Recap of our first Women’s Retreat in Provence
It’s been a little over a month now that our first women’s retreat in Provence concluded. Six women came from all over the U.S., from Florida, to California, Ohio and Colorado, to spend a week together, to delight in the beauties of Provence, to reconnect with themselves and make new connections too. Five nights in a private estate, owned by a woman, who took great care of us and fed us with her creative cuisine inspired by the Provençal art de vivre (simple yet delicious).
I needed some time to fully process this whole experience. Looking back, I feel a sense of pride for taking an idea inside my mind and making it happen in real life. (Is that something you struggle with too? Having so many ideas but never giving them all the attention they deserve?) I’m also proud to have acted on it pretty swiftly. It was only last November that I made the decision to finally give a chance to this idea of taking women to my beloved Provence. Over the Thanksgiving break, I contacted Eve, the owner of Domaine La Parpaille and told her about my project and vision. She was on board right away. Two months later, I hit “publish” on a landing page that would explain the spirit of the retreat, and sent it to my community to gauge interest. And interest there was! By March, I had selected my six participants.
“Will they actually show up?” was a recurring thought from March through May, but I kept going and planning every detail of the experience. And I’m so glad I did! In the end, they did all show up, and the energy in the group was beyond what I had hoped for. I learned so much from them, their stories, their ways of seeing life… And I’m so grateful for their trust in me to show them Provence the way I’ve experienced it growing up there.
Okay, enough talking, below are a few of my favorite moments of the retreat. Because like they say, a good photo is worth a thousand words…
from left to right, top to bottom:
Collaborating on making a healthy bowl during our culinary workshop
Touring a winery and its vineyards in Luberon
Getting a special tour of the grounds of a Michelin-star restaurant, plus a special moment with the Chef herself! Merci Nadia Sammut.
Hosting a floral arrangement workshop with my talented best friend, Ingrid. A long-time dream come true!
Taking a stroll in the weekly marché of Saint Rémy, and improvising a gourmet picnic with our market finds
Experiencing the slow life of Provence at the estate and simply thinking “La vie est belle !”
If you long for a curated experience in Provence, led by a native, this may be your sign to join us next year. I’m updating the itinerary and preparing a new one, and will announce the 2025 dates in the next few months. I cannot wait to share more with you soon. If you’re interested, make sure to join our retreat email list by signing up here.