WHO IS LAURE GRACY?
I had the pleasure of meeting Laure GRACY at an event in Bordeaux this year. It was so refreshing to meet someone equally interesting in sharing the countryside and lesser known parts of France with clients. Laure is originally from near Pau, in the Pyrennes Atlantiques department of South-West France. While she works between Paris and Pau, her current focus is on organizing and planning work retreats and group events in the SW France area. These can be corporate work events for French but any other national company.
Laure GRACY was born in a small village near Pau called Pardies surrounded by a very large family. It is a village in the countryside with a population today of around 1,000 people, joking that the GRACY family makes up most of the village! The Pyrenees Atlantiques is famous for the Basque Countryside, but Laure spent her childhood in the lesser known neighbor – Le Bearn. Like many teenagers, she dreamed of escaping the farmland and seeing the big city so she went to study in Bordeaux, then Paris, finally settling on a job in an event agency in Nice on the Riviera.
While Laure spent 10 years between Nice and then Marseilles, once she met the love of her life and had her two boys, she felt an intense urge to go back home. ‘When I became a mother, I needed, like an emergency, to go back to my roots. In the same time, I lost my grandmother, Huguette, who was like my mother. It was the turning point. I let my career as a director of an event agency in Marseille and I took my babies under my
arms (with the father) to come back at home!’.
Living in Pau since 2019, she has never regretted her decision for having gone with her instinctual decision to move home. Today she is raising sons where she shares childhood memories and familiar territory. She feels very fortunate and knows it’s an incredible opportunity. La Bearn is these roots and she will always be ‘deeply attached to (her) native land, whatever happens’.
WHAT IS LA SOURCE TRAVEL AGENCY
(In Laures own words)
I put to use my 20 years of experience of event and travel industry by creating my own agency named A LA SOURCE. My goal is to create some experience for foreign client by highlighting local craftsmanship and immersing yourself with know-how and traditions. For example, I met last week a woman who has just arrived in Béarn. She was a business lawyer in Paris. She then decided to settle here and create a flower farm. While visiting her place (which I found ultra inspiring), I offered her the co-creation of bouquet creation workshops within her flower farm.
The idea is to meet her, for her to tell us her story while discovering the organic and non-abrasive method she chose to grow her plants and subsequently create personalized bouquets. Also, I do the same process with some two elderly ladies from Béarn, who can offer some local cooking class, for example with the making of FOIS GRAS! We can do it in their old kitchen and in the same time, tasting some local cheese which came from the at the sheep opposite with a glass of JURANCON, our famous white wine.
A La source, creation of immersive and sustainable events!
LAURES TIPS FOR WHAT TO EAT WHEN VISITING PAU
Pau is the home of Henry IV, so a visit to his chateau is a must! / Musée national et domaine du château de Pau, Rue du Château, 64000 PAU / Page d’accueil | Château de Pau (chateau-pau.fr)
The covered market Les Halles is a great stop for all you food lovers! Rue de la République, 6400 Pau / Halles de Pau – Pau, la métamorphose du quartier Halles-République – Foirail Carnot
A must try restaurant in Pau? It’s hard to pick only one!
MAYNATS is gastronomic / 3 rue du Hedas, 64000 Pau / Maynats.fr is coming…
JUMO is a new one – 2 twin brothers which has just opened their restaurant / 6 rue Henri IV, 64000 Pau / Jumo&Co | Restaurant, Pâtisserie & Salon de Thé (jumoandco.com)
DOMAINE DU RIANT is gastronomic / 1 Avenue des Frères Barthélémy, 64110 Jurançon / Accueil | Domaine Mont-Riant | Maison d’hôtes | Restaurant | Jurançon (domaine-montriant.fr)
GRIGNOTE a new veggie one (because yes, I come from Béarn and I don’t eat charcuterie
and meats..) / 5 Rue Lamothe, 64000 Pau / Grignote à PAU (64) – Salades | Menus & Tarifs (tourisme64.com)
Dishes you should try? Most of the dishes in Béarn are made with meats.
But, I have to choose one it would be POULE AU POT/ The origin of this traditional dish of French cuisine is closely linked to that of the good King Henry IV, native of Pau. The King of France, Henry IV, established and democratized the chicken pot in the 17th century in response to the famines resulting from the long wars of religion between Protestant Huguenots and Catholics.
Also, LA GARBURE (a cabbage and root vegetable stew with meat) but without ham..
For pastries, my local favourite is LE RUSSE. In 1925, a Béarnais, Adrien Artigarrède opened his first pastry shop in the Sainte-Marie d’Oloron district and made his first “Russes” according to a recipe which dates from the 19th century with a “Petit Plus”… fruit of his imagination , which will make the cake incomparable.
CORPORTATE AND GROUP TRAVEL WITH A LA SOURCE
If you are looking for help planning group or corporate travel, contact Laure at contact@agencealasource.com / 0033673080215 /
WOMEN WHO HAVE INSPIRED LAURE
And now to introduce the women who have inspired Laure and who can inspire you too! I originally interviewed Laure for March, Women’s History Month, but as she has so many interesting stories to share I wanted to make a full post. She has some impressive woman to share!
Amandine Anthunez I met during the high school. I knew that she will become an artist.
I like her courage to live for her art. And I really like the way she wants to share her passion. She works with ‘Stuc Marble’ Mélange de plâtre, de pigments et de colle naturelle, le stuc marbre apparaît au 17ème siècle dans certains palais et chapelles de Bavière et d’Italie. https://www.aamatiere.com
Lise Mailman who is a graphic artist and one my best friends. We met when we were 20 years old in Bordeaux. She comes from Hossegor. She’s the most inspiring woman that I know, she is always one step ahead in all areas. https://lisemailman.com
Virginie Ardurats who is living in Saint Morillon. She’s also one of my best friends and she’s so talented! It’s crazy, she’s a real warrior! She used to manage at least 30 men in this previous life and now she’s a coach for companies. She also really like horses and she’s studying to become an equi-therapist https://www.blossom-coaching.fr/qui-suis-je/
Marie Sixtine de Coral who is French but she lived in Houston during 14 years. She just comes back in France and has created this fabulous guest & reception house / 411 route de Lucq de Béarn, 64360 Monein, France / https://www.maison-berducq.com
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