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Plant-Based Cooking Retreat Workshops & Activities
Whole Food Nutrition, Health & Flavour Mastery
Transform Your Health with Whole Food Plant-Based Workshops
This whole food plant-based cooking retreat in South West France goes beyond recipes to revolutionise your approach to nutrition, energy and daily wellbeing. Expert-led workshops, tastings and Occitanie market excursions teach you to replace ultra-processed foods with nutrient-dense whole ingredients, master balanced macronutrients and create satisfying meals that nourish body and mind.
Designed for health-conscious beginners, busy families and those seeking sustainable nutrition, this intimate retreat combines hands-on whole food challenges with science-backed light discussions about antioxidants, gut health and plant-powered vitality. You’ll craft simple, nutrient-packed sauces, whole food cheeses, probiotic yoghurts, hearty seitan and antioxidant-rich chocolate treats. Truffle hunting and village market visits connect authentic French flavours with optimal nutrition. Along the way, expect plenty of laughter, discovery and joyful moments that make this retreat both educational and delightfully fun.
Our meals focus on simple, wholesome preparations—designed to help you quickly create healthy, delicious dishes without the extra time or complexity often associated with whole food or plant-based cooking. We share the shortcuts we discovered through our own journey from processed to plant-based eating.
Whether you’re new to whole food cooking or want to elevate your nutrition knowledge, you’ll gain practical techniques for colourful, anti-inflammatory meals that sustain energy without processed shortcuts. All workshops and activities are included in your retreat package, with recipes, shopping guides and nutrition notes to transform your home cooking.
With a small group (maximum 15 participants), enjoy personalised guidance in our professional kitchens and cozy indoor spaces, plus outdoor tastings in the gardens or during village excursions for an authentic South West France whole food retreat experience.
Plant-Based Cooking Retreat Workshop Schedule at a Glance
• Whole Food Cooking Challenges: Yogurts, cheeses, quick sauces, hearty meals (beginner-friendly)
• Nutrition Foundations: Smart carbs, rainbow antioxidants, gut health boosters
• Tasting & Shortcut Sessions: Decode ingredients, master time-saving healthy meals
• Daily Wellness Talks: Plant protein, environmental impact, simple meal strategies
• Cooking Demonstrations: quick and healthy variations on dips, desserts and cheeses
• Excursions: French cultural immersion with village market visits and truffle hunting
All plant-based workshops, health notes, and quick recipes included in your retreat package.
Daytime Talks and Light Evening Discussions at your Plant-Based Cooking Retreat
Whole Food Foundations: Nutrition and Cooking Essentials
At our whole food plant-based cooking retreat in South West France, discover the principles behind nutrient-dense cooking. Learn how to replace processed foods with vibrant healthy ingredients, balance macronutrients for sustained energy and apply simple, practical cooking techniques to support optimal health and wellbeing.
Herbs & Spices: Nutritional Power and Flavour Enhancement
Explore the rich nutritional benefits of herbs and spices in plant-based cooking, packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Gain research-supported seasoning tips that make whole food meals both delicious and health-promoting, enriching your everyday recipes.
Wellness Sharing Circle
Gather on your opening evening to connect with fellow participants, sharing personal plant-based diet and nutrition journeys and goals. Build a supportive community while exchanging inspiration in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Plant Protein Essentials
Engage in an insightful discussion about whole food plant proteins—legumes, grains, seeds—and their role in balanced, nourishing meals. Perfect for those starting or deepening their whole food plant-based cooking journey.
Colourful Phytonutrients: Fruits and Vegetables for Health
Celebrate the power of colourful fruits and vegetables, rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients. Understand their contribution to reducing inflammation and supporting long-term wellness.
Smart Carbohydrates for Lasting Energy
Discover evidence-based insights into carbohydrates, distinguishing beneficial whole grains, roots and legumes from processed alternatives. Learn how these smart carbs fuel both physical and mental vitality on a whole food plant-based diet.
Environmental and Health Impacts of Whole Food Choices
Explore the wider significance of whole food plant-based eating for the environment and personal health. Thoughtful discussions highlight how food choices directly influence sustainability and wellbeing in our Occitanie retreat setting.
Hands-On Plant-Based Cooking Demonstrations and Challenges
Build your kitchen confidence, nutrition knowledge and creativity as you explore whole food plant-based recipe challenges at our retreat in South West France. Demonstrations paired with small group challenges include:
• Nutrient-Dense Sauces & Dressings: Fresh, simple and flavour-packed additions to brighten meals.
• Probiotic Yogurt Making: Savory and sweet homemade varieties to boost gut health.
• Whole Food Cheeses & Spreads: Creamy, dairy-free staples crafted from nuts and seeds.
• Hearty Whole Grain & Legume Dishes: Nourishing, fibre-rich meals that fuel sustained energy.
• Antioxidant-Rich Desserts: Naturally sweet treats that support wellness.
• Seitan and Plant Protein: Master versatile, protein-packed whole food ingredients.
Our goal is to deepen your nutrition wisdom, cooking skills and confidence during the week, culminating in a collaborative cooking challenge and inspiring you to maintain wholesome, delicious cooking long after the retreat. You’ll receive supportive guidance in creating meals alongside fellow participants within a warm, welcoming environment.
Sensory Tasting & Deconstruction Games
Sharpen your palate through fun tastings of homemade yogurts, desserts and sauces. Practice decoding ingredients to recreate nutrient-dense whole food meals. Essential for our whole food plant-based cooking workshops in France, these skills empower you to transform everyday dishes into healthier, vibrant versions long after the retreat.
Group Sauce Creation Project
Collaborate on crafting custom whole food sauces and dressings. Perfect real-world practice from our plant-based cooking retreat in Occitanie.
Plant-Based Cheese & Wine Tasting
Savour expertly paired vegan cheeses and wines that delight the senses while showcasing whole food creativity.
Plant-Based Cooking Retreat Excursions
Local Truffle Hunting Experience
Visit Marie and Nouchka, her truffle hunting canine, to immerse yourself in the world of truffle cultivation. Led by truffle research findings, generational family experience, and decades of her own discovery, Marie shares explanations and demonstrations surrounding cultivating and discovering truffle treasure! Later, sample the distinct truffle taste in components of our evening meal.
Village Market Excursions
Towards the end of the week, source fresh whole ingredients for your plant-based cooking challenge during visits to three authentically French village markets. Explore three beautiful medieval Occitanie villages across two days, with time to shop, wander and absorb quintessential French culture. Fuel your whole food plant-based cooking challenges in France with authentic local produce.
Whole Food Packed Lunches for Excursions
Our whole food plant-based retreat in South West France solves the healthy lunch dilemma with simple take-home recipes. Excursion packed lunches feature nutrient-packed fillings that deliver taste, nutrition and convenience.
Ready to Experience This Healthy Plant-Based Adventure?
Transform your health with whole food plant-based cooking in beautiful South West France. Join our supportive retreat to master nutrition-rich meals, source fresh local ingredients and discover practical, time-saving techniques. Reserve your place today and embrace a nourishing, sustainable culinary lifestyle!
Additional Whole Food Plant-Based Retreat Activities
Beyond our nutrition workshops, enjoy ample opportunities to relax, recharge and connect with nature:
🏊 Pool Access for Relaxation (Weather Permitting)
Refresh with a swim in our outdoor pool amid the peaceful French countryside. Pool towels provided.
✨ Nighttime Star Gazing (Weather Permitting)
End evenings under Occitanie’s vast skies. Far from city lights, Belvèze reveals stunning Milky Way views—perfect for mindful moments.
🌿 Free Time Exploration
Each day offers unstructured time to:
• Wander the property and surrounding locality
• Discover historical villages with markets, cafés, boutiques, brocantes and scenic viewpoints
• Relax in the gardens with a book, healthy snack or picnic
• Take gentle countryside walks
• Connect with fellow guests over herbal tea or wine
• Simply rest, reflect and rejuvenate
Optional Add-On (Arranged in Advance):
Extended stay before/after the retreat for independent exploration (subject to availability)
All activities remain entirely optional—craft your perfect balance of nourishment and relaxation.
View the complete day-by-day schedule →
Meet Your Workshop Leader
Sophie -Mindfulness & Breathing Workshop Leader
MSc(Dist) Communication, Behaviour and Credibility Analysis
Former Professional Artist (Ceramics & Wood Carving, 15+ years)
Sophie's career began as a professional artist, spending over 15 years specialising in ceramics and wood carving. During this time, she created commissions for museums and galleries, ran workshops and received multiple awards, with sculptures still held in Wolverhampton Art Gallery's permanent collection. Following her artistic career, Sophie transitioned into the field of nonverbal communication, completing a master's degree and becoming a specialist in embodied cognition and behaviour analysis.
Now combining her artistic sensibility with scientific understanding, Sophie explores how the body directly influences mental and emotional states—a principle she applies to help guests harness mindfulness practices for greater focus and well-being. Her approach to mindfulness breaks away from traditional meditation stereotypes, offering accessible, varied techniques that work for busy lives and active minds.
Sophie's breathing workshops draw on neuroscience research, showing how intentional breathwork activates specific neural pathways to regulate stress, sharpen focus or boost energy. With her warm, engaging teaching style and dual expertise in creative expression and body-mind connection, Sophie ensures everyone—from complete beginners to experienced practitioners—gains valuable tools that enhance both reading immersion and everyday well-being.
Ready to Wander Through Medieval Villages & Countryside?
Join our Scenic Medieval Village Walking Retreat in Southwest France in 2026. Experience peaceful walks through breathtaking hilltop villages. Secure your spot today and transform your wellness journey with culture, mindfulness and stunning vistas!
From €1,350 per person | Limited to 15 Guests
Common Questions About Our Workshops
Q: I've never done mindfulness/breathing work before. Will I feel lost?
A: Absolutely not! Sophie designs her workshops for complete beginners. No prior experience needed.
Q: Are the workshops mandatory?
A: While we highly recommend them, all workshops are optional. You're free to rest or explore instead.
Q: What is the creative workshop?
A: The creative workshop will be announced closer to the retreat date. It will be either a creative art workshop or a creative culinary tasting experience, depending on the availability of external suppliers.
Q: What if I'm not artistic? Can I still enjoy the creative workshop?
A: Absolutely! The creative workshop is designed for everyone, regardless of artistic experience. It's about exploration and self-expression, not creating masterpieces.
Q: Can I get one-on-one support?
A: Yes! Sophie is available throughout the retreat for personal questions and guidance about mindfulness, breathing techniques and creative expression.
Tips for an Amazing Experience
Before You Arrive:
Train with some hill walking if possible (but don't stress if you haven't)
Practice 5km distance walks
Pack comfortable walking shoes and break them in well before arrival
Bring a journal or notebook if you enjoy reflecting on your experience
Don't forget comfortable clothes for relaxing and casual creative activities
During Your Retreat:
Stay hydrated—bring your water bottle everywhere
Embrace the workshops with an open mind—even if you're new to mindfulness or creativity
Connect with fellow walkers—friendships are part of the magic
Take photos but also put the phone down and be present
Feel empowered to slow down, take time for yourself to rest, pause activities, or enjoy a rejuvenating afternoon nap
After Your Retreat:
Continue the mindfulness and breathing practices at home
Share your experience (tag us @rossignols.artdevivre)
Stay in touch with your walking retreat community
Consider booking your next retreat adventure with us!
Ready to Experience This Adventure?
Join us for an unforgettable week of walking, mindfulness, creativity and medieval village exploration in the heart of South West France.
Limited to 15 guests