The Real French Cuisine

France is famous for it's cuisine -- so much so that it is UNESCO World Heritage Listed. Outside of France everyone thinks of elaborate and elegantly presented meals in Michelin Starred establishments. But French cuisine is much more than that. There is a solid and ongoing tradition of peasant food, designed to make use of every available resource. Nose to tail eating in France is alive and well. Our clients may be grossed out by the sight of offal at the butchers and on the menu, but it's an important part of what experiencing France is about. We would encourage (but not force) clients to try something new.

A typical November display in a butchers window in the Loire Valley.

If you aren't squeamish and would like to learn more about French country cooking, take a tour with us in November, officially designated 'Offal Month' in France. You can email or use our contact form and we will design a tour for you that includes talking to a specialist offal butcher at one of the best farmers markets in the Loire Valley.

The Mysterious Graffiti of the Loire Valley

The tuffeau limestone that is such a feature of the Loire Valley is very soft. Almost all the buildings are made of it, and a great many of them have grafitti. You don't need much to make your mark -- a pocket knife, a nail or maybe just a shard of pottery. Of course, if you carve your initials in a building today, that's vandalism. But if you left a message decades or centuries ago, that's all part of the Loire Valley's rich history.

What happened here in 1940?

If you are intrigued by the many mysteries these graffiti hint at, email us or use our contact form. We will devise a custom tour that allows you to test your puzzle solving skills and introduces you to some history you may not be familiar with.

Goats Cheese in the Loire Valley

Many of our clients are cheese lovers and we are delighted to visit our favourite cheese producer with them. At the fromagerie they get to taste several different cheeses, ranging from squidgy mould covered cheeses that look a bit scary but actually taste great, to fresh young cheeses that have a flavour so delicate you can hardly believe it isn't still untransformed milk.

If you would like to taste some Loire Valley goats cheese, email us or use our contact form and let us create your perfect tour.