9 Best Cooking Vacations in France To Explore The Local Cuisine in 2024

Top French Cooking Vacations

1. Cooking Course in Brittany 7-Day – Best For In-Depth French Cooking Vacation

Just three hours from Paris, in the easily accessible Brittany region, is the location of this cooking vacation in France.

This culinary vacation offers hands-on cooking classes in an intimate environment.

Michelin-trained, Chef Poul shares all his cooking secrets with you during this 7 day French cooking course in Brittany. 

There are 9 cooking classes covering a range of wonderful French dishes. You’ll learn to make lobsters, mousselines, garnishes, sauces, pastries, ice cream and much more.

Importantly, you’ll develop key cuisine skills that only come from working alongside a talented and trained French chef. 

When you’re finished cooking delicious meals for lunch and dinner, you’ll savor regional cider and wine on excursions.

Guided tours of the wonderful open-air markets in Rennes, and medieval towns around the cooking school are also included.

While in the region, you can taste oysters and fresh seafood in Cancale or spend time exploring Dinan or St Malo.

You have a choice of accommodations near the cooking school. Private villas and B&Bs are plentiful, all within walking distance to the cooking school.

The region is idyllic, making it the perfect location for a stress-free, fun, and magical culinary journey.

2. Wine Tasting and Cooking Vacation in Southwest 8-Day – Best For Wine Lovers

Why not combine a little bit of history, culture, and fine wine tasting at a 180-year-old farmhouse in southwest France?

This 8-day wine and cooking vacation in Lot-et-Garonne is a luxurious and tailor-made cooking adventure for French lovers.

Everything about this cooking vacation is tailor-made to give you the best possible experience and everything Gascony has to offer.

Each day is a new culinary experience. From a wine class focused on local boutique wines to making salads, quiche, and terrine de foie gras, you’ll be equipped with new skills.

Apart from cooking, you’ll visit an Armagnac distillery with the bonus of creating your own blend. 

At a local gourmet restaurant, you’ll enjoy a course about champagne, sampling white, pink, dry, and sweet ones.

With visits to medieval castles, you’ll experience “la vie de château” on visits to either Bordeaux, Saint Emilion, Toulouse, or Lectoure

You are housed in a gorgeous 180-year-old farmhouse spread out over 50 acres of history and beauty. 

This cooking class and vacation in the southwest of France has been described as “perfect from the beginning to end” and earns rave reviews consistently.

3. Cooking and Cycling Holiday in Loire Valley 7-Days – Best For Active Travelers

Discover the basics of French cuisine on this cooking vacation in the beautiful Loire Valley.

Known for its culinary prestige and renowned wines, you’ll dive into the regional specialties, including taking a biking tour through the Loire Valley vineyards.

On this 7-day foundation cooking and cycling holiday, you’ll learn to create amazing French food, including starters, desserts, main dishes, and even cocktails.

Your days will be split in half, part cooking from scratch and the rest of the time touring the region.

Each day, as a group, you’ll choose the menu and the dishes you want to learn to make. 

However, there is one cooking class dedicated to a specific aspect of French cooking. That could be pastries, seafood, or sauces.

Besides cooking, you’ll also explore the region. markets. This is a fabulous opportunity to learn about the region’s historical heritage and natural beauty with visits to castles, local producers, and wineries.

One of the highlights of this French cooking vacation is a gourmet lunch at a Michelin-starred Restaurant.

Your accommodations will be at the renovated farmhouse where the classes take place. You’ll have a choice of rooms, with some offering sweeping views of the vineyards,

This is one of our favorite regions in France, and with this French cooking vacation, you’ll be guaranteed amazing food and wine, serenity, and rich cultural experiences.

4. Taste of Normandy Cookery Holiday 4-Day – Best Value Cooking Vacation

This French cooking school vacation will delight history buffs who love everything French, including food.

This short 4-day Taste of Normandy will teach you how to master classic regional dishes.

What we love about this cooking class is that the maximum number of participants is only two. This makes it perfect for couples or solo travelers with personalized and exclusive attention.

During your stay, you’ll enjoy 2 hands-on cooking classes, where you’ll make three-course meals. 

Learn to prepare Normandy oysters or French classics like coq au vin, Normandy tart, or apple crumble with calvados, and much more.

While the menu changes seasonally, you’ll accompany all your meals with local cider or regional wines.

Your stay will be in an old and charming Normandy farmhouse, tastefully renovated by the chef and his wife. 

When you’re done cooking, you can explore the nearby museums, historic  D-Day sites, and more.

For history buffs, a French cooking vacation in Normandy is an unbeatable experience.

AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST TIP: From Bayeux, visit the Utah and Omaha landing beaches on a small group guided tour. Learn about the WWII landings as you tour the historic sites where soldiers risked their lives. Learning about the Normandy beaches is one of the best things to do in the region. Find out more here.

5. Gourmet Cookery Course in Loire Valley 6-Day – Best Intensive Cooking Vacation

Prepare to be inspired and blown away by the cooking classes at The Walnut Grove Cooking School. 

As one of the top French cooking schools in the Pays de La Loire, you’ll enjoy learning from expert chef Eric Duvin.

Enjoy 6 days/ 5 nights of intensive cooking classes with a very approachable chef in the beautiful French countryside.

You’ll learn everything from basic knife skills, how to make bread, prep salmon, working with sugar, and the art form of plating French food.

The new ideas, and cooking techniques, along with fun and laughter, will take you on new culinary adventures throughout the Loire Valley.

The luxurious rooms are located right on the same property as the cooking school with stunning views of the countryside.

There are many things that make this cooking vacation in France so special.  Not only do you have the guidance of a world-renowned chef, but you’ll also be cooking in a state-of-the-art kitchen.

The wonderful escape in the French countryside only adds to this French trip of a lifetime.

6.  Cooking Holiday in Southwest France 8 -Days – Best Immersive Cooking Vacation

Work alongside a Michelin star-trained chef for 8 days of immersive cooking experiences.

This 8-day cooking course with a Michelin-trained chef takes place in Gascony in Southwest France.

Your first two days will introduce you to the local markets and wines of the region.

From day three until seven, your French cooking classes begin using local farm fresh ingredients.

You will learn to make amazing dishes, including traditional meat and fish dishes. You’ll learn the art of knife skills as you filet the different meat and fish options.

The secret to perfect croissants, bread, and pastries will be clearly explained by Jerome, the chef. You’ll also learn about sauces and French plating and presentation skills.

The accommodations are in a renovated 150-year-old farmhouse with five beautiful rooms equipped with bathrooms and modern conveniences.

Besides cooking, there is an outdoor patio and swimming pool where you can unwind and relax. There are also outings for wine visits, cultural sites, producer visits to foie gras farms, and others.

This cooking holiday in France is suitable for home cooks of all skill levels. You’ll discover a little-known region of France and leave with new friends and memories for a lifetime.

This is one of the best immersive French cooking holidays to take.

7. Cooking & Wine Tasting Loire Valley Vacation 6-Day – Best For Variety of Experiences

If you love wine and cooking, this relaxing cooking holiday in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO site is the perfect combination of stunning landscapes and wine.

This 6-day/5-night French cooking and relaxing holiday offers a wide number of culinary experiences. 

You’ll get your hands dirty in hands-on cooking classes, savor wine tastings of Loire Valley wines, and explore the nearby villages and local markets. 

You’ll also have time to chill out and relax while enjoying bike riding or walking along the river and vineyards.

Five half-day cooking classes are included in this French cooking vacation. You’ll learn to make a variety of seasonal dishes depending on what is fresh and available at the local markets.

Some of the dishes you’ll master are duck confit, hand-rolled pasta, pork with prunes, French quiche pastries, chocolate desserts, and more.

French cooking skills, including how to master your knife, plating, and the secrets of sauces and desserts will also be revealed to you.

As you will be in the Loire Valley, visits to vineyards and wine-tasting experiences are also included. And, you’ll also have a chance to visit chateau or castles in the area.

If you are looking for a mix of culinary activities in a wine region, this is one of the best cooking vacations in France to take.

8. Cooking and Baking in Southern France 8- Day – Best Provence Cooking Vacation

Located in the south of France, at the doorstep of the Provence region, this immersive cooking holiday takes place.

The medieval town of Uzès, at the border of Occitane and Provence, is an ideal location to explore Provençal cuisine.

This 8-day cooking and baking French cooking, under the watchful eyes of a professional chef, offers immersive cooking experiences.

Over a six-day period, you’ll learn how to make bread, soups, salads, stews, Provencal dishes, and French desserts.

You will arrive in Avignon and start out with a cocktail and dinner as you get to know your chef and staff for the week. 

The day after your first cooking class, you’ll dive into the world of wines from Provence with a wine specialist. 

You’ll continue with additional cooking classes where you’ll learn new skills and Mediterranean recipes to make at home.

One of the most fun experiences is learning to bake your own French baguettes to enjoy in a casual and delicious picnic lunch.

Beyond cooking, you’ll also visit the nearby villages, meet local producers, and experience the Provençal way of life.

For your week-long cooking vacation in Uzès, you’ll be staying in a beautiful French country guesthouse with an outdoor pool.

You’ll enjoy a mix of culinary and cultural experiences and an opportunity to enjoy French joie de vivre.

9. French Desserts and Pastry Masterclass 7-Day – Best For Patisserie Lovers

Enjoy baking French pastries and desserts? Now you can learn the ins and outs of French baking styles and confidently learn to create delicious pastries.

Alison and Sid, your instructors and hosts, are award-winning chefs who have cooked for heads of state and celebrities.

However, what they have both masterfully done, is make French desserts and pastries, a fun and accessible journey through their hands-on teaching skills.

In this 7-day French desserts and pastries class, you’ll learn to make a wide number of delightful treats.

You’ll have a dedicated focus on chocolate, taking a journey from learning how to make chocolate to creating chocolate bonbons, chocolate caramels, chocolate créme brulee, and more.

You’ll also enter the world of Viennoiserie and learn to make choux pastry, croissants, macarons, brioche, and more.

Other dedicated cooking classes include learning tom ake Entremet, or layered desserts like panna cotta and popular French soufflés.

When you’re not eating your own creations, you’ll visit the nearby town of Tours, visit a local farmers market, and enjoy dining at a local restaurant.

Your accommodations in the Rennaissance Loire Valley, at a manorhouse or four-star hotel both located near the cooking school. 

Both options are luxurious, tastefully decorated, and feature outdoor swimming pools.

This is one of the best cooking vacations in France for bakers who want to master the ins and outs of French desserts.

Which one of these France cooking vacations would you like to take? Please let us know in the comments below.

Savor the Adventure!

How to Best Choose Your Cooking Vacations in France