Vin en Vacances

Vin en Vacances team Member Kate Wardell writes about one of her experiences this year.

Whilst I think it’s fair to say that our own food & wine holidays are pretty spectacular, sometimes we have the chance to work with other travel organisations, and this year, Vin en Vacances teamed up with Intrepid Travel to offer their holidaymakers a day trip with a difference!

What does ‘Intrepid’ mean to you? Fearless? Dynamic? Adventurous? – maybe all three – and we certainly had a fantastic mix of characters on the day tours around the Minervois, from a single lady from Scotland who had mountain biked across the Atlas Mountains, and had over 100 parachute jumps to her name, to couples who had travelled through South America and the Antarctic. Intrepid Travel brought this amazingly diverse collection of travellers together on the Canal du Midi, for a succession of trips featuring a rather more gentle paced immersion into life in Southern France!

Intrepid Travel specialise in small groups, taking in masses of local culture and flavour; so whether you’re a single traveller, a couple, or even a small group of friends who enjoys holidaying together, these guys put together some fabulous itineraries, and bring together like minded travellers from all over the world!

One morning in early September, I arrived to collect my group for the day – an entire boat load of friends who had known each other for many years; and was asked if it was OK for one of the guys to film the day out for his vlog back in Australia. I unwittingly agreed, and off we went; first to Chateau de Rieux to taste wines, then for a gorgeous picnic lunch, and finally to Chateau Coupe Roses for more wine. I can honestly say, I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in a very long time. Aside from the video footage, and me having to practice the vlog’s catchphrase of  ‘Get it in Ya’, these guys really embraced the spirit of Languedoc, asked fantastic questions, and appreciated not just the great wines, but the time our winemaker colleagues invest in our guests.

Jason Sampson – co host of Bogans Guide to Wine has put together this amazing video of the day

Aside from the video, another one of the party is an avid travel blogger – and her blog of the day is so thoughtful, and honest, I’ve started following her, just to read about her travels! Follow the link if you’d like to read Shell’s blog.

I hope you enjoy the video. you might even see a cameo appearance by our very own Wendy Gedney 😉 And I think it’s safe to say that the Languedoc scenery looks absolutely fantastic; and we look forward to working with Intrepid again next year!