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Thank you, Francois, for hosting an amazing vacation experience for me and Rachel. When I first found your site and the descriptions of your Voyages, it struck a chord in me, and felt like the perfec…Thank you, Francois, for hosting an amazing vacation experience for me and Rachel. When I first found your site and the descriptions of your Voyages, it struck a chord in me, and felt like the perfect trip. The challenge for me was that my wife is not nearly so keen on a vacation that revolves around food and wine as I am, but being such an amazing partner, she agreed to go anyway.
Fast forward to the actual trip, and I have to say that not only were my high expectations exceeded, but the balance of activities and the little “extras” that can only be provided by someone that truly loves the area had Rachel enjoying the experience so much that she’s eager for another voyage!
Beginning with the open dialog we had pre-booking, into a first day full of surprises and each eye-opening day after, you were the perfect host; part chef, part tour guide, part traveling companion and a pleasure to be around at all times. The balance between the culinary and the cultural was spot on; the pacing was excellent, and the open nature of the agenda allowed for a wonderful mixture of flexibility and surprise. Oh, and BTW your skills in the kitchen are no joke; I learned a lot every day I was there and the only disappointment is that I can’t seem to find good product here in the US to try and replicate many of the dishes we had. ☹
The little personal touches stood out; flowers and plums from your father’s home (I REALLY miss the Mirabelle’s..), a visit to the Murbach Abbey (where your parents were married) and the way you were able to share your pride and pleasure in the wonders of Alsace made this far more than just another tour.
As to the Voyage itself? Sure, we saw the castles (Konigsburg!) and the churches (Mont Saint-Odile was amazing!) and wandered around the lovely villages and towns – and all of that was incredible. That said, to me the real standout experiences were things that one normally wouldn’t get to experience, like the Winemakers Festival in Eguisheim, the Ecomusee d’Alsace (loved the shave BTW!), the unscheduled stop at the Ingersheim Flea Market, the post-closing Eaux de Vie tasting at Bollenberg, mushroom hunting in the mountains, impromptu grape picking (for the quail dinner) and the hilarious argument at Boulangerie Turlupain. Talk about authenticity!
I can’t wait for my next Voyage; I’m hoping to get a few friends to join us next time. In the meantime, I have to say that I can’t recommend your service highly enough. Anyone who has a love for food, wine, culture, history, architecture and a wonderful adventure would have a wonderful time on one of your Voyages. Or better yet, on TWO!!!