Ile-de-France has an exceptional terroir and abounds in resources. A fact that the students in ms management of gastronomy and oenology have gone to check in Auvers-sur-Oise, a city renowned for its cultural wealth and for having welcomed many impressionist painters like Vincent Van Gogh. For the anecdote, the latter saw in Auvers-sur-Oise a real source of inspiration, he painted 70 of his paintings before dying there.
After a departure at 7h50, the students were expected on the banks of the Oise at 10h more precisely at the Vallées farm in Auvers. Responsible and environmentally friendly agriculture is practised here, but poultry is also kept in the open air. The producer explained all the stages of production with a visit to the farm orchard as a bonus.
At 12.30pm, the students ate at Le Nymphée, an establishment located in the heart of the Château d’Auvers and appreciated for its menu rich in flavours and colours, combining tradition and modernity.
In the early afternoon, the group joined the Absinthe museum. A plunge for students into the atmosphere of the cafés of the Belle Epoque where absinthe was all the rage among painters and artists.
After this visit to the museum, the ms food & wine took the road to Neuville-sur-Oise leading to Laurent Berrurier’s production of forgotten vegetables from Ile-de-France. Cabbages, asparagus, leeks, dandelions, the market gardener supplies his entire production to the great Parisian chefs. There are over 200 varieties of vegetables in all.
