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Host: Caroline

Paris, France

USD
$256-$289 per person

French countryside cooking class and chateau tour outside of Paris

Host offerings
  • Rural farmhouse
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Caroline

Caroline is a warm and hospitable host who is living her best life in her dream house, a lovely farmhouse surrounded by gardens and chickens in Maincy, a charming little French village. Maincy is a 45-min drive southeast of Paris. A mother of four, Caroline was once the mayor of her village Champdeuil! Caroline enjoys entertaining and often hosts friends and family at home. She enjoys cooking and sharing food with people because it is her way to express her love and looks forward to hosting guests for a French countryside experience. Your private French food experience takes place in Caroline's farmhouse and ends with a quick tour of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, her friend's chateau, one of the biggest reasons to visit Maincy. A stunning landmark with a fascinating history, the chateau is located in Maincy, a 25-min train ride away from Paris.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) Meet Caroline at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, a 17th century masterpiece located in Maincy, a 40-min drive from Paris. It is the largest private estate listed as a historical monument in France with the founding French formal garden that inspired Versailles! After a coffee and snack, drive 5-min to Caroline's farmhouse. Begin your culinary journey by walking through her garden (weather permitting) and discussing the menu for the day. Next, join Caroline in her traditional French kitchen to learn to cook a seasonal French meal. During your hands-on French cooking class, you might sauté spinach for a roulette or whisk an aioli, the key to a velvety monkfish bourride (iconic fish stew), create a delicious vegetable side and learn techniques involved in making your main dish. You will learn to cook 2-3 dishes from scratch during your cooking lesson that lasts about 2 hours. After cooking, sit down at the table to share the authentic French meal you helped prepare with Caroline. Caroline pairs your meal with wine! Please note that your meal may include dishes that Caroline may have prepared in advance. You may be joined by a friend of Caroline's or one of her children during your experience. After your meal, return to the chateau with Caroline for a quick tour of this gorgeous and historic landmark.

Notes: Your experience includes pick up and drop off from the Melun train station, which is a 25-min train ride from Paris. Please include your arrival time in the notes field when making your booking or email Caroline directly and let her know.
Caroline is typically not available to host on weekends but can do so on occasion. Please try to request bookings during weekdays if possible for a better chance of confirmation.

Languages spoken: English, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Starter: Spinach and salmon roulette or foie gras with bread and fig jam
  • Main: Monkfish bourride or Cabillaud (cod) fillets or veal with carrot tagliatelle cooked in a white wine sauce
  • Dessert: Rum baba, tarte tatin or chocolate mousse
  • Local French cheese
  • French wine and coffee

Traveler reviews

5.0 (3)
A once in a lifetime experience! Caroline is most welcoming and a truly good soul! A very special experience! Caroline takes care of you and makes you feel at home while giving you memories for a lifetime! Caroline met us a the train & provided a personalized tour & cooking experience in her home. She then arranged an amazing tour of the Castle! It was like visiting a relative on holiday! She makes you feel comfortable, takes care of you while teaching you the French life and history!
- 796bryan December 07, 2024
Excellent! My daughter and I enjoyed Caroline’s cooking class very much. It’s an easy 26 minute train ride from Gare de Lyon train station to Melun. It was only 2 of us in the class, it is a private class. Caroline is a wonderful host. She is very sweet, personable, kind and generous. It was so much more than just a cooking class, and we learned a lot about the culture also. Caroline is a great cook, the food was absolutely delicious! She also took us to the a few centuries old church, it was very interesting to visit such an historical place. After the class was over, we went to the Chateau Vaux le Vicomte. Chateau and shuttle bus tickets back to the train station were provided by Caroline. Chateau Vaux le Vicomte is a beautiful interesting place, not crowded, which made a visit much more pleasant. Overall, it was an excellent class, actually much more than a class. Thank you so much Caroline! It will always be a special wonderful memory from our travels visiting France.
- Marina May 24, 2024
Lovely day in the French Countryside! Our day spent with Caroline in the French Countryside was definitely a highlight of our trip to Paris! She was very easy to communicate with and made a point to ask about our food preferences so she could build a menu around our tastes. We assisted with some dishes, observed others, and she had a few special ones prepared ahead of time. We enjoyed champagne and various wines with our lunch. The village was beautiful and charming and Caroline’s home and grounds are very special! We took a walk to see the beautiful medieval church in her village and after lunch she drove us to the Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte where we toured the castle and grounds. Since we had no time constraints on our personal schedule we were gone the entire day. Melun is approx a 30 min train ride from Paris. Thank you, Caroline, for your hospitality and for creating a memorable day for our family!
- themat May 15, 2024
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Caroline

$256-$289 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $289 $256
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $289 $256
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:00am-3:00pm

Meet Caroline

Caroline is a warm and hospitable host who is living her best life in her dream house, a lovely farmhouse surrounded by gardens and chickens in Maincy, a charming little French village. Maincy is a 45-min drive southeast of Paris. A mother of four, Caroline was once the mayor of her village Champdeuil! Caroline enjoys entertaining and often hosts friends and family at home. She enjoys cooking and sharing food with people because it is her way to express her love and looks forward to hosting guests for a French countryside experience. Your private French food experience takes place in Caroline's farmhouse and ends with a quick tour of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, her friend's chateau, one of the biggest reasons to visit Maincy. A stunning landmark with a fascinating history, the chateau is located in Maincy, a 25-min train ride away from Paris.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) Meet Caroline at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, a 17th century masterpiece located in Maincy, a 40-min drive from Paris. It is the largest private estate listed as a historical monument in France with the founding French formal garden that inspired Versailles! After a coffee and snack, drive 5-min to Caroline's farmhouse. Begin your culinary journey by walking through her garden (weather permitting) and discussing the menu for the day. Next, join Caroline in her traditional French kitchen to learn to cook a seasonal French meal. During your hands-on French cooking class, you might sauté spinach for a roulette or whisk an aioli, the key to a velvety monkfish bourride (iconic fish stew), create a delicious vegetable side and learn techniques involved in making your main dish. You will learn to cook 2-3 dishes from scratch during your cooking lesson that lasts about 2 hours. After cooking, sit down at the table to share the authentic French meal you helped prepare with Caroline. Caroline pairs your meal with wine! Please note that your meal may include dishes that Caroline may have prepared in advance. You may be joined by a friend of Caroline's or one of her children during your experience. After your meal, return to the chateau with Caroline for a quick tour of this gorgeous and historic landmark.

Notes: Your experience includes pick up and drop off from the Melun train station, which is a 25-min train ride from Paris. Please include your arrival time in the notes field when making your booking or email Caroline directly and let her know.
Caroline is typically not available to host on weekends but can do so on occasion. Please try to request bookings during weekdays if possible for a better chance of confirmation.

Languages spoken: English, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Starter: Spinach and salmon roulette or foie gras with bread and fig jam
  • Main: Monkfish bourride or Cabillaud (cod) fillets or veal with carrot tagliatelle cooked in a white wine sauce
  • Dessert: Rum baba, tarte tatin or chocolate mousse
  • Local French cheese
  • French wine and coffee

Traveler reviews

5.0 (3)
A once in a lifetime experience! Caroline is most welcoming and a truly good soul! A very special experience! Caroline takes care of you and makes you feel at home while giving you memories for a lifetime! Caroline met us a the train & provided a personalized tour & cooking experience in her home. She then arranged an amazing tour of the Castle! It was like visiting a relative on holiday! She makes you feel comfortable, takes care of you while teaching you the French life and history!
- 796bryan December 07, 2024
Excellent! My daughter and I enjoyed Caroline’s cooking class very much. It’s an easy 26 minute train ride from Gare de Lyon train station to Melun. It was only 2 of us in the class, it is a private class. Caroline is a wonderful host. She is very sweet, personable, kind and generous. It was so much more than just a cooking class, and we learned a lot about the culture also. Caroline is a great cook, the food was absolutely delicious! She also took us to the a few centuries old church, it was very interesting to visit such an historical place. After the class was over, we went to the Chateau Vaux le Vicomte. Chateau and shuttle bus tickets back to the train station were provided by Caroline. Chateau Vaux le Vicomte is a beautiful interesting place, not crowded, which made a visit much more pleasant. Overall, it was an excellent class, actually much more than a class. Thank you so much Caroline! It will always be a special wonderful memory from our travels visiting France.
- Marina May 24, 2024
Lovely day in the French Countryside! Our day spent with Caroline in the French Countryside was definitely a highlight of our trip to Paris! She was very easy to communicate with and made a point to ask about our food preferences so she could build a menu around our tastes. We assisted with some dishes, observed others, and she had a few special ones prepared ahead of time. We enjoyed champagne and various wines with our lunch. The village was beautiful and charming and Caroline’s home and grounds are very special! We took a walk to see the beautiful medieval church in her village and after lunch she drove us to the Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte where we toured the castle and grounds. Since we had no time constraints on our personal schedule we were gone the entire day. Melun is approx a 30 min train ride from Paris. Thank you, Caroline, for your hospitality and for creating a memorable day for our family!
- themat May 15, 2024
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $289 $256
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $289 $256
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:00am-3:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.