Food, friends and France
Three ingredients for the best summer ever! Join us on the farm and discover France through food. Cook every day, explore bustling markets, meet local producers, and experience the traditions that have made France one of the world's great culinary destinations.
Whether you're dreaming of culinary school or simply love being in the kitchen, you'll build skills, confidence, and friendships while experiencing food from source to table.
Build your culinary skills
Daily cooking classes help you become more confident in the kitchen. You’ll learn classic French dishes, regional specialties, and the techniques that form the foundation of great cooking. Learn everything from knife skills, seasoning, and sauces to bread making, seafood, market shopping, and cooking with seasonal ingredients.
By the end of the program, you'll have expanded your culinary repertoire, learned new techniques, and developed a deeper understanding of the ingredients, traditions, and culture that shape French cuisine.
Life on the farm
Life at La Vaquerie is hands-on. Everyone helps care for the place we call home, whether that's tending the vegetable garden, feeding the chickens, harvesting herbs for dinner, caring for shared spaces, or preparing meals together.
Beyond the daily rhythm, there's time to ride bikes through the countryside, play boardgames, read beneath the trees, or gather around our outdoor firepit after dinner. It's a chance to experience a slower, more connected way of life.
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Dates and Details
Cohort Size
6-8 students
Program Length
14 days
Dates
SUMMER 2027
Session 1: June 23rd - July 6th, 2027
Session 2: July 8th - July 21st, 2027
Session 3: July 23rd - August 5th, 2027
Ages
14 - 19 including graduated seniors
Cost
€4800
What is included: accommodation, excursions, instruction, transportation to/from the airport to/from our location, meals in residence and some meals out.
Not included: Roundtrip airfare to Paris, France from your home city, lunches on excursions.
Scholarships are available for this program.
Eligibility
This program is open to all, from confident cooks to complete beginners.
Language Requirements
None. The program is taught entirely in English.
Meet the makers
Every ingredient begins with someone who cares deeply about what they do. Meet fishermen, cheesemakers, bakers, farmers, chefs, and oyster growers who welcome us into their world. Visit working farms, artisan bakeries, organic producers, and bustling markets to see firsthand how Normandy's most celebrated foods are grown, harvested, and made.
By meeting the people behind the food, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the skill, dedication, and craftsmanship that goes into every meal.
The stories behind the food
As you explore Normandy, you'll discover how history, geography, tradition, and family shape what people eat and how they live. From centuries-old recipes and regional specialties to the traditions passed from one generation to the next, every ingredient has a story to tell.
These experiences transform cooking from simply following recipes into understanding the culture and way of life behind every dish.
Gather around the table
In France, the table is where everything comes together. Bring what you've discovered back to the kitchen as you cook with seasonal ingredients, learn new techniques, and prepare meals alongside your peers.
From long lunches and family-style dinners to seaside picnics and special celebrations, you'll experience the French tradition of slowing down, sharing stories, and gathering around the table together
Beyond the farm
Discover bustling markets, picturesque fishing villages, historic towns, artisan workshops, and spectacular coastline.
Learn breadmaking at a 16th-century windmill, sample oysters beside the sea, explore Cherbourg's specialty food shops, and enjoy meals in some of the region's most memorable restaurants.
These excursions bring our Source, Story, Table approach to life, showing how landscape, history, and local traditions shape the food of this remarkable region of France.