The Orpheus and Bacchus Music and Wine Festival, St Emilion and Bordeaux

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Music and Markets Offers Sumptuous Bordeaux Fall Getaway

Fall into the ultimate French getaway – luxuriating in Bordeaux’s renowned wine country and imbibing inimitable wine, food, music and guests on this, their most splendid tour, a sumptuous autumn escape to Bordeaux. This week-long getaway includes a rejuvenating grape-treatment spa, delectable haute cuisine, world-class wines (of course!), and best of all, mingling with internationally recognized musicians throughout the day before hearing them perform in an intimate soirée setting.

Throughout the week, guests will indulge in a lavish menu of cultural and gastronomic pleasures. The first night is spent delightfully decompressing amid the vineyards of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte at the Sources de Caudalie Hotel and spa.

The next day, guests can relax and refresh during a morning of pampering at the renowned Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa, before departing for St. Emilion, a medieval village set above the Dordogne River valley and surrounded by chateaux and vineyards. Postcard perfection awaits as guests can stroll the cobblestone streets, enjoy an aromatic pause at a patisserie, tuck into a boutique or two, and select a bottle of wine at a town vintner. Then in the evening, epicurean delights await during dinner at a former Cardinal’s palace, now a gracious hotel and restaurant inside the ramparts of the historic village, a Unesco World Heritage site.

For the next four days, as part of the Orpheus and Bacchus Music and Wine Festival, guests will continue to discover the lush beauty and culinary riches of the region, following the route du vin through the oft-toasted vineyards of Bordeaux at harvest time, and can either test their culinary prowess during a hands-on cooking class with Chef Georges, sniff, swish and swirl at a wine-tasting class with a Master of Wine, or just absorb the distinct pleasures of the treasure-filled villages of the region. Other activities include an insider’s visit to a winery that will allow guests to learn about the intricacies of quality wine making, and purchase, if they’d like, wines direct from the viticulteur.

It is the evening entertainment; however, that sets this Bordeaux getaway apart from all others. In the midst of stellar vineyards is the home of the Orpheus and Bacchus Music and Wine Festival, owned and organized by Ian Christians. Here guests will enjoy his bubbly house party with world-class musicians and fellow music lovers, sharing many a bon soir mingling with other guests, savoring hors d’oeuvres and aperitifs before stepping into the salon, La Musique, where artists introduce the works they’ve prepared for the evening. The grand venue, originally designed in the 1700s as a celebration hall for the vendage, boasts wonderful oak beams, stone-arched windows, and a splendid Steinway, owned previously by renowned pianist Alfred Brendel.

The artistry continues, as Chef Georges Gotrand presents his culinary masterpieces at a candlelit dinner table. Georges introduces each evening’s palate-pleasing menu, and the resident Master of Wine provides expert commentary about the wines and the rationale for the pairings. After the main course, guests return to the salon for a shorter, less formal concert before completing the evening with an abundant array of cheeses, as well as dessert and coffee.

This captivating combination of fine food and wine, marvelous music, and plenty of pampering – all in a lush French countryside setting – begins October 5 and is priced at $4450 per person. Each Music and Markets tour is limited to no more than 10 people, allowing each participant to receive personal service and attention that’s often unavailable on other tour packages.

For more information about the Music and Markets in Bordeaux tour, or any other
Music and Markets offering, contact us here.

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A surprise in Fez, Morocco : Ultra modern five star Spa

Several friends have asked me what makes Fes such a special place. My answer to them is usually profuse and filled with colourful adjectives, and very much the answer I gave to the news editor who interviewed me on National Radio Maroc during my visit there last week: The old medina is the ultimate in colour, culture, hospitality, warmth, excellent products at excellent bargains, -- and paradoxes! A medieval city where, to name but one example, the exact same arts and crafts are still practised in the exact same way as they were 950 years ago, but where the entire walled medina has access to satellite wireless internet.
And so it should not have been a surprise to find that whereas one can still go to a hammam which was built 500-600 years ago and enjoy the pleasures of the three levels of steam and hot spring water, the conviviality of an afternoon with dozens of other women of all ages who are all there for a good cleanse, rub down - and gossip, you can also go to a modern hammam where the latest state of the art technology and equipment is available for beauty and health treatments that most western countries have not even heard about.

The following is an article I was commissioned to write by the world renowned blog, "The View from Fez" on the latest and newest wellness centre - or modern hammam which opened only three weeks ago in Fez:

As a seasoned traveller who has long since discovered that Anywhere-on-5$-a-Day may sound cool, but is not necessarily comfortable, I am always happy to share my secret for surviving gruelling 36 hours (sitting in the back end of the plane) flights accompanied with 36 hours (feeling like the back end of the plane) time changes: The answer is a good sauna or a steam bath followed by a serious massage.

Over the years of travelling around the world, I have visited the best spas, hot springs and well-being centres, I have floated in the Blue lagoon in Iceland, wallowed in the mud pools in Fiji, Rotorua and Mauritania, been pummelled in Sweden and pampered in Pangkor Laut, walked on in Ghana and prodded and pounded in Mexico. My favourite pastime in Japan is bathing and my best memory of St Petersburg is a massage.

Ah! And then I was given a birthday gift of a morning of pure pleasure and indulgence at the NausiKaa Wellness Centre on Avenue Bahnini – and all of a sudden my list of superlatives seemed too short!

From the moment I was dropped off in front of the imposingly modern building with beautiful water ponds and gardens and modern glass and stone façade, and walked into the black wood and grey marble entrance, I was greeted with warm smiles and a friendly welcome. Within minutes the receptionists had ascertained what my needs were and had explained what was on offer. Although I had often visited traditional Moroccan hammams, I had not come prepared with the usual towel, shampoo and brush, but this posed no problem at all and I was whisked off to the change rooms where I was issued with the fluffiest thickest towelling gown, comfortable plastic slip on sandals, shampoo and brush and scrubbing glove. After stowing my clothes in a lock up locker, I was handed over to Ouafa, a lovely young woman who accompanied me down stairs to the ladies’ section of the hammam.

It is stunningly beautiful. It was like walking down into the depths of the ocean. All the shades of blue and green mosaics create a sense of coolness and serenity, whilst the pale grey of the solid marble slab massage beds, hair wash basins and stools look sumptuous and luxurious.
After Ouafa had rubbed me down with a beautiful home made --??---(soap), my first stop was in the steam room – a circular room with comfortable seats around the perimeter and steam so hot that it satisfied even my extreme tastes. A perfect and thoughtful touch in the steam room were the taps with fresh cool water, cleverly placed behind the seats for when the perspiration make vision difficult. The steam room was so good that I did not want to leave, but curiosity got the better of me, and the moment I stepped out of the room, Ouafa was there to lead me to the marble bed where I was made to lie down, my head comfortable on a soft triangular cushion. And then the pleasure started. With the rough scrubbing glove Ouafa gave me a thorough ‘gommage’ – a scrubbing of the entire body to get rid of every bit of dead skin, leaving me glowing and tingling and feeling completely rejuvenated. I was then washed down with warm water from a hand held shower attached to the base of the marble bed, after which I stepped into the large, deep and very hot Jacuzzi.

Just when I was thinking that nothing could feel more heavenly, the next stage of the treatment started. This time Ouafa started the ‘savonnage’ -- rubbing a beautiful creamy soap all over me, massaging my skin with the soft soap from the tips of my toes to the top of my head until every bit of me felt soft and supple and every muscle in my body felt relaxed – a deliciously gorgeous sensation. When I was finally instructed to go stand under the shower to wash down all the soap and shampoo, I felt so mellow that I just smiled and complied.

I could have stopped there and been totally satisfied, but there was more to come!

Ouafa wrapped me in the towelling gown and took me upstairs to the treatment rooms. Here, on the top floor, the décor changes from the mystical aqua’s to the more sleek black and greys with beautifully carved ebony wood inlays, smoked glass, clean modern lines and crisp white cotton sheets on the massage beds. In the massage rooms scented candles fill the air with a subtle fragrance and soft lighting and gentle music add to the atmosphere of opulence and luxury.
Ikram, another lovely young woman, made me comfortable and started the massage. Over the next hour every muscle, every nerve ending, every square inch of my body was attended to until I felt as if I was floating above the bed. It was without a doubt one of the best massages I have ever had. And to make the experience even more perfect, Ikram suggested, when she had finished, that I may want to stay for a while before getting up. To be able to continue lying and luxuriating in the wonderfully relaxed state after a massage is such a bonus! Wonderful!

Finally I had a shower – in a large cubicle in the massage room -- wrapped myself in the gown again and went back downstairs to retrieve my clothes and get dressed. I was reluctant to leave, but, as I floated out of the NausiKaa Wellness Centre, feeling like a million dollars, I knew that I would be back – the very first chance I get!
And at the exceptionally reasonable prices, I even venture to say that it is worth a special price ticket on Atlas Blue (Marseilles to Fes) or Ryan Air (Bordeaux or Luton to Casa Blanca) just for a day at the spa!


Photographs: The View from Fez

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Nausi Kaa was the beautiful daughter of King Alkinoos of the Phaiakians, who was sent by Athena to go meet Odysseus when he landed in Scheria or Phaiacia. She anointed him with fragrant oils and revived him after his difficult voyage.

The NausiKaa Wellness Centre can be found on Avenue Bahnini – Route Ain Smen, in Fes. There is a separate hammam for men, a hair and make up salon, many different kinds of hydro-, seaweed and other state of the art therapies provided by staff trained in France, as well as a fully equipped modern gym with personal trainers.

e-mail: info@nausikaa-spa.com
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