King size bed
Privative terrace
Jacuzzi
Terroir Tales with Géraldine in the Toulouse Countryside
May 2026
Some retreats simply stay with you forever, and this was absolutely one of them.
In May 2026, we welcomed a beautiful group of guests to the southwest of France for our very first cooking retreat with Chef Géraldine Leverd. Hosted by Cintia, Anissa and Oriane, the week took place at La Bélonie, our countryside home tucked away from the busy city life of Toulouse, with our own spa & swimming pool!
From the very beginning, the atmosphere felt incredibly warm and natural. We had a lovely mix of solo travellers and couples of all ages, and somehow everyone connected instantly. Long lunches turned into apéritifs, apéritifs into dinners, and by the end of the retreat it honestly felt like one big family living together in the French countryside.
Our very first day perfectly captured the spirit of the week. Géraldine took us to the local market to shop for ingredients together before our first cooking class. No tourist version of France here - this felt truly local and authentic. We wandered through market stalls overflowing with seasonal vegetables, cheeses, herbs, strawberries and freshly baked bread while Géraldine introduced us to producers and explained how she chooses ingredients for her cooking.
It was simple, beautiful and exactly the kind of France we love sharing.
Throughout the week, Géraldine shared her approach to generous French cooking through relaxed, hands-on classes focused on seasonal ingredients and bringing people together around a table.
Watching her alongside our private chef Dalila was also something very special. The two of them instantly connected and spent the week constantly talking about recipes, techniques and flavour combinations in the kitchen. You could feel the mutual admiration between them, and it created such a lovely atmosphere during the retreat.
One of the highlights of the week was our gourmet food tour in Toulouse. Truly a must-do experience. We spent the day tasting our way through the city, stopping at hidden artisan shops, tasting local specialties and discovering the incredible food culture of the region together. It gave everyone such a deeper connection to Toulouse beyond the countryside.
Another unforgettable moment was our afternoon at Domaine des Vergnades. What started as a wine tasting slowly turned into one of those magical French afternoons that nobody wanted to end. Bottles kept opening, conversations kept flowing, and somehow we all completely lost track of time. We ended up coming back to the château very late, laughing together on the drive home through the countryside.
The retreat also became the setting for a very emotional moment: Kim’s birthday celebration. The team organised a little surprise for her during the week, and she was incredibly moved. Honestly, we all were. These are the moments we treasure the most at Madame Voyage, when complete strangers arrive from different parts of the world and leave feeling genuinely connected.
The weather itself was cooler and wetter than expected, but strangely, it did not matter at all. If anything, it made everything feel even cozier.
And then came the final evening. After our last dinner together, the music started, glasses were refilled, and before we knew it the entire group was singing Karaoke and dancing together late into the night! One of those completely spontaneous evenings that ends up becoming everyone’s favourite memory.
This retreat reminded us exactly why we created Madame Voyage. Not just for the beautiful destinations or incredible food, but for the connections, the atmosphere, the shared tables and the little moments in between that cannot really be planned.
Merci again to Géraldine our incredible talent, Dalila our private chef, Cintia and Oriane our hosts, Anissa co-founder, and every guest who made this week so unforgettable!
