Detailed course itinerary
Tucked away in the peaceful and historic village of Gramont in Gascony, this charming and tastefully restored French chambre d'hote is the setting for your Weekend French cookery holiday break.
Under the guidance of your English host Chef David and French Chef Bernard who both trained as chefs in France and are acclaimed in the area, you will immerse yourself in French life to discover the gastronomic delights of this beautiful area of South West France.
The aim of the French cooking course is to give you the skills to cook a fabulous dinner party back home to impress even the most experienced foodies. You’ll learn to cook either in the kitchen of local restaurant the Auberge ("French Farmhouse Restaurant") or in the kitchen at the main house.
You'll enjoy two French cooking lessons starting on Friday where you'll not only learn to cook French specialities but also how to complete a full service for a unique residential French cookery weekend.
Suitability
- Suitable for all from beginners to experienced foodies
- Your hosts are British and French so all cooking classes are taught in English and French
Non-Cooking Guests
- Non cooking guests are welcome to share a room with a cooking guest and prices for the non-cooking guest will be discounted accordingly, please email or contact us via live chat (click on the ‘start chat’ link at the bottom of this page) or call us for details
French Cooking Weekend Start Days
- The weekend cooking course runs year round
- All arrivals are on Fridays
- Departures are on Sundays
Note: If the dates are not suitable for you, we may be able to accommodate you on alternative dates or days of arrival so please call 08445 020 445 or email with your preferred dates and we'll do our best to accommodate you
Special Themed Weekends
Please note that the following dates offer special cultural themed activities:
June 11, 2010 – Conte de Gramont
After learning to cook your fabulous Gascon recipes you will have the chance to enjoy the wonderful Gascon tradition where the village becomes a stage as it’s residents become thespians led by a professional story teller, bringing local fables to life. You can feast on traditional Gascon food and wine and participate in the torchlight procession through the village.
July 16, 2010 – Just Desserts
If desserts are your thing then this weekend is for you. Your whole weekend will be dedicated to making delicious, classic French desserts such as Tarte aux Pommes and Crème Brûlée. You will learn to make Croquembouche, a delicious cake traditionally used for weddings. You will learn to create all of these delicacies along with pastry making, caramalised decoration and piping. Indulge yourself and enjoy!
September 24, 2010 – Le Vendange
Join the village in the annual grape picking festival. Midway through your cookery weekend you will meet in the local vineyard where you will pick the grapes by hand. This tradition goes back more than a hundred years in Gramont and to celebrate your hard work you will be rewarded in the Auberge by a superb Gascon lunch served with, of course, local wine.
French Cookery Holiday Itinerary
Day 1 – Friday
- You may check-in to your room anytime after 1pm on Friday afternoon - Please note: we request that you are ready to start cooking by 2.30pm at the latest
- After a welcome drink, you'll hit the kitchen straight away as you will start your first French cooking lesson lasting about 3 hours learning to cook French specialities from the region using fresh, seasonal ingredients
- Around 7-8pm you'll be served aperitifs and canapés followed by the delicious dinner you'll have learned to cook that afternoon
Day 2 – Saturday
8.45-9.45am – Breakfast
- Enjoy a leisurely French breakfast before heading into the kitchen
- Take your second cooking lesson where you'll aim to get in between 4-5 hours of cooking to make the most of your weekend in France learning to cook seasonal specialities of the region
- Lunch will be included today
- You'll then have some free time before being invited back into the kitchen in the evening to take part in the service of the dinner so that you'll not only learn how to prepare and cook the food but also how to deliver service as they do in a professional kitchen
- Around 7-8pm, enjoy aperitifs and canapés followed by the dinner you'll have learned to cook today
Day 3 – Sunday
- After breakfast guests are asked to check-out of their rooms by 11am ready for departure taking home with them new cooking skills and an insight into French life that will stay with them long after the holiday is over
Sample French Menus
Please note that dishes may change according to the season and availability of fresh produce
- Cassoulet
- Foie gras
- Plaice with fish veloute
- 3 pepper soup
- Ballotine de poulet
- Frangipane fruit tart
- Tarte aux Pommes
What Will I Learn?
- The history of French cuisine from the area
- How to select fresh, seasonal ingredients
- How to cook a full French menu (please note that dishes change each lesson and the dishes shown are for guidance only and may change due to produce availability)
- Tasting wines from the region and which wines to pair with the food
- How to cook and serve dinner for a dinner party, including the plating up and how best to present the food on the plate
French Cookery Holiday Accommodation
- You'll stay in a charming chambre d'hote which has just 4 rooms
- There is also a small Gite next to the chambre d'hote with 1 room and please note that if the Gite is busy, there's a charming B&B very close by although if you are placed here, you will be informed at the time of booking
- Tastefully restored to retain the rustic charm; your room will have a twin or a double bed, private bathroom and a delightful view
- Please note that you'll cook in the kitchen of the main house where your Chef David lives or in the nearby Auberge
Go learn to cook authentic French dishes from the Gascony region at this idyllic retreat in the heart of Gascony, France, immerse yourself in the culture and share your passion for food with others on this unique learning holiday.