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.

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, regardless of cooking level. You'll inevitably take away some new tips and tricks. We make a lot of vegetable dishes and some dishes with poultry including duck, as well as fish, seafood, rabbit and beef. 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.

The location is about 90 minutes from Paris by car or even less by train. You can take a train from the “Gare Montparnasse” train station in Paris to the “Gare de Nonancourt” train station. My driver will pick you up and drive you to the retreat location.

Please check train times by using Google maps or the sncf-connect.com website, which is the official French train site.

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! Everyone with an open-mind and adventurous spirit is 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 60 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.

This is a 17th century château, so it's not possible to air condition the entire building all the time. There are some bedrooms downstairs which are not air conditioned, but with the thickness of the walls, it stays cooler downstairs. When temperatures exceed 24 degrees C (75.2 degrees F), the upstairs bedrooms will be air conditioned.

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.  If you eat halal, just let me know ahead of time and we can easily accomodate you.

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.