French Culinary Tours

Périgord Noir - The Land of a Thousand Castles

June 5-15, 2024

Registration is now open

Only 10 participants are in my tours, so if you know this is absolutely for you, go ahead and contact us immediately by scheduling a Zoom meeting with me (Ghislaine).  Please see the full details below. 

What is the official start day/time:

Official start is 11:00 a.m. on the 5th of June – meeting at the hotel in Paris. 

What is the official end day/time:

Official end is around 5 p.m. upon our return to Paris on the 15th of June.

What is included:

  • All meals are included, from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 11.
  • All visits, guided tours, and excursions
  • 2 cooking classes with local chefs (1 in Paris and 1 in Dordogne
  • Cooking classes/guidance from Ghislaine, during our stay in Dordogne
  •  Transportation during the tour (please be aware that a lot of walking will be involved, especially in Paris.  If you choose to hire a taxi to return to the hotel because you do not want to stay with the group, the cab fare will be at your expense). 
  • Lodging for 10 nights in quality establishments (double occupancy).  Single occupancy will require an additional charge of $750 for the entire duration of the tour.

What is NOT included:

  • Roundtrip airfare to Paris
  • Transfers from and to airport
  • Drinks of any kind.  Regular water will be provided at meals, of course.
  • Travel insurance (please purchase your own if desired)
  • Taxi fares taken on your own
  • Extras beyond proposed meals
  • Personal purchases (souvenirs, etc.)
  • Medical expenses in case of illness or accident during the tour

Price per person: $5,995*

Price is for double occupancy – an extra charge of $750 will be charged for single occupancy.

*Note about our pricing:  the Euro rate has increased by almost 10% in the past month, so we had to take this increase into consideration and adjust our price accordingly.  We will gladly decrease our price if the rate of the Euro lowers – we will keep you informed accordingly.  However, rest assured that we will NOT raise our price if the Euro continues to rise.

Payment Terms: 

  1. First payment of $2,997.50 (50%) per person, at time of registration.  
  2. Second payment of $2,997.50 per person (+ $750 for single supplement) by May 1st (45 days before tour start date).

How to pay:
We take credit card payments via Stripe or Paypal.  We also accept bank transfer payments, in which case we will discount your price by 2.5%.

Cancellation Policy:  We take small groups (maximum 10 participants) on our tours.  Here is our cancellation policy:  If you cancel more than 45 days before departure, we will refund all your investment minus a $595 administrative fee.  If you cancel between 45 and 30 days before departure, we will refund your investment minus $2,500.  If you cancel less than 30 days before departure, we will not be able to give you a refund.  However, if we have someone on a waiting list, ready to take your place, we will refund all your investment minus a $595 administrative fee, regardless of the date of your cancellation.  You may also provide a replacement for yourself if it is possible.  In such a case, the person you provide as your replacement will have to pay directly to you the invested monies and we will not charge you a change administrative fee.  

Insurance: 
1. Cancellation – We highly recommend you purchase travel insurance, in case you have to withdraw your participation in the tour because of an accident or illness before departure. 

2. Medical Insurance – We will also ask you to inquire about your medical insurance for coverage overseas.  Ma Belle France, and GemCoach, LLC will not be responsible or liable for any medical expenses you may incur during our tour, for any reason. 

How to Sign Up:
We take every care to ensure our group is cohesive and positively minded, as well as in sufficient physical health to participate fully in the tour.  It is with this in mind that we require a short interview on Zoom.  We will get to know each other a little bit, answer each other’s questions, and make certain you understand fully our travel style (we are not a typical “tourist” travel company – we will always value quality over quantity; this means that we leave space during our tours for serendipitous events to happen, just like magic, being invited to a local’s home, for example, or stopping at a farmers market along the way if the group wants to, as another example.)

Our aim is to share with you our love of the history, the gastronomy, the culture and the beauty of France.  May you be open to experiences that are different from your habitual lifestyle.  

If this matches you, then please do schedule a short Discovery Call on zoom, with me (Ghislaine, owner of Ma Belle France, and your travel guide and companion) by clicking on the following link:  https://link.tekmatix.com/widget/booking/aEb9mD9rTYm0cUAAtyaF