Beacon & KIN: Sanctuary
A place of respite and remembering; refuge and reconnection. Of music, revelry, wildness and fun. Healing and howling. Learning - and just letting go. To Be, among Kin, in Nature's fine company.
We live in a bucolic bubble in the middle-of-nowehere, SW France. On our 35 acre estate we get up to all sorts, and we rely on other humans like you to make it all feel worthwhile. Where are you heading? We'd love to meet you.
Come and find us.
Still Human - are you?
We're in the digital age, living through "Interesting Times". Anxiety, pessimism, screen-time and pharma are up - connection to self and others, lightness and optimism are on the wane. Will AI be our saviour? Our nemesis?
We'll see. We prefer to enjoy what's here and now. And as long as we can type without resorting wholly to digital assistants (thanks for the funky images, though, Bots) we'll share our resolutely analogue human bastion here in the French countryside with other biological bipeds seeking natural synaptic synergy. Hang out on Howling Hill, chant and sleep fireside in a prehistoric cave, do some bushcraft, walk, swim in rivers; sit around the campfire, join in with live music, Kung Fu, zikr; gather, eat, drink and make merry.
Be Still.
Contact us for details of the next forest-based retreat.
Alternatively, rewind a century or so and join us for one of our "Lights Out" weekends. In our near thousand year-old dwelling, together we'll lock up our distracting mobile devices, power down the WiFi and unplug the mains for a properly vintage vibe. Engage with the seasons and learn how to create a vegetable patch, plant potatoes, harvest herbs, make balms, keep bees, press apples or chop firewood.
And if you want to deep dive, dip into our off-limits/off-web library or jump down one of our esoteric rabbit holes. It's a trip, man. Woman. Whatever your flavour, be Still Human.
We'll see. We prefer to enjoy what's here and now. And as long as we can type without resorting wholly to digital assistants (thanks for the funky images, though, Bots) we'll share our resolutely analogue human bastion here in the French countryside with other biological bipeds seeking natural synaptic synergy. Hang out on Howling Hill, chant and sleep fireside in a prehistoric cave, do some bushcraft, walk, swim in rivers; sit around the campfire, join in with live music, Kung Fu, zikr; gather, eat, drink and make merry.
Be Still.
Contact us for details of the next forest-based retreat.
Alternatively, rewind a century or so and join us for one of our "Lights Out" weekends. In our near thousand year-old dwelling, together we'll lock up our distracting mobile devices, power down the WiFi and unplug the mains for a properly vintage vibe. Engage with the seasons and learn how to create a vegetable patch, plant potatoes, harvest herbs, make balms, keep bees, press apples or chop firewood.
And if you want to deep dive, dip into our off-limits/off-web library or jump down one of our esoteric rabbit holes. It's a trip, man. Woman. Whatever your flavour, be Still Human.
Our Home Store
Just In
Volunteer
Want a break? From the usual rythmn, the urban tussle, the busy mind, the lonely path, the white noise, screen intrusion, stress profusion, the hampster wheel, lack of feeling, financial ceiling, precipice, The Matrix (now don't take the piss) but uncertainty won't set you free - could you use a little BLISS?
We have hosted dozens of volunteers, of all ages and stages and nations and persuasions. We look forward to hosting dozens more. Nearing a thousand years in age, the Fialeix estate is a constantly evolving entity and she loves those who love work. Discipline indeed will set you free. Fortunately, we're not too draconian when it comes to our wandering worker bees. "Work, rest and play in bucolic harmony" could be our motto, were we more into branding and all that pot pourri.
In any case, click the link to our Workaway profile (under "More" in header) for further details and to read the scarifying accounts of those brave souls who have come and volunteered already. We would love to meet you.
We have hosted dozens of volunteers, of all ages and stages and nations and persuasions. We look forward to hosting dozens more. Nearing a thousand years in age, the Fialeix estate is a constantly evolving entity and she loves those who love work. Discipline indeed will set you free. Fortunately, we're not too draconian when it comes to our wandering worker bees. "Work, rest and play in bucolic harmony" could be our motto, were we more into branding and all that pot pourri.
In any case, click the link to our Workaway profile (under "More" in header) for further details and to read the scarifying accounts of those brave souls who have come and volunteered already. We would love to meet you.
Time Out
Simply looking for a holiday? Want to stay somewhere authentically rustic yet not left all alone in The Wild? Space and privacy when you want it - helpful hosts and guides when you need them? A thousand and one chateaux, lakes, rivers, markets and beautiful towns and villages a congestion-free bumble away?
We have been hosting visitors at Fialeix for a decade. Some of them have even returned. Some quite often, in fact. Check out our rental page and reviews on AirB&B (Sainte Trie 24160) for further details.
(Psst! But get in touch with us directly here for "preferential rates". Know wha' ah mean, eh, donkey? ;-)
You could also time your visit to coincide with one of our artisan courses. Put your mind into your hands with a leather-craft course under the tutelage of master maker Jon Staniec (@jonatan_staniec), or guitar repair/making (see Cars & Guitars page) or carpentry for beginners. Contact us to register your interest and to find out about upcoming dates.
We have been hosting visitors at Fialeix for a decade. Some of them have even returned. Some quite often, in fact. Check out our rental page and reviews on AirB&B (Sainte Trie 24160) for further details.
(Psst! But get in touch with us directly here for "preferential rates". Know wha' ah mean, eh, donkey? ;-)
You could also time your visit to coincide with one of our artisan courses. Put your mind into your hands with a leather-craft course under the tutelage of master maker Jon Staniec (@jonatan_staniec), or guitar repair/making (see Cars & Guitars page) or carpentry for beginners. Contact us to register your interest and to find out about upcoming dates.
Cars & Guitars
In English, we talk about "guilty pleasures"; in French, it's "péchés mignons". However you salt or sweeten your sins, we all indulge to some degree. Our vices are (mostly) channelled through music and motion. Al haraka baraka, baby. We feel even better when we have company with whom to share the indulgence.
We have run several car tours for those who love the thrill of a motorised mission along some of the most wonderful roads in Europe. Eighties through the Noughties is our favorite era of machine, but we're happy to play with anyone who is passionate about petrol-driven performance. Get in touch to hatch a driving plan, you can find a flavour on Instagram @thelastblast911.
We have hosted several guitar-making workshops, both at our previous location in Italy and here in France. Our friend and super-experienced luthier Chris Wynne loved France so much, he recently bought himself an old school a breezy two hours south-east of us and set up a new workshop. It's much easier to get to from here than his old workshop, which was near Melbourne. @chriswynneguitars
If you'd like to visit Chris' guitar-making Mecca, spend a weekend learning to repair and set up an old guitar or your own, or book a 2-week course to design and build your own dream machine, tell us and we'll help make it happen. You could even drive down, top down, with a flight case on the luggage rack. Now that's retro cool.
We have run several car tours for those who love the thrill of a motorised mission along some of the most wonderful roads in Europe. Eighties through the Noughties is our favorite era of machine, but we're happy to play with anyone who is passionate about petrol-driven performance. Get in touch to hatch a driving plan, you can find a flavour on Instagram @thelastblast911.
We have hosted several guitar-making workshops, both at our previous location in Italy and here in France. Our friend and super-experienced luthier Chris Wynne loved France so much, he recently bought himself an old school a breezy two hours south-east of us and set up a new workshop. It's much easier to get to from here than his old workshop, which was near Melbourne. @chriswynneguitars
If you'd like to visit Chris' guitar-making Mecca, spend a weekend learning to repair and set up an old guitar or your own, or book a 2-week course to design and build your own dream machine, tell us and we'll help make it happen. You could even drive down, top down, with a flight case on the luggage rack. Now that's retro cool.
