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from £1987 pp*
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French Cookery and Gastronomy Holiday

Highlights

  • Includes all meals, accommodation and return train station transfers
  • Outings to vineyards, local markets, chateaus and more
  • Stay in a picturesque farmhouse with large swimming pool
from £1987 pp*
  1. Select your start date
  2. Choose the number of people in your group
  3. Check availability
Request Availabilty

What you'll do

Overview

Set in a beautiful 19th century farmhouse sitting in 50 acres of countryside, you'll learn to cook tasty French cuisine and explore the delights of French cuisine with culinary guided excursions. And what better place to learn? Famously a gourmet paradise, Gascony is famed for its delicious duck to succulent wild boar and charming local wines, not forgetting the allure of Gascony Armagnac.

Enthusiastic cook Adam will accompany you on a range of culinary excursions, which can be anything ...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

– Enjoy a social evening with a three course gourmet dinner serv...Read All

Boutique Wines

– This morning after breakfast, you will go to a delightful local village market
– Over coffee and croissants in a local cafe, enjoy a brief discussion of the ancient kingdom of Henri IV
– You will then return to the farmhouse to relax by the pool
– A delicious lunch will be served by the pool or in the farmhouse kitchen
– After lunch, you’ll begin to explore the wines of the region, sampling the best wines around from local family produ...Read All

Easy lunches & Armagnac

– After a leisurely breakfast, it’s time to enter the kitchen and begin your culinary experience!
– Today you’ll focus on preparing quick and easy plates of food that can be adapted to work as lunches, light snacks or starters
– The lunch you have prepared will be served by the pool or in the farmhouse kitchen
– After lunch, you will visit a family run foie gras business where you will learn how it is made and taste it cooked three ways
R...Read All

Lazy salad days

– After a leisurely breakfast, you will return to the kitchen to continue your culinary voyage
– Today you’ll focus on salads, dressings, quiches and, following yesterday’s visit, you will prepare a terrine of foie gras
– The lunch you have prepared will be served by the pool or in the farmhouse kitchen
– After lunch, you will visit a beautiful chateau famous for its aperitifs and wines for an afternoon of wine tasting and a walk through histo...Read All

Champagne and stars

– After a leisurely breakfast, you will visit a bustling French market in the ancient town of Condom
– Visit the cathedral, mingle with the locals, sample the cheeses, meats and fruits, then relax with a coffee and watch the world pass by
– Today you’ll have a relaxing lunch at a Michelin Star restaurant
– After lunch, you will return to the kitchen to discover how to prepare fabulous dinners that ` you can enjoy with your guests
– In t...Read All

Cheese and wine pairing

– After a leisurely breakfast, you return to the kitchen
– Today you will learn some of the tricks of the trade and work with the skills you have learned to prepare a meal fit for a king
– Lunch will be served by the pool or in the farmhouse kitchen
– In the afternoon, spend time discovering cheeses from the region and around France, understanding the different processes and tastes
– Return to the farmhouse to relax by the pool and spend t...Read All

Day group excursion

Relax with a delicious breakfast this morning before heading out on a fun excursion for the day Today you’ll enjoy an excursion to a location of your choice! Your hosts will take you to visit further afield depending on the groups preferences Explore the stunning scenery and relax on your final day, and enjoy lunch whilst you out This evening you’ll return home for your final dinner, where you’ll reflect on the week and how much you have learnt

 

Accommodation

You&#...Read All

Departure Day

After breakfast, guests are asked to check out by 10am

You will return home with fantastic memories and new skills to last you a lifetime

What's included

Included

  • 7 nights accommodation in a private twin/double room
  • 4 cooking classes
  • All excursions and transport to local villages or towns
  • Armagnac distillery visit and tasting session
  • Make your own bottle of Armagnac
  • Chateau visit and wine tasting session
  • All breakfasts, lunches and 3-course gourmet dinners daily
  • Champagne and Methode Traditionelle tasting
  • Cheese and wine pairing
  • Use of bicycles and on site activities
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...

Spent an excellent week with Adam and Caroline. Enjoyed the cooking lessons and preparing the evening meals. No shortage of good food and wine throughout the week. Good balance of activities and down time. Beautiful setting in the french countryside.

Anon

Fabulous wine and cheese. Days exploring the French local cuisines. Nights full of Apero's and laughs. Adam and Caroline are such amazing hosts and create an environment full of laughs. Adam makes cooking amazing food look so easy even for some beginners. The trips to the local areas were great being able to wander beautiful country towns full of cobblestones and history. And the cheese made by the local producers are to die for. There really is

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 Saturdays and runs on set dates from March to November. Holidays run for 7 nights / 8 days.

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 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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