Lovers of sun-kissed savours can learn the secrets of Provençal cooking with  the simmering courses offered by Cuisine en Provence with Chef Jean-Marie Carrett.

Cuisine en Provence is a culinary holiday that explores the flavors and techniques that lie behind French cuisine. Chateau de Vins sur Caramy, a Renaissance period building, houses the classes. The chateau, set in 3 acres of private grounds, was built in 1543 by the De Garde family on an old historic site overlooking the Roman bridge of the River Caramy. The current owner has spent the last 25 years lovingly restoring and refurbishing the chateau while keeping its original identity.

The cooking courses are designed to provide the cooking enthusiasts with the confidence to experiment with new flavors and create new dishes. By developing the basic concepts of French cooking, students will master the art of a wide variety of French specialties from sauces and pastries to canapés and apéritifs and learn to produce such dishes as daube au vin blanc, aioli and soupe au pistou. Time will be devoted to the different cooking styles, ingredients and methods that reflect the region with an emphasis on light Mediterranean food and wine and local Provençal cuisine such as ratatouille and bouillabaisse. The appropriate wine selections for the created dishes will be discussed.

Chef Jean-Marie Carret conducts the demonstration and participation classes, a young man whose name is bandied about at some of the best addresses in London's Belgravia where he is a free-lance chef who caters privately and has served such notables as Prince Andrew, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Margaret Thatcher, and John Cleese. Jean-Marie gained his catering diplome in Toulouse and has worked in top restaurants in France, the UK, America and Spain. He speaks excellent English and his food is sensational.

The typical day starts at 8:30 in the courtyard with pots of steaming coffee, croissants, and fresh fruit where the program of the day is discussed. Then it is off to the markets to talk about and select ingredients for the day's menu, to the vineyard to choose the wine and have an oenology lesson and explore the region. The cooking class begins at 4:30 to prepare the dinner, which is served as the evening meal. Free time in the afternoon can be spent swimming in the lake, playing tennis, cycling, visiting the local sites or relaxing.

• Meet Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in the International Hall in Marseille for a transfer to Chateau de Vins. Students will have their first taste of the Rosé, saucisson, olives and bread.
• Jean-Marie will welcome students, give an introduction to the week, and settle them into their rooms.
• An aperitif and dinner will be served in the evening at the Chateau.

• Breakfast is served at 8:30.
• After a welcome at the Town Hall of the Val, students will have a tour to visit around the village and see the museums and church.
• Following the tour, there will be a visit to the private Miraval estate for a wine tasting and aperitif, a tour of the cellar, a talk on the history of the estate, a wine making lesson and tasting of 4 wines.
• Then it is back to the Chateau to make a quick light lunch to eat on the terrace and a little free time to enjoy the view.
• During the afternoon cooking class at 3:30, Jean-Marie will introduce students to the first taste of Cuisine en Provence [Herb garden, olive oil, garlic, wine, and vegetables you will see through the week in class, market and vineyards].
• Dinner will follow the class.

• Breakfast at 8:30.
• Visit to Cotignac and the market to food shop, taste cheese, ham, buy the small fish for fish soup, sea urchin, oyster, saffron.
• Free time to visit village, aperitif on terrace, back to chateau for lunch.
• During the afternoon cooking class, students will learn to make fish soup, aioli, how to roast perfect meat, and make ice-cream.
• After class, students enjoy an aperitif on terrace to taste the sea urchins, oysters and mussels, followed by dinner.

• Breakfast at 8:30 followed by a visit to the village of St. Maximin, the market, the abbey [8th century, the cloister [4th century] plus free time to shop.
• Lunch will be at a local restaurant.
• After some free time, the cooking class will be held, consisting of learning the secret of French pastry: tarts, chocolat souffle, ice cream, frangipane, gateau au chocolat.
• A barbecue and dinner at the Chateau is the ending of a perfect day.

• Breakfast at 8:30.
• During the morning cooking class, students will learn to make a perfect Provencal picnic famous throughout the world: roasted pepper, gratin bayaldy, ratatouille, melon/cured ham & figs and more.
• An afternoon visit to Abbey of Thoronnet [12th century] winery visit and tasting culminates in a dinner at the well known La Fourchette restaurant.

• Breakfast at 8:30.
• "From the grape to the wine" is the theme for the morning visit at Domaine Fountainebleu: walking, sampling, talking about the wine of the estate followed by a buffet lunch on the terrace.
• Free time is followed by a cooking class which includes Daube Provencale [slow cooked beef stew] and baby stuffed vegetables.
• An aperitif and gala farewell dinner will be accompanied by a pianist.

• After breakfast, the group will be transferred to the Marseille airport at about noon.
• Note: Slight variations or adjustments to the daily schedule may be made.