France: Food Sovereignty and Artisan Production

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France is known the world over for its rich culinary traditions. Of course, French food culture is tied to its agrarian history, and the strong role of diverse artisan producers rooted in the specificity of place—a concept the French call “terroir.” But the push for industrial agriculture under the post-war Marshall Plan drastically altered the French countryside, pushing many family farmers out of agriculture. Nonetheless, many small producers retain their commitment to traditional, artisan food production. And French consumers, with a high awareness of the hazards of industrial and GM food, are creating powerful alliances with farmers to create sustainable, healthy food systems. This tour of central France—Loire Valley and Auvergne regions—will connect you to French rural life and to the energetic French movement for food sovereignty.

On this 10-day tour of Central France, you will enjoy the delicious products of terroir, such as the famous cheeses of the Auvergne region (Saint-Nectaire, Cantal, Bleu d’Auvergne) and wines of the Loire Valley (Chinon, Bourgueil, Vouvray). You will meet with the farmers and artisans who have made a political choice to maintain their sustainable production methods in the face of tremendous pressures from the global economy. You will also meet with leaders from the farmers’ union Confédération Paysanne, Slow Food, French NGOs, educators and policy-makers working for food sovereignty. Traditional meals in the French countryside and in the homes of French farm families will allow you to experience both the pleasure of eating in France and the important political struggles attached to it.

For more context on Food Sovereignty in France, download this Country Backgrounder.

Tour highlights may include:

• Enjoy traditional French meals prepared with local farm products
• Visit organic farms and meet with farmers and artisan cheese, meat and bread makers
• Meet with leaders of the farmers’ union Confédération Paysanne to discuss their struggle for food sovereignty and against GMOs
• Discuss France’s endangered food crops with Slow Food
• Forage for edible, wild plants with an expert in ethno-botany
• French cooking workshop with ANIS étoilé, a French NGO focused on education, food justice and sustainable food systems
• Wine tasting in the Loire Valley
• Visit traditional French farmers’ markets
• Excursion in the rural, volcanic landscape of Auvergne
• Homestays (bed & breakfast) with French host families (1-2 nights)
• Visit an agricultural high school and experience a French ‘school lunch’
• Tour the Chateau de Chenonceau and its spectacular gardens

Click here to download a sample itinerary (PDF)

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.Price includes:

• All in-country transportation (beginning and ending in Paris) including airport transfers
  
• Three-star hotel accommodations and homestays (Price is based on shared double rooms; single rooms available for an additional fee)
  
• 2-3 meals daily
  
• Trip leader, guides and translators
  
• Preparatory reading materials
  
• All scheduled tastings
• All program activities
• Food First membership
• NOT INCLUDED: International airfare

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Please check back as we post details about our next Food Sovereignty Tour to France. Or contact us about creating a customized tour for your group of six or more at info@foodsovereigntytours.org or call (510) 654-4400, ext. 223