grill courtepaille | french fast food

France is known for its wonderful cuisine, so you would expect that the French also do a better job at fast food than we Americans. I had the opportunity to have lunch at a roadside grill cortepaille restaurant during my trip to France this past April. I can report that this is a great place to stop for a simple but tasty meal.

Everything is grilled over an open flame and served hot, along with delectable frites. Pictured below is their brochette de canard et figues at 15.90€.

We saw lots of French families having lunch during our meal. Although McDonalds is popular in France, why not try something local and authentic. Grill courtepaille is definitely a great place to stop if you're driving on an autoroute and you see one of their restaurants when you stop for lunch.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Loire Valley | chateaux, wine, and food

Domaine des Hauts de Loire from the reflecting pond — (c) 2014 by David Ourisman

Continuing my travelogue of my recent trip to France, the next stop was at the beautiful hotel pictured here, Domaine des Hauts de Loire. An absolutely beautiful setting, I enjoyed my stay here very much.

What to do in the Loire valley?

1. Visit the famous chateaux; click the link to explore some of the possibilities. It's an incredible historical experience, and you'll get a sense of the lavish lifestyles of the French aristocracy… and perhaps also a sense of the social forces that led to the French Revolution.

2. Taste the wine. The Loire is one of the great wine regions of France with five different appellations.

3. Enjoy the cuisine. Domain des Hauts de Loire has a two-star Michelin restaurant under the direction of chef Rémy Giraud. Room rates are reasonable — as low as 190€ for a Standard room in low season — and guests have the privilege of pre-reserving a table at the restaurant.

The hotel itself is a former 19th century hunting lodge, set in 210 acres of oak forest. Rooms in the original building are very authentic, down to the creaking floorboards and antique furnishings. The perfect spot for a romantic getaway.

Domaine des Hauts de Loire, back entrance — (c) 2014 by David Ourisman

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Meadowood | Napa Valley luxury

Settled on a private estate just outside of St. Helena, California, Meadowood Napa Valley offers a casual yet elegant setting for the perfect romantic getaway. With 85 cottages, each suite offers a living room and separate bedroom. Nestled on a beautiful hillside of live oak trees, come to Meadowood just to relax in the beautiful northern California weather, or indulge yourself in active pleasures such as hiking, tennis, golf, or croquet.

After dark, enjoy the incredible cuisine of Chef Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood. I recently enjoyed a five course tasting meal at Meadowood, each course being paired with a selected wine: an amuse bouche of Cold Smoked Toro, Chilled Carrot Soup, Monkfish Roasted in Vadouvan (pictured), Slow Cooked Beef Tenderloin (that literally melted in the mouth), and a Valrohna Chocolate dessert.

When you venture beyond the resort, the famous vineyards of Napa Valley are located just minutes from Meadowood. Enjoy biking or driving through the scenic countryside and exploring the shops of St. Helena. If fine wine is your passion, a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant can design a customized wine tour for you, even getting you into vineyards not normally open to the public.

For the best values in luxury travel, book Meadowood through your Virtuoso travel consultant. In addition to specially discounted rates, Virtuoso guests enjoy an upgrade when available upon arrival, daily full Breakfast for two, a bottle of Napa Valley cabernet, and a full Lunch for two once during your stay.


Meadowood Napa Valley (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2008 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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