A Provencal Journey in Biodynamics:
Mindful Eating, Farming & Living

Imagine France’s Mediterranean countryside of vineyards, romantic and rustic farms and peaceful olive groves. The harmonizing flavors of succulent, tree-ripened figs, blooming fields of lavender, local chèvre goat cheeses and olive oil from orchards the Romans planted. This region of southern France between the Rhone River and Italy is known as Provence and has always carried a separate spirit and light than the rest of the continent.

Join anthropologist and chef, Mark Haskell of Friends and Food International, and health counselor and food educator, Kimberly Rush Lynch of Cultivating Health, for a Provençal study seminar on wellness, biodynamic agriculture and natural ways to improve human health and energy.

The program will alternate between sessions on health and wellness, and field visits throughout the region. We have also scheduled yoga, meditation, shiatsu treatments as part of the program. In addition, there will be cooking and wine tasting, discussions with local experts and the chance to met Provençal people who make the term joi de vivre so applicable to this area.

We will visit biodynamic vineyards and farms, kitchen gardens, regional markets, essential oil distilleries, Roman and medieval historic locations and the home and garden of naturalist Jean Henri Fabre. There will also be opportunities to learn how to cook ambrosial Provençal dishes with local and biodynamic delights, hike in the countryside while foraging for wild edibles. A “high point” of the trip promises a sunrise meditation on Mont Ventoux, the mountain made famous by Petrarch as the Giant of Provence for its morning views of the Alpes.

We will be staying at L'École Buissonnaire, a charming Chambres de Hote located in the heart of the Cotes du Rhone vineyards of the Vaucluse Department, 45 minutes from Avignon. L’Ecole is a large, rambling, traditional Provençal mas (farm house) lovingly rebuilt with restored antiques, aviaries, fountains, gardens, a pool, a boules court, and surrounded by walking paths leading to the vineyards, forests and the River Aigue. The closest village and café is about a 20 minute walk through the vineyard.

People and their food are the keystones of culture. Knowing how and where it is produced, and its place in history and celebrations, provides a delicious guide to learning about other people and their communities. This is the philosophy behind Friends & Food International’s travel seminars. Friends & Food is incorporated in the U.S. in Washington, DC, and has been providing culinary services and travel to Provence and the Vaucluse since 1997.


Trip Details:

• September 20th - 25th, 2010 (Full - now opening a second trip the last week in September/first week of October! Call for more information.)
  
• Pick-up and drop-off in Avignon or the Avignon TGV station
• Includes accommodations, all food & wine, restaurant meals, entrance fees, all programs and ground transportation
• $3,200 per person (does not include airfare)

Register by June 15th and save $200!
Find a group of 6 or more and get 1/2 price on one fee (save $1,600)!


You may wish to use Friends and Food International's travel agent, Patricia D'Aurey of Premvac at 410.889.6200 to book your flight and to make other arrangements should you decide to extend your stay. Travel Insurance Protection will be made available to everyone through Travel Guard International's Travel Insurance Protection for Trip Cancellation which reimburses prepaid nonrefundable expenses if you must cancel or interrupt your trip for unforeseen reasons: sickness, default of airline, tour operator, personal disaster, illness of immediate family member, missed connection, terrorist incident, etc.


Sample Itinerary:

Each day we will mix sessions on health and wellness with site visits and programs that explore the Provençal countryside and history. We have proposed the itinerary as a learning experience to enrich your health, awareness and as an introduction to the region, and to meet French proponents of health and wellness programs. This area of southern France is a crossroads for the continent – climatically, geographically and in the human experience of trade, history, education, religion and food cultures.

Day 1 – Arrive in Avignon, pick-up, transfer to l'Ecole Buissionniere, in Buisson, France in the Cotes du Rhone, settle in, meet hosts, and enjoy lunch and a session exploring the relationship between food and French lifestyle at l'Ecole. Afternoon visit to Vaison-la-Romaine with it’s the Roman ruins, the medieval upper town and the lower modern town. Afternoon walk in the vineyard to nearby Villedieu, watch sunset over the valley. Dinner at l'Ecole.

Day 2 – Yoga/stretching/meditation and Breakfast (every day). Check in and morning session on traditional French health and foods and the turn towards biological wellness. Visit to the weekly antiques and farm market of l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, the canal town near the Fontaine de Vaucluse and the Luberon Valley. Following lunch we will travel back through the Luberon valley. Late afternoon session on the relationship between food and mood, food energetics, connections to the land and the growing biodynamic movement in France.

Day 3 – Foraging in the local countryside followed by a picnic lunch and discussion on how we must evolve to live within nature by eating with the seasons. After lunch, visit to the Enclave du Pape, a region ceded to the Avignon Popes for it’s fine vineyards and strategic position. Chateau du Grignan, renowned for its roses and fine farming system and subject of the “Letters of Madame Sevigne” from the Court of Louis XIV. Followed by a visit to Richerenches, the “haunted” Commanderie of the Knights Templers and the truffle capitol of Provence. Visit the home and experimental garden of Jean Henri Fabre, the famed and first naturalist who transformed the study of the natural world with simple, direct disciplines of observation.

Day 4 – Meditation and Sunrise over the Alps on the summit of Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence, and a central subject of the poets Petrarch and Mistral. Day tour of biodynamic farms and wineries in the Cotes du Rhone of the Vaucluse: Le Barroux, Beaumes-de-Venise, Gigondas, Sablet, Rasteau, Carrianne, Seguret, and enjoy walks among the Dentelles (“Lace” monolith cliffs). Throughout the day we will visit (and taste) superior private and cooperative wineries and enjoy the famous views of these hill towns. Evening Provençal cooking class with biodynamic delights at l'Ecole while discussing mindful eating practices that improve digestion.

Day 5 – Visit to the city of Avignon, the Papal Palaces, the gardens and the views of the Rhone River and neighboring departments. Restaurant lunch in Avignon and an afternoon visit to Ville Nueve les Avignon across the River and a visit to the great Charterhouse of the French (now a national study center for culture) and it’s accompanying fortifications. Followed by a brief visit to the Papal castle site at Chateaunuef-du-Pape. Late afternoon walks, journaling, meditation and/or shiatsu.

Day 6 – Morning at the Nyons town market (in continuous operation for 250 years) – the Olive capitol of France. Nyons is also a major center for essential oil distilleries. Olive-centric lunch, and visit Nyon’s famous olive oil mills and lavender oil distilleries. Followed by a session on deconstructing cravings. Afternoon visit to the French National Universite du Vin (wine) in nearby Suze-la-Rousse, housed in a beautiful 12th century chateau of the Dukes of Adhuerre to develop our taste palette. Restaurant dinner in Entrechaux.

Day 7 – Romans and their development of the natural world. Visit Roman Orange and the Pont du Gard. Pont du Gard roman aquaduct, across the Rhone River from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Truly spectacular engineering achievement of Romans, beautiful setting about the Gard River in the desert-like Cevennes hills. Within visiting range of medieval Uzes and Roman Nimes.



What is Biodynamic?

There are several different approaches to biodynamics which may include everything from cosmic and asteral influences, to chemicals, soil, air and even historical references. But, in general, biodynamics embraces a wholistic approach to earth and agricultural forces, and for the purposes of our program we want to observe the biodynamic process and its effect on people – how it influences them. Does it make them better producers and consumers, and what qualities of their lives are influenced?

As the Biodynamic Farming & Gardening Association summarizes:

Biodynamic agriculture is a way of living, working and relating to nature and the vocations of agriculture based on good common-sense practices, a consciousness of the uniqueness of each landscape, and the inner development of each and every practitioner.



This tour is brought to you by Friends & Food International and Cultivating Health. For more information or to reserve your space, please contact Mark Haskell at MkHaskell@aol.com or 202.726.4616. A non re-fundable deposit of $1,000 is due by July 15th (unless the trip is canceled, in which case you would receive a full refund).