ITINERARY

Day One

Our 12-day journey begins with a rendezvous in Geneva, Switzerland. Our tour starts at 8 a.m. in the lobby of  Hotel Edelweiss.  Our hosts will welcome you to board our coach to Le Grand-Bornand, one of our favorite villages for sightseeing and food shopping. This spectacular living, working French village has three obsessions- world class skiing, Reblochon cheese, and quality alpine living. We’ll enjoy lunch featuring regional cuisine while overlooking the villages with cowbells ringing in the distance. Dine like a true local - al fresco with a 360 degree alpine view!

After lunch, we visit our affineur friends at Paccard, world-class specialists aging regional cheese such as Tome des Bauges, Chevrotin, Abondance, Raclette, Manigodine, Beaufort, and Reblochon, a semi- soft, washed rind mountain cheese that can be traced to the 13th century. We’ll then travel south to the Château St. Philippe. This beautifully restored, 1,000 year-old castle, will provide us with a perfect rural French experience for the next seven days. Settle in, and enjoy a chef prepared meal, fit for a king!

Day Two

After breakfast, join our hosts for a chateau tour followed by a day of cooking, food photography, and wine/ cheese education. Half the guests will join Chef Sylvain and roll up their sleeves for a hands-on cooking demonstration. Chef Sylvain, an accomplished chocolatier, will teach us how to create one of his favorite French style chocolates. The other group will spend time with Jilly, our Mary Poppins of Cheese,  learning how to use your I-phone to take magazine worthy food pics.

During the afternoon, guests switch classes and then indulge in their creations for lunch and dinner - all in a day’s work!

The evening’s grand event is hosted by our cheese and wine educators. In the castle’s private wine cellars, we’ll explore some of Savoie’s finest artisan wine and cheese, and the role of terroir on the local culinary history. In this elegant and candlelit atmosphere, guests will hone their tasting palets and enjoy sharing a French party classic: a crusty, mètre de pain (or 3-foot long baguette) !  A light dinner will follow.

Day Three

After breakfast, guests have free time to explore the chateau or take a short hike. It’s another day to celebrate the wines of Savoie! Just down the road at our favorite boutique winery, we’ll be touring and tasting with Nadège, daughter of fourth generation owner, Philippe Grisard.

We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch, nestled under the chateau trees, and later, a game of pool, or a swim overlooking Mt. Blanc. Wrap up this lovely day with a cocktail  and a chef prepared dinner.

Day Four

After breakfast, we’ll depart for Chambery’s acclaimed outdoor market - exploring the world of fine spices, fresh produce, and cheese. Get introduced to the European way of food shopping, stumble into a boutique cheese shop, buy a local gift, or go French tablecloth shopping with Anna!  After a market lunch, we’ll tour and taste at the world-renowned distillery of Dolin Vermouth. www.dolin.fr

Returning to the chateau just in time for cocktail hour, a dry Martini might be in order. A perfect evening meal of Moroccan food will allow the chefs to showcase their favorite spices of the day! It will be an evening at Casablanca – relax and just let time go by!

Day Five

Continue your culinary journey with another hands-on cooking experience with Chef Sylvain,or learn how to entertain with cheese as Jilly helps you select and make the perfect cheese board. Finish the day with a relaxing swim and a dinner you helped prepare.

Day Six

After breakfast, join Anna, Jilly and their guide to the top of the world - a Beaufort Alpage cheesemaking experience like no other! View the cows in the high meadows overlooking Mont Blanc and experience the hand-making of this renowned cheese up close. Enjoy lunch with the cheesemaker and his family before a trek down to experience rural France as it was a generation ago. Return to the chateau for an afternoon swim, a cocktail and a chef prepared dinner.

Day Seven

After breakfast, we spend a leisurely day in one of the most beautiful places in Europe - Lake Annecy and the ancient city with the same name.  We will enjoy time at one of our favorite markets, relax on a scenic boat cruise around Lake Annecy, and enjoy the day in this pedestrian-friendly city. Back at the château we’ll enjoy our last meal with the chefs and prepare to travel to Switzerland!

Day Eight

We say farewell to our chefs and Chateau St. Philippe as we make our way north! Before settling in for a three day stay near Gruyere, we’ll meet up with our guide Teresa in her hometown of Chamonix, France for an amazing hike and panoramic view of Mont Blanc. Enjoy a traditional mountain meal at one of our favorite spots before we arrive at Hotel Wasserfall in Gruyere area of Switzerland. Take a walk through the village to see the waterfalls surrounded by breathtaking mountains or visit one of Anna’s favorite local cheese shops. Over cocktails, we’l be joined by Swiss cheese expert and legend Roland Sahli of Gourmino who will be our host for the next few days. We’ll wrap up the day together, enjoying a classic Swiss welcome dinner on the terrace.

Day Nine

After breakfast, we will spend a dream day with the brilliant cheese experts at Gourmino, visiting one of their renowned cheesemakers. Their cheese, “Crafted for the Connoisseur”, embodies the highest representation of Swiss cheesemaking, winning many international honors at world championship contests for Swiss style cheeses. We will enjoy a traditional lunch, see firsthand the lost art of the craft of leathermaking of designed straps for the beautiful Swiss cow bells. We’ll conclude the evening with an authentic fondue dinner.

Day Ten

After breakfast, we’ll explore the underground cheese world, deep inside the Gourmino aging caves. See how these artists provide the necessary custom aging experience - contributing to their unique flavor and quality. Enjoy a boat ride on Lake and an afternoon shopping in Thun or lunch and visit to Ballenberg- a Swiss Open-Air Museum  conveying the rural culture of Switzerland as it once was.. We’ll gather for a farewell dinner  as we prepare for our final day in Switzerland and the long-awaited cow parade!

Day Eleven

After breakfast, we’ll depart for the “Cow Parade” scheduled in a nearby village. Cheesemakers prepare their cows with floral headdresses and bells for the procession down the mountain to the village below. A festival awaits these beloved cows, hosted by village people and curious travelers as they celebrate the cows return to the village for the winter. This centuries-old practice of moving cows to the high pasture for the summer, making cheese in the remote alpage areas of the alps, and returning late summer, is called Alpine Transhumance. A once in a lifetime experience for cheese lovers, and a perfect way to conclude a Cheese Journey!

We’ll spend the day at the festival, enjoying lunch, and shopping before driving to the Geneva Airport hotel for our last night of the tour.

Day Twelve: Farewell to France and Switzerland!

Guests will have a convenient hotel stay (dinner not included) and breakfast (included) before saying Au revoir, as they return to their home country or on to another destination.

 Tour Price Includes:

Lodging for 11 nights, 11 breakfasts, 8 noon meals, 9 evening meals, and alcoholic beverages served with meals, classes, and events. All transportation during the tour, all classes and/or day tours provided by local hosts, cheese educators, and chefs.

Tour Price Does Not Include:
Round trip airfare to and from Geneva, hotel accommodations before or after the tour, and any personal shopping, additional food, and beverage during walking tours and free time.

Please note that transportation to the Hotel Edelweiss is also the guest’s responsibility on arrival. From Geneva International Airport, guests may take a taxi (7.3 kilometers, ~17 minutes) for approximately 50 Swiss francs or a quick, one-stop train ride and a 10-15 minute walk from the station to the hotel, train tickets are reasonably priced. If interested, you may purchase one at the airport or online via this link: http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html.

Disclosure:

To the best of our ability, this itinerary is final. However, if due to unexpected extreme changes in weather, or an emergency with our hosts, Cheese Journeys reserves the right to substitute an event if needed. During the tour, you have the option of declining a particular excursion or tour, but please note that we are unable to make refunds for any missed meals, classes, or events. Please see Terms and Conditions for additional details.