Experience the seasons of Nice in a five-day workshop: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter editions!

2026 dates:
Spring, April 20 to 24
Summer, June 22 to 26
Fall, September 28 to October 2

2027 dates:
Winter, February 22 to 26

Click on the calendar dates to book.

Spend five days with a small group on the French Riviera delving into the Mediterranean cuisine of Nice with Rosa Jackson, author of the critically-acclaimed cookbook Niçoise. If you dream of living like a Niçois(e)—an inhabitant of Nice—this is your chance to try out the lifestyle with Rosa as your guide. Because the cuisine of Nice changes with the seasons, each workshop will focus on different seasonal ingredients with an emphasis on vegetables, teaching you to improvise with what is available at the market on any given day. Instead of preparing a three-course meal, as in our one-day classes, we will create a generous spread consisting mainly of dishes that come together quickly, along with a few slow-cooked local specialties.

During this week, you will also visit nearby farms, taste Provence rosés with a sommelier, and master pastry techniques using seasonal ingredients. No matter which season you choose, you will be astonished at the bounty on display at the markets and charmed by the region’s natural beauty and light.

This program is suitable for beginner and experienced cooks as well as singles, couples, groups of friends, or families. The format will allow us to prepare quick, improvisational recipes as well as dishes that benefit from slower cooking than the regular class format would allow. We accept a maximum of eight people for this program. Please contact us if you would like to book as a private group for dates that are not shown on this calendar.

Class schedule

Monday: Antique market, Pan bagnat workshop, Street food class and Provence wine tasting
9am to 1.30pm and 4 to 7pm

We will meet at a café facing the Cours Saleya market to get to know each other before exploring the Monday antique market, where you might be tempted by vintage kitchen tools, china plates, pottery from Vallauris, and embroidered linens. We will then head to the Petits Farcis cooking studio in rue Saint Joseph for a workshop on pan bagnat, the iconic Niçoise sandwich featuring the ingredients of an authentic salade niçoise. Weather permitting, we will climb (or take the elevator) to the top of Castle Hill for a picnic with panoramic views of the city.

Later, we will gather at the Petits Farcis studio to prepare the classic Niçoise street foods pissaladière (caramelized onion flatbread) and socca (chickpea pancake). Our sommelier Viktorija will share her extensive knowledge of the wines of Provence, and you will learn how to select rosés and pair them with Mediterranean ingredients and local cheeses.

Tuesday: Cours Saleya market tour, cooking class and seasonal lunch, Old Town food tour
9.30am to 6pm

We will meet at the Cours Saleya market to gather seasonal ingredients that will inspire our meal. The focus will be on spontaneous recipes based on seasonal flavor combinations. For instance, if we are working with baby artichokes, we might prepare them raw with a herb salad, slow-cooked in wine with aromatics, and grilled with preserved lemon aïoli. Our meal will also include meat and/or fish, depending on our menu choices.

Seasonal themes
Spring: Artichokes, peas, fava beans, asparagus
Summer: Tomatoes, zucchini and their blossoms, eggplant, peppers
Fall: Squash, Wild mushrooms, white beans, late-harvest tomatoes
Winter: Swiss chard, root vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower

After lunch, we will stroll through the Old Town and visit some of Rosa’s favorite shops, including an organic herbalist, an olive oil specialist, a historic coffee roaster, a charcuterie, and a pasta shop that has been run by the same family since 1892. We will stop for ice cream made with local ingredients, and end with a glass of wine at a beloved local wine bar.

Wednesday: A day at the farm
9am to 4pm

Today we will head into the hills behind Nice in a private vehicle to spend a day at the farm, where we will learn about the small-scale local agriculture and sit down to a traditional meal prepared by the farmers, just as they would for their own family. You will gain an understanding of the farmers’ dedication to this unpredictable yet rewarding way of life, which has barely changed since their grandparents’ generation.

Thursday: Libération market tour, cooking class and seasonal lunch
9am to 3pm

This morning we will shop with the locals at the city’s biggest food market, Libération. Here we will find an abundance of local produce and an incredible panoply of seafood from the Mediterranean and beyond. You will learn to spot the difference between wild and farm-raised fish, and to recognize signs of freshness and quality. We will select the ingredients for our lunch spread, which will focus on seasonal produce and seafood (with meat available as an option for those who prefer it).

Friday: Citrus farm, Menton food tour and Pastry class
9am to 3pm, 4.30 to 7.30pm

The last French city before the Italian border, Menton is famed for its citrus fruits, hosting a lemon festival each February which coincides with the Nice Carnival. Our driver will take us to a citrus farm on the outskirts of Menton, where we will learn about citrus traditions and agriculture on the French Riviera and in nearby Italy. We will then tour the covered food market in Menton, which is one of the most charming in the region. After a light lunch in Menton, we will head back to Nice.

With a Petits Farcis pastry chef, you will prepare two desserts featuring seasonal ingredients, such as:
Spring: Strawberry tart and Strawberry cream puffs
Summer: Apricot tart and Cherry clafoutis
Fall: Fig tart and Tarte Tatin
Winter: Lemon tart with olive oil and Chocolate mousse with olive oil

We will toast your creations, and everything you have learned and experienced during this week, with a glass of sparkling dessert wine!

What to expect from each season

Spring comes early to the French Riviera, and if you visit in April you can expect balmy weather (you will need a light jacket) and an abundance of sweet, tender vegetables at the market. If you love strawberries, this is the time to visit!

Summer is peak season on the Côte d’Azur, but our immersion will take place early enough that you will avoid the big crowds while making the most of the luxuriant produce, such as the first local tomatoes, zucchini with their blossoms, and the juiciest summer fruit.

Fall is one of the best times to visit Nice, since the tourist crowds will have thinned and the weather remains sunny without being too hot. This season also brings weird and wonderful produce such as wild mushrooms, quinces, figs, and many varieties of squash.

Winter tourism put Nice on the international map, and the city still attracts many visitors who come for the bright sunshine that made it a favorite of artists such as Matisse, Chagall and Picasso. Our winter immersion will coincide with the Nice Carnival, which has taken place here since the Middle Ages. You can expect warming winter dishes such as daube (beef cooked in red wine) and ravioli, and also the bright flavors of local citrus fruits.

What is included

• Picnic workshop with Rosa
• Street food workshop with Rosa
• Tour of the Cours Saleya antique market with Rosa
• Cours Saleya market tour, cooking class and lunch spread with Rosa
• Libération market tour, cooking class and lunch spread with Rosa
• Two farm visits with Rosa and a private driver
• Nice food tour with Rosa
• Menton food tour and lunch with Rosa and a private driver
• Provence wine tasting with Viktorija
• Pastry workshop with a Petits Farcis pastry chef
• Wine with each meal
• Tram tickets from Libération market to the Old Town
• Recipe booklet (sent by email after the class)
• A Les Petits Farcis apron to take home

Not included

• Accommodation
• Transport to and from Nice
• Personal purchases

To book your spot, please select the number of people and click on any date of the program. The cost of the five-day course is 2200 euros per person. If you need any assistance with the booking process, please contact us to book your class.