toulouse with Alana allred
SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2026
Where artistry meets gastronomy, Alana Allred will join us for an inspiring week of pastry painting and creative exploration in the heart of Southwest france at the Château de Labusquière.
SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2026
7 Days, 6 nights
From $5,200 USD
Get ready for a week of creative inspiration as we delve into the colorful world of cake decorating and incredible food from the Reverie team. Alana will teach you all of her tricks for mastering a beautiful buttercream and she’ll even let you in on her world of stunning gingerbread houses so you’ll be ready for the holiday season! As we watch the end-of-summer sunsets by the pool, sipping on French 75s, we’ll have one of the best (and prettiest!) weeks you could imagine. Are you ready?
What will you do?
Alana Allred has wowed the internet for years now with her stunning artistic creations, all in the form of some sort of sweet treat. She has mastered the art of painting with buttercream, and we’re so excited for her to teach us her craft! Alana will lead you in workshops for creating the perfect frosting, decoration techniques to wow your guests, and the ultimate gingerbread house workshop where you’ll finally learn how the holiday pros make it happen.
Aside from what you’ll create in your time with Alana, the incredible team of Rêverie chefs will be preparing world class meals to fill your belly and your soul. Paul Albert, our chef de cuisine, creates incredible menus that will inspire you in the kitchen for the rest of your life! This might just be the best food you ever eat.
When you're not busy in workshops or unwinding at our lovely château, you’ll have the chance to explore the captivating surroundings. We’ll visit a traditional French open-air market to source fresh local ingredients, meander through the scenic streets of Toulouse, known as "La Ville Rose,” and we’ll enjoy plenty of good times together. Let’s just say we like to dance whenever possible!
Prepare for a truly beautiful week! Put on your Rose-colored glasses and come party with us!
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While we hope everyone will participate, all experiences are optional! Please feel free to take time for yourself whenever you like.
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Rêverie has curated an exciting lineup of activities and experiences that showcase the very essence of each region, infused with our own expertise. We’re all about turning the ordinary into extraordinary, bringing joy and adventure to your journey through food. Get ready for delightful surprises that will tantalize your taste buds and ignite your sense of wanderlust. Join us for an unforgettable exploration filled with laughs, learning, and, of course, delicious bites!
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Eating and drinking are communal! You’ll have the opportunity to cook food, taste wines and learn from experienced teachers. We can’t wait to welcome you for our workshops! Outside of workshops, please feel free to join us in the kitchen at anytime. You’re invited to our weeklong dinner party, and we’re happy to have you in to learn alongside our team of chefs or simply jump in on the action.
YOUR guest host
Get to know:
Alana Allred
Alana Allred is a home baker who treats the kitchen like an art studio—because why shouldn’t cakes be as pretty as paintings? With an insatiable curiosity and a love for all things creative, she found her way into baking artistry as a much-needed creative outlet—one that didn’t cost money or pull her away from home. Creativity has always been a part of her life, growing up in a family where homemade was the norm, crafting was constant, and artistry and messes were embraced.
For the past five years, she has been sharing her edible works of art on Instagram (@sleepingmakesmehungry), where her signature palette knife-painted cakes, printed cookies, and intricate gingerbread houses have gained a devoted following. If it involves flour, sugar, and a little bit of magic, she’s all in.
Originally from Canada but now thriving in the suburbs of Denver, she is also a mom of four (yes, four!), married to the boy she met at 14, and powered by early mornings, long walks, and a steady stream of pop culture. She firmly believes that florals, art, and baking belong together—and she’s here to prove it, one delicious masterpiece at a time.
YOUR ITINERARY
DAY ONE
FRIDAY 9.25.26
Welcome to France! As you step into the vibrant city of Toulouse, the warmth of the sun embraces you, and the air is rich with the aroma of local cuisine. From the airport, you’ll begin your week with a stay at a 4-star hotel in the center of the city where you can rest up from your travels and explore the city if you wish! Your stay at the Grand Hotel de l'Opéra promises a blend of modern comfort and historic charm, perfectly situated to explore the city’s culinary treasures. After unpacking, you’ll have the rest of the day to explore the city on your own. Dinner on your first night is not included, but we’ll have plenty of suggestions of where to eat (or how to order in if you’re jetlag sleepy!), all while soaking in the lively atmosphere that Toulouse is known for. Your culinary adventure is just beginning!
DAY two
SATURDAY 9.26.26
After enjoying a French breakfast at the Hotel, our drivers will escort you to your dream home for the week - the Château de Labusquière. Our team will greet you and usher you to your rooms, and then the fun begins! Picture yourself enjoying a delicious lunch in the sun-drenched courtyard followed by a refreshing nap in your dreamy guestroom. Alana will lead you in your first workshop in the afternoon - making the perfect buttercream and mixing your palette. Then we head to l’Apéro (the French cocktail hour!) and an unforgettable dinner in the grand dining hall. Each moment is sprinkled with joy and flavor, making this an unforgettable day of culinary exploration!
DAY three
SUNDAY 9.27.26
The Reverie team will start you off right with a tasty and generous breakfast spread, complete with homemade yogurts, breads and jams, fresh seasonal fruits, and French pastries galore. Feel free to sleep in again this morning - this morning is all. yours! Go for a walk, paint a postcard to send home to friends, or work on a puzzle to give your brain a break. It’s vacation, y’all! After another incredible lunch, Alana will bring you back together in the dining hall for your second workshop, where you put your buttercreams to work and let your creativity run wild. The day will end with a guided natural wine tasting with our very own sommelier Esmé Curran followed by a splendid dinner prepared by our incredible chefs. Now that’s a good day!
DAY four
MONDAY 9.28.26
Monday means market day in this little corner of France, and after breakfast we’ll head down the street to the charming village of Samatan for their weekly countryside market. Here you’ll find all kinds of local goods, from farm-fresh fruits and veggies, local traditional breads and pastries, and cookware and clothing stands. After our shopping is done, we’ll head back to the château for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. The day will end with the famous Reverie grill party, where our chefs shine over the fire and feed us to our heart’s delight! We’ll dance the night away together as friends - a night you’ll never forget.
DAY five
tuesday 9.29.26
Time to get back to the beautiful city of Toulouse for a day of exploring! After yet another fantastic breakfast at the château, we’ll load up in the vans to drive to the city. Here, you can visit the marché Victor Hugo, filled with an endless array of cheeses, meats, fish and snacks for tasting. We’ll give you a list of some of our favorite spots to hit for shopping and exploring, and the day will be yours! We’ll meet up in the afternoon to head back to the château for our nightly routine of cocktail hour followed by a chef-prepared feast.
DAY six
wednesday 9.30.26
For our final day together at the Château de Labusquière, Alana will guide you into the world of gingerbread houses, a craft she has more than perfected over the years! How to bake the perfect cookie, build a sturdy house, and decorate it to wow your holiday guests. This will be an all-day intensive workshop with plenty of time to play. In between layers, you’ll have time to get packed and sip on tea and wine with your new group of lifelong friends, and we’ll have one last dinner together as we admire all that we’ve created!
DAY seven
thursday 10.01.26
After one final night at the Château de Labusquière, it’s time to say our adieux. You’ll enjoy breakfast, and then our chauffeurs will return to grab you and your bags to take you back to the airport in Toulouse, ready for new adventures and much, much more cake. Au revoir and see you next time!
WORKSHOPS
TIME TO PLAY!
Alana has dedicated the past several years of her professional life to perfecting her craft of floral-inspired, whimsical food design and she is more than excited to share her skills with you! Her signature technique of buttercream painting with a palette knife will be your new go-to for cake and cookie decorating, and when it comes to gingerbread houses, you won’t go another holiday season without adorning your table with a stunner once you’ve had some practice with Alana.
Her workshops will be hands-on with guidance from Alana, and you’ll have plenty of time to practice throughout the week. Get ready to bring some extra beauty into your life!
WORKSHOPS
Making and mixing your buttercream palate - how to acheive the perfect consistency and flavor in your buttercream, and how to play with colors to create your perfect palette
Palette painting with buttercream - learn how to take your prepared buttercream palette and apply it to your sweets for a stunning finish
Gingerbread dreams - With Alana’s guidance, learn how to build gorgeous, inspired gingerbread houses that will bring joy into your holiday home
* To preserve the shared culinary experience we strive to create, we’re happy to accommodate vegetarians, pescatarians, and allergies. However, we are unable to tailor meals for additional dietary preferences or restrictions. If you have specific questions about your needs, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to chat!
EXPLORE
Get ready for an adventure like no other! You’ll start the week in the vibrant city of Toulouse, home to many of our Reverie team members. The Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra, a long lived Toulouse classic, will be your resting place for night one before we whisk you away to the Château. We’ll head back into the city for a visit to the thrilling Victor Hugo market to pick up tasty treats for our grill party, and you’ll have time to explore the city more if you so desire. We’ll also visit the traditional open-air countryside market in Samatan, a small town with a big, bustling Monday morning market. You’ll have a real taste of France before you leave, and we can’t wait to show you around!
OUTINGS
One night stay at the 4-star Grand Hotel de l’Opéra in Toulouse
Explore the beautiful city of Toulouse and the incredible Victor Hugo Market
Visit to the traditional open-air market in Samatan
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Everything! Well, everything except for your big ride across the ocean to the chateau’s nearest airport. But once you arrive, we got you.
Transfers to and from the Toulouse Blagnac airport.
One night stay at the 4-star Grand Hotel de l’Opéra in Toulouse with breakfast included
Please note that dinner on your first night is not included - you can eat dinner at the hotel restaurant, or we’re happy to help you choose a place to eat in the city!
Workshops and all materials associated
Recipes galore!
Chef-prepared meals at the château for breakfast, lunch and dinner
All wine and beverages for the week
Private coach transportation while on retreat
All scheduled outings and events during our week
Château lodging, naturally
GETTING HERE
AIRPLANE
Several planes fly direct to Toulouse Blagnac airport (TLS) every day from Paris and other cities around Europe. We will arrange for an airport pickup on September 25th, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. for a transfer to your hotel. If you arrive before or after the scheduled pickup, the airport is a short 20-25 minute drive from the city and you can easily catch a taxi or an Uber to the Grand Hotel de l’Opéra. On October 1st, 2026 our drivers will come at 10:00 am and will drop you off at the airport at 11:00 am. All you have to do is get to Toulouse and we’ll take it from there!
*If you choose to leave earlier than the schedule departure on the last day, we would be happy to help you arrange for a private driver for an additional fee.
*Cost of airfare to the Toulouse Blagnac airport is not included in the cost of your reservation. Please let us know if we can offer any support or guidance with your travel plans - we’re happy to help!
CAR
If you’re the seasoned-traveler type and you’d enjoy having your own transportation, then please - rent a car in Paris and drive down! Have a stopover in the region of Dordogne for a foie gras tartine and make a pitstop for the wild view of the old cliffside city in Rocamadour. You could then keep your car for the week and choose your own destiny, or drop off at the Toulouse airport on the first day of the retreat and we’ll come grab you.
TRAIN
Trains are another option for those who feel comfortable traveling around on their own! Please note that if you take the train to the Toulouse Matabiau train station, you will need to take a taxi to the Tououse Blagnac airport (20 minute drive) for our scheduled pickup time.
Travel Reservation
If you would like guidance with booking your travel to France or to the Chateau, please reach out.
We are here to help make this part easy and smooth.
If you would like to extend your stay in France, we are delighted to partner with The French Travel, a locally owned and operated trip designer based in Paris. They are true experts who will help you perfectly plan your before and/or after Rêverie experience. Check them out for more info!
Our friends at Coucou French Classes offer some incredible online French language classes - whether you’re looking to brush up on your high school French or looking to learn a few phrases to feel more comfortable with travel, Coucou French Classes is the way! Check out their website for more information.