Taste of Cannes: Provençal Food, Wine & Cheese Tour

AVOID at all costs!!!

This was one of the weirdest experiences ever. The way the food tours go, you go from one eatery to another, sampling foods with your guide, who explains to you about the typical foods. The guide, Daniel, was a good guy, but it felt like a scam. He started with asking us if we'd want to start with a glass of wine. When we confirmed, right there in the middle of the street he handed us two glasses that he pulled from his backpack, and proceeded to uncork the bottle, standing in the middle of the pedestrian street. Felt like acoholics drinking vodka somewhere in Russia :((((. Poured us wine, and here we proceeded in the middle of Cannes, two of us with glasses of wine in our hands, and he with a bottle. That was the "drink" part. The "food" part proceeded in a similar fashion. We ended up in a Renoir-like picnic fashion, except Renoir paintings show the picnic on the grass, and ours was on the asphalt. There, Daniel fished out a few snacks from his backpack, either wrapped by him into shrink-wrap or into small plastic containers. Looked like he was preparing a lunch for his kids, but somehow decided to take it to his tour. The foods could have been spolied being un-refrigerated for hours. We had no idea who and how packed them - unsanitary at all. We probable should have left right away, but we unfortunately did not. We have not visited any eateries or restaurants, and we have not heard anything about the Provençal cuisine either. We've heard a lot of stories about Daniel himself and his life and his family, which was definetely NOT what we signed up for. The tour's description is misleading as it clearly shows couples in restaurant settings - as it should. AVOID!!!!

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. I’m genuinely sorry that the experience wasn’t what you expected, although I would like to clarify a few important points for future guests reading this review. Before the tour, we explained that your requested 7pm start was outside the normal operating hours of Cannes’ market, butcheries and several of the artisan food stops we usually visit. For this reason, we advised that this would be a private and more unconventional version of our usual food tour rather than a standard tour moving from one open establishment to another. At the beginning of the evening, you mentioned that you had missed your earlier excursion and understandably seemed disappointed, so I offered to start with a glass of wine and tried to make the evening as relaxed and enjoyable as possible. Over the course of the experience, we shared a selection of local food and wines, including red, white and rosé, and also visited a local boulangerie to purchase additional food. All of the food offered was eaten and the wines were enjoyed, and no concerns regarding the food, its quality or hygiene were raised with me at any point during the tour. We also walked through Cannes and I shared stories about the city and the region. As you had missed your earlier excursion, I also spent additional time explaining some of the history and stories connected with the places you had hoped to visit. This was intended as a gesture to add something extra to your evening, rather than replace the Provençal experience. I completely accept that the informal, picnic-style nature of this particular evening was not to your taste. However, I don’t believe it is fair to describe the experience as a “scam.” The unusual format was explained beforehand specifically because of the late starting time, food and wine were provided and consumed throughout the evening, we visited a boulangerie, and the experience was conducted privately for just the two of you. Nevertheless, your comments regarding how the experience is presented are useful. We will make the distinction between our regular daytime food tour and late-evening departures even clearer so that future guests know exactly what to expect. I’m sorry that, despite my efforts to give you an enjoyable and personal evening in Cannes, this particular style of experience wasn’t right for you.

via Viator

Wonderful food tour!

I learned so much about the culinary treats of the Cannes and southern France area! Martin was our guide and he did a great job explaining all the intricacies of the delights in and around Cannes. We finished with a small picnic with wonderful views!! This is a "Must Do" excursion at a great value!

via Viator

Lucky to have this tour guide

My tour guide was sweet and informative. She was accommodating to my requests and had brought delicious things to eat. I would highly recommend

via Tripadvisor