Creative, autobiographical, or therapeutic: Writing retreat in Southern Champagne (individual stay)

Celles-en-Bassigny, France
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Summary

Learn the basics of writing and bring your own personal project to life. In the inspiring atmosphere of southern Champagne, we’ll work with creative prompts, short theory sessions, and varied exercises.

You decide what we focus on—here are some possible topics:

Unleashing the Flow of Writing (Creative Writing): You’ll receive tools to help you generate ideas playfully, overcome writer’s block, and get into the flow of writing without pressure.

Bringing Memories to Life (Autobiographical Writing): You’ll learn how to turn fragments of your past into vivid scenes and how to tell your life story with emotion and depth.

Therapeutic Writing: We use writing as a tool for clarity to organize your thoughts, gently reflect on your experiences, and gain new inner clarity.

Plotting & Novel Workshop: You’ll learn how to weave exciting stories, give your characters depth, and develop a structured, complete story from a basic idea.

Whether you’re writing just for yourself, want to process your experiences, or are working on a book project: You’ll learn to infuse your writing with suspense, heart, and structure.

After the week:
To help you continue your writing process, online coaching is available after your return.

In the afternoons, the focus is on exploring the surroundings. Depending on your mood, you can stroll through the charming towns of Langres and Chaumont, either alone or in a group. Or perhaps nature beckons: a walk in the woods, a trip to one of the four reservoirs, or a detour to the canal connecting the Marne and the Saône. Free days at your own pace—eventful, relaxed, and full of new impressions.

The retreat at a glance

The most important facts in a nutshell:

Categories
Creative Retreats, Creative Writing, Detox Retreats, Self-discovery, Consciousness, soul, senses & spirit
Date
Available all year round
Language(s)
German
Level
Advanced, Beginner
Group Size
1
Place
Celles-en-Bassigny, France
Accommodation
Overnight stay included
Catering
No meals
Services
  • An entire house with a garden all to yourself!

  • You are welcome to bring your pet.

  • Daily coaching sessions and feedback

  • French country life in a peaceful setting

  • You can choose the length of your stay

  • Contact me for a free introductory consultation via WhatsApp or Zoom!

  • There are 4 main topics to choose from.

Accommodation

Du wirst in einem von 2 geräumigen Häusern untergebracht, in denen wir auch die Küche und das Wohnzimmer für unsere gemeinsamen Tätigkeiten nutzen.

Möchtest du weitere Personen mitbringen, dann teile mir das gerne mit. Der Preis richtet sich nach der Dauer des Aufenthaltes und der Anzahl an Personen.

Auf Anfrage und gegen eine kleine Gebühr kann ein Haustier mitgebracht werden.

Free bicycle
Free parking
Free Wi-Fi
Internet access
Multilingual staff
Smoke-free property
Wireless internet
Dining area
Kitchen
Library
Garden
Terrace
Pet care / grooming

Catering

Meals are not included; you’ll be responsible for your own meals. Therefore, you can decide for yourself what’s best for you.

You have a fully equipped kitchen at your disposal, and there are small and large grocery stores within a 10- to 20-kilometer radius. You also have the option of dining at a restaurant 10 kilometers away or picking up meals there (starting at 15 euros for a three-course meal).

sequence

This is one of a total of 8 exciting topics for which I offer vacations for women aged 45 and older. My name is Susanne Hoffmann, and my project is called Chrysalide. I live and work in 52360 Celles-en-Bassigny, a small village in the Haute-Marne department. Here, I offer women traveling alone in midlife the opportunity for an inspiring and relaxing vacation in the French countryside.

The main language during the week is German, though depending on the theme and activity, there will of course also be French moments, with translation always provided.

On set dates throughout the year, I offer “Oasis Days” and women’s retreats on specific themes, where 2–3 women share a house in a communal living arrangement and plan their vacation together.

If you prefer to spend your vacation on your own or the dates don’t work for you, all the main themes can also be booked as individual stays. Just send me a message with your preferred dates and interests.

To explore all other themes and dates: go to the homepage and select “France >>> Grand Est” under the country selection.

Arrival and departure days are Sundays.

Please also take advantage of the opportunity for a free introductory chat via video call (WhatsApp, Teams, or Zoom). During this chat, I can answer your questions, and we can discuss together whether my offer is a good fit for you. Feel free to message me here under "Contact Provider" with a suggested time.

The price listed here of 1,200 euros includes a commission for the operator of this website. Therefore, it might be worth looking around for other options.

There is a discount for two participants who register together (girlfriend, sister, daughter…) and share a room. Since there are only 5 single rooms available, early registration is recommended.

Well, now I look forward to meeting you soon!

See you soon :-)

credits: freepik (Photo 1)

Arrival

The easiest way to get there is by car: just 3.5 hours from Saarbrücken and Freiburg, 5 hours from Cologne and Frankfurt, and 7 hours from Dortmund and Munich. Just look it up on Google Maps: 52360 Celles-en-Bassigny

Traveling by train is theoretically possible, but in practice it’s likely to be rather complicated. The nearest train station is Culmont / Chalindrey. However, there’s a well-established ride-sharing service (Blablacar) within France that works really well!

Since we’re a family-run business, we ask for your understanding that we do not offer any transportation services.

Rue du Pont de Jacquotte 2, 52360 Celles-en-Bassigny, Grand-Est, France

Cancellation policy

If you cancel up to 60 days before arrival, you will receive a 95% refund of the booking price.
If you cancel up to 30 days before arrival, you will receive a 50% refund of the booking price.
After this, the booking is non-refundable.

If you cancel less than 30 days before arrival, the full price will be charged. However, in this case, I’d be happy to offer you the option of participating on a different date.
You may also have travel cancellation insurance.

credits: freepikcom

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$1,413 / 8 Days

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