When most people think of Provence, lavender fields, beautiful landscapes, and sun-drenched villages come to mind. For food lovers, the region is home to the finest culinary experiences. Provence is known for excellent wines, fresh ingredients, and timeless culinary traditions. It offers a memorable way to connect with the local culture through food.
The top 5 culinary experiences to enjoy in Provence includes:
Take a Provencal Cooking Class
A private cooking class is one of the most authentic ways to explore Provencal food culture. These classes are led by experienced local chefs, hosted in your rental kitchen or in a workshop kitchen. It offers a market to table experience, often starting with a visit to the local market, where you can select the fresh ingredients needed for the dishes you have selected. Provencal cooking classes are hands on experiences, where you sit down at the end, with chef to table service, enjoying the meal you prepared with your family and friends.
Visit the Local Markets
Local fresh produce markets are important in Provencal life. Take a slow stroll through the vibrant and colourful stalls, where you will find fresh, local, and seasonal produce, herbs, cheeses, olives, and more.
You also have the opportunity to taste many of the specialities you find along the way.
Olive Tasting and Wine Tasting Tours
Provence is well-known for its rose wines. Visiting a local vineyard is a highlight of any Provencal holiday. You can enjoy wine tastings paired with regional dishes. Olive oil is another important treasure to the region. Going on an olive oil tasting provides you with insight into the production process, helping you appreciate the time that goes into making these olive oils. Olive oil is used extensively in Provencal cuisine.
Try Regional Dishes at a Local Restaurant or Café
Provence has no shortage of wonderful and relaxing cafés, along with Michelin-star restaurants, where you can try some of the regional dishes. Regional dishes are inspired by the Mediterranean coastline, offering fresh and memorable experiences. Whether you want to try authentic Provencal ratatouille, or you want to indulge in some calissons after your meal, you can try it all at the local establishments.
Relax with a Traditional Provencal Picnic
Head to the local market, where you can collect some amazing baguettes, cheeses, olives, and cold meats before heading to a beautiful picnic spot. Select a picnic spot near the lavender fields, where you are surrounded by beauty and the wonderful fragrance, or choose a perch on the hillside where you can gaze out at the ocean.
Provencal picnics are a tradition in Provence, a chance to enjoy the sunshine, relax, and savour the flavours of your picnic in the most beautiful setting.
Conclusion
Provence doesn’t only offer the most beautiful landscapes and historical sites, it offers you the opportunity to experience food with all of your senses. Whether you choose a morning to walk around one of the local markets, or you take a cooking class, each culinary experience will immerse you into the culture and traditions of each dish. For anyone that loves good, these 5 culinary experiences are a must to enjoy when visiting Provence. Call Cooking Classes in Provence today to book your private cooking class, lead by an experienced local chef.
