A BAKING RETREAT IN
Provence, France
WITH
Baker, Recipe Developer and 4 Time Cookbook Author
October 9-15, 2027
Header text
October 9-15, 2027
7 Days, 6 nights
From $6,500 USD
DESCRIPTION
INVITATION TO JOIN
Describe the experience
BAKING WITH ERIN JEANNE MCDOWELL
Workshop descriptions
THE WEEK INCLUDES
Workshop #1
Workshop #2
Workshop #3
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!
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!)
**please note that this itinerary is subject to change to based on our partner availability
2:00 pm - Check in begins at the Hôtel Grand Amour in Paris
**The rest of the day in Paris is yours for exploring! Dinner is not included on your first night, but we’ll provide you with a list of some of our favorites near the hôtel.
Make sure to check out the incredible Bookbar at your hôtel behind the restaurant!!
Saturday // may 8, 2027
8-11:30 am - Breakfast at Hotel Grand Amour
12:00 pm - Lunch at Hôtel Grand Amour (included) or on your own in Paris!
1:30 pm - Depart for the Château de Thauvenay
4:30 pm - Arrival at Château de Thauvenay, settle into guest rooms
6:00 pm - Apéritif! The French cocktail hour
7:00 pm - Welcome dinner in the grand dining hall
Sunday // MAY 9, 2027
MONDAY // May 10, 2027
8:00 am - Breakfast available at the Château
9:30 am - Workshop #1 with Coucou
12:30 pm - Lunch in the courtyard
2:30 pm - Workshop with Chef Paul Albert - Fermentation 101
3:30 pm - Free time
5:30 pm - Guided natural wine tasting with Esmé Curran
7:00 pm - Dinner in the dining hall
8:00 am - Breakfast available
10:00 am - Workshop # 2 with Coucou - Wine in Sancerre
12:30 pm - Lunch at the Château
2:30 pm - Tour of the vineyard and wine tasting with natural winemaker, Alexandre Bain
6:00 pm - Reverie Grill Party!!
TUESDAY // MAY 11, 2027
8:00 am - Breakfast served
10:00 am - Free time at the Château
12:30 pm - Lunch in the Château gardens
3:30 pm - French cooking workshop with Paul Albert
6:00 pm - Apéro Trivia with Coucou
7:00 pm - Dinner in the dining hall
WEDNESDAY // MAY 12, 2027
thursday // may 13, 2027
8:00 am - Breakfast is served!
10:30 am - Morning stroll in Sancerre
12:30 pm - Lunch at Le Clos du Maréchal in Sancerre
3:00 pm - Final workshop with Coucou
6:00 pm - Apéro
7:00 pm - Final dinner in the courtyard
8:00 am - Breakfast is served!
9:00 am - Depart for Paris airport or Paris city center
Au revoir!
FRIDAY // may 14, 2027
1 night stay at the Hôtel Grand Amour , 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 the Hôtel Grand Amour.
**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 Hotel Grand Amour begins at 2:00 PM on May 1, 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!