What do you want from your life in 2023?
January is traditionally the time of year where we take stock and make plans for the months ahead, and Team Society is no different.
But before you book that gruelling boot camp with aggressive promises about dropping a dress size, stop and think about what you really want to achieve.
Could it be taking time for yourself and looking after your wellbeing, as opposed to punishing your body?
Retreats are not a new concept, but powerhouse team Eve Elsby and Celeste Baskerville saw there was a gap in the market.
The birth of Maison Baskerville Wellness Retreat
The sisters didn’t want to create an intense week of fitness challenges, but nor did they want to go all out with incense and kale smoothies.
They dreamed of transporting people of the north-east (and further afield) to the south of France, to enjoy good food, gin tasting and paddle boarding on the river Garonne.
The Maison Baskerville Wellness Retreat was born and despite still being in its in infancy, there are only limited spaces available for this year.
Eve, who lives in Aberdeen’s west end and works as a freelance fitness instructor for the likes of Kippie Lodge, caught up with Society to tell us more.
The six day all inclusive retreat is based in the Tarn-et- Garonne region of France, and is suitable for all fitness abilities.
Guests stay in a beautiful farm house which is set in five acres of land, where much of the food is grown on site.
From massages to sampling local wines, it all sounds rather idyllic.
But make no mistake, hard work has taken place behind the scenes to make this dream a reality.
Fitness and wellbeing at heart of retreats
“I worked for a long time in mental health, a huge part of my work was getting the message across that anyone can be affected,” said Eve.
“Now I’m a freelance instructor, teaching Pilates, power cycling and aqua strength.
“I work from David Lloyds, Kippie Lodge, StudioBe and TotalEnergies.
“I’ve always loved exercise so when the opportunity arose to have a job which I really enjoy, I took it.
“For me, exercise is about so much more than the aesthetic; it’s about your state of mind.
“The retreats came about partly from my love of fitness and wellbeing.
“There wasn’t really anything on the market that wasn’t a boot camp or just yoga.”
‘No-brainer’ to host wellness retreats in France
With Celeste already based in the beautiful French countryside, it was a no brainer as to where to hold the retreat.
Maison Baskerville can cater for up to 12 guests, and the relaxed timetable includes a morning stretch, time by the pool and a food paired evening.
“We dreamed it up over a glass of wine, Celeste has wanted to live in France for as long as I can remember,” said Eve.
“So far we’ve had people come from all over, although a fair few have of course travelled from Aberdeen.
“You can travel alone, we never actually thought the retreat would go in the direction of women becoming friends but that’s exactly what’s happened.
“Advice has been shared, we’ve laughed and we’ve cried.
“We’re not aimed exclusively at women, but we haven’t had any men on the retreat so far.
Making new friends
“Our guests have loved visiting the surrounding villages and enjoying great food alongside lovely wine, gin tasting and even a cocktail night.”
At the heart of the retreat is the opportunity to truly rest, which is seldom available due to the pace of day to day life.
“It’s about time spent with friends and meeting new ones,” said Eve.
“We try and make the retreat as relaxed as possible, because we want people to really look after themselves.
“We make it our business to know what coffee you drink, what cotton you want on your bed.
“We’ve put our heart and soul into this, it’s about so much more than just making money.
“We’re very proud of what we offer; the best instructors and the best suppliers.”
With dates in May and September already fully booked, there is still availability for two retreats taking place in June.
Costing £1,200 per person for an all inclusive experience, Eve and Celeste are also hoping to branch out into private bookings.
“You could turn up with literally nothing in your pocket and be OK,” said Eve.
“Everything is included, from the fresh juices to wine, classes, paddle boarding etc.
“We are both massive foodies, so offering incredible food is a huge part of what we do.
“Our first retreat was overwhelming, as the farmhouse is such a special place.
“We did take a moment to think to ourselves, just look at what we have built.”
For more information or to book your place, head to www.maisonbaskervilleretreats.com, or follow along on Instagram @maisonbaskerville.
