Atelier Béarn:
Southwest France Culinary Retreat
7 days, 6 nights
€3,200 EUROS
Come explore the southwest of France with Chefs John & Madeline Denison. Together they will show you the region of France that they gladly call their home and the wonderful cuisine that comes from it.
Guests will stay at Maison Le Grand Saule, a charming bed & breakfast tucked into the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. John & Madeline will take you out on outings around their home, and in a series of workshops, teaching you classic dishes from the surrounding regions. You will get to visit their favorite Jurançon vineyards, where you will get to taste the local wine and learn the history of the terroir. You will learn to prepare a decadent whole duck dinner, and a traditional burnt cheesecake that is sure to impress your future dinner guests. Come with us, and discover the secrets of Southwest France.
Our Dates:
October 12th - 18th 2026
April 19th - 25th 2027
June 21st - 27th 2027
0ctober 11th - 17th 2027
Class Occupancy: 8 People Max.
Quick Links
Here at Maison le grand saule, we believe small and intimate get togethers are the best kind.
Our curated Retreats are built on this philosophy. When you attend, it feels like you are visiting friends.
All of our retreats are centered around our love of food and the idea that gathering around the table creates community, and is something to be cherished. When attending one of our retreats we want to give you a fun, and easy experience, where you can participate or relax as much as you want.
Let us show you France though our eyes.
What is included in your Retreat:
Room & Board:
During your stay, you will reside in one of our charming rooms at the Maison Le Grand Saule property. We are pleased to provide breakfast, lunch, dinner, & beverages throughout your visit. Room assignments are first come first serve.
Guided Local Outings & Experiences:
Throughout the week, we will step away from our workshops to explore the surrounding region. Together we will:
-Have drinks on the Boulevard des Pyrénées in Pau & enjoy the vista of the Pyrénées Mountains.
-Visit local Jurancon vineyards and partake in wine tastings.
-Visit local markets
-Have a tasting of local jambon, wines, & cheeses.
-Have a lunch at La Ferme aux Grives, a stunning countryside restaurant by Michelin starred chef Michel Guérard.
CulinaryWorkshops:
Throughout the week, you’ll take part in hands-on workshops, designed to guide you through the process of recreating classic southwest french dishes. We’ll walk you through each step of the process, helping you develop valuable new skills to carry into your future culinary endeavors. Here is a list of the things will will be producing in the workshops:
Duck Confit
Perfectly Cooked Duck Magret
Whole Roasted Duck Dinner with Sides
Basque Cheesecake
Recipes & Gift Bag:
All the recipes from the workshop will be compiled into an eBook, which will be provided you as a complimentary gift, along with a few additional surprises.
Itinerary
*There may be slight variations in the schedule between now & the actual date
Day 1: Monday
Bienvenue to the southwest of france!
Today is all about getting you down south and giving you time to recover after all of that travel. You will be staying at The lovely hotel Bristol Pau in the heart of the city. Feel free to catch up on some sleep or explore the city. What you do today is up to you!
For those who are feeling up to it, we will be meeting up for Apero hour. (aka French Happy Hour)
Dinner this evening is not provided, but we are more than happy to make you reservations or give you some recommendations.
Day 2: Tuesday
The next day you will enjoy a slow morning, getting breakfast at the hotel before being picked up and brought back to the Maison.
10:00 AM: PIck up at the hotel & transportation to Maison Le Grand Saule. upon arrival, you will get a tour of your home for the next week and give you some time to unpack.
12:00 PM: A Welcome Lunch. Our first meal together and a chance to get to know each other.
4:00 PM: Kitchen introduction. A chance to explore all the food we will be making for the week and some essential kitchen knowledge.
6:00 PM: Apero Hour
7:00 PM: Dinner
Day 3: Wednesday
8:00 AM: Breakfast.
10:00 Am: Workshop # 1. Today Chef John will teach you how to break down a whole duck, prepare duck confit, and Magret.
12:00 PM: Lunch
2:30 PM: Vineyard Visits. We will all hop into the van and make our way to visit some local Jurançon vineyards for a tour and tasting.
6:00 PM: Apero
7:00 PM: DInner
Day 4: Thursday
8:00 AM: Breakfast
9:30 AM: Market Walk. After breakfast we will be venturing to Salies de Béarn, for a traditional French market.
12:00 PM: Lunch. Using the ingredients we purchased, we will prepare a fun market lunch. (Participation in cooking is optional.)
3:00 PM: Free Time to relax on the property.
5:00 PM: Local Wine, Ham, & cheese tasting.
7:30 PM: Barbeque on the terrace. With a glass of wine in hand enjoy a traditional Basque TXULETA Cooking demonstration.
Day 5: Friday
8:00 AM: Breakfast
9:30 AM: Workshop # 2. For today's workshop, Chef Madeline will be teaching you to make Burnt Basque Cheesecake, a specialty of our basque neighbors.
12:00 PM: Depart for Lunch at La Ferme Aux Grives. a countryside restaurant created by michelin starred chef Michel Guérard.
4:00 PM: Free time to digest and relax back at the Maison.
6:00 pm: APero
7:00 PM: Dinner and a tasting of cheesecakes that we prepared.
Day 6: Saturday
8:00 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: OPtional Boules tournament. Will will be teaching you how to play boules, a classic french lawn game. After a few practice rounds we will have a tournament, where the winner will take home a prize!
12:00 PM: Lunch
3:00 PM: Workshop #3. Honey & Lavender Duck Service.
6:00 PM: Our final Apero Hour
7:00 PM: Final Dinner.
Day 7: Sunday
8: 00 AM: Breakfast & final goodbyes
9:30: Transport to Airport or Train Stations.
We hope that you learned a lot, enjoyed your stay & hope to see you again soon.
Your Hosts
Madeline Denison
Madeline Denison serves as the co-host, baker, and pastry chef at Le Grand Saule. She has her diploma from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, where she studied in both savory cuisine and pastry. With ten years of experience in esteemed kitchens in Paris and Portland, OR, Madeline has developed a deep appreciation for French cuisine and the vibrant culture of the region.
John Denison
John Denison is the chef and co-host behind Le Grand Saule. A Washington, D.C. native, John’s culinary career spans over 14 years in Michelin-starred kitchens across Washington, D.C., Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, and Portland, Oregon.
Common Questions
Here are a few of commonly asked questions regarding the workshop. If any questions you have are not answered here, please feel free to reach out and we will answer them for you.
Do you provide transportation?
Yes, we provide transportation during the retreat.
The only time you need to get transportation is from the Airport or Train to the Hotel Bristol on your first night.
Do you accommodate for allergies?
We are willing to accommodate allergies and food intolerances within reason.
Please let us know of your allergies in your application and we will let you know if we can meet your needs.
How to get to Pau, France
By train:
You can take the train from the Paris Montparnasse Train station. There are direct trains with no connections. It is about 4hrs of travel.
By airport:
There are daily flights to Pau Pyrenees (PUF) Airport from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). It is about an hour flight.
Do I need to speak French to attend the retreat?
No, you do not. All of our retreats and instruction is done in English.
We do encourage all of our guest to try out speaking some French when out and about.
A polite Bonjour or Merci always goes a long way!
Are flights or train tickets included in the price?
No they are not. Guests are responsible for getting themselves to the retreat location.
To attend the Southwest France Culinary Retreat
€3,200 EUROS per person
What is included:
-Access to the culinary workshops.
-Meals for the entire week.
(excluding dinner on that first night)
-Gift bag
-Excursions to the surrounding area.
-Transportation during your stay.
-Room & board in one of our charming rooms.
-A one nights stay at the Hotel Bristol in Pau.
What isn't included:
-Dinner your first night in Pau.
-Any extra food or drinks or items that you may want to purchase on our outings.
-Transportation to the Hotel Bristol on your first night.
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Pricing :
Payment & Booking Information:
You can apply to attend the retreat through this link.
Once you apply we will reach out to confirm your application and send you further information and a payment link.
A deposit of 25 percent is required to book and is non-refundable.
Final payment for the class is due 30 days before the class start date.