Friday, April 16-
Day 1: Depart Seattle on Air France
Note: Group Flights Departs at 1:45 pm Seattle, WA (SEA) Air France #309

Saturday, April 17-
Day 2: Médames et Messieurs, bonjour!
Arrive in Paris at 8:35am. Clear customs and meet your Parisian culinary guide Muguet Becharat for a morning tour of Paris. Let’s begin our day with a visit to a neighbohood café, where we’ll sample delicious French pastries and of course, a café au lait.  We then make our way to a local market where you’ll indulge your senses in the flavors and aromas of fresh, local products. Never satisfied with just looking, Muguet usually purchases samples for everyone to taste. After, enjoy a free afternoon in Paris.  Rest, freshen up, then we meet this evening for an overview of the week and your first delicious French dinner hosted by Nancy Leson and Muguet Becharat.

Sunday, April 18- 

Day 3: The heart of Gourmet Paris (on foot)
This morning, Muguet leads the way to the best culinary addresses in Paris. You’ll have a gourmet walking tour which will include markets, delicious baguettes, chocolates, pastries and cheeses. Experience the intimate markets of the Latin Quarter before continuing on to Notre Dame and the island where Paris was founded, the Ile St. Louis. There you may wish to sample an ice cream at the city's most famous producer. Time (and energy) permitting our culinary stroll will continue on to the Marais neighborhood for a bit of window shopping in the district's many shops.  By mid afternoon (approx.3:00pm) you'll be free to explore the treasures of Paris on your own. Note: Located in the Marais are three wonderful small museums. (1) The Picasso Museum (2) The home of Victor Hugo (3) The Paris History Museum. 


Monday, April 19-
Day 4: Outing to Normandy and Monet’s gardens
We visit the “21st arrondissement” of Paris today. Normandy earned this nickname because of its proximity to the city and because many Parisians make it a frequent get-away destination. We plan to go to the village of Giverny, home to Monet’s residence and famous water lilies. You'll discover that in addition to painting, the father of Impressionism had two other passions: cooking and gardening. We’ll see his amazing blue kitchen and yellow dining room and stroll through his Japanese and Norman gardens, which became his favorite painting subjects for over four decades. For lunch, we enjoy a traditional Norman feast at a nearby bistro before returning to Paris.

Tuesday, April 20-
Day 5: The World Famous Cordon Bleu!
The morning is yours to stroll through the quaint alleyways of the world’s most beautiful city or visit the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Rodin museum, or the Champs Elysées. Your guide will be happy to give you suggestions or maybe even offer her famous “Chocolates and pastries of the St. Germain tour.” Have lunch on your own and meet either at the hotel or at the school for our afternoon class.

Our cooking class at the Cordon Bleu begins at 3:30pm and will be a demonstration course of making a starter, a main course and dessert, presented by a French-speaking chef. The ingredients are passed around to inspect, you are free to ask as many questions as you like, and the session will be translated live into English by your guide as the chef works. There is also a mirror that ensures maximum visibility. Afterwards, everyone gets to taste the results. Dinner will be on your own tonight, as most aren’t very hungry after the cooking class, but you might want to check out the Parisian Jazz scene with helpful suggestions from your guide.

DISCOUNTS: TWO GREAT WAYS TO SAVE $150-

1)Pay by check: Pay your final balance by check or money order and save $75 per person.

2) Refer a Friend and Save! Refer a friend and save an additional $75 for each person new to Earthbound who travels with you on an Earthbound Expedition. “Refer a friend” discounts may be combined with other discounts.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW before you go...

Not Included: Airline surcharges and taxes, alcoholic beverages, meals not mentioned, room/mini-bar service, gratuities for hotel staff, travel insurance and activities not listed.

Pricing: In the event that there are fewer then the minimum participants listed in your itinerary, you will be offered a small group comfort charge to ensure that the journey departs as scheduled. Former guests have greatly appreciated the benefits of traveling with a smaller group. Earthbound staff or hosts are not included in the number of tour participants. Please refer to your detailed itinerary for pricing information specific to your journey.

Currency Fluctuations: Although no changes in the price of your trip are expected, Earthbound reserves the right to add a small supplement or offer you a refund due to unexpected currency fluctuations of plus or minus 5%. Seventy five days prior to departure, rates will be reviewed and if necessary, updated.  Fluctuations greater then 5% will be posted to your final invoice. Example: if the US dollar falls against the Euro by 7%, a 2% surcharge will be added. In this case, Earthbound will absorb the initial 5% loss in the dollar.  If the dollar gains against the Euro by 7%, a 2% credit will be offered.  NOTE: this policy pertains to Euro zone countries (Russia, Western and Eastern Europe only).

General Tour Information: This is a walking tour. Although we’ll have a motor coach for the country outings, most of the other sightseeing will be done on foot or using public transportation which involves stairs and lots of walking. Paris is a walking city, so comfortable shoes are a must!

Dress: In general, our guests feel most comfortable when dressed in a “casually smart” (not formal) way. We are often asked about jeans and Europeans of all ages do indeed wear them. None of the places we visit or dine require that women wear dresses or that mean wear suit jackets or ties or any other special clothing. You’ll dine in casually elegant bistros that are not at all stuffy.

Is This Trip Right For Me? This trip is designed for gourmets of every persuasion. You don’t have to be a professional chef or even aspire to be one: just love eating or making food, sampling all kinds of specialties, and having fun.
 

Not As Passionate About Food As Your Partner or Spouse? Not to worry, none of the events listed in your itinerary are mandatory.  Why not visit the landing D- day beaches of Normandy, the Rodin Museum, Louvre or Napoleon’s grand tomb? Call with questions.