Always email Katrina before paying for your spot so she can answer any questions you have. She will make sure spots are left, and that the accommodations available will work for you or your group. Once you confirm with her, she’ll send you the waiver and a payment link so you can put down your deposit or pay in full. Then your spot is secured for the retreat. [email protected]

In each cooking class we make a starter, main dish with sides, and a dessert. You’ll learn some practical and some more elevated French cooking techniques and recipes to take home to wow your friends and family!

I’ve had beginner cooks and experienced chefs attend the retreat. It’s mostly geared towards intermediate cooks, but everyone ends up having a great time cooking in the kitchen together and inevitably takes away some new tips and tricks. We make a lot of vegetable dishes and some dishes with poultry, duck, fish, seafood and sometimes rabbit. Upon registration Katrina will send a food survey to learn your food preferences prior to the retreat.

All classes are hands-on and we're a family for the week, so we all pitch in for dishes and to set the table.

I highly recommend arriving in Paris at least one day before the retreat so you have time to get over jet lag and settle in. It gives you a buffer in case you have any travel delays. It's best to leave the day after the retreat ends, but if you have to fly out on the last day, try to get a flight late in the afternoon or in the early evening.

The location is about 90 minutes from Paris by car or by train. It's a ten minute drive from the town of Maintenon. You can take a train from the “Gare Montparnasse” train station in Paris to the “Gare de Maintenon” train station. My driver will pick you up at the Maintenon train station and drive the 10 minutes or so to the retreat location.

If you’re going to extend your vacation, you can always rent a car and Katrina will give you the address. 

Another option is to hire a private driver to drive you from Paris to the retreat location.

All ages have attended, from 18 to 84! Men and women are welcome. Sometimes couples attend, parents with older children, friends, and of course SOLO travelers are more than welcome to attend! Teenagers that love cooking are welcome as well! 

Arrival time is 11 am on the first day, followed by a hearty lunch provided by Katrina. Departure time is 10 am on the final day, after you enjoy a big brunch! 

€500 deposit for the retreat is non-refundable. The balance is due at least 30 days prior to the retreat start date.If you cancel your booking 60 days prior to the retreat, any further payments are refundable, but not the deposit.

You're welcome to pay your balance in any increments. Ask Katrina for personalized payment links.

Katrina will send a retreat waiver for you to agree to sign electronically.

It's your responsibility to purchase your own travel insurance.

I’m sorry, but I cannot ensure a gluten free environment for you. Every morning I go to the bakery to buy croissants and baguettes that I serve at breakfast, and there’s often gluten used in the recipes we make. 

I can easily accommodate vegetarians, as long as you’re okay that we’ll be cooking meat during the retreat for other guests. It’s more difficult for me to accommodate vegans, as we use a lot of eggs, honey, and dairy products during the retreat. 

We can substitute non-dairy cream, milk, and butter for those who are lactose intolerant. I do serve cheeses and we make some recipes with cheese, but we can leave it out of your portion.