Cheap and cheerful kitchen capers with all the comforts of home

It seems that just about anyone with knife skills and foolproof recipes is offering cooking courses these days, turning their kitchens into classrooms and their homes into a never-ending dinner party.

In France, the trend has spawned a cottage industry of home-based cooking schools, turning gastronomy into one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors.

A friendlier and more affordable alternative to the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the country's grand culinary institutes, these cosy venues help visitors and locals boost their culinary clout without sacrificing the comforts of home. From Normandy to Nice, here are three good ones:

In Paris, one of the most popular and affordable schools is L'Atelier de Fred, run by Frederic Chesneau, a former PR man.

Chesneau teaches intimate groups of bon vivants how to prepare a three-course meal - one that's easy on the brain and the budget - in two hours.

The third hour is devoted to tasting - or flirting - since Chesneau is also the creator of Cook Dating, weekly cooking classes for singles.

Those who prefer to brush up their skills in a more bucolic setting should head north to Louviers, Normandy, where cookbook author and transplanted American, Susan Hermann Loomis, opens her home - a beautifully restored convent facing a magnificent church - to lovers of French food.