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One of the most popular activities for Americans traveling to Europe is taking a cooking class. Since French cooking schools are the most coveted, we’re sharing three unique experiences that we highly recommend. Two cooking schools happen to be run by American expats and the other takes place once a year in a historic chateau in the South of France. Passionnant!

Cook’s Atelier
43 Rue de Lorraine
Beaune, France

The Cook’s Atelier was founded in 2008 by the mother-daughter duo, Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini in the French wine region of Burgundy. Their popular workshops are informative and entertaining and guests come from around the world to learn French cooking in their kitchen and through tours of the food markets in Beaune.

At Home with Patricia Wells
Rue de Bac
Paris, France

Patricia Wells is a well-known food critic and her very popular cooking school in Paris is a coveted experience. Patricia offers classes in her apartment on the Left Bank. The 1850’s atelier is the perfect base for the week-long moveable feast designed for guests to learn and understand Parisian food and food markets. All instruction is in English and recipes are geared to the home cook. Patricia offers classes in Provence as well.

Chateau de Gudanes
Near Toulouse
Chateau-Verdun, France

If you’re a foodie looking for the chance to truly immerse yourself in the French experience and live in a historic chateau in the South of France for a week, Chateau Gudanes offers a best of class baking experience once a year. You’ll learn to make all types of French pastry, visit pâtisseries and boulangeries, and share meals with other chateau guests in a truly family-centric atmosphere.

Chateau de Gudanes photo by Ann Street Studio.