Springtime
in Amsterdam
There is no better time than spring to visit Amsterdam.
After a cold and icy Northern European winter, the city
bustles with the promise of new life. The weather is crisp
and clear and locals and tourists alike are tempted to
take the long way home. Who can blame them? Amsterdam
is one of the oldest and most pedestrian-friendly cities
in the world. The city is spellbinding and best enjoyed
at the gentle pace of a slow walk or cruise on a rented
bicycle.
17th century houses perch above quiet canals over which
small bridges stretch to join narrow cobblestone streets
and alleys. Not to be missed are the legendary flowers
which splash the city with color every spring (daffodils
in April, tulips in May). American visitors can even purchase
their own bulbs at the famous Floating Market and be reminded
every year of an unforgettable
Impressions
of Amsterdam
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Valentine's
in Paris
This Valentine’s Day take the hand of the one you
love and set out to explore the City of Lights. Take a
quiet stroll along the banks of the Seine, be dazzled
by the shimmering lights of the Eiffel Tower, and lose
yourselves in the romance of Paris. At night, make your
way to the Hotel du Crillon for a once in a lifetime dinner.
Every Valentine’s Day, this world-famous hotel opens
its private dining rooms to the public for a feast with
a remarkable view.
From their tables overlooking Place de La Concorde, guests
can see more of the city’s monuments than most tourists
see in a day. But the real treat is dinner itself, specially
prepared by an extraordinary team of experts under the
direction of Jean-Francois Piège, just named Paris
Chef of the Year by the prestigious food guide Gault Millau.
From the first tickle of champagne, you will know that
this is a Valentine’s to remember.
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What's
cooking?
What better souvenir to bring home with
you than the secrets of French cuisine. A cooking class
can transform a normal vacation into an unforgettable
cultural experience. The class begins with a guided walking
tour of the local market where the day’s ingredients
are handpicked. Then it’s back to the kitchen where
a bilingual professional chef shows you the little-known
techniques that make French cuisine easy to recreate at
home. Be sure to take lots of pictures of your culinary
masterpiece, because when the hard work is done, it’s
time to sit down to your three-course meal.
Learning to be a French cook is easy, choosing your destination
is the hard part. In the heart of Paris, Paule Caillat
of Promenades Gourmandes will welcome you into her personal
kitchen and offer you an amazing experience complete with
cheese tasting and a visit to local bread and wine artisans.
Looking for a more rural experience? Travel south to Provence
and the Marmiton cooking school at La Mirande, where the
traditional wood stove is fired up with oak three hours
before the class begins. Here you can choose from a wide
variety of classes, including the very special Truffle
Weekend, when you set off into the Vaucluse mountains
with local guides and dogs to find the elusive “Black
Gold.” The next day is dedicated to a special class
about cooking truffles, followed by a lunch where your
efforts will definitely be rewarded.
www.promenadesgourmandes.com
www.la-mirande.fr
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For more packages and special offers, check our website
www.artduvoyage.com
and click on your destination
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Alpine Paradise
Imagine standing on an
alpine peak with Italy to your left, Switzerland to your
right and 385 miles of skiing heaven laid out beneath
you. With over 185 lifts in a network of trails three
times larger than the biggest American resorts, it’s
easy to see why Courchevel is considered the premiere
winter resort of Europe… if not the world.
With that much territory to offer, it doesn’t
matter if you’re a newbie or a double-diamond pro.
There’s plenty of room for everyone and plenty of
assistance too. Courchevel is home to Europe’s biggest
ski school with 500 instructors and mountain guides ready
to show you the slopes. On a routine day you can ski or
board down one mountain, cruise down a second (stopping
for lunch on the sundeck of an on-mountain restaurant)
and coast contentedly down a third.
But the charm of the Three Valleys doesn’t end on
the slopes. It was, after all, the French who invented
après-ski and in the Alps eating is as
important as skiing. For the gourmand, there is the 2-star
Michelin restaurant, Le Chabichou (see feature below).
as well as a host of exceptional traditional Savoyard
restaurants. After dinner enjoy a stroll past the skating
rink, see what’s playing at the resort’s three
cinemas, or buy a little something special at one of the
150 shops that call Courchevel home. When the living is
this good, you’ll want to call it home too.
Courchevel
resort website
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Le
Lana in Courchevel
For those who want to be at the center of it all, there’s
no better hotel than Le Lana. Originally built in 1958,
it was the first hotel built specifically for the Courchevel
resort. Today it is a 4-star luxury hotel with direct
access to the slopes. With a terrific central location,
it is the ideal accommodation for the winter sports enthusiast
or for those hoping to explore the town (and shops) of
Courchevel.  Its
57 rooms have views of snow covered mountains. Each of
the hotel’s luxurious 19 suites includes a Jacuzzi
(essential after a hard day on the mountain) and a view
of the slopes. With a location this good, families can
rest assured that everyone will be on time for dinner,
as they can watch them coast down the mountain at the
end of the day. And dinner at the gourmet Saint Nicolas
is definitely not to be missed. In a land where one can
easily ski 60 miles in one day, comfort is key and the
onsite Spa Lana offers every service necessary
to soothe your body and mind and get you ready for the
next day.
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Le
Chabichou in Courchevel
For those seeking the good life, Le Chabichou is the place
to stay. Just a stone’s throw from the ski runs,
its wooden gingerbread décor give it a homey, intimate
ambience, but there is no denying that this is a luxury
hotel. It’s a true ski-in/ski-out hotel and passes,
skis and boards can be purchased or rented directly from
the hotel.
Along with its superb location, charm, and comfort, the
shining beacon of this hotel is Michel Rochedy’s
two-Michelin-star restaurant which offers the best of
traditional Savoyard cuisine with just a pinch of the
exotic. For those who want to make their gustatory experience
just a little more unforgettable, Rochedy offers cooking
classes every Thursday morning.
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Le
Saint Joseph in Courchevel
Within the ambience of a luxurious country house, guests
of Le Saint Joseph have four-star luxury service at their
disposal every moment of the day. Its eleven rooms and
three apartments each have their own individual style,
with fabrics, paintings and antiques that have been hand-picked
from the best of Paris, Lyon and Naples. Guests seeking
a cozy and relaxed atmosphere might prefer the rooms “under
the roofs” which have an atmosphere reminiscent
of a family home and bathrooms in “the old style”.
A stay in the Directoire Suite is a dream. Its shimmering
red and gold fabrics harmonize perfectly with its super
soft sofas, an immense canopied bed and polished floors.
For large groups, two duplex apartments are available,
with four bedrooms each, as well as saunas, Jacuzzis and
private entrance and exit direct to the street.  The
gourmet restaurant, “Le Hussard”, is the perfect
place to warm yourself with a hot chocolate on your return
from skiing or to savor a delicious dinner. Guests looking
for a change from the traditional can try the hotel’s
second restaurant, The Grand Café, featuring exceptional
Thai Cuisine, before heading back out to the hustle and
bustle of Courchevel, is a dream. Its shimmering red and
gold fabrics harmonize perfectly with its super soft sofas,
an immense canopied bed and polished floors. For large
groups, two duplex apartments are available, with four
bedrooms each, as well as saunas, Jacuzzis and private
entrance and exit direct to the street. The gourmet restaurant,
“Le Hussard”, is the perfect place to warm
yourself with a hot chocolate on your return from skiing
or to savor a delicious dinner. Guests looking for a change
from the traditional can try the hotel’s second
restaurant, The Grand Café, featuring exceptional
Thai Cuisine, before heading back out to the hustle and
bustle of Courchevel.
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