Mayenne, Loire, France - 5 or 7 nights
Available March to October 

 

Located one hour and 40 minutes from Paris, the Mayenne region in the Northern Loire of France provides you with a magical setting for your French cooking vacation. Learn cooking techniques using the beautiful foods of this exquisite region. You will stay in a renovated farmhouse and will experience fun, informal and inspirational classes taught in English with no more than six guests to the chef so everyone gets the personal attention they require, regardless of your skill level, with extensive hands-on time in the kitchen. Choose from a five night or seven night itinerary. The seven night experience is a bit more advanced and includes a market tour and visit to Mont Saint Michel - and we also offer a festive Christmas itinerary in December.

 
Have you ever wished that you could cook and present gourmet food as seen on TV or in restaurants? Here, in the Loire, northern France, our professional French chef is waiting to share with you his wealth of experience and to take your cooking to the next level. From knife skills that chefs use, stocks and sauces to create those mouth-watering sauces you only ever find in top restaurants, to crisp precise presentation that will impress and delight your friends and family, you will learn all of this and so much more! 

 

Arriving mid-afternoon on Saturday, the course begins with an introductory talk to discuss the course's aims and structure. Later in the evening, after complimentary champagne and canapés, the theme of the course is emphasized with a 6-course gourmet dinner, where the style and standard of the food you will be cooking is presented. This gives you the perfect opportunity to relax and get to know your fellow guests.

 
Each day after breakfast, the morning begins with hands-on lessons, ranging from making bread, pasta, basic butchery, fish filleting, pastry work (chocolate piping, caramel cages, tuiles). This is followed by preparation of the gourmet dishes for the evening meal, where you will be creating dishes such as "Spiced monkfish served with crushed new potatoes, spinach and a mussel cream sauce " or "Chicken & Foie Gras tortellini with a truffle foam". Among the things you will learn are: how to prepare fish and meat and choose quality produce, how to make your own stocks, how to make tagliatelle and ravioli as well as learning the secrets of making divine ice cream. After a light lunch you will have the opportunity to experience part of the local culture with visits to Vitré, a medieval town with a beautiful chateau and cobbled street. We also have a local artisan boulanger/patissier visit to teach croissants and macaroons. After your relaxing afternoon it's more hands-on fun in the kitchen, where the final preparations for the evening's dinner will continue. It is then time to sit down and enjoy the incredible food you have prepared.

 
On the last day you and your new friends will cook as a team, with only a little guidance from our chef, using all the skills and knowledge acquired during the week. However, to relieve the pressure, in the afternoon, a gourmet barbeque is served followed by games in the garden, such as croquet and boules. Then back to the kitchen for final preparations, before sitting down to your gastronomic feast. 

 

Your accommodation in the renovated farmhouse “traditional longère”,  is set in the heart of idyllic rural France. The house is surrounded by its own gardens, where the chef grows most of his produces the natural way, without chemicals. 

 

The two luxuriously appointed en-suite bedrooms with exposed beams are situated on the first floor, and can accommodate up to four people. The high quality bedding (box spring and upholstered mattress), made up of two large twin beds (90×200) is particularly appreciated by tall people with sensitive backs. A third bedroom is also available, to be used for a group booking. Coffee and tea facilities in all rooms, free Wi-Fi point.

 

The property professionally equipped kitchen is located on the ground floor of the farmhouse and has been exclusively designed for these culinary vacations. A spacious lounge area with log fire, high standard ensuite bedrooms and tranquil grounds, makes it perfect for a relaxing gourmet break.

 

In clement weather, guests are welcome to relax and unwind in this quiet and elegant setting, and enjoy a genuine experience of leisure, pleasure, gastronomy and wellness within the premises.

 

 

SAMPLE FIVE NIGHT ITINERARY (Please inquire about our special 7 Night Program)

 

Day one - saturday

 

5pm - Introductory talk to discuss your stay with complimentary champagne and canapés
6.00pm - Dinner, 6-course gourmet dinner

 

Menu

Seared foie gras with pear and balsamic reduction
Filet of seabass with a black garlic and mushroom risotto
Gin and Tonic Sorbet
Duck à l’orange, crispy potato terrine
Cheese
Raspberry and lime bavarois, honeycomb and meringue
Tea and coffee

 

Day Two - Sunday

 

8.45am - Breakfast (to include fresh croissants, breads and preserves, cereals, orange juice, yogurts, tea and coffee.)
9:15am - Kitchen. Welcome, explore kitchen/equipment etc: Hands-on Basic knife skills; care of knives, safety, sharpening, chop and slice onion, brunoise of carrot, julienne of leek, vierge dressing.
11.00am - Demonstration: Leek and potato soup served with croutons.
11.15am - Seasoning techniques: How to bring the best out of your ingredients
11.45am  - Hands-on Bread making; plain, focaccia, caramelized onion & thyme, mixed seed & nuts, brioche
1.00pm - Lunch. Fresh soup produced from our garden, cheese, pickles, salads and home-made bread 
2.00pm - Demonstration/ hands-on Chicken butchery. Marinated filet, stuffed chicken ballotine and confit drumstick. Beef bourguignon.
3:00pm - Demonstration: Prep salmon Gravlax of salmon; Hands-on Scallop in shell lutee, oysters, mackerel
3.30pm - Demonstration: Chicken stock (white & brown), veal glace, fish stock, Crab bisque & home-smoked mackerel, smoked onion
4.30pm - Finish
5.00pm - Apertifs and nibbles
5.30pm - Back in the kitchen to finish prep
6pm - Dinner 

Menu

Goat cheese soufflé
Scallop in her shell lutée, leek fondue with smoked bacon
Pear williams Sorbet
Seared salmon filet, tiger prawn, artichoke and mini ratatouille
Cheese
Crêpes suzette flambées
Tea and coffee

 

 

Day three - monday

 

8.45am - Breakfast

9:15a,  Menu Explanation Kitchen: Demonstration 

Pasta dough 

10.45a, Demonstration/hands-on Tortellini; filled with foie gras and chicken mousseline, ravioli and tagliatelle. 

Hands-on Menu Prep
Pea purée, gratin dauphinois, crème brulée, ice cream, Brandy snap, honey wafer baskets plus tuile work. caramel cages.

1pm Lunch Tagliatelle with a bacon, tomato and onion sauce, fresh bread and salad, followed by cheese and biscuits. 

2pm Excursion – Visit to a local sustainable sheep farm that produce cheeses and yogurt, Cheese tasting

5pm Aperitifs and nibbles
5:30pm Back in the kitchen to finish prep 

6pm Dinner 

Menu 

Foie gras tortellini, pea purée and truffle foam
Smoked mini croque monsieur with a 63° egg
Apple and Calvados Sorbet
Beef bourguignon and gratin dauphinois
Cheese
Lemon verbena crème brulée, chilli and coconut ice cream
Tea and coffee

  

Day Four - Tuesday

 

8.45am Breakfast

9.15am Menu Explanation 

Demonstration / hands-on 

Braised pork belly. Crispy chicken skin.
Chocolate piping and chocolate teardrop, strawberry mousse, iced pistachio parfait.
Sous vide chicken, pomme fondante, glazed carrot, smoked pumpkin purée, béarnaise sauce, French onion soup.

1pm Lunch Selection of charcuterie, salads, homemade bread & pickles
2pm Hands-on – Traditional French patissier Master-class 

– making croissants & macaroons 

5pm Aperitifs and nibbles 

5:30pm Back in the kitchen to finish prep 

6pm Dinner 

Menu 

French onion soup with cheese croutons
Mojito Sorbet
Medley of chicken (4 ways) with smoked pumpkin purée & a béarnaise sauce
(sous vide)
Cheese
Strawberry and coquelicot in chocolate teardrop, Iced pistachio parfait
Tea and coffee

 

Day five - wednesday

 
8:45am Breakfast

9.15am Menu Explanation Hands-on 

YOU ARE THE CHEF
Hands-on 
Sweet pastry choux pastry, croquembouche.
Gravadlax, pork sous vide, veg for pork dish. sauce for pork
Snail Bonbon, garlic purée.

1pm Lunch Barbecue.
2pm Excursion and shopping in Vitré, medieval town and castle
5:30pm Back in the kitchen to finish prep
6pm Dinner 

Menu 

Gravadlax of salmon scented with beetroot 
Crispy snail bonbon, garlic purée
Bloody Mary Sorbet
Tenderloin of pork with braised pork belly (your dish, your design)
Cheese
Mini croquembouche
Tea and coffee

 
 

 

Day Six - Thursday

 

9.00am - Breakfast

 

Departure before midday

 

*Menus may vary from time to time

*Itinerary may change slightly due to season 

 

 

GROUP SIZE

 

A minimum of 3 participants is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 6 participants.

 

(The number of participants refers to how many persons are required to run the tour, not to how many persons you must have in your party. Please inquire.)

 

 

HOW TO ARRIVE

 

Closest Airport/Train Stations:
Laval Train Station - 30 minutes from cooking school
Rennes - 1 hour 
St. Malo/Dinard - 1 hour 30 minutes 
Paris - 3 to 4 hours - 1 hour 40 minutes by TGV, fast train
Nantes Airport - 2 hour drive

 

*TGV High Speed Train from Montparnasse Train Station in Paris stopping at Laval Train Station (transfer is included in the price for the 15:53 train (3:53pm) - (Leaves Paris at 14:43 (2:43pm). For the return train on Thursday transfer is included for the train that leaves Laval at 10:03am to Paris. These train times are the only ones the school is able to provide a transfer for. (times can vary slightly from year to year so please inquire). 

 

 

BOOKING INFORMATION

 

For further inquiries or to register, click here.

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CANCELLATION POLICY

Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended.

 

 

 

CLIENT REMARKS

 

Furnished upon request.

 

 

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MAP*

This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE. 

 

 

*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location.

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