The idea of organising a retreat came to me spontaneously during my last stay at LaVieTara, where I occasionally volunteer.
One day I was asked to pick up a guest from the train station in Annonay, about a 40-minute drive from Lalouvesc, where LaVieTara is located. From the first moment, there was a click between us - natural and easy.
The next day, a friend and I had planned a day trip to Le Puy-en-Velay and we invited her to join us. I had visited this beautiful town once before with my mother. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and truly a place full of charm, history and discovery.
I had prepared in advance - I knew exactly which historical buildings I wanted to show and what I wanted to tell stories about. But what made the day really special were the conversations that flowed naturally. No formal one-to-one sessions, no pressure to talk. Just connection - when it felt right. And if silence fell, that was fine too.
That day did us all good. I drove back to LaVieTara with a deep sense of satisfaction.
The next morning, we took a walk through the forest right next to LaVieTara. A beautiful walk of about an hour and a half, with waterfalls, breathtaking views and peaceful silence. Again - a moment of simplicity, and three people who felt more at peace.
At LaVieTara, we had deep, heartfelt conversations. Never forced, always sincere. Everything flowed from connection, from the heart - not the head.
And then the idea came to me. What if I could offer this to more people:
For people like them - who arrive overwhelmed, tired of all the worries at home, in need of space to catch their breath again.
She told me, "I arrived here completely exhausted... and after just a few days, I finally felt like myself again."
Her words stuck with me.
They showed me what is possible when you offer space, presence and the healing energy of nature - without pressure, without expectations.
And from that space... this retreat was born.
