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Provence Cooking Classes
France: Provence Cooking Classes
Provence, France - 6 nights
 Twenty minutes east of Nyons, the olive capital of France,
lies an 18th
century 3 story stone "mas" (Provençal farmhouse) nestled in the hills outside the village of Condorcet.
Enjoy a breath-taking view and a climate said to be among the most agreeable in all of France.
Savor
blue skies, sunlight in all its shades and shadows, old farm-houses
of yellowed stone and mottled clay-tiled roofs, and its holy trinity
of lamb, goat and olive.
 Each day is designed to provide 3-5 hours of culinary instruction
and actual meal preparation, with an emphasis on student
participation. You will learn classic French methods using the
flavors and techniques of Provençal cuisine.
Your cooking vacation begins
with your arrival Tuesday afternoon and ends the following Monday
after breakfast.
 Wednesday through Sunday, each day is designed around
3 - 5 hours of
hands-on culinary instruction and excursions into this sun-drenched
and historical corner of Provence. Depending on the availability,
season and local village festivals, we will:
- Visit a local goat farm and goat-cheese producer
- Visit a duck farm to buy meat for "confit" and can observe the "gavage"
- Visit 250 year old factory where olive oil filters are still made
the old fashioned way
- Visit a trout farm - select fresh fish for the table
- Tour a Chateauneuf-du-Pape Chateau or visit area wine producers
- Bottle our own wine (with an extra to tuck into your suitcase)
- Experience a bit of French/Roman history - tour a medieval village
- visit remarkable Roman ruins
- Tour an olive-oil mill founded in 1847 or the famous Nyons olive
co-op
- Tour an old-style lavender distillery
- Find time to shop for those beautiful Provençal fabrics and
ceramics
- Explore the renowned, sprawling and animated open-air market in
Nyons
There
will also be ample time to relax by the pool, read on the terrace,
hike up the mountains through the wild lavender and thyme, ride
horses up into the hills, bicycle, star-gaze or simply nap in your
room. Sleep with windows open. Soak up the ambiance of Provence and
totally immerse yourself into this wonderful way of life.
 Instructor
for the sessions is master chef Daniel Bonnot. Chef Bonnot was born
in France and worked under Parisian chefs for seven years. After
several years cooking in London at the Savoy Hotel, he moved to
Guadeloupe, where he learned to integrate Creole cooking with French
cuisine, and was "chef saucier" at La Caravelle. In 1979 he moved to
New Orleans where he was proprietor/chef at Chez Daniel and most
recently, Bizou. He was the mentor for the famous New Orleans chef
Susan Spicer; he was named Chef of the Year in New Orleans in 1980
and 1995, and Bizou was named one of the 10 New Best Restaurants in
the Country by John Mariani in Esquire in November,1996. Chef Bonnot
has been a frequent celebrity chef at the March Jazz Fest in
Juan-les-Pins (on the French Riviera), on luxury liners and around
the world.
 The
three separate guest rooms with private baths and the two-bedroom,
one and one-half bath apartment are comfortably furnished for your
enjoyment and relaxation. Each room has its own exterior entry
providing privacy. There is also a stream-fed pool ideal to relax,
converse or take a dip before apertifs and dinner.
HOW TO ARRIVE
Nearest Airports/Train Stations:
Paris to Valence on the TGV High Speed Train direct from
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
From Montelimar - 1 hour drive (but Charles De Gaulle TGV
High Speed Train does not stop in Montelimar)
We recommend clients arrive a day earlier if possible.
| BOOKING INFORMATION |
| 2008 FEES PER PERSON |
DEPOSIT |
Double Room/US$2950
Single Room Supplement/US$650
|
After availability
is confirmed, a 50% deposit per person and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full 6
months before your arrival date. |
| 2008 DATES |
INCLUDED |
|
June 3-9
June 10-16
September 2-8
September 9-15
|
*Six (6) nights' accommodations
*Six (6) breakfasts
*Three (3) lunches
*Five (5) dinners with unlimited wine
*All planned group excursions
*Five (5) 3-5 hour cooking classes
*(Transportation to and from Montelimar: $250 per person or $350 per couple/or
two people sharing a room)
Airfare, transfers and personal expenses are not included. |
For further inquiries or to register, click here.
CANCELLATION POLICY
If for any reason the chef
cancels (or the session must be cancelled for any reason) and a
replacement cannot be found, you will be notified immediately, and
all fees/deposits paid will be refunded in full. We cannot be
responsible for any travel arrangements/expenses you may have made
or incurred, and no reimbursements for same will be made.
CLIENT REMARKS
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