For all of you coming to cook at Chateau des Sablons this November in the Loire Valley, let me just begin to dream you through the week:

Saturday evening:  arrival (followed by dinner, wine and chocolate)

Sunday:

9:00 am  breakfast  (with croissants from Patisserie Metry)

10:00 am departure for Montsoreau flea market/antiques

lunch  in Fontevreau; visit to Abby (VERY good in Brasserie: Croque Madame with salad; 6.50 Euros.)

3:30 pm wine tasting with Jerome Godefroy

4:30 pm class with Faye

7:00 dinner

Monday:

8:15 am breakfast

9:00 am departure for Chinon

9:30 tour of Chateau of Chinon with wander through town

lunch at Brasserie del Paix
4:30 pm cheese tasting with Jean-Pierre

5:30 pm class with Faye

7:30 pm dinner

Tuesday:

8:15 am breakfast

9:00 am Bourgueil for fresh fruit and veg market (crepes/ La Trattoria)

Villandry/Langeais
4:30 pm class with Faye

7:00 pm dinner

Wednesday:

8:45 am breakfast

9:30 am depart for Bourgueil

10:00 am chocolate demonstration with M. Metry
7:30 pm dinner at former residence of Louis the 14th (complete with burning torches)

Thursday:

8:15 am breakfast

9:00 am departure for Samur

drive along D947 with the house/caves (forgive my terminology) on the right

12:00 pm workers’ lunch (long tables, full lunch, fabulous prices)

2:00 pm tasting/tour of Veuvre Amiot (gorgeous sparkling white; hard not to fall in love with)

5:00 pm class with Faye

7:30 pm dinner

Friday:

8:15 am breakfast

9:00 departure for Tour  (kitchen stores/ boutiques/historical center

12:00 lunch in Tour

2:00 depart for wine tasting

3:00 wine tasting with M. Druet Pierre Jacques Druet
7:30 dinner

Saturday:

8:15 breakfast

departure