Magic France
A retreat for women who want to reconnect with their magic and live a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
June 20-28, 2024
2 spots left
~ Explore the City of Time (la Ville du Temps)
~ Discover ancient stories
~ Experience deep nourishment
~ Find magic every day
Personal Exploration
Ancient stories
Nourishment
Beauty
Slow Living,
Deep Being
Includes:
- Eight nights in the historic heart of the city (we have a few apartments, all in 18th-century buildings )
- Single or double occupancy rooms
- Fully equipped kitchen with snacks and breakfast items
- Visits to museums and historical sites
- Half a day SPA experience (access to hammam, gentle body scrub, Moroccan clay wrap, mini massage with argan oil)
- A river cruise around the city
- Seven lunches
- Seven dinners
- Somatic awareness movement classes
- Creative writing and spiritual women's circles
- Leisure time to rest and walk around
- Transportation from the train station in Besançon to your apartment
Does not include:
- Transportation to Besançon, France. You can fly to Lyon, Paris, or Strasbourg and then take the train to Besançon. We will give you the best itinerary suggestions for your trip. We recommend arriving one day before the retreat to ease jet lag; we can provide tips and information.
- One dinner (free afternoon and evening to allow you to discover on your own)
- Wine and special drinks
An unforgettable, magical retreat
FULL $3080 double occupancy (share a room: one bedroom with two single beds and one bathroom)
$3380 semi-double occupancy (share an apartment: one apartment with two bedrooms and one bathroom)
$3680 single occupancy (all by yourself: you have your own studio apartment)
Payment options are available: pay in full, in two, or three installments
- 9 participants maximum -
Once your form is processed, you will receive the link to initiate your payment.
Besançon is a historic city of 117,000 people nestled between the Jura mountains and the beginning of the Alps, in the Eastern part of France. Before the Roman invasion in 58 BCE, it was inhabited by a Celtic tribe of the Gauls named the Sequanes since the Bronze Age (2300–700 BCE).
Its rich history is infused in every street, park, and monument.
Its beautiful 17th-century fortifications and 16th-century palaces and buildings have placed it on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Considered the first green city in France, it is surrounded by the horseshoe-shaped river le Doubs on three sides and by a high hill (on which the Citadel was built) on the fourth side. In 2022, Besançon was elected the most pleasant city in France.
Schedule
This sample schedule is susceptible to review and change.
- We will walk everywhere, every day. Everything is within a mile or a mile and a half distance.
-Fête de la Musique: a national Summer Solstice celebration on June 21st where all styles of live music happen in the streets; it is a very friendly evening with people singing and dancing everywhere.
- Studio time: somatic awareness, creative writing/journaling, sharing circles.
- Breakfast is on your own. Your apartment will have breakfast items of your choice, and you can also go to a nearby bakery for fresh croissants and coffee.
- Lunches are planned in restaurants except the one at the Citadel where we will have a picnic in the fortress's gardens.
- Mineral and sparkling water included, all other drinks at your discretion.
Highlights:
Studio Time & Activities
We will have a private wellness studio for our creative writing, somatic awareness practice and sharing circles. We will reflect on different themes, pull cards, do rituals, and dive into personal explorations.
The studio is a 20-minute walk from our apartments. It is spacious enough so we can each have our own space for writing and journaling.
Mats and cushions are provided.
Meals & Food
We will eat in many different restaurants where everything is fresh, local and homemade. We will take the time to savor our food and be together the French way.
Wine and speciality beverages will be at your discretion, and meals usually have a vegetarian option.
We can not accommodate a gluten-free or vegan diet.
Walking
We will walk every day and the weather in June is beautiful - expect 65 to 75°F.
Our activities are within a mile or a mile and a half distance. In case of heavy rain, we will use public transportation.
The walk to the Citadel includes a steep hill and many steps.
While this is not a hiking or trekking trip, walking is part of everyday life in France.
SPA Experience
We will spend half a day at a traditional Moroccan Hammam SPA.
Your pampering experience includes access to the sauna (hammam), shower, a body scrub with a loofah, a Moroccan clay (Rhassoul) wrap, and a 15-minute massage with argan oil.
Towels will be provided.
Where you'll stay
All our apartments will provide you with beauty, quiet and privacy when you are not participating in group activities. This is really the heart of this retreat: offering you a balanced and unique experience between time for yourself and time with the group.
We have a few apartments just for our group. All are in buildings dating from the Renaissance to the 18th century; many have a private interior courtyard, and bath towels and linens are provided.
If you book double occupancy, you will stay in a stunning 4-star apartment and share a room with someone else (one bedroom with two single beds and a bathroom)*.
If you book semi-single occupancy, you will be in an apartment with someone else, have your own bedroom, and share the bathroom, kitchen and living room*.
If you book single occupancy, you will have your own apartment with one bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen.
All kitchens are equipped for cooking and will be stocked with coffee, tea, snacks, fresh fruits and breakfast items of your choice (you can also buy fresh croissants every morning, there are bakeries everywhere!).
This historical neighborhood is very quiet and safe, only minutes away from the Cathédrale St Jean, the Citadel, Roman columns, and restaurants and shops in the center of the city.
* If you book double or semi-double occupancy with someone you know, let us know their name so we can ensure you are roomed together.
Once your form is processed (one to two days), you will receive a link to initiate your payment.
Transportation
Besançon is in the Eastern part of France, between Burgundy and Switzerland.
You can fly to Paris or Lyon and then take a train to Besançon. If you fly to Paris, you'll have to go to Gare de Lyon (name of the train station) to catch a train for Besançon. If you fly to Lyon (the city), you will take a shuttle to the train station and then catch a train for Besançon.
Do not hesitate to reach out; Francine can help you book your train ticket and make your life easier by navigating French transportation websites for/with you.
On Thursday, June 20th, we will come pick you up at the Besançon train station and drive you to your apartment if needed.
The 2024 Olympic Games start in July in Paris and should not affect your travels and stay. That being said, the Olympic Flame will be in Besançon the week we are there, which is quite a unique bonus! June is not the tourist season, children and students are at school, and Summer break starts on July 6th. This timing allows us to have a very authentic experience and not be caught in waves of tourists and traffic. Also, flights are more affordable (we recommend checking Google Flights, Going, and Aer Lingus for better prices).
Your Guide
Hi,
I am Francine, and it is my absolute pleasure to make you discover my hometown, Besançon, in the Eastern part of France! Join a small group of women for a week full of wonder in a place of history and deep beauty.
We will have a balanced schedule with group activities (creative writing, somatic awareness, visits of local sites), rest, and independent time to explore.
I lived there until I moved to the US in 2006 and used to work in the tourism and hospitality industry, which allows me to craft unique experiences and offer you an unforgettable and authentic journey. I have led many women's retreats, workshops and circles for the past decade and strive to create spaces where everyone can be and express themselves authentically.
This retreat will be full of magic and mystery! I can't wait to walk these ancient streets with you.
With love,
Francine
Photo Cindy Fatsis
All pictures on this page are of actual places we will visit, stay at, and walk by.