Culinary Vacations

Cooking In Europe - Normandy, France

La Porte Rouge, an 18th century farmhouse in the charming town of Carentan located in the province of Normandy, will be your home for this five-day adventure. Four buildings comprise the estate which encloses a private hedged courtyard in the back. The front of the house opens onto an expansive lawn dotted with fruit trees, blackberrybushes, and wild growing herbs which are used by the students in recipe preparation. This makes a perfect setting for a relaxing picnic after returning from the local market.

The farmhouse features six bedrooms and three modernized bathrooms, however its rustic flavor remains complete with hardwood floors, antique furnishings, and floral down comforters.

Classroom instruction is held in a large kitchen, accommodating groups of up to 10 students.

Excursions In Normandy, France

In addition to daily cooking instructions, the course includes tours of local food purveyors including: the local open air market, the Cidrerie Herout where award-winning apple brandies are produced, and a goat cheese farm where you can pet the friendly goats and taste fresh chevre. Other items on your itinerary include a visit to the historic site of Omaha Beach where American troops descended on its shores during the W.W.II Normandy Invasion; and Villedieu les poeles, home of the largest production of copper pots in the world.

Also on the itinerary is Le Mont St. Michel, a Benedictine monastery perched on a tiny island, surrounded by shops and private residences.

This phenomenal architectural wonder was constructed without interruption from the year 1,000 to the beginning of the 16th century.

For more about this, see Dates & Rates