FRANCE OFF THE BEATEN PATH TOURS ACTIVITIES

France Off the Beaten Path Tours (OTBP) offers an exclusive experience, working only with France’s “Creme de la Creme”…

…in France’s Provence, the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne,  Normandy, and Dordogne regions. Our active small group tours combine unique, culturally enriching, and personalized experiences, excursions, and activities that are not available to the general public. These include exclusive, private visits to artisan workshops, wine producers, mills, museums, castles, and other historical monuments. Our excursions and activities bring guests into our French world, allowing them to see and experience France as we do as locals living here.

Everyday offers new opportunities to get to know our local French friends, and experience France unlike the general tourist to this spectacular country we call home. Whether you enjoy cooking regularly at home or just like to try your hand at it during vacation, cooking classes with our Michelin-star, Master, and “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” Chef friends in their professional kitchens or in their family home kitchens offer tour guests an authentic, insider experience to the magical world of French cooking and cuisine.

Tours include fun, hands-on and/or demonstration culinary (cooking) classes…

…with our friends who are Michelin-Star Chefs, celebrated Master Chefs and/or “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” Chefs. Prepare recipes that reflect French cuisine of each individual region along side these culinary stars, as they welcome you into their world.

Most importantly, No experience is necessary!

Recipes prepared during OTBP cooking classes reflect each individual region, and are based on seasonal ingredients purchased fresh daily at the local outdoor, village food markets. The greatest reward comes at the end of each culinary class, when our Chef transforms his or her home or restaurant into a private stage to feature and taste the dishes we prepared together under his or her guidance while sipping a local cocktail.  Meals are paired with regional classified wines selected by our chefs.

In Provence, immerse yourself in the southern France wine culture with a day in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. We walk a local wine trail designed by our team of professional France walking guides to experience the best of this famous southern France wine growing area. We top off the walk with an in-depth wine discovery workshop tasting 6 different grand cru wines followed by a privately prepared lunch by our local friend, a Michelin-star Chef. And it all takes place at our friend’s home in his restored 13th century wine cellar. On Provence tours, tour guests also visit a friends’ olive oil mill made famous by their elite selection of olive varieties and authentic, artisan processes.

There is no better way to discover local customs than by witnessing artisan practices and crafts in person, and being able to take home souvenirs of your experience — whether they be a photographic souvenir, the memory of the flavors of France’s famous cheeses, exceptional wines, or an actual final product that was just made before your very eyes.

Both longer and shorter walking trails are available on all of our walking tours through France.

Guests decide how much walking to do on any of our France small group walking tours. All walks are guided by expert nature and history walking tour guides, and are designed to appeal to walkers of all interests and ability levels. Plus  we provide a support van for all walks. Some walks include gourmet picnics or a specially reserved lunch at a private castle, wine producer or select Michelin-star rated restaurant along our small group walking trail. Walks feature stops for winery tours, wine tasting, olive oil mill tours, photo opportunities, to discover local villages, enjoy castle tours and independent exploration.

France is a nation of walkers, and all Off the Beaten Path small group tours through France also include “daily leisure walking” at producers, castles, markets, and in French country villages that is considered appropriate for most travelers.  Review France Off the Beaten Path France Tours Walking Ratings. ALL Off the Beaten Path Tours through France include options daily for both walkers and non-walkers alike. Van support is provided for all of our walking tours so that when you’re done, the support van is available to pick you up and transfer you to the next group meeting point, or back to the tour group hotel, as you wish.

Enjoy expert guided cultural tours of villages and regional markets…

…followed by shopping and leisure time at art, regional, farmers, and artisan markets and craft fairs, as well as antique markets in historical villages and towns adds to the excitement of discovering local heritage and traditions during our small group tours in France. Our UNESCO award winning tour guides take guests on private tours of the artisan and craft markets, introducing guests to local and regional products. They also offer assistance, as needed, with purchases in the marketplace.

Learn fun facts, tall tales and ludic stories about French history and historical figures…

…with our UNESCO award winning tour guides — all of whom are experts in French history and local French culture. Some are also President of local tourist offices, published authors, blog journalists, and feature writers for prominent travel publications and tour travel guides. Enjoy expert commentated tours in English at our favorite castles, historical sites, monuments, artisan workshops, olive oil mills, chocolate workshops, cheese makers, and wine producers. Tours are fact-filled, and also include many untold stories and legends, plus lots of historical fun facts and gossip about the kings, queens, their courts, and much more.