Provençal Adventure
Tavel, France

We completely loved our cooking school. Christine is a wonderful cook/teacher and a joy to spend time in the kitchen with. We made recipes which were staight forward to prepare but were so unique, we would have never tried them here at home (e.g. zucchini soup with smoked salmon ice cream – to die for!!!!). Christine and her husband Erik are wonderful people and enjoying your dinner with them is like spending time with old friends. Our accommodations were excellent…lovely rooms in a century old building and the village of Tavel is totally charming (like it was taken from a novel). The location of Tavel is excellent for day visits to wineries, historic churches, the Pont du Gard and many other communities with unique histories and charm. We will be going back again!!!
Gary and Linda, Canada

Hello! I just wanted to write to tell you how much we enjoyed our “Provencal Adventure” this April! ... We had an absolutely fabulous time: my parents, my husband and myself. The B&B where we stayed (Le Jardin de Bacchus) was stunningly beautiful, as was the village where it was located, Tavel. It is rustic, unspoiled and lovely, surrounded on many sides by miles and miles of vineyards. The weather during our stay was 70’s and sunny, with only a few windy days (the famous Mistral, as recounted by Peter Mayle). We thoroughly enjoyed our cooking lessons, set as they were in our host Christine’s sunny kitchen, with doors open on to the terrace. We made herb-crusted chicken, Coq au Vin, Brandade de Morue (salt cod mixed with cream and potatoes and baked in pastry), goat cheese wrapped in eggplant slices, 3-chocolate mousse, strawberry/basil/lemon terrine, Pissalidiere (a kind of sweet-onion “pizza” with black olives and anchovies), among other dishes. With those dishes, we enjoyed aperatifs of muscat and Pastis, jaw-dropping local wines (Tavel rose and red Lirac by La Genestiere) during the meals. On nights when we didn’t have a lesson, we enjoyed one of Tavel’s exceptional restaurants, all within walking distance of the B&B. Our host Christine, who is fluent in English, assisted us in planning our day trips to le Pont du Gard, la Camargue, the Uzes market, Castillon du Gard and the Popes’ Palace at Avignon. We had been slightly worried about driving in France, but it was no trouble: everything is very clearly signed at the various roundabouts, and driving from Marseille to Tavel via the highway was equally easy. What a fantastic vacation: we were all very sorry to leave. If we had searched elsewhere for months, we would not have found such a lovely and enjoyable place. Thank you!
Kate V.