Sojourner Tours

SELF-LOVE FOR WOMEN Transformative French lifestyle trips for women which restore the joy of living through the Slow Movement philosophy while supporting local communities.

FIND THE TRIP THAT FITS YOUR STYLE

Dates arranged on demand

Groups are limited to eight guests so you can visit authentic places, stay in charming boutique hotels and eat in the real restaurants where locals dine.

Documentaries about French Culture, Food & Wine

On this page we list some documentaries about French culture, food and wine that will give you more insight into France, the French approach to food, and the "Art de Vivre".  We want to keep these links fresh... so if you discover a link is broken or a film is no longer available where we say, please send us an email so we can fix it!


FOOD DOCUMENTARIES 


Kings of Pastry
Starring Jacquy Pfeiffer, Philippe Rigollot, Regis Lazard

During many of our tours, you will get to eat food produced by some of France's "best chefs", "best chocolate makers", "best pastry chefs", etc. If you are wondering what this title really means, this documentary will give you insight into what it takes to win the title "best artisan in France" (M.O.F.).  It isn't as easy to earn the right to wear the blue, white and red collar as you might think! 

Where is it playing?

Amazon: Live Streaming

Netflix: Live Streaming

WATCH IT BEFORE YOUR TRIP:

Off-the-Beathen-Path in the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners will have two opportunities to taste food prepared by M.O.F. winners: at a Michelin star restaurant and a chocolate shop.

Off-the-Beaten-Path in Paris sojourners will stop at an M.O.F. pastery shop owned by a chef who wins during the competition seen in this documentary.


Step Up To The Plate
Starring Michel Bras

This film documents the process of a three star Michelin Chef passing his restaurant on to his son.  This is a moving documentary that gives us a hint at the deep emotions that Michelin chefs feel for their work.  Through this film we come to understand one approach to food: cooking as an art.

Where is it playing?

Netflix: Live Streaming

WATCH IT BEFORE YOUR TRIP:

Every Sojourner Tour trip includes at least one Michelin-stared restaurant.


Three Stars
Starring Deborah Friedman, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Yannick Alleno, Juan Mari, Elena Arzack

 This documentary gives you insight into one of the most sought after and despised honors in the restaurant business. 

Playing Here

(Thanks to YouTube!)

WATCH IT BEFORE YOUR TRIP:

Every Sojourner Tour trip includes at least one Michelin-stared restaurant.


Starring Grant Achatz, Thomas Keller

AN OWNER'S FAVORITE: This documentary expresses our view on food better than any other and reflects the reason that when on a sojourner tour you eat in the best local restaurants and they span from popular "hole in the walls" to gastronomic establishments with Michelin stars.

Where is it playing?

Netflix: Live Streaming

Amazon: Live Streaming

WATCH IT BEFORE YOUR TRIP:

Every sojourner tour has a gastronomic element because food is one of the most important aspects of travel, especially...

Off-the-Beaten-Path in the French-Swiss Borderland Sojourners see how cheese is aged, visit one of France's best chocolate makers, eat in the restaurant of one of France's best chefs, go wine tasting...


Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Starring Jiro Ono

The French restaurant rating system created by Michelin has come to be the international mark of success.  Three Michelin Stars is the highest culinary honor a restaurant can achieve anywhere in the world.  This documentary focuses on the first sushi chef who ever attained three stars, who is now at the end of his career.  This film also explores the issue of how difficult it is for a chef to let go of the restaurant he has created.  The approach to food seen here can best be described as: cooking as a way of life.

Where is it playing?

Netflix: Live Streaming

Amazon: Live Streaming


El Bulli: Cooking in Progress
Starring Ferran Adria

The French restaurant rating system created by Michelin has come to be the international mark of success.  Three Michelin Stars is the highest culinary honor a restaurant can achieve anywhere in the world.  This documentary about the Spanish three star restaurant that was popularly considered "the best restaurant in the world" helps us understand one approach to food: cooking as a science.

Playing Here

(Thanks to YouTube)

WATCH IT BEFORE YOUR TRIP:

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Spanish Borderland sojourners eat in a restaurant started by a group of chefs who trained at El Bulli. Given the scientific contemporary food El Bulli was known for, sojourners will be surprised by the simple family-style of the restaurant of its disciples set in a charming Mediterranean peasant house.


A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt
Starring Paul Liebrandt, Frank Bruni, Thomas Keller, Eric Ripert, Heston Blumenthal

This HBO documentary follows the struggles of an innovative young British chef who comes to America to try to achieve his goal of becoming a Michelin star chef.  Few chefs have what it takes to earn Michelin's attention, yet many yearn for it.

Where is it playing?

Netflix: Live Streaming

WATCH IT BEFORE YOUR TRIP:

Every Sojourner Tour trip includes at least one Michelin-stared restaurant.


This light-hearted BBC series is a culinary history spin-off from the film Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock. The fourth episode of the program takes you back in time to discover the culture and diet in France at the time of the French Revolution.

Playing Here

(Thanks to YouTube)


Netflix has offered us a beautifully filmed documentary series that visits the tables of some of the worlds most notable chefs.  You'll walk away from this show seeing cuisine as a fine art. Sensational. A Sojourner Tours favorite.


WINE DOCUMENTARIES


Mondovino
Starring Albiera Antinori, Allegra Antinori, Lodovico Antinori, Piero Antinori, Isanette Bianchetti

Mondovino reveals many of the unexpected pressures that influence both wine flavors and the opinions of wine drinkers. 

(Currently, this film isn't streaming instantly.)

Where to get it?

Netflix: borrow

Amazon: buy

WATCH IT BEFORE YOU GO WINE TASTING:

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Spanish Borderland sojourners taste: Banyuls, Byhrr, Vin de pays des côtes catalanes, Côtes du Roussillon, Rivesaltes

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Château Chalon, Château Chillon

Off-the-Beaten-Path in the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Arbois, Bourgognes' Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir, Absinthe

Off-the-Beaten-Path in Paris sojourners taste: Champagne


Red Obsession
Starring Russell Crowe (narrator)

This look at how market forces influence wine prices will astound you.

Playing Here

(Thanks to YouTube!)

WATCH IT BEFORE YOU GO WINE TASTING:

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Spanish Borderland sojourners taste: Banyuls, Byhrr, Vin de pays des côtes catalanes, Côtes du Roussillon, Rivesaltes

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Château Chalon, Château Chillon

Off-the-Beaten-Path in the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Arbois, Bourgognes' Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir, Absinthe

Off-the-Beaten-Path in Paris sojourners taste: Champagne


Somm
Starring Brian McClintic, DLynn Proctor, Dustin Wilson, Ian Cauble

If you have ever wondered what it takes to become a Master Sommelier, watch this documentary.

Where is it playing?

Amazon: Live Streaming

Netflix: Live streaming

 

WATCH IT BEFORE YOU GO WINE TASTING:

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Spanish Borderland sojourners taste: Banyuls, Byhrr, Vin de pays des côtes catalanes, Côtes du Roussillon, Rivesaltes

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Château Chalon, Château Chillon

Off-the-Beaten-Path in the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Arbois, Bourgognes' Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir, Absinthe

Off-the-Beaten-Path in Paris sojourners taste: Champagne


A Year in Burgundy
Starring David Kennard

This documentary give you a peek at the annual cycle of winemaking in Burgundy.

Where is playing?

Amazon: Live Streaming

Netflix: Live Streaming

See what it takes to produce a stellar bottle of red. You'll never look at wine the same way again. A FilmBuff Presentation.

WATCH IT BEFORE YOU GO WINE TASTING:

* Off-the-Beaten-Path in the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Arbois, *Bourgognes' Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir, Absinthe

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Spanish Borderland sojourners taste: Banyuls, Byhrr, Vin de pays des côtes catalanes, Côtes du Roussillon, Rivesaltes

Best Kept Secrets of the French-Swiss Borderland sojourners taste: Château Chalon, Château Chillon

Off-the-Beaten-Path in Paris sojourners taste: Champagne


This documentary give you a peek at the annual cycle of winemaking in Champagne.

Where is playing?

Amazon:  Streaming

Netflix: Streaming

Visit the film's website http://www.ayearinchampagne.com/

WATCH IT BEFORE YOU GO WINE TASTING:

Off-the-Beaten-Path in Paris sojourners taste: Champagne

SOJOURNERS: AT HOME IN THE WORLD