Easter Wine Tour 2012 in the Loire Valley Vineyards

Easter Wine Tour in the Loire Valley Vineyards with a Qualified English Speaking Wine Guide

Spring time in the Loire is simply beautiful. Everything is fresh, vines are coming into bud and the weather is warming up. The perfect time to take a Wine Tour over the Easter weekend. All you need do is arrive - we’ll take care of the rest!

 Experience the French countryside, fabulous chateaux and enjoy Loire Valley Wines with our Easter Wine Tour 2012.

We collect you from either Angers or Saumur station, or Tours or Poitiers Airport and transfer you to La Grande Maison in the heart of the vines. It won’t be long after arrival that you are sitting in the vineyards and sipping your first glass of cremant. 

Once you have settled in you will have chance to go walking in the vines or even go for a bike ride before dinner.


On the first the evening we serve you a delicious Wine Sampling Supper the grand hall. The home cooked meal with ingredients direct from our own organic potager is accompanied with a AOC Loire wine with each course, whilst we informally introduce you to the wine styles, grapes and terroir of the region. 

Accommodation is available in one of our four well appointed bedrooms all with private en-suite shower or bathroom and wc.

A delicious continental breakfast is offered with freshly squeezed orange juice, fresh coffee or tea, croissants and baguettes all collected daily from the boulangerie and Easter Eggs of course.

After a yummy breakfast we head off the next day into the Saumur Region on the Easter Wine Tour where we will have the opportunity during the day to visit 2-3 wineries, sample the wines, tour the caves and buy wines at cellar door prices. There is a picnic lunch en-route either in the vineyards or on the banks of the beautiful Loire River. In the evening we’ll take you to a local restaurant where you can sample the regional food.

On the second day of the Easter Wine Tour we’ll venture a little further to discover the delights of the Chinon, Bourgeuil and St Nicolas de Bourgeuil vineyards.

The area is so rich in history and culture that we always throw in a little sight seeing along the way too. 
 

Back at La Grande Maison you will greeted with tea/coffee and biscuits in the stunning gardens and have time to relax before being taken to a local restaurant in the evening. After a delicious breakfast the following morning we return you to your selected departure point. A not to be missed tour of the caves and tunnels at La Grande Maison is also included. SO EASY!


EASTER WINE TOUR IN THE LOIRE VALLEY VINEYARDS



What’s included in this package:

THREE NIGHTS STAY AT LA GRANDE MAISON in the VINES - ONLY 495 euros per person (based on two persons sharing a double/twin room)




Collection to/from ANGERS OR SAUMUR STATION, TOURS OR POITIERS AIRPORT


Welcome drink on arrival


3 night(s) accommodation at La Grande Maison 



1 Wine Tasting Supper at La Grande Maison (per person)



3 Breakfast(s) at La Grande Maison



2 Picnics in the vineyard or on the banks of the river
Loire


Transport in roomy 6 or 9 seater vehicle



Qualified Wine Guide - English Speaking



Translation and explanations by guide whenever necessary



A one day visit to 2-3 local Saumur/Saumur Champigny wine producers


A one day visit to 2-3 local Chinon/Bourgeuil/St Nicolas de Bourgeuil wine producers
Tastings of local white, red, rose and sparkling wines



Route map



Details of Domaines to be visited and meet the winemaker



Helpful descriptions and notes



Wine Tasting note book and pencil



Bottled water to take on the tour



Opportunity to buy wines at vineyard prices



Transportation of wines bought to La Grande Maison



Tour of the wine caves and tunnels at La Grande Maison

Lifts to and from local restaurants of choice on 2nd & 3rd evening


Tea or coffee in the gardens on return from your tour


DATES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST - BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!!


"Our first trip to France. Six nights in Paris followed by four nights at La Grande Maison. Whilst Paris was interesting, historic and busy, our four days with you were relaxing and we experienced more of the REAL FRANCE than in Paris. Your facilities, service and hospitality were the "Icing on the Cake!" Thank You" - Max and Deena Warren - Arizona USA



“How wonderful to be able to drink 29 different wines in the space of one weekend and console yourself with the fact that it's educational as well as pleasurable - heavenly from the first to the last drop. Our hosts not only provided great food and fascinating lessons in viniculture but were excellent company too. We shall be back!” Kirsty Lang of BBC Radio 4 - London UK



"This is as good as it gets. Thank you for an amazing four days. All five senses are fully engaged in pleasure, when you have the perfect combination of fun & interesting people, delicious home made food & beautiful wines!!" - Leah & Barton Melbourne Australia



"This is exactly what we were looking for! Your hospitality and thoughtfulness made our stay extra special - we will definitely see you again! Graete" - Leonie, Helonna and Nicolas - Pretoria South Africa




A Selection of Dates are available this year for the Easter Wine Tour choose from :

• 30th March 2012 - 2nd April 2012
• 6th April 2012 - 9th April 2012
  
• 13th April 2012 - 16th April 2012
  

Other dates available on request please ask.

Why not see a little more of the real France with an Easter Wine Tour 2012 in the Loire. To book today email resv@lagrandemaison.net and check our availability.

In Deep Water ! (but obviously not deep enough....)

La Loire, longest river in France and probably the most capricious. Winding it's way north over 1000 km's from the Massif Central to Orleans where it then cuts west and heads out to the Atlantic Ocean. Shallow in summer and often in full flood during the winter she is tricky to navigate in any season.

So the first challenge was to get La Sterne off her winter mooring in the Port of Le Thoureil. A bit of a tight squeeze but with a few reverse thrusts of the engine we edged our way slowly out into the current.

We left the port of Le Thoureil in sun but although the forecast looked good there were ominous clouds on the horizon.

The river was beautiful, calm and as smooth as ice as we made our way past St Maur's and the little port of La Menitré.

"There is plenty of water at the moment" - everyone had advised us before our trip. But still we felt safe knowing we had taken copies of the flow of the river and it's sandbanks on google maps. Cunningly storing them on the iPad we had devised a sort of marine offline GPS!

Safely navigating the waters under the bridge at St Mathurin, always a challenge as the current speeds up here and spits you out the otherside!

Direction La Bohale and pretty clear sailing so far with lowest reading of 1.1 metres on the depth sounder at the shallowest points. We need a minimum draft of 0.60m to clear the sands. So at this point we are still feeling pretty chipper. That was until we hit the sandbank. The 'sonder' had been reading 1.2m ish but it was already too late (And, no, we weren't waving to friends on the shore) as we grounded 6 tons of 'toue cabanée' into the sand at a depth of only 0.20m of water. No amount of pushing with poles and gaffes was going to free her. We were well and truly stuck.

There aren't many boats out on the Loire at this time of year. Usually none...so how lucky were we to find the gabare, La Nonchalante, making her way up stream to her winter mooring in St Hilaire-St Florent. Somehow their noble crew managed to miraculously navigate the shallows and after several attempts holding her off against the current managed to throw us a line. Within seconds we were pulled off the sandbank and floating free. The crew of La Nochalante are probably still waiting in the bar for the drink we owe them but we never made it back that evening.

Hail and dark clouds descend as La Nochalante follows us back up stream. La Sterne was struggling against the current with a blocked filter full of sand and soon an alarm was going off in the cabin signaling engine problems.

Don't panic we'll just take a few photos of rainbows and hope the alarm stops ;) - no seriously it was time to moor up and sort out the problem before the engine completely exploded.

We managed to come alongside the quay in St Mathurin and moor up. Time to take stock and let the adrenalin levels subside for a moment. In fact let's stop here the night and sort the engine out in the morning in a calm manner. We like this idea as there are a couple of good restaurants in St Mathurin and we were ready for a glass of wine!

Took some amazing riverside strolls and watched the sunset over 'La Loire.'

Idyllic place to stop for the night with the boat well protected out of the current.

We were greeted by the most amazing sunrise the next morning over the bow of the boat.

Whilst Sue enjoyed a cup of tea all warm and cosy in the bunk.....

....I pretended to know what I was doing to fix a Yamaha 50cv engine!

Clear blue skies but the wind is getting very cold.

Having effected the engine repairs by un-blocking the filter and adding more oil to the engine (just in case this might help) we decided we would head back to port at Le Thoureil. The forecast was about to turn nasty and we didn't want to risk getting stuck so we started to head for home.

Back in home waters and sailing round the Ile de Baure.

Returning back to the Port waters starting to get a little choppy.

Pheeew just got La Sterne back on her mooring in time for the snow to start falling.

Getting chilly!

We managed to track down La Nochalante in the snow a fews days later and left a case of wine on board. Our thanks go out to the crew for helping us out of what could have been a long cold wait in the middle of the Loire had they not been passing by and willing to help us out.

If you want to experience life on the Loire in warmer conditions then why not join us on one of our Boat & Wine Tours. More details can be found on the link here. Happy Sailing!!

Wine & Boat Tour 1 Day - Weekend Break from Paris to the Loire Valley

New from April 2012 we are offering an exclusive Private Wine & Boat Tour

1 day Tour - 2 night stay package

Experience the romance of the majestic Loire River with our 1 day Wine & Boat Tour on a Traditional Loire Barque. We spend the morning wine tasting at the sparkling wine houses in St Hilaire St Florent (Ackermans, Veuve Amiot, Langlois Chateau or Bouvet Ladubay) before taking a delicious picnic along the river banks of the Loire.

In the afternoon we sail from the pretty port of Le Thoureil on an authentic Loire Wooden Boat. Enjoy an aperitif as we glide past the riverside villages spotting bird & wildlife along the way. Relax on board & watch the river flow by.

Our 1 day Traditional Loire Barque & Wine Tour is an exclusively private 1 day Tour for you and your friends and offers you the opportunity of a quick weekend break away in the Loire Valley. An ideal way to take a short break out of the city whilst visiting Paris. Why not combine visiting the wineries and experiencing the beauty of the river at the same time. You will get to see hidden corners of the Loire not usually accessible by road.

All you need do is arrive - we’ll take care of the rest!

Weekend and Weekday Tours run with dates available on request.**

The 2 night stay includes the following :



You will be met at your chosen airport/station and whisked away to La Grande Maison in the heart of the vineyards. 
Or come by car so you can transport your wine home! Drive to La Grande Maison or fly to Tours Airport in the Loire Valley from Stansted and we’ll be there to collect you. Or take the train from London/Paris to Angers (Eurostar/TGV) or to Saumur.*





On arrival you have the chance to sample your first local wine as our welcome drink whilst we lead you through the next days itinerary and explain a little about the local region and it’s grape varieties.

 Once you have settled in you will have chance to go walking in the vines or even go for a bike ride before dinner.



The kitchens at La Grande Maison provide deliciously creative menus using fresh produce direct from our own organic potager. You have the opportunity to sample the local wines with the Wine Sampling Supper on your first evening at La Grande Maison.


After a yummy breakfast we head off down to the port of St Hilaire St Florent to our wine tasting and tour provided at one of the Sparkling Wine Houses listed above (still wines also included). There is a picnic lunch at the end of the tasting by the banks of the beautiful Loire River.

After lunch we make our way to Le Thoureil where our wooden boat awaits to take us on a leisurely cruise of the Loire River. If conditions are right we might even get the sail up or have chance to row over the shallows. The area is so rich in history and culture that we always throw a little sight seeing in along the way too.



We return you back to La Grande Maison where you will be greeted with tea/coffee and biscuits in the stunning gardens and have time to relax before being taken to a local restaurant in the evening. 

A not to be missed tour of the caves and tunnels at La Grande Maison awaits you after breakfast the next day. Then time to relax in the glorious gardens before being returned to your chosen departure point. SO EASY! 



The Prices :


The Traditional Loire Barque & Wine Tour 1 day : 



495 euros per person (minimum 2 persons)* if you arrive in your own car

565 euros per person (minimum 2 persons)* if you require station/airport collection (includes Saumur Station/Angers Station/Tours Station or Airport - others please ask)

Includes 2 nights stay on a Bed and Breakfast basis at La Grande Maison with a Wine Sampling Supper on the first evening of arrival. Wine tour, picnic and boat trip also included.


*other travel options maybe available please ask

**availability subject to weather and river conditions. In cases where we are unable to take the boat out then the tour will be taken in our wine tour vehicle.
Additional days/nights available on request

READ HERE TO SEE THE ADVANTAGES OF BRINGING YOU CAR TO FRANCE TO BUY WINES!



Kirsty Lang of BBC Radio 4 says about our Wine Tours - “How wonderful to be able to drink 29 different wines in the space of one weekend and console yourself with the fact that it's educational as well as pleasurable - heavenly from the first to the last drop. Our hosts not only provided great food and fascinating lessons in viniculture but were excellent company too. We shall be back!”

Happy New Vineyard Year 2012

Did you know that during the Napoleonic wars most of Europe used the Gregorian calendar. However between 1792 and 1805 France used what was known as the Republican or Napoleonic Calendar. In this all the months were renamed and years began with the foundation of the Republic at An I or Year 1. All months had 30 days except the 12th month, which had 35 or 36 on a leap year. The Republican year ran from September to August with each month named according to the season.

I've been fascinated with this calendar ever since I saw the paintings of it in the Musée Carnavalet in Paris. So I thought it would be fun to re-produce my own 21st Century version using the colours of the vineyard year.

"VENDEMIARE"

September to October was referred to as Vendemiare meaning Vintage and the month of the wine harvest.

GOLDEN VENDEMIARE

"BRUMIARE"

October to November was renamed Brumiare meaning Fog.

GREY BRUMIARE

"FRIMAIRE"

November to December was called Frimaire meaning Frost. Brrhh...

SILVER FRIMAIRE

"NIVOSE"

December to January became known as Nivose meaning Snow. Brrhhhhh...

WHITE NIVOSE

"PLUVIOSE"

January to February was Pluviose meaning Rain. Sums up a dreary cold month...

BROWN PLUVIOSE

"VENTOSE"

February to March became Ventose meaning Wind. My least favourite month and difficult to reproduce as a colour so I have called it opaque as by the end of March the sap should be rising on the pruned vines.

OPAQUE VENTOSE

"GERMINAL"

March to April was declared Germinal meaning Budding. Surprisingly in this month the little buds start to appear on the vines. From now on the vineyards start to come out of their winter dormancy and gradually more colour will start to appear in the vineyards.

GRIS GERMINAL

"FLOREAL"

April to May was considered as Floreal meaning FLOWERING. The month the little flowers start to appear on the vines. A period call floraison.

GREEN FLORIAL

"PRAIRIAL"

May to June was considered as Prairial meaning Meadows. The fields around the vineyards are starting to fill with colour now especially the rose fields.

RAINBOW PRAIRIAL

"MESSIDOR"

June to July was described as Messidor meaning Harvest. The cereal fields are starting to be harvested. Sue even went up in a microlite to catch this shot!

BEIGE MESSIDOR

"THERMIDOR"

July to August was designated Thermidor meaning Heat. Orange like a lobster thermidor?

ORANGE THERMIDOR

"FRUCTIDOR"

August to September was named Fructidor meaning Fruit.

PURPLE FRUCTIDOR


OTHER COLOURS OF THE VINEYARDS

BRIGHT GREEN

BRIGHT YELLOW

BRIGHT RED

RUSSET
BLUE

The calendar lasted for 13 years before being returned to the Gregorian Calender in 1806 by Napoleon Bonaparte.