A gluten-free baking retreat In
Basque Country, France
WITH
James Beard finalist, author, and Basque-born pastry chef
September 21-27, 2027
SOLD OUT
A Gluten-free baking retreat in Basque Country with Aran Goyoaga
Aran Goyoaga is coming home — and bringing her gluten-free techniques back to the pastry traditions she grew up on. A week of Gâteau Basque, brioche, and butter (so much butter) in the region that raised her.
7 Days, 6 nights
september 21-27, 2027
Aran Goyoaga joins us for the first time for a week at the storied Château de Larraldia, just outside Biarritz — this time, on her actual home turf. Aran grew up in Amorebieta, a small town near Bilbao, where her grandparents ran the family pastry shop that's still open today. She's spent her career translating those recipes for a gluten-free kitchen, and this week she's doing it in the landscape that shaped them in the first place.
From $6,500 USD
A week of Gluten-Free Baking With Aran Goyoaga
Aran spent years rebuilding her relationship with baking after a gluten intolerance diagnosis turned everything she knew upside down — and turned it into a mission instead. She's a fourth-generation baker who grew up in her family's Basque Country pastry shop, and now she teaches gluten-free technique with the instincts of someone who was folding dough before she could reach the counter. Expect a teaching style that's patient and hands-on: small groups, real technique, and the kind of gentle troubleshooting that comes from having solved these exact problems in her own kitchen first.
You'll spend the week at the Château de Larraldia, just outside Biarritz on the Basque coast, with the Pyrénées rising in the distance and the Atlantic close enough to smell. Gardens for wandering, a pool for the afternoons between workshops, and a dining room built for meals that run long.
Join us for a week of hands in the dough, Basque tradition, and proof that gluten-free baking can be just as good as the real thing, if not better.
Baking with Aran
Aran's kitchen runs the way she learned to bake in the first place — hands in the dough, questions welcome, nothing precious about it. You'll work in small groups so there's always space at the counter, and by the end of the week you'll have a real gluten-free baking repertoire, not just a stack of recipes you'll never remake at home. Expect flour on your hands from day one — Aran believes in getting guests baking immediately, no long lectures before you're allowed to touch anything.
WORKSHOPS
Financiers & Madeleines — Your welcome to gluten-free baking, Aran-style. An easy, hands-on first workshop the day you arrive. The kind of low-stakes, immediately satisfying bake that gets everyone comfortable in the kitchen together before the week really gets going.
Gâteau Basque & Mini Fruit Galettes — Aran demonstrates the Gâteau Basque — the custard tart that's been a fixture of this region since the 18th century — then you'll make your own gluten-free pastry dough and build a mini galette entirely by hand. (There's a butter disco involved. You'll understand when you get there.)
Brioche — A full day with dough: loaves, babka, cinnamon rolls, filled buns — whatever your group decides to make of it. Proof that gluten-free bread doesn't have to mean dense, sad, or an afterthought.
Fougasse & Photography — Bake the beautifully rustic, leaf-shaped fougasse, then learn to actually photograph it before it disappears at apéro hour. Equal parts baking lesson and photography lesson.
* To preserve the shared culinary experience we strive to create, we’re happy to accommodate vegetarians, pescatarians, allergies and celiacs of course. 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!
Let’s Eat!
Food is a big part of the week around here, and we take it very seriously. Well, the eating part anyway.
Our Rêverie chef is here to make sure you eat exceptionally well all week. Expect three chef-prepared meals a day, built around what's looking best at the market that week and served family-style around a long table, with plenty of wine and nowhere else you need to be. Mornings start slowly over coffee, lunches have a habit of stretching into the afternoon, and dinner is the kind of affair where someone inevitably asks, "Wait, is there more of that?"
The kitchen is part of the fun too. Curious about what's cooking? Ask away. You might even pick up a trick or two from our Reverie chef along the way.
And then there's the wine! Our Reverie sommelier selects natural wines to complement the food and the region. Expect to discover some wonderful French wines, learn a thing or two, and perhaps find a new favorite. Explained, as always, without a drop of pretension.
All you need to do is pull up a chair, pour yourself another glass, and enjoy. We'll take care of the rest!
Welcome to Château de Larraldia, your home for the week. This 17th-century château sits on 40 acres just outside Bayonne, on the Basque coast near Biarritz — the kind of place where the light does something different every hour. Twenty bedrooms are spread across the original château and a newer building built to match its bones, so there's room to spread out. Wander the courtyard rose gardens, the fruit trees, a pocket of Japanese garden tucked into the grounds, or just claim a chair by the pool and watch the hills roll out toward the coast.
You'll land in Biarritz and spend your first night settling in -- there's a beach a short walk from the hotel if you want to dip your toes in before the week even starts. From there, our vans take you to Château de Larraldia: bags dropped, a walk through the gardens, and your first taste of what's ahead over lunch in the courtyard.
The days find their rhythm from there. Mornings and afternoons in the kitchen with Aran, working through gluten-free financiers and madeleines, Gâteau Basque and mini galettes, brioche, fougasse -- one workshop at a time, with plenty of room built in for the pool, the grounds, and doing absolutely nothing in particular. Esmé leads a wine tasting one evening. Another day, you'll wander Saint-Jean-de-Luz before heading to Bayonne for market day -- piment d'espelette, jambon de Bayonne, a coffee while the stalls fill in around you -- because no week here is complete without seeing where the ingredients actually come from.
This one carries a little extra weight, too. Aran grew up not far from here, in her grandparents' pastry shop outside Bilbao, and she's spending the week teaching the recipes that raised her -- just gluten-free, and just down the road from where they started. Expect a grill party, apéro trivia, a final farewell dinner at the château, and a week that ends the way it started -- with good bread on the table and no one in a hurry to leave.
GET TO KNOW
pastry chef, photographer, author
Aran Goyoaga is a fourth-generation baker who grew up inside her family's pastry shop in Amorebieta, a small town outside Bilbao — the same shop her family still runs today. She trained professionally after moving to the U.S. at 24, working in kitchens for years before a gluten intolerance diagnosis (hers and her son's) sent her back to the beginning, rebuilding everything she knew about baking from scratch. She's now an award-winning cookbook author, photographer, and three-time James Beard finalist, with a body of work — including Cannelle et Vanille and her newest, The Art of Gluten-Free Bread — that's been recognized by the New York Times, Bon Appétit, Vanity Fair, and Washington Post, among others. What makes her a singular teacher is that this isn't theoretical for her: every gluten-free technique she's built came from solving it herself, first, in her own kitchen.
One night stay at one of our favorite hotels in Biarritz with breakfast included. Please note that dinner on your first night is not included — you can eat at the hotel restaurant, or we're happy to help you choose a place in the city!
Private door-to-door transfer from the hotel in Biarritz to the Château de Larraldia
Workshops with Aran Goyoaga and all associated materials
Recipes galore!
Gluten-free chef-prepared meals at the château for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Wine tastings with our in-house sommelier
All wine and beverages (unless you want to have your own after-hours party 😉)
Dinner out at one of our favorite restaurants
Private coach transportation while on retreat
All scheduled outings and events during the week
5 nights of château lodging, naturally
Private transfer on the final day from the Château de Larraldia to the airport or the train station in Biarritz.
* To preserve the shared culinary experience we strive to create, we’re happy to accommodate vegetarians, pescatarians, allergies and celiacs of course. However, we are unable to tailor meals for additional dietary preferences or restrictions (i.e. paleo, keto, etc). If you have specific questions about your needs, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to chat!
*Please note: Your reservation begins when you arrive at the hotel in Biarritz. Airfare to Biarritz and transportation from the Biarritz airport to the hotel are not included in the cost of your retreat, and guests are responsible for arranging their own travel to the hotel. Just get to the hotel and we’ll take it from there!
If you need help with booking your trip, please contact kathleen@reverieforever.com
Car
If you’re the seasoned-traveler type and you’d enjoy having your own transportation, then please - rent a car in Paris or wherever and drive down! Have a stopover in the region of Dordogne for a foie gras tartine or take a day to discover the great city of Bordeaux and its surrounding vineyards. You could then keep your car for the week and choose your own destiny, or drop off at the Biarritz airport on the first day of the retreat and we’ll come grab you.
Airplane
Several planes fly direct to the Biarritz Airport (BIQ) every day from Paris and other cities around Europe. The airport is close to the city center and a very short ride to many places in the area.
*If you choose to leave earlier on the last day, we would be happy to help you arrange for a private transfer for an additional fee.
Travel Reservation
If you would like guidance with booking your travel to Biarritz, our in-house travel guru, Kathleen, is here to help. You can reach her directly at kathleen@reverieforever.com
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!
Train
Trains are another option for those who feel comfortable traveling around on their own! Biarritz is well-serviced with routes from major cities in France.
Questions?
Explore our FAQs or get in touch!
French Basque Country
and Biarritz // FAQ
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Château de Larraldia is a historic 17th-century estate in the Basque countryside surrounded by peaceful parkland, gardens, and open views of rolling hills and the Pyrénées. It is about 20-25 minutes outside Biarritz.
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For our Basque retreats, we typically host between 15-18 people. The château has 20 guest rooms and its grounds are vast, so it’s the perfect group size!
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Biarritz and the Basque coast offer the perfect blend of ocean, culture, and cuisine. Guests can relax on beautiful Atlantic beaches, walk to the iconic Rocher de la Vierge for panoramic coastal views, or explore the lively food stalls at Halles de Biarritz.
The area is famous for its surf culture, seaside cafés, and elegant Belle Époque architecture. Nearby towns like Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz offer charming old streets, traditional Basque markets, and incredible regional cuisine. For those who love nature, the Pyrenees foothills provide scenic hiking routes, while spa and thalassotherapy centers along the coast offer restorative wellness experiences.
We’ve compiled a list of all our favourites in the area on our google maps - HERE
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There are several options for places to stay in Biarritz, but here are some of our favorites:
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The château sits on roughly 17–40 acres of lush gardens, terraces, and open lawns - perfect for morning walks, outdoor workshops, or quiet moments in nature.
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A large swimming pool for leisurely swims or lounging.
A pool house and equipped gym adjacent to the pool.
Tennis court and space for Basque pelota.
Terraces with panoramic views and shaded sitting areas
A professional kitchen if you want to really roll your sleeves up and watch the chefs at work
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Yes! There is Wifi available in all common areas of the property and most of the bedrooms.
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The Château de Larraldia does not offer a turn-down service during your 5-night stay, but if you need a fresh towel or extra towels or linens, we are more than happy to provide that for you!
