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Overview

Discover Normandy

The chef during your France cooking vacation in Normandy.No longer available. We are looking for new options in Normandy!

There is something for everyone in Normandy! Boasting 350 miles of rolling coastlines, everchanging, verdant landscapes, a rich culture and history, and world-class food and drink, Normandy is definitely a region worth discovering on this unique 4-night cooking vacation. You will find a blending of maritime traditons and a rural way of life during your stay, and your hosts will provide a unique insight into the art de vivre à la française, where socializing and mealtimes are an integral part of everyday life, whether you are in the kitchen, the garden, on the beach or in the school canteen. Your cooking courses will be at an 18th-century restored farmhouse, located in the breathtakingly beautiful Cotentin Peninsula in a tiny, typical Norman village. You will be just a few miles from the nearest sandy beaches and less than 15 miles from the lively port town of Cherbourg. The nearest market town, Les Pieux (literally meaning ‘the Sticks’), is just a couple of miles down the road.

For history fans, Normandy calls to mind D-Day, and you will be just a 45 minute-drive from the first village liberated on June 6, 1944, Sainte Mère Eglise and Utah beach, and just over an hour from Omaha Beach and the US military cemetary. And yet Normandy is more than just a war memorial: its culture extends to its gastronomy, its people, and its intimate, country way of life. Apple orchards dot the landscape, the fruits of which appear in many traditional Norman dishes; its fertile interior yields a cuisine famous for its simple, good, hearty dishes, its fresh local produce, exception seafood, dairy herds, and presalé lambs— the so-called “pre-salted” stock that grazes on sand dunes near Le Mont St. Michel.





Latest Review

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We were very, very pleased with the cooking lesson, the chef, her family, her home, and most importantly her generosity in sharing her knowledge, love of food, life, and family with us...the setting was in a fairly remote, quiet part of Normandy but conveniently located. We enjoyed being off the tourist path. Her home was a labor of love...She and her husband rehabbed an old farm and built a separate, very commfortable B&B...The aesthetics, land, and home were great.. Her kitchen was new and very well thought out. The menu she selected was reflective of local foods and provided us with a educational ands fun cooking experience. She is very hands on and user friendly as well as organized and a wonderful story teller. She seems to love what she does and it is apparent in her entire "production" from beginning to end. She and her husband joined us for dinner...They couldn’t have been more engaging. We were also fortunate enough to be there on their daughters birthday so we enjoyed some of the families tradition in celebrating...I would highly recommend this cooking school to anyone. Judy & Dennis, IL

Trip Details

Enjoy 3 hands-on cooking sessions with your hostess, Sinéad. Irish by birth, she and her husband Philippe, the local veterinarian, moved to Normandy over 20 years ago. Sinéad quickly realized that her culinary background transcended borders and she delved into the gastronomy and way of life of her new home: she learned to ride a horse, speak French fluently, raise chickens (and kids!), and embrace the simple yet delectable food traditions of Normandy. The results will be yours to enjoy, as she leads you on your culinary discovery of Normandy’s fresh ingredients and rich flavors. Sinéad and Philippe’s philosophy is simple: to share their experience of everyday life with their guests, to open their homes, hearts and kitchens so that you can get an taste of the local culture and the simple, authentic country life of rural Normandy. Their cooking classes and accommodations have been featured in numerous publications, including Lonely Planet, The Telegrah (UK), and Le Figaro magazine. Their culinary experience was also named as one of the most intriguing and delectable cooking classes around the world’ in the 2011 Qantas magazine.

Itinerary

B&B in Normandy

Day One

Order of activities may change depending on the season and days of the week.

  • Arrival on your own at your accommodations. (The nearest rental car offices are in Cherbourg, about 15 miles away.)
  • Time to chill out, and explore the accommodations and surroundings. You might wander the grounds and have a look at the lavoir and 1789 boulangerie, or head into the village of Benoitville or our local town, Les Pieux.
  • Have a light dinner featuring a Normandy cheese board with wine, crusty bread, and dessert.
  • Overnight.

Quiche in Normandy


Day Two

  • Continental breakfast: freshly-squeezed juices, a range of home-made jams, croissants, pains au chocolat, sourdough bread, café au lait/tea, and sometimes an Irish touch in the form of buttermilk scones!
  • Morning excursion to the market. While you select the freshest local produce with the help of Sinead, you will sample items offered by the proud, enthusiastic stall holders.
  • At 10:30, head to Sinead’s kitchen for your first hands-on cooking class about all French cuisine.
  • Lunch to follow based on your efforts, drinks included.
  • This afternoon, depart for a visit of the local organic cider farm for a tasting. Weather permitting, walk up to the orchards through the sunken paths, which facilitated the battle of the hedgerows (for the American army in Normandy during WWII).
  • Dinner on your own. Sinead can provide recommendations as well as call and make your reservations.
  • Overnight.

Tomato dish in France


Day Three

  • Continental breakfast.
  • Today will be all on your own, giving you a chance to explore the area. Sinead will provide you with maps and a lot of information to set off in the right direction.
  • Some of Sinead’s suggestions for the day include a trip around Le Cap de La Hague, famous for its breathtaking beauty and rugged coastline; it is also home to Millet, the impressionist painter, as well as the smallest fishing port in all of France. Or, visit Le Val de Saire, known for its fabulous coastline; Barfleur, which was voted France’s third prettiest village in recent years; or Saint Vaast La Hogue, famous for oysters, and the renowned grocery store Gosselins!
  • Lunch and dinner on your own.
  • Overnight.

Bedroom in Normandy


Day Four

  • After breakfast, head to the kitchen at 10 a.m. for your second cooking class, which will be a unique experience. Begin preparations for dinner, which will be continued in the afternoon for the most part in the bakehouse in the garden.
  • Lunch in a local restaurant (paid locally).
  • Afternoon bakehouse experience at a bakehouse built in 1789, the year of the French Revolution. It was restored in 2019 and a cooking class here combines cooking, tradition, and history. The wood burning oven is lit and brought to temperature using apple wood, just as has been done for centuries.
  • Dinner to follow at the B&B.
  • Overnight.

Chef for your culinary tour in Normandy


Day Five

  • Breakfast.
  • Today will be on your own to explore more of Normandy. Sinead can suggest a few visits/tours, such as a visit to Bayeux and its tapestry (which depicts the Battle of Hastings in 1066), Sainte mere Eglise (the first village liberated during WWII), the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, the famous Normandy beaches, or Mont Saint-Michel.
  • Lunch and dinner on your own.
  • Overnight.

Mont Saint Michele in France


Day Six

  • Breakfast
  • In the morning, visit the market, then head to the kitchen foryour third cooking class.
  • Lunch to follow.
  • In the afternoon, head to La Maison du Biscuit, a real foodie haven, where you can pick up kitchen ingredients and gifts as well as their specialty cookies.
  • Dinner tonight on your own, with Sinead’s recommendations.
  • Overnight.

Cooking in Normandy


Day Seven

  • Breakfast followed by departure. You will leave rich with recipes, tips, an understanding of life in rural Normandy, and of course memories. You will be ready to dazzle your friends and family with your culinary talents on your return!

Trip Details

Included in the 6-Night Trip

Accommodations

6 nights accommodation at charming B&B

Food & Beverages

  • Daily breakfast
  • 2 lunches
  • 2 dinners (including 1 light dinner on arrival day)
  • Beverages with included meals

Classes & Instructors

Enjoy 3 hands-on cooking sessions with your hostess, Sinéad. Irish by birth, she and her husband Philippe, the local veterinarian, moved to Normandy over 20 years ago. Sinéad quickly realized that her culinary background transcended borders and she delved into the gastronomy and way of life of her new home: she learned to ride a horse, speak French fluently, raise chickens (and kids!), and embrace the simple yet delectable food traditions of Normandy. The results will be yours to enjoy, as she leads you on your culinary discovery of Normandy’s fresh ingredients and rich flavors. Sinéad and Philippe’s philosophy is simple: to share their experience of everyday life with their guests, to open their homes, hearts and kitchens so that you can get an taste of the local culture and the simple, authentic country life of rural Normandy. Their cooking classes and accommodations have been featured in numerous publications, including Lonely Planet, The Telegrah (UK), and Le Figaro magazine. Their culinary experience was also named as one of the most intriguing and delectable cooking classes around the world’ in the 2011 Qantas magazine.

Excursions

  • Market visit, when possible (depends on the day of the week)
  • Visit to a local organic cider farm, with tasting
  • Visit of a local regional grocery store to stock up on Norman products

Transfer Details

  • This itinerary requires that you have your own vehicle. We would be happy to help you with a rental car. (Not interested in driving? We an quote a fully escorted trip on request. Please inquire for details.)

Not Included

  • Transportation for the excursions

Accommodation Information

Your accommodations are at a farmhouse that recently underwent renovations, and it now features a charming ensuite bedroom (with a double and single bed); a studio apartment with twin beds, kitchenette, and ensuite bathroom; and an apartment with two bedrooms— a twin and a double, both ensuite—that overlooks the beautiful Normandy countryside.

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Pricing & Tour Dates



Year-Round Pricing:

6-night Program

US$2200 per person based on double occupancy

  • Add US$260 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)

Currently unavailable.


Tour Dates

No longer available.

Reviews

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We Can Help Plan The Best French Culinary Holidays in Normandy

We Can Help Plan It All

Flights, additional nights and tours, Transportation, and Much More

Ready to explore the flavors of France? Join us on one of our upcoming cooking vacations in Normandy and discover this mythic land, where French flavors will come alive. Our team is passionate about food and wine, and we can’t wait to share our love for both with you. Book now and let us show you what makes France the culinary capital of the world!

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