Self directed, creative
Retreats are available from
October – June
you determine your dates with us.
Could you use some quiet and private time to focus, reflect, and reboot?
Our self directed/creative Retreats happen during the off season in our old house in the south of France. Retreats are ideal for individuals: designers, project curators, postgraduate students, researchers, or writers – anyone working on a plan, project, text, or thesis.
John will usually be available to cast fresh eyes on your project – or not. Those interactions are optional. It’s your call. For the most part you will be left alone to work.
Also important: you get to breathe clean air, shop at the market, walk in the Cévennes.
Our guiding principles as hosts are: simple, convivial, and affordable.
(we can host up to three individuals at a time)
What’s involved in a Retreat ?
The beauty of an off season retreat is that you can stay focused and take care of yourself without any pre-defined schedules. We provide all necessities to make coffee, tea and cook in the ground floor summer kitchen and/or the kitchen in the apartment on the second floor. Think cooker, refrigerator, oven, microwave, pots and pans etc.
Our surroundings are magnificent and can be enjoyed on foot. We have 2 guest-bikes available but you can also rent bikes (regular and electric) from the rental service around the corner.
We’ll invite you eat with us occasionally, but you won’t be under any obligation to join. We will be living in the house like good neighbours: borrowing, sharing, chatting, eating and meeting when the need occurs.
How to apply
Tell us who you are, what you’re working on, why you want to come and what dates you’re applying for.
- To apply you can fill out this form.
- Or you can use our contact form on this website
- Or you can drop us a short email and send it to:
meeting [ at ] thackara [ dot ] com
Subject Header: Thackara Retreat
When your application has been accepted, we will inform you within one week.
Pricing
included:
Kitchen(-s), fridges, washing machine, dish washer, pantry basics and a hamper to get you started, your own bathroom, your own key, bedding, linnens, beach towels and more.
The pricing for the retreat is set on the above basis but we’re flexible so do get in touch with us if you want to stay longer or shorter.
Also included is exclusive time with John at the beginning and/or the end of your stay. It’s also possible to have more than one or 2 conversations (depending on his availability) at an agreed rate. Just talk to us!
Photos
Faq
What a joyous week of indulging by doing the project closest to my heart, with support and company and a beautiful environment.
Dear Kristi and John, thank you for hosting us for our annual Holis retreat. We enjoyed our stay in your beautiful house. The nearby market is a festival for any food lover. The walks in the surroundings gave us an opportunity to have deep talks. Your hospitality made us feel at home. I’m grateful for that experience. Hope to be there again soon.
The Meetup was a wonderful experience and a unique opportunity to develop a better understanding of my personal-professional practice. After spending time with John and Kristi and the other meetupers in Ganges, in nature and on my own, I was able to develop a more cohesive story to define my personal-professional practice and goals. I’m forever grateful for this opportunity.
This was my second Thackara meetup and it was magnificent;
a great way to meet people, relax, swim in the glorious river and move projects on to the next step.
Thank you – I hope to come back!
Such a treat to meet one of your favorites… then spend a week in retreat. Thank you John and Kristi for the Meetup – the conversation, such loving guidance and deep listening. One of my favorite weeks.
John and Kristi, your house is an absolute dream! I felt so welcomed and comfortable. You allowed us to take everything at our own paces, and gave us access to some beautiful places around Ganges. The mixture of one-to-ones and group conversations provided an effective framework to help push my design practice forward. I’m coming away feeling refreshed, excited to work, and with a whole new set of amazing friends!
For me, the meet-up was truly life-changing; brilliant content, group company, accommodation, food and the waterfalls were to die for! John gave me the boost I needed and input from the group kickstarted a project so dear to my heart — thank you John!
Thanks John and Kristi for such a wonderful week. I got to reflect on a lot, help set priorities and direction in my project, as well as have a lot interested, organic conversations with people that give me a lot of new perspectives to draw on. Plus good food, wine, swimming and lots of laughs!
Dear John and Kristi, you’ve created an amazing place, filled with peace and unique energy. A place that adjusts to the pace of the visitor, and inspires on so many levels. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, for the walks in nature, and for the hospitality that created a feeling of home. It was a great and unforgettable experience.
the perfect place to hide out and finish writing
that thesis, project proposal, or book
I was working on my first book and it was amazingly helpful to
have the space (both mentally and physically) to concentrate
on this whilst getting constructive input and advice from JT
and other participants.
I genuinely enjoyed every single moment! Thanks to not only the fantabulous Thackara team but also amazing talents from diverse backgrounds who all were absolutely lovely, I had a very productive week. The right balance of fun & work in an absolutely gorgeous environment, which contributed to great creativity/ satisfaction