Simply Canvas Farm
Retreats and Workshops in France
Recharge at Simply Canvas Farm: a warm and intimate retreat center nestled in the heart of nature in France (Dordogne, near Bergerac). Find peace through retreats and workshops that not only give you a wonderful week but also provide something to take home with you: greater clarity, resilience, and space in your daily life. And it’s also perfectly fine to just enjoy yourself: delicious food, plenty of personal space, and vacation-like elements like sunshine, silence, hammocks, a campfire, and a lovely swimming pool.
View the retreat schedule
From May through September, we organize retreats focused on yoga, meditation, digital detox, food forests, permaculture, and more. Check the calendar for a complete overview.
Discover this unique place
To make sure you have everything you need, we at Simply Canvas Farm Retreat Center want you to have a relaxing stay in France. Enjoy the stars, fantastic food, swaying in a hammock, and cups of tea.
FROM (WORK) STRESS TO INNER PEACE
What can you expect?
At Simply Canvas Farm, a small-scale retreat center in France (Dordogne, near Bergerac), you don’t just get away for a little while. You find peace in the silence of nature. The warm hospitality allows you to be yourself. The various retreats and workshops help you slow down, recharge, and return home with greater clarity and inspiration.
From May through September, we offer a varied selection of retreats and workshops that change regularly. This means there’s always something new to experience, tailored to your personal needs. From mindfulness and meditation to digital detox and permaculture, our programs are designed to support you in your quest for balance and well-being. Let your inner strength blossom and choose from inspiring themes and facilitators. And if you’d like to bring your partner along—even if they don’t want to participate in a retreat—that’s also possible; just send us a quick message.
Connection
With yourself, others, and nature
Here, connection and a sense of community arise naturally as you find your center and through genuine encounters with others.
- Small groups (usually 12–20 people)
- There are moments of silence and moments of togetherness; there’s plenty of space
- Choose from a wonderful variety of different retreats
- Plenty of cozy nooks for relaxation throughout the grounds.
Personal Growth
For clarity and new insights
When you create space and calm, things often fall into place.
- You’ll go home with a clearer perspective, new insights, and a fresh outlook on your daily life.
- Step back from your daily “must-dos” to gain a clearer perspective and deeper insight without rushing.
- Through reflection, conversations, retreat exercises, and expert guidance, you’ll gain inspiration and insight that will help you move forward.
nature and delicious food
Working in Harmony with the Rhythm of the Outdoors
Here, nature isn’t just a backdrop—it’s an integral part of your retreat: the countryside, the food forest, the delicious local cuisine, and the rhythm of the outdoors naturally bring you back to simplicity and tranquility.
- Delicious meals made with local and fresh ingredients
- 5 hectares of nature in the Dordogne: hiking, silence, French hills, and a starry night sky you’ll never forget
- Food Forest and Permaculture Garden
Relaxation
Recharge with a retreat that includes vacation elements
Here, you’re truly allowed to relax. You’ll recharge through the retreat, silence, good food, plenty of personal space, and that vacation feeling of sun, a pool, and comfortable eco-friendly accommodations.
- Comfort & freedom: safari tents, a cottage, a tiny house, or your own tent/van—with plenty of space to retreat
- Vacation elements: a pool, hammocks, a campfire, and finally getting to truly unwind
A video of our retreat center
And come visit us, too
The Building Blocks
Of Your Retreat Abroad
Comfort, nature, tranquility, and a warm community are the cornerstones of your retreat at our small-scale retreat center in France. You’ll receive a warm welcome from the owners, Sandra and Santi, enjoy meals that guests often rave about, and choose from a season full of diverse retreats and workshops in France.
cooked with love
During your retreat vacation in France, you’ll enjoy delicious vegetarian or flexitarian meals: fresh, tasty, and prepared with care. We cook with local and organic ingredients as much as possible, and accommodate common dietary preferences whenever we can.
personal hospitality
You will be staying at a small scaled personal retreat center. The home of owners, Sandra and Santi. They will welcome you warmly, drawing on their many years of experience with retreats and mindfulness. They lived as a Buddhist monastics at Plum Village (Thich Nhat Hanh).
diversity and extensive programming
Throughout the season, we offer a variety of retreats and workshops in France (for Dutch and international participants): ranging from mindfulness and yoga to nature, joy, and spiritual growth. Each retreat has its own unique focus and facilitators.
Accommodations: Eco-Friendly Comfort
You’ll sleep under the stars in a cozy, spacious, fully furnished safari tent. You can choose one of the three two-bedroom houses, or our eco friendly tiny house. It is even possible to bring your own tent, RV, or van. You’ll have plenty of space and all the comforts you need to truly unwind.
small groups
It’s precisely because we stay small that the atmosphere feels just right. As a small-scale retreat center in France, we usually host 12–20 participants: large enough to foster connection and community, small enough to offer silence, personal attention, and plenty of space for yourself.
Easily accessible: even without flying
A retreat abroad doesn't necessarily mean you have to fly. Simply Canvas Farm is also easily accessible by train, and we'll set up WhatsApp groups in advance so you can meet the participants and carpool (if you'd like). That's often a lot of fun, too. When you book your place your retreat starts a little bit from home already.
Take Care of Yourself with a Retreat Abroad: FAQ
How does it work?
How do I choose a retreat?
You can view all the retreats on our website in the retreat calendar. But you can also ask us for advice by clicking the WhatsApp button or sending us an email. Then we’ll discuss together which retreat is the best fit for you.
How can I book a retreat?
There are several ways to book, and the process may vary depending on the retreat. This depends on the facilitators. Everything is clearly explained on the retreat pages, but in general, here’s how it works:
- You can book your spot directly and securely with us. Click the “Reserve” button for the retreat of your choice, and you’ll be taken to the reservation section. Select your accommodation and add it to your cart. You’ll pay a deposit, and we’ll confirm your participation within 24 hours. It’s “direct booking,” which means availability is always up to date.
- For the Digital Detox retreats, you’ll be redirected to a different booking site. We partner with The Offline Club for these retreats, but the process is the same. You’ll select your accommodation and pay a deposit on that site.
- You’ll be redirected to the facilitator’s site where you can book (as with Deep Democracy).
You’ll receive confirmation of your participation from us within 24 hours. Please don’t book your trip until you’ve received this confirmation.
Can I bring my partner or friend who doesn't want to participate in the retreat?
Yes, this is generally always possible (with perhaps a few exceptions). Please contact us in advance, and we’ll discuss the price for those not participating in the retreat. Your partner is also always welcome to join us for meals, for example.
By the way, there’s also high-speed Wi-Fi, and if your partner still needs to work, we have quiet workspaces available for that.
Which retreat is for what? Connection/stillness/first-time attendee/joy/nature
Which retreat is for what?
- Connection
- Consider mindfulness to connect with yourself
- Consider a food forest to connect with nature and like-minded people
- Consider a digital detox to foster a sense of community
- Deep Democracy, a coaching training program that teaches you about group dynamics among people.
- Stillness
- The mindfulness courses are really great for this.
- This will be my first retreat
- The Let’s Connect Retreat is great—you can sample all kinds of different workshops. Very accessible and with a cheerful vibe.
- Digital Detox is a wonderful retreat with a very light program where you can be completely yourself
- Ellen Duim Retreat—she’s a warm person who makes everyone feel welcome.
- Culinary Yoga and Sound Healing with yoga for all levels and guidance that lets you be completely yourself. The culinary experience is wonderfully taken care of for you
- Lighthearted Retreats
- Let’s Connect Retreat and Mini Festival
- Ellen Duim Retreat
- Digital Detox
- Culinary Yoga and Sound Healing
- Permaculture and Food Forest
- Nature
- Permaculture and Food Forest—this includes a significant workshop component.
- Mindfulness Retreats
What do you guys cook, and can you accommodate allergies?
- We always cook with plenty of vegetables—locally sourced and organic whenever possible, supplemented with produce from the garden.
- We prepare vegetarian or flexitarian meals, depending on the preferences of the facilitators.
- By the way, you can always choose to eat vegetarian meals throughout the entire retreat.
- Please let us know in advance if you have any medical allergies.
- Gluten-free and lactose-free options are no problem.
- We can’t accommodate every request since we’re a small, family-run kitchen. There are refrigerators and cupboards available, so if there’s something specific you can’t do without, you’re always welcome to bring it yourself and add it to your meals (we’re very flexible about that).
- Since we serve buffet-style meals, you can easily choose not to eat certain items.
Why people come (back) to us
to recharge
Once you’ve been there, you’ll often want to go back—Simply Canvas Farm becomes a place where many guests can recharge time and time again, and here’s why:
We took part in a retreat, but the stay itself was just as inspiring. Sandra and Santi’s superpower is making you feel welcome, at home, and relaxed right away. It’s all about enjoying the outdoors, surrounded by nature.
—Arjen—
I don’t know what you guys do in the kitchen, but it’s magic.
—Annemarie—
I had wonderful dreams in the spacious safari tent with its comfortable beds, and the pool is delightful.
—Jauke—
What a magical place. I’ve been leading workshops here for three years now, and every time I’m impressed by what this place does for me and the group. It immediately invites you to slow down and feel.
—Chris—
What made this mindfulness retreat truly special was the connection that formed with the other participants. A group of people who were open to taking time together to reflect on themselves created a beautiful and sincere atmosphere. I’m heading home with a calmer mind and full of new energy.
—Kim—