CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE, WITH TAUCK


MERCY, PAUL BOCUSE – FINE DINING ON THE SAÔNE RIVER


by Brand Delivery Manager Rebecca Sellet:


Pardon the play on words here, but after experiencing one of the most amazing dining experiences of my life at Michelin-starred Chef Paul Bocuse’s restaurant riverfront in Lyon, let’s just say that I am powerless to resist any of his culinary temptations. And judging by the expressions of joyful indulgence on the faces of my fellow Tauck “tasters,” this is one dining experience Tauck guests won’t want to miss!


Tauck writer Mary Frances Walsh interviewed Tauck traveler Mrs. Ginny Morin for a blog about a recent trip that she and her husband, Jim, shared with their entire family, in honor of 50 years of marriage:


First, congratulations! How did you decide how to mark the occasion?


Being married for 50 years is miraculous these days… About two years ago we were out at a restaurant where we saw another couple celebrating their 50th. Jim asked how I wanted to celebrate our own. I didn’t want a party, didn’t want to worry about who to invite and who not to invite – and we didn’t need any more ‘stuff’... I wanted our whole family to be together. I wanted to go on a Tauck tour.


How did you decide on a Tauck Bridges trip?


Our family likes to be outside doing things, and when I looked at the activities offered on this trip, I knew it would be perfect for our grandkids (14 to 21 years old). Also, our kids and grandkids had never been out West and we had never been to Zion or Bryce Canyon national parks. My daughter-in-law so nicely phrased it – “Your 50th set a new standard!”


Was it comfortable traveling as a group within a group?


Yes, but before we left, we talked with everyone in the family about being aware that we should be open and friendly toward everyone else in our Tauck group. Our Tauck Director was super. She was very discerning in making the most of our time together… like making sure that all of us were on the same Colorado River raft and aboard the same flightseeing plane.


My colleagues and I are in France, revisiting the places and experiences we feature on our Rhône River cruise to make sure everything we include is up to our very high standards. Last night, our riverboat, ms Swiss Emerald, docked right in front of a restaurant we will dine at in Lyon on “A Taste of France” next year. The location of the restaurant in an old abbey named in memory of the monks on the Ile-Barbe, and owned by a Paul Bocuse relative known for her cooking by the local country folk back in 1765, revved up our appetites for an interesting evening of culinary history. Truth be told, we had no idea just how history making it would be.


When did you begin planning?


Two years in advance. I had the idea of a holding a contest to design a family shirt for the trip, but my kids gave me a hard time – thinking back to when I made them dress alike as little kids, which they hated. So we shifted gears. Jim designed the front of the shirt: The Morin Family, Celebrating 50 Years – something an engineer would write! And we held a competition for the sayings on the sleeves: “Why are all these people dressed like me?” and “You won’t be laughing when you’re lost!” were the winning combinations. We all just keep talking about this trip. We’ll relive it – forever and ever.


Our dinner started with an “amuse bouche” of the Chef’s choosing. Translated, literally, this means “mouth pleaser” and it put the first of many smiles on our faces after we tasted it! Next up was Lobster Française, a savory, oh-so-delicate bisque that married farm-fresh butter and cream with succulent lobster meat, winning ingredients made even more incredible by the seasoned talent of our host. His famous Bresse Chicken followed, with more cream and delectable morel mushrooms, giving us another delicious hint as to why Paul Bocuse has been awarded the highest number of Michelin stars possible for his cooking!


We sipped and savored a different French wine with each course, produced locally under a strict, government-approved appellation – perfectly selected by the sommelier. Dessert tantalized with another amuse bouche – a cheese platter and a choice of sweets. How about fresh berries in a Beaujolais sauce? Magnifique! And the tableside service? Flawless and a show in itself, especially when Paul Bocuse came out to personally wish our table a Bon Appetit!


Merci, Chef Bocuse!


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