Enjoying the spoils of France – Market Day
The French are spoiled – at least when it comes to fresh produce. It is just about everywhere you look. Market day is a big deal here and I’m here to tell you all about it. Market day list
Culinary Vacations in France 2021
Hosted by Chef Eric Fraudeau & Yetunde Oshodi-Fraudeau – Cook’n With Class
Cooking Holiday France – Cooking Vacations in France – Culinary Vacations in France – Cooking Tour in Provence – Cooking Classes in Provence – Cookery Holidays in France
2021 dates: September 11-18, September 18-25, October 9-16
It’s been a rough year (2020), and we could all use a change of pace and a change of scenery, no? While we know that you are all eagerly anticipating the return to traveling freely and safely and perhaps joining us in Southern France for a delightful culinary experience, we need to ask your patience while we finalize when (this fall), we will offer you a week you won’t soon forget.
Bookmark this page and/or sign up for our mailing list so you don’t miss out on the adventure. In the meantime, check out the details below for past Weeks in Uzès. While the essential parts of the program will remain the same, some details may change due to the effects, restrictions, or mandates dictated by the pandemic. We greatly appreciate your patience.
What is the Week in Uzès?
Hosted by chef Eric Fraudeau and his wife, Yetunde Oshodi-Fraudeau, creators of the popular French cooking school in Paris, Cook’n With Class, the week in Uzès is a French culinary holiday in the South of France filled with food, wine, and good company. Forget about other large group tours. This is a week where you’ll be the center of attention along with your fellow participants. We only take a small number of students with us to ensure that everyone has a hands-on experience. Our culinary vacation package has evolved over time to include all the best that we can offer in the tastes of France.
Plenty of wine to discover, recipes to try, and skills to acquire. Discover France through its food, its people, & its wine.
Your tour is 6 days & 7 nights and includes beautiful accommodations.
Our Week in Uzès program runs from Saturday to Saturday. Here are our dates:
2021 French culinary holiday:
- September 11-18, 2021
- September 18-25, 2021
- October 9-16, 2021
Price: 2855€/ person (850€ for a non-participating guest joining a participant in a shared room). See booking and cancelation for more information.
Week in Uzès Sample Program
A culinary holiday that actually gets you cooking. You’ll cook as much or as little as you like but the focus of our culinary holiday is the food and wine of the south of France.
Our 2020 French culinary vacation in Southern France is your chance to treat yourself to a culinary experience you will not soon forget. You can expect an exciting week including wine tasting, wonderful recipes to remake at home with a cooking experience you’ve come to expect from chef Eric Fraudeau & Cook’n with Class Uzès.
The following is a sample program for our Week in Uzès – French Culinary holiday 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.
While we adjust our program based on season, weather and the availability of our producers and tour partners here is a sample of one of the prior programs we held.
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).
- 7-night accommodations in a privatized guesthouse in the Pays d’Uzès
- French continental breakfasts each morning
- Welcome Cocktail dinner at the guesthouse
- Cheese & wine tastings & culinary & cultural excursions
- 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners including dinner at a select restaurant chosen by your chef, unlimited tastings
- Transportation to and from the guesthouse & school and for all organized excursions
- French market & local producer & winery tours
- Hands-on French cooking experience including, bread-making, breakfast pastries, soups, salads, stews, Provencal dishes, French desserts
- Small group sizes (maximum of 8 students), with up to 2 guests per session
- You don’t have to be a chef! All cooking levels welcome
- You don’t even have to cook! A non-participating guest is welcome when traveling with a participant in a shared room. Please inquire.
- Learn from an experienced French chef in English in a convivial and friendly atmosphere
- Wonderful recipes to recreate at home
- Transportation to and from Avignon TGV on arrival and departure date
*Note: Let us know if you have your own accommodations and we will send you a quote. Traveling as a group of 4 or more, we can organize the week as a private session.
Group size: 6-8 max; 2 guests per group max
Price: 2021 dates – 2855€/person; 850€ for non-participating guest
We’ve hand-selected two beautiful home that are both convenient for their location and outstanding amenities. Which house will be used for the week is dependent on its availability but rest assured that your comfort has been taken into consideration. These are self-catered homes but we’ve ensured that you are still being pampered.
Amenities you can expect:
Breakfast each morning of your stay
Towels (both for the shower and the pool)
Pool*
Outdoor dining areas
Soap & shower gel & other basic toiletries
Hair dryer (in each room)
Coffee (starter) in addition to coffee served with breakfast
Teas (a small selection)
Fully equipped kitchen and dish-ware
Laundry soap (starter)
Dishwasher tablets & washing up liquid (starter)
WIFI
Private secured parking
*Pool availability from in May & June
We always try to cook with the seasons so our menus will vary slightly from month to month. We have access to so many wonderful markets in the South of France and we can’t wait to have you discover some of the classics and revisted recipes of Provencal and Mediterranean cuisine for the perfect Mediterranean cooking class.
Here is a sample of some of the preparations we’ve already made during our past French culinary holiday*
- Pissaladière
- Melon Sorbert
- Soupe au Pistou
- Fried Camembert
- Lavender Ice-cream
- Fougasse with Ham, Almond and Herbs
- Pâté en Croûte Rustique
- Cherry Clafoutis
- Coq au Vin
- Sablé Breton
- Bouillabaisse
- Baguette Tradition
- Brown Chicken Stock
- Dried Duck Ham
- Steamed Emperor Fish, Spring Vegetables, Basil
- Seared Squid à la Provençale
- Mussels in Saffron Cream Sauce
- Panisse de Marseille
- Confit de Canard
- and so much more!
* 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 opportunities to get your hands dirty.
The examples of dishes we may do in class together is never fixed. All recipes are based on seasonal availability as well as time constraints and YOU. your input is all part of the menu creation.
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.
Booking and Cancelation:
Special times call for special and flexible arrangements. We realize that at present it is hard to commit 110% to travel, so we are trying to make it easier for you to join us. For bookings of our 2021 dates, you will not need to confirm your booking request with payment before June 15, 2021. Should you book after this date, assuming the world still turns, we’ll assume you’re coming!
We need to review your booking before confirming your spot in the class. When your request is approved, you will receive a “Your booking has been accepted!“. We’ll remind you in June that your deposit payment is due.
We’re asking for the Week in Uzes, that you pay a non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total price. The balance is due 45 days before the program start date. Your 30% deposit is not due before June but we ask that if you don’t think you can make it, that you let us know as soon as possible so as not to block the space from another participant.
If you cancel before June, you’ll have nothing to pay. Please note that the 30% is non-refundable once you have paid it. You can postpone your dates should you need to cancel after full payment has been received. Once changed, the new dates are final and non-refundable. A Cancelation within less than 45 days of the start date, will receive no refund.
Not 100% convinced yet? Read our reviews on Tripadvisor.
Your culinary vacation in the South of France includes 6 days of cooking and touring + 7 nights accommodations in a guest house you will be sharing with other participants.
All transportation to and from excursions as well as the option of pick up from and return to Avignon TGV station.
7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 evening meals including dinner at a select restaurant chosen by your chef, unlimited tastings
Price: 2855€/ person (850€ for a non-participating guest joining a participant in a shared room)
Have questions? Please feel free to send us an inquiry after reviewing our current available dates below.
Offer this class as a gift to your friends and family.
Your Cooking vacation in France: A French Culinary vacation in France (Uzès)
WEEK IN UZÈS
My name is Eric Fraudeau, I am a French chef and the creator of Cook’n With Class. My wife and I would like you to join us on one of my cooking vacations in France. Let me (re)introduce you to the French cuisine and the Provençal way of life with this introduction to Provencal Cuisine in the beautiful Medieval city of Uzès, in the sunny South of France. Join us for this Culinary vacation in France, in the Gard Provencal. This 6-Day, 7-nights experience with hands-on French cooking classes and cooking tours is for all food and wine enthusiasts.
My wife, Yetunde, and I have put together a French culinary vacation package all taught in English. I’ll share with you my over 40 years of cooking experience that has taken me from France to Canada, Mexico, the USA, & back again. My passion is French cuisine and I want you to live that passion with us. We will taste fresh, seasonal foods, visit producers as well as historical monuments (including UNESCO world heritage sites); we’ll take in the many delightful fragrances of & bask in, all that the south of France has to offer in gastronomical fare.
We’ve taken the best of our Wine courses, French cooking classes, Dessert classes, & Bread-making courses to give you a rich and delicious holiday focusing on what you love best about France.
We like to keep the group size small with a max of 6 people, so be ready for plenty of hands-on cooking experiences in a convivial and relaxed setting. We will not only be at our chopping boards, but we will also have opportunities to visit vineyards and learn about French food and wine tasting and pairing with wine producer, specialist, and aficionados. We’ll take you to olive mills, or a working farm to learn how the famous goat cheese of the region is produced. But of course, we will not forget the wine & laughter that the south of France is known for.
Your Week in Uzès includes 6 days of activities (classes & excursions) & 7 nights accommodations in a private guest house selected for its charm and amenities. Welcome to the perfect French culinary vacation.
Come and join us on one of our French culinary vacations in France.
See you in Uzès!
Chef Eric Fraudeau
OUR CLASSES
Take part in a virtual French cooking experience for your friends and family. We’re bringing French cooking straight into your home kitchen through an interactive online cooking class. Cook along, ask questions, and enjoy!
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A 2-day virtual bread baking course taught by chef Eric. Master the art of bread baking from the comfort of your home kitchen. A bread-baking course for all lovers of great, homemade bread. Come bake delicious bread with us!
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An online Pâte & Terrine course for charcuterie lovers. Interactive, relaxed, & hands-on cooking with Chef Eric as your guide. You’ll learn to prepare a variety of pâtés and terrines from start to finish – Vegetable, Meat, & Fish-based.
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Tapas, apéro, aperitivo, whatever you call it, this is one delicious class. Come and learn Provencal and Mediterranean small plates to accompany your next cocktail hour. Chef Eric will be your guide throughout our interactive online sessions.
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A virtual French dessert class where French tea cakes & cookies are the starts. We’ll prepare, madeleines, French cookies, & gluten-free cakes, and more. Yummy, hands-on, and interactive. Join us from your home kitchen!
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Meet our chefs for lunch or dinner in France in this online cooking class. We’re bringing the taste of France to your home kitchen. Prepare a delicious 3-course meal. A great way to connect distant friends, family with France.
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Are you ready a bit of Olé? We’re taking you to Spain! Say hello to our online Spanish cooking class. A taste of Spanish cuisine beyond tapas. Prepare a delicious 3-course meal. LIVE, interaction, & fun. Come taste with us!
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An online quick French bread baking class. Join our chef in preparing easy to make French bread rolls from the comfort of your home kitchen. This is a one day class. Learn bread recipes that you can customize & make your own.
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A great sauce starts with a great stock. Come join us for this unique online Sauce Making class where we will help you perfect your sauce making from stock to finish. With the base of the French mother sauces as your building blocks, the options are countless.
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Come discover our French bistro menus during one of our Online French cooking classes LIVE from France. A 2-hour class where we’ll guide you through your lunch or dinner menu with French bistro classics taught by our chefs.
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An online macaron baking class, LIVE from France. Join our pastry chef and learn to make macarons from the comfort of your home kitchen. We’ll make a large macaron gâteau and small bite-size macarons to decorate it with. A tasty bite of France.
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Perfect your French tart baking skills. Master French pie & tart doughs selected for their fillings as much as for their tastes. Learn the classic French tart recipes that you’ve seen in French pastry shop windows. Online and from your home kitchen.
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Learn this versatile French pastry dough recipe and some of the sweet ways you can enjoy it. This is the same dough and technique needed to make éclairs, chouquettes, gougères, & more. Perfect your skills in this introduction to choux pastry dough.
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An online French desserts class from our Paris kitchen. Join our pastry chef for a classic French desserts class online. Learn to make boutique worthy French desserts all in the comfort of your home kitchen. Expert instruction for a hands on experience.
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An online Gluten-Free French desserts class from our Paris kitchen. Yes, you can enjoy French desserts without the worry of wheat flour. Discover the classic and modern French desserts that are a gluten-free dream come true. You’ll be in French dessert heaven.
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Week in Uzès – Culinary Vacation Package
€2,855.006 days of cooking, baking, touring, and tasting. Hands-on French cooking classes. Explore markets, visit producers, and be immersed in French cuisine. All skill levels are welcome. 7-nights lodging included.
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A Week in Paris – French Culinary Tours
€2,000.00A week in Paris filled with food, wine, & cooking? Join chef Eric as he takes you on a gastronomic journey through French brasserie cuisine, Champagne country, and more. 5.5 days of pure foodie love. Jump in!
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Bread Master Class
€400.00Learn to make bread at home like a pro. We’ll teach you the techniques you need to beef up your bread-making skills. This 3-day Bread master class in Paris is perfect for anyone who would like to learn how to make, maintain and use a starter. Open to bakers of all levels.
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