BIENVENUE!
Hello, and welcome. Are you looking for cooking classes, in English, in one of the most beautiful medieval villages in southwest France? Look no further, this is the place.
Where, exactly is Fourcès, you may be wondering. France is a land of many regional sub-divisions, some historical and some political. You will find the Atelier (atelier means workshop, in French) in the department of Le Gers. Fourcès is the name of the village; it is in Armagnac country, midway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, in the Occitanie region. This area is a part of Gascony, and it is sometimes called Little Tuscany. No surprise because the gently rolling landscape is dotted with picturesque villages, vineyards and sunflower fields as it slopes gently down towards the Atlantic ocean to the west and rises to the Pyrenees mountains and Basque Country to the south. Le Gers is off the beaten track, in the most splendid way; to live and cook in this part of the world, you become immediately connected to the place and the seasons. This is what I would like to share with you through my workshops.
Come join me in cooking a French culinary feast using the best ingredients the Gers has to offer. Then, unwind and embrace the laid-back pace with a leisurely lunch around a big communal table in the garden by the château, under the shade of the ancient lime trees.
The best way to experience food and cooking in France is join a Market Tour and you can choose from the options below. These start early, at your preferred market where we shop for local and seasonal delicacies before returning to Fourcès to cook and feast. A straightforward cooking class will begin in Fourcès with ingredients sourced in advance so we can prepare a traditional three-course meal.
Whatever you choose, the focus of all these sessions is French home cooking, both regional and tradtional. I have culinary school training and many cookbooks under my belt but I am essentially a home cook and this is how I teach. All of the cooking classes take place in my home kitchen⏤a vast space with thick walls of local stone and exposed wooden beams on the ceiling. The building was converted from the former stables of a 16th century château; the château which is just across the road, in fact.
The kitchen is always my favourite room, in any house. It is the place where food is prepared, of course. It is also where people congregate, where conversations are had⏤where life happens. The kitchen of this house is where the project began; it inspired me from the minute I laid eyes on it and it is simply the perfect space for gathering and cooking together.
Slow down, live like a local and join me for a day, or an afternoon, of culinary inspiration and an authentic taste of food in southern France.
More information below about the workshops and be sure to look at the FAQs for all the details. This includes a list of places to stay, like the gorgeous château B&B just opposite my house. Bespoke workshops over one or several days are always an option too; feel free to use the button below to ask a question, I love getting emails.
"I had a cooking class with Laura and it was a fabulous session. She covered a number of French recipes I was eager to learn including how to cook duck to perfection. We made the most amazing pear tart too. After all the cooking, we had a lovely lunch. It's a cooking experience I heartily recommend"
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Choose from one of 3 formulas:
Cooking & Déjeuner
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French Market Tours
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Cheese Tastings
Cooking & Déjeuner
Come and cook in my French kitchen! These cooking classes are devised around several themes and you will be able to indicate your interests on the Enquiry Form.
Times are 10:00 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What you get:
Hands-on cooking – Aperitif – A three-course lunch in the garden – Thoughtfully sourced cheese course – Local wines
These sessions can be booked most days of the week* and I suggest a Le Poisson is best on Thursdays & Fridays but this is not an absolute requirement.
Cost is €190 per person, (minimum of 4 cooks).
Companion places for non-cooking friends are €60 and you add this at the time of booking. For more information see the FAQs page or enquire at time of booking.
To reserve your place, first fill in the Enquiry Form (button below).
Other options are always available on request. Please email if you would like to discuss.
*except the 2nd Sunday of every month which is reserved for Brocante Sunday Workshops (more info below)
Cook Le Gers
Duck, prunes, Armagnac & everything Gascon. Regional French food from the past, brought firmly up to date.
French Home Cooking
Cook French Bistro classics like maman. Or papa. French traditional food like braises, gratins, tarts sweet & savoury.
New Seasonal French
New things from old standards at their seasonal peak. Lots of market-fresh vegetables. Think Ottolenghi in France.
Le Poisson
Meunière, marinières, whole roast and fillets. Get to grips with French recipes for seafood. Striped t-shirts optional.
French Market Tours
Cooking starts with shopping and what better way to learn about French food than by shopping at a French market?
This tour & cooking class starts early at a nearby market where we shop together, chat with producers and select the freshest local ingredients before returning to Fourcès for cooking & eating.
Meet at the market at 8:30
Lavardac is Wednesday
Eauze is Thursday
Nérac is Saturday
There are smaller local markets at Montréal on Friday and Mézin or Condom Sunday
Interested? Let me know by filling in the Enquiry Form (button below).
Cost for a one-day workshop (min 3 people):
Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday: €210 per person.
Friday or Sunday: €190 per person.
Companion places for non-cooking friends are €60 and you add this at the time of booking. For more information see the FAQs page or enquire at time of booking. Recipes sent after the class.
Please note you will need your own transport for Market sessions.
Private Market Tours are available; please enquire for prices.
Two-day and Three-day market workshops are also available. These involve shopping and prepping (and nibbling) on Day One and lots more cooking followed by feasting on Day Two & Three. If you are in the area for an extended stay, this is an excellent way to immerse yourself in the local gastronomic culture. Please enquire for availability and prices.
French Market - Nérac
One of the nicest, liveliest markets, in the old town centre near the river Baïse every Saturday morning.
French Market - Eauze
The capital of Bas Armagnac in the heart of the Gers region, a vibrant and bustling Thursday morning market.
French Market - Lavardac
A traditional market in a stunning village setting, held on Wednesdays.
Cheese Tasting
If you want to simply dip your toes in French culinary waters, what better place to start than cheese?
Southwest France has an outstanding variety of cheeses: mountain cheeses from the Pyrénées made from sheeps milk or cows milk, or both. There is also a range of goats’ cheeses and different types of blue cheeses plus many other seasonal specialities from all over France. So many to try, why not let me do the gathering and you can sit back, relax and do the tasting?
Times: Mornings from 12:00 – 3 p.m. or Afternoons from 4:00 – 7 p.m.
Cost €160 per person (minimum 3 people).
Private tasting sessions are available; please enquire for prices.
What you get:
A tutored tasting session featuring an assortment of French cheeses.
Morning sessions are followed by a light lunch around the big table in the garden, including dessert and wines.
Afternoon sessions are followed by an apéro dînatoire (grazing plates) around the big table in the garden, including dessert and wines.
Interested? Let me know by filling in the Enquiry Form (button below).
Other options are always available on request. Please email if you would like to discuss.
Travel
Fourcès is in the north of the Gers region of south-west France, inland from Bordeaux and north of Toulouse. The entrance to the village is marked by a bridge over the river Auzoue, with the church to one side and the imposing 15th century castle to the other. The road from the bridge leads to the main square, which is actually a circle. Fourcès is one of a few circular villages in France.
It is a charming, curving bastide with arcades, half-timbered medieval houses and an imposing castle. It is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France.
In addition to my cooking workshops, Fourcès is home to a wonderful little grocery store full of regional goodies and everyday items too. Plus there is a wine shop featuring regional wines and armagnacs, an art gallery, a bistro (L’Auberge) , a handmade soap shop, an armagnac store (Ladevèze), a jewellery store and gift shops, and my favorite has to be the most marvellous antique/brocante store you have ever seen. And, there is Boubou’s Bar⏤a wine and tapas bar which opens at the château in the warmer months.
In April, Fourcès hosts a renowned flower festival and in the past there have been many live music concerts in conjunction with the main Jazz Festival in Marciac, Gers. The second Sunday of every month is the Brocante, a bustling flea market in the center of the village. NOT to be missed!
In summer there are many village fêtes, including La Fête Gasconne plus ceramic markets and drawing & painting days. The village has a pétanque club and you will often see members honing their skills in the main circle. There is always something going on.
Here are some links to articles about the village and the region:
The Local Tourist board information, in English
The Jewel of Gascony, which is pretty accurate in my opinion
An informative piece giving lots of history
Château de Fourcès
The Atelier is on rue du Château and there are 3 residences on the street. Mine (the Atelier), my neighbours’ house and Le Château. So, if you’re looking for a place to stay, with a pool on beautiful grounds, the Château de Fourcès is a 5-room luxury B&B conveniently located just opposite! It is a popular spot and sells out quickly because there are only 5 rooms so early booking is advisable.
You can get in touch via their website, TripAdvisor or on booking.com. Let them know the Atelier sent you.
Village House to rent
In the centre of Fourcès, there are houses for vacation rental. If you prefer a home stay, or want accomodation for more than two, these are a good option. Plus, staying in a local home is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in daily village life.
Availability is year-round but I suggest letting me know if this is something you are interested in and I can share the link. Currently there is one via booking.com.
Larressingle
In this neighbouring village, you will find a highly-rated hotel, part of the Logis de France chain, with a restaurant attached, Auberge de Larrissingle, where you can dine on high-quality local food as you take in breathtaking views of the Gers countryside.
Condom
Hotel Le Logis des Cordeliers is a charming family-run two-star hotel in the nearby town of Condom. Rooms are no-frills but comfortable, especially those on the top floor overlooking the pool. Parking is available on a first-come first-served basis and it is situated in a quiet setting within easy walking distance of the town centre.
Condom has a weekly covered market and is approximately 10 minutes east of Fourcès. Film buffs might recognise the town as it is mentioned in the 1995 French comedy Le Bonheur est dans le Pré, about life in the Gers, the virtues of long lunches and foie gras, amongst other things.
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Just outside of Condom you will find Les Bruhasses. An expansive and luxurious 18th century property situated in the countryside but with all the mod-cons, including insect screens on the windows! Hosts Hélène and Jean will make you feel instantly welcome and they also offer wonderful breakfasts every day plus table d’hotes meals by reservation. There are suites, rooms and self-catering apartments. An absolute gem in the heart of Gascony. This is a favourite of Atelier clients.
Lectoure
A stunning hilltop bastide town in the Gers, this village also has a lovely upmarket hotel and spa: Hotel des Doctrinaires. There is a wonderful market in the centre of the town every Friday. Lectoure is located approximately 40 minutes east of Fourcès.
Nérac
The town where author Joanne Harris spent her childhood holidays is believed to be the basis for the fictional town in her novel Chocolat. If you haven’t heard of the book, perhaps you saw the film released in 2000 with Johnny Depp?
In the centre of town is the Château Henri IV and directly opposite is a very pleasant gîte which consists of 2 apartments, one above the other. These can be rented separately or together for large groups. Nérac, a beautiful town on the Baïse river, has a lively Saturday market and is about 20 minutes north of Fourcès.
There is also Maison de la Fontaine which is a comfortable and updated rental home, owned by a food writer, very near the town centre, with a private courtyard garden and room to sleep 2-7 people.
Montréal du Gers
Just outside Montréal, a neighboring village to Fourcès, you will find Le Pelot. It is an exquisite property, with a kitchen that makes me envious. It often hosts wellness retreats, a testament to its beauty and serenity. The owners of this 4-bedroom villa with summer kitchen and pool, and an additional separate 1 bedroom annexe, are also happy to arrange vacation rentals.
An equally beautiful place nearby for a large group is the stunning 18th century manor house Le Panblanc. Its 7 bedrooms can accomodate up to 12 guests, and this sensitively restored domaine has preserved its originality with wooden beams, stone fireplaces and floors. This comfortable house offers total privacy and breathtaking views of the rolling landscape. It has a large pool and a private tennis court too.
Valence-sur-Baïse
Le Petit Cochon is a stylish 4 bedroom B&B in a beautiful 19th century merchant’s house conveniently located close to the main square of Valence. A stay here will guarantee a warm and friendly welcome, with comfy and relaxing bedrooms each with private ensuite facilities, wonderful breakfasts and great coffee. Not to mention the garden, which is lovingly tended by its green-fingered owner and offers a commanding position on the old bastide wall with expansive views over the Gers countryside. Valence-sur-Baïse is a leisurely 25 minute drive south of Fourcès., As
Fourcès is a 40 minute drive from Agen, and it is pretty much equidistant from Bordeaux and Toulouse, about a 1h45 drive from either city.
However you get here, a car is indispensable for getting around and visiting the region. If you decide to rent a car, let me know so I can share some helpful information.
When your workshop booking is confirmed, we can discuss travel options and how to find it in more detail.
For travel planning in general, there is a very handy website called Rome2Rio which offers all transport options to a given destination and this can be useful to help you map out your plans. Or for more bespoke assistance, you can also try Byways, which comes recommended by previous clients of the Atelier.
By Train: Train travel is my recommendation for getting here. The TGV trains are excellent and very comfortable and often an upgrade to First Class is very reasonable.
In Agen, there are car hire options right by the station.
From Agen it is about a 40 minute drive, through beautiful countryside, to get to Fourcès.
If you would like to discuss train travel, get in touch.
By Air: The nearest airports are either Bordeaux or Toulouse and there are several car hire options from both airports. There is also the possibility to take a train to Agen from both airports, either via a shuttle to the train station or with a taxi. Once at Agen, car rental is available.
By car: Depends where you’re coming from! Your booking confirmation email will have all the information you need to get here.
The Atelier is here to celebrate French ingredients and cooking but… we like lots of things, not just food!
NEW FOR 2026!
The Atelier will be home to retreats other workshops in Fourcès. It is not always just French food.
Sign up to the Newsletter to be informed, or drop me an email and ask!
I welcome enquiries from other cooks, artists and writers wanting to work together so please get in touch.
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