Culinary retreat testimonials:
real words from former guests!
Each of our culinary retreats welcomes a new group, a new band of people waiting to tell their stories and connect with like-minded guests. My favorite moment of every retreat is the first cocktail hour - watching a group of people who had never met three hours before sitting in a room together, all mixed up to where you can’t tell who arrived solo and who arrived with their best friends or their mom. They’re laughing and sharing goofy travel stories like old pals while drinking a delicious cocktail and tasting a new recipe from the region. Reading these guest reviews from our food retreats always makes me SO proud of our incredible team and so grateful for the opportunity to meet all of these incredible new humans. We hope to see you soon! (or again soon!)
Reverie has truly created something special with Reverie Retreats. They are thoughtful and intentional with each experience, and have considered every detail of the week so you don’t have to. Reverie Retreats celebrate the beauty and tradition of French food culture and fosters a slower pace of travel that feels both sustainable and honoring to the local makers, artisans, and growers you meet along the way. The hosts are incredibly generous with their own knowledge and expertise offering it freely to anyone who might ask or inquire about the recipes and techniques they’ve spent years mastering. This is the trip I want to go on again and again. I can’t recommend it enough!
— Haley M.
Loire Valley 2022 & Toulouse 2025
Oh my gosh. This is where I think you sell yourselves short on the descriptions of the retreats! You all are culinary professionals/wizards and the food was amazing. Every meal had an amazing spread, used seasonal produce, was made with care, and most importantly, tasted delicious. Maybe some of my favorite moments were when the rest of the Reverie crew joined us at dinner and we got to pick their brains on how they came up with this dish, caramelized the sweet potatoes this way, etc. Cannot forget Esme either - wow, girl knows how to choose a wine. I had the pleasure of sitting next to her at one meal and I feel like I learned so much but also, she's clearly a master at her craft. Bravo all around.
-Jenny W.
Toulouse 2024
There was one evening that I was feeling a little down. Kevin was feeling ill and I was by myself. I had a moment where I felt like I didn’t belong there, imposter syndrome. But Julie called me over to play bocce ball with her, Esmé, and Amy. And just like that that feeling disappeared. I don’t know if it was noticeable or not, but I really needed that and I am forever grateful for their kindness. Thank you all again.
Katia
Toulouse 2024
I can't imagine a world where I wouldn't do another retreat with Reverie. In fact, I can't imagine not doing one each year, discovering more of France, the people, the food, the culture, etc. The team is fantastic - they work incredibly hard, and still manage to integrate with the group, everyone is interesting, you meet new interesting people and you learn. My retreat with Reverie taught me that there is a difference between just doing something and having genuine fun, and fun is what I had.
-Bryan C.
Loire Valley 2025
Do you need to find yourself again? Do you need a total escape? Do you need an authentic experience? These were my questions when I booked Reverie's trip to Toulouse. They were brilliantly answered by the hosts. Diving into the adventure of international travel and food with truly knowledgeable guides was a dream. When reminiscing on this trip I think of great joy and deep connections. I cannot wait to go back and explore with them again. Thank you Reverie Forever. It was the most memorable experience.
-Crystal K
Toulouse, 2022
The food was outrageous, the wine was superb, and our chateau was dreamy. We enjoyed getting to meet numerous like-minded travelers and being able to share the experience with the group. The Rêverie team are exceptionally thoughtful and caring hosts and we really appreciated having all the details taken care of for us. It was simultaneously relaxing and exciting, calming and invigorating.
— Jacob T
Loire Valley 2022
