18 cooking classes worth the trip across France, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All France guides.
Plum Lyon Immersive French Culinary Week (Spring) ★ 4.8 · Lyon
49 Rue des Tables Claudiennes, 69001 Lyon
Plum Lyon runs Lucy Vanel's five-day immersive French culinary week from a Croix-Rousse silk-worker studio. Six places per session, daily market visits and lunch.
Tip: Spring sessions in April, May and June fill six months ahead; the week includes daily lunch but no dinners or lodging.
Plum Lyon Immersive French Culinary Week (Summer) ★ 4.8 · Lyon
49 Rue des Tables Claudiennes, 69001 Lyon
Plum Lyon Teaching Kitchen runs the same Lucy Vanel five-day immersive week in summer dates from June through September. Six cooks, Lyonnais bouchon and Mere repertoire.
Tip: Summer dates run late June into early September; the August week sells out first because most Lyon kitchens are closed.
Provence Gourmet ★ 4.7 · Marseille
11 La Canebiere, 13001 Marseille
Provence Gourmet runs a full-day Marseille cooking class starting at the Old Port fish market and Capucins market, then back to the host's plant-covered patio for the cook-and-eat.
Tip: Meeting point is the Marseille Tourist Office at 11 La Canebiere. Full-day format includes wine shop stop and lunch; book ahead, max 8.
Bouillabaisse class at Le Miramar ★ 4.6 · Marseille
12 Quai du Port, 13002 Marseille
Le Miramar in Marseille's 2e runs a bouillabaisse class with chef Christian Buffa one or two Thursdays a month in partnership with the Marseille Tourist Office, market trip then the kitchen then the dining room.
Tip: One or two Thursdays a month, 10:30-14:00; appetizer, dessert, wine and coffee included.
Le Cordon Bleu Paris ★ 4.6 · Paris
13-15 Quai André Citroën, 75015 Paris
Le Cordon Bleu Paris is the 1895 culinary school's flagship campus in the 15e. Daily and short workshops alongside the multi-month diploma programmes, in English.
Tip: The 'gourmet sessions' are 3-4 hours and open to the public; book the macaron one.
Ecole de Cuisine Gourmets: La Cuisine du Marche ★ 4.5 · Lyon
20 Place Bellecour, 69002 Lyon
Ecole de Cuisine Gourmets, the Institut Lyfe school on Place Bellecour, runs a full-day Cuisine du Marche class with morning market shop and tasting lunch. Eight cooks.
Tip: Day starts at 8:30 with the chef at the school; lunch with wine pairings is included and a recipe booklet goes home with you.
La Cuisine Paris ★ 4.5 · Paris
80 Quai de l'Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris
La Cuisine Paris in Paris's 4e runs French bistro and baking classes in English on the Seine. Three-hour to full-day sessions, max 8 guests, all skill levels.
Tip: Book the croissant class for a Saturday morning; the markets-and-lunch session is the steal.
Cook'n with Class ★ 4.5 · Paris
6 Rue Baudelique, 75018 Paris
Cook'n with Class in Paris is the Montmartre-based bilingual school running market shop plus cooking class with chef Eric Fraudeau. Six guests max, English and French.
Tip: The half-day market-and-cooking sessions include a sit-down lunch with wine; book a week ahead.
École Ritz Escoffier ★ 4.5 · Paris
Ritz Paris, 38 Rue Cambon, 75001 Paris
École Ritz Escoffier inside the Ritz Paris runs hotel-school cooking classes in the Cambon-side kitchens. Half-day public workshops alongside the long professional programme.
Tip: The half-day baking session is €235 and includes lunch in the Ritz Bar; book six weeks ahead.
Ecole de Cuisine Gourmets: Cuisine de Grands Chefs ★ 4.4 · Lyon
20 Place Bellecour, 69002 Lyon
Ecole de Cuisine Gourmets runs a full-day Cuisine de Grands Chefs class around Paul Bocuse's repertoire: red mullet, sea bass in crust, Bresse chicken with morels, tarte Tatin.
Tip: The afternoon dish goes home in an insulated bag; book the wine-pairing add-on if you want the full Institut Lyfe experience.
Le Foodist ★ 4.4 · Paris
59 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris
Le Foodist in Paris's 5e is the Latin Quarter cooking school chef Fred Pouillot runs from a 5e townhouse. French bistro classics in English, with wine sessions.
Tip: The wine-and-cheese pairing class at €115 is the introduction; book a fortnight ahead.
École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse ★ 4.4 · Paris
64 Rue du Ranelagh, 75016 Paris
École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse in Paris's 16e is the chef's own teaching kitchen, running market sessions and 4-hour technique workshops in English and French.
Tip: The 'tour du marché' Saturday market-and-cooking session is the most popular; book three weeks ahead.
L'Atelier Gourmand Lyon: adult cooking classes ★ 4.3 · Lyon
8 Rue Etienne Dolet, 69003 Lyon
L'Atelier Gourmand runs two-hour adult cooking classes in its 3e studio with monthly menus from Asian baos to Lyonnais classics and patisserie, twelve cooks per session.
Tip: Programme drops at the start of each month; classes run daily except 15 August and 25 December and are taught in French, English and Spanish.
In Cuisine Lyon ★ 4.2 · Lyon
1 Place Bellecour, 69002 Lyon
In Cuisine Lyon runs adult cooking workshops from its Place Bellecour space above the cookbook bookshop, capped at twelve, with seasonal menus and ingredients to take home.
Tip: Workshops require a minimum of four cooks to run; the ground-floor cookbook shop is worth thirty minutes before or after class.
Chef Clement cooking classes ★ 4.2 · Marseille
13006 Marseille
Chef Clement runs at-home French cooking workshops across Marseille and Provence, French gastronomy in your own kitchen, and an optional Marche des Capucins market walk on request before the lesson.
Tip: At-home format only, the chef comes to your kitchen or rental anywhere in Marseille or Provence; book by WhatsApp via the website.
Galeries Lafayette Cooking School ★ 4.2 · Paris
Galeries Lafayette Gourmet, 35 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris
Galeries Lafayette Cooking School in Paris runs 2-hour classes from the gourmet hall on Boulevard Haussmann. Patisserie, bread, market-fresh menus and a 3-course meal.
Tip: English-language session list is updated monthly; the Wednesday 14:00 macaron class is the easy ticket.
Les Ateliers de Valentine ★ 4.1 · Marseille
220 Chemin de Chateau Gombert, 13013 Marseille
Les Ateliers de Valentine in Marseille's 13e at Chateau Gombert runs bistro French and pastry workshops since 2010, monthly calendar pitched at home cooks plus a kids' session at weekends.
Tip: Calendar published month by month on the website; pastry sessions sell out first.
L'Atelier des Chefs ★ 4.1 · Paris
10 Rue de Penthièvre, 75008 Paris
L'Atelier des Chefs in Paris runs the city's most affordable cooking classes: 30-minute €18 lunch sessions and longer 2-hour €95 evening dinner workshops, all in French.
Tip: The lunch 'En 30 Minutes' session lands a hot meal and a technique for €18; book ahead.