REWILDING
Shaping Moments on the Edge of the Atlantic
French Basque Country · 2026
Forage & Ferment (Inland Retreat)· 10 - 13 September · 4,150€
Ocean to Table (Coastal Retreat) · 15 - 18 September· 4,350€
Land + Sea (both weekends): Sept 10-13 & 15-18 · €8,000 (save €500)
Limited 8 guests per retreat.
Booking closes August 1st.
Two co-led experiences to return to nature as we forage from the land and sea. Cook with a chef whose lineage runs through noma, The French Laundry, and Satoyama Jujo. Leave with deeper knowledge of the land, jars of ferments in your bag, and a steadier breath. Come for one, or come for both weekends.
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INLAND: Forage & Ferment
Inland is for people drawn to forest floors, working farms, and the slow alchemy of fermentation. You'll spend mornings in the foothills with a mycologist, afternoons over koji and wild kraut, evenings around long tables tied to specific hillsides.
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COASTAL: Ocean to Table
Coastal is for people who want salt on their skin and a board under their feet. Surf at dawn, low-tide foraging in the afternoon, garum and cured fish by Thursday. The Basque coast is world-class for this and almost no one is doing it well.
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LAND + SEA
Land + Sea is for the ones who want the whole arc. Same rewilding ethos, two ecosystems over two weekends. The days between the retreats are yours — sleep, swim, wander the coast from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Biarritz.
Inland Retreat: Forage & Ferment
Thursday — Arrival & Terroir
You'll arrive at the beautiful Pachamama domaine in Biarritz by late afternoon — swag in your room, a kettle on, a few hours to settle. At six, we gather on the terrace for an apéro: a natural wine flight poured by Maggie Spicer, walking you through what Basque terroir actually means in a glass.
Dinner at eight, hosted by Chef Joss Ueng: An Introduction to French Basque cooking. Every course is tied to a producer, a hillside, or a forest you'll visit before the week is out. Consider it the thesis.
Friday — Mountain
Out the door by 8:30 with Chef Joss Ueng — NY-based, with a résumé that runs Noma, The French Laundry, Satoyama Jujo. You'll spend the morning on a guided hike through the foothills with a local mycologist, gathering what the season is offering: wild herbs, mushrooms if they're showing, edible plants you'd otherwise walk past. Lunch outdoors at 12:30, prepared from the morning's gather.
Afternoon turns inside: a hands-on fermentation workshop with the chef. You'll leave with two or three jars of your own making — wild kraut, a koji-cured something, a fermented hot sauce or miso starter — alongside the technique to repeat them at home.
Sauna and natural wine before dinner. Long-table at eight: foraged ingredients, wild game, mushrooms, terroir pairings poured alongside. Hand pan and somatic meditation with special guest Veronica Harbuz.
Saturday — Pasture
A day in the company of the people who make Basque food. Breakfast, then we're on the road by 9:30 — visits to a Kintoa ham producer and a sheep dairy producing Ossau Iraty cheese. Long lunch at a working farm, cooked by the farmer with Chef Joss Ueng alongside.
The afternoon continues at the multi-generational, minimal-intervention Château Lafitte vineyard with the wine maker himself. Back to the property by six. Dinner is the chef's what we learned today menu, the day's discoveries on the table.
Sunday — Hearth & Farewell
A slow farewell breakfast. At ten, we cook together — a closing brunch built from your own ferments, leftover foraged goods, and local produce. This is the skill-transfer moment: recipes, technique, the confidence to do this in your own kitchen. Take-home boxes — your ferments, a recipe booklet, an allocated bottle from the week's wines. Departures by 12:30.
Coastal Retreat: Ocean to Table
Tuesday — Arrival & Tide
Arrive at the coastal house by late afternoon. Swag, room, time to land. At six, apéro on the terrace: txakoli, anchovies, local pintxos — a sea-themed welcome.
Dinner at eight: The Coast as Foraging Ground. Each course, prepared by Chef Joss Ueng, features a single sea ingredient — urchin, percebes, sea herbs, line-caught fish — framed as the thesis you'll spend the week inside.
Wednesday — Surf & Sea Forage
Light breakfast at seven. By eight, you're by the water at Guéthary, foraging. Lunch at 12:30, simple and restorative.
Afternoon: coastal foraging walk at low tide with Chef Joss Ueng. Seaweed, samphire, sea herbs, intertidal shellfish. You'll come back wet, salty, and with material for tonight's table.
Sauna or cold plunge at your discretion. Long-table dinner at 7:30, cooked by Joss from the day's sea forage. The signature meal of the week.
Thursday — Preservation & Craft
Breakfast at eight. Mid-morning, you're in a sea-forage preservation workshop with the chef — salting and drying seaweed, building a garum or colatura starter, curing fish. This is Noma-style fermentation extended into the ocean.
Lunch on-site. The afternoon is yours to choose: a coastal walk or jog, optional surf or yoga. Rest before dinner.
At eight, the chef collaborates with a local fisherman for a pintxos-style tasting menu — different format from Wednesday, by design.
Friday — Hearth & Farewell
Slow breakfast. At ten, we cook together — a farewell meal built from your preserved ferments, garums, and cured ingredients from yesterday. Skill transfer, hands-on. Closing circle integrated over the meal. Take-home boxes — preserved ferments, a garum starter, and recipe booklet. Departures by 12:30, well before the festival crowds arrive.
“Each time I return to an experience like this, it meets me differently and deepens what my inner wisdom already knows. Investing in yourself, giving your body and spirit the time to disconnect from urgency and reconnect with nature and community is more essential than ever, and the benefits always ripple into life back at home – a kind of learning that feels rooted and reciprocal, far beyond tourism or escape.
Jocelyn put together this retreat as intuitively as she cooks!”
“I’d been surfing for two years and foraging for none. By Thursday afternoon I was pulling samphire off the rocks at low tide and watching it land on the dinner table four hours later. That loop — water to table to jar — is the thing WHISK gets right. The pacing is generous. The people they gather are extraordinary. I’m already trying to figure out how to do the inland week next year.”
“I arrived burned out from my personal life and work, but I was able to finally slow down, let go of so much I had been carrying, and walk away feeling grounded, inspired by the people and surroundings, and reconnected with myself and of course, with nature!
This retreat will stay with me for a long time. Thank you for holding space for us, for your warmth, and for inviting us into such a special corner of the world!”
Where the Day Begins
Each day begins with a return to yourself. Through sunrise yoga, breathwork, a quiet meditation, or an early warm mug of coffee in the open kitchen, we arrive—present, open, and grounded. With salt on our skin and stillness in our breath, we gather for a light breakfast before stepping into the affirming, creative rhythm of the day.
Drift into the Afternoon
As the sun climbs, we slow down. Afternoons offer space to rest, explore, or create. For those called to move, you can use the time for a meditative nature walk, surfing, or somatic workshops. As golden hour nears, we gather again—stories shared, reflections written, and the day softened by the light. Evenings unfold around the table, with fresh Basque flavors and the warmth of good company.
Those Who Hold the Space
Behind every REWILDING moment is someone who listens, guides, and nurtures with care. Our team is comprised of artists, guides, surfers, foragers, and storytellers—each bringing their own rhythm, presence, and quiet mastery. They are here not to lead from the front, but to walk beside you, to hold space for your unfolding, and to share in the beauty of making something by hand, heart, and tide.
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Maggie is an Immersive Experience Designer, Herbalist, Bathroom Curator, and founder of WHISK.
She is certified in facilitating Reiki, as well as leading transformational breathwork and meditation journeys.
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Jocelyn Ueng is a Taiwanese-Chinese American chef. Having trained in California, Denmark, Taiwan, and Japan, her food focuses on wild & foraged ingredients and traditional fermentation techniques.
Prior to becoming a chef, Jocelyn worked as a strategy consultant in the private and nonprofit sector. She’s cooked at some of the world’s best restaurants, including The French Laundry, Satoyama Jujo, and most recently, noma.
What You’ll Take With You
Not a souvenir, but something quieter, something that stays. A steadier breath. The memory of salt on your skin. A knowledge of how to thrive in the wilderness, with your own hands.
REWILDING isn’t a linear line—it’s a tide, a rhythm, a return.
Here, you’ll remember how to listen. To yourself. To nature. To others.
And when you leave, you’ll carry the stillness, the spark—something real, something lasting—made entirely by you.
What’s Included
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Accommodations
Located just a short journey from the beach in the heart of the French Basque region, your stay offers a quiet space to unwind after long, sunlit days. A home near the sea, where every night ends with a stunning sunset and every morning begins in stillness.
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Healing Rituals
Morning breathwork, meditation, and workshops set the tone, with soul-soothing rituals throughout. Begin with gentle movement — like sunrise yoga— and find quiet moments to reconnect and return to yourself.
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Meals
Each day flows with the rhythm of shared meals—relaxed breakfasts, seasonal lunches, and delicious healthy dinners. All meals are included, with options for dietary modifications. Whether by the sea or at the table, every bite invites connection and calm.
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Surf & Sun
Start your day with optional morning restorative activities, then take a surf board into the water for an unforgettable ride, feeling the flow of the waves beneath you.
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Workshops
Immerse yourself in thoughtful forest and/or sea foraging to deepen your connection to place.
The art of fermentation, garums, natural wine. -
Transportation
From the moment you land in Biarritz, we’ve got you. Private airport transfers and all retreat transport are included, so you can move through each day with ease — every kilometer bringing you closer to the sea.
Come as you are, leave with salt on your skin, stories in your heart, and something only the ocean could have given you.
Why September, why this year?
The Basque coast in September is the version locals keep for themselves — warm water, thinner crowds, the markets still heavy with summer's last produce and the first of autumn's mushrooms. It's the narrow window when the ocean is still swimmable and the forest floor is already giving. We chose these dates on purpose.
Know Before You Arrive
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We suggest flying into Biarritz Pays Basque Airport (BIQ) — just a 10 minute scenic drive from the retreat. A private transfer will be waiting to welcome you and bring you directly to our meeting point by the sea.
If you're coming through Paris (CDG or ORY), the high-speed train from Gare Montparnasse offers a peaceful ride down to Biarritz. Barcelona (BCN) is also an option, though it involves a bit more planning.
You may arrive at the retreat location from 4:00PM. onward on Day 1. If you're arriving early or later than planned, just let us know — we’re happy to help with alternate arrangements. On departure day, transfers leave the retreat at 12:00PM., giving you time for one last breath of Atlantic air.
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Biarritz in late summer is warm, breezy, and kissed by the sea — so think layers, comfort, and ease.
We recommend bringing a swimsuit, comfortable sandals or sneakers, a sunhat and sunscreen, hiking clothes, and beachwear for slow afternoons by the ocean. For the workshops, pack clothes you don’t mind getting dusty or oily, and a light waterproof jacket for the occasional misty morning.
If you have your own wetsuit, bring it along — otherwise, rentals are available locally. Evenings can get cool, so a few cozy layers are always a good idea.
Pack light, but pack with intention — you’ll want space in your bag for a few handmade memories.
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Absolutely — and many do.
REWILDING is designed to be a space of connection, not only with others, but with yourself. Whether you're arriving solo or with a friend, you'll be welcomed into a thoughtful, inclusive community where stories are shared, boards are built, and new friendships are shaped as naturally as the waves.
There will be plenty of quiet moments for reflection, and plenty of chances to connect — so come just as you are. You won’t be alone for long.
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Airfare to and from Biarritz, travel insurance, and meals, activities, or transportation not listed in the itinerary are not included in your retreat package.
Additional costs may apply for spa services, surfboard rentals, or airport transfers outside the scheduled windows. Personal shopping, and any damages caused to retreat property or equipment are also the responsibility of each guest.
We’ll cover everything that brings the experience to life — the rest is yours to shape as you wish.
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All bookings for REWILDING are final and non-refundable. We’re unable to offer refunds for cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances, including medical or family emergencies, which is why we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your plans. They may be transferred to another guest, space and circumstances permitting. Please inquire if you can no longer make it after you’ve registered.
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You absolutely can — and we wholeheartedly encourage it.
Biarritz is only the beginning. After the retreat ends, you’re free to continue your journey — whether that means renting a car to explore the rugged Basque coast, hopping on a train to the French countryside, or flying onward to another corner of Spain.
Your return transfer to Biarritz Airport (BIQ) is included, but the path beyond is yours to shape. If your soul calls for more salt air, slow mornings, or small adventures — follow it. The REWILDING retreat may end, but the rhythm doesn’t have to.
Ready to join us but have questions?
Let’s connect. Book a call with our team and feel into whether this retreat is the right wave for you.
