Creative Writing Holidays
- Carcassonne
Carcassonne, South
of France
Cost €795 per person (based on sharing a double
room)
Includes: 6 Nights
Accommodation, 5 Day Course Tuition, All Meals, Wine with Dinner.
Flights and Travel Insurance are not included.
Are you a budding writer, a poet, a wordsmith who has
yet to discover the full depth of your talents?
Whatever your chosen genre, you can develop and hone
your writing skills in our idyllic mountain retreat. You will be
coached in your chosen writing style and your work will be expertly
critiqued. You will also be given the opportunity to learn more about
alternative types of creative writing and experiment in a positive,
encouraging environment.
There will be 5 four hour workshops during your stay.
These will be intense sessions, designed to stimulate your creative
spirit as well as giving practical advice on writing styles. During
these sessions we will:
- Explore
Creativity
- Discuss what makes writing interesting to read
- Learn more about critiquing
- Look at different genres
- Brainstorm topics
- Find ways of overcoming that dreaded "writer's block"
- Work on completing a short story, a poem and a prècis
of a longer work
- Discover what makes publishers tick.
This schedule means that every day you will have plenty
of time to put your ideas and learning into practise, and explore our
rich envronment. There are wonderful mountain walks, castles, a
waterfall, lakes, as well as Carcassonne itself and the Canal du Midi.
Our ancient, stone built village takes you straight back
to a world of people living in tiny flint hovels built onto the
mountainside, At dusk, you can practically see them flitting in the
ruined stonework, gathering chestnuts and mushroom. A world of walking
over the mountains every morning to the goldmines in Salsigne; tiny
terraced strips of stony earth to grow olives and beans, keep a couple
of goats and ducks; fierce summers and cold winters. Romans used to
mine gold here. Cathar castles jut sharply into the vibrant blue sky.
Wild boar come down to our river to drink in the warm summer evenings,
and eagles and falcons soar, surfing the currents of warm air.
A perfect setting for exploring the
depths of your creative soul!
Freda Gardiner
Freda is a teacher. She teaches in a range of ways:
traditional classroom teaching, one-to-one, through writing, face to
face, by telephone, and using kinaesthetic means. The related
subjects that Freda has experience in teaching are:
- Creative writing
- English to GCSE
- English as a foreign language
- Communication skills
- Assertiveness
- Dealing with difficult people
- Management skills
- Personal Development
- Business Development
Freda has worked as a college lecturer, coach, personal
trainer and tutor. Freda studied first year English Language,
English Literature and Linguistics, at Edinburgh University, as
well as Pure Mathematics and Computer Science. She also has a City
& Guilds in Adult Education. Freda has also delivered in-house
business training to companies such as British Airways, Edinburgh
University, several NHS trusts and Arthur Anderson.
The Accommodation - La Maison Fleur de Felice
La Maison Fleur de Felice is set in an area of
outstanding natural beauty.
The accommodation at La Maison Fleur de 
Felice is beautiful and every
attention to detail has been taken to ensure our guest have a wonderful
relaxing time.
Accommodation for up to six sharing, is spread over 3
rooms, each with its own character, and a further six guests sharing
can be accommodated in our pretty little cottage - La Maison Girija
Rive, just a short distance away in the neighbouring village and easy
to walk to.
The house at Fleur de Felice, is tastefully decorated
and furnished in a simple French sophisticated style, the finish and
details gives each room a luxury feel. All rooms have mountain and
river Orbiel views. Fine, crisp bed linen, soft towels, television and
stereo players with relaxing music are standard for every guest.
The Food
Our aim is for you to feel happy and healthy, so food is
very important to us at 
La Maison Fleur de Felice and of course, as well as
healthy...delicious!
All meals are home cooked and in keeping with our healthy philosophy.
Wine is available with dinner.
Activities and Excursions
This region is famed for the Medieval Cite of
Carcassonne and the
Canal du Midi - UNESCO World heritage sites, 
various Cathar Castles
and chateaux ruins like the 4 Cathar Castles of Lastours. Wonderful
wines of the Minervois, Corbiere, Malpere, Cabardes, and Fitou and
delicious food such as Cassoulet.
During your free time you can choose to visit Lac
Montagne for swimming in a natural lake, walk our many trails, bike or
explore the forests of the Montagne Noire or the many beautiful Cathar
castles and cultural areas of interest. Take a restful stroll along the
Canal du Midi. Visit the Cascade de Cupservies - the longest drop
waterfall in Europe, The Gouffre de Cabrespine - a gorge inside the
Montagne Noire deeper than the Eiffel Tower, along with the wonderful
caves of Limousis; or vist the sight, which brings milliions of
tourists to Carcassone every year...
The Magnificent Medieval City of Carcassonne!
Don't forget to visit the newer 12th century Bastide
city of Carcassonne, with its bars and restaurants, and Saturday
morning market filled with fresh local produce.
Transportation and Transfers
There are now an amazing 3 destination flights to choose
from with
Ryanair bargain fares to Carcassonne, Bezier, 
Perpignan and route
from London Stanstead, Birmingham (east Midland), Liverpool, Cork,
Shannon, Dublin and Charleroi in Brussels. Other airlines fly into
nearby Toulouse International airport, whereby you could either take a
train to Carcassonne or hire a car.
Airport Transfers
Transfers are available from Carcassonne Airport at
a cost of 50 euros per person return. A taxi from Carcassonne
Salvaza airport is likely to cost a minimum of 45 euros each way.
Car Hire
You may wish to hire a car especially if you want to
explore further afield. All the airports have car hire facilities or
try www.europecar.co.uk or www.alamo.co.uk
Please arrive after 2pm on the first day. Departure on
the last day is by 11am.
Included in our Creative Writing Holday
