Holiday itinerary
Get set to wow your family and friends with Catalan specialities including brioche, tapas and paella following this 6 night/7 day cooking and wine holiday based in Languedoc-Roussillon. Located in France but just a short drive from the Spanish border, this holiday perfectly blends both traditional French and Spanish cuisine making for a truly unique holiday.
Learn to cook regional specialities under the guidance of local chefs using the freshest local ingredients sourced during excursions to some of the area’s most famous producers, bustling markets and prettiest towns.
Suitable for all levels, this cookery holiday is run by British culinary enthusiasts Hilary and Jacqui who will be on hand at all times to not only teach you how to cook, but to ensure you have an incredible stay to remember. Hilary is passionate about fresh, locally-sourced produce and she will teach you to cook delicious dishes with the help of local professionals, including an award-winning pastry chef.
You’ll also meet local sommeliers and wine producers who showcase some of the region’s most renowned wines during relaxed tasting sessions.
Over the course of the week, you’ll get to explore a wide range of delectable culinary excursions in France and Spain. Visit the nearby town of Céret famed for its abundance of fresh fruit, and scour the markets and charcuteries of the idyllic and affluent village of Camprodon. Enjoy the area’s famously-succulent oysters while dining with producers in Leucate and taste and select cheese for your tapas dishes during a trip to a local cheese farm.
You’ll also get the chance to sample the offerings of one of the oldest olive oil mills in the world and explore how the historic town of Collioure makes its deliciously-crispy almond croquants.
For wine lovers, a paradise also awaits you in Languedoc-Roussillon and neighbouring Catalonia and the holiday takes you on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure into the area’s finest vineyards and wineries. You'll get to sample the local Muscat de Rivesaltes and the reds and rosés of the Côtes du Roussillon appellation with a local winemaker in Perpignan.
You’ll also visit Thuir, home to fine handcrafted reds, as well as the naturally-sweet Byrrh aperitif. Other excursions explore the vineyards surrounding the beautiful seaside town of Collioure, where grapes for the famous Banyuls dessert wines are grown in ancient terraces set in the hills behind the town.
Just across the border in Spain’s famous Perelada wine region, a sommelier awaits your opinions on bubbling Cavas and some of the best Castillos. In Spanish Catalonia, you can also treat yourself to some vinotherapy at the local wine spa for an extra cost, where relaxing treatments including Grenache scrubs help to combat the signs of ageing.
A relaxed itinerary also leaves plenty of time for exploring the area's rich history and culture, from the town of Figueres, home of the Salvador Dalí Theatre and Museum, to the Museum of Modern Art in Céret and Collioure's mysterious tales of the Knights Templar.
You’ll stay in a stunning converted 17th century farmhouse with two acres of gardens and woodlands overlooking the village and boasting panoramic views of the Pyrenees mountains. Make the most of the beautiful outdoor swimming pool and the 300 annual days of sunshine by lazing in the terrace’s hammocks overlooking the hills.
Enjoy a unique cookery and wine holiday with a difference as you taste flavours from nearby French and Spanish regions and learn to cook flavoursome dishes, explore the stunning scenery through culinary excursions, and relax and enjoy a glass of wine or two on this holiday of a lifetime.
Suitability
- This cookery holidays are suitable for all levels from complete beginners to experienced cooks
- Minimum age 16 (under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult)
- Your hosts and chefs all speak English, apart from the patisserie lesson in Perpignan which is taught in French with an English translator
Travelling Solo?
- This cookery holiday makes a great singles holiday as it is the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and there are NO single supplements for a private single room
- This holiday will run for 1 person, so in the event that you are the only guest confirmed for a certain date, your holiday will still go ahead as planned!
Cooking And Wine Holiday Start Days
- All arrivals are on Fridays on set dates of the year
- Cooking holidays are for 6 nights/7 days
- If you wish to stay for extra nights please email to check availability and price for your preferred duration and we will do our best to accommodate you
- If dates appear ‘on request’ please email us at and we’ll check availability for your preferred day of arrival as quickly as possible
2014 Themes Weeks
In 2014 the cookery school will have 'themed' weeks which centre around a major event in the region. You can contact us at for more information on each theme
11 April - Chocoltae and Maury Wines
9 May - Girona Festival of Flowers and Tapas
16 May - Fete du Cerise (Cherry festival Ceret)
5 Sept - Monster Gastronomy and Wine Fair Figueres
12 Sept - Grape picking
17 Oct - Festival of New Wines
24 Oct - Wild Mushrooms and chestnuts
Cooking And Wine Holiday Itinerary
The itinerary is for guidance only and is subject to change depending on the group’s needs and wishes but is typically as follows:
Day 1- Friday - Arrival and welcome dinner
- One of the team will meet you from either Perpignan or Girona airport or railway station and transport you to the house to begin your cookery holiday
- Settle into your room before a welcome aperitif
- Enjoy a candlelit dinner served on the terrace and you’ll have a chance to chat about your expectations and the weeks itinerary with your hosts Jacqui or Hilary and also get to know the other lovely guests
Day 2 – Saturday - Visit to Ceret market, pastry cooking class, oyster tasting, and cooking class for dinner
- After breakfast, you’ll visit the local Ceret market to search for appetising fresh produce to be used for dinner this evening
- Ceret is a beautiful, vibrant town and you will have free time to wander around the markets, shop, visit the museum and take lunch – lunch is not included today and is an extra cost
- This afternoon you’ll visit Perpignan to have a 3 hour cookery class with an award winning pastry chef, who will teach you how to make the perfect pastry
- On the way home, you will head to the oyster shacks on the Etang of Leucate for a delicious tasting session before returning to the house
- This evening you will help to prepare a traditional 1 course Catalan supper and eat your delicious meal for dinner
Day 3 – Sunday – Visit Camprodon in Spain, Fideua lunch cooking class, knife skills workshop & Tapas cooking class
- Today you’ll drive through the mountains to the town of Camprodon, which is the retreat of many wealthy Barcelonians
- After a tasty breakfast of coffee and pastries in Camprodon, you will shop at the market and the charcuteries in preparation for your tapas cooking class this afternoon
- You'll then return to the house to make a traditional Spanish style lunch of fideua in a short cookery class
- Enjoy your Sunday lunch on the terrace at the house, followed by a time to relax and maybe have a cheeky siesta
- This evening about 6pm you’ll have a workshop teaching you knife skills, and then learning to cook fantastic Tapas dishes with the professional chef who has lived and worked in Spain
- Enjoy the Tapas dishes for a well-deserved dinner
Day 4 – Monday - Vineyard tour in Thuir, cheese tasting and bread making cooking class
- Have a leisurely breakfast before heading to Thuir mid-morning
- Once at Thuir, you will visit an internationally acclaimed winemaker to take tour of the spectacular vineyard, taste the wines and have a fantastic lunch
- During harvest season you can also help to pick the grapes to immerse yourself in vine culture
- Over lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to talk to the vigneron and his family about their vineyard and buy wine from the wine cellar
- On the drive home, you’ll stop at a fromagerie to sample local cheeses before an early evening bread making cooking class back home where you will learn to make tasty fougasse or brioche to eat along with a delicious main for dinner
Day 5 – Tuesday – Visit to Figueres, wine and cava tasting, wine spa and olive oil tasting
- Enjoy another leisurely breakfast before visiting Figueres for a small excursion
- Spend your morning exploring the shops, visit the famous Dali mueum or simply relax and enjoy the views before lunch
- You’ll stop off en-route at the Toile du Soleil factory to admire the delicate Catalan fabrics and espadrilles
- In the afternoon, you’ll be taken to the famous Perelada wine region where you will have a fantastic private tasting of the best Castillo wines and Cava's with a sommelier
- After the tasting session, why not relax at the Perelada wine spa and experience the thousand year old vinotherapy and sample the health benefits of the wine spa – who knew wine could be so healthy!
- The spa is a pool complex with a sauna and water jets, and entrance is free of charge for 2 hours, and you can book spa treatments for an extra cost during your stay
- On the way home, you’ll visit one of the oldest olive oil mills for a tasting of traditional oils
- Finally, you'll have dinner at a lovley Spanish restaurant called 'Can Mach' overlooking the beautiful 'bay of Roses', which is a lovely seaside town which can be seen in all its glory from the terrace of the restaurant
Day 6 – Wednesday – visit to Collioure, wine tasting and paella cooking class
- This morning after breakfast you’ll visit the stunning coastal town of Collioure, which has been an inspiration to artists, poets and writers for decades
- You’ll taste the famous Collioure and Banyuls wines and also learn about the production of the famous anchovies and croquants
- There is free time in the afternoon to explore this region and have a spot of lunch – note lunch is not included today and is an additional cost
- This afternoon you’ll head back to the house to learn how to prepare and cook the world famous Spanish dish of paella
- It’s then time to enjoy the delicious paella with your new friends over a farewell dinner and reflect on the fun you’ve had this week
Day 7 – Thursday – Departure day
- After a leisurely breakfast you will be taken back to Perpignan or Girona airport or train station ready for departure, taking home with your fantastic new recipes and an insight into Spanish and French culinary life that will stay with you long after the holiday is over
About Your Chefs
- Your friendly and knowledgeable host and chefs for most of the week are Hilary and Jacqui
- They met during one of Jacqui’s infamous cookery classes and bonded over their passion for food, wine and travel
- Jacqui and Hilary will also be helped by local professionals during their classes to prepare the dishes and impart their local wisdom on you!
- Jacqui’s sister Sue, her husband Alastair and neighbours Martine and Jose will also help out during their week and they will all bring their own unique knowledge and skills to the cookery classes
- Alastair will act as a guide and chauffeur and is very knowledgable about the area as well as the local flora and fauna
- Jacqui and her husband have lived in France for over 9 years, where they renovated the old farmhouse you will be staying and cooking in
- Hilary has been cooking and teaching for 20 years and is extremely knowledgeable, and also an expert in bread making and baking with wild yeast
- Hilary has also lived and worked in Spain, Italy and the USA before settling in France
- Hilary was a founder member of the wonderful Slow Food Movement
What Will I Learn?
- Your week will build on your cooking skills with the aim of introducing you to Catalan dishes with a taste of French and Spanish flavours and specialities
- You will learn a range of skills such as bread making and knife skills - You’ll also learn about local producers during visits to see cheese being made, wine producers and tastings, vineyards, and dessert making
- Explore local markets and villages to really immerse yourself in the culture and cuisine of this unique region
- Most of all, the aim of the week is for guests to fall in love with the area and have a great and memorable experience, eat and drink well and make new friends
Sample Menus
Dishes vary according to the season and what food is available but you will typically have the following lessons and dishes:
- Pastry cooking class
- Tapas cooking class
- Bread making class
- Paella cooking class
- Please note that if you do have special dietary requirements (including vegetarians), some food replacements may not be readily available in France so this must be discussed with us before booking
The Accommodation
- You will be coming to stay in the stunning farmhouse and gite of Mas Soula in the hillside overlooking the village of Le Tech
- The gite offers 3 bedrooms – 1 double with ensuite bathroom, and 1 double and 1 twin that share a bathroom
- The gite also has a sitting room with TV, wood burning fire, summer kitchen/dining room, dishwasher, washing machine and large terrace with a gas BBQ
- The main farmhouse offers a double room with ensuite bathroom and a twin room with private bathroom
- The main farmhouse has a large living room with a fireplace and TV/DVD, spacious kitchen, washing machine, and a terrace overlooking the mountains with a gas BBQ
- There are NO single supplements for solo travellers to have their own private room
- Guests will be allocated ensuite bedrooms on a first come basis, and solo travellers can upgrade to a private ensuite bathroom for a supplement (please see costing and extras tab)
- All rooms are beautifully decorated and classic in style with good quality linen and towels
- The property is the perfect place to relax as it has large terraces with beautiful views of the area
- The house is tucked away down a private road meaning your stay is peaceful and secluded, but the village is only a short walk away so you have the best of both worlds!
- There are large, tranquil gardens with hammocks to relax in and shady trees to nap under as well as 2 acres of woodland surrounding the house
- The swimming pool has unrivalled views of the countryside for as far as the eye can see and is a private haven
- Parking available if you wish to hire a car
- There is free Wi-Fi at the house
- Accommodation is included for 6 nights/7 days
- Check in any time after 4pm on day 1 and check out by 10am on day 7
- Please note that the beach is around 50 minutes' drive away
Meals
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners are included in the price for this holiday, except for lunches on Day 2 and Day 6 which are an extra cost
- Wine is served with dinners as well as water
- If you have dietary requests these must be communicated to us at the time of booking
Free Time In France
- The Vallespir area is full of many lovely towns and villages set in the foothills of the Pyrenees or along the Mediterranean coast
- You will be staying in the village of Le Tech, and the farmhouse is a short walk from the village with its café, small shops and sports to explore
- There are also many great towns and attractions nearby which your hosts will be happy to suggest to you during your stay such as walks in the hillside and countryside, swimming in the rivers of Le Tech and Cumlade, cycling, birdwatching, horse riding, canyoning and golfing
Prepare authentic Catalan dishes, sample the region's finest wines and aperitifs and explore how the area produces its rich range of wines, cheeses and seafood on this gastronomic adventure through the Mediterranean Pyrenees: a must for anyone passionate about food.