Le Gargantua Cooking & Patisserie Holidays in France

"My experience at Le Gargantua was just amazing, everything was perfect! Marlene and Tom are really excellent hosts, everything was perfect, they take care of every detail, their attention is incredible. Marlene is an excellent cooker, and teacher as well. The house and location are lovely, I fall in love of it. Just an extraordinary experience, different from any other holiday! A unique experience."

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"My husband and I attended a cooking class in early June. Our hostess and instructor Marlene picked us up in Tonneins and took us to our lovely accommodation. The welcome dinner with other cooking enthusiasts was lovely and it was fun to meet new people. Marlene is an absolutely lovely individual and her instructions were easy to follow and the food was amazing. We could not believe that we could make food that was not only appealing to look at but absolutely delicious. The breakfast and lunch provided for us were always delicious. We have about 10 pounds to loose now that we are home! Our room was very comfortable and spotless. I would recommend this experience for anyone who wants to experience something different. Merci!"

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"Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. Some flow past you hardly touching you at all, some rub you the wrong way. But occasionally, if you are lucky enough, you stumble upon encounters that touch you deeply, no matter how short they are. This was definitely one of those and we were definitely lucky to have been there. Yes, the patisserie course was great and yes the house, and room - is clean and pleasant, yes the trip to the chocolate producer was dreamy and the food was totally gourmet and I mean totally! but at the end of the day it’s all about the people. Tom and Marlene are warm hosts, lovely and funny, smart and interesting, knowledgeable and helpful, and their hospitality is out of this world. The experience couldn't have been better. My daughter (14) participated in all of the activities from beginning to end, and said that the only difficult part for her was the free time, she enjoyed it so much she couldn’t have enough. The local Wi-Fi was pretty weak, so if you have better arrangements than local Wi-Fi it is recommended that you make them. There is not much to do there if you don’t have a car, so, take the books you were forever planning to read and never got the chance, plan to relax, enjoy the view of endless fields, meditate, whatever. We went on a walking excursion to the nearby village, and were caught by heavy rain. Marlene surprised us and came to the rescue on her own account! The kitchen is very nice and roomy, and the techniques are local and traditional. The work in the kitchen is personal therefore adapted to your capabilities whether you are an amateur or a professional. All in all it was a great retreat, wonderful quality time, a chance to meet interesting people and for me an opportunity to spend precious alone-time with my daughter. If you are coming from a different country I recommend that you throw in a couple of nights in Paris or Bordeaux to add a little sightseeing if you’re already there. So, life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. The best goodbyes are the hardest goodbyes. This was certainly one of them. Thank you for everything, Marlene and Tom, we learned a lot, we had fun, we ate well and relaxed. Totally recommending."

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"Memories of our visit to your lovely home will stay with us and brighten many a long winter's evenings. How would we forget laughing until our sides ached and the sheer fun and enjoyment of cooking with such a talented and inspirational cook. Thank you, Marlene! Thank you! We have learnt such a lot from you. We will enjoy sharing our experiences with our friends and family when we return home - they will be so envious. We want to thank you both, Marc and Marlene, for your warm welcome and lively hospitality. It has all been wonderful. Merci pour tout."

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"The two days I have spent in this idyllic place have far exceeded my expectations. The course has been exactly what I wished for (but hadn't expected). Real French farmhouse cooking packed with knowledge and insight under Marlene's instructive guidance. And as if that itself weren't enough, all accompanied by charm and pampering by both Marlene and Marc. I left with memories of a wonderful holiday. Thanks so much!"

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"I can't imagine that I will say anything that hasn't been said before - nevertheless I will still say it. I have had a wonderful week with you. I have learned and I have rested - there is no better combination. You have taught me skills, with patience and kindness that I will take home with me and utilize. You have also made me feel welcome in your beautiful home and that is a gift that not everyone can offer.It takes special people to be able to pull that off. And speaking of special, I'll need to mention the food. What a constant and beautiful feast! I don't know when I've had a week full of such brilliant meals. The quality and attention to detail was truly superb. I have enjoyed myself immensely. The chance to meet you and experience your hospitality was very special indeed. Thanks to you both!"

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"So Xmas arrives and what do you buy the lady who has everything? Well, I thought, let's be adventurous and do something which could be fun. So I booked a five-day French cooking course at Le Gargantua... never imagining that I would have to be part of it. Full English breakfast is my limit. Boy, am I glad I took part! It was brilliant fun every minute. Marlene and Thomas are amazing. Every morning continental breakfast was laid up for us, followed by a trip to market or some other adventure. Back for the ready prepared lunch (many thanks, Thomas) including copious supplies of wine. Then, in the afternoon, we worked all together at our work stations preparing and cooking under the watchful eye of Marlene whose sense of humor is brilliant (her English is superb). Amazingly, I filleted fish (enjoyed that as I don't like them anyway!), cooked soufflés, made bread, baked desserts and tarts, built sauces... great fun all the way. In the evening, you eat whatever you personally have prepared, cooked... plus more wine. There were five of us and it really was fun all the way, but you will learn a lot and work pretty hard in the afternoons. The deal includes all food and wine and transport. The location is idyllic - you literally can hear a pin drop. Bedrooms are more than adequate and the two dogs and cat are friendly. What more could you ask. Just do it! You'll never forget it."

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" just spent two wonderful days doing the patisserie course with Marlene. She has a real passion for food, and obviously loves sharing her knowledge. Not only were we shown what do do, she explained clearly the science behind the processes, but in such a way that it was great fun. My non-cooking husband spent his time either cycling round the delightful neighborhood or relaxing with a book in the garden, before we all enjoyed delicious lunches and dinners prepared by our hosts, followed by the desserts we had made. If you want to learn about food and cooking, then go to La Gargantua."

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"I attended the 3-night seasonal cooking course in August 2015. The house is in a lovely quiet area and at this time of year was surrounded by sunflowers - idyllic! The rooms were of a high standard an very comfortable. Marlène was a brilliant teacher and host. The first day we went to a plum farm which had a museum. This was really interesting to discover how they turn these gorgeous plums into the famous Agen Prunes. The following day we went to a market in the town of Castelajoux to buy our produce for the cooking lesson. On each outing Marlène pointed out many things of interest like the tobacco barns, the history behind the use of pigeonnaires and the fact that this area has strong connections with the musketeers. We spent the two afternoons cooking up a storm. I was the only one on the course (two other people had cancelled at the last minute), but that was to my benefit as Marlène was able to spend more time in explaining and passing on her skills and knowledge. The flow of the cooking hours was perfect. Marlène had her schedule of things to cover, but if we deviated a little, that was fine too. In conclusion, I can’t express enough, how much I enjoyed this break and would highly recommend it, equally, to those who can cook but need to break out of the routine meals scenario and also to those of have never cooked but want to."

"Can’t wait to visit again. Thanks again!"

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"I challenge anyone to find a more generous naturally warm welcome than from Marlene and Marc. They are such a refreshing couple to this solo traveler; attention to detail, relaxed yet efficient - the bar is high, people! Their home mixes soft luxury guest accommodation with that personal homeliness with all the right touches. For the value here its awesome. I felt pampered but also like it was my own space at the exact same time. It is perfect.I honestly did not know what to expect form my seasonal cookery school so was wowed not only that I produced the level of cuisine that I achieved but the effortless style of Marlene's instruction. The kitchen set up is just wonderful big bright great equipment to your fingertips all the gadgets to make you envious also quintessentially what you'd envision typical French Farmhouse kitchen being the heart of the home - hats off guys well done.The family area / home is completely separate & private but it only adds to the perception of exclusivity. Even eating my produce from my lessons of an evening (as Marlene and Marc eat their meals privately with their girls) by myself was very natural - both at times kept me company and were excellent company even if they did not eat themselves. As you can tell I had a great experience, highly recommended!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"I thoroughly enjoyed it all. The market visit, learning about the local area from Marlene, cycling along the not-so-flat terrain, watching the stars, teaching Marc some clean vocabulary and seeing Bordeaux from several trams, but most memorable was the passion shown in the kitchen. Especially making pasta and jointing a rabbit. All in all, a superb experience. Thank you and "I will be back"

Le Gargantua Cooking & Patisserie Holidays in France website, edited

"Dear Marlene and Marc, wow! Where do we begin? First, thank you for welcoming us into your home and introducing us to your girls. We felt like family. Second, everything was amazing, from the food to the lovely rooms (best food ever). This was truly amazing, above our expectations. We could not have asked for more. Learning to bake classic French pastries the correct way was a dream come true! Lastly, Marlene, thank you for being so patient teacher and making baking so enjoyable. We value your wisdom! Marc, thank you for the amazing meals and entertaining us all week! We hope to see you again for cooking classes. Cheers."

Le Gargantua Cooking & Patisserie Holidays in France website, edited

"How can I ever thank you enough for this experience. All the food was absolutely amazing. I don't think I'll ever eat this well again. The hospitality was superb and the cooking classes were the best thing I've done all holiday. Marlene, your patience and knowledge is outstanding and I will forever be a better home baker for coming here. Thank you for welcoming me into your home, I will remember this experience forever (and I'm guessing so will everyone I know). Thank you."

Le Gargantua Cooking & Patisserie Holidays in France website, edited

"Marlene and Marc, You have been great hosts and I have been most welcomed here in your home. I have definitely enjoyed the patisserie cookery course but wished I could have stayed longer and master more techniques. All said I also had the pleasure of baking alongside two wonderful ladies from Essex. They have been nice to be with and talk to. I think what you are doing here is great, keep it up and wish you all the very best. P.S: Expecting you all to visit Seychelles!"

Le Gargantua Cooking & Patisserie Holidays in France website, edited

"Just brilliant, as soon as we arrived it felt like a home from home. The cooking we did with Marlne was delicious (we got to eat everything we made!) and I learned a lot of new skills. A great few days with very welcoming hosts in a beautiful part of France. Thoroughly recommend it."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"We recently had the privilege of spending four days learning new cooking skills with excellent chef Marlene at this wonderful cooking school near Bordeaux in France. Not only was it incredibly informative but it was so much fun. We had the opportunity to learn about the local area, visit the village market and local prune producers as well as having a very hands on cooking experience.Marlene's husband Marc looked after us during our stay with his amazing attention to detail and quick wit. We are looking forward to sharing our experiences with our friends and family as we trek back now to our corner at the other side of the world. A "must do" experience!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"This is not just a place to stay, but a first class fully inclusive cooking holiday. I spent a fun 3 days doing the patisserie course. I learned to make chocolate eclairs, croissants, pain au chocolat, pain au raisin, macaroons, raspberry tarts and a beautiful peach and chocolate mousse dessert. I stayed in a large room with ensuite shower room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all freshly prepared, tasty and well presented. The farmhouse is situated in picturesque countryside a hour south of Bordeaux. Marc and Marlene are friendly, helpful and very professional. I had a great time here and hope to go back again to do the Seasonal Course."

Trip Advisor website, edited