Armagnac Adventures

Eat, Drink, and be Merry in the Gers

7 days, 6 nights SOLD OUT

November 18-24, 2026

These are small group tours for no more than 6 people.

Since the 14th century Gascony has been producing France’s oldest brandy, Armagnac, a lusty yet remarkably elegant spirit. involving a copper still, an alambic, invented by the Jabir Ibn Hayyan, considered the Arab father of chemistry. No additives are permitted at any stage from grape to bottle, making it the most natural brandy in France. Its grapes are grown in three distinct areas— Haut-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Bas-Armagnac. Our tour will focus on the Bas Armagnac region, considered by connoisseurs to produce the best Armagnac in Gascony.

From the middle of September to the end of October grapes are harvested, crushed, and placed into stainless steel or wood vats to ferment. Once the fermentation is complete, distillation begins and our Armagnac Adventure is underway. We will visit up to 6 Armagnac domaines depending upon everyone’s stamina.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1

Following your arrival at Blagnac airport in Toulouse we will drive through an unspoiled paradise into one of the most rural, least industrialized corners in France that boasts the purest air and longest living population. Your accommodations in the Gers is the charming Le Chai, A beautifully restored 19th century mansion once the home of the Armagnac producer, Pierre Etienne Janneau. Once settled you’ll enjoy aperitifs in the salon and tour the grounds. A fabulous farm-to-dinner table meal will be provided in the evening and you’ll be able to sample some of Janneau’s armagnac which has been produced at their estate since 1851.

Day 2

Cookbook author and teacher, Laura Washburn, preparing the table for lunch.

There’s no better way to step into the rhythm of the Gascon countryside than through a class at the local cooking school, Atelier Cuisine Fourcès in the medieval, storybook village of Fourcès, one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France. After breakfast we’ll spend the day with cookbook author, and teacher, Laura Washburn Hutton. Laura trained at the prestigious Paris school, Ecole de Cuisine la Varenne, worked as an assistant to the renowned American food writer, Patricia Wells, and the influential French chef, Joel Robüchon. Our Armagnac infused cooking class will be followed by lunch in Laura’s home.

Day 3

Éauze is the capital of the Bas Armagnac region and offers one of the liveliest, and largest agricultural markets in the Gers. The market takes place along the ring of the old town under the plane-tree canopied, Place d’Armagnac. We will wander through the market which sells everything from fresh produce, to kitchen towels. After lunch we’ll visit the Domaine de Saoubis, the only organic Armagnac Domaine In the Gers.

Day 4

We’ll set off for the farmers’ market in Lectoure, a lovely hilltop village, originally a Celtic stronghold. We’ll have lunch at Le Bonheur et dans le Pré, an intimate restaurant that offers a delicious twist on contemporary cuisine de terroir. After lunch we will enjoy a guided tour of the vineyards and cellars of Domaine d’Arton set amidst 88 hectares in the Haut-Armagnac’s eastern edge, followed by a apéros and a tasting.

Day 5

The highlight of this day will be a visit to Chateau de Millet. For 5 generations members of the Déche family have devoted themselves to carrying on the history and time-honored traditions in the creation of Armagnac. Francis and his daughter, Laurence, work together to produce their delicate, fruity brandies. We’ll visit their cellars, enjoy aperitifs and a convivial dinner in the distillery accompanied by live music. The evening will end with a special Armagnaçois brûlot, a festive ceremony in which eau de vie, flowing directly from the alambic into a large copper pot, is set on fire, then directly ladled into cups of coffee.

Day 6

After the previous evening’s festivities, we will have a relaxing day. We’ll visit the Abbaye de Flaran, a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1151, situated along the banks of the Baïse River. This substantial complex is now a cultural center, and also houses contemporary art expositions and a collection of Saint Jacques de Compostelle pottery and relics, as well as a small collection of artwork from Manet to Cézanne, within its beautifully restored buildings. We’ll have lunch at the Ferme de Flaran just outside the abbey or the Auberge de Larressingle below one of the smallest fortified villages in France.