I've always enjoyed cooking, and I've always loved France. The two go together very well.

In 1968 I attended an International Summer School at the University of Dijon. One of the highlights of my summer was taking weekly cooking classes with chefs from a professional training school. More...

More recently, I decided to try some cooking classes in Paris. There are so many to choose from! I knew I didn't want a week-long course, but I wanted something more than a one hour help-make-lunch-and-eat-it experience.

Through our apartment rental agency I found Cook'n With Class and decided to try their Market Tour and Cooking Class. What a fun and delicious experience that was! More...

I then decided that it would be good to experience the most famous of French cooking schools, Le Cordon Bleu. I was delighted to find they had a four-hour Chocolate Workshop that fit my schedule. Perfect! More...

Delicious chocolate tart I made at the Cordon Bleu!

Next up for me was Le Foodist, where I did a Market Lunch class with yet another knowledgeable and fun chef and an excellent lunch. More...

For a different experience, I tried L'Atelier des Chefs, which offers a 30 minute pause déjeuner, or lunch break. Taught entirely in French, this was fun and challenging. More...

These experiences couldn't have been more different, and all were excellent. The chefs were knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful, and support staff kept things running smoothly. And the results were all delicious!

There are plenty more cooking classes offered in Paris, and I look forward to trying out more over the coming years. In addition, you'll find many classes all over France, with Provence perhaps the best known for its offerings.

There are also a range of culinary tours, some focused on the cuisine of a particular region, others perhaps dedicated to exploring wines or cheeses. You can also learn a lot just from visiting French markets. You'll see fish that you've never heard of before, beautiful, ripe seasonal fruit, a variety of meats, and of course an overwhelming number of cheeses.

France has always prided itself on its cuisine, and cooking classes are one way to learn more about it.

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