PARIS DELIGHTS™
A complete immersion in French pastry training, combined with a unique approach of Paris culture and culinary traditions.

5 days / 4 nights (Monday through Friday) starting at US$2630/pers

Program highlights :
Hands-on pastry classes,
Chocolate and pastry walking tour,
Hotel or guesthouse accommodation,
Daily continental breakfasts,
Gourmet dinners accompanied by fine wines,
Airport transfers and ground transportation.

Tour is escorted by Corinne A. Preteur personnaly.

Paris, city of arts and history, symbol of glamour and elegance, is also the place to stay for experiencing and enjoying the French food and wine. France is the most popular country in the world for its exquisite desserts, fine patisseries, and exquisite chocolates. Paris is the capital of the macarons, and it’s even more than an institution, like the voice of passion and love. Celebrity chefs keep on designing new shapes, new colors, new flavors, sweet or savory, for making a tea break or aperitif totally unique.

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BAKING CLASSES

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Tasting brioches, croissants, pastries and macarons is one thing, but learning the secrets of our professional chef is the major point to consider. Under the direction of our experienced pastry chefs, you will learn about the ingredients and methods for making delicious French pastries from scratch such as: Eclairs au chocolat, Paris Brest, Croquembouche, Fruits tarts, Chocolate ganache tartelettes, Millefeuille, Financiers and Madeleines, Macarons, and brioches.


Classes are intimate, limited to 5 participants. It’s operated at Le Grenier à Pain baking school in Sevres (linked to downtown Paris by metro). Classes are scheduled in the afternoon, starting at 3:00pm for 2h30 and 3 hours. It leaves the morning for relaxing, shopping and visiting Paris. Corinne coordinates the classes in English, which are “of course” all hands-on !

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Paris, city of arts and history, symbol of elegance and glamour, is the perfect destination for food lovers. Along the tour that Corinne escorts, you will explore the best pastry and chocolate spots that make Paris so unique : from traditional bakeries displaying crusty baguettes, croissants, and traditional patisseries to top-ranked “haute couture”pastry shops offering a real work of art for the most beautiful and exquisite delicacies you have dreamt of.


Corinne, the creator and owner of Lifestyle Vacations France, has designed a unique pastry and chocolate walking tour, scheduled at 10:00am for 3 hours. You will meet pastry chefs and chocolate makers in their boutiques-ateliers. Along the tour you will appreciate the trends for more and more creative pastries that reach the perfection in the balance of colors, flavors and presentations. Each step of this tour is a unique moment to discover the best delicacies. You will enjoy tastings in the different spots visited, and the tour ends by a pastry and tea or coffee break in an elegant salon de thé.
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THE CHOCOLATE MUSEUM AND DEMONSTRATION CLAS

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On the grands boulevards district, a temple is now entirely devoted to the world of chocolate, a building set on 3 levels to provide the visitors a complete information of the cocoa and chocolate history through pictures, movies and flavors. The history began 4000 years ago in the tropical forests in Central American where the cocoa tree grows naturally… Before the chocolate is considered You will see how making chocolate has evolved over centuries, especially at the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. This visit provides a perfect understanding of the different crus of cocoa, as well as the methods of making chocolate. A demonstration class follows the one-hour visit featuring ganache, and praline filled chocolates

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Lifestyle Vacations is a Paris-based company, and Corinne’s contributions to lifestyle and travel French magazines is precious to keep an eye opened to the most beautiful and affordable places to stay in Paris. Monceau luxury guesthouse or charming Vice-Versa boutique-hotel designed by Chantal Thomass are the best spots we recommend.

In deciding to stay at Boutique-Hotel Vice-Versa, you will enter through all-in-white lobby appearing heavenly, before discovering upstairs one of the 37 rooms portraying the seven deadly sins. "Wrath" rooms have a striking red and black colour palette, graffiti-tagged paintings and skull and cross bone bathroom tiles. "Gluttony" rooms are done up in girly pinks and whites, with cupcake-shaped chairs and macaron-shaped pillows. 

Hotel is located in Paris 15th district, only 8 minutes by foot to Convention or Boucicaut metro stations which link directly Saint Germain des Prés, Madeleine, Opera and the Grands Boulevards

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If you prefer the chic and elegant Monceau guesthouse, you will experience the great art de vivre à la française, a typical Haussmann 19th century-style apartment. Owners live at the 6th floor and grant the 1st floor to the guests only. This beautiful privaltely owned property offers 4 large bedrooms and suites 15 to 20m2 (160 to 215 sqft) each. All rooms and suites are furnished with king or queensized beds with thick mattresses, stylish antiques and offer modern comfort. Elegant curtains adorn the windows. Floor and table lamps, and Parisian decorative knickknacks contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. Each room has its private bathroom. Monceau is located in Paris 17th district, only 15 minutes distance to Opera and Boulevard Haussmann shopping area by walking

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DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1 (Monday) : Bienvenue à Paris !
<<<<<<<<<<<<<Afternoon 2-hour “French Tea Cakes & Brioche” class1
<<<<<<<<<<<<<Welcome Dinner
- Morning arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
- Transfer to your hotel or guesthouse by private car. Check-in and relaxing time.
- Meet Corinne at 1:30pm at your hotel or guesthouse. Transfer to Sevres. Welcome drink at Le Grenier à Pain pastry school with a “little something to eat”
- 3:00pm : Baking class celebrating the French Tea Cakes (financiers and madeleines) and Brioche for 3 hours. Tight your apron, wash your hands, and you will learn the secrets of our experienced chef to succeed in these delicacies. You bring the fruits of your labor after your course.
- Early welcome dinner at 6:30pm with“quiche/salad”, “bread/cheese/wine”, “fruits/cakes/tea or coffee” at Corinne’s home in Sevres
- Transfer to Paris by car.
- Overnight at hotel or guesthouse

Day 2 (Tuesday) : Morning visit to the “Temple of Chocolate”
                          Afternoon 3-hour “Choux Pastry” class2
- Morning breakfast at hotel or guesthouse
- Meet Corinne at 10:30am at metro station Bonne Nouvelle (Grands Boulevards area). One hour visit to the chocolate museum followed by a chocolate demonstration class.
- 12:30pm : Lunch at l’Office typical Parisian restaurant located in Paris 9th.
- Transfer to Pont de Sevres by metro. Welcome coffee with some sweet bites on arriving at the baking school.
- 3:00pm : Hands-on pastry class celebrating choux pastry (chocolate éclair, paris-brest, croquembouche,). You can enjoy a tasting of a pastry made after the class, and bring the other ones with you. Class lasts 3 hours.
- Transfer to Pont de Sevres or to Porte de St Cloud metro or bus station.
- Dinner on your own. Check out your Lifestyle Vacations Hot Pick Restaurant list.
- Overnight at hotel or guesthouse

Day 3 (Wednesday) :      Morning free for relaxing, shopping or visits
                                Afternoon 3-hour “Macarons” Class3
- Morning breakfast at hotel or guesthouse.
- Morning free. You can relax, make some shopping, or visit a museum (Orsay, Le Louvre, Carnavalet…). Lunch on your own.
- Take the metro and meet Corinne at Pont de Sevres metro station at 2:45pm.
- Transfer to the baking school by car. Welcome coffee with some sweet bites at the boulangerie-patisserie on arrival.
- Hands-on macarons class starting at 3:00pm for 3 hours. You will learn how to prepare the Italian meringue, how to add the food coloring in the batter in following the chef’s tips, how to shape the meringues in using a pastry bag, and how to bake it. You will experience the chocolate ganache and three different creams fillings such as pistachio, vanilla, and rose.  You can enjoy a tasting after the class, and bring macarons with you.
- Transfer to Pont de Sevres or to Porte de St Cloud metro or bus station.
- Dinner on your own. Check out your Lifestyle Vacations Hot Pick Restaurant list.
- Overnight at hotel or guesthouse

Day 4 (Thursday) :    Morning chocolate and pastry tour in Paris
                                Afternoon 3-hour “Fruits Tarts” class4
- Morning breakfast at hotel or guesthouse.
- Meet Corinne at 9:30am at Etienne Marcel metro station in Les Halles district, for a unique walking tour of Paris featuring the best pastry and chocolate spots.
- Lunch break accompanied by drink in Saint Germain des Prés.
- Transfer to Pont de Sevres by metro. Welcome coffee on arrival.
- Hands-on pastry class starting at 3:00pm for 3 hours, celebrating the fruits tarts. You will learn how to prepare the doughs (sweet and shortcrust), how to prepare the creams, how to decorate the tarts French-style. You can enjoy a tasting after the class.
- Transfer to Pont de Sevres or to Porte de St Cloud metro or bus station.
- Farewell food and wine pairing dinner at “Le Cobea” or at “Le Bouchon et l’Assiette” gourmet restaurants in Paris 14th or 17th district.
- Overnight at hotel or guesthouse.

Day 5 (Friday) : Check Out / Airport Transfer
- Morning breakfast at hotel or guesthouse.
- Check-out before 11:00am.
- Private transfer by car to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
- End of the tour

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PROGRAM PRICE PER PERSON : US$ 2630, based on double occupancy
Single supplement US$420
If you don’t need the lodging, price is US$2100
Non-baking participants : US$1795 (dble occupancy).

Rates are subject to change based on currency exchange. Email us for updated rates.

PRICE INCLUDES :
- Airport transfers,
- 4-night accommodation at Monceau guesthouse or Vice-Versa boutique-hotel,
- 4 daily continental breakfasts,
- 4 hands-on pastry, macarons, and brioche/madeleines classes,
- Visit to the Chocolate museum including the chocolate demonstration class,
- Pastry and Chocolate walking guided tour,
- Lunches and dinners as detailed in the itinerary,
- Metro tickets,
- Certificate and Recipes in English.

NOT INCLUDED : International airfare to/from your country, dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday, lunch on Wednesday, personal expenses and personal insurance

2013 TOUR DATES