A BAKING RETREAT IN
SANCERRE, France
WITH
Baker, Recipe Developer and 4X Cookbook Author
May 8-14, 2027
A baking retreat in Sancerre, France with Erin Jeanne McDowell
7 Days, 6 nights
May 8-14, 2027
From $6,500 USD
Erin Jeanne McDowell — the Queen of the Sturdy Pie, NYT bestselling cookbook author, and a Rêverie favorite — joins us for the first time in Sancerre!
Erin's newest book, Bake Anything (pre-order here!), is basically her teaching philosophy in book form: master the foundational recipes, and you can unlock your creativity and bake anything.
That's exactly the spirit of the week — built around what she does best: bread, pastry, and pie, all shaped around whatever's ripest at the market that week (strawberries, for sure — May is their moment in the Loire). Add natural wine tastings with Esmé, a stroll through the vines just past the front gate, and some of the best food you'll eat all year from Chef Paul, and you've got the idea.
Join us in Sancerre, France and bake with Erin!
Erin's baked professionally since she was sixteen, and somewhere along the way — four cookbooks, a bestseller, an award-winning Food52 series — she never lost the thing that makes her fun to learn from: she still seems a little delighted by dough. Her teaching style is patient and hands-on, the kind where you actually understand why a crust behaves the way it does, not just how to follow the steps. Whether you've made pie a hundred times or never rolled out dough in your life, you'll be in good hands.
The setting for all of this is Château de Thauvenay, sitting right in the middle of the Sancerre vineyards! Walk out the front gate and you're basically standing in the vines. Built in 1800, renovated over two years and reopened in 2023, it's got mid-century modern details layered over centuries-old bones. Three hectares of grounds hold a 25-meter heated saltwater pool, a wood-fired sauna, a Nordic bath tucked into a little grove nearby, and — inside — a cave dansante. (A dancing cellar. We'll let you discover that one for yourself.)
Join us for a week of bread, pie, natural wine, and spending time with people who care about the same things you do. Dreams really do come true!
BAKING WITH ERIN JEANNE MCDOWELL
Erin's specialty is dough — bread, pastry, pie, all of it — and this week she's building her sessions around what the Loire Valley actually has to offer in May: the first strawberries of the season, plus whatever else looks best at the market that week. Expect hands-on time on bread and pastry fundamentals, and at least one proper pie deep-dive (obviously), all shaped by what's ripe rather than a fixed menu. We'll share the full session lineup as we get closer to the date. For now, know that if you've ever wanted to actually understand what makes a crust behave, this is your week!
Let’s eat!
Chef Paul Albert is your personal chef for the week. Paul trained in fine dining — he knows how to plate a dish so it looks like art — but that's not what drives him here. What drives him is feeding you exceptionally well. Fresh bread every morning (sourdough, brioche, focaccia, whatever calls to him that day). Homemade cheese. Cultured butter. Yogurt made from scratch. Three chef-prepared meals a day, all of it built around what's most beautiful at the market that week, served family-style down the center of a long table.
Every meal is paired with natural wines selected by Esmé, Rêverie's sommelier — chosen to complement the food and the region. In Sancerre, that means some of the finest Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir in France. Explained, as always, without a drop of pretension.
* 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!
You'll land in Paris first, and settle into one of our favorite Parisian hotels for the night. That evening's yours to explore -- we'll send along a list of our favorite restaurants and good streets for a wander, but heads up, Erin and the Rêverie team won't be there yet. Consider it your warm-up.
The next day our vans will collect you and carry you south to Château de Thauvenay, right in the middle of the Sancerre vineyards. That's where Erin and the rest of us will be waiting with a welcome spread -- apéro first, then a long dinner together in the grand hall to kick things off properly.
From there, the week is built around three baking intensives with Erin, with plenty of room for questions along the way (bring the ones you've been saving up). Her whole approach is teach you the foundation -- the dough, the technique, the why behind it -- and once you've got that, you can bake anything. Loaves, pies, pastry, whatever you dream up after. That's the muscle you're actually building this week.
We're still finalizing the exact day-by-day, but here's a sense of what the week holds: a visit to a Sancerre winery, tasting your way through the region's famous Sauvignon Blanc with the people who actually make it, or a wander through the town of Sancerre itself -- cobblestones, hilltop views, and the kind of provincial charm that makes you feel like you've walked straight into a French storybook.
There's natural wine with Esmé, a morning at the market (May means strawberries, and they're worth the trip alone), and all the usual Rêverie good cheer woven in -- the grill party, karaoke nobody's any good at, games that get more competitive than anyone expects.
We'll get you back to Paris at the end, whether that's the airport or the city center for a few more days on your own.
Château de Thauvenay
Château de Thauvenay sits literally in the middle of the Sancerre vineyards -- which, yes, means you can walk out the front gate and straight into the vines. The château was originally built in 1800 (for Napoleon's interior minister's daughter, if you want a fun fact for your dinner conversation), and after two years of meticulous renovation completed in 2023, it's been brought back to life with a style that feels both timeless and fresh -- mid-century modern details inside, centuries-old bones underneath.
Three hectares of grounds include a 25-meter heated saltwater pool ringed in natural stone, a wood-fired sauna, and a Nordic bath tucked into a little grove nearby. Inside: 24 rooms, four salons, a grand dining hall, a kitchen, and a cave dansante. (Yes, a dancing cellar. We're not going to oversell it -- you'll just have to see it!)
1 night stay at one of our favorite hotels in Paris. Breakfast and lunch at the hotel included.
Please note that dinner in Paris on your first night is not included. We will provide you with plenty of delicious options!
Private transfer by van from the Hôtel Grand Amour to the Château Thauvenay
All workshops, activities and all materials associated
All breakfasts at the château
All meals throughout your château stay, including INCREDIBLE Chef-prepared meals at the château for lunch and dinner
All wine, cocktails and other beverages throughout the château stay, unless you wanna have your own after hours party ;)
Private coach transportation for all scheduled outings
Costs associated with all scheduled outings and events during our week
Chateau lodging, naturally
* 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!
*Cost of airfare to the Paris airports and cost of transport from the Paris airport to the Hotel Grand Amour is not included in the cost of your reservation. If you need help with booking your trip, please contact kathleen@reverieforever.com
Airplane
Depending on where you are coming from, we recommend flying into the Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport.
From there, you can either take the Métro or an Uber/taxi from the airport to our hotel.
**DO NOT accept a ride from anyone outside of the official taxi line or your booked Uber. Scamming in the Paris airports is common - let us know if you have any questions about this!
Check-in at the hotel begins at 2:00 PM on May 8, 2027. You may drop off your bags before this time if you’d like to explore the city unencumbered.
Car
If you’re the seasoned-traveler type and you’d enjoy having your own transportation throughout the retreat, then please - rent a car in Paris and drive down to meet us in Sancerre! We recommend avoiding driving in Paris unless you are accustomed to driving in very busy cities.
Train
If arriving from elsewhere in France or Europe, you can get to Paris by train from nearly anywhere! Get in touch if you’d like help booking your ticket.
If you’d like a stopover in London prior to your trip, you can always book a train with the Eurostar, which rolls directly from London city center (St. Pancras) into the Gare du Nord in Paris!
Travel Reservation
If you would like guidance with booking your travel, 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!
GENERAL FAQ
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A culinary retreat is an immersive escape where food, place, and presence come together to nourish both body and soul. Set in inspiring destinations, it blends hands-on cooking experiences, shared meals, and guided tastings with moments of rest, connection, and discovery— alongside chefs, artisans, and local, seasonal ingredients. More than a cooking class or a vacation, a culinary retreat invites guests to slow down, savor deeply, and rediscover the joy of eating and cooking as a mindful, meaningful, and celebratory part of life.
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Unless otherwise noted on your retreat page, all experience levels are welcome!
Whether you’ve never cooked a meal on your own or you’ve started your own cooking channel, we would love to have you along.
We are accustomed to teaching all levels, and if you’re an avid cook perhaps you can teach us a thing or two!
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Everything!
Well, almost everything.
Getting to us: Travel to and from the retreat city isn't included. Most retreats begin with your first night at a hotel (on us) — you're responsible for getting yourself from the airport or train station to the hotel. The next morning, we arrive to whisk you away to the retreat location by Rêverie van. Exact transportation details are always spelled out on the individual retreat page.
Once you're with us: All meals, drinks, and planned experiences for the week — tastings, winery tours, workshops, and more — are on us.
On your own dime: Any extras you decide to treat yourself to are yours to cover — snacks or trinkets at the open-air markets, that extra bottle of wine at lunch, or any shopping along the way.
On select day trips, you'll have the choice of a packed lunch or exploring the city and grabbing a bite on your own.
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Booking your retreat requires a 25% deposit at the time of booking.
If your retreat is more than 180 days (about 6 months) away when you book, a second 25% payment is due at the 180-day mark.
Your final balance is due 90 days before your retreat start date. If you're booking within 90 days of your retreat, your remaining balance is due in full at the time of booking.
We'll send reminder emails ahead of each payment, along with instructions on how to pay.
Need more flexibility? Don't hesitate to reach out to our team — we're happy to work out a payment plan that fits your timeline.
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All of our retreats are conducted in English unless noted otherwise (i.e. French language immersion retreats).
We have several staff members who speak fluent French if you would like to practice your language skills.
Otherwise, you can get by in English almost anywhere you visit, and most natives here in France are more than happy to practice their speaking skills! Not to fear!
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If your retreat is more than 90 days away when you book, you have a 14-day grace period: cancel within 14 days of booking and you'll receive a full refund, minus credit card processing fees. This grace period doesn't apply if you book within 90 days of your retreat date — in that case, cancellation refunds follow the standard schedule below from the moment you book.
After the grace period (where it applies), refunds are based on how far out your retreat start date is when you cancel:
180+ days before the trip: Full refund, minus a $500 service fee per participant
60–179 days before the trip: 50% of the full retreat price
Within 60 days of the trip: No refund
A few important notes:
Your 25% deposit becomes non-refundable once the grace period ends (or immediately, if no grace period applies).
Refunds are calculated on the full retreat price — not just what you've paid so far. If you cancel in the 50%-refund window, for example, you may owe additional payment even if you've only paid your deposit.
Travel insurance is required for all guests. We're unable to make exceptions to the terms above for illness (including a positive COVID-19 test), family matters, or other last-minute circumstances — insurance is your path to reimbursement in these cases.
If a retreat does not reach the minimum number of attendees, we reserve the right to cancel it. In this case, a full refund will be issued to all guests who have reserved.
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For each of our retreats, there are several options for how to get there. Please reference the GETTING THERE section on each retreat page. If you don’t find your answers there, feel free to reach out!
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If you’re like us, you might think that coming all the way to France just one week simply isn’t enough! Please reach out to us for suggestions or help planning your travel.
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 if you plan to join us in France!
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Great question!
We have several reasons to plan so many of our trips in France.
Foremost, it’s what we know best! Julie Belcher, Rêverie’s founder, spent a good part of her 20s traveling around France as a musician and working at a bakery in the Loire Valley when she wasn’t touring. Naturally, she fell in love, and had the opportunity to explore several different regions’ cuisines and wineries. Sharing the beauty of those discoveries with our guests is at the heart of what we do!
Secondly, the core ingredients in France are undeniable. From local produce at the market to freshly milled flour from the baker down the street (and don’t forget the wine!!) it’s so easy to source inspiring ingredients that draw us into the kitchen and spark the desire to create!
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Yes! Our team is happy to make your French travel dreams work for your budget. Simply send us an email with the retreat you’d like to book and we’ll see to getting a payment plan established.
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Yes — travel insurance is required for all guests booking a Rêverie retreat.
Our cancellation policy is applied strictly and as written, with no exceptions for illness (including a positive COVID-19 test), family emergencies, travel disruptions, or other last-minute circumstances. Travel insurance is your safety net for these situations — it's how you'd recover your costs if something unexpected comes up.
As your retreat date approaches, you'll be asked to confirm — via a simple checkbox — that you've secured coverage. We don't require you to submit or share your policy details with us; we're just asking you to confirm you're covered.
We recommend choosing a policy that includes trip cancellation and interruption coverage, and looking into it soon after booking — the earlier you purchase, the more likely you are to be covered for a wider range of circumstances.
