What a fantastic start to our French Cake Breaks venture the first two weeks were. With three ladies who came as a group of friends the first week for the advanced classes and Tracie travelling alone and being the only student on the second week for the beginners classes the breaks got off to an amazing start.
Everyone was more than happy with the accommodation with a few comments on how much bigger than they had expected and how comfortable the beds were, there were certainly more than a few good nights sleep due to the peacefulness and total darkness of the countryside. The weather wasn't so bright during the first week, but that didn't matter everyone was hard at work during the day with the classes and evenings were spent enjoying a relaxing meal and the odd glass of wine. But the sun shone on us during the second week and we were able to take the tables out onto the veranda and work in the sunshine.
With plenty of activities to amuse everyone when not doing classes, whether just relaxing in the sun or in the comfy lounge with WiFi and British TV, going on a bike ride with the many available bikes Claire and Simon have, playing badminton or table tennis, discover the local wildlife, which included while we were there, numerous birds, gecko's, eagles a family of deer in the lower field, I'm told there was no time to miss anyone or be at a loose end and of course not forgetting Woof .....
...who had no problem relaxing :)
From my part it was lovely to teach in such lovely surroundings, but also not be tied to time constraints where students need to travel home at the end of the day. If we need additional time, meals could be adjusted and taken when we were ready and what truly delicious meals we had, some real surprises from students who were not used to vegetarian food to see what a variety of meals we had, all home cooked from scratch, I know we all came home carrying a few extra pounds, best to leave the diet at home !!!
With plenty of time to teach and learn we had some great work from everyone, time to get things just right and ensure that methods and techniques had been fully understood. The advanced class included the Bride and Groom workshop, carving and making a 3D Citroen 2CV cake and high heel shoes using a selection of templates to design and create your own design, two of our ladies were experience cake makers and both running their own successful businesses, they were keen to learn new skills for figures and my techniques for making high heels without all the moulds.
Whilst the beginners classes started with a small modelling project (that's where our little French mouse started) to ease gently into making figures, high heels and ending with the introduction class split over to relaxing days. Tracie, our only student on the first beginners week, told me afterwards that had she been given the choice she wouldn't have wanted to do the figures as she was so worried about doing them and getting it right, I know she really surprised herself with her 'little people' and is now chuffed to bits that she faced up to her challenge ....
The day trip to Sarlat was very enjoyable, a region famed for it fois gras, walnuts and sausages, anyone missing meat had plenty of opportunity to make up for it at the market. A colourful, bustling market we all found something to take our fancy and with plenty of places to eat a leisurely lunch and watch the world go by another relaxing day, oh and never, never forget to visit one of the many ice-cream parlours .... a feast for the eyes, oh and not forgetting the macrons, chocolate and nougat.... you're not going to need an evening meal after all that ... but then again !!! Beside that feast, there were so many lanes and shops to explore it was hard to know which way to go first.
We are already looking forward to the next breaks in September and with only two places available on the advanced class and the beginners class full, we have scheduled in breaks for 2014. Places are limited to four students per break and we will only be running a few breaks per year so if you are thinking of joining us, you had best give it some serious thought.
Our students
testimonials are glowing and have made us very proud to have brought this unique and original concept to the world of cake decorating.
I would like to take this chance to say a huge thank you to Claire for all her stupendous cooking and hard work looking after us all. Our partners for supporting us in this new venture, cutting the grass and all round source of amusement and of course to those first ladies who trusted us enough to brave coming to France and trying our first holiday ... Jude, Rachel, Marie and Tracie .... thank you so much for your support, belief and amazing reviews, may you be the first of many lovely ladies I get to spend time with in France.
Rhu and Claire xxx
