Cooking vacations France - Culinary holidays

Classes taught in English

Class Duration: 6 days (7 nights accommodations)
Price per person: 2855€
Non-participating guest: 850€ (limited to 1 guest per student & 2 total guests per program week)
Schedule: Our program weeks run from Saturday to Saturday

Non-participating guest will be invited to join us for all meals and excursion but may need to use his or her own vehicle. If you are looking for ideas on what to do in Uzès while your friend or partner is cooking, please ask us.

Highlights

7-night accommodations in a privatized guesthouse in the pays d’Uzès
French continental breakfasts each morning
Transportation to and from the guesthouse to the school and for all organized excursions.
Transportation to and from Avignon TGV on arrival and departure date
French market & local producer visits
All lunches, 4 evening meals including dinner at a select restaurant chosen by chef Eric.
Winery visit with a wine specialist as your guide + Food & Wine pairing evening with our sommelier
Hands-on French cooking experience. We’ll create seasonal recipes which may include bread making, soups, salads, stews, Provencale dishes, French desserts
Program shaped by the season and the seasonal ingredients of the south of France
Cheese & wine tastings & culinary & cultural excursions
Small group sizes (maximum of 6 students)
All levels welcome
Learn from an experienced French chef (30+ years experience), in English in a convivial and friendly atmosphere

2020 Course dates:

April 25-May 2, 2020
May 2 – May 9, 2020
May 23 – May 30, 2020
June 6 – June 13, 2020

Fall 2020 dates coming soon . . .!

In order for us to provide this program, we require a minimum of 4 people. We will review your request and confirm your booking once 4 participants have booked. No payment is required until the dates are confirmed. Once we have 4 participants, subsequent participants can book directly. You will only be able to book this package for 2 people maximum at a time. Please email us if you need to book for more participants (alternatively, you can submit a second request).

Privatize a Week in Uzès

Want to privatize the Week in Uzès for your family or group? You can email us about privatizing this program or take a look at our customizable culinary packages.

The Week in Uzès – French Culinary holiday package is an opportunity for food lovers of all levels to partake in a 6-day French Culinary and food & wine touring experience, in the beautiful Gard Provencal. You are on the doorstep to Provence and you can feel it and taste it in all aspects of this program! Our focus will be on Mediterranean and Provençal cuisines but will also include classic and modern regional French cuisines.

Your 7 nights in Uzès will be spent at a beautiful guesthouse with your fellow classmates. Group size is limited to 6 people maximum and you are more than welcome to come either alone or accompanied by a loved one.

You will spend the 6 days of classes & tours (including both half-day and full-day activities), together not only cooking but also visiting local farms, tasting wine, cheese & olive oil, & visiting local markets. Activities vary by season.

All classes are taught in English by experienced French chef-instructors & wine specialists.

Experience our culinary vacation in Provence

WHAT WE'LL BE COOKING

Every season will have its dishes prepared by you from fresh seasonal ingredients found locally.

Here is a sample of some of the preparations and recipes we’ve done in the past *

Bouillabaisse
Aioli (sauce and dish)
Brandade de Nîmes Octopus salad
Mussels and saffron soup, Mouclade
Breads: Country breads, baguettes, Brioche
Croissant
Bull stew Camarguais (Daube de Boeuf Provençal)
Stuffed lamb shoulder
Rabbit or pork terrine de campagne or pâté en croûte
Ratatouille
Stuffed Zucchini blossom
Tarte aux fruits
Poached fruits
Soufflés
Flan and clafoutis
Chocolate cakes and ganache
Ice-cream
Cookies (madeleine, financier, diamants)
Gougère (pate a chou fromage) Tapenades
Anchoiade
Preserved lemon
Pissaladiere

** This is a hands-on class where you will get to participate in the preparation of numerous French specialities. Some recipes will require working collectively both for their realization as well as to limit unnecessary food waste but don’t worry you will have plenty of opportunity to get your hands dirty. We will plan on baking or prepping bread everyday of class.

The examples of dishes we may do in class together is not fixed. All recipes are based on seasonal availability as well as time constraints.

The program week is modifiable under the same conditions.

We hope this will give you a little idea of what you can expect during your Week in Uzès without giving away all the surprises that await you.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us

SAMPLE WEEK'S PROGRAM

Week in Uzès Sample Program

The following is a sample program for our Week in Uzès – French cooking vacation in the South of France. The program is subject to change due to weather or availability of our partners. A more definitive program will be given to you on the day of your arrival. Barring any changes in weather and the desires of the group, this final program will be what you can expect for the week. We ask that you try to be understanding about any slight modifications that will not affect your overall enjoyment of the program.

Saturday arrival

DAY 1:

Pick up from Avignon TGV at 3:30 PM to bring you the vacation rental

Arrival at the guest house around 4:30 PM

Welcome dinner cocktail at around 6:30 PM at the guest house

To get you excited about the week ahead, we have arranged a “cocktail dinatoire” at the guesthouse around 6:30 PM. A chance to meet Eric and Yetunde and discuss the wonderful week ahead. Light meal included.

DAY 2:

Winery Tour – Discover the wines of our region with a visit to one of our local wineries rich with tradition and a passion for good quality wines. Our wine specialist will be your guide on this 1/2 day tour. You’ll be sent off with a light Provençal picnic lunch prepared for you by chef Eric.

Free evening

DAY 3:

1st day of class

The morning will start with a continental breakfast at the guesthouse. You will be picked up and taken to the school to start your first day of cooking including preparation of lunch that we will enjoy together. After lunch, we will take a tour of a local cheese producer, a chance to stretch our legs and take in the countryside.

In the evening, with the guidance of our sommelier, you will participate in a unique wine and food pairing experience. No further dinner plans will be necessary.

DAY 4:

Market day in Nîmes

Start the day with a French continental breakfast at the guesthouse. Out of the kitchen and into the market. Tuesday is a day to explore the covered market of Nîmes to select not only what we will eat for today’s lunch but also get a crash course into the fresh produce that adorns the menus of prestigious French restaurants and our homes.

After our exploration and shopping of the market, we’ll return to the school to prepare your 3-course luncheon + cheese course. After lunch, we will prep some bread and other items for the rest of the week ahead.

Evening free. We would be happy to offer suggestions for any dinner reservations or you can refer to our restaurant suggestions.

DAY 5:

Wednesday Market day in Uzès

The morning will start with a French continental breakfast at the guesthouse. You will be picked up and taken to the Uzès “marché des producteurs” taking place on the Place aux Herbes. Take in this beautiful medieval city and shop like a local with chef Eric for seasonal produce to take back to the school and prepare together for a 4-course luncheon. After our lunch break, we will resume cooking to prepare for tomorrow’s picnic.

Early evening apéritif at the Pont du Gard. Take in this magnificently preserved UNESCO World Heritage site – not to be missed, while we enjoy wine and a light pre-dinner meal. For most of you, this will be more than enough for the evening but if not, we will be happy to make recommendations for dining out.

Evening free, post our apéritif

DAY 6:

Déjeuner sur l’herbe

Start the day with a French continental breakfast before being picked up for an early morning of bread-making. Bake your baguettes and get excited for the fabulous picnic lunch that awaits you. You will be whisked off to a secluded location for a casual and delicious afternoon.

Evening free

DAY 7:

Final cooking day
The morning will start with a French continental breakfast at the guesthouse. Off to class to prepare our lunch for the day. You will head back to the house after lunch to relax and perhaps take a dip in the pool.

For our final evening together, we will take you out for a wonderful dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

DAY 8:

Departure Day.

A French continental breakfast will be served at the guesthouse before check out and pick up for the return to Avignon TGV at 10 am.

(Please note that this is a sample itinerary to give you an idea of what to expect during your week in Provence).

Book a Week in Uzès