The Digital Travellers's video: France s Vall e de la Gastronomy food trail

Travel enthusiasts can indulge in an array of delightful French dishes through a staggering 459 (and counting!) diverse culinary encounters along France's recently established Vallée de la Gastronomie food route. No need for a marathon here. This culinary adventure fulfils the dreams of food and wine aficionados on a road trip, and the best experiences along the trail are often found during the enchanting seasons of summer and fall. Barbara Breheret from Auvergne Rhone Alpes Tourism spoke about the region, the launch of Vallee de la Gastronomie among Indian travellers, the region's participation at the recently concluded Explore France India Showcase 2023 and about focusing on film tourism from India. Rolled out locally in 2020 and internationally in 2022, the 459 vetted activities along the Vallée de la Gastronomie are designed to allow expert gourmets and casual epicures to design their dream food-and-wine road trip. Travelers can book experiences as they see fit: perhaps just a meal or two at a Michelin-starred restaurant to enhance an already planned trip, or else a purpose-built journey with multiple stops along the 385-mile trail. Activities range from winery visits with grand cru tastings, indulging in the menu at an all-chocolate restaurant and stomach-busting food tours through France’s gastronomic capital of Lyon, to off-the-beaten-plate experiences like Périgord truffle hunting, crafting your own mustard in Dijon or creating a bottle of your own vintage blend from regional Côtes du Rhône, chardonnay or Burgundy varietals. Travellers can incorporate as many elements from the trail into their itinerary as they desire and make their way through the Burgundy, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence regions of eastern France at their own pace. Although the trail’s main artery connects cities along the A7 highway, participating hosts for the Vallée de la Gastronomie are sprinkled throughout the surrounding countryside, giving travellers delicious detours and behind-the-scenes looks into the smaller communities and producers behind some of France’s most epic food and wine products. Personalized itineraries can be built out on the Vallée de la Gastronomie website, where travelers can search and filter experiences, then contact participating hosts to book. It’s a completely customizable exploration into what makes French gastronomy so unique. Many of the activities are not only accessible by car but by bike, foot and train as well. New experiences added in 2023 include a visit to a working goat farm to meet the kids and learn about goat-milk and -product production; idyllic picnics and semi-gourmet meals made from hyper-local ingredients; an ultimate cheese pairing experience; and winery tours and tastings at Château de la Chaize, one of Beaujolais’ most beautiful wine estates (by the same architects and landscape designers behind the Château de Versailles).