11 replies to this topic

[inventolux]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to obtain a gift for a friend that will be travelling to Provence. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any noteworthy culinary schools that I could purchase say.... a two day class on the gastronomy of provence.

Thanks a lot for any help. - Omar -

[Gary Marshall]

not used them but www.gourmetontour.com does schools in provence.

cheers

gary

[artisanbaker]

www.patriciawells.com

[TarteTatin]

There's a place in Gigondas on the main square that is connected with a cooking school in Pennsylvania, I think...

Sorry, can't remember the name!

[JudyB]

It's possibly longer than you are looking for, but the Hostellerie de Crillon le Brave also does 5 day residential courses.
Crillon is near Mount Ventoux and a short drive from places such as Gigondas, Avignon and Orange.
We have been to the hotel's restaurant a few times and it is very nice, but we haven't stayed in the the hotel itself.

Details of the courses they do are on their Cookery School website.

[Mrs. B]

Several of the Relais et Chateaux hotels in the area offer one and more days of cuisine. If you don't have their book, check the website, I believe they list cooking courses.

[Louisa Chu]

I just read about Reine Sammut's new cooking school in Aix - attached to her new restaurant there - Le Passage. I've always liked what I've seen of her original restaurant/auberge - modern take on Provence - but have not been there. But where in Provence is your friend going? That's a pretty big area.

Reine Sammut

[sizzleteeth]

30 minutes west of Avignon past Pernes and Carpentras (near Ventoux as well) there
is a village on a mountain called Venasque - about 100 people in the village - the oldest building
(the church) is from the 6th century.

There is an Inn/Bistro and Restaurant called Auberge La Fontaine.

The chef is a man named Christian Soehlke, he and his wife have run Auberge La Fontaine
for 25 years - though he remains low profile.

For $500 (not a misprint) in the off season you receive a 5 day, 4 night stay in one of the Inns 5 "rooms" (which are more like bi-level apartments complete with kitchenettes, spiral stair cases and dining rooms), 3, 4 hour cooking lessons including trips to the markets in and around Avignon, as well as breakfast and lunch (which you cook). Christian is a brilliant man and a great chef and dinner in both the restaurant and the bistro are open to you and would be most likely where you would want to eat each night - they are both small (20-30 seats) and often Christian has concerts in the dining room before dinner - when I was there the Russian violinist Pierre Hommage played. Christian cooks everything himself and only has 1 assistant who is the server.

You can book through several small places (search Google) or you could call directly - he speaks fluent English, French and German.

Tel:00 33 490 66 02 96

I booked through:

Discover France
Tel: 480-905-1235 - Ask for Maggie
http://www.discoverfrance.com/

You can rent a car at the Avignon TGV train station.

http://www.aubergelafontaine.com/

Edited by sizzleteeth, 03 November 2004 - 07:55 PM.

[barbaluc]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to obtain a gift for a friend that will be travelling to Provence. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any noteworthy culinary schools that I could purchase say.... a two day class on the gastronomy of provence.

Thanks a lot for any help. - Omar -

I have taken the 5 day course at Crillon le Brave, and it was excellent. In addition to the class time, there are several outings to food and wine related places (season specific, i.e. truffles in the fall). The hotel is very nice, and centrally situated for side trips to Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Chateauneuf du Pape. The Friday morning market at Carpentras is still my favourite after 15 years.

[Lesley C]

I followed two superb cooking classes in Provence,

The first at the Hostellerie Berard with the ever-charming René BÉRARD in Cadière D’Azur near Bandol.

http://www.hotel-ber...om/cadrevgb.htm

And another excellent one in Avignon at Hotel La Mirande

http://www.la-mirande.fr/home.html
click on Les Ateliers de Cuisine

Prices are steep, but trust me their nineteenth century kitchen is to Die For!! And the food was superb. It was even a treat to make souffles in their antique bowls using a beautiful old scale and wood-burning oven. At the end of the class you sit around the table and eat and drink yourself silly. Check through the site for pictures of the kitchen.

[John Talbott]

This month's Travel & Leisure magazine has an article by Linda Dannenberg on Carole Peck's cooking school in Montfrin near Avignon.

[barbaluc]

For a good mix of food, wine & relaxation, in a beautiful small village with superb accommodations, try La Vie en Rosé - they have great insider type visits as well as the tried & true and work with top provencal chefs. Everything was top quality and very well done.

La Vie en Roséhttp://www.lavieenroseprovence.com

Edited by barbaluc, 25 May 2008 - 12:16 PM.