Last breakfast at the Aquabella
Hotel today and by now, most if not all of us have had the opportunity to sample most
of the fare on offer each morning. On
the bus and off to Gordes; our first stop for what will be one of the visual
and gastronomical highlights of the Tour.
It has been said that if the Luberon
were a country, Gordes would be its capital. Because of its position, its exceptional charm
and typical architecture, Gordes has been listed as "One of the
most beautiful villages of France"
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| The Village of Gordes |
Built
on the foothills of the Mont de Vaucluse, Gordes is one of the most
well-known hilltop villages in the region. Its houses and buildings of white
stone root themselves into the cliff of the mountain and its narrow cobblestone
streets have a particular charm all of their own.
 |
| Cobble Stone Street in Gordes |
In addition to the stunning view of
Gordes as you approach it, Gordes is also a pleasure to explore from within. The village is dominated by its church and
castle; ancient symbols of the fight against invading armies. Even in World War 2, Gordes suffered terribly.
Much of the village was destroyed and its population massacred. The whole village
was awarded the Croix de Guerre medal.
 |
| The Castle at Gordes - Now an Art Gallery |
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| Walking through Gordes |
After a stroll through the town and
a coffee in one of the cafés, we’re off again; this time to Ménerbes. Like Gordes, Ménerbes is one of France's prized
"Perched Villages" or "Villages-Perchés". Ménerbes is spread out on the top of a hill that rises from a valley of
agricultural fields, vineyards from which the celebrated Côtes du Luberon is
produced. In spring the surroundings are
gorgeous, in summer, rich and lush and in autumn, stunning and colourful.
 |
| A Passage Way at Ménerbes |
In the centre of the town is the Place de la Mairie,
surrounded by 16th and 17th century buildings--and a little further on is the Place de l'Horloge
where you'll find the wine, truffle and olive oil education and restaurant facility
called "La Maison
de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon".
This is exactly where we are going for lunch.
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| The Entrance of La Maison de la Truffe on the Place de l'Horloge |
Before lunch, an information session on the Truffle is
offered to the guests and then it’s off to lunch. From the Velouté of Chestnut, to the Fillet
of Pork with Écrasé of Potato, the Brie cheese with truffles and the Baked Apple in Caramel and Truffle Sauce,
truffles have been elegantly added to each of these dishes to allow you to
discover the amazing complexity and adaptability of this praised ingredient.
 |
| How the Dishes are Presented |
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| Veloute of Chestnut with Foie Gras and Truffle |
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| Fillet of Pork with Foie Gras Sauce and Ecrasé of Potato with Truffle |
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| Brie with Truffle and Greens |
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| Baked Apple with Caramel and Truffle Sauce |
A different wine accompanies each dish to make
this lunch the pinnacle of the dining experience of the tour. As one client from a previous tour stated
after her meal at La Maison de la Truffe “I’ve had two memorable meals in my
lifetime; and this is one of them” I couldn’t
agree with her more.
Before leaving, we visit the souvenir shop and
the vast selection of wines on sale to the public. Time to leave Ménerbes for the vineyard of
the day at the Château Mourgues du Grès near Beaucaire.
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| The Wines of the Luberon on Display at La Maison de la Truffe |
 |
| A Selection of Roses from the Region |
The Château
Mourgues du Grès covers
over
65ha
of
vineyards
and
orchards. The soil
is
composed
of
alluvial
stones
from
the
quaternary
period
deposited
by
the
Rhone
and
named
“Galets”.
The Galets
are
flat
pebbles
which
protect
the
soil
from
evaporation
and
add
a
touch
of
fruitiness, freshness,
elegance
and
concentration
to
the
wines. This terroir
is
typical
of
the
southern
part
of
the
Rhone
Valley
Vineyards.
 |
| The Chateau Mourgues du Grès Entrance |
 |
| The Inside Courtyard of the Chateau Mourgues du Grès |
In this place, the
sun
shines
practically
all year
long,
ensuring
that
the
grapes
reach
optimum
maturity.
On the
plateau
of
Beaucaire,
the
vineyards
also
benefit from
both
Northern
and
Southern
exposure. The
Rhone
River
is
situated
a
few
miles
away
from
the
vineyard,
enabling
the
vines
to
draw nutrients
and
moisture
from
the
depth
of
the
soil.
 |
| Wine Ageing in the Caves of the Chateau |
 |
| The Selection of Wines on Offer at the Chateau Mourgues du Grès |
After a degustation, we head to the Domaine des
Clos; our headquarters for the next 3 days. The Domaine des Clos is an
eighteenth-century Provençal mas (farmhouse) which has been completely renovated
to perfectly combine all the warmth of a guest house with the comfort of a
boutique hotel.
 |
| The Inside Courtyard of the Domaine des Clos |
 |
| The Outdoor Lounge Area of the Domaine des Clos |
This country home offers the
perfect blend of the charm of yesteryear and today’s requirements. Each room is
individually decorated and stylishly furnished to reflect the colours of Provence. All bedrooms are soundproofed and
air-conditioned; each with an en- suite bathroom.
 |
| The Dining Room at the Domaine des Clos |
|
|
|
Once settled and freshened up, it is time for a
Foie Gras degustation. You will learn
all about the history of Foie Gras which goes back to the Egyptian times with
an expert from the region and sample this unique treat prepared in a variety of
ways.
 |
| A Whole Foie Gras Ready for the Presentation |
 |
| Preparing the Foie Gras |
 |
| Monsieur Soulat Talking about Foie Gras |
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| Pan Frying the Foie Gras |
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| Pan Fried Foie Gras with a Drizzle of Provence Honey |
If you are still hungry, a light dinner will follow the Foie Gras
degustation and then it's off to bed.
The lunch at La Maison de la Truffe and the Foie Gras degustation truly demonstrate the passion, the imagination and the flair that French Cookery is so famous for. Your taste buds and stomach will thank you forever for this memorable day.
