Join us for a creative retreat in Haute Savoie, France, between the lakes and the mountains for an unforgettable and peaceful experience.
Come and enjoy 5 days/4 nights at Maison Gokan, a beautiful house on the shores of Lake Annecy renovated with great attention to detail and Japanese inspiration.
This year’s program includes spending time with a diverse group of creatives who will provide a holistic nurturing experience for your spirit, body and soul through culinary art, ikebana, mixed media painting, photography, and more. Peace, connection and playfulness will be the guiding themes for this year’s retreat and we cannot wait to have you with us!
a retreat for creative souls
APRIL 10TH TO 14TH 2024
at Maison Gokan, Sevrier, Annecy, France
retreat in English & french
workshops
your retreat experience
Keywords: celebration, presence, experimentation, sustainability, beauty.
Ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arrangement, celebrates each stage in the life cycle of plants and flowers. The ephemeral qualities of this art form and its intuitive approach provide a powerful tool to develop creativity.
With intensive focus on the creative process and experimentation, You will learn about the fundamentals of Ikebana, how to use them in your creative practice and Wagner will guide you into creating a work of art, using foraged and seasonal ingredients .
An invitation to observe and find beauty in what surrounds us, to practice presence and to contemplate things in a new way.
Ikebana by Wagner Kreustch
Repurposed fibres and paint workshop
Keywords: care, connection, healing, hope, new-creation
Our goal: to create something more precious than the sum of its parts, a work of art both curious and beautiful. Sarah will guide you into a playful, intuitive and experimental mixed-media painting workshop where we will play with the marriage of collaged materials and paint. Torn pieces of fabric and paper will act more as paint than fibre-based materials as they are married with acrylics and ink.
The power of repurposing old materials comes in the form of not giving up on something and of seeing the value in something beyond its usefulness. We will practice treasuring the materials and push this hopeful reflection beyond the canvas and out into our world and relationships.
Mixed Media Art by Sarah Hall
Keywords: curiosity, slow food, intuition, care, senses. experience.
Rooted in curiosity, appreciation for good food and surprising flavour pairings, intuitive cooking is about using and trusting all your senses, your memory and your experience rather than following a step by step recipe. Under Eva’s extensive cooking experience and guidance as well as following the slow food principles, we will choose fresh seasonal ingredients to create a simple delicious meal through improvisational cooking that will later be enjoyed all together around a beautiful table.
Perhaps as you reinvent and find new ways of cooking you could also reinvent other areas of your life.
Intuitive Cooking by Eva Monnier
"The deep conversations, the sense of community were so present and refreshing! I loved the beauty present in everything, such a welcoming feeling was created throughout the retreat and it was so nourishing to me"
Lies from the Netherlands
from a past retreat guest
investment includes
all workshops and materials
all wholesome meals and drinks
hands on instructions from accomplished creatives
inspiring discursions
surprise excursion
transportation for all off site activities and scheduled meals
airport pick up and drop off from Geneva’s airport at the recommended time
We have payment plans available, with only a non-refundable deposit of $700 CHF required to hold your space. Your final balance will be due on September 18th, 2023. Payment can be done online through debit/credit card, through Paypal or Wise as well as direct bank transfer.
There are only 8 spots available as we want to keep the intimate atmosphere of the retreat for a more meaningful, profound and connected experience.
Please note that your seat is not reserved until the registration form has been submitted and deposit has been received.
GROUP REGISTRATION
We can work with you on a special price if you are wanting to come with multiple people! Just send an email to eva@avodahmoments.com letting us know how many people you want to book for and we will reply ASAP with a quote.
Double Bed + Shared Room + Shared Bath
CHF2,800
Double Bed + Private Room + Private Bath
CHF3,200
TWO PERSON REGISTRATION
Your investment
If you want to come with a close friend, family member or significant other you wouldn’t mind sharing a bed with to save some money:
Double Bed + Private Room + Shared Bath
CHF5,200
reserve your spot now
During the retreat you will also have the option to:
• have a one-on-one mentorship session in case of wanting feedback about you creative journey, bringing a project for constructive critique, needing input, support, encouragement or just an open heart for challenges, ideas and dreams
• get your portrait taken by Minna Kaita
• enjoy a 20 minutes massage by Myriem Corteville
inquire for your wedding or event now
full wedding planning
find out more about:
floral design
catering & intimate dinners
Whatever your special celebration: a wedding, a vow renewal, an elopement, a birthday, an anniversary, we discover the colourful pieces of what make you you – your personality, passions and life journey. This is the source from which we draw inspiration to conceive, form and execute the aesthetic vision for your celebration in a way that tells a memorable story and create a welcoming atmosphere.
Our work includes everything from creating a design storyboard, to sourcing table linens, flat- and glassware, floral designs and other decor as well as large scale installations. We blend the use of napkins, ornaments, signages and cutleries to create a cohesive and intimate experience for you. Together we handpick, then transform every detail, colours, textures, sizes and shapes, into a unified and meaningful work of art. From elaborate entrance- and stage decor to give your guests a sense of warm welcome and awe, to photo booths that will leave a memorable impression, we meticulously pull together details of each art piece in a way that adds to the overarching aesthetics of your event and reflects a beautiful story of who you are.
Investment starts at CHF5,000, subject to the location, the complexity of the design, the number of guests and additional staff required for the day.
We only take on 12 event design projects per year, as we like to be fully intentional in our creative process.
CONSIDERED AESTHETICS FOR AN EMOTIVE EXPERIENCE OF WARMTH AND INTIMACY
Event design & styling
inquire about floral designs
full wedding planning
find out more about:
event design
catering & intimate dinners
All of our floral designs are done in-house. Our garden-inspired, contemporary approach to creating art with flowers has nature and seasonality at the core. Out of love and respect for people and planet, we aim for a zero waste and sustainable floristry, doing away with the use of floral foam, bleached or dyed materials.
Flowers are a compelling avenue for creating meaningful and awe-inspiring ambience for your celebration. Our floral arrangements are inspired by seasons, we intentionally weave together the immaculate hues of colours, varied textures, shapes and sizes that each bloom carries to achieve a bold and passionate statement for you.
We specialize in creating arrangements such as bouquets, centerpieces, floral installations and more sculptural floral creations for weddings and events as well as flower styling for photoshoots and brands. We are specially excited for floral projects that challenge and make use of
Our minimum investment is 3,000chf for intimate events in Switzerland and 5,000chf for Europe and beyond.
Embracing nature's gifts to share and delight in the present moment
Floral design & installations
inquire for a dinner or catering
full wedding planning
find out more about:
event design
floral design
There is no better place to cultivate relationships, recount stories and create new memories, than around the table. To elevate the experience of eating together, we will take you on a journey accompanied by flavours, colours, and textures, and serve a unique, custom made menu for you and your loved ones.
We only offer catering to small weddings and events up to 30 guests. With a highly personal approach, we create a menu specifically guided by the person, the couple, the ocassion. A questionnaire is sent to you and we take inspiration from yours answers to concoct a multiple course dinner, a brunch or a luxury picnic. Drawing from world cooking traditions, your favorite cuisines and our own culinary adventures, this menu will not be repeated, and in that sense is unique as you.
Time will stand still for a while as you rest and enjoy delicious food in the coziness of either your home, our home, or another location of your choice.
For events with a higher guest count, we collaborate with talented chefs and caterers to create an unforgettable dining experience, bringing to the fore our same values of good, clean, fair and beautiful food.
Friends around the table, an anchor for the soul.
Catering & intimate dinners
stay with us
the location
At Maison Gokan, energies unfold that increase life. A beautiful space of modern architecture fused into the nature of Haute Savoie with views over Lake Annecy.
Spacious bedrooms and inspiring common areas, as well as tranquil outdoor spaces and an indulgent Spa invite us to rest, respite, create together and connect over shared meals.
Wagner is a London based floral artist born in Brazil best known for his long career dedicated to teaching floristry and his graphic and sculptural work highly inspired by contemporary Ikebana. He started his Ikebana studies at the renowned SOGETSU SCHOOL OF IKEBANA under the supervision of the late Ikebana Master, Mr Shigeo Suga. He has embarked on a new journey to develop his art practice bringing to the foreground consciousness around the profession of floristry in the hope that more people can experience its powerful healing qualities as well as highlighting awareness of the fragility of our natural environments.
Wagner Kreusch
collaborators
Sarah is an artist driven by her curiosity to explore the layers of our humanity, from the ground under our feet to the depths of the human heart. In 2009, this curiosity led her to leave her childhood home of Ottawa, Ontario and settle into an international arts community tucked into a quaint corner of Quebec, Canada. Through her work in this community, Sarah was able to travel and work with artists from all over the world, each person and place leaving its mark on her, a mark which makes its way into the fabric of the artwork she creates. Her practice is fuelled by a fascination for what connects us in the midst of our diversity of human expression. Sarah received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Concordia University in 2023 where she majored in painting and drawing.
Sarah Hall
Minna is a Finnish photographer, whose passion for photography comes from connecting her deep interest in human beings and their stories and a love for creating art. She loves observing and feeling the moments and desires through her photography, so that the viewer can also experience the moment.
Through her work, Minna combines her best traits: curiosity towards the world and people, empathy and creativity.
Minna Kaita
Originally from Montreal, Mik made the leap to Europe in 2010 and now lives on the west coast of Sweden, with his wife Stina and their two sons. Over the years, his journey as a designer and communicator led him to collaborate with a broad range of projects, which became the seedbed out of which he developed a playful approach to creativity called Playground Thinking. This storytelling framework has been his fuel of predilection to inspire individuals and organisations to think deep, dream big and play well on this big playground of ours called Earth. With gumption and a fierce commitment, Mik is passionate about helping people on their sacred and unique mission to create better futures.
Mikael Boucher
Stina is a true people lover who deeply enjoys creating beautiful spaces. With a passion for aesthetics and hospitality, she has a resourceful approach to setting up environments where people can rest, build community, and engage in meaningful conversations. She describes herself as a "seasonal creative" - food & flowers currently being her favourite mediums to work with. Having been a part of an international non-profit for many years developed her interest for social entrepreneurship, all the while providing her with many opportunities to work for and with the least privileged.
Stina Boucher
Myriem’s mission is to accompany the process of transformation wether at an individual or collective level through the power of female leadership and the connection to the body. With only 30 years, she has lived many transformations that she was able to navigate by developing her resilience to transform her wounds into gold, her sadness into beauty. Through the acquired wisdom that behind each ordeal there is a gift and above all a better version of ourselves, she created her company Madre Sana, literally "the mother who heals" in Spanish, to offer care experiences to accompany mothers, women and the world in a process of healing, through the use of massages, aromatherapy, plant-based medicine, dance and more. Her main intention? Send messages to contribute to a more connected, more authentic and more loving world.
During the retreat, you will have the option to receive an enveloping and warm massage that brings deep soothing and relaxation.
Myriem Corteville
Your name *
YOur email address *
YOur address*
your message*
Submit
Your phone number*
Reserve your spot
Which room are you interested in?*
Double occupancy (2800 CHF)
Single occupancy (3200 CHF)
2 person registration (5200 CHF)
for a 2 person registration, include details of 2nd guest
allergies, dietary restrictions
Why are you joining poiema?
allergies, dietary restrictions
We are so stoked to welcome you in France. Please fill in the registration form and we will be in touch with details as soon as possible.
eva@avodahmoments.com
Questions? Get in touch
“The shared experiences, the new friends I made around the world, it was so precious to be able to experience this retreat. Having time for myself and doing things that I love but dont do as much as I would like, that was wonderful too! Everything was beautiful, comfortable and so cozy, the meals were always amazing! Along with the setting and the food, it was evident that great time and effort was put into creating a graceful space.”
"Celebrating rest is the main thing I am taking home with me."
Damaris from Switzerland | Dancer & Ergotherapist
"The Avodah team really knows how to make you feel like family and create an experience that surrounds you in love. The attention to detail, ability to create an atmosphere of immediate comfort and warmth, the thoughtfulness of the experience—it was truly astounding. Eva has an unwavering passion for quality crafted and locally sourced goods/services which made every aspect of the experience feel so meaningful. Being on this retreat truly felt like a glimpse of heaven on earth. Freedom to be, to rest, to interact, to paint, everything we needed at that time. I finished Poiema inspired in so many ways. It will continue to impact my daily life well beyond my time there."
"The Poiema Retreat was unlike any other"
Andi from United States | Graphic Designer
Just remenbering my time at Poiema made me tear up. The memories will always be so sweet to look back. I will always remember the laughter, the tears, the warmth. What I liked the most is that you could tell the passion each team member had for people to leave feeling mored loved, known and cared for. I was reminded that I belong, I am valuable and I bring certain substance to the table. I experienced refreshment and freedom. I cant pin point exactly what God did in my heart but I knew i left different then when I walked in.
"I'll always be thankful for the beautiful time spend in that house, all the people who left a special mark on my heart."
Stephanie from United States | Photographer
kind words
from past retreat guests
