A foodie's dream: a taste of southern France

Délicieuse! Everything we ate on this France food tour was delicious: rum-flavoured Cannelé pastries, world-class wine, regional cheese, walnut cake, chocolatines, slow-cooked cassoulet, fresh oysters... the list goes on.

Oh, they were so much fun. The nature of this trip was very inclusive in terms of getting to know one another, as we could easily talk about and share the food we were tasting. There were different levels of knowledge and abilities: a couple of chefs who run their own restaurant, enthusiastic amateurs and then people like me, who just enjoy eating nice food.

Essentially, we were all on the same page: we wanted to get stuck in and learn about southern France's incredible food scene. 

This food tour wasn't just about eating as we got hands-on at a cookery class. We had the option to join a cookery lesson at a chef's restaurant in Sarlat. This took place at a farmhouse in the middle of the countryside; you wouldn't have known about it if it wasn't for this group tour.

We shucked oysters and saw how the chef prepared duck dishes. The chef uses local produce to create seasonal menus, so it was a great insight into French cuisine. The free-flowing wine helped, too! 

Did you know that in the south of France they have pastry wars? For example, what most people know as a pain au chocolat is called a chocolatine in southern France.

If you go into a bakery in southern France and ask for a pain au chocolat, they might charge you an extra euro, a bit like a tourist tax. They're both the same thing, though...

If you follow a restricted diet or are vegetarian, this may not be the trip for you. The nature of the trip involves trying and tasting lots of different food, so it's best to go with an open mind. I didn't like oysters until I went on this trip, but I discovered I liked cooked oysters much better than fresh ones. 

It's hard to choose, but the best thing I ate on this trip was the duck. The region around Sarlat is renowned for its traditional dishes like duck confit and duck sausages, and one evening we ate dinner at a local family-run restaurant, whose duck dishes are extremely tasty, and for good reason. 

It feels like sacrilege to think of something I didn't enjoy eating on this trip. Actually, it would have to be the plastic-packaged pastry on the Eurostar, but thankfully the food improved from thereon out!

1. Oysters
Tuck into fresh oysters in the fish market of Arcachon, a seaside town on the Atlantic coast. You can enjoy them fresh as well as cooked, with a variety of toppings to sample. 

2. Wine
Sip some of the finest French wines from Bordeaux to the Dordogne region. Take your pick from world-class vintages at esteemed estates to local tipples across wine bars and cellars.

3. Cannelé pastries
This classic French-set custard is known for its distinctive small, fluted shape and caramelized crust. These delicate sweet treats originate from the Bordeaux region.

4. Rocamadour cheese
Indulge in creamy Rocamadour cheese, a small, disc-shaped cheese with a mild, smooth flavour. The Dordogne region is renowned for its exceptional cheese production, and Rocamadour is its most famous.

5. Cassoulet
A hearty casserole-like dish, made with a variety of ingredients including beans, meat (usually pork or sausages, but sometimes duck) and served with sides. Cassoulet is a beloved comfort food in French cuisine.