Join us on an inspirational sewing and textile adventure in Provence
With our guest mentor Sarahbeth Larrimore who brings her much-loved workshop, ‘Queen Robe Project’ to Provence.
Hosted by Ruth Ribeaucourt
When: April 22-28 2025
Where: Château de la Gonette, Simiane-la-Provence, South of France
Photography by Chelsea Lane, Ruth Ribeaucourt, Indie Miller
Dive in
At the heart of this intimate creative retreat is our deepest desire for you to have all the things you'll need to fall in love with your body, follow your creative muse, experience a beautiful flowing process, and return home with a holistic understanding of how to achieve your dreams.
Join us for a 7-day retreat experience in the medieval hilltop village of Simiane-la-Rotunde in the south of France learning to create the robe of your dreams with Sarahbeth Larrimore.
Sarahbeth will lead a daily masterclass guiding you to craft a purposeful and beautiful robe and her workshop is as much a primer on creating what you long to wear through design, planning, and sewing as it is about understanding how to work with our bodies instead of against them and embrace the joy of the creative process.
Every afternoon, Ruth Ribeaucourt (FAIRE editor-in-chief) will lead our small group on inspirational afternoon adventures exploring the ‘fabric of France’. Ruth will open up Provence through stories of silk-making and delicious patterned Indiennes toiles that decorated the jupons of the most fashionable women in France in the 18th-century (who were from the neighbouring city of Arles not Paris btw!). We’ll explore the powerful colours of Provence from indigo to madder root, leaf through ancient ribbon ledgers and learn about the crafty beginnings of this thin slice of colour and patterned silk and the power of a ribbon to transform even the most humble gown. We’ll also learn about the historical Marseille boutis and its more colourful cousin - the piqué.
We will nourish your imaginations with invitations inside artist ateliers, and textile dealers treasured private collections - because connecting with other soulful like-minded creatives is what will fuel our spirits and fill our cup for the year ahead.
This will be an intimate, hands-on, and in-depth practical creative experience open to creatives of all levels. It is certainly not about being the best seamstress - but more focussed on being present. Our retreat is an all-inclusive experience and from the moment you arrive at our retreat residency in Saignon we take care of everything so that you can relax and open yourself up to embracing the magic.
Photography by Chelsea Lane and Ruth Ribeaucourt
What is the Queen Robe Project?
Sarahbeth Larrimore has designed this tried and true workshop course to take many dubious, never-having-sewn folks from start to finish through the whole process of making a glorious robe of their dreams.
In a ‘bare bones nutshell’ there are three key steps:
- Dream -
- Build -
- Sew -
Step 1: Dream
First we get clear on the feeling. It all starts here, in dreaming. What is it that you long for?
In this section, Sarahbeth will teach a proper inspirational fiber class with hands-on samples taught through the lens of sustainability.
Step 2: Build
This crucial step is about understanding the body and specifically how clothes are made to fit the body and the many techniques that all folks - from couturiers to our grandmothers - have used to make garments.
We'll work with a ‘design-your-own-adventure’ unique pattern to turn those 5 rectangles into the robe of your dreams: 2 fronts, a back, and 2 dropped sleeves and the world is your oyster in terms of design.
Sarahbeth will work closely with you to guide you and help you to combine your dreaming and building language to sketch your unique robe design. Multiple adaptations will be taught in this session. Freedom of expression is encouraged and supported.
Step 3: Sew
Apparel sewing is simple. Sarahbeth will guide you through the two simple machine stitches apparel sewists need and how to work with a machine. You can't do it wrong, or really - we do it wrong all the time, we just make friends with our seam ripper and keep going. We'll start joyfully constructing our toiles.
Photography by Heather Fox
Who is this retreat for?
Sarahbeth Larrimore describes it perfectly when she says….
It all begins with an idea.
What do you dream of stepping into when out of the bath, rising from bed, lounging with your journal?
What do you take your morning coffee wearing? Is it linen, cotton, silk? Does it have long sleeves, short cufffs, no sleeves, kimono edges?
Will you throw in a hidden pocket, or embroider the words most dear to your heart in the panels?
How do you want it to make you feel?
This retreat is perfect for anyone interested in exploring dress-making in a gentler, more inclusive way.
It’s for those of you who dream of owning or crafting something that celebrates your body, and for those who wish to learn both the theory of dress construction and why certain pieces work (or not) - and vitally, remembering our worthiness throughout the creative process.
It’s also a retreat for those who want to travel deeper in Provence, seeking out throughtful and intimate connections with local artists and creatives, and getting to the heart of this region through its stories of colour, pattern, texture, tradition and culture.
As Sarahbeth likes to say - ‘what lights you up never leads you astray’ - so join us for a week of joy, creativity and storytelling.
In Practice:
Our mornings will be spent in the atelier of the Château de la Gonette, under the guidance of Sarahbeth Larrimore as she leads you through her daily masterclass (* sprinkled with a little bit of joyful cussing!).
We will provide all key sewing tools including sewing machines, fabric, scissors, measuring tapes, needles and thread etc
*A note on fabric:
We'll provide yards of cotton muslin from which to craft your robe as a unique living pattern. In designer terms we call this a toile. If you have a ‘dream’ fabric from which you want to make your robe and want to bring it great, but the main objective is for you to be wildly inspired, and to learn and create a pattern from which you can go home and make your dream queen robe not that you'll have it completed while in France - we don't want you to rush through a ‘finished product’ and to have this pressure get in the way of your magical, immersive experience of being ‘in the creative moment’. You are going to learn so much about fiber and be immersed in a world of rich textiles through the story of their creation, and making them into art, history, and lore.
Plus !! you'll have the Queen Robe Project online course with all instructions and videos after the week's creative retreat for life.
Photography by Ruth Ribeaucourt
Chateau de la Gonette Estate
Our accommodation and the heart of our retreat is the breathtaking 17th-century Château de la Gonette, nestled at the foot of the medieval village of Simiane-la-Rotonde in the Luberon region of Southern France. Once the cherished home of celebrated interior designer Robert Kime, it was affectionately known as the ‘Sleeping Princess.’ Today, its current owners, author Alice Nelson and her husband, have become its new guardians, embracing this role with care and sensitivity as they continue the estate’s historic purpose as a sanctuary for those seeking peace, inspiration, and connection. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to create magic here in 2025.
You can read about this history of this beautiful property in a feature from Vogue magazine, House & Garden and visit their instagram here.
Retreat package & costs
Solo room options :
Duras: One queen bed and shared bathroom (Private room, solo occupancy), 4,800 Euro
Woolf: One single bed, shared bathroom (Private room, solo occupancy) 4,000 Euro RESERVED
Garner: One queen bed and shared bathroom (Private room, solo occupancy) 4,800 Euro
Roy: One king bed with shared bathroom (Private room, solo occupancy) 5,000 Euro
David: One king bed with shared bathroom (Private room, solo occupancy) 5,000 Euro
Note: For mother and daughters or best friends who wish to travel together and are comfortable sharing a double bed - please drop me a personal note for a special package deal.
This creative retreat is a 7 day all-inclusive experience and includes:
Seven day (6 night) stay in the very beautiful Château de la Gonette in Simiane la Rotunde in the Luberon region of Provence, South of France. We have privatised La Gonette for the duration of our retreat and our guests will be able to really relax and enjoy all of the shared rooms including the gardens, orangerie, sittings rooms and terraces.
All of your meals (including refreshments/delicious local wine) for the duration of the retreat. Our guest chef will cook heartfelt, seasonal food for the duration of the retreat with 2-3 extra special supper parties and meals at key local restaurants with invited guests.
Bespoke travel design by your host, Ruth Ribeaucourt who has lived in Provence for over 15 years and has a deep connection to the regions creative community. Ruth always strives to create a very intimate, transformative insiders experience with exclusive opportunities to meet and connect with local and international visual storytellers, creatives and craftspeople.
Our invited mentor SarahBeth Larrimore is an exceptional and truly gifted teacher, who shares all that she knows with generosity. Small group, in-person teaching of the ‘Queen Robe’ workshop as created by Sarahbeth Larrimore. After our retreat in Provence - you will have full access to the Queen Robe Project online course with all instructions and videos.
All required supplies will be provided including a sewing machine (shared between two); cotton muslin to make your toile, fabric, scissors, thread, needles tape measures, paper for pattern-making etc.
Exclusive access to private antique and vintage textile sales and invitations into exclusive private homes and ateliers.
Full-time translation services (French-English) to ensure you get the most out of your trip and meetings with local artists and textile dealers.
All exclusive visits to meet with artists and creatives, intimate gatherings, supper discussions and roundtables with invited guests are included in the retreat fee.
We will manage and handle transport every day of the retreat from Château de la Gonette to our daily excursions and planned experiences.
Transport to and from Avignon TGV train station. One group transfer.
Your transport to and from excursions and classes is included.
All towels, linens and cosmetics (shampoo and shower gel) are provided.
Shared room options :
All of our shared room options are very large, generous bedrooms, decorated with antiques sourced at nearby Isle sur la Sorgue, family heirlooms, storied antique beds and layers of antique textiles.
Neruda bedroom: Very generous shared bedroom with two king beds and shared bathroom (room is shared between two guests). Price: €4000 per person
Kime bedroom: Very generous shared bedroom with two king-size beds and shared bathroom (room is shared between two guests). Price: €4000 per person
Ondaatje bedroom: King bed (four poster bed) with ensuite bathroom (room is shared between three guests in three different beds!). Price: €4000 per person
Ernaux : Shared bedroom with single bed and ensuite bathroom (room is shared between three guests in three different beds). Price: €3750 per person
What is not included:
Your travel to and from Marseille or Paris airport / Avignon TGV to our retreat. Any costs for visas / overnight accomodation / taxi’s etc are not included.
Note: We can share our contacts for a private taxi should you wish to book a private car transfer and not take the group transfer - or if you prefer to transfer from another airport/location to the retreat venue.Any additional gifts, supplies, snacks you wish to purchase during your stay.
Obligatory travel insurance.
Private massage treatments with In-house private masseuse Erin Clarke.
Body work / Massage: 75-90 mins session. 90 euro (Erin has over 20 yrs experience). This is a massage that is deep, delicate, intuitive and energetic (however the person wants to see energetic).
Kobido facial 60 mins: 80 euros
Treatments most be booked in advance in order to be fitted into the schedule.
Notes:
You can pay by either bank transfer or paypal*.
A non-refundable deposit of 50% is required to hold your place.
Should you wish to pay in two installments please don’t hesitate to contact me.
There are only 12 spots available.
Getting here
The nearest airport is Marseille (1hr 20 mins drive) and the nearest train station is Avignon Central (1hr 15 mins drive). An alternative route is to fly to Paris and then take the TGV train to Marseille (3 hours direct).
As for the connection, we will be organising one group transfer from Marseille airport at 11am on Tuesday 22 April and a return transfer to arrive at Marseille airport at 13h15 on Monday 28 April. Many of our guests choose to fly in the night before our retreats and spend a day exploring the vibrant city of Marseille, we have a FAIRE favourites list of my Marseille spots which we can send to help you get the most out of your stay.
f.a.q’s
Cancellation Policy:
Unfortunately due to the nature of this retreat we are unable to offer refunds should you need to later cancel. If you wish to find a replacement then your place can go to them but we cannot refund any payments made. We will do our best to advertise and try and fill the place for you but cannot guarantee success in filling your place at late notice.
Comprehensive travel insurance is now compulsory - and will ensure peace of mind and mean that you are covered fully for sickness, accident, or loss/damage of your personal property (cameras/laptops etc) during your trip. Your travel insurance plan must cover the following: medical expenses, repatriation expenses, personal injury and evacuation expenses. We also recommend that you select a plan that will fully cover you in the event you contract COVID-19 abroad and need to quarantine. Our team will help you make these arrangements but we will not be in a position to cover these costs.
Please note that travel insurance provided by your credit card does not typically cover the above requirements so please be very sure to check your insurance small print.
Payment Plan:
You can pay either by International Bank transfer or Wise transfer. Please contact us if you prefer paypal as you will have to cover any additional paypal fees.
Final payment is due by 20 February 2025 (8 weeks prior to retreat).
Change of Plans:
Note: In the unfortunate event that a mentor is unable to attend, Faire magazine will offer an alternative course of equal standard and quality.
General Questions
For any other questions you might have don’t hesitate to drop me a line!
What to pack?
Provence is very relaxed, and at the end of April we can have warm weather (and the odd sprinkle of rain) so comfort is an absolute.
Here are our top recommendations to help you pack:
We would recommend bringing a scarf and/or cardigan for when the sun sets and we are eating outside.
A rain jacket.
An oversized tote bag or backpack for storing your market finds.
Walking shoes for days spent exploring the perched villages of Provence.
Sunglasses and a hat
People do smart casual for dinner in restaurants but in general the atmosphere is very relaxed.
Don’t hesitate to ask if you are concerned about what to bring!
Previous Retreats:
If you wish to check out the retreats that we have previously organised - please visit:
Draft schedule
April 22-28 2025
Tuesday 22 April
11h00 Arrivals. Collections from Marseille International airport
13h00 Arrive and settle into the Château de la Gonettte before we host a welcome apero and introductions.
15h30 Queen Robe workshop time in the atelier (2 hrs)
17h30 Guests FREE TIME
19h30 Dinner at Château de la Gonettte
Wednesday 23 April
8h00 Breakfast at Château de la Gonettte
9h00 Queen Robe workshop time in the atelier (3 hrs)
12h00 Lunch
14h00 Deep dive into Ruths personal archives to discover the history of silk and ribbons and Indiennes printed fabrics in France.
17h30 Guests FREE TIME
19h00 Pre-dinner cocktail
19h30 Supper Party at Château de la Gonettte
Thursday 24 April
8h00 Breakfast at the Residency
9h00 Queen Robe Workshop : SarahBeth (3 hrs)
12h00 Lunch
14h00 Afternoon excursion to the home of a celebrated vintage & antique textile collector in Provence.
17h00 Return to the house
19h00 Supper party (at an artists home)
Friday 25 April
8h00 Breakfast at the Residency
9h00 Queen Robe Workshop : SarahBeth (3 hrs)
12h00 Lunch at the Residency
14h00 Appointment at an off-the-beaten-track antique textile emporium
17h00 Return to the house
19h30 Dinner
Saturday 26 April
7h00 Breakfast at the Residency
8h00 Depart for one of Provence’s most celebrated brocantes (flea markets)
12h00 Lunch in Avignon
14h00 Queen Robe Workshop (3 hours)
19h00 Final supper party at the Residency.
Sunday 27 April
8h00 Breakfast at the Residency
9h00 Queen Robe Workshop : SarahBeth (3 hrs)
12h00 Lunch
14h00 Several options available.
Personal time
Wine and olive oil tasting
A walk in the countryside of Simiane la Rotunde
One-on-ones with Sarahbeth
12h00 Group transfer to Marseille airport
13h40 Arrive Marseille airport
Monday 28 April
8h00 Breakfast at the Residency
Easy final morning planned with options to do a morning walk in the countryside or final one-on-ones with Sarahbeth
12h00 Group transfer to Marseille airport
13h40 Arrive Marseille airport
These details will be fully confirmed closer to the date and atelier visits are subject to change based on artist availability.
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Ruth Ribeaucourt
Founder FAIRE retreats and editor-in-chief of FAIRE
Ruth Ribeaucourt is an Irish photographer, creative director and editor-in-chief of FAIRE and she lives in Provence, France. She discovered photography later in life and is passionate about exploring ways to share compelling human narratives, shining a spotlight on the people who create the art, objects and crafts that transform and elevate our homes and lives.
Ruth has been creating bespoke travel experiences and looking after creative international travellers since 2015 under The French Muse and now FAIRE. Her retreats have been lauded by press in the Financial Times, Airmail, Image magazine and Travel & Leisure.
Her first book, Chez Antoinette Poisson was published by Flammarion in October 2023. Ruths launched her debut fabric and wallpaper collection in collaboration with Antoinette poisson in March 2024.
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Harriet Davidson
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Indie Miller
Creative retreat operations genie
Indie is what some people might call a ‘Jill of all trades,’ she loves to learn and hates sitting still. She was born and raised in Idaho, where she grew up on a farm and learned the importance of hard work.
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Erin Clarke
Wellness
Erin is an Irish freelance massage therapist with over 9 years of experience, particularly in bodywork. Her focus is on well-being and she will be available for any guests who would like a private treatment. * Note these treatments are not included in the cost of the retreat.
Testimonials from past retreats
