9 of The Best Cooking Vacations in France To Explore The Local Cuisine in 2023

1. Gourmet Cookery Course in Loire Valley – Best Overall French 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, 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, 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.

2. Foundation Cooking Holidays in Occitanie – Best Hands-on Cooking Vacation

Discover the basics of French cuisine on this cooking vacation in beautiful Gascony in Southwest France.

Known for its culinary prestige, a cooking vacation in Gascony takes you into the heart of French traditional cuisine with lots of warmth and aroma.

The region is home to duck foie gras, cassoulet and Armagnac and the perfect destination for foodies.

On this 6-day foundation cooking vacation in Occitanie, you’ll learn to create amazing French food, hone your knife skills and dive into pastry making.

Home cooks of all levels will comfortably master traditional Gascon dishes. On the savory end, you’ll make cassoulet, fish in velouté sauce, and venture into the art of preparing foie gras.

Desserts and pastries feature prominently on this culinary vacation. With hands-on instructions, you’ll learn to make crème pâtissière, crème brûlée, tarte aux pommes or apple pie and much more.

Besides cooking, you’ll explore regional and artisanal produce at the local markets.

You’ll  have tastings at a wine museum and you’ll also visit one of the most acclaimed Armagnac distilleries.

Cultural excursions take you to beautifully preserved, medieval villages like Larressingle and La Romieu.

Your accommodations will be at a Chambres dHotes or guest house in Gramont, Gascony. The rooms are refurbished and include all the modern conveniences like air conditioning, Wi-Fi and more.

This French cooking vacation is a great experience overall offering serenity, culture encounters and culinary experiences.

Advanced Culinary Vacations

This advanced culinary course in Gascony is offered by the same cooking instructors as the foundational course.

With the exception of the first and last day, you will learn French cooking techniques in 4 intensive cooking classes.

You will learn how to work with game meats as you prepare quail with calvados sauce. Your haute cuisine cooking skills will deepen as you make duck a l’orange and pork leg stuffed with local prunes.

And, your pastry skills will be elevated as you make exquisite pastries like Pièce Montée, a traditional French wedding cake.

This cooking in France vacation also includes visits to Fleurance, Lectoure, and Auberge village. 

Culinary tours of Château de Gramont, the Wine Museum, Gramont Honey Museum and several wine cellars are also included.

3.  Cooking Holiday in Southwest France – Best Immersive French 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.

On day three, your French cooking clases 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 like 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.

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4. Cooking & Wine Tasting Loire Valley Vacation – 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 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, is one of the best cooking vacations in France to take.

5. Wine Tasting and Cooking Vacation in Southwest France – 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 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, 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 du 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.

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6. Taste of Normandy Cookery Holiday – Best Exclusive Cooking Vacation in France

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 are free to explore the nearby museums, the historic  D-Day sites and everything in between.

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. 

7. Cooking and Baking Vacation in Southern France – Best For Provence Cuisine

Located in the south of France, at the doorstep of the Provence region is where 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 Meditteranean 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.

RELATED: Top 7 French Snacks Box To Taste France From Home

8. French Cooking Course in Brittany – 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 nearby to the cooking school. Private villas and B&B’s 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.

RELATED: 10 Unmissable Traditional French Restaurants in Paris For Authentic Food

9. French Patisserie & Bread Cooking Vacation – Best For Patisserie Lovers

Enjoy baking breads and pastries? Now you can learn the ins and outs of French baking styles and create delicious pastries and artisan breads.

Locals of Lot-et-Garonne enjoy a diverse cuisine thanks to regional and cultural influences and this is equally reflected in their baked goods. 

Marlen conducts these patisserie and baking classes at her rustic farmhouse surrounded by sunflowers.She doesn’t believe in typical demo-style classes, but prefers personalized instructions.

Marlen makes you bake along and create everything from choux pastry and croissants to macarons and brioche.

When you’re not eating your own creations, you can enjoy tastings at a patisserie in Casteljaloux. 

Enjoy a private guided visit to nearby town, Vianne. In the town of Nerac, you’ll  visit “La Cigale”, the chocolaterie featured in the movie Chocolat  with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp

The trip is not all pastries and bread. This is a fabulous opportunity to learn about the region’s historical heritage and natural beauty with visits to castles, churches and nature parks.

This is one of the best cooking vacations in France for solo travelers or bakers who want to master the basics of French baking.

Which one of these Fraance 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