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Gastronomic Short Break

Highlights

  • Meet producers and taste Armagnac, local cheese and much more
  • Stay in a picturesque farmhouse with large swimming pool
  • Includes all meals, accommodation and return train station transfers
From £908 pp
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What you'll do

Overview

Enjoy tasty French cuisine and explore the delights of French gastronomy with culinary guided excursions. Famously a gourmet’s paradise, Gascony is famed for its delicious duck to succulent wild boar and charming local wines, not forgetting the allure of Gascony Armagnac, which will tickle your taste buds.

Spend an amazing time discovering the fantastic food, wines, Armagnacs, history and culture of south-west France. This luxury tailor made tour will take your breath away. You will stay at a private 180 year old farmhouse set in 50 acres where your every need will be met by your specialist team of staff who are on hand to ensure an unforgettable stay. There will be plenty of free time to ensure your holiday is not frantic but rather a relaxing and fulfilling experience. Enjoy wine and armagnac from limited reserves, lunch at a gourmet restaurant, explore all the best Gascony has to offer in this once in a lifetime trip. Meet new people or come as a group.

Stay in a stunning renovated farmhouse in the glorious region of Gascony in South West of France with its own swimming pool and 50 acres of land. This is the perfect place to relax and unwind and your hosts Adam and Caroline will be on hand at all times to ensure your stay is as enjoyable as possible. There are also no single supplements for solo travellers, making this a fantastic holiday for singles.

Get more from your holiday and learn to cook in Gascony, enjoy warm hospitality, great food and wine, stunning surroundings, and skills to treasure for a lifetime.

2023 Dates: 20th April, 11th May, 1st June, 22nd June, 31st August, 21st September, 12th October, 2nd November

Arrival

Arrive in the afternoon to be greeted by your friendly hosts. There is a free collection service from Agen train station. Airport (Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bergerac) collections can be arranged upon request for a supplement

Settle into your delightful room before getting to know your fellow guests over delicious aperitifs

In the afternoon, you will cleanse your palate with a course about Champagne and Methode Traditionelle. Try whites and pinks, dry and sweet, all delicious

Enjoy a social evening with a three course gourmet dinner served in the farmhouse kitchen along with a short introduction from your hosts about what to expect over the next few days

Accommodation

You’ll stay in a gorgeous 150-year-old farmhouse with three beautifully appointed guest en-suite twin/double bedrooms, and one of the main attractions of this farmhouse is its large open plan traditional kitchen. Guests can sit around the homely table, that seats 14 guests, and share delicious meals prepared by Caroline’s husband.

Attached to the farmhouse is a recently renovated gite. The gite has been sympathetically restored to a very high standard and also contains two twin/double bedrooms.

Features
– Set in 50 acres of parkland, an area of incredible natural beauty famous for its gastronomy and wines
– Outdoor swimming pool (12m x 6m)
– All twin/double bedrooms have private ensuite bathrooms
– Open plan farmhouse kitchen and large living area with TV
– WiFi available

Boutique wines, cheeses and Armagnac

This morning after breakfast you will visit one of the local vineyards and sample their best wines

Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant or at the vineyard

In the afternoon, spend time discovering cheeses from the region and around France. Understand the different processes and tastes.

What better to wash down your cheese than Armagnac. Early evening, you will visit a family run distillery (which Gascony is famous for) and learn how it is made from grape to Armagnac. Sample different vintages across generations of production. These are millesime armagnacs, not blended, and bottled for you directly from the cask.

Dinner will be served back at the farmhouse giving you time to relax in the lounge or by the swimming pool or to take advantage of one of the onsite activities such as pool, table tennis or cycling

Accommodation

You’ll stay in a gorgeous 150-year-old farmhouse or neighbouring gite.

Easy lunches, Foie Gras & Armagnac

After a leisurely breakfast, you will visit a local market. Visit the cathederal, mingle with the locals, sample the cheeses, meats and fruits then relax with a coffee and watch the world pass by

Today we will have a relaxing lunch at a gourmet restaurant

After lunch you will visit a beautiful chateau famous for its aperitifs and wines for an afternoon of wine tasting and a walk through history

You will then visit a family run foie gras business where you will learn how it is made and taste it cooked three ways

A 3 course gourmet meal will then be served back at the farmhouse kitchen accompanied with local delicious wines

Accommodation

You’ll stay in a gorgeous 150-year-old farmhouse or neighbouring gite.

Departure

– After breakfast, guests are asked to check out by 10am
– You are welcome to relax and enjoy some free time if your flight is not until later in the day, before being taken to the airport or train station for your return journey
– You will return home with fantastic memories

What's included

Included

  • 3 nights accommodation in a private twin/double room
  • 2 culinary excursions to local villages or towns
  • Armagnac distillery visit and tasting session
  • Chateau visit and wine tasting session
  • Accompanied tours of the cultural and historical sights surrounding the school
  • Transport to and from all excursions
  • All breakfasts, lunches and 3 course gourmet dinners daily
  • All refreshments (including wine etc)
  • Pick up and drop off from Agen train station
  • Check in any time after 4pm on day 1 and check out by 10am on day 4
Your local host

Caroline & Adam

Caroline is a qualified teacher from the UK and her husband Adam is a passionate cook. They moved to South West France looking for a change of lifestyle and now run their hugely successful jewellery making and activity holidays from Baron-Figués, where you will be staying. Caroline has been a qualified teacher for over 25 years and has experience in setting up and running training centres teaching practical skills. She is a senior instructor in both PMC and Art Clay and has experience in using a wide range of clays and other materials. Adam is a serious gastro enthusiast, as much in love with the local seasonal produce as the Gascons, and entirely committed to cooking the most incredible traditional dishes for guests as well as providing wonderful cooking courses. For Adam, cooking is a journey through all the senses and you won't just spend time sampling the local produce but understand how it is made and the traditions behind it. Adam blends a simple Irish approach to cooking with flavours and skills acquired from travels across the world. From conception to plate, Adam will teach you how to prepare and serve fantastic meals that will seem to magically appear in front of your guests, allowing you to enjoy the party too! For the painting course, they are joined by passionate local artists with huge knowledge and experience of the area as well as art to ensure you are taken to the right places to inspire your paintings.

Caroline is a qualified teacher from the UK and her husband Adam is a passionate cook. They moved to South West France looking for a change of lifestyle and now run their hugely successful jewellery making and activity holidays from Baron-Figués, where you will be staying. Caroline has been a qualified teacher for over 25 years and has experience in setting up and running training centres teaching practical skills. She is a senior instructor in both PMC and Art Clay and has experience in using a wide range of clays and other materials. Adam is a serious gastro enthusiast, as much in love with the local seasonal produce as the Gascons, and entirely committed to cooking the most incredible traditional dishes for guests as well as providing wonderful cooking courses. For Adam, cooking is a journey through all the senses and you won't just spend time sampling the local produce but understand how it is made and the traditions behind it. Adam blends a simple Irish approach to cooking with flavours and skills acquired from travels across the world. From conception to plate, Adam will teach you how to prepare and serve fantastic meals that will seem to magically appear in front of your guests, allowing you to enjoy the party too! For the painting course, they are joined by passionate local artists with huge knowledge and experience of the area as well as art to ensure you are taken to the right places to inspire your paintings.

Caroline & Adam image
Sustainability Efforts

What Sustainability Efforts are we Taking?

At Not in the Guidebooks we’re committed to empowering the local communities in Costa Rica. We work closely with the local people and their businesses to make sure that they receive a fair percentage of the money you spend on your holiday there. By partnering with local guides and suppliers, we’re able to create meaningful, authentic experiences that directly benefit the people who call this incredible country home.

Learn More

Location

Set in the heart of Gascony surrounded by 50 acres of private unspoilt meadows, the your farmhouse accommodation is tucked away in the Gascon countryside. Although the farmhouse is a rural retreat, the bustling picturesque towns of Nérac and Condom are within easy reach.

Nearest airports:
Toulouse (1hr 40min), Bordeaux (1hr 40min), Pau (2 hours) or Bergerac (2 hours)

Complimentary pre-booked train transfers:
Return transfers to and from Agen train station (30 minutes) are included in the course price.

Trains run to Agen from across the SNCF network from where you can take advantage of the free transfer. Optional private airport transfers can be booked for an additional cost.

What our travellers are saying...

Had a great time on a cooking holiday with Caroline and Adam. They were such wonderful host and made for a great holiday. There was plenty of good food and wine and I learn quite a lot about how to cook great French food.

Anon

Friendly family. Tailored program willingly to suit our needs. Quality food. Quality workshops. Quality touring.

K Judd

From the moment we arrived we found 2 new friends - incredible hosts - quite laid back. Adam is an incredible chef and along with Caroline fantastic hosts. Nothing was too much trouble and on one occasion we went to a night market, and although we were already fed, I said I must have some snails that I had seen in the market and Adam instantly appeared with a bowl to try!! They took us to so many places we would have never seen without them and w

Anon

FAQs

Who is it suitable for?

Suitable for all cooking levels from beginners to advanced with a minimum age 18. Your hosts and tutors speak English and French, and lessons will be taught in English. Dietary requirements will be catered for if these are communicated in advance of booking.

I'm travelling solo - can I join?

These holidays make great singles holidays as there are no single supplements and you will have your own private room for no additional cost. There is a discount for 2 people travelling together and sharing a room.

When can I start?

This holiday starts on Thursdays and runs on set dates from March to November. Holidays run for 3 nights / 4 days.

Is there restricted mobility access?

Please find below some information regarding the accommodation and location of the holiday which may be useful when deciding if this is the right holiday for you; should you have an further questions, please contact us and we will be happy to help.
- We generally do not recommend this location for those with restricted mobility.
- This holiday is based in the countryside, and does include some walking.
- The accommodation has no bedrooms or bathrooms on the ground floor, therefore one must be comfortable with stairs.

What can I do in my free time?

During your free time, there is plenty to do at your farmhouse accommodation including relaxing by the heated swimming pool (May-September). The accommodation offers a range of extracurricular activities onsite which are free of charge including table tennis, basketball, shooting, archery, cycling and board games to name a few!

There are numerous fêtes, music festivals and exhibitions in the surrounding areas through the year and your host Caroline will be happy to advise you during your stay. The closest towns are Nérac and Condom, and your host will be happy to suggest activities and transport should you wish to explore these during your stay.

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