In her cooking, Dominique Crenn has transported San Francisco diners to her native France at her Michelin three-star Atelier Crenn. Now, she’s actually going to take a select few across the Atlantic with her.
Next May she’ll lead a five-day culinary excursion to France, hosted by Satopia Travel. Your home base will be Domaine des Étangs in Massignac, France, which sits in the Cognac countryside and was a French château in a previous life before it became a five-star hotel. From there, the gastronomic delights will commence.
Crenn, who was the first female chef in America to gain three Michelin stars at her influential San Francisco restaurant Atelier Crenn, will be cooking up most of the meals, including the first-night French Gardens Dinner and a Golden Night Dinner on the third evening (the menus are not yet available). Guests will also have the chance to take a master class with Crenn, where she’ll talk about the philosophy behind her style of cooking, and tour the property’s vegetable garden with the chef and the on-site gardener.
Domaine des Étangs Photo by Olivier Löser
Of course, you can’t stay in Cognac without trying Cognac, so the first evening will also feature a tasting experience. And keeping with the old-school French royalty vibes (you’ll be staying in a castle, after all), the last night in Massignac will be feted with a masked ball inspired by Versailles. (Don’t worry, you’ll have a fitting for your costumes the day prior.)
When you have a little bit of downtime, Domaine des Étangs has some pretty great amenities that you should definitely take advantage of while you’re there. For starters, the 13th-century château has a private art collection spread out on its 2,500 acres of land (a tour is included in your visit). Inside, you’ll find heated pools near the Roman baths and a luxurious spa, while outside you can row boats on the property’s lakes or play a game of tennis on its courts.
The trip starts at €28,250 (about $28,700), and only 36 guests will get to accompany Crenn journey.
