Presents
The Listening Body
A seven-night small-group retreat in
Châteauneuf-Grasse, Provence–Alpes–Côte d’Azur
France
10-17 OCT 2026
Seven days in a stone bastide in the hills above Grasse, exploring the relationship you carry with yourself through the body.
This retreat brings clinical depth into a spacious, deeply human week. Each morning begins with guided practices shaped by somatic inquiry, Chinese medicine, acupressure, breath, slow embodied movement and stillness.
The structure sits quietly underneath the experience. You simply begin to notice more clearly: where your body braces, where it softens, what it has been holding, and what it already knows.
The rest of the day opens around the morning’s work-beautiful food, landscape, conversation, rest, village life and time that belongs entirely to you.
Two guests are confirmed. Three places remain.
I will confirm on 15 August 2026 whether the group has formed and the retreat will proceed.
Please wait for written confirmation before booking non-refundable travel.
The Work Beneath the Week
Many of us become highly skilled at understanding ourselves.
We read, reflect, attend workshops, explore therapies and learn the language of our patterns. We can often explain why we respond as we do, where our beliefs began and what we would like to change.
And still, the body may be carrying another layer.
Throughout the week, we will explore that layer through breath, acupressure, slow embodied movement informed by Chinese medicine, guided somatic inquiry, felt sense, stillness and creative processes.
Each practice offers a different way of listening.
You may notice where your body braces and where it softens. You may become aware of a feeling, sensation or inner response that has lived beneath your conscious understanding. You may discover that your body holds a clear sense of what feels true, what feels complete and what wants your attention.
The work moves gently from the physical into the more subtle. We begin with what can be felt: weight, contact, movement, breath, temperature, tension and ease. From there, deeper insights can emerge in their own timing.
You choose your own pace throughout the week. Every practice is invitational, and your experience remains your own. Some moments may feel quietly nourishing. Others may open a meaningful recognition that continues to unfold long after the session has ended.
The intention is simple: to deepen the relationship you carry with yourself by learning to hear the body more clearly - and to trust what you hear.
The Bastide
Our home for the week is a 200-year-old Provençal bastide in Châteauneuf-de-Grasse, within walking distance of the village and close to Valbonne and Grasse.
Built in stone and restored with care, it carries the quiet solidity of its age. Thick walls, timber beams, tiled floors, and light that moves gently through the rooms give the house a steadiness that is felt rather than announced.
The entire property is privately hired for our group. Five bedrooms are arranged across the main house and an independent annexe, offering both connection and natural privacy. Each room holds its own outlook - gardens, hills, or sky.
Outside, landscaped grounds open into shaded dining areas, a pétanque court, and a generous 16 × 8 metre swimming pool - expansive without overwhelming the landscape.
Walking paths lead directly from the gate into the surrounding countryside. Villages, markets, and hilltop views sit within easy reach.
Within the house and gardens are places to gather and places to withdraw - a shaded bench beneath the trees, a corner chair with morning light, stone steps that invite you to sit rather than pass through.
Some moments are shared. Others are quietly your own.
This is a lived-in Provençal home. Its authenticity shapes the tone of the week.
Your Room
Each guest has their own bedroom - a private space to settle, reflect, rest, or withdraw when needed.
Rooms vary slightly in layout and bathroom access, though all are thoughtfully prepared and comfortably furnished. Windows open to garden or hillside views. Stone walls and natural light give the rooms a grounded calm.
The house holds quiet well. Sleep tends to come easily here.
The Food
Chef Ash has cooked professionally in Australia, France, and Denmark, with experience in kitchens including Attica, Cutler & Co, and Gimlet in Melbourne; Le Cheval d’Or and Epicure in Paris; and Udtryk in Copenhagen. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu, his foundation is classical; his expression is grounded, generous, and deeply attuned to place. Each meal is shaped by season and region - guided by what is fresh, local, and alive that day.
Expect long-table salads layered with herbs and citrus, slow-roasted vegetables, freshly baked bread, seafood from the coast, thoughtfully prepared meat and fish, local cheeses, and simple French desserts. The food is abundant without excess, refined without fuss.
Ingredients come from village markets and nearby producers. Everything is prepared with quiet precision and care.
We gather at a long table. Conversation rises and softens. Laughter sits easily beside silence. Over the week, many people notice a subtle settling - in digestion, in the nervous system, in the way they inhabit their bodies.
Ash cooks with composure and discernment. His palate is refined; his timing is intuitive. The meals ground the body after inner work and restore without overstimulation.
Ash and I have discovered that our crafts move in quiet alignment. While I hold the group process, he holds the table. We sense the tone of the day together, adjusting rhythm as needed - allowing food and facilitation to support one another rather than compete.
This attunement shapes the week. It creates cohesion. It allows nourishment to land fully - physically and emotionally.
If you value seasonal food, shared tables, and cooking shaped by skill and presence, you will feel at home here.
How the Days Take Shape
Each day has a gentle rhythm, with enough structure to hold the work and enough spaciousness for your own experience to unfold.
Mornings begin with the body, before the outside world gathers momentum. Through breath, acupressure, slow embodied movement informed by Chinese medicine, guided awareness and stillness, we create the conditions for deeper listening. Some mornings will lead into a small-group process, creative exploration or somatic inquiry, shaped by what is alive in the group and what the week is asking of us.
Then we gather around Ash’s table for breakfast.
He will cook with the seasons and the local markets, creating food that feels generous, beautiful and deeply nourishing. Meals will be shared slowly, with time for conversation, laughter and the particular kind of connection that forms when nobody needs to rush away.
The afternoons open out.
You may join Madeline to explore a hilltop village, browse a local market, visit Grasse or walk through the surrounding landscape. You may choose the pool, a book, a journal, a long sleep or a quiet corner beneath an olive tree. Some afternoons will include an optional workshop or guided practice, while others will belong entirely to rest and exploration.
Evenings bring us together again around the table. On some nights, dinner will flow into a simple shared practice, reflection or ritual. On others, the evening will remain open - time to talk, wander, rest or let the day settle quietly into the body.
The rhythm will remain responsive throughout the week. The schedule will provide a steady container, while the people, the landscape and the needs of the group shape how each day comes to life.
Cobblestones and Coastlines
Time outside the farmhouse unfolds gently, shaped by curiosity rather than agenda.
Madeline knows this part of Provence from the inside - the villages, the quieter streets, the places that still belong to daily life rather than tourism. Because of that, our days out tend to move like a local week, not a tour.
We spend time in places such as Valbonne, Gourdon, Antibes, and Grasse - each with its own rhythm, light, and way of holding you.
A long lunch in a village square. A market wandered without hurry. A picnic on a hilltop when the weather invites it. A walk that turns into a pause because the view asks for it.
You might find yourself sitting with a coffee in a café the locals favour, wandering a square where people greet each other by name, or chatting with someone whose family has worked with their hands in that place for generations.
Along the way, there are simple, everyday scenes - washing on a line, bread cooling in a bakery, a game of pétanque in the shade, a doorway left open, a view that invites you to stop rather than move on.
We travel at an unhurried pace, guided by how the day feels.
The emphasis is on letting a place register - through movement, colour, scent, and the subtle shift that happens when you give yourself time to be there.
Provence, felt...
Who This Retreat Is For
This week is for people who have already spent time understanding themselves - through life experience, therapy, reading, workshops, personal practice or other forms of inner exploration - and sense that insight alone has not reached every layer.
You may recognise yourself here if you:
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feel curious about the relationship you carry with yourself;
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value the body as a source of intelligence, rather than simply something to manage;
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appreciate thoughtful conversation, quiet reflection and shared experience;
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feel ready to slow down enough to notice what becomes clearer in the space;
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enjoy depth held alongside beauty, nourishment, laughter and ordinary human warmth;
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feel comfortable taking responsibility for your own pace and participating in a small, carefully held group.
You do not need previous experience with somatic practice, Chinese medicine or body-based inquiry. Curiosity, self-awareness and a willingness to listen offer a strong place to begin.
This retreat may meet you at a transition, a threshold, or a point where familiar ways of understanding yourself have taken you as far as they can.
You may arrive seeking clarity. You may simply feel drawn towards a week with fewer demands and a more direct experience of yourself.
Either way, the invitation is the same: to meet yourself through the body, and to deepen the relationship that continues long after you return home.
The Heart Behind It
Holding the Week Together
Bel and Madeline met in 2016 while studying the Advanced Diploma in Integrative Complementary Medicine. Somewhere in those early years of shared learning, both sensed that they would eventually create something together.
This retreat brings that thread to life.
Both are experienced, qualified practitioners. They bring different roles to the week, each shaped by her own strengths, experience and relationship with the work.
Bel Bowers
Bel holds the clinical and facilitation arc of the retreat: the morning practices, small-group processes, pacing of the week and the responsive space between them.
Her work brings together kinesiology, mind–body medicine, somatic inquiry, Chinese medicine’s Five Element and Extraordinary Vessel frameworks, acupressure, fascial awareness and parts-based approaches.
Before entering clinical practice, Bel spent much of her working life as a hairdresser. Decades of conversation across salon chairs became an unexpected education in listening - not only to what people said, but to pauses, shifts in posture, changes in breath and everything the body communicated beneath the words.
After qualifying with a Double Diploma in Kinesiology and Mind Body Medicine and an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Complementary Medicine, she returned to the college where she trained and lectured for three years.
Her retreat work grows from the same quality she brings to clinical practice: careful observation, warmth, humour and a willingness to follow what is actually present rather than force an experience towards a predetermined outcome.
Madeline Greenwood
Madeline is a qualified and highly intuitive integrative complementary medicine practitioner, bringing substantial experience across emotional, energetic and body-based approaches.
She will lead a dedicated Emotional Freedom Technique session during the retreat and remain available throughout the week as a skilled practitioner presence - attuned to participants, responsive to what arises and able to offer grounded support where it is most useful.
The bastide is also Madeline’s home, and her relationship with this part of Provence brings another layer of expertise to the retreat.
She knows the landscape through lived experience: its villages, markets, walking paths, local rhythms and quieter places. Her fluency in French and her familiarity with the region allow guests to experience Provence with intimacy and ease, rather than simply moving through it as visitors.
Madeline holds a unique position within the week: practitioner, host, local guide and steady point of connection. She brings warmth, discernment and the kind of presence that helps people feel both cared for and free.
Together
Bel leads the retreat’s central somatic and clinical journey. Madeline brings her own practitioner expertise while grounding the experience in the house, the landscape and the living rhythm of Provence.
Their roles differ in shape, while carrying equal value within the whole.
Together, they create a week with enough structure to support depth, enough skill to respond to what arises and enough spaciousness to honour each person’s pace.
The group remains small so that every guest receives genuine attention - and so the retreat can move at the speed of actual human experience.
Retreat at a Glance
Seven nights · Five guests · One private bedroom per guest
The retreat is intentionally limited to five participants. Each guest has a private bedroom, allowing space to withdraw, rest and integrate throughout the week.
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Main House King Room with Private Ensuite – AUD 8,200
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Garden King Room with Private Ensuite – AUD 7,950
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Lower Ground Retreat Room (Private Ensuite) – AUD 7,750
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Hills View Room (Shared Bathroom) – AUD 7,695
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Garden View Room (Shared Bathroom) – AUD 7,495
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All rooms offer a queen or king bed and are carefully prepared to support rest and comfort. Rooms are allocated in order of confirmed booking.
What’s Included
Your retreat is designed so you can arrive, settle in, and let the week unfold with ease.
• Seven nights in a carefully restored Provençal bastide
• All meals, shared tables, and relaxed Provençal apéro - prepared on site by our chef, Ash
• Optional local French wine served with dinner. The atmosphere supports clarity and presence, while still honouring the pleasure of being in France.
• Group airport transfers to and from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport within the designated arrival and departure windows
• Thoughtful local outings and gentle day trips, guided by Madeline's local knowledge of the region
• Daily body-based practices and small group sessions, offered with care and spaciousness
• Time for rest, walking, reflection, and quiet enjoyment of the surroundings
• All materials and equipment required for our practices
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A short post-retreat integration call is offered to support continued reflection and settling.
Once you arrive, the practical rhythm of the week is thoughtfully held, leaving you space to settle into the experience.
What You’ll Arrange
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Flights: Travel to and from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (I can recommend a trusted travel advisor)
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Travel Insurance: Comprehensive cover for medical care, cancellation, interruption and your full travel costs.
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Personal Expenses: Shopping, souvenirs and any additional treats or activities during outings
Booking & Cancellation:
Once the retreat has been confirmed, a non-refundable deposit secures your room.
As the retreat will be confirmed within 60 days of the commencement date, all payments made after confirmation are non-refundable.
Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended from the time of booking.
Full Terms and Conditions are provided upon enquiry and before payment.
Does Provence Feel Alive for You?
Two guests are confirmed, and three places remain.
If something about this week feels quietly familiar - or you simply feel curious - I invite you to get in touch before 15 August 2026.
We can talk through the retreat, the available rooms, travel and anything else you would like to understand before deciding whether it feels right for you. You do not need to arrive at the conversation with a definite answer. A conversation is simply a place to begin.
Please wait for written confirmation that the group has formed and the retreat is proceeding before arranging non-refundable travel.
What You Might Be Wondering
How many people attend?
The retreat is limited to five guests. The group remains small by design.
Do people come alone?
Yes. Guests are very welcome to attend on their own. There is a natural balance between shared time and space to rest, withdraw or explore independently. The small group allows connection to form without asking anyone to be constantly social.
Is prior experience required?
No previous experience is required. Each practice is carefully guided and invitational. You are encouraged to listen to your own body, move at your own pace and choose your level of participation throughout the week.
Is alcohol included?
Local French wine is offered with dinner, optional and moderate. The tone of the week supports clarity, presence, and ease. Guests are equally welcome to enjoy the meals without alcohol.
Is this retreat a substitute for individual therapy?
The retreat includes reflective group work, somatic inquiry and body-based practices facilitated by trained practitioners.
It offers a setting for self-exploration and embodied learning rather than individual psychotherapy or intensive trauma treatment. Guests benefit from feeling sufficiently resourced to participate in a small group and to take responsibility for their own needs and boundaries.
You are welcome to speak privately with Bel if you are uncertain whether the retreat suits your current circumstances.
What about mobility?
The property includes stairs, uneven ground and outdoor walking paths. Village visits and local outings may also involve cobblestones, slopes and periods of walking. A moderate level of mobility will support your comfort and enjoyment throughout the week. Please contact Bel to discuss any accessibility needs or physical considerations.
What are the arrival and departure times?
Group airport transfers are arranged from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport between 11:00am and 2:30pm on Saturday 10th October 2026.
Return transfers are scheduled for mid-morning on Saturday 17th October 2026 (exact timing confirmed closer to the retreat).
Guests arriving outside the group transfer window are welcome to arrange a private transfer at their own cost.
Can you assist with travel planning?
Yes. Bel can recommend a trusted travel adviser with experience in international retreat travel.
You are also welcome to arrange your own flights and travel plans.
I’m travelling from Australia - will jet lag affect the retreat?
Arrival day is intentionally spacious, allowing time to settle into the house, the local time zone and the slower rhythm of the week.
The first evening includes a shared meal and gentle body-based practices to support arrival, followed by time to rest.
Insurance
Guests arrange their own comprehensive travel insurance, including medical, cancellation and travel-interruption cover.
Please ensure your policy covers the full value and circumstances of your trip.
A final note
I have learned that meaningful work rarely needs to be pushed.
It asks for the right conditions: enough time, careful attention, a place that supports the body to soften, and people willing to meet themselves with honesty and curiosity.
This retreat has grown from years of clinical work, shared learning, previous retreats and my own continuing relationship with the body as a source of intelligence. Provence offers more than a beautiful setting for that work. Its pace, landscape, food and quality of light become part of how the week is experienced.
I cannot tell you exactly what the retreat will mean for you. That belongs to your own experience.
What I can promise is a week created with depth, discernment and care - held closely enough to support meaningful work, and spaciously enough for you to remain fully yourself within it.
If Provence feels alive for you this year, I would be very glad to have a conversation.
Sending love,
Bel
