Writing Retreat with
Susan Rich
May 24 - 30, 2026
Bordeaux, France
SOLD OUT
Taking Flight: Travel Poetry (& Memoir) with Humans and Birds
Join Susan Rich in a landscape that allows your heart to soar and your pen to fly. Take in the vineyards and the rolling hills beyond. We will visit the bird sanctuary down the road and yes the birds will all advance your sense of wonderment—and your writing. This retreat will let you be the woman you always meant to be as the poet Linda Pastan writes in her stunning travel poem, “In Another Country”. Now that woman can be you as you explorethe countryside sun by the pool birdwatch and more.
About Susan Rich
Award winning poet and essayist Susan Rich will take you deep into the world of birds and travel, through poetry. As the editor of Birdbrains: A Lyrical Guide to Washington State Birds and a long-time scholar of Elizabeth Bishop’s work, she will offer poems, essays, and exceptional generative prompts to poets & writers at every level, even the shyest of fledgling poets.
Susan has lived and worked on four continents as is evident from her first book The Cartographer’s Tongue/Poems of the World, which won the PEN USA Award to her most recent book of poems, Blue Atlas. She is the author of six collections of poetry and editor/co-editor of three anthologies including Demystifying the Manuscript: How to Create a Book of Poems with Kelli Russell Agodon.
Reflect on your writing in every corner of this beautiful estate.
To maximize your writing time, breakfast will be casual and our chef will prepare grab-and-go lunches for ease. Each evening, we’ll conclude our day together with our chef’s delicious sit-down dinners.
Each student will receive a one-hour private consultation with Susan in addition to fifteen hours of the workshop, scheduled activities and local transportation.
In your spare time, you can enjoy a dip in the natural temperature pool, walk to village of Blaye, or curl up with a great book.
Explore the stunning grounds.
We offer a guided stroll through the château’s vineyard and a private tasting of its wine.
We will also visit the Terre d’Oiseaux, a regional bird sanctuary. After exploring the sanctuary, we’ll arrive at the colorful farmer’s market on the Allée des Soupirs—the Alley of Sighs and lunch at a restaurant.
This beauty is the Common Kingfisher found in Bordeaux.
Accommodations
In the château, there are eleven peaceful bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom.
The château has a natural-temperature swimming pool, foosball, pool table, and several reading rooms.
Amenities include: shampoo, soap, hair dryer, washer & dryer, unscented detergent, iron & board, coffee maker, espresso maker, printer and wifi.
Includes:
– 6 nights in an ensuite private room
– freshly prepared French meals
– 15 hours of workshop instruction
– one-hour private critique
– scheduled dining out & activities
– local transportation
– on-site concierge services
– Please note that alcohol is not included
$6150 for a single room
$5550 for a shared room with someone you know
“What a lovely experience from start to finish. Everything was so well done for us with such consideration for each of us. The view from my room was spectacular!”
– Mercilee Jenkins