W E LC O M E !
EUROPANACHE OPENS DOORS TO THE EXTRAORDINARY. We always provide our clients with world-class exclusive services in Europe and North America. We save you time, expense and energy while providing you behind-the-scenes experiences. You’ll enjoy access to private art and antique collections, members-only clubs and private wine estates. You can cook with top chefs, explore new destinations with our discovery packages and stay in showcase villas, apartments and yachts. Whether you are traveling for leisure, business or a corporate incentive, our experts and travel designers will develop a themed itinerary adapted to your needs and taste.
A pioneer of custom travel and one of the world’s most experienced agencies, EuroPanache is the premier inbound tour operator in France and the United States. Our president, Bob Preston, is the recipient of many industry honors and has been acclaimed by leading travel magazines like CondÊ Nast Traveler and Travel+Leisure. EuroPanache is also a member of Virtuoso and Ensemble and is the only agency selected by American Express for its Centurion and Platinum clients who are traveling from Asia to France and the United States.
Our European and New York companies are fully licensed, bonded and insured. Our award-winning team is composed of travel designers from all over the world including senior members of the Chinese Tourism Professionals Association in Paris. Our experts in wine, fashion, antiques, art, and other areas of interest will guarantee the quality and exclusivity of your trip. EuroPanache clients are primarily high net-worth families from around the world. In fact, three of the five wealthiest families in the world are our repeat clients.
Trust us with your travel plans — we will open doors to the extraordinary…
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Wine Expert LIONEL
ANTIQUE WINE TASTING JOIN LIONEL FOR A TASTE OF HISTORY. Enter the exotic realm of vintage and antique wines. You will taste wines that date as far back as the early 19th century, after descending into the shadowy depths of Lionel’s 17th-century wine cellar in the heart of Paris, where these exceptional vintages are carefully preserved. Hear tales of vineyards and varieties of French grapes, of good years and bad years, of sugar and sunlight... Taste three excellent wines, including one old vintage. Learn about: • What it takes to be an expert in rare and vintage wines • How to identify those wines that are truly exceptional This is a rare opportunity to explore a world that few are ever able to enter. This is much more than a wine tasting, it is a sensual journey during which you will have the chance to taste the past.
Michelin Chef THOMAS
LEARN ABOUT FRENCH CUISINE WITH A CELEBRATED CHEF After stints at several prominent restaurants and hotels, Thomas earned his first Michelin star at the age of 28. Today, he presides over another Michelin-starred restaurant where critics have praised his use of the highestquality products in creative dishes, each based on a single flavor. He truly embodies joie de vivre and is a wonderful guide to France’s culinary heritage. Your introduction to Thomas’s approach to cuisine may start when he picks you up in his antique Mercedes and drives you to one of the city’s markets, where he will take you to the top fruit and vegetable sellers and he selects the best produce on offer. You’ll learn about how Thomas chooses his ingredients, from flowers to heirloom vegetables, many of which have become rare in modern cooking. Even ingredients that you may think you know well—arugula, wild greens, seasonal fruits, squash—reveal their complexity when Thomas explains the nuances of their flavors. If the weather allows, your next stop may be a picnic overlooking
the Seine on a rarely visited quay where your lesson in gastronomy may include oysters, smoked salmon, and a glass of fine champagne. Thomas will share insights on both enjoying and preparing the sauces that accompany his dishes. After this satisfying start to your culinary adventure, you may head to one of Paris’s three working vineyards. No French meal is complete until it is paired with an excellent bottle of wine, and Thomas will introduce you to the winemakers and you’ll learn about their art. You’ll explore the wineries’ atmospheric cellars where Michelin-starred restaurants and palace hotels store their most valuable bottles. If you opt for an afternoon excursion with Thomas, you may visit one of these wineries before heading to his new restaurant in the 8th arrondissement for an aperitif in the kitchen. You’ll see the master in his element as he gives you a private tour and explains how he and his team conceive and then produce the restaurant’s celebrated dishes. Afterwards you’ll sit down to a private tasting and, now that your palate has become a little more refined thanks to Thomas, you’ll better appreciate the complexity of truly stellar French cuisine. An outing with Thomas is a must for any foodie or Francophile who wants to better understand the cuisine that is at the center of the country’s culture.
Food Critic PIERRE-YVES
BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE BEST PARIS RESTAURANTS WITH A FOOD CRITIC Creator of the magazine Cuisine et Terroirs, co-author of a number of books on gastronomy and the French art de vivre, and host of a program on gastronomy on Gourmet TV, Pierre-Yves is also the founder of a publishing house, which produces an annual guide that sets the standards for Parisian fine dining. His Guide Lebey, widely read and appreciated by French connoisseurs of fine dining, has become the bible of Parisian gastronomy. This unique experience takes you to the heart of French gastronomy through the restaurants and kitchens of the best chefs in Paris. Pierre-Yves will have selected dishes beforehand, with one of the city’s leading chefs, and you will have a chance to taste his or her newest recipes. Pierre-Yves will also carefully pair the best wines for every course and see to every detail to
ensure that you receive VIP treatment. During lunch—which will include an appetizer, a first course, a main dish, and dessert, each with wine or champagne—you will have the chance to become a food critic yourself. Learn what to look for in each dish, how to judge the service, and how to rate the bread, the coffee, the wine... You will hear, off the record, some secrets about the very exclusive world of haute cuisine— the kind of insider information you never dreamed you would hear about certain chefs and restaurants. You’ll live, for a little while, the life of a food critic, experiencing a side of gastronomy that is usually only seen by professional critics, enjoy an exceptional meal, and meet a chef that everyone’s talking about. Bonus: You’ll receive the chef’s own recipe (top secret!) and a copy of Pierre-Yves’ guide to the best restaurants in Paris.
Auctioneer ELSA
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH A PARISIAN AUCTIONEER Elsa, a lifelong fine art enthusiast, was Director of Marketing and Special Events at the world-famous Christie’s auction house for seven years. She returned to school to pursue a degree in Art History from the Ecole du Louvre, after which she took the examination to become a Certified Auctioneer. Today she is one of the few women auctioneers at Drouot, Paris’s most distinguished auction house. Every day, she is busy organizing and managing auctions, overseeing the creation of auction catalogs, and wielding the gavel. Her specialties are jewelry, silver, and paintings. The excitement is palpable at Drouot. In display rooms, one can browse the items to be auctioned the following day. Peer into
glass cases at Cartier jewels and antique pocket watches on beds of velvet, and admire all types of beautiful objects. The action runs nonstop in all sixteen rooms on two floors. Every auction room resembles a tiny theater, with an auctioneer on stage running the show. In other rooms, the worn velvet couches and red wallpapers are straight from an earlier era. Everything in this luxurious building says “antique.” Let Elsa reveal the secrets of these amazing auctions, explain the rituals and protocols, show you that every object displayed here has its own soul and intriguing history. You will experience this house in a way that few ever do: behind the scenes and in the thick of the action.
Master Baker
FREDERIC
IN THE KITCHEN WITH A MASTER BAKER Frédéric began his career working with the famous French pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre. At the age of 26, he won the Meilleur Ouvrier de France distinction, making him the youngest French Master Baker in history. He then had the honor of baking for the Prime Minister in his official residence. In 1999, he and a colleague opened five bakeries of their own and began providing bread and pastries to the finest Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris. In 2011, the two partners began yet another venture, opening a high-end bakery concept. Their first store opened in 2011 in Taiwan, and two more, in Japan and Paris, opened in 2012. Join Frédéric in the kitchen of his awardwinning boulangerie to learn about the fascinating history of the croissant and the baguette, as well as the rules and standards for baking them. He will show you how baguettes and crois-
sants are made and explain how the chemical interaction between the flour and his fermented starter is the key to their lightness, their tender centers, and their crisp, flavorful crusts. The starter leavening, meticulously prepared according to a centuries-old French tradition, is the essential ingredient of the authentic baguette, and the key to the unique textures of the croissant. You’ll explore the different types of flour used (whole wheat, rye, white, buckwheat, spelt). A great deal of effort goes into transforming the grains into the material that bakers use to create their works of art. Frédéric selects only the finest wheat, sourced from mills that still operate in the French ancestral tradition. Next, you’ll try your hand as a baker’s apprentice. Finally, you will, of course, sample a number of recipes, including the award-winning pastries and confections that have earned Frédéric his reputation.
Historian MAUD
THE BROTHELS OF PARIS
STEP BACK INTO THE DUSKY, PERFUMED BOUDOIRS OF THE HISTORIC PARISIAN BORDELLOS... Maud is a graduate of the Ecole du Louvre, has a Master’s in Art History from the Sorbonne, and a Master’s in Management of Cultural and Social Centers. She has designed and provided experiences focusing on art history for the Louis Vuitton Group, TV programs, and many museums. Maud loves to share the history of Paris’s legendary brothels, and the stories of the world behind their closed doors. Also an expert on the cinema and literature of Paris, she draws on film and fiction to bring this era to life. An integral part of life and the city, the Parisian brothels were fashionable pleasure palaces, where high society gathered to socialize. Many famous artists, including Toulouse-Lautrec, lived in these brothels, which
occupied magnificent 17th- and 18th-century mansions. These houses left their mark on an entire society and era. Closed by the government in 1946, only the facades (many of them well preserved) remain today, while the interiors of most have been transformed. Nevertheless, here and there, you can still find traces of their former glory—and notoriety. Maud will share the history of the best known and most extravagant of these places, which were discreetly tucked among bourgeois homes. She will retrace their history and tell you about the famous people who frequented them. Learn how every house tried to outdo its rivals through fanciful and exotic decor and inventive amenities, such as the Hindu bedroom, the “pleasure chair,” and the champagne bath. Your experience will take place over tea in one of the oldest brothels, the grandest establishment of its kind under Napoleon III. Hundreds of years later, the walls still tell a fascinating story that Maud brings to life
PARIS BURLESQUE – THE HOTTEST DRAG CABARET IN PARIS This is the longest running show in Paris for a reason…
Spend a fun-filled evening in a typical Parisian cabaret with a 3-course dinner, including an aperitif and half-bottle of wine per person.
EXAMPLE MENU House Cocktail Foie Gras, Smoked Salmon, and Marine Pearls Fish Papillote with Thai Spices Veal Stew – Granny Style or Paprika Beef Stew Cheese of the Day or Crusty Caramel Baccarat or Chocolate Cake Fondant with Vanilla Cream Sauce Coffee
The show includes 20 original acts including classic songs by superstars like Edith Piaf, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. Each evening features seven creative artist-performers with their unique and daring Parisian flair. The impersonators and dancers are top-notch. The costumes are fantastic. The performances are spectacular. It is definitely a must see! Thursday through Sunday Dinner starts at 8:15pm Show starts at 10:30pm and ends at 12:15am
PA R I S A I R P O RT VIP SERVICE
We offer you a fast-track service combined with an exclusive wine tasting and private shopping experience at Paris’s airports. Our hostess will take care all of the formalities at the airport, sparing you from the queues for VAT refunds, security screenings and baggage checks. Thanks to our special relationship with Paris’s airports, you will receive a 15% discount on many duty-free items when you use your UnionPay card. We can also offer you a large selection of top, rare French wines, including Romanée-Conti, Château Latour, Château Lafite Rothschild and others.
C H A M PA G N E
E P E R N AY, H A U T E V I L L E R S & R E I M S With your personal driver, you will head northeast from Paris on the scenic Route du Champagne, which meanders through a charmingly bucolic landscape of vineyards and picturesque villages. Our expert will organize an exclusive VIP tour of Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon. You will get to sample these world-class champagnes and learn the secrets of their production. Enjoy lunch in a lovely bistro with … a glass of champagne! After lunch, head to the Marne Valley on a journey through the vineyard to see the Benedictine abbey and village of Hautvillers, where Dom Pérignon is buried. The Benedictine monk who died in 1715 is credited with several key innovations in the production of champagne. Farther to the north lies Reims, where you can visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites: •The gothic Notre-Dame cathedral of Reims •The Palais de Tau, where the kings of France would spend the night prior to their coronations in Notre-Dame de Reims Your driver will take you to one of Reims’ finest champagne cellars—like Pommery, Veuve Cliquot, Roederer, Taittinger, and Ruinart—for an exclusive tour and tasting.
PA R I S FA S H I O N
EuroPanache’s expert fashion guide and her team will create a special behind-thescenes fashion itinerary just for you. You’ll visit major Parisian fashion houses, and meet up-and-coming designers and leading jewelers. We can also make special appointments for haute couture, or made-to-measure fittings, at top houses like Armani, Dior and Chanel. You’ll leave Paris with custom designs for all your special occasions. We can even arrange for the best tailors from top European fashion houses to come to your hotel room for made-to-measure tailoring. You can also visit the ateliers and studios of some top jewelry houses and have the designers craft personalized creations. CHRISTIAN DIOR — Dior was the first couturier to open a store on Avenue Montaigne. Experience an exclusive behind-the-scenes VIP visit, see the current collection, and get a glimpse of what is planned for upcoming seasons. HERMÈS — Enjoy a VIP behind-the-scenes tour of the Rue du Faubourg SaintHonoré atelier as well as a special presentation of the latest fashions, the home collection, jewelry and fragrances. CHANEL — Enjoy VIP service at Chanel’s Rue Cambon and Place Vendôme prêt-a-porter boutiques. For those shopping for haute couture, a more exclusive experience can be arranged. Enjoy VIP service at Chanel’s rue Cambon and place Vendôme prêt-a-porter boutiques. For those shopping for haute couture, a more exclusive experience can be arranged. JEWELRY — If you prefer fine jewelry, our fashion guide will arrange VIP access to the most exclusive shops in Paris. Visit the Cartier boutique, established in 1899 at 13 Rue de la Paix with its selection of jewelry and watches, and the original Van Cleef & Arpels boutique that opened in 1906 at 22 Place Vendôme. The designers at Lorenz Bäumer will lead you on a private tour of their creative studio and share the secrets of luxury jewelry design. PERFUME EXPERIENCE AT YOUR HOTEL — Your fragrance expert will meet you in your hotel suite to help you discover the world of perfume and scents. Enjoy a two-hour private workshop as you explore the various perfume notes and create your own personalized fragrance to take back home. Your fragrance expert will meet you in your hotel suite to help you discover the world of perfume and scent. Enjoy a two-hour private workshop. Explore the various perfume notes and create your very own self-inspired scent to take back home. EMERGING DESIGNERS — Our fashion expert can arrange private visits with Paris’s most interesting up-and-coming designers. Our fashion expert can arrange private visits with up-and-coming designers.
H E L I C O P T E R TO U R S
C H AT E AU X O F TH E LO IR E VALLE Y Departing from the Paris heliport, our pilots will take you to the Loire Valley where your tour will offer bird’s-eye views of the famous châteaux. Your flight will take you over the Palace of Versailles and its gardens before you arrive in the Loire where you’ll have breath-taking views of the Château de Meung-sur-Loire, Château de Blois, and other historic houses. You’ll continue on to the Château de Beauregard or Château de Cheverny for an exclusive tour of the house and grounds. You’ll eat lunch at the Château de Onzain before continuing your airborne tour over the Château de Amboise and the Château de Chenonceau. Next, you will land at the Château de Chambord where your private guide will recount the mysterious history of this castle. Before returning to Paris, you will sail over the Fontainebleau Forest and the Vaux le Vicomte house and gardens, with spectacular views along the way.
H E L I C O P T E R TO U R S
CH AM PAGNE Fly over Paris, then east over Disneyland to the Marne region with its rolling hills, picturesque villages and the famous vineyards of the Champagne region. You will have spectacular views of Reims and its UNESCO World Heritage sites: Notre-Dame de Reims, the cathedral where French kings were crowned, and the Palais de Tau, which served as the residence for the kings as they prepared for their coronations. You will also see the nearby basilica and abbey of Saint Remi, founded in the sixth century. Your custom itinerary will include stops at some of the area’s finest champagne cellars in Reims—such as Pommery, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Louis Roederer, Taittinger and Ruinart—for private tours and tastings.
Š EuroPanache 2014 Paris - Brussels - Geneva - New York - Sarasota Tel. +33 1 40 25 49 52. infoEU@europanache.com CST # 2083450-50