Magical Mas

We are finally here at the retreat for writers in the beautiful Cevennes, about an hour north of Nîmes. All writers from the US, France, and The Netherlands arrived yesterday late afternoon, just in time for aperitifs on one of the many cobblestone decks of this private home built in the 16th century.

The Cevennes is a peaceful haven of small villages and hamlets nestled amoung wild forests, rivers, farmer’s markets and wineries. It’s really a hidden secret here in the South of France, where the many valleys bask in the warmth of the Mediterranean climates and entertain visitors with breathtaking scenery and views. It’s a place to slow down, something that’s a good thing, especially for me!

Today was our first day to write, or do whatever we want to do. Nothing is set in stone. However, we were given a writing prompt on a 500 word conversion only using dialogue. We worked in groups of three, muscled through our stories and read out loud to the two others. Since I write a lot of narrative nonfiction, this was a more difficult task for me. The more I wrote, the better the dialogue became. The two others, Allison and Cindy, did terrific! I’m happy to be in their company.

All day long I kept thinking this place seemed magical - Magical MAs - for its surroundings, yes, but it really is the people who make it what it is for all to enjoy and learn from each other. It’s very interesting to see how we all write in a distinctive and unique styles, which, frankly, blows my mind. Some are working on new novels or memoirs, two are working on crime fiction, one is working on a poetry book, and the rest are writing everything in between.

As things happen with a semi large group, there has been delays in the kitchen today since the electric oven kept losing power. The chef was not happy. Dinner had to be postponed (lunch was also a bit late). Something’s just happen that way. Lucky this group understood her predicament. In the meantime, the aperitif hour extended to two. What’s not to like about that?

The author of Notes from the Cevennes, Adam Thorpe, came by to talk to our cadre of writers and have dinner with us too, along with his lovely wife, Jo. The Thornes live nearby and also have an apartment in Nîmes. Adam was also invited to talk to us last time on the 2024 retreat at the Chatau. He’s currently working on his memoir, and interestingly enough, he is paralleling his writing and how much he enjoys it with his before and after brain surgery seven years ago.

When the skies finally parted, a cotton candy sky revealed itself, and a lovely sundown made the outdoor kitchen and dining area simply magical. You can’t even predict a day like today - even with a little liquid sunshine thrown into the mix most of the afternoon.

Bill and I are thankful beyond measure to be in the company, community, and connections of terrific people and their inspiring stories to share with us and the world.

Viva la France 🇫🇷!

Terri