About LE GOURMET GETAWAY
Le Gourmet Getaway was born from a simple idea: the best way to discover France is through its food, its people, and the moments we share around the table.
We create small-group culinary and cultural journeys for travelers who want to go beyond the usual tourist experience. Our trips invite you to slow down, meet local producers and artisans, discover regional traditions, and experience the everyday life that makes each place unique.
Behind Le Gourmet Getaway is a collaboration between Florence Melin, a French private chef and the creator and host of our experiences, and Finding France, our local travel partner in France. Together, we combine a personal approach to culinary travel with the local expertise and professional organization needed to bring each journey to life.
Finding France
Our local travel partner
Creating a meaningful journey takes more than finding beautiful places to visit. It also requires local knowledge, trusted relationships, careful planning, and the coordination of countless details behind the scenes.
That is where Finding France comes in.
Finding France is our travel partner in France, bringing local expertise and professional travel organization to the experiences we create together. Their role includes coordinating the practical elements of each journey, such as accommodations, transportation, local suppliers, and the arrangements that allow everything to run smoothly.
Working with a partner on the ground means we can build experiences around authentic local encounters while ensuring that the essential travel arrangements receive the attention they deserve.
Their knowledge of France and its travel network complements my culinary vision and personal approach to hosting, allowing us to offer journeys that are both thoughtfully designed and carefully organized.
This trip is sold and operated by Finding France, ATOUT FRANCE Registered IM060190003
Florence Melin
Chef, creator, and your host in France
I grew up in central Paris, spending my summers in a small fishing village on the coast of Brittany. These two places shaped my love of French food and culture.
After living in Provence for a time, I eventually moved to the United States with my husband. Over the years, life took us from Chicago to Minneapolis and finally to Raleigh, North Carolina. Wherever I have lived, food has remained my connection to France and a way to share a little of my culture with others.
My culinary training at FERRANDI, the renowned French culinary school, deepened my appreciation for French cuisine and its traditions. As a private chef, I have made it my mission to share these traditions in a way that feels welcoming, authentic, and accessible.
Le Gourmet Getaway grew naturally from this passion. I wanted to offer travelers the opportunity to experience the France I know and love—not simply by visiting beautiful places, but by meeting the people who bring them to life.
As your host and tour leader, I accompany you throughout the journey, helping you connect with the people, flavors, and traditions of each region. My goal is for you to feel less like a tourist and more like a welcomed guest.
Two areas of expertise, one shared vision
Le Gourmet Getaway brings together two complementary roles.
I create the experience. From the culinary discoveries and local encounters to the rhythm and character of each day, I shape the journey around my passion for French food, culture, and hospitality. I also accompany the group as its host and tour leader, sharing my perspective on France and helping create connections along the way.
Finding France coordinates the travel arrangements. With local expertise and professional organization, they manage the practical elements that make each journey possible, working with trusted partners and suppliers in France.
Together, we aim to create journeys that feel personal rather than packaged, offering a thoughtful balance of culinary discovery, cultural exploration, and time spent together.
At the heart of Le Gourmet Getaway is the belief that travel is about more than the places we see. It is about the people we meet, the flavors we discover, and the memories we bring home.
We invite you to discover France with us—not just as a visitor, but as a guest.