I went to pastry school in Paris for my dream 'skillcation'

Writer Lara Buchar during her "skillcation." Exploring a personal passion or skill while on vacation is a growing travel trend.

A cascade of flaky golden crumbs falls onto my shirt, jeans and sneakers as I take a greedy bite of my still-warm chocolate croissant. It's the best pain au chocolat I've ever tasted, and the best part? I made it myself.

I'm standing at my gleaming granite workstation at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. In front of me, my own croissant beurre, pain au chocolat and plump chocolate chip milk bread baguettes are piled high on a cooling rack. Just past my station is a stunning view of the Seine through the classroom's floor-to-ceiling windows. The sun is setting, and it's casting a warm, dreamy glow over my creations.

Like so many other fans of Julia Child, I'd always dreamt of attending Le Cordon Bleu Paris. (She's one of the culinary institute's most famous alumni.) While a full semester wasn't in the cards for me, I discovered that a four-day class on traditional bread-baking and pastries happened to start right after a close friend's destination wedding in Bordeaux.

It felt too serendipitous to ignore. Ringing in at 995 euros (more than $1,560), the class was undeniably a splurge, but as a recipe developer and food writer, I justified it as an investment in myself.

Little did I know when booking, my vacation also fit a big trend in travel for 2026: the so-called "skillcation," which is exactly what it sounds like. Even luxury hotels and resorts are catering to demand for educational fun by arranging lessons in everything from pottery-making to fly fishing, as Condé Nast Traveler recently noted.

The "skillcation" concept also dovetails with other travel trends, including a desire for authentic, immersive experiences and pursuing one's own interests. According to a 2026 report from Hilton, 72 per cent of travellers surveyed expressed "a desire to take time off work to explore a personal passion, skill or hobby."

Although I'm an avid home baker, I'd always steered clear of bread because the process seemed overwhelmingly complicated. Thank goodness the class at Le Cordon Bleu Paris had no prerequisites, and my 13 classmates and I were in a similar skill range. They were a cheerful and chatty group of like-minded home bakers from all over the world on skillcations of their own, and everyone was eager to lend a hand and compliment each other's efforts.

Still, learning how to make 20 different varieties of bread and pastry in four six-hour days was no easy feat. Plus, the entire course was taught in French with an English translator, meaning I was often operating on a delay compared to my French-speaking classmates.

Our stern but supportive chef-instructor kept us on a tight, rigorous schedule: "No time for breaks!" was one of his favourite phrases. (Eventually, I was able to translate that one for myself.) No minutes in the kitchen were spared; while one dough rested, proofed or baked, another was kneaded, rolled or shaped, often by hand.

One of the most fascinating things I learned in class is that Europe has an entirely different flour grading system than North America's: they grade it by ash content, while we grade it by protein content. Translation: that's why your bread tastes so much better on your vacation in Europe.

At the end of each day, my arms felt like jelly, and my mind was swimming with new baking vocabulary (autolyse, poolish, fougasse), but I also had a brimming bag of freshly baked goods under my arm to show for it.

Everything we made was spectacular, but the Comté cheese bread slathered in basil-garlic oil, and the kouglof dipped in rum and butter were drool-worthy highlights. The cherry on top: my walk home from class had me crossing the Seine every evening with a prime view of the Eiffel Tower as it sparkled.

The other unexpected bonus of my course was that it allowed me to explore a part of Paris I never would have otherwise. I booked a charming apartment rental near campus in the Auteuil neighbourhood, a quiet residential area off the typical tourist-beaten path.

I spent my mornings wandering the open-air stalls at Marché Auteuil, stocking up on lush produce and succulent rotisserie chicken to pair with my fresh bread. And I enjoyed evenings at intimate, locals-only French bistros, sipping shockingly cheap glasses of red wine (yet another perk of being away from the city centre).

Unlike my previous visits to this city, this trip felt like a true taste of Parisian life, even if just for a week. Instead of frantically running between tourist destinations on a jam-packed itinerary, I felt anchored by the daily routine of going to class. This gave me the deep sense of belonging that I always yearned for from the city.

While the direct equivalents for European flours aren't widely available in North America, the language of bread is universal enough that I've successfully translated my French skills to my kitchen at home.

I haven't bought a single loaf of bread since taking the class. Instead, I've applied my newfound knowledge weekly, making everything from tangy sourdough loaves to pasteis de nata (perfectly laminated, if I do say so myself).

Each crusty, golden-brown loaf that comes out of my oven feels like a souvenir from my skillcation in Paris. Even considering the price tag, I'd take a lifetime of fresh bread over a fridge magnet any day.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW A.M. Headlines Newsletter Get our free morning newsletter. Top local headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.

Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request.

There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again.

Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up This newsletter is only available for subscribers. If you are already a subscriber, please login now. If you want to become subscriber, please click here Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from Simcoe.com.

You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply.

A.M. Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting A.M. Headlines in your inbox soon.

Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.