A Mindful Retreat in the French Countryside

Once you arrive in Toulouse, make your own way by taxi to Le Grand Balcon, our stylish 5* boutique hotel overlooking the city’s iconic Place du Capitole. 

After checking into your Superior Double Room, you’ll have time to settle in and enjoy welcome drinks at the hotel before heading out for our first taste of Toulouse.

It's a short 15-minute walk to Le Colombier, a Toulouse eatery serving cassoulet since 1873. Settle in for a delicious introduction to the hearty cuisine of southwest France, with the restaurant’s traditional casserole dish as the star of the evening. 

Let's spend the morning getting to know Toulouse, beginning with a private guided tour focused on the city during the Age of Enlightenment. As we wander through the historic center, we’ll uncover the stories, architecture, and personalities that shaped Toulouse during this fascinating period, while taking in the warm brick facades that have earned the city its nickname, La Ville Rose. 

After our tour, the afternoon is ours to enjoy at your own pace. We’ll have time for lunch wherever catches our eye, followed by an opportunity to browse Toulouse’s boutiques, galleries, and charming shops for a few special finds.

Come evening, we’ll turn our attention to Toulouse’s delicious side with a three-hour food tour. We’ll make our way through the city tasting local specialties and discovering the culinary traditions of southwest France, with plenty of stories and local flavor along the way. It’s a wonderfully relaxed way to experience the city and an especially tasty way to end our day.

Welcome to France! Once you touch down at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS), we'll meet as a group for a single transfer to our countryside château. Please plan to land no later than 11 am for our 1 pm group transfer to your Chateau for the week. 

After about an hour, we'll arrive at Château de Borie, just outside of the medieval village of Agen. Originally built in 1774 as a wine estate, the château has been lovingly transformed by its owner, Abigail Carter, who began renovating the property in 2022. October is a wonderful time to be here, with the vineyards in harvest,  and the gorgeous autumn light across the peaceful countryside,

After settling into our rooms, we’ll sip our welcome drinks and nibbles before touring the château and enjoy a special reading from Abigail. We’ll then gather with Caren and Krista our coaches for the week for an opening circle, and time to set our intentions for the days ahead.

We’ll toast to the week with pre-dinner bubbly before gathering around the table for our first dinner at the château. Prepared by private chef James, it will be a delicious, relaxed start to our retreat.

We’ll begin with breakfast at the château before settling into our first workshops with Caren and Krista. Through mindfulness, meditation, and positive psychology, we’ll explore how greater awareness can deepen our well-being, build resilience, and help us become more intentional co-creators of our lives. We’ll pause for tea and coffee between sessions before enjoying lunch together at the château.

The afternoon is ours to slow down and reflect, with private one-on-one coaching sessions alongside time for reading, journaling, or simply enjoying the peaceful grounds. Each of us will have one private session with both coaches during the retreat.

Later, we’ll venture out on a walking tour of nearby Agen, stopping to admire the 14th-century stone structures like the Maison du Sénéchal, and 15th-century half-timbered houses on streets like Rue Beauville. Dinner will be in town at the cozy Maison K, where we can sip crisp local wines and indulge in beautifully prepared French cuisine.

The day comes to a gentle end with a bedtime yin yoga session. With long, supported poses and plenty of time to breathe and release tension, this restorative practice will help us quiet the mind, relax the body, and ease gracefully into a restful night.

We’ll set off after breakfast for the charming town of Lectoure, tucked into the rolling countryside of the Gers. We’ll kick things off with a lively indigo-dyeing demonstration at Bleu de Lectoure, and then have time to shop before we sit down for lunch.

We've made a reservation at Au Bouillon de Midi for our midday meal, a well-loved local lunch counter serving an array of delicious regional cuisine. 

Take the afternoon to roam Lectoure’s eclectic antique shops, hunting for vintage treasures and little trinkets to bring home. 

Back at the château, we’ll slow the pace with private one-on-one coaching sessions, plus time to read, journal, or simply enjoy some quiet time in the French countryside.

Come evening, we’ll gather around the table for a private wine and food tasting with a local sommelier. Regional wines, French cheeses, charcuterie, and fresh crudités will set the stage for an easygoing evening of discovery, laughter, and plenty of good conversation.

We’ll ease into the morning with a little extra sleep before breakfast, then gather with Krista for a fascinating workshop exploring the symbols that appear in our dreams. Together, we’ll look at our dreams from different perspectives, discovering how shared insight can reveal new meanings and perhaps even illuminate a new path forward.

Next, we’ll step outside with Abigail, the Chateau's owner, for a peaceful nature walk through the rustic countryside that surrounds the château. We’ll return for a relaxed lunch together, dining alfresco if the October weather is on our side.

In the afternoon, Caren will lead us through a spirited workshop on finding joy in a world that rarely slows down. We’ll explore how to intentionally notice and cultivate the small moments of goodness that are easy to overlook, leaving us with a fresh perspective and a few new ways to invite more joy into everyday life.

The rest of the afternoon is completely yours. We’ll have time to rest, read, journal, wander the grounds, or simply enjoy the luxury of having nowhere else to be. An optional yin yoga practice is available to those who want to join a guided activity. 

We'll round out the day with a short drive over to Agen, where we have a reservation at L’assiette du Liban, a delicious Lebanese restaurant in a chic, wood-paneled eatery. 

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll ease into a morning focused on the relationships that enrich our lives. Caren will guide us through mindful communication, active listening, and celebrating the people we love, while also turning that same kindness inward and exploring how self-compassion can help us navigate stress and create lasting change.

After pausing for lunch at the chateau, Krista will invite us to look at our reality anew. Things don’t just happen; you are the co-creator of your life. Your thoughts and actions already have an impact, even if you’re not yet aware of it. By becoming conscious of this participatory dynamic, allows you to move from reacting to circumstances to engaging with them more intentionally. Through this process, you gain the opportunity to shape both your individual life and your interactions with the wider world.

The afternoon is reserved for a little more personal attention, with private one-on-one coaching sessions alongside time to read, journal, reflect, and unwind. 

As evening settles over the château, we’ll come together for another exquisite meal in the warm, intimate setting we’ve come to cherish throughout this retreat.

This morning, we’ll head out for a guided visit to Penne d’Agenais, one of France’s officially designated Plus Beaux Villages. Perched above the Lot Valley, this wonderfully picturesque village is filled with winding lanes, historic architecture, and beautiful views. It's, without a doubt, a fitting setting for one of our final outings together.

A hearty lunch at Le Bombe Cul awaits before we return to the château in the afternoon. We’ll then have our final private coaching sessions, with time afterward to read, journal, and reflect as we near the end of this incredible experience. Tea and snacks will keep us cozy as we transition into the evening.

As our retreat draws to a close, we’ll gather with both facilitators for a sacred closing session. It will be a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the week, honor what we’ve discovered, and consider how we’ll carry its lessons and intentions home.

Then it’s time to celebrate! We’ll raise a glass of bubbly and gather around the table for a grand finale dinner prepared by Chef James, toasting to new friendships, fresh perspectives, and a truly special week in the French countryside.

All good things must eventually come to an end, and this beautiful retreat is no exception. Savor one last breakfast in our quaint chateau before packing up and heading to the airport for onward travel. We'll arrange two group transfers to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport depending on the groups' flight times.

We hope you've enjoyed this week as much as we have, and that you're leaving with new friendships and an appreciation for the gift of mindfulness.  

Until we meet again, au revoir!