Activity Holidays in France

Overview

France is a country with which almost every traveller has a relationship. The country of culture, the country of gastronomy, the country of world-class art and literature, an activity holiday in France is sure to last long in the memory, experiencing a culture as rich as France’s is not something that happens every day.

There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and it’s not just because of the Eiffel Tower (although it is pretty majestic).

There are wonderful local experiences to be had when you get off the beaten track in France. Some come to stroll the winding streets and the village square markets in Gascony and Provence, some come to follow the trail of great philosophers, historians and artists in Paris and Bordeaux, others are drawn to the country’s unusual geography with its long coastlines in Normandy, massive mountain ranges and breath-taking farmland vistas, and some come for the immense luxury of the French Riviera and Nice.

Whatever unique activity holidays in French or offbeat experiences you choose, it’ll be one you instantly pat yourself on the back for. And after combining cooking lessons with city tours, wine experiences with craft workshops in stunning countryside, you’ll find that they all complement each other as well as a freshly baked baguette, a deliciously gooey Camembert and a glass of exquisite red wine, and have you craving for more flavours of France.

Our most popular experiences

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  • Learn French and Culture in Lyon

    5 days France

    Combine learning the beautiful French language on this popular 1 week French and culture course; perfect for passionate ..

    Price from

    £352 pp
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  • French Cookery and Gastronomy Holiday

    8 days France

    Set in a beautiful 19th century farmhouse sitting in 50 acres of countryside, you'll learn to cook tasty French cuisine ..

    Price from

    £1829 pp
    Take me there
  • French Dessert and Pastry Making Holiday

    7 Days France

    Calling all baking & French patisserie enthusiasts! Learn to master classic French desserts and pastry on this 6 night c..

    Price from

    £1991 pp
    Take me there
  • Full Day Wine & Bike St-Emilion

    Full Day France

    Cycle through the vineyards in the old region of St Emilion visit two superb wineries and learn how to taste the most el..

    Price from

    £313 pp
    Take me there
  • Loire Valley Villandry and Vouvray Tour

    Full Day France

    Learn everything about the Loire Valley, Vineyards and Wines on this full day of discovery. Enjoy visits to glorious cha..

    Price from

    £157 pp
    Take me there
  • French Cooking and Wine Holiday

    5 Nights / 6 Days France

    Immerse yourself in French life on this 5 night/6 day gourmet cooking course that promises not only a cooking experience..

    Price from

    £1580 pp
    Take me there
  • Paint the South of France

    7 days France

    Indulge in delicious food, local wines, delightful sights and individual art tuition on this 6 night painting holiday in..

    Price from

    £1200 pp
    Take me there
  • Painting Holiday in Limousin

    7 Days France

    Get inspired by the natural wonders of the Creuse on this unforgettable 6 night painting holiday that will unleash the f..

    Price from

    £1200 pp
    Take me there
  • French Painting Holiday in Gascony

    7 nights/ 8 Days France

    This Summer , discover rural France with a painter’s eye during an unforgettable 7 night painting holiday in Gascony; ..

    Price from

    £800 pp
    Take me there
  • Learn French in Paris

    5 Days France

    Learn French on this popular 1 week French course suitable for any French language learners; you’ll be amazed at how m..

    Price from

    £436 pp
    Take me there
  • Learn French in Nice

    5 days France

    Learn French in Nice on this popular 1 week French course at this excellent language school suitable for all levels from..

    Price from

    £343 pp
    Take me there
  • Learn French in Lyon

    5 days France

    Learn French in Lyon on this popular 1-week French course for all levels from elementary to advanced at this friendly la..

    Price from

    £278 pp
    Take me there
    • Learn French and Culture in Lyon

      5 days Lyon

      Combine learning the beautiful French language on this popular 1 week French and culture course; perfect for passionate ..

      Price from

      £352 pp
      Take me there
    • French Cookery and Gastronomy Holiday

      8 days Gascony

      Set in a beautiful 19th century farmhouse sitting in 50 acres of countryside, you'll learn to cook tasty French cuisine ..

      Price from

      £1829 pp
      Take me there
    • French Dessert and Pastry Making Holiday

      7 Days Loire Valley

      Calling all baking & French patisserie enthusiasts! Learn to master classic French desserts and pastry on this 6 night c..

      Price from

      £1991 pp
      Take me there
    • Full Day Wine & Bike St-Emilion

      Full Day Bordeaux

      Cycle through the vineyards in the old region of St Emilion visit two superb wineries and learn how to taste the most el..

      Price from

      £313 pp
      Take me there
    • Loire Valley Villandry and Vouvray Tour

      Full Day Loire Valley

      Learn everything about the Loire Valley, Vineyards and Wines on this full day of discovery. Enjoy visits to glorious cha..

      Price from

      £157 pp
      Take me there
    • French Cooking and Wine Holiday

      5 Nights / 6 Days Gascony

      Immerse yourself in French life on this 5 night/6 day gourmet cooking course that promises not only a cooking experience..

      Price from

      £1580 pp
      Take me there
    • Paint the South of France

      Indulge in delicious food, local wines, delightful sights and individual art tuition on this 6 night painting holiday in..

      Price from

      £1200 pp
      Take me there
    • Painting Holiday in Limousin

      Get inspired by the natural wonders of the Creuse on this unforgettable 6 night painting holiday that will unleash the f..

      Price from

      £1200 pp
      Take me there
    • French Painting Holiday in Gascony

      7 nights/ 8 Days Gascony

      This Summer , discover rural France with a painter’s eye during an unforgettable 7 night painting holiday in Gascony; ..

      Price from

      £800 pp
      Take me there
    • Learn French in Paris

      5 Days Paris

      Learn French on this popular 1 week French course suitable for any French language learners; you’ll be amazed at how m..

      Price from

      £436 pp
      Take me there
    • Learn French in Nice

      5 days Nice

      Learn French in Nice on this popular 1 week French course at this excellent language school suitable for all levels from..

      Price from

      £343 pp
      Take me there
    • Learn French in Lyon

      5 days Lyon

      Learn French in Lyon on this popular 1-week French course for all levels from elementary to advanced at this friendly la..

      Price from

      £278 pp
      Take me there

    What our travellers are saying...

    Spent an excellent week with Adam and Caroline. Enjoyed the cooking lessons and preparing the evening meals. No shortage of good food and wine throughout the week. Good balance of activities and down time. Beautiful setting in the french countryside.

    Anon

    Fabulous wine and cheese. Days exploring the French local cuisines. Nights full of Apero's and laughs. Adam and Caroline are such amazing hosts and create an environment full of laughs. Adam makes cooking amazing food look so easy even for some beginners. The trips to the local areas were great being able to wander beautiful country towns full of cobblestones and history. And the cheese made by the local producers are to die for. There really is

    Anon

    We arrived a group of 12 people some of us where professional cooks, other amateur cooks in order to enjoy a culinary study abroad program, to learn about local h as habits, classic French cooking and more. We all heard about this venture but did not expect such an amazing experience led by two outstanding chefs Alison and Sydney Bond. We have experienced master classes, tours in a Truffels Farm, duck farm, fantastic local restaurant and much m

    Michael

    A week full of on the job learning from highly qualified experts who provided not only guidance on food preparation but multiple foundational tips for succeeding in the kitchen. Always of good humour, highly professional, gracious, and client focused. Very well thought out program with excursions to the famous Tours market and also Chenonceau chateau. Kitchen supply shopping in Paris, the food tour in Montmartre were outstanding.

    Dorra

    What a great day we spent in St Emilion, we chose the bike tour in the vineyards with tastings and lunch in the park of a castle! Great moments and warm welcome in both areas visited. Special mention for our guide Vincent, who gave us lots of explanations and accompanied us all day in a good mood! Top!

    Roudirez

    Communication with Daphne was excellent; she even helped us with booking the restaurants for lunch way ahead. Our guide, Agathe, was very friendly and accommodating (played our own music during the drive). It was a memorable wine tour of Val de Loire for all of us.

    Barbara

    Vincent took us to a vineyard where we saw the grapes being harvested and to a wine cellar that was centuries old and fascinating to see. Vincent taught us about Vouvray and other appellations. He was amazing!! The wines were delicious and the snack brought by Vincent was a perfect complement to the wine. Thank you!!

    Tara

    My partner and I took a private Wine Tasting Tour of the Loire Valley at Easter with Olaloire. Daphné (our wonderful guide) picked us up from our hotel in Chenonceau and we did a full day tour of the 3 different Loire Valley appellations (Vouvray, Chinon and Bourgueil) visiting a beautiful winery in each region. We had a tour of the wine caves in Vouvray and were able to see the vines in Chinon and Bourgueil with a relaxed tasting in each place.

    Sophia

    The French Cooking and Wine Holiday is a beautiful course. There is something for everyone in this course, from exquisite and authentic cooking to local sightseeing, Armagnac tasting sessions and of course having a great time dining and reaping the rewards of a busy cooking day.

    C Vogt

    An amazing week in a beautiful setting of Southern France. Chefs David and Bernard were so very nice with incredible enthusiasm for teaching us great cooking skills. It was a wonderful experience highly recommended for anyone who would enjoy learning new cooking skills in a fabulous place.

    M Reinfuss

    Does exactly what it promises and so much more. It was very hands on so we all learned an enormous amount and got to eat the fruits of our labours each day. Plus we visited museums, chateaux, had a private Armagnac tasting, shopped at the market, toured the area and ate like kings. Excellent course.

    P Price

    I had a relaxing 7 days in Bergerac, particularly in Les Leves et Thoumeyragues, where I stayed with host Jo, and her partner Stan, beautiful scenery, fantastic food, gorgeous animals, and lots of art tuition. My favourite day was the day we went to Bergerac, Jo and myself sketched a typical Bergerac Street, whilst Stan played the guitar, bliss. I wish I could have stayed there longer.

    Paulina P

    Painting and wine tasting in south of France (Le Peyrail) July 3rd-6th. After a long journey to Bergerac airport, I was met by my host Jo and from that moment I felt at ease. The accommodation was rustic, eclectic and comfortable, first time sleeping on a waterbed - so relaxing. At the house there was a ‘collection’ of animals, dogs, cats, hens, doves, horse, donkey, pigs and a baby blackbird. It all added to the experience. I have ‘dabbled

    Jacqui Taylor

    A beautiful place to stay and Jo was a wonderful host and teacher. Delicious meals and great ambiance.

    V Amos

    Jo is very generous and welcoming and I and my five children (aged 13 - 21) loved our time with her. Her house and studio are very relaxed and we were encouraged to treat them as our home. We produced some marvellous paintings and learnt some new skills. A perfect family holiday!

    A Streets

    Had an amazing and memorable experience on this painting holiday last September. I'm from Canada and decided to do this solo trip, unsure of what to expect. Jo-Anne is a super-talented artist and great teacher who was very warm and welcoming. The property was gorgeous, and very serene. Great setting that was both very calming and inspiring for me as a beginner painter. Jo tailored her lessons and the overall experience to meet my learning needs a

    D Sherman

    I had a lovely holiday. Clare was very welcoming and did everything to make our stay comfortable. Glyn, the painting tutor, was really supportive and helped me make progress. Good food, good company and nice accommodation with extra activities. I swam in the pool and tried archery.

    N Taylor

    I had the most wonderful Painting Holiday. The owner Claire could not have been more kind and helpful and Glyn our art Tutor was excellent and inspiring. We painted outside several times but also had a large, bright Studio in which to work. Big garden, swimming pool. Fabulous - do book !

    S Mohacs

    An excellent week. Beautiful setting and accommodation very comfortable. The hosts were very hospitable and friendly. Very quiet location and ideal if you want a relaxing time. Really enjoyed the art and tuition and especially the sites we visited to draw in the mornings. Glen is a very good tutor.

    P Grassby

    Wonderful holiday personal attention food fantastic lovely trips out to paint and sight see

    F Watson

    Claire and Martin are lovely hosts who are warm and welcoming to everyone. They instill a very relaxed atmosphere to the guests in their home. Claire is a gourmet cook who “wowed” us with fabulous cuisine everyday for lunch and dinner! I enjoyed the comeraderie with the fellow artists!

    V Wheater, Canada

    Wonderful holiday in beautiful surroundings and delicious food :)

    S Keegan

    A fantastic week of refreshing my French language skills. The teacher was interesting and engaging, the group of students was just the right size and everyone participated, making the 4-hour classes whizz by. By the end I felt my confidence in speaking and understanding French had improved a lot.

    A Robinson

    Had a great time in Nice. Learning and speaking French. And relaxing in the wonderful city of Nice. The classes being conducted in French was definitely a big challenge. It definitely improved my listening and understanding of French. Although very few English translations but it tough.

    H Shierlaw

    Experience was wonderful. Class placement was very appropriate for my skill level. Very experienced teacher bought much variety to lessons. I particularly enjoyed interaction with the other multi-national students. Only issue is that it was a 4-day week (only 16 lessons).

    A Gerome-Acuff

    I found it very useful that the school also organised additional 'tutorat' classes, which allowed students to develop a particular grammar point, or practise their conversation outside of the usual timetable.

    V Minichiello-Price

    Best Time to Visit France

    Spring Summer Autumn Winter

    Expect temperatures between 13 degrees in March and 18 degrees in May.

    As France warms up for the high season, expect the country to be in bloom, warmer weather and local produce, whilst accommodation prices and crowds slowly increase.

    Expect temperatures between 20 degrees in June and 24 degrees in August.

    It’s hot all over, in the Alps there are hiking and rafting opportunities aplenty, and on the coasts the beaches swell with sun-worshippers, accommodation is at its most expensive.

    Expect temperatures between 17 degrees in September and 8 degrees in November.

    As the crowds disperse, the cost of finding places to stay drops, and as the grapes are harvested and the days shorten, you might find the best deals at the most charming time to visit.

    Expect temperatures between 5 degrees in December and 4 degrees in February.

    For the best deals on accommodation and a chance to see France at its most authentic and non-touristy, visit in winter. Of course, this isn’t the case for the Alps, where the ski season is getting underway and everyone heads for the slopes.

    Best Places to Visit

    Nice

    Welcome to a city of azure seas, pristine beaches, fresh Mediterranean cuisine and lifestyle to matc

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    Nice

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    Gascony

    Rolling hills bearing winding vineyards, Gascony is a region best savoured slowly.

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    Gascony

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    Normandy

    Windswept beaches, quiet village communities - there are wonderful experiences to be found in Norman

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    Normandy

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    Provence

    Travel along roads that wind their way through the hills of Provence to find truly offbeat experienc

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    Provence

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    Loire Valley

    Incredible chateaux, beautiful countryside, exquisite wine, all this & more in the Loire Valley.

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    Loire Valley

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    Bordeaux

    Historical & cultural hub in a region of world-class vineyards, Bordeaux is a rewarding destination.

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    Bordeaux

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    French Riviera

    Glitz and glamour await in a land where all pleasures & unique experiences can be found.

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    French Riviera

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    Biarritz

    Tucked away on the south Atlantic coast, France’s surf capital hides a number of offbeat experienc

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    Biarritz

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    Toulouse

    A picturesque maze of cobbled alleys reveals a city on the forefront of France’s cultural scene.

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    Toulouse

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    Paris

    What can be said that hasn’t been said already, the romantic capital of the world sits on the Sein

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    Paris

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    Nouvelle-Aquitaine

    A scene conjured up by gently ringing church bells & smells of boulangerie wafting through its stree

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    Nouvelle-Aquitaine

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    Lyon

    The culinary capital of France, if you’re a food lover, look no further than this charismatic city

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    Lyon

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    Brittany

    Fishing villages, stretches of deserted coastline & all the cheese and bread you can eat, sounds lik

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    Brittany

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    French Pyrenees

    Lesser visited than the Alps but still incredibly beautiful, authentic, and truly off the beaten tra

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    French Pyrenees

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    Top tips for visiting France

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