7-day Couples Retreat on the French Camino de Santiago

The ReConnect Retreat – hosted by a physician with 15 years of experience hosting retreats

Slow down, relax, rest and recharge your batteries at this couples retreat in the heart of Gascony in the southwest of France

Do you ever feel like your life together has turned into one big, never-ending to-do list? That you need to hit pause, breathe deeply, and reconnect with each other—really reconnect? Picture yourself wandering through lush vineyards, sunflower fields, ancient woods, and flowering meadows…

Escape to walk, read and rest at a 200-year-old farmhouse where the living is still simple, slow and low-stress.

“Silence isn’t awkward here — it’s sacred.” – Dr Margaretha Montagu

Now, fast-forward to the end of this retreat. Investing in your relationship can make you feel:

• Physically: Vibrantly alive, bursting with energy, fully rested and refreshed, and practically glowing with enthusiasm.
• Mentally: Calmer, clearer, sharper, steadier. More balanced, authentically joyful, peacefully content, and confidently self-aware.
• Spiritually: Inspired, uplifted, reconnect to nature, grounded, purposeful and harmoniously aligned, whole.

Immerse yourself in nature while walking short sections of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela together, as it meanders through southwest France. It captivates over 200,000 people annually (yes, really). For many, it’s a life-changing journey—and it might just be for both of you too.

Imagine yourselves after the retreat: re-energised and refreshed, mentally clear and laser-sharp, with decisions crystallising effortlessly, emotionally steady even in challenging moments, spiritually inspired and grounded. You’re glowing with confidence, remarkably resilient when facing stress, warmly compassionate, and authentically whole in a way that radiates outward and touches not only each other, but everyone around you. This isn’t just a week away—it’s an investment in your relationship.

What’s in Store

This isn’t your average retreat. Nope, it’s a small group, exclusive farm stay with flair. Here’s what you can expect:

• Camino de Santiago Walks: On walking mornings, we’ll whisk you away to the starting point of your day’s adventure. Explore unspoiled paths, connect with the land, and soak up the rich history of Gascony. No heavy backpacks required.
• Healthy, Homemade Goodness: From farm to table, your meals are crafted with love and packed with local flavour.
• Writing Meditation: Learn how to deeply relax, quiet your mind, and channel that stress into something way more productive (like journaling that novel you’ve been daydreaming about).
• Master Mindfulness with a small herd of Friesian and Falabella horses – discover why mindfulness is such an effective anti-stress practice

Arrive Saturday afternoon in time for a hearty welcome dinner, spend a week resting, reading, talking, writing and walking, soaking up all the magical Camino atmosphere, and head home Friday late-morning, fully relaxed, recharged and renewed.

A Unique Couples Retreat hosted by Dr Margaretha Montagu

Working 60+ hour weeks? Drowning in deadlines and back-to-back meetings? Feeling like you’re running on empty with no end in sight? If your stress levels are through the roof and you’re questioning whether this relentless pace is sustainable, it’s time to step away before burnout becomes your breaking point.

My life’s work is helping people manage stress during major life changes. After two decades as a medical doctor and nearly a decade hosting stress management retreats, I understand the unique pressures you face—the impossible deadlines, the constant connectivity, the weight of responsibility, the fear of falling behind. I’ve worked with countless driven professionals who thought they had to choose between success and their physical or mental health.

The truth is: You don’t.

Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, running your own business, managing teams, or juggling multiple high-stakes projects, I’ll introduce you to the tools to thrive under pressure while protecting your sanity.

My medical background (MBChB, MRCGP) combined with specialised training in stress management, hypnotherapy, NLP, life coaching, and equine-assisted learning (MedHypDip, NLP Master Pract Cert, Prof Life Coach Cert, EAGALA Cert) creates a unique approach to stress reduction.

No matter how overwhelmed, stressed, confused, insecure, threatened, lost or downright terrified you feel right now, I can help you to feel calm, clear, and confident in your ability to handle whatever comes next and empowered, without sacrificing your physical or mental health.

A Warm Welcome in Sun-Soaked Gascony

Your home away from home is a lovingly restored, authentic Landaise farmhouse surrounded by vineyards and rolling countryside. You’ll be welcomed with open arms, sleep in cosy rooms, and experience a sense of calm that’s as addictive as the local desserts.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your walking shoes and bring an open mind. This is your moment to reconnect with nature, yourself, and a simpler, slower way of life.

A warm welcome awaits you at this 200-year-old authentic Landaise farmhouse tucked away among the Armagnac and Cotes de Gascogne vineyards in the sun-blessed southwest of France!

Ever wanted to tackle the legendary Camino de Santiago but aren’t quite ready to commit to the full pilgrim lifestyle of blisters and backpacks? Well, buckle up your hiking boots (lightly) because I’ve got just the thing for you – a taste of the Camino that won’t leave you crying for a foot massage.

You get to walk in the footsteps of 900 years’ worth of wanderers (though thankfully with better shoes than they had), all while based in a cosy French farmhouse that’s seen more history than your high school textbook. It’s like time-travelling, but with fairly modern plumbing and excellent food!

More testimonials (40+)

Here’s how your adventure unfolds:

Day 1: Rock up anytime after 4 PM for dinner at 7 PM. Pro tip: Don’t fill up on bread beforehand – you’ll want room for a three-course dinner!

Day 2: Ease into your pilgrim stride with a gentle 11km 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).

Day 3: Vineyard Walk – Explore the immediate surroundings of the farm: walk for miles, from one lush vineyard to another, from one farm to another, stop for a wine tasting and/or a picnic – or walk for 10 minutes, come back to the farmhouse, take another walk later…today you can walk as much or as little as you want – or spend the day reading under you favourite 200-year-old oak tree (choose from Merlin, Morgana, Melchior or Methusalé).

Day 4: Here’s where you earn your pilgrim stripes! Choose your adventure: either brave the full 28km or take the shorter 18km route from Nogaro to Aire-sur-Adour. Then hop on a bus back because, hey, we’re modern pilgrims! The day wraps up with dinner at a local spot where you can experience rural French “nightlife” (spoiler: it involves more eating than dancing). This feast isn’t included in the package – budget 15-30 euros for a meal that’ll make your taste buds sing hallelujah.

Day 5: Village Walk – Visit the closest enchanting medieval village where half-timbered walls whisper stories from 1400 years of unbroken history. Here, where Roman settlers first planted vines in sun-drenched soil, generations of winemakers have crafted their liquid poetry for centuries—and that ancient tradition continues today. You can meander through narrow stone passages, discovering hidden treasures at your own perfect pace, or simply surrender to the profound tranquillity back at the farm, where time seems to slow and your soul can finally exhale.

Day 6: Manciet to Nogaro – a breezy 10km that leads you to a town that’s been doing its thing since the 11th century. The Romanesque church here is so photogenic it practically begs for a spot on your Instagram. Another 2.5-4 hours of wandering this wonderland.

Day 7: Farewell Champagne Brunch, where you’ll savour the delicious local flavours one last time while sharing stories, laughter, and newfound connections with your retreat family. As you toast to your transformation over perfectly brewed coffee/tea, you’ll carry the warmth of these precious final moments—and the rested and refreshed new version of yourself—back into the world. The retreat ends at 12h00.

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Is this Couples Retreat the right retreat for you?

This retreat is perfect for couples who want to:

• Reconnect – Step away from daily routines and rediscover each other in a peaceful, natural setting.
• Strengthen their bond – Shared adventure builds trust, teamwork, and emotional closeness.
• Communicate with ease – Walking side by side encourages honest, open-hearted conversations without distractions.
• Grow together – Whether you’re navigating a life transition, recovering from burnout, or simply feeling disconnected, this retreat helps you realign as a couple.
• Find shared clarity and purpose – Reflect on what truly matters and how you want to shape your future—together.
• Reduce stress – Nature, mindful walking, and laughter melt away tension and bring back joy.
• Experience spiritual connection – Feel something greater than yourselves as you walk ancient paths where countless souls have sought meaning.
• Discover – Couples curious about the Camino but not ready to quit their job and walk across Spain for 6 weeks can test drive a section of the Camino before diving into the full Camino experience
• Create lasting memories – From quiet sunrises to evening reflections, every step becomes a story you’ll both treasure.
• Nurture body, mind, and heart – You’ll return home feeling recharged, centred, and more in sync—both individually and as a couple.

Think of it as Camino de Santiago: The Highlight Reel – all the soul-searching, mood-lifting, and breathtaking views, but with a comfy bed waiting for you each night. Plus, you get to sample the glorious local food, because let’s face it – that’s half the reason we travel to France anyway!

Why this ReConnect Couples Retreat is One-of-a-Kind

This isn’t just a walk—it’s a chance to slow down, reconnect with each other, and experience something truly unforgettable.

What sets this retreat apart? You get to walk the legendary Camino de Santiago without the usual hassles. Forget fretting about where you’ll sleep, what you’ll eat, or whether your backpack will win the battle of “Whose is heavier?” Here, all the nitty-gritty details are taken care of so you can focus on your relationship.

Spend your days walking ancient paths together and your evenings unwinding in a cosy, 200-year-old farmhouse steeped in history. Nestled among lush meadows and timeless woods, this is the kind of place that doesn’t just let you reconnect with each other—it practically insists on it. And while you’re at it, you’ll reconnect with something even more important: your authentic self.

The reconnect retreat is not just a getaway—it’s an extraordinary experience.

So, whether you’re only here to reconnect with your partner, or also because of the history, the scenery, or the food (or all the above), this retreat offers a taste of the Camino that’ll leave you wanting more.

ReConnect Retreat Dates for 2025 and 2026

• November 15 – 21, 2025
• December 6 – 12, 2025
• March 14 – 20, 2026
• April 4 – 10, 2026
• May 2 – 8, 2026
• June 6 – 12, 2026
• July 4 – 10, 2026
• September 5 – 11, 2026
• October 3 – 9, 2026

If you cannot make these dates, please email me at welcome2gascony@gmail.com. The retreat starts at 16h on Saturdays and ends at 12h on Fridays.

Where is this little farm and 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’s much cheaper now than it was pre-COVID. It is highway nearly all the way here, and the road signs are clear, even if you don’t speak a single word of French.

If you prefer to use public transport, the best option is to fly to Toulouse, take the train to Auch, and visit the impressive cathedral with its exceptional hand-carved choir. When you have had a scrumptious lunch at one of the sidewalk bistros on the square in front of the cathedral, you take the bus to Nogaro, where you’ll be picked up and transferred to the retreat.

The most entertaining and cheapest way to get here is by getting a lift from the carpooling website, BlaBlaCar(dot)fr, which is available in English. Direct transfers by taxi are available either from the airport or from the train stations, but are expensive and need to be booked well in advance.

How much is a ReConnect Retreat?

At the end of this retreat, you’ll feel intensely alive, profoundly rested, serenely contented, positively radiant, and irrepressibly energetic. The new you grabs every second of every minute of every hour of the day and squeezes every last ounce of meaning out of it.

Prepare to be a different couple by the time you have to tear yourself away from this profoundly restful and peaceful haven to return home.

The Rediscover Your Natural Rhythm Retreat is a life-changing 7-day 6-night retreat that costs 3799€ for a double bedroom. To ensure participants get the attention they need, no more than four participants attend each retreat. Payment Plans are available. Please read the Terms and Conditions before booking. The deposit is non-refundable and full payment is due 30 days before the retreat starts.

Think of asking your employer to pay for this transformational 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 will 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? There are a limited number of these couples retreats per year and only 4 guests max per retreat. Contact me at welcome2gascony@gmail.com to inquire about availability and to pay a 450€ deposit to secure your room.

Imagine how different your life will be in a year’s time if you decide to change your life by attending this retreat.

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©MMontagu Description frequently adjusted.