Friends of the House
Here's how this one goes.
We kick things off in Bordeaux: one night, just enough time to drop your bags, find your people, and raise a glass to the ten days ahead. Consider it the opening act. The city has been built on wine and trade for centuries and it shows, in the best possible way.
Then we head east to Sarlat-la-Canéda, and honestly? This part alone is worth the flight. We're arriving during the annual Sarlat Truffle Festival, which means the entire medieval town smells like the inside of a Michelin-starred kitchen and nobody is complaining. Markets everywhere. Black truffles in everything. Locals and producers and chefs all gathered for a tradition that feels equal parts festive and deeply, deliciously French.
This is where we get earthy and unapologetic about it, think candlelit dinners, big rustic flavors, and wines that were basically born to sit next to truffle-laced everything. And we have Stephanie Schmid of The Cultured Somm alongside us to explain not just what's in the glass, but why it's the exact right thing in the glass. She's that good.
After three days in Sarlat, we return to Bordeaux for five nights and this time with a whole new layer of context, a sharper palate, and a lot more to talk about. Vineyard visits, curated tastings, long dinners, slower mornings. This is where the trip really settles in.
And here's the part I want you to notice: this is our first-ever co-ed Friends of the House retreat. That's not a small thing. We're opening the table (and I mean that literally and figuratively) to bring together the kind of people who travel with intention, eat with curiosity, and know that the best part of any trip is always the conversation.
Ten days. Two regions. One unforgettable table. Friends of the House is officially open to everyone.
xo,
Stephanie + Stephanie
Where we'll lay our heads
Bordeaux 4-Star Hotel
For our first night in Bordeaux, we’ll be settling into a beautifully curated 4-star hotel right in the heart of the city, the kind of place that feels effortlessly stylish, comfortable, and perfectly positioned for exploring. Think chic interiors, thoughtful details, and that welcoming French charm you notice the moment you walk through the door, similar to the vibe you get at boutique favorites like the Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes.
While we’re finalizing the exact property, rest assured we’re choosing a hotel that reflects the spirit of the city and keeps you both relaxed and inspired from the very first evening.
Chateau de la Bourlie
Château Borgeat de Lagrange
Trip Details
There’s a rhythm to this journey that shifts with the landscape. In Bordeaux, mornings begin with café and fresh pastries in sunlit streets, the hum of the city rising slowly as wine merchants prepare their shops and the river glints beneath early light. Time feels deliberate here, measured in sips, strolls, and the subtle art of noticing.
Then, in Sarlat-la-Canéda, the pace deepens. Medieval streets glow honey-gold, market tables overflow with truffles and winter produce, and the cool air carries the earthy scent of the surrounding forests. Here, the day unfolds naturally: conversation, flavors, and discovery flowing as unhurried as the river carving its way through the valley.
Both places ask the same of you: to slow down, breathe deeper, and let the experiences linger.
Trip at a Glance
Excursions & Exploration
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Visits to storybook villages such as Sarlat-la-Canéda
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Visit to La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux
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All-Access to the Annual Sarlat Truffle Festival
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Discover hidden corners of southwest France far from the typical tourist trail
Wine Expereinces
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Guided tours and tastings led by our expert sommelier co-host, with insider access to some of the most respected producers in the region
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Private visits to iconic estates on both the Left and Right Bank — think Saint-Émilion, Sauternes, and the legendary appellations of Margaux, Pauillac, and beyond
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An introduction to the full range of Bordeaux varietals
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Truffle-paired wine dinners in Sarlat
Culinary Experiences
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Hands-on cooking class with a 1* Michelin chef, highlighting regional specialties
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Dining at Michelin-rated restaurants
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9 dinners & 5 lunches
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Daily breakfast
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Private chef at our château
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Exploration of Dordogne’s culinary heritage: truffles, foie gras, walnuts, and exceptional local wines
Pace
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Intentionally slow and immersive, with cobblestone walks, gentle hills, scenic countryside drives, and a few longer day trips balanced by meaningful time to relax and unwind.
How we'll spend our days
Sample Itinerary
This itinerary is a lovingly crafted preview of what your week could look like. While small shifts may happen as we fine-tune timing, weather, and opportunities, consider this your delicious sneak peek at the adventure ahead.
Day 3
Feasting on Black Diamonds
The picturesque town of Sarlat-la-Caneda transforms into a gastronomic temple dedicated to the black Perigord Truffle each January for their annual Fete de la Truffe - a Festival celebrating this culinary treasure known as the black diamond.
Day 6
Where Cabernet is King
Today we cross to the Left Bank, this is Bordeaux's most storied wine country, where we'll spend the day among some of the most legendary châteaux and appellations in the world. Consider this your deep dive into the wines that made Bordeaux famous, with tastings that will make everything you've had before feel like a warm-up.
Day 9
Secrets Revealed in a 13th Century Cellar
We return to the Right Bank for a final day that starts on your own terms (sleep in, wander, do whatever feels right). Late morning we head to Saint-Émilion, where you'll have free time to lose yourself in one of the most beautiful medieval towns in France. In the afternoon we reconvene for a private cellar tour and special tasting with a dear friend of Stephanie's (the kind of access you can't simply Google) before heading back to the house for our farewell dinner.
Day 1
Arrival & Welcome Dinner
Bienvenue à Bordeaux, the beating heart of Southwest France’s dual temples to gastronomy and wine. Our exploration of the best of Bordeaux’s 10,000 vineyards (truly the world’s wine capital) and the culinary delights that best compliment them begins at a classic Bordelaise bistro where we’ll enjoy excellent food and wine while getting to know one another.
Day 4
Hunting for Buried Treasure
Today we're spending the day in the French countryside doing something that sounds like a fairytale and tastes even better: hunting for black truffles with a local expert and the most motivated dog you've ever met. This is the Dordogne at its most delicious: muddy boots, earthy treasure, and a lunch that makes the whole thing feel completely worth it.
Day 7
Among Historic Vines
We're spending the day on the Right Bank, and it is frankly unfair to most other wine regions. Saint-Émilion is one of the most beautiful wine villages in all of France and a UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll spend the day enjoying private tours and tastings at several of the most iconic estates in the appellation. This is the kind of access that makes you understand why people dedicate their entire lives to wine.
Day 10
Farewell,
For Now
After breakfast, say au revoir to Bordeaux and your new friends, carrying the memories, flavors, and magic of this magical region home with you. Group transfer to the airport included.
Day 2
Drink Liquid Gold & Explore the Dordogne
Our first day begins with a visit to Bordeaux’s renowned La Cité du Vin, an interactive Wine Museum that provides the perfect overview and introduction to the Bordeaux wine region. After lunch we’ll begin our leisurely journey to the Dordogne - land of castles & truffle festivals - with a visit to an acclaimed Sauternes winery that has been crafting the eponymous, famed botrytized dessert wine for five centuries.
Day 5
Castle Country
We ease into our last morning in the Dordogne the way every morning should start- slowly, with no agenda and a good cup of coffee. Then we hit the road toward Bordeaux, winding through the countryside and stopping to explore the medieval castles that sit along the way like they've been waiting for us, all before settling into our new home base for the rest of the trip with a proper welcome dinner around the table.
Day 8
A Day in Margaux
Today we’re back on the Left Bank and headed to some of the most coveted terroir in the world. We’ll explore walled-in vineyards that have been producing renowned wines since the Middle Ages. Today, the legendary wines of Margaux are regularly dominating & topping annual lists of the world’s best wines and we’ll be spending today leisurely sipping and savoring some of the greatest; it doesn’t get better than this.
The Details
Retreat Pricing
$8,200 per person
King Room with Ensuite Bathroom
Double Occupancy
Deposit: $2,870 Due at Time of Booking
or
$15,900 per room
*One room, two twins, double the magic.
This exclusive twin-bed room with ensuite bathroom must be booked together, so find a friend and make it yours.
$7,950 per person
Deposit: $2,783 (Per Guest) Due at Time of Booking
Payment Method
To reserve your space, we require an initial, non-refundable deposit due at the time of booking.
The remaining balance of the trip will be paid in 2 additional installments.
Not Included
Airfare
Travel Insurance (Required)
Some meals & optional activities
Your hosts for this adventure
Your guides for this trip aren't just experts, they're the women who will make you feel like you're in on a secret the whole time.
Between them, they bring insider access to some of the most legendary wine houses in the region, an obsessive eye for the details that make a trip feel extraordinary, and the kind of warmth that turns a group of strangers into a dinner table full of friends by night two.
This is Maison d'Amies and The Cultured Somm in full effect, and you are in very good hands.
Meet the women behind the magic.
