Women's Wellness & Culture Retreat in Provence: Pilates, Wine & Creative Workshops

The retreat takes over a private villa on a working vineyard in Ménerbes, in the heart of the Luberon Valley. Guests get a room in the villa, and the week runs on a 5-star service level — the property has outdoor gathering spaces, a pool, a truffle oak where the first evening's stretch and breathwork class happens, and a full-service spa (Pure Altitude) on site. It's a small group, and by the end of the week the villa is less a hotel and more the place you're all living.

A typical day: Pilates first, breakfast second, then out. Day two is the market at L'Isle Sur La Sorgue, the so-called Venice of Provence, with antiques shopping and free afternoon time back at the villa. Day three is a full wine day — a tour and tasting at a smaller winery in the morning, lunch of Mediterranean tapas in Lourmarin, a second tasting at a larger winery in the afternoon, then dinner cooked by chefs who came out of a three-star Michelin kitchen. Day four goes to Gordes, the postcard hilltop town, with a spritz on the terrace at Airelles Bastide de Gordes and an afternoon bike tour through vineyards to another Luberon hill village.

Wednesday is the slow day. A later start, a sound bath after breakfast, spa treatments if you've pre-booked, lunch on a terrace, then a creative workshop — calligraphy, watercolor, floral arranging or botanical relief work, depending on the week — and a catered dinner. Thursday is Ménerbes market day, wandering cobblestone streets and shopping before lunch at a restaurant at the top of the village. Friday is the cooking day: meet Chef Jane in the Eygalières market, plan and shop for lunch, then cook and eat it in her kitchen in Saint Rémy-de-Provence, with time to wander the town before heading back to the villa to pack and eat a farewell pizza dinner by the outdoor fireplace.

What separates this from a standard Provence tour is the access and the people. You're meeting named local chefs, winemakers and creatives, eating in private homes and at restaurants that aren't on the standard tourist circuit, and the week is built by someone who knows the region and adjusts the itinerary week to week depending on what's happening — market days, provider availability, the season. The full itinerary isn't published; guests get it a few weeks before arrival.

Pre-trip, guests get a welcome email and contract, then a packing list, a "Chatting in French" 101 guide, read/watch/listen recommendations, and the finalized itinerary. Payment is typically split into two or three installments between sign-up and 60 days before the retreat.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation at a private villa with 5-star level service - Transportation within Provence during the retreat - Breakfast spread each morning - Afternoon goûter (seasonal pastry with tea/refreshments) - Dinner each evening (private chefs and selected restaurants) - Morning Pilates and stretch sessions - Sound bath experience - Wine and vineyard tours and tastings - Trips to multiple Provençal markets and towns - Creative workshop (calligraphy, watercolor, floral design, etc.) - Cooking class and lunch with Chef Jane in Saint Rémy-de-Provence

What's not included

- Flights to and from France - Train or other transportation before arrival at the villa - Some lunches - Alcohol outside of wine provided on-property and on tastings/tours - Spa services at the on-site spa - Additional wellness services (e.g. astrology readings) - Tips and gratuities for villa staff - Travel insurance