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Food tourism, especially in Europe, has grown significantly in the last few years. Countries like France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, among others, have seen a surge in cheese, wine and olive oil tourism lately. <\/p>\n
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Travellers have certainly got a taste for cheese tourism, a niche that has become especially popular as it allows fromage fans to gain deeper insight into generations of cheesemaking traditions, terroir and history. France is one of the top destinations for cheese tourism, with travellers spoilt for choice, with around 1,200 varieties to pick from. <\/p>\n
Now, a new French tour gives cheese lovers the opportunity to try around 100 of France\u2019s best cheeses<\/a>. <\/p>\n SmoothRed, a boutique wine and gastronomy travel operator, has just launched an 11-day tour, taking travellers all over France for a taste of both world-famous and regional cheeses, which can be paired with top-notch wines. <\/p>\n “Cheese in France<\/a> isn’t just food,\u201d said Adam Stebbings, founder of SmoothRed. \u201cIt\u2019s all about exploring France\u2019s distinct regions and understanding why the cheese offering of each tastes the way it does. <\/p>\n \u201cOur itinerary is designed to take people beyond tasting rooms, instead offering authentic experiences. You’ll be making cheese by hand at a goat farm, watching traditional cheesemaking techniques at family operations and exploring the caves where wheels age for months.\u201d<\/p>\n From Normandy to Burgundy: The best of French cheese and wine regions<\/p>\n The tour kicks off in Normandy<\/a>, with travellers self-driving there from Paris. <\/p>\n Here, visitors can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into cheesemaking techniques, by visiting renowned fromageries like Grain d\u2019Orge. They can also try regional cheeses like Camembert, Pont-l\u2019\u00c9v\u00eaque and Livarot. <\/p>\n Travellers will also visit a Calvados distillery, for more insight into Normandy\u2019s apple brandy making. <\/p>\n In some cases, a visit to one of France\u2019s most beautiful villages, Beuvron-en-Auge, may also be possible. <\/p>\n The next day takes you to the famous Loire Valley<\/a>, where visitors can enjoy themselves in a private city walking tour through medieval streets and stunning architecture. <\/p>\n One of the best immersive highlights on this leg is visiting a family-run dairy and goat farm, for a hands-on cheesemaking workshop. Visitors can tuck into creamy goat cheese (ch\u00e8vre) and explore the farm gardens as well. <\/p>\n There\u2019ll also be a gourmet, vineyard picnic lunch, with a range of other potential regional cheeses like Crottin de Chavignol, Valen\u00e7ay and Fleur de Sologne, along with local wine pairings. <\/p>\n Wine tastings will continue on a tour of the region\u2019s chateaux too. <\/p>\n Next up is another iconic cheese and wine region, Bordeaux<\/a>, where travellers can enjoy local cheese varieties like Gabietou and Bleu de Termignon, along with Pyrenees specials like Chabichou and Ossau-Iraty. <\/p>\n There will also be a sampling of Grand Cru Class\u00e9 de Graves wines at Chateau Latour-Martillac. Travellers can also stay an extra day in Bordeaux, to experience the left bank wines of the M\u00e9doc and other attractions like La Cit\u00e9 du Vin. <\/p>\n