Day 3
Departure at 10.00am
The department of the Vaucluse is the home of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, one of France’s leading wine appellations. In the fourteenth century, on the initiative of Pope Jean XII, the popes chose Châteauneuf-du-Pape to build their summer residence. They decided to plant vines in the rocky soils. The wine remained a secret for centuries until it finally received the appellation d’origine title in 1929. Departure from the hotel at 10.00am, towards Châteauneuf-du-Pape for wine tasting and the discovery of the appellation. Your Ambassadress will take you to meet the members of a family steeped in the region. For 4 generations they have conserved their heritage and transmitted the knowledge of their ancestral craft. Their perfectionism combines the love of workmanship with a profound respect for the geological elements. Each and every action, of this essentially manual work, is carefully crafted to protect their vines and is carried out, season by season, with almost religious devotion. With rare passion, they will help you discover their history and the different varieties of grape they produce: Clairette, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussane, Syrah, and of course, taste their wines!
Gastronomic lunch: You are invited to a gourmet lunch in a house where the art of receiving is innate. A rich moment for your taste-buds, with the single intention of bringing you serenity and pleasure at the heart of a gastronomic garden.
Afternoon: Departure for the village of Gigondas, between Carpentras, Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine. Gigondas is a marvel, with the view of the Dentelles de Montmirail, a 200 million year-old and 630 metre-high massif, which is the western limit of the Monts de Vaucluse mountain range. The geology and climate have created a limestone-rich soil and unique terroir. The aroma of this lively and fruity red wine produced here has distinct notes of oak and roses. How about a wine-tasting? We could not imagine having you miss out on this experience, despite the satisfaction that the magnificent landscape of the Côte du Rhône region offers. Your Ambassadress will reveal other confidential addresses to suit your wishes and desires.
Return to the hotel around 5.00pm: To take full advantage of the swimming pool and garden.
Dinner and night at the Château. The house saying, quotes the British historian and philosopher Theodore Zeldin: “Gastronomy is the Art of Using Food to Create Happiness”.