 4, 2009
Nice to Paris, France
Tour/Cruise priced from $3,959 to $4,608 (plus airfare).

CRUISING THE DANUBE
June 18 to July 1, 2009
Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic
Tour/Cruise priced from $4,179 to $4,828 (plus airfare).

CRUISING THROUGH FRANCE
July 11 to 22, 2009
Paris to Nice, France
Tour/Cruise priced from $3,909 to $4,558 (plus airfare).

CRUISING THE DANUBE
July 29 to August 9, 2009
Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary
Tour/Cruise priced from $3,799 to $4,448 (plus airfare).

CRUISING THE DANUBE
August 12 to 23, 2009
Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary
Tour/Cruise priced from $3,799 to $4,448 (plus airfare).

RHINE RIVER CRUISE
August 22 to 30, 2009
Holland, Germany, France
Cruise priced from $3,339 to $3,988 (plus airfare).

CRUISING CENTRAL EUROPE
October 15 to 27, 2009
France, Germany, Czech Republic
Tour/Cruise priced from $3,909 to $4,558 (plus airfare).

CHRISTMAS TIME CRUISE
December 10 to 19, 2009
Austria, Germany, Czech Republic
Tour/Cruise priced from $2,934 to $3,490 (plus airfare).

Burt Wolf France River Cruise

Posted on Saturday, February 14, 2009

We have gotten a lot of inquiries about the Burt Wolf Travel River Cruise itineraries for 2009. Please note that these are special chartered voyages, so not every agncy can book the trips. Our agents will be happy to assist you with the reservation process.

Today we are going to highlight the July 11th - 22nd, 2209 trip:
River Cruising through France with Burt Wolf

Tour/Cruise priced from $3,909 to $4,558 (plus airfare).

Burt Wolf, the host of the public television series Travels & Traditions, invites you to join him on this Avalon Waterways’ Tour and River Cruise from Paris, France through Burgundy and Provence to Nice. Burt will be the onboard host throughout the trip. This is a unique opportunity to travel with Burt, see the sights, and experience the places where his television shows were filmed.

In addition to being your host throughout the entire cruise, Burt will conduct the following special events:

1. A Tasting of the Wines of the Region.
2. A Talk on Understanding and Buying the Wines of the Region.
3. A Talk on Understanding European Architecture.
4. A Talk on Pairing Food and Wine.
5. A Talk and Tasting of Pastis and Absinthe.
6. A Talk on How his Public Television Programs are Produced

• Prior to the cruise, Burt will mail each guest a packet of his research and background material about the tour locations, and a DVD of one of his programs that relates to the tour. These materials are his personal evaluation of the area – the history, art, architecture, what to eat, what to buy, and what to see. It will give you detailed background information on the places we are going to visit. It will also give you some ideas for things you might like to do in your free time.
• Onboard, Burt will present an overview of the area and give a number of talks about the importance of the locations we will be visiting.
• Cruising through France on the Sâone and Rhône Rivers is a perfect combination of cruising and touring with a pace you set yourself.
• Unlike ocean cruising, our river cruise docks right in the city centers and the old towns. You can tour close to the ship or venture further into town.
• The ship’s entire interior is non-smoking and all announcements are in English.  

With Burt as your host, the tour begins with two days of sightseeing in Paris, then a drive south into the Burgundy region for a tour and wine tasting in the city of Beaune. We continue on to the village of Chalon-sur-Sâone to board our boat. We cruise down the Sâone River with stops in the ancient towns of Tournus and Mâcon. Then two days in Lyon – France’s gastronomic center where we will enjoy the wines of the region. On the Rhône River, additional stops will include the twin cities of Tournon and Tain L’Hermitage (famous for their medieval architecture), Avignon (14th century residence of the Popes) where we will have a tasting of the wines and foods of the region, then on to Arles with its Roman Amphitheater and the sunlight that inspired Van Gogh. Our final stop will be in the Mediterranean city of Nice on the Côte d’Azur. Avalon Scenery’s English-speaking Captain, Cruise Director and crew are experienced professionals dedicated to your comfort.

One of the most popular aspects of a Burt Wolf River Cruise is the excellence of the food and free wine onboard. Each full day on board, there is a full breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a cocktail reception, welcome dinner, and Captain’s dinner --- one sitting with open seating arrangements (non-assigned). At dinner, each evening, there is a selection of a red wine and a white wine from Europe’s most-famous wine regions, which are served throughout the meal without charge.

Breakfast: 7:00am – 8:30am
A buffet table includes a wide variety of breads, cereals, fruit and fruit salad, cold cuts, smoked salmon, cheeses, pastries, yogurts, and juices. Scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, and other hot items can vary from day to day. The chef will prepare fresh omelets and other egg dishes to order.

Lunch: Usually served at 12:30pm depending on the cruise schedule
Buffet-style with appetizers, soups, sandwiches, cold cuts, breads, salad bar, two main courses (one of which may be a carving station), dessert table, cheese board, and fresh fruit.

Afternoon Tea:
Coffee, tea and cake will be served either in the lounge or on the Sun or Sky Deck.

Dinner: Usually served at 7:30pm depending on cruise schedule.
Dinner is traditionally four courses including a vegetarian selection. Choice of entrees with every dinner including complimentary red and white wines from the region.

On Days 3 and 4: Buffet breakfast will be offered at our Paris hotel.

On Day 12: Buffet breakfast will be offered at our Nice hotel.

The Land/Cruise cost (including hotels in Nice and Paris), per person (based on double occupancy):

Cabins are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Expenses not included in the Land/Cruise cost include: roundtrip airfare, travel insurance, port tax (approximately $98.00); 2 lunches and 2 dinners in Paris (Days 2 and 3); 1 lunch in Beaune (Day 4); 1 lunch and 1 dinner in Nice (Day 11); miscellaneous expenses onboard (laundry, internet, telephone, minibar, liquor/food not on the regular menu, porters at airports, excess baggage fees, gratuities to your Cruise Director, guides and ship’s crew), passport, airport transfers in Europe (approximately $70.00 per person. If you book your air in conjunction with the cruise, the airport transfer fee is waived), and all other items of a personal nature.

ABOUT BURT WOLF
Since 1982, Burt Wolf has written and produced over 4,000 segments for Cable News Network (CNN), 800 segments for ABC (the American Broadcasting Company), 125 half-hour programs for the travel division of The Discovery Channel, 26 half hours for the Family Channel and 250 half hours for Public Broadcasting. During his 30 years as a journalist, he has written or edited more than 60 books and for a number of years authored a weekly column for The Washington Post. He has been nominated for two Cable Ace Awards and a national Emmy in connection with cultural history. Burt's shows have been translated into Russian, Polish, Mandarin and Korean and reach a worldwide audience in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Burt's relaxed and personal style makes both his programs and his role as "host" informative and entertaining.