Sandrine_from_Vence

Hello,
I need your advice about an activity I’d like to offer to the visitors of Vence.
I'm french and living Vence, near Nice, on the French Riviera. My husband, who was patissery, do our weekly bread (for the all familly), cooked in a wooden fire oven.
Many friends of us whant to learn how make the bread (which is very delicious). Then, we have lot of fun making bread at home with friends.
So, I had the idea to propose a workshop to learn this activity to people who come and visit Vence.
Before to start and ask many authorisations, I need to know if you, as visitor, could be interessted by this kind of activity in France and if you think it can be an activity you'd like to do?
Thanks a lot for your return.
PS : may be my post is unappropriate. If it is, please remove it (but I'd really like to know if it's a pleased activity)

Sarastro

As an answer to an effort to evaluate the general interest of travelers, I would respond that yes, a course of this type would be something of value. Potentially, it could be very popular.

However, you would need to set up your program and promote it through conventional advertising channels and not through a travel forum which probably has rules against self promotion.

bilboburgler

Yes, if I was in the area it would be a way of enjoying myself for say four hours. You might need to think about to publicise it, how to manage English speakers and what breads you make. I wish you luck with the idea. Would you include lunch, could you pass these customers off to a near by restaurant.

Buona Fortuna, bonne chance.

StCirq

Any food activity that involves interaction with the French and creating something one can devour at the end of the lesson seems to be almost unreasonably popular with tourists these days, so yes, I think it's a decent idea. But yes, you'd need to hone your marketing skills, particularly in English. Good luck.

whitehall

Your biggest challenge will be to get the word out about your experience. Here are two websites that can provide guidance on the many marketing ideas and tools that are out there, including sites you can post info on for free and partnering with such places as local lodging establishments:

https://www.tourismtiger.com/blog/86...st-your-tours/

https://www.trekksoft.com/en/blog/ch...es-infographic

Put together a fun program, test it on family and friends, who might offer suggestions. A key way to market will be to have an activity that will make participants want to recommend it to their friends and families and perhaps do a positive review on sites like TripAdvisor.

Worry less about your language skills; that comes across as "authentic" to me and that will be a plus for your going forward.

Christina

no, I personally would not be at all interested in spending a minute of my vacation time taking any kind of cooking class. I know how to bake bread, anyway, but haven't had the time in years, although I used to bake a lot when I was younger. I just don't have the time or interest to do that myself at home now. To be honest, I just don't eat that much bread anyway, I may only have some once a week, if that.

I'm sure there are plenty of people like me who are not at all interested, but that doesn't mean there aren't those who are, as I think there are. I also think people find the idea of doing that in France attractive, it has a mystique that people think is fascinating, although I can't recall the last time I saw anyone interested in taking a bread baking class in Germany on vacation, even though they have great bread.

I think you can advertise this somewhat through a local tourism office (Vence and perhaps Nice). Because tourists may contact them for info on courses to do when they are on vacation. I would also list with Viator, even though I'm sure that isn't free, of course, as then you have worldwide advertising at a site lots of people go to for activities.

As for language issues, I think it is absolutely necessary for the classes to be in English for American tourists. If your original post was written by you without using a translator, I think you are fine, if you can speak that extemporaneously, also. I agree the language doesn't have to be perfect, though, as I could understand your post when it wasn't.

StCirq

I wasn't speaking to the OP's proficiency in English in her post - it's fine, and would probably be fine as far as actually speaking to clients during a class. I was referring to the use of English in any marketing materials, which I think would benefit from more polish and nuance if the aim is to attract paying customers.

MmePerdu

The Airbnb.com website offers "experiences" as well as accommodations and might be a simple way to begin, bookings for the classes taken by you through the website. And I don't believe it's exclusive, so you can book classes elsewhere also as you see what works best for you.

Here are some food "experiences" in your area now on the site:
https://www.airbnb.com/s/Nice--Franc...ION_NAVIGATION

Fodorite018

This is something I would enjoy. We have take cooking classes as well as food tours in various locations and so far, they have always been excellent. A Taste Of Nice was the food tour in Nice and they took us to a place where we learned about making socca as well as a place that made bread. Both were very interesting. I know how to make bread, and make it on occasion, but this would still interest me as I sure don't know everything and am always willing to learn.

tomboy

My little opinion:
Try to incorporate education as to why French bread made in the US doesn't come anywhere close to that made in France.
Is there a difference in the flour? I'm thinking that's so....the technique must be easily copied. Maybe French flour has more/less gluten? more starch? more gen au se quoi? What could the baker add to American flour to make it more like French flour?
Also, what other things could be also easily taught that are uniquely French.....gougeres.......croissants......pain au chocolate

ahbonvraiment

Sandrine_from_Vence

Thanks a lot for all your posts which are very useful for me

I speak English, not as fluently as I used to speak years ago, but I still understand it very well. I spent 6 months in USA in the 90’s so I've improved my English!! But I don’t practice a lot in France… That’s why I would be very happy if I can speak more English… I didn’t use a translator for my 1st post (any translator, even the worst, wouldn’t write want « whant » as I did! My fingers got wrong…just like the “all” family… arrrrhhh! and may be others thinks)

To answer to tomboy, yes, the kind of flour is very important. My husband buys it in professional miller (minotier in French). You have few chances to make correct bread with the flour you buy in your local shop. Two bakers who use two different flours won’t have the same bread. Banette is one of the best flour in France (there are others as good), but you can have it only by professionals (in France, you can see the Banette logo on the baker’s door who use it). It can be the « je ne sais quoi » you’ve talked about ;-)

For the workshop I wish to create, I think our guests could discover the step of making bread, knead and bake it in our wood fired oven and at the end of the workshop, a light meal would be included (cold meat with “charcuterie” and wine testing). And everyone goes with his own bread!

We can also make socca and pizza, we often eat with friends, why not gougères, croissants or pain au chocolat (which are also made with special flour!).

So, I wanted to thank you again for all you advice and supports!

Au plaisir !
Sandrine

ahbonvraiment

walkinaround

I completely understand that you were just responding to someone's suggestion regarding flour, however, I would be careful with the messages around that. People want to learn skills that they can take back home rather than (correctly or incorrectly) think that flour is very complicated and that it's difficult or impossible to get the right flour at home or even right there in France without being a professional. And 'home' isn't necessarily the US.

PalenQ

good luck - it's going to be a tough getting all those health certificates and administrative things and there seem to be a ton of such hings already offered. You have to make yours unique - and push the joys of staying in a Vence - an iconic hill town. But there is a market out there it's just getting a small share of them to start. Maybe your local S. I. could boost you with mention on their site. Good luck - adieu!

StCirq

<<it's going to be a tough getting all those health certificates and administrative things>>

No, it isn't.

BritishCaicos

J62

" I need to know if you, as visitor, could be interested by this kind of activity in France and if you think it can be an activity you'd like to do?"

For me it would depend on how long the class would be and how much waiting time it would involve for the dough to rise, etc.
If there is some wait time then you'd need to figure out something for the guests to do. Perhaps a lunch meal or snack included in the price.

As an alternative, is there some baking you do that does not require waiting time, for example pastries?

If the whole class was half a day then no, I would not. If I could be in & out in 2 hrs or less then maybe.

Coquelicot

I think it would be a fun thing for travelers to do. Do some run-throughs with your friends to work out how you prep some stages in advance to minimize waiting time. I bet your classes will have some people who want to knead by hand and some who don't, but I'd guess that nearly everybody wants to go hands-on to learn how to shape and slash the loaves.

J62 brings up the time problem. To make good bread takes time. Bread made in 2-3 hours is not any good. It doesn't taste good and it doesn't look good.You want to show your class a good crust and crumb. Can your class produce good bread in a short enough time for people like J62? Maybe you'd need to prep some dough way in advance so it's ready for baking during the class. In fact, the earlier you can get your class to smell bread baking, the more interesting the class becomes.

Here's a neat video of an actual boulangerie in the early hours of the morning:

BritishCaicos