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From £982 pp*
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Gastronomic Short Break

Highlights

  • Meet producers and taste Armagnac, local cheese and much more
  • Stay in a picturesque farmhouse with large swimming pool
  • Includes all meals, accommodation and return train station transfers
From £982 pp*
  1. Select your start date
  2. Choose the number of people in your group
  3. Check availability
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What you'll do

Overview

Enjoy tasty French cuisine and explore the delights of French gastronomy with culinary guided excursions. Famously a gourmet’s paradise, Gascony is famed for its delicious duck to succulent wild boar and charming local wines, not forgetting the allure of Gascony Armagnac, which will tickle your taste buds.

Spend an amazing time discovering the fantastic food, wines, Armagnacs, history and culture of south-west France. This luxury tailor made tour will take your breath away. You will st...Read All

Arrival

Arrive in the afternoon to be greeted by your friendly hosts. There is a free collection service from Agen train station. Airport (Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bergerac) collections can be arranged upon request for a supplement

Settle into your delightful room before getting to know your fellow guests over delicious aperitifs

In the afternoon, you will cleanse your palate with a course about Champagne and Methode Traditionelle. Try white...Read All

Boutique wines, cheeses and Armagnac

This morning after breakfast you will visit one of the local vineyards and sample their best wines

Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant or at the vineyard

In the afternoon, spend time discovering cheeses from the region and around France. Understand the different processes and tastes.

What better to wash down your cheese than Armagnac. Early evening, you will visit a family run distillery (which Gascony is famous for) and...Read All

Easy lunches, Foie Gras & Armagnac

After a leisurely breakfast, you will visit a local market. Visit the cathederal, mingle with the locals, sample the cheeses, meats and fruits then relax with a coffee and watch the world pass by

Today we will have a relaxing lunch at a gourmet restaurant

After lunch you will visit a beautiful chateau famous for its aperitifs and wines for an afternoon of wine tasting and a walk through history

You will ...Read All

Departure

– After breakfast, guests are asked to check out by 10am
– You are welcome to relax and enjoy some free time if your flight is not until later in the day, before being taken to the airport or train station for your return journey
– You will return home with fantastic memories

What's included

Included

  • 3 nights accommodation in a private twin/double room
  • 2 culinary excursions to local villages or towns
  • Armagnac distillery visit and tasting session
  • Chateau visit and wine tasting session
  • Accompanied tours of the cultural and historical sights surrounding the school
  • Transport to and from all excursions
  • All breakfasts, lunches and 3 course gourmet dinners daily
  • All refreshments (including wine etc)
  • Pick up and drop off from Agen train station
  • Check in any time after 4pm on day 1 and check out by 10am on day 4
Your local host

Caroline & Adam

Caroline is a qualified teacher from the UK and her husband Adam is a passionate cook. They moved to South West France looking for a change of lifestyle and now run their hugely successful jewellery making and activity holidays from Baron-Figués, where you will be staying. Caroline has been a qualified teacher for over 25 years and has experience in setting up and running training centres teaching practical skills. She is a senior instructor in both PMC and Art Clay and has experience in using a wide range of clays and other materials. Adam is a serious gastro enthusiast, as much in love with the local seasonal produce as the Gascons, and entirely committed to cooking the most incredible traditional dishes for guests as well as providing wonderful cooking courses. For Adam, cooking is a journey through all the senses and you won't just spend time sampling the local produce but understand how it is made and the traditions behind it. Adam blends a simple Irish approach to cooking with flavours and skills acquired from travels across the world. From conception to plate, Adam will teach you how to prepare and serve fantastic meals that will seem to magically appear in front of your guests, allowing you to enjoy the party too! For the painting course, they are joined by passionate local artists with huge knowledge and experience of the area as well as art to ensure you are taken to the right places to inspire your paintings.

Caroline is a qualified teacher from the UK and her husband Adam is a passionate cook. They moved to South West France looking for a change of lifestyle and now run their hugely successful jewellery making and activity holidays from Baron-Figués, where you will be staying. Caroline has been a qualified teacher for over 25 years and has experience in setting up and running training centres teaching practical skills. She is a senior instructor in both PMC and Art Clay and has experience in using a wide range of clays and other materials. Adam is a serious gastro enthusiast, as much in love with the local seasonal produce as the Gascons, and entirely committed to cooking the most incredible traditional dishes for guests as well as providing wonderful cooking courses. For Adam, cooking is a journey through all the senses and you won't just spend time sampling the local produce but understand how it is made and the traditions behind it. Adam blends a simple Irish approach to cooking with flavours and skills acquired from travels across the world. From conception to plate, Adam will teach you how to prepare and serve fantastic meals that will seem to magically appear in front of your guests, allowing you to enjoy the party too! For the painting course, they are joined by passionate local artists with huge knowledge and experience of the area as well as art to ensure you are taken to the right places to inspire your paintings.

Caroline & Adam image

Location

Set in the heart of Gascony surrounded by 50 acres of private unspoilt meadows, the your farmhouse accommodation is tucked away in the Gascon countryside. Although the farmhouse is a rural retreat, the bustling picturesque towns of Nérac and Condom are within easy reach.

Nearest airports:
Toulouse (1hr 40min), Bordeaux (1hr 40min), Pau (2 hours) or Bergerac (2 hours)

Complimentary pre-booked train transfers:
Return transfers to and from Agen train station (30 minutes) are included in the course price.

Trains run to Agen from across the SNCF network from where you can take advantage of the free transfer. Optional private airport transfers can be booked for an additional cost.

What our travellers are saying...

Had a great time on a cooking holiday with Caroline and Adam. They were such wonderful host and made for a great holiday. There was plenty of good food and wine and I learn quite a lot about how to cook great French food.

Anon

Friendly family. Tailored program willingly to suit our needs. Quality food. Quality workshops. Quality touring.

K Judd

From the moment we arrived we found 2 new friends - incredible hosts - quite laid back. Adam is an incredible chef and along with Caroline fantastic hosts. Nothing was too much trouble and on one occasion we went to a night market, and although we were already fed, I said I must have some snails that I had seen in the market and Adam instantly appeared with a bowl to try!! They took us to so many places we would have never seen without them and w

Anon

FAQs

Who is it suitable for?

Suitable for all cooking levels from beginners to advanced with a minimum age 18. Your hosts and tutors speak English and French, and lessons will be taught in English. Dietary requirements will be catered for if these are communicated in advance of booking.

I'm travelling solo - can I join?

These holidays make great singles holidays as there are no single supplements and you will have your own private room for no additional cost. There is a discount for 2 people travelling together and sharing a room.

When can I start?

This holiday starts on Thursdays and runs on set dates from March to November. Holidays run for 3 nights / 4 days.

Is there restricted mobility access?

Please find below some information regarding the accommodation and location of the holiday which may be useful when deciding if this is the right holiday for you; should you have an further questions, please contact us and we will be happy to help.
- We generally do not recommend this location for those with restricted mobility.
- This holiday is based in the countryside, and does include some walking.
- The accommodation has no bedrooms or bathrooms on the ground floor, therefore one must be comfortable with stairs.

What can I do in my free time?

During your free time, there is plenty to do at your farmhouse accommodation including relaxing by the heated swimming pool (May-September). The accommodation offers a range of extracurricular activities onsite which are free of charge including table tennis, basketball, shooting, archery, cycling and board games to name a few!

There are numerous fêtes, music festivals and exhibitions in the surrounding areas through the year and your host Caroline will be happy to advise you during your stay. The closest towns are Nérac and Condom, and your host will be happy to suggest activities and transport should you wish to explore these during your stay.

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