Bring your students to Gardoussel Retreat for a wonderful week in the Mediterranean mountains. Great food, amazing walking and river-spots, all in a quaint hamlet just over an hour from Nîmes.

Exclusive use of the centre is also possible, in which case we can take up to 24 students, and require a minimum of 8 students for a sole booking.

General information for facilitators wishing to run a workshop at Gardoussel

Gardoussel is a small, family-run retreat situated in a picturesque hamlet in the beautiful Cévennes mountains of the south of France (Languedoc region), 1 hour from Nîmes / 2 hours from Montpellier. Run by Alex Duncan and Sharon Black, the centre is not just a business venture but a way of life which we and our family share with visitors.

Surrounded by forest and bordering a river, the centre is isolated and peaceful with no neighbours and well away from main roads. Close by, the Gardon river meanders across the valley floor, providing a multitude of shimmering bathing pools and idyllic picnic spots in summer. There is excellent walking and hiking all around, with a woodland footpath leading directly to the local village which starts from the property itself. Mountain bike hire, guided walks and donkey hire (great for carrying children and luggage and for general companionship on mountain hikes, in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson) also possible.

We provide a variety of themed retreats throughout the year, some run by ourselves and others by external facilitators. Currently, we can provide accommodation and full board for up to 22 participants plus 1-2 facilitators at the centre. There are several workspaces available:

• The Loft – a 50 m2 indoor hall (converted loft) with wooden floor.
• The Deck – a 6 x 10 metre outdoor deck located in the woods, shaded by chestnut trees (110m2 hexagonal deck also available from May 2008)
• 45 acres – 15 acres of meadows directly below the property bordering half a mile of river, shaded woodland and a mountain stream.

Accommodation

• Gîtes - holiday apartments in the hamlet, offering twin rooms (extra beds sometimes available) with shower & toilet.
• Independent en-suite bedrooms adjacent to the gites, offering twin rooms, triple rooms and a four-person dorm.
• In all cases (except camping) bed linen is provided.

Single rooms are sometimes available for a supplement of 17 € per night.

Toilets & Washing Facilities

Each of the gîtes has its own shower room and separate toilet. Our other rooms have either private en-suite bathrooms or a bathroom share between two rooms.

Catering

Catering is normally co-ordinated by Frances Yates and consists of delicious, home-made vegetarian meals inspired by Ayurvedic nutritional principles and adjusted to a western diet. Most of our ingredients are organic and grown locally. Breakfast is self-service, continental-style (breakfast cereals, toast, jams, juices, tea / coffee etc). A cooked Ayurvedic breakfast is sometimes available. Meals are normally served in the communal living/dining room (in poor weather) or on the shaded terrace. Visitors are usually requested to help out at meal times by washing up and clearing away afterwards.

Additional Activities

Depending on the program for your event, you may wish us to arrange additional activities such as: Ayurveda talks, mantra/chanting, meditation, music-making, yoga classes, excursions to local markets and villages (advance planning essential), fêtes, river picnics, etc. Contact us for prices.

‘Extras’

Available as extras for participants and facilitators alike are: massage, (Swedish and Ayurvedic), Ayurvedic consultations, private or group yoga classes, life counselling. Other therapies are likely to become available as our local network of contacts expands. Usual prices apply.

Group size

Group bookings are made for a minimum of 8 students and exclusive use of Gardoussel is provided for groups with at least 12 participants. Smaller groups can also be accommodated in which case you may be required to share the centre with other groups or individuals. Our group maximum depends on the accommodation available, and the work your group will be doing. Our normal limit is 20 people, but in special cases, larger groups can be catered for.

Cost

We do not usually make a charge for facilitators nor for rental of the centre. Our costs are covered by participants’ fees – of which we take 450 EUROS per person per week (or 65 EUROS per night if less than 7 nights). Facilitators are free to charge what they wish per person on top of this to cover their own costs. These two fees together make up the course cost to participants – which includes all tuition, meals and accommodation.

Facilitator Accommodation

Your stay at Gardoussel is free of charge for groups of 8-plus, though if you are more than one we ask for a 115 EURO contribution per additional facilitator per week to cover food and board.

Booking the Retreat

A 25% non-returnable deposit (unless outwith 3 months of the event start date) is payable on a group booking. This is based on the fee due for the number of participants. The remaining 75% is due 4 weeks prior to the event start date. Monies owed for additional participants can be paid then or at the event itself.

Further Information

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or queries (availability of dates, local leisure activities, regional info, etc) and we will do our best to help.

Namaste.

Alex & Sharon
GARDOUSSEL RETREAT

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Gardoussel, 30940 St Andre de Valborgne, France

France : +33 4 66 60 16 78 (from UK dial 0033 466 601 678)

Sharon :

Alex :