If you have more than a day to spend cooking and relaxing on the French Riviera - and I hope for your sake that this is the case! - you can choose from this selection of programs lasting two to five days. For information on one-day programs, click here.

Intensive courses

Each season on the French Riviera brings an abundance of local ingredients and recipes. For students who want to explore the sun-drenched cooking of this region for more than a day, Les Petits Farcis offers four and five-day intensive courses a few times a year for a maximum of six students. This affordable program covers the basics of Provençal and Niçois cooking, providing students with a full repertoire of recipes to take home. Each two-hour class is followed by a leisurely lunch. Afternoons are free to relax on the beach or visit the area. Renting a car isn't necessary, as there is a convenient system of buses and trains that will take you to places such as Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Eze, St-Paul-de-Vence and Villefranche sur Mer. Menus come with a timeline for preparing the meal at home, taking the guesswork out of dinner party planning. Participants also receive my personal lists of favorite restaurants and food shops in Nice and an apron to take home.

The friendly hands-on classes take place in my beautifully renovated 17th-century apartment just off the world famous Cours Saleya market. An optional market tour is offered on Wednesday, which is otherwise free should you wish to make a day trip.

Each day we'll prepare a full menu of fresh, seasonal dishes before sitting down to lunch and toasting our efforts with delicious wines from the region. The cost of the program is 550 euros, which includes all the food and wine for the four days and an optional market tour on Wednesday morning (without the tour, the cost is 500 euros).

A recipe booklet will be yours to keep – bring only your love of food!

A Taste of the Sun, September 29th-October 3rd, 2008

The sun continues to shine brightly on the Côte d'Azur long after the summer crowds have dispersed. This course will make the most of the last vine-ripened tomatoes, strawberries and figs while welcoming autumn squash, wild mushrooms, apples and pears.

Adjustments may be made to the menu depending on the availability of ingredients.

Monday*:
Creamy squash soup
Rack of lamb with a mustard and herb crust
Braised violet artichokes
Fig tart with chestnut honey

Tuesday:
Zucchini stuffed with ratatouille
Lentils with Perugina sausages and Swiss chard
Tarte Tatin

Wednesday:
Optional market tour (9-10.30am)

Thursday:
Caramelized onion tart (pissaladière)
Red mullet with lemon, tomato and capers
Corsican cheesecake (fiadone) with strawberry coulis

Friday:
Wild mushroom tart
Chicken braised with bell peppers and tomato
Pears poached in red wine with spices

* This class may be held in the late afternoon if students wish to arrive in Nice on Monday morning.

Cost: 550 euros for the five days, including lunch on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and a market tour on Wednesday (cost without the market tour: 500 euros).

Fully booked. Next course planned for February 2009 or on request (write to me with your preferred dates).

Cooking and touring (2 days)

Exciting as it is to shop at the market, nothing can beat the experience of meeting the farmers on their land. We'll spend the first day shopping at the Cours Saleya market and cooking a four-course meal in my kitchen. On the second day we'll drive into the rugged arrière pays to visit some of the farmers who are keeping local traditions alive. You might meet an award-winning organic olive oil producer, a former Formula One race car driver whose tropical citrus garden is filled with rare species, a wine producer in the tiny region of Bellet, and a fruit producer who makes traditional jams and fruit pastes with his own harvest. It's a unique experience which I'm able to organize thanks to my relationships with these producers, most of whom sell their goods at the Cours Saleya market. The cost of the program includes comfortable transportation and a three-course lunch in a village auberge.

Cost: 480 euros per person for the two days. Includes lunch both days and transport on the second day.

To reserve your spot in any of these programs, please send an e-mail to rosa@rosajackson.com or call +33 4 9355 7579. We are happy to provide suggestions for accommodation in Nice, either at a privately-owned apartment or in a nearby hotel.

Les Petits Farcis continues to offer half-day and full-day market classes that include a visit to the Cours Saleya market and a hands-on cooking class followed by a four-course meal, with an optional afternoon food walk.