4-Day Fast and Feast Private Weight Loss Retreat

100% Private, One-on-One, Medically-informed, Results-oriented, Weight Loss Retreat Hosted by a Medical Doctor

Do you dream of a world where your metabolism is as fast as your Wi-Fi connection?

Are you tired of constantly counting calories, weighing portions, feeling guilty, sluggish, weighed down, constantly fatigued and obsessing about that slice of cake you’ve been denying yourself? Well, put down your fork and pay close attention because this retreat is for you if you want to permanently lose the weight that has crept on, but don’t want to harm your body while you shed the kilos.

This is your opportunity to test-drive intermittent fasting, aka time-restricted eating, to find out if it suits you while walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. During this intensive 4-day retreat, hosted in the foothills of the mighty Pyrenées mountains in the sun-blessed south of France, all your questions will be answered by Dr Margaretha Montagu, a medical doctor who has been living this lifestyle herself for several years.

The Fast and Feast Weight Loss retreat is the perfect way to kick-start a weight loss program that will enable you to lose weight and keep it off permanently! So…

This Weight loss Retreat is For You If:

• You don’t want another “lose 5 kilos in 10 days” miracle. You want weight loss that actually sticks, without white-knuckling your way through life or rebounding the moment you look at bread.
• You’d love to feel comfortable in a bikini or swimsuit again—and by comfortable, we mean enjoying the beach instead of mentally adjusting your posture every 12 seconds.
• You’re ready for an eating lifestyle that works in real life. One that survives dinners out, celebrations, holidays, and the occasional croissant—without guilt, punishment, or dramatic Monday restarts.
• You’ve got something on the calendar—a reunion, milestone birthday, wedding, or “I’ll run into everyone I’ve ever known” event—and you want to show up feeling confident, grounded, and quietly radiant.
• You miss feeling light, energetic, and properly alive. You want movement to feel doable—even enjoyable—instead of something that requires a pep talk, a calendar reminder, and a bribe.
• You’re done with wildly unrealistic targets and complicated food rules. What you want now is a calm, sane relationship with food after years of diets that promised everything and delivered exhaustion.
• You’d quite like to wear those favourite clothes again—the ones currently hanging in your wardrobe like silent, well-tailored witnesses to another era.
• You want to understand your metabolism (not fight it), finally making sense of how your body actually processes food and burns fat—no myths, no nonsense.
• You’re tired of the yo-yo. The hope, the effort, the disappointment, repeat. You’re ready for evidence-based guidance from a medical doctor who understands bodies and real life.
• You want the confidence to make your own food choices—without apps, trackers, or external approval—and to trust yourself again around food.
• And yes, you’d love to look great in photos. Not filtered, not posed within an inch of your life—just genuinely pleased with how you show up in the world.

Are you ready for a weight loss retreat that will leave you feeling vibrantly alive, full of joie de vivre, and profoundly relaxed from the top of your head to the tips of your toes?

Your Hostess, a medical doctor, with 30 years of experience

Working as a medical doctor, and I often dreamed of the day I would finally be able to offer my patients going through life crises a safe haven to escape to where they can attend retreats to relax, rest, recharge their batteries, and reconnect with themselves, with others and with nature.

When I found a secluded 200-year-old French farmhouse on the edge of ancient wood, surrounded by vineyards, sunflower fields, orchards, and wildflower meadows, I knew it would be the perfect setting for my retreats, especially as the 800-year-old Camino de Santiago de Compostela pilgrims’ route is close by.

Although I may have an impressive number of letters after my name, and more than 30 years of professional experience, what qualifies me to excel at what I do is my intuitive understanding of my clients’ difficulties and my extensive personal experience surviving major life transitions.

Margaretha Montagu MBChB MRCGP MedHypDip NLP Master Cert Prof Life Coach Cert Counselling Cert EAGALA Cert.

Margaretha Montagu graduated from the University of Pretoria with a MBChB (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery). She studied post-gradually at the University of Leuven in Gyneacology, Vascular and Orthopaedic Surgery.

She was a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP). She worked in a variety of disciplines, including Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Oncology, and General Practice in various European and African countries until serious health problems led her to retire to the south of France, where she has been hosting retreats for more than 15 years.

• MedHypDip – Diploma in Medical Hypnotherapy
• NLP Master Cert – Neurolinguistic Programming Master Practitioner Certificate
• Professional Life Coach Cert, specialised as a Storytelling Coach
• Counselling Certificate and Mindfulness-Based Stress Management Training
• EAGALA Cert – Equine-Assisted Growth and Learning Certificate
• Published Author of 8 books

It is easy to START a diet. STAYING on a weight loss program is much more difficult.

It is easy to START an exercise program. Exercising regularly for the rest of your life is much more challenging.

The problem is, if you want to lose weight, you have to eat less and exercise more and if you want to keep that weight off permanently, you will have to stick to a weight management and regular exercise program.

At this retreat, you won’t be navigating this reset alone. With expert guidance and one-on-one personalised care, you’ll have everything you need to rebuild your health in a tranquil, distraction-free environment.

If you are ready to discover a way of eating that you can easily incorporate into your daily life, that will allow you to lose weight steadily and keep it off permanently, that will not be detrimental to your health but will leave you feeling healthy and full of energy, then the Fast and Feast Weight Loss Retreat is exactly what you have been looking for.

I want more than just weight loss for my guests. I want to empower and educate my guests to be able to keep the weight off permanently and develop a long-term exercise program that will improve their health, lower their stress levels and decrease their risk of developing various acute and chronic diseases. I know personal weight loss is a challenge that requires support and guidance and this is why this retreat provides mental, emotional, physical, and nutritional guidance and support.

I designed this retreat in 2019, a year after I started intermittent fasting myself. I am a medical doctor with many years of experience in helping people lose weight and maintain their weight loss. I chose to host these weight loss retreats in a part of the world where inhabitants live the longest, healthiest and fittest lives in Europe, despite eating substantial amounts of rich food and drinking copious amounts of wine. As well as being a medical hypnotherapist and a certified master NLP practitioner, I am also a certified equine-assisted experiential learning coach. I am convinced that mindful eating, combined with intermittent fasting, is the secret of losing weight and keeping it off permanently.

Travel to the retreat:

To get here, fly to Toulouse, take the train to Auch, and visit the glorious cathedral with its exceptional hand-carved choir – the Camino de Santiago goes through Auch and many walkers stop at this famous cathedral. 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. The bus station is right next to the train station.

The most effortless way to get here is to rent a car (90% of my guests prefer this option) or take a taxi and the most entertaining and cheapest way to get here is by getting a lift from the carpooling site, BlaBlaCar(dot)fr.

The retreats start on Day 1 at 14h00 and end on Day 4 at 12h00.  

A warm welcome awaits you at this 200-year-old, authentic Landaise farmhouse in the sun-blessed southwest of France!

Testimonials

I have experienced dietary issues for as long as I can remember and earlier this year I began to explore Intermittent Fasting as a solution to help me on my journey to better understanding my body. I chose this retreat as I hoped it would be a direct-to-source way of gaining more reliable knowledge about intermittent fasting; its benefits, and challenges, as well as tips and tricks on how to introduce it into my lifestyle in the smoothest way possible. I felt from Margaretha’s profile that she had the experience to effectively answer any questions I may have. Within 24 hours of meeting Margaretha I felt confident that the intermittent fasting lifestyle was the right solution for me. All of our conversations on the topic were open, informative and above all realistic, as we discussed how to make Intermittent Fasting work in line with a busy social life.

The Intermittent Fasting education aside, I really enjoyed so many other parts of this retreat; not least spending quality time with Margaretha over dinner where we shared life experiences and connected beyond our shared interest in Intermittent Fasting. I also grabbed with both hands the opportunity to walk parts of the Camino de Santiago – something I have been drawn to for some time – and I can safely say it did not disappoint. Overall I had a really enjoyable few days with Margaretha in her home in beautiful french countryside and I would recommend anyone who has been thinking about Intermittent Fasting to join this retreat for a few days of education, relaxation (the daily massages were dreamy) and also great company. J Butterfield (review posted on Bookretreats.com)

Thank you so much Margaretha for a very special 14 days. It was a joy to meet you, other guests, your friends, the horses and not forgetting the cats! I felt peaceful and relaxed and learnt so much after trying many diets over the years. Choosing to stay longer proved to be invaluable during my introduction to Intermittent fasting. It gave me time to readjust and the 16/8 plan suits me perfectly. Our in-depth discussions have helped me to accept realistic weight loss targets and eating healthier foods now should enable me to lose weight permanently.

I also had the opportunity to walk two stretches of the Camino de Santiago which was an experience not to be missed. Margaretha, your kind words of guidance helped it to be a very rewarding experience and I can’t thank you enough. Marilyn E. (review posted on Bookeretreats.com

Loads more testimonials

Program

We will keep to a 6/18h eating window.

Day 1: Arrive after 14h00 Welcome, orientation and dinner at 17h.

Day 2: On the first walking day, you’ll walk the Camino de Santiago de Compostela from EAUZE to MANCIET. This section is about 11 km long and takes about 2,5 – 4 hours to walk. The walk meanders through woods, vineyards, meadows, orchards and sunflower fields from the Roman and cathedral city of Eauze towards Manciet, a small market town with a beautifully preserved lavoir.

Day 3: On the second walking day, guests walk from MANCIET to NOGARO. The route continues past an ancient church that once belonged to the Order of the Knights of Malta and an 18th-century milestone with a Maltese cross to Nogaro or Nogarium, which means ‘a place planted with walnut trees.’ This small town was established in the 11th century and has a fine Romanesque church. The walk takes about 2,5-4 hours and is about  10km.

Day 4: Consolidation and leave after brunch, before 12h.

Distances are approximate. The program is not set in stone and may be altered according to circumstances ex. inclement weather.

Accommodation

Your Rustic Sanctuary in the Heart of Gascony

Effortlessly capturing the enchanting essence of Gascony, your single private bedroom, bathroom and patio is a perfect blend of rustic charm and actual comfort (because let’s face it, authenticity is great until you’re trying to sleep on a medieval mattress).

This is where timeless simplicity meets warm, thoughtful comfort. First, there’s the bed and not just any bed. We’re talking about the kind of comfort that makes you hit snooze three times just because you can. It’s dressed in crisp, fresh linens that smell like they’ve been dried in the Gascon sunshine (because they have). No scratchy sheets here we’re channelling simple comfort, farmhouse style.

Throw open your windows to a picture-perfect scene of ancient woods and lush meadows that change their colours with the seasons. In the morning, you might catch the mist rising mysteriously, and in the evening, watch the sun paint everything in shades of red and yellow. It’s the kind of view that makes you want to become a morning person (no promises, though).

For the practical souls among us: Yes, we provide towels (the fluffy kind), and there’s access to a hairdryer because even in rustic France, bad hair days are optional. Same goes for the ironing board and iron in the bathroom. Speaking of practicalities, your car will be living its best life too, with plenty of secure, shaded parking off the road. There is no need to worry about your vehicle getting towed away while you’re out exploring.

The room itself strikes that perfect balance between “Instagram-worthy French country charm” and “actually livable space.” It’s simple, perfect for curling up with a book, and the kind of authentic architectural details you can’t fake (believe me, people have tried). It also has free high-speed Wi-Fi access and tea and coffee-making facilities.

It’s worth mentioning that while this is a traditional French farmhouse, I’ve carefully preserved its historic charm while sneaking in those modern comforts that make life pleasant. The result? A space that feels like stepping into a storybook but with better amenities.

And yes, the house does sprawl your suite is part of this larger tapestry of corridors, nooks, and crannies, each with its own story to tell. It’s where you might get pleasantly lost on your way to a session (don’t worry, the smell of coffee will guide you).

In essence, this isn’t just a bedroom it’s your taste of the Gascony lifestyle, where simplicity meets comfort, and every view tells a story. Just don’t blame us if you find yourself browsing local real estate listings by the end of your stay!

Food

Esprit Meraki’s food is simple but delicious and a celebration of the wonderful variety of fresh local produce from the local weekly fresh food markets.

Your day starts with a nourishing fruit and yoghurt smoothie.

Dinner is served at 17h (within your eating window) and consists of a homemade soup (hot/cold depending on the season,) a healthy and hearty main course, and often heavily influenced by the cuisine of our Spanish neighbours. Only water is served at the table.

Black tea and coffee are available throughout the day. 

The last evening, we have dinner at a local restaurant to help regenerate the local economy post-COVID and to practice incorporating intermittent fasting into your everyday life. The cost of these meals is not included – usually 15-30 euros, depending on your choices.

What’s Included In this Weight Loss Retreat Package

• 3 nights’ accommodation in an authentic half-timbered landaise farmhouse
• Scrumptious smoothies and delicious dinners (except dinner on the last evening) during a 6:18 window.
• One-on-one Intermittent Fasting Instruction – get all you questions answered
• Attendance of my weekly Intermittent Fasting group, the Slimming Daisies (assuming the group meets that week)
• Two motivating hypnotherapy sessions
• 2 unforgettable Camino de Santiago de Compostela walks
• Introduction to Walking Meditation and Writing Meditation
• Transport to and from the starting and end points of the Camino on each walking day

What’s Not Included In this Package

• Transport costs to local airports (flights)
• Transport from local airports to local train stations (ex. Auch) to Nogaro
• Personal Health Insurance and/or Travel Insurance (we highly recommend insurance cover in case you need to cancel)
• Additional activities not included in the itinerary
• Dinner one evening ~ we have this meal at a restaurant nearby to support local small business owners (15-30€, depending on your choices)

How much does a Fast and Feast Weight Loss Retreat cost?

Only a limited number of participants will be able to attend an Introduction to Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss Retreat every year, which means you will need to reserve early to be one of the few fortunate guests who come here this year.

This potentially life-changing 4-day 3-night retreat includes accommodation, instruction, food, and transport to and from the Camino and costs 2999€ for a private suite. Please read the Cancellation Policy and Terms and Conditions before booking. Full payment is due 30 days before the retreat starts. Please do not book flights until this has been confirmed.

It’s time to invest in yourself. Give your body the reset it deserves and return home with renewed energy, a balanced digestive system, and a clearer mind.

In only a few other places you will find all the ingredients of a perfect retreat combined with such abundance as in Gascony: fabulous food, outstanding wine, generous people and the breathtaking beauty of mountains, rivers, lakes and medieval villages perched on hilltops.

Contact me at MargarethaMontagu@gmail.com to inquire about availability and to pay your 450€ deposit to secure your spot.

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

Note About Weight Loss: While some guests may lose weight during my intermittent fasting retreats, results vary and weight loss cannot be guaranteed—my focus is on overall wellbeing and lasting lifestyle benefits.

©MMontagu – Description frequently updated.