Holiday itinerary
The picturesque, hilltop village of La Cadière d’Azur in the stunning region of Provence is the setting for this wonderfully relaxing Wine Tasting, Cooking and E-Biking Short Break.
During this memorable holiday, your Michelin star chef René and his team will introduce you to the best of Provence’s regional cuisine. Just a short drive from the hotel is the cookery school with its fresh vegetable and herb garden where you’ll pick ingredients for your culinary creations before heading to the kitchen to learn from the masters and enjoy the fruits of your labour in the sunny courtyard or dining room.
Your spa experience takes place at the hotel where you stay and includes everything you’d need for an afternoon of relaxation and pampering. Thermal spa facilities and a complimentary treatment promises utter indulgence and rejuvenation as you return from your holiday revitalised. Do not miss out on this opportunity and remember to bring your swimwear!
The next day, set off on a wine tour, discovering the vines, wines and olive groves of stunning Provence. Your trip will be on an electrically-assisted bicycle, which will be delivered directly to your hotel complete with helmet.
On your cycling tour, your specialist guide will take you to the magnificent Moulin de la Roque vineyard (AOC Bandol), where you will sample a variety of regional wines. Set amongst the vineyards and olive groves of Provence, spend lunchtime enjoying a gourmet Provencal picnic lunch prepared by chef Berard.
Accommodation is in a beautiful, luxury country hotel offering all the necessary ingredients to make for a relaxing holiday; 2 gourmet restaurants; one Michelin starred, an extensive wine cellar, beautiful scenery, hotel spa with treatments, and a highly acclaimed cookery school.
Indulge in the luxury of Michelin starred food and award winning wine, a pampering spa experience and glorious accommodation in one of France’s most picturesque regions. This Wine Tasting, Cooking and E-Biking Short Break will allow you to come home relaxed, refreshed, and au fait with new recipes to impress your friends and family.
Suitability
- Your hosts are French but speak perfect English and will teach the classes in French and English
- Minimum age 18
- Note: We strongly recommend car hire to fully explore the area as there is no public transport available and taxis can be expensive in the area
- Note: You will also need a car/taxi to go from the hotel to the cooking kitchen which is around 3km drive each way and transport is not included
Travelling Solo?
- These cookery holidays make great singles holidays and singles are welcome to join an existing group
- Solo travellers can book a private single room for a compulsory single supplement
- To book a private single room, email or contact us via live chat (click on the ‘start chat’ link at the bottom of this page) or call us to check availability
Holiday Start Days
- This short break runs on set dates year round
- All arrivals are on a Sunday only, departures on Wednesday morning
- Cookery lessons only take place on Monday mornings
- If this course appears ‘on request’ we can usually accommodate your requirements, to check availability, email us on or call us on 08445 020445 with your preferred dates and someone will get back to you very quickly
Wine Tasting, Cooking and E-Biking Short Break Holiday Itinerary
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- Sunday- Arrival and welcome dinner
- Check into your room anytime after 2pm and enjoy a welcome drink before taking your time to explore the house, gardens, and local area
- In the evening you will enjoy a 4 course gourmet welcome dinner served in the hotel’s restaurant
- Please note that drinks will be charged as an extra and if you would like wine, the hotel boasts an extensive wine cellar
Day 2 – Monday- Cooking lesson and spa afternoon
- Enjoy a leisurely French buffet breakfast before heading to the kitchen for your first cookery lesson (3km away from the hotel – transport is not provided) for your cooking lesson
- Your lesson will last around 3 hours
- Your cookery lessons will be taught by chef Réne, head chef at the school and owner of 1 Michelin star or by his son Jean-François who has followed in his footstep to become an accomplished chef
- At the start of the class you will discuss with your chef what is planned for today’s menu and go and collect fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden if needed
- The menu will depend on what’s in season but aims to provide an insight into the traditions of Provençal cookery and will use the freshest ingredients
- At the end of the cooking class, you will sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labour, on the terrace outside in the sunshine, or inside in the dining room
-After lunch, you will head back to the main house where you will enjoy your afternoon spa treatment, Don’t forget to bring your own swimwear!
- The spa is situated within the hotel and the holiday includes access to the thermaespa ( 3hours max) and a 1 hour signature treatment with essential oils
- After your spa afternoon, enjoy another delicious 4-course dinner in the Hotel
Day 3 – Tuesday – E-biking
- After your leisurely buffet breakfast at the hotel you will head off to discover the vineyards of Provence on your Electrically-Assisted bicycle (ebike)
- Your bicycle will be delivered to you at Hostellerie Bérard, complete with helmets and insurance, and you will also be provided with a bottle of water
- Your English-speaking guide will adapt the tour to your fitness level, but rest assured he will make sure you will see lots of the beautiful surrounding countryside and sights
- The destination for the day’s wine tasting is the fabulous Moulin De La Roque vineyard, where you will taste regional wines
- The wine tasting will be followed by a picnic lunch prepared by Chef Jean-François Bérard
- You will then return to the accommodation for a free evening, and can choose to stay in the Hostellerie and enjoy the gourmet menu and extensive wine cellar, or explore the local area
- The hotel staff are always on hand recommend places to visit in the surrounding area
Day 4 – Wednesday – Departure day
- After a leisurely breakfast guests are asked to check-out of their rooms by 11am ready for departure taking home with them excellent new recipes, and cooking techniques whilst feeling pampered and rejuvenated
About Your Chef
- Your chef is award winning Michelin starred René who has developed over the years an excellent teaching and cooking style
- Chef René is native to La Cadière d’Azur, and his superb and richly innovative cuisine is based on the traditional flavours and fragrances of Provence and the Mediterranean
- Using only the finest local products, Chef René deserves his Michelin star status and along with his son, Jean-Francois, he will teach you to cook to the highest standards in a fun and friendly environment
- Flavours produced by the warm Provencal sunshine are René’s passion
- Although your Chef has won numerous awards his true love is passing on his skills and enthusiasm to others
What Will I Learn?
- The cooking course will concentrate on the typical cuisine of Provence: its meats, fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, herbs and sauces
- At the start of your cooking class, your Chef will discuss menus with you to ensure you cover any particular skills you want to learn during the lesson
- You will also learn about the production of various artisan products on your culinary excursions in the afternoons to visit local producers
- How to use the freshest ingredients to let the flavours speak for themselves in Provencal cooking
- The art of presentation in cooking to finish off your work in the kitchen to impress dinner guests
- Instruction on how to taste wines at a recognised AOC vineyard
Sample Menus
Many herbs and vegetables are picked from the garden, dishes vary according to the season and what food is available may include:
- Olive tapenade
- Salmon with lime and ginger apples shot steam and fresh spinach
- Provencal stuffed meat
- Daube casseroles
- Tarte tatin du tomate
- Roulade
- Cripsy pastry with strawberries and thyme from the garden
- Caramelized apple feuillatage
-Please note – dietary requirements must be communicated at the time of booking via the Special Requests box
Your Accommodation At Hotel Berard
- Your accommodation is set at the Hotel Berard, a luxury hotel and spa set in the heart of the peaceful Provencal village of La Cadière d’Azur
- There are a total of 40 twin/double rooms and suites, all with a private bathroom
- If you are travelling solo, there is a compulsory single supplement stay in a twin/double room (see the 'costing and extras' tab)
- The hotel is made up of three separate accommodation options, each showing their own character and with their own special charm
- The beautiful rooms offer every comfort of a hotel with the relaxed and easy going feel of a family run Provencal countryside retreat
- Bedrooms are decorated in a beautiful and traditional French style in neutral colours
- All rooms offer picturesque views over the Bandol vineyards vine yards and the surrounding quaint villages
- Each bedroom has a private bathroom, air-conditioning, safe, satellite TV, mini bar, free Wi-Fi, and a hairdryer
- Hotel Berard also has a luxury spa on site
- The spa is inspired by ancient Roman Baths, and is the perfect place to relax and unwind
- This cooking and spa short break includes access to the spa: hammam, sauna, rain shower, ice fountain, calduspa bath with aromatherapy chromotherapy musicotherapy, cardio training, herbal tea room, and relaxation room
- You can book a wide range of additional therapeutic treatments and massages for an extra cost during your stay
- There is a stunning outdoor swimming pool for your use and a spacious fitness room
- Bikes can be hired from the hotel for an extra cost
- Accommodation is included for 5 nights/6 days
- Check in by 2pm on day 1 and check out by 11am on day 6
Your Spa Treatment
-On day 2 of your short break, you will enjoy a spa afternoon
- The spa is situated at the hotel and guests are invited to use the spa facilities and also enjoy their inclusive treatment
- The treatment is a 1 hour signature treatment with essential oils
- Also included is thermaespa access (3 hours maximum ; guests may not leave the thermaespa and return) which includes : hammam, sauna, rain shower, ice fountain, calduspa bath with aromatherapy chromotherapy musicotherapy, cardio training, herbal tea room, relaxation room
-If you would like additional spa access on other days during your stay at the hotel this can be arranged upon arrival
Meals
- All breakfasts are included and served as a French buffet style at the hotel
- The lunch that you’ve learned to cook on day 2
- A 4 course welcome dinner on arrival on your first evening, and another 4 course dinner on the second night
- On day 3 you will receive a Provencal picnic lunch whilst out on the ebikes, and you are free to take dinner wherever you choose (extra cost) including the hotel restaurants
- If you have dietary requests these must be communicated to us at the time of booking
Free Time In France
- This short break combines a cookery class experience with spa afternoon, and includes an e-biking tour with wine tasting. In the evenings guests have no planned activities and are welcome to make their own plans
- The local village of La Cadière-d'Azur is a medieval village still with 3 remaining medieval gate and ancient walls as well as 16th century churches to explore
- In the village there’s also a local museum and several shops and cafes to wander around
- There are numerous local villages dotted around the area which make for a pleasant afternoon exploring this picturesque region of France
- Your hosts will give you lots of information on what activities are on offer in the local area such as the local markets, wine tasting, and more
Enjoy the luxury of Michelin star cooking, exceptional regional food and wine, pampering spa experiences and picturesque scenery in the Bandol region of Provence for a truly relaxing and indulgent Wine Tasting, Cooking and E-Biking break to remember.