The allure of the French countryside, combined with a promise to unlock the secrets its finest regional cuisine, is proving too tempting for British holidaymakers. John Hillman investigates the new appetite for cooking holidays that’s sweeping across Britain.

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Summer holidays have changed over the last decade. There was a time when boarding a plane to the southern coasts of Europe, and spending two weeks sat by a pool nursing a glass of lager, was the most we ever expected.

However, more and more of us are now craving a bit of depth to our holiday experience, something authentic that we can take home with us, apart from the unwanted weight gain and sunburn.

This is visibly reflected across France in the growing numbers of Brits who are turning their backs on boozy-beach-hols in favour of something more authentic; searching out honest and earthy educational experiences such as horse-riding, sailing and painting holidays. Nowhere is it more in evidence than in the rise to popularity of the, now ubiquitous, gastronomically themed family cooking break.

From Brittany to the Cote d’Azur there are a rapidly growing number of small, privately run, cookery schools, offering you the chance to spend a week or two trawling the regional markets, vineyards and fishing ports, in search of the freshest local ingredients. You are then expertly taught, by local chefs, how to combine these delicate flavours to create all those wonderful French classics that we all watch being prepared on TV, by the likes of Keith Floyd and Rick Stein, but never actually get round to making ourselves.

Some websites are billing these holidays as the newest trend in family vacations, and it’s not hard to see why. With many of us are now working longer hours than ever before, the idea of spending some genuine quality time with our children, doing something that is both interesting and that brings us all closer together as a family, seems far more progressive and appealing than just letting them run around a pool all day, while you bury your head in the latest Forsyth novel.

There are cooking holidays across France that will suit all budgets, from campsites that run local courses to more expensive specialist residential schools, often set in stunning 17th Century farmhouses.

If you are tempted by the idea of a camping holiday remember that the French do love the outdoor canvas experience, so expect to find outstanding facilities if you book through a reputable source. Eurocamp, Keycamp, Siblu and Canvas holidays are all well established and offer campsites with local cookery schools nearby.

Those of you who prefer the authentic rustic charm of an old farm will have to pay more, but you’ll find many good independently-run guest houses that run cookery courses, many of them in English too.

You will need your car, especially if you are camping, or just want to maintain your independence, so don’t forget to check out P&O Ferries’ deals on this website. Then just pick your region, find a nice place to stay and enjoy your gastronomic journey of discovery. Bon Voyage!

image credit: Denisema4

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