2027 Retreat · February 27 - March 5, 2027
Fireside LIVING IN FRENCH
A Language & Lifestyle Immersion at Château de Borie
with Déborah Pham Van Xua
Fireside Living in French is a small winter retreat for beginners, especially A1–A2 learners, who want to feel more at ease using French in everyday life. Whether you are learning your first phrases or have studied before but find listening and speaking harder than reading, you can take part at your own pace.
Led by Déborah Pham Van Xua of Feel Good French and hosted by Abby Carter at Château de Borie, the retreat pairs guided French workshops, usually in the morning, with chances to use the language in real situations. Practise a phrase with support, then try it at the market, at a brocante, in a restaurant, with a local artisan or during everyday moments at the château. The order of workshops and outings can adapt to the day's plans.
Winter also leaves room to slow down: gather by the fire, enjoy shared meals, take a walk, meet local people and have time to rest. A few words are enough to begin a conversation, and you can return to them as often as you need.
“Come in from the cold. Gather by the fire. And live in French for a little while.”
A week, lived in French
French for everyday moments
- Guided workshops introduce useful words and phrases for the situations we will meet. Practise with examples and a partner before trying them in real life.
- Use your French at the market, a brocante, a restaurant and during visits with local artisans: greet someone, ask a simple question, make a polite request and respond to what you hear.
- Bring that language back to the château through conversation, games, a winter walk, a wine tasting and shared meals. The same phrases become easier when you use them again in a new setting.
- Learn what to say when you do not understand: ask someone to repeat, check a detail or find another simple way to express yourself.
- Keep a carnet d’hiver with useful expressions and a few notes about the week. Sharing a sentence by the fire is optional; listening is welcome too.
Les petits plaisirs de l'hiver
- A winter market, a brocante and experiences with local artisans
- A countryside walk exploring the plants and vocabulary of the season
- A simple creative project — an herbier, cyanotype or similar
- Perhaps a truffle market, chocolatier, pottery studio or an afternoon at the thermal baths
- Winter gives us permission to stay home — plenty of unstructured time to read, rest and simply be at the château
Gather around the fire
- A hands-on winter cooking session with Chef James
- Bread and sourdough making — including a sourdough pizza night
- A guided wine tasting
- Long château lunches and candlelit dinners
- Fireside evenings — conversation, storytelling, games and jigsaw puzzles on the dining table
- Shared meals, wine and conversation with your fellow guests
Your teacher & your host
Déborah Pham Van Xua
Teacher · Founder, FeelGoodFrench
Déborah Pham Van Xua is a native French teacher from southwest France and the founder of FeelGoodFrench. Now based in the Basque Country, she has spent her life crossing cultures. She especially enjoys helping North Americans aged 50 and over explore French—and the cultural quirks no textbook quite explains.
Her favourite challenge? Helping learners whose French disappears the moment someone asks them a question. Expect humour, playful practice and memory tricks shaped by her interest in neuroplasticity and how we learn.
For Déborah, language is about human connection. She creates a warm, non-judgmental space where you can recognise your strengths, find your motivation and dare to speak. Her mission is to help you trust yourself, stay curious and enjoy connecting with others in French.
Bring your imperfect French. There’s plenty we can do with it.
Abigail Carter
Host · Château de Borie
Abigail Carter is an American author and the owner of Château de Borie, the centuries-old château in southwest France she has called home since 2022. After building a life and career in the United States, Abby did something she never quite expected: bought a crumbling French château and began creating a new chapter on the other side of the Atlantic.
Today, she opens the château to small groups of curious travelers who want to experience France a little differently—not rushing from sight to sight, but settling in, sharing meals, exploring the surrounding villages and getting to know the rhythms of life here.
Abby believes some of the best experiences happen around a table, on an unplanned detour, or in conversations between people who were strangers a few days before. Her retreats are built around that idea: come as you are, make yourself at home, and see what happens.
Meet Chef James
Chef James Lee Gordon brings more than a decade of experience in organic and Michelin-rated kitchens to Château de Borie. A remarkably creative cook, James transforms fresh, seasonal ingredients into dishes that are as beautiful as they are delicious—often looking more like works of art than dinner. Founder of The Chocolate Bear Kitchen in England, he is also particularly skilled at creating thoughtful, inclusive menus for guests with food allergies and intolerances.
Meals with James are an experience in themselves, often enjoyed outside on the château terrace. Depending on the season and the menu, that might mean a summer barbecue, a pizza night, or a little culinary theatre—such as his spectacular tableside Crêpes Suzette.
James brings imagination and a sense of occasion to every meal, making the food at Château de Borie an unforgettable part of the retreat experience.
Who this week is for
Build on your French, one shared experience at a time
This week is for beginner French learners, from first phrases through A1–A2. You may wonder whether you know enough to join in, or find listening and conversation harder than reading. In our small group, Déborah will adapt the activities as the week unfolds so you can practise at a level that works for you.
Workshops prepare you for everyday situations: asking a question at the market, finding something at a brocante, ordering in a restaurant or speaking with a local artisan. You will practise with support, then have opportunities to use your French during the retreat. There is always room to pause, listen and try again.
The slower winter rhythm gives you time to revisit useful language. Your carnet d’hiver can hold words and moments from the week; by the fire, you may share a sentence or simply enjoy listening.
What you'll take home
You will have practised French for ordinary moments: greeting someone, asking a simple question, making a request and finding a way forward when you do not understand. Your carnet d’hiver will hold phrases and memories from the week, along with ideas for continuing to practise at home. You may still hesitate sometimes, but you will have more ways to begin, respond and try again.
Voices of Past Participants
“My week at Château de Borie was magical. I came to learn more French and improve my confidence. I achieved both of my goals, but also made friends and had wonderful experiences. I came away from the week with more confidence and a path/routine for improving my French. The accommodations and food were excellent. Château de Borie is lovely.”
~ 2026 Participant
“The people - the staff & participants became like friends.”
~ 2026 Participant
“I am overwhelmed with what Abby has accomplished both at the chateau and with the retreats. It’s wonderful how she shares it with others. Our language instructor, Deborah made learning French comprehensible and fun. James, our chef created delicious dishes from local fresh ingredients. Finally making ten new, wonderful friends is truly a gift that keeps giving.”
~ 2026 Participant
The week, day by day
SAT Feb 27th
Arrival
Arrive at Château de Borie before 4:00 pm. Settle in, meet the group over an early dinner.
SUN 28th — THURS March 4th
Immersion week
Guided French workshops, usually in the morning, prepare you for the week's experiences. Use your French in small, supported ways at a winter market, a brocante, a restaurant, during experiences with local artisans and in everyday conversations at the château. The week also makes room for a wine tasting, winter walks, cooking with Chef James (including the sourdough pizza night), and fireside evenings with games, rest and optional sharing from your carnet d’hiver. The order of workshops and outings follows the group, opening hours and winter weather. Full day-by-day details are shared after booking.
FRI March 5th
Departure
Depart before noon.
Rooms & investment
Premium
€3,950 solo, per person
€3,450 shared, per person
Cygne, Étoile, Gingko, Rossignol, and Jasmin — all are second-floor, private bathrooms down the hall, except Jasmin, which is a third-floor room with a full ensuite.
Standard
€3,450 solo, per person
€3,100 shared, per person
Magnolia, Colibri, Chouette, Renard, Lapin, Paon — third floor bedrooms with private bathrooms down the hall. Shared pairings available in Lapin, Paon, and Cygne.
What’s included
What's Included
- Round-trip transport from Agen train station
- 6 nights, private or shared
- All meals, beverages, and wine
- Daily French sessions
- Market excursions
- Wine tasting
- A post-retreat guide — sites, apps, films & podcasts to keep your French alive
What's Not Included
- Airfare or international travel
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Personal spending money
- Occasional lunches during excursions where indicated
Getting here & getting around
Book your own flights into Toulouse or Bordeaux, then a roughly 90 min, train to Agen — or fly into Paris and take the 3-hour TGV from Montparnasse. We recommend arriving a day early in Toulouse if you can, to shake off the jet lag before the week begins.
Transportation is provided for all group excursions, so a rental car isn't necessary. Trip and medical cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. The château is multi-level with stairs throughout, so comfortable, unassisted walking is a must — and you'll likely meet Lulu, the resident Boston terrier.
Cancellations & refunds
A deposit holds your seat. Here's exactly how refunds work as the date approaches.
Deposit is refundable up to this date.
Full refund if your spot is filled from a waitlist; otherwise 50% refund, or a 12-month credit transfer to a future retreat.
No refunds. We strongly recommend trip/medical cancellation insurance.
A small group. One week. A very different winter.
Have a question before you commit — about your French level, a room, or the dates? Reach out directly and we'll help you figure out if this week is right for you.