Finding Peace in the Present Moment ReAlignment Retreat

Feeling Overwhelmed and Exhausted? Lost your way?

A purposeful, private pause to realign who you are with where you are heading

hosted by Dr Margaretha Montagu and her small herd of Friesian and Falabella horses

on the Camino de Santiago in the sun-blessed southwest of France

Summary

This 3-day, 2-night, bespoke, one-on-one retreat is your permission slip to press pause, recalibrate your inner compass, rediscover what matters most to you, and return home with a clearer sense of direction and renewed confidence about the road ahead.

Hosted in a 200-year-old authentic French farmhouse, on the Camino de Santiago in south-west France, it offers a modern-day sanctuary to anyone who has lost their way — maybe because of a crisis, maybe simply because life got too busy. This retreat draws on the clarity that comes from walking the Camino de Santiago, the wisdom of spending time with a small herd of Friesian and Falabella horses, and the grounding power of guided storytelling and storywriting— all intentionally woven together to help you realign your life with who you are now. It will help you reconnect with the inner strength, clarity and conviction you need to move forward in a way that feels right — without regrets.

Perhaps you’re struggling through a major life change. Perhaps life hasn’t gone dramatically wrong at all—it has simply become so relentlessly full that somewhere along the way you stopped checking whether the life you were building was still the one you wanted.

Either way, you don’t need fixing. You simply deserve the opportunity to pause long enough to notice where you are going.

There are practical, grounded ways to find your footing again, even when the path ahead looks decidedly foggy, and the map you’ve been using no longer matches the terrain. Deep down, you already know more than you’re giving yourself credit for — about what actually matters to you, as opposed to what you were told should matter. Often, purpose isn’t a lightning-bolt calling; it’s about noticing what keeps quietly tugging at you, and taking the next visible step without needing the whole road mapped out.

Sometimes what’s needed most is simply a quiet place where nothing is required of you — where you can rest, reflect, and let clarity surface on its own schedule, not yours.

Feeling uncertain doesn’t mean you’ve failed in some way. It doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance or somehow fallen behind everyone else. It can be disorienting, occasionally maddening, and inconveniently persistent — but it is temporary. Beneath the mental clutter, the endless responsibilities, and the opinions of well-meaning friends and family, your own wisdom has been patiently waiting for you to notice it.

Slowly, in your own time, you’ll find your footing again, quite possibly with a much clearer sense of which direction actually feels like yours, rather than one you inherited, drifted into, or were simply too busy to question.

The person you have always been is still here: intelligent, resilient, curious, compassionate and wonderfully capable of creating a life that feels more like your own than ever before. Your experience, your strengths, your values and yes, even the detours you’ve taken, have all been preparing you for whatever comes next.

Have you always been fascinated by horses? Do you long to connect with them on a deeper level but have always been intimidated by their size?

Escape to the sun-drenched southwest of France for three days that will forever change how you cope with stress. Here, a small herd of Friesian and Falabella horses (think majestic black beauties and adorable miniatures) isn’t just waiting to meet you—they’re waiting to help you discover effective strategies to dramatically reduce your stress levels and create the long, happy and healthy life you are meant to live. 

You will spend the whole retreat in the presence of these patient, caring, and generous animals, allowing you to benefit abundantly from the horses’ intuitive and authentic wisdom. You will be able to breathe with them, touch them, talk with them, walk with them and share your most secret thoughts with them.

My purebred Friesian horses make these retreats UNIQUE. Friesians and Falabellas are generous, patient, warmhearted and affectionate breeds, par excellence. Especially the mares, who are often powerful, intuitive healers.” Dr Margaretha Montagu

All activities happen with everyone’s feet firmly on the ground – there is NO HORSE RIDING during these retreats.

If you’re feeling the quiet nudge that now might be the time to pause, reflect and rediscover yourself, I’d love to welcome you to my little corner of France.

This ReAlignment Retreat is for you if:

• Your idea of self-care has evolved beyond green juice and bath bombs. You need something with more… substance. Something that actually meets you where you are.
• You’ve achieved most of what you set out to achieve, and you’re baffled by how unsatisfied you feel. People keep telling you that you “have it all,” which is a strange thing to hear while privately wondering what “it” is supposed to be.
• You’re tired of advice. Tired of being told to “follow your passion” or “manifest your purpose” by people selling a course. You’d rather have a root canal treatment than sit through another well-meaning conversation that misses the point entirely.
• You’re allergic to vision boards, five-year plans, motivational platitudes and dramatic reinventions. You want somewhere safe to actually hear yourself think — to walk, to breathe, to let your thoughts untangle at their own pace, not just a new morning routine.
• You’re standing in that liminal space between chapters — the old ambitions no longer fit, the new ones haven’t introduced themselves yet. It’s uncomfortable and also, quietly, full of possibility.
• You need clarity that cuts through the fog, resilience that actually lasts, and the inner compass to make your next move feel right — not just look right.
• You want a place where you can drop the performance, stop explaining yourself, and simply be yourself while you figure out what comes next. No judgment, no jargon, just time to think and begin orienting yourself toward the life that’s waiting beyond this bend in the road.

Why Do You Need A Retreat Hosted by Dr Margaretha Montagu?

Meet Dr. Margaretha Montagu, the woman who turned stress management and burnout recovery into an art form:

“After two decades as a medical doctor, working in psychiatry and general practice, and nearly as many hosting retreats, I’ve mastered the art of helping you remember you’ll get through this. My credentials read like alphabet soup (MBChB, MRCGP, MedHypDip, NLP Master Pract Cert, Prof Life Coach Cert, EAGALA Cert), but what really matters is this: I get it.

I’ve worked with enough people to suspect you might be reading this late at night, when the house is finally quiet and you’ve told everyone you’re “fine,” handled what needed handling, and only now allowed yourself to notice how tired you actually are. You may be convinced you don’t have time for something like a retreat — while privately suspecting you need one more than you care to admit.

You know what? And you definitely don’t have to accept “constantly overwhelmed” or “tragically lost” as your permanent state of being.

I’m all too familiar with the “no idea what I’m doing, but the calendar is full” situation — the 2 a.m. replays of decisions made a decade ago, the way “what do you actually want?” can make an accomplished, capable person go entirely blank, and the way choosing a paint colour can suddenly feel like a referendum on your entire identity. I know how much quiet effort it takes to keep acting “I’ve got this” while privately suspecting you have no idea what “this” is anymore.I know how much quiet stamina it takes to keep everything functioning while secretly wondering who signed off on these particular life choices. It’s a lot to cope with — even if, from the outside, you make it look deceptively easy.

You don’t have to hit rock bottom to justify wanting clarity. You don’t have to have a breakdown to earn a breakthrough. And you certainly don’t have to keep white-knuckling your way through a life that technically works but doesn’t feel like yours.

Whatever stage of “lost” you’re in — vaguely restless, quietly resentful, or fully questioning the last decade of choices — there is a way to find your bearings that doesn’t require blowing up your life to prove you’re serious. I’ll show you how to get quiet enough to hear what you actually want next, and clear-headed enough to trust it.

Been there, done that.

No matter how overwhelmed, confused, insecure, restless or lost you feel right now, this retreat can help you get realigned with who you actually are, and genuinely curious about what comes next.”

The Foundation Blocks of this Solo Retreat

Feeling uncertain is a signal, not a sentence — though it may not feel that way when the life you built no longer quite fits, and you can’t work out whether to renovate it or leave.

This private, one-on-one retreat is designed as a peaceful waypoint along the way — a place to pause, rest, and regain your bearings before taking the next steps forward. No fixing, no forced optimism, just thoughtful guidance, quiet support, and the tools needed to continue your journey with more clarity, steadiness, and self-trust.

The Foundation blocks of this retreat are:

• Reflection while walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela:  On the Camino, you’re gifted long, uninterrupted stretches of time to simply walk and be—an especially powerful experience in the midst of uncertainty. Mile after mile, the steady rhythm of your steps creates space for introspection—gently acknowledging what you feel, without judgment, and gradually returning to yourself. Surrounded by open skies, quiet trails, and the changing countryside, you can process the practical and emotional realities of separation at your own pace, away from the questions, opinions, and constant demands of everyday life. This time alone isn’t about replaying the past; it’s about making room for honest self-assessment, reclaiming your sense of self, and letting new possibilities take shape—one grounded step at a time.
• Equine-assisted Experiential Learning and Equine-Guided Meditation: You’ll also meet my horses, a small herd of Friesians and Falabellas, who have strong opinions and absolutely zero interest in polite small talk. In this session, we don’t just talk about feeling stuck; we explore it in real time through gentle, ground-based interactions with the horses (no riding, and no surprise pop quizzes). Because horses respond to what’s happening in the present moment, they’re excellent at reflecting patterns like people-pleasing, over-explaining, shutting down, bracing for rejection, or holding it all together—usually with more honesty than your friends, and without needing to “get it right.” This session is a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space to admit what you actually want. With the horses’ clear feedback and my guidance, you’ll practice recognising your own instincts again, distinguishing what’s genuinely yours from what you’ve simply absorbed, and rebuilding the kind of self-trust that doesn’t evaporate the moment someone raises an eyebrow at your choices.
• Guided Storytelling (in the presence of the horses) and Storywriting: With 7 books under my belt, personalised storytelling and storywriting sessions tailored to where you are at the moment — the surface-level problem you arrived with, and the quieter question underneath it — have to be an integral part of this retreat. Together, we’ll turn the noise in your head into something clearer: what you’ve outgrown, what you’re still curious about, and what “meaningful” would actually look like for the person you are now, not the one you were ten years ago. With guided prompts, flexible structure, and a few moments of lightness, you’ll have time to get it all out of your head — without needing to arrive at a mission statement by dinnertime. We’ll use narrative tools like reframing, perspective shifts, and rewriting the next chapter to help you spot the story you’ve been telling yourself about who you’re “supposed” to be, and start drafting a truer one.

No need to be any good at writing, I use the concept of Julia Cameron’s morning pages, which everyone can do.

You haven’t lost your sense of direction — it’s just buried under other people’s expectations, a packed calendar, and the accumulated weight of decisions made on autopilot. This retreat gives you the time, expert guidance, and nurturing environment to clear the path back to yourself — think less “quit your job and move to Bali” and more “let’s find out what you actually want, so your next move is a choice instead of a reaction.”

So let’s get you back on course, fully charged, unmistakably you, and quietly excited about what’s possible next.

What My Retreat Graduates Are Saying (And Why They Keep Coming Back)

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More testimonials (40+)

Here’s how your hiking adventure unfolds:

Day 1: Arrival and check-in at 2 PM. Equine-assisted Experiential Learning followed by Equine-guided meditation at 3:30 PM Dinner at 6 PM. Your New Story Writing session (choose from a variety of prompts) at 7 PM.

Day 2: Meraki Morning Routine (self-guided) at 9 AM. Brunch laid out on your own patio at 10 AM. 11 AM Transport to the Camino: Ease into your stride with a gentle 11km (7miles) stroll from Eauze to Manciet. It’s a bit like a walk in the park, if that park stretched for 11km and was steeped in centuries of history. Time: 2.5-4 hours (depending on how many photos you stop to take – and trust me, you’ll want to take plenty). 3 PM. Pick up in Manciet. 4-6 PM Storytelling in the presence of the horses, under your favourite 200-year-old oak tree (choose from Merlin, Morgana, Melchior or Methusalé). 6 PM Dinner. 7 PM Your New Story Writing to personalised prompts. Yoga Nidra under the stars (no light pollution)

Day 3: Meraki Morning Routine (self-guided) at 9 AM. 10 AM Short walk through the surrounding vineyards. Brunch laid out on your own patio at 11 AM. The retreat ends at 12h00.

None of the activities is mandatory. If you prefer to skip an activity and just relax, read or write, you are more than welcome. The program is not set in stone and may be altered according to circumstances, e.g. inclement weather.

Why This Retreat is One-of-a-Kind

• It is hosted by a fully qualified medical doctor with more than 20 years of experience, plus nearly 20 years of experience hosting retreats.
• The setting is exceptional: a 200-year-old, authentic Landaise farmhouse that has seen more history than your average museum and accumulated more charm than should be legally allowed. Nestled among Armagnac and Côtes de Gascogne vineyards, in the southwest of France, surrounded by woods, meadows, sunflower fields and of course, the horses’ paddocks, it’s the kind of place that doesn’t just let you reconnect with nature—it practically insists on it.
• The opportunity to walk a section of the legendary and potentially life-changing Camino de Santiago de Compostela: the rolling countryside that you walk through doesn’t just look like a painting—it actually makes you feel like you’re living inside one. Fair warning: you may find yourself using words like “bucolic” and “pastoral” in casual conversation after this.
• Equine-assisted experiential learning and equine-guided meditation make a unique contribution to this retreat because horses respond to what’s real in the moment—no judgment, no pep talks, and no patience for “I’m fine” when you’re not. In simple, ground-based exercises (no horse riding during the retreat), you’ll see your less-desirable habits show up in real time—people-pleasing, shutting down, procrastination—and you’ll practice new skills right there: respecting your own values, setting clear boundaries, and communicating with steady confidence.
• The storytelling and storywriting component doesn’t just help you recover—it helps you re-author and redirect your life. With personalised prompts, spot the inherited scripts you’re ready to retire and find clearer language for the direction you actually want (absolutely NO writing skills required).

This retreat is not just a getaway—it offers an experience so unique and unforgettable that it’ll have you planning your return before you’ve even left.

Divorce Retreat Dates for 2026

As these retreats are solo retreats, they are available year-round on demand, although I do also host a variety of other retreats, so your chosen dates might not be available. Please contact me at MargarethaMontagu@gmail.com if you have any questions and to check availability.

How do you get here?

Maison Meraki is a 2-hour drive south-east of Bordeaux, and 2 hours south-west of Toulouse, between two small towns: Eauze and Nogaro.

The easiest and most effortless way to get here is to rent a car at Bordeaux, Toulouse, Biarritz, Pau or Lourdes airport. It is a highway nearly all the way here, a breathtakingly beautiful drive with the Pyrenées mountains as background and the road signs are clear, even if you don’t speak a single word of French.

The retreat is short but intense; most of my guests choose to spend a day in Bordeaux or Toulouse on their way here so that they arrive well rested, and then again a day or two in Bordeaux or Toulouse while they process what they have experienced during the retreat.

Direct transfers by taxi are available from the airports or from the train stations (Mont de Marsan for Bordeaux and Auch for Toulouse) but need to be booked well in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Accommodation

Location

Cancellation

Investment

This retreat is designed so that by the end of it, you’ll feel intensely alive, serenely content, positively radiant, and irrepressibly energetic.

Investment in a Steadier, Stronger You: €1,599

includes all activities, transport to and from the Camino, accommodation in a private bedroom and bathroom, access through double French doors to a private patio, shaded by 200-year-old oak trees, a view of the horses’ paddock (they are excellent company), 2 scrumptious brunches and 2 generous Gascon dinners, coffee, tea and biscuits at any time during the day(or night.)

To reserve your place, a €450 deposit is payable at booking.
Flexible payment plans are available, with full payment due 30 days before the retreat begins.

Before booking, please take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions
By reserving your spot, you confirm that you’ve read, understood, and accepted them—including the Cancellation Policy.

Think of asking your employer to pay for this as a stress management retreat; you can motivate your application by mentioning that, according to Forbes, approximately 70% of people experienced burnout in the last year. Work-related consequences include job dissatisfaction, decreased productivity, poor performance, professional mistakes, absenteeism, quiet quitting and resignations, resulting in a high turnover rate. Although conditions at work may also need improvement, a retreat focused on stress management, led by a medical doctor, can contribute significantly to preventing burnout in employees.

Are you ready for an unforgettable retreat that can leave you feeling vibrantly alive, full of joie de vivre, deliciously indulged and profoundly relaxed from the top of your head to the tips of your toes? Contact me at MargarethaMontagu@gmail.com to inquire about availability and to pay a 450€ deposit to secure your spot.

If you have questions or feel unsure, you’re very welcome to reach out before booking, just send a quick e-mail to MargarethaMontagu@gmail.com. This experience is meant to feel supportive from the very first step.