“Spark your creativity!”
8 Day Glass Crafting and Cooking Vacation in Lot-et-Garonne, Southwest France
Baron-Figuès, Moncrabeau 47600, France
Glass Jewellery & Cooking Holiday in France
Get more from your holiday and learn to make jewelry from glass in Gascony. Enjoy warm hospitality, great meals and wine, stunning surroundings, and gain skills to treasure for a lifetime. Design and make your own unique pieces of jewelry using glass, experimenting with glass fusing and cutting, while staying in a lovely rural 19th century farmhouse in South West France on this all-inclusive holiday.
Meet the instructors
Caroline & Adam
Read more
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Highlights
- Gourmet dinners
- 2 hands-on cooking workshops and village markets
- Wine, Armagnac, and Champagne tasting
- 2 jewellery making workshops
- Gourmet restaurant
- Cheese tasting and day trip
- 3-course gourmet dinners
- 7 nights accommodation
7 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: French
Airport transfer available:
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (US$ 197 per person)
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (US$ 197 per person)
Airport transfer available:
Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (US$ 175 per person)
Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (US$ 175 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
16:00
Check-out Time:
10:00
Facilities
- Swimming pool (outdoor)
- Table tennis
- Barbeque facilities
- Dining area
- Environmentally friendly
- Fireplace
- Garden
- Kitchen
- Lounge
- Multilingual staff
- Smoke-free property
- Special menu request
- Terrace
- Free bicycle
- Free parking
- Free Wi-Fi
- Internet access
- Ironing / ironing board
- Wireless internet
During your course, you will stay in Baron-Figuès which is part of a gorgeous 150 year old farmhouse with five beautifully appointed guest en-suite twin or 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. There are also no single supplements for solo travelers to have a private room!
So if you are travelling as a group, this is ideally suited to your needs and offers the wonderful traditional French feel to it. If you are travelling solo, there’s nothing better than the farmhouse, where you will share the accommodation with Caroline and her husband and meet likeminded people who share your passion for the French way of life.
This accommodation combines the wonders of rural Gascony, modern-home comforts of a traditional French farmhouse, and unbeatable food and wine experiences that will stay with you forever.
Program
The itinerary is for guidance only and is subject to change depending on the group’s needs and wishes but is typically as follows:
Day 1 – Arrival day
Arrive at Agen train station in the afternoon to be greeted by your friendly hosts before being driven to the farmhouse where your holiday will begin (airport collections can be arranged upon request for a supplement-please see the costing and extras tab for more details).
Settle into your delightful room before getting to know your fellow students over delicious aperitifs.
Enjoy a social evening with a 3 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.
Day 2 – Glass cutting; using glass frits, powders, and moulds
This morning after breakfast you will go to a local delightful village market to explore the area to discuss your first project designs with the rest of the group and your tutor Caroline.
You will then return home to begin your first jewellery making class.
Today you will begin with an introduction to glass fusing, including cutting skills and technical information.
Caroline will teach you the basic techniques with using glass to give you maximum freedom to develop your own designs.
Throughout the day you will experiment with glass, glass frits and powders, and using moulds.
The course will encourage you to think creatively about how the jewellery will be worn and students will be shown how to create holes and fittings incorporated as part of the fused piece and will also experiment with attaching fittings and bails.
Late afternoon you will visit a beautiful chateau famous for its aperitifs and wines for an afternoon of wine tasting.
Dinner will be served back at the farmhouse giving you time to relax in the lounge or by the swimming pool firstly, or to take advantage of one of the onsite activities such as table tennis or cycling.
Day 3 - Taster of Lampworking and layering glass fusing pieces
After a leisurely breakfast, you will learn to make your first glass bead or glass earrings using the technique of a torch.
Lunch will be served by the pool or in the farmhouse kitchen with views of the countryside all around to help inspire your creative side.
After lunch, you will continue to improve your glass skills including assembly, inclusions, kiln firing and slumping techniques.
You will gain confidence in choosing colours and designs to make your own unique glass pieces.
Early evening, you will visit a family run Armagnac distillery (which Gascony is famous for) and learn how it is made and the history behind it and, more importantly, tasting the Armagnac and local produce.
A 3 course gourmet meal will then be served back at the farmhouse kitchen accompanied with local delicious wines.
Day 4 – Free day
Today is a free day for you to spend at your leisure.
Choose to spend more time perfecting your glass fusing techniques and working on your jewellery in the studio, or take time to relax by the swimming pool with a good book.
All meals are included today, and enjoy a well-earned rest before your hands-on cookery experience begins!
Day 5 – Culinary excursion and first cookery lesson
After breakfast, it’s time to enter the kitchen and begin your culinary experience!
Your host and chef Adam will be on hand at all times to ensure you learn as much as possible during informal and fun cookery lessons and culinary excursions.
Today Adam will accompany you on a culinary excursion which will be confirmed upon arrival depending on the group’s preference and the season.
You visit may include any of the following: visits to a local duck farm, butcher, boulangerie/patisserie, vineyard, Armagnac producer, cheese maker, chocolatier, prune producer, organic farm or charcuterie.
You may also take an accompanied tour of the cultural and historical sights surrounding the school including Auch Cathedral, Chateau Henri IV, Collégiale at La Romieu or the art gallery at the Abbaye de Flaran.
After returning to the farmhouse, enjoy a leisurely lunch before your first cookery lesson.
Adam will teach you how to create a delicious 3 course French menu today depending on the season.
After your lesson, you will enjoy a group dinner of the dishes you have prepared in the kitchen with a well-deserved glass on wine.
Day 6 - Culinary excursion and second cookery lesson
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning.
Adam will then accompany you on another culinary excursion to awaken your senses, introduce you to local life, and ignite your passion for fresh, local food.
You will then return to the farmhouse to enjoy a light lunch before reentering the kitchen for your second cookery course.
Learn to cook delicious country meals with Adam, with just a little show and a lot of passion as you learn about real French food, how to prepare it, cook it, and serve it.
Tonight’s dinner will be tasting the delicious French dishes you’ve learnt to cook and you will have a discussion about where to go tomorrow for your day excursion around this beautiful.
Day 7 – Day group excursion
Relax with a delicious breakfast this morning before heading out on a fun excursion for the day. Today you’ll enjoy an excursion to a location of your choice! Your hosts will take you to visit further afield depending on the groups preferences.
Explore the stunning scenery and relax on your final day, and enjoy lunch whilst you out.
This evening you’ll return home for your final dinner, where you’ll reflect on the week and how much you have learnt.
Day 8 – Departure day
After breakfast, guests are asked to check out by 10 am.
You will return home with fantastic memories, fabulous cookery skills, beautiful unique glass jewellery and memories and new skills to last you a lifetime.
As with all of the exclusive breaks, this holiday can be tailored to meet the needs of the group. Please contact your hosts to discuss your personal requirements and they will ensure your holiday is exactly as you want it to be.
Included excursions
All excursions are included in the price.
Instructors
Caroline
Caroline and her husband, Adam, have decided to leave their comfortable life in Kent and headed off for a new adventure in France with their four young children. The summers spent vacationing by the Mediterranean had instilled in them a love for the outdoor life. Looking back, this was probably madness, as they had little knowledge of France and no real idea of what they were coming to. Caroline, a qualified teacher for over 20 years, loves her work running PMC Studio France. She enjoys meeting fascinating people from all over the world who come to learn or enjoy a relaxing holiday.
Adam
After working in global consulting and finance, Adam jumped at the chance to rebalance his life more in favor of family. Adam's passion for food and wine has been cultivated during these early years and he has honed his skills over the last decade living in “Garden of France”, an area rich in gastronomic delights, fabulous wines, and amazing Armagnacs. For Adam, cooking is a journey through the senses. Next to him, you will understand how local produce is made and the traditions behind it.
Location
This holiday will take place in Gascony, France. Gascony is an undiscovered region of Southwest France, so there's no chance that you will have to wrestle with crowds when you go to sample the wonders that make this region so special. You will quickly learn why Gascony is famed for its sumptuous local produce and seasonal recipes and you will realize that the locals take their food very seriously.
If you are partial to a cheeky little treat, Gascony is one of the main producers of foie gras. It's not just mouth-watering food you have to look forward to. You can't visit Gascony without trying out the fruits of the vine. Wherever you walk, you will be able to see the many vineyards sprawling over the hills and valleys and discover that the wines are individual, full of character, and exquisite.
Food
All of your daily meals, drinks, and tastings are included in the total cost of this holiday. You will have the chance to enjoy a three-course gourmet dinner and wine tastings.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Soda
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Gluten Free
- Organic
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Pescatarian
- Seafood
- Lactose Free
- Whole food
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
All extracurricular activities on your holiday are free. So, if you do not feel like taking a trip after your lessons, you can try onsite table tennis, badminton, shooting, archery, and cycling, or you may just like to relax by the pool with a glass of soul-warming Armagnac. There is also a great selection of board games that will amuse you during the warm nights and let you enjoy the company of other guests.
What's included
- Gourmet dinners
- 2 hands-on cooking workshops
- Village markets
- Wine tasting
- 2 jewellery making workshops
- Armagnac tasting
- Gourmet restaurant
- Champagne tasting
- Cheese tasting
- Day trip
- 7 nights accommodation
- All meals, drinks, and tastings
- Transfers from and to Agen train station
What's not included
- Airfares
- Airport transfers
How to get there
Recommended Airports
BOD
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
120 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 197 per person
TLS
Toulouse–Blagnac Airport
94 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 175 per person
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS), Bordeaux-Mrignac Airport (BOD), or Bergerac Dordogne Prigord Airport (EGC). Transfer from and to these airports are available upon request. This price is per car, not per person.
Arrival by train
- The closest train station is Agen train station. French Holidays Plus will pick you up from the train station. The pick-up is included in the price.
Airport: Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
Airport transfer available:
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (US$ 197 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Airport: Toulouse–Blagnac Airport
Airport transfer available:
Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (US$ 175 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 25% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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