Basque country with erin mcdowell
May 13 -19, 2026
the queen of the sturdy pie and our favorite hostess joins us for a third year - this time in the heart of the french basque country! prepare for a week of sea breezy tasty treats.
May 13 - 19, 2026
7 Days, 6 nights
She is light! She is joy! She is Erin McDowell! And we’re delighted to welcome her for the third consecutive year with a grand opening near the Atlantic coast. The Basque Country is rich in culinary tradition, and Erin will guide you in some of the pastry technique while our Rêverie chefs prepare sea-inspired magical meals. Join us for the week of your sweetest dreams with one of the best bakers in the business!
From $5,200 USD
What will you do?
Begin your journey in the picturesque town of Biarritz for a night, known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant surf culture. Delight in fresh seafood at local markets, showcasing the goodness of ocean-to-table dining. Then you’ll head out to the Château de Larraldia, your home for the week. As you venture into the countryside, take in breathtaking views of the base of the Pyrenées mountains, a perfect backdrop for your French adventures.
Aside from magical pastry workshops in the kitchen with Erin McDowell, the Queen of Sturdy Pie, you’ll have plenty of time to relax around the château pool and stroll about the property. On Saturday, you’ll make your way to Bayonne, a hub of culinary excellence, where you’ll get to engage with local farmers at the lively marketplace and hand-pick seasonal ingredients to take home.
We’ll conclude our week in Biarritz, a glamorous beach destination known for its surf culture and chic boutiques. Enjoy cocktails at stunning seaside restaurants, savoring local specialties like gateau basque and fresh oysters. Join us and let the flavors of the French Basque Country captivate your senses!
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While we hope everyone will participate, all experiences are optional! Please feel free to take time for yourself whenever you like.
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Rêverie has carefully selected activities and experiences that we believe represent the best of the region and our own expertise, aiming to provide an optimal experience for the participants.
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Eating and drinking are communal! You’ll have the opportunity to cook food, taste wines and learn from experienced teachers. We can’t wait to welcome you for our workshops!
YOUR guest host
Get to know:
Erin McDowell
Erin Jeanne McDowell fell in love with baking at a young age growing up in rural Kansas. With a little sweet talking, she landed her first job in a bakery at 16 years old. She attended pastry school at The Culinary Institute of America, with the goal of someday being able to combine her love of food with her love of writing. She started in food media first as a food stylist, but soon was writing and developing recipes for outlets like New York Times Cooking, The Washington Post, Food52, Bon Appetit, and more. She found a deep passion for teaching baking, and started to appear in videos for Food Network, Nickelodeon, Netflix, and Food52, where she hosts the award-winning series Bake It Up a Notch. She has written three baking cookbooks: The Fearless Baker, Savory Baking, and The Book on Pie, which is a New York Times Bestseller.
YOUR ITINERARY
*Please note that changes to the itinerary may occur between now and your retreat start date*
DAY ONE
wednesday 5.13.26
Welcome to France, and to the glorious Pays Basques nonetheless! After you collect your bags at the Biarritz airport, our drivers will escort you to the Hotel Regina Experimental sitting on the cliffs above the city with incredible views of the ocean. This 5-star hotel, part of the playful Experimental Group, is the perfect place to relax after your travels from beyond. Book a treatment at the spa, take a dip in the pool, or just enjoy a nap in the delicious rooms. We can guarantee that you’ll be very well cared for! You’ll have dinner on your own this first night (not included) - you can choose to dine at the hotel, or venture out into the city for a meal. Rest up and we’ll see you in the morning!
DAY two
thursday 5.14.26
Breakfast at the Regina Experimental is included in your reservation, so please take advantage of their delicious buffet in the lobby, and enjoy their beautifully chic dining room. After breakfast, it’s time to pack those bags and get ready for our drivers to pick you up for a transfer to your home for the week - the Château de Larraldia. You’ll be greeted by your host with fresh Gâteau Basque to snack on, and the Reverie team will guide you on a tour of the grounds. Then, we’ll escort you to your rooms for a quick freshen up before lunch is served in the gardens. You’ll have the rest of the day to explore the surrounding gardens and enjoy the château’s pool. We’ll meet in the evening for a before-dinner apéritif, and then the Reverie kitchen will serve a welcome dinner for the books!
DAY three
friday 5.15.26
Picture a delightful Friday at the château, where the air is filled with the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries crafted by Erin McDowell during our engaging workshops. The day unfolds with a scrumptious breakfast prepared by the Château de Larraldia team, setting the tone for our culinary journey. We’ll then spend the day in the kitchen with Erin, learning how to master the art of puff pastry, the basis for so many French delicacies! As the afternoon light dances through the windows, the beauty of the experience deepens, blending the pleasures of food, wine, and the rich culture that surrounds us. We’ll sit down to our dinner once again to conclude day three, this time not as strangers, but as new friends. Woop woop!
DAY four
saturday 5.16.26
If we’ve done it right, by now the Château will start to be feeling like a home away from home. Once you’ve finished your breakfast, it’ll be time to head out on a new adventure - straight into the heart of the neighboring city of Bayonne for a visit to its incredible traditional market. Load up your pockets with Basque specialties like piment d’espelette and jambon de Bayonne, and then take a moment to sip a coffee and watch the bustle of the lively market scene unfold. Afterward, we’ll return to the château for a delicious market-inspired lunch, leaving you with the afternoon free to relax after your exploring. We’ll meet in the evening for a cheerful cocktail hour before sitting down to dinner in the gardens where we can soak up the setting sun together. Do dreams come true? We think so!
DAY five
sunday 5.17.26
After a leisurely breakfast in the château dining hall, Erin will guide you in a final day of pastry exploration. In between workshop moments, you can enjoy dipping your toes in the pool, going for a walk in the woods, or admiring the fruit trees on the grounds. In the afternoon, Erin will demonstrate how to make the delicious (and popular - for a reason!) Burnt Basque cheesecake. Technically a specialty of the Spanish basque region, we figure it would be remiss to not include this fantastic pastry in our week, especially while we’re so close to the Spanish border! Come evening, we’ll gather on the lawns for a Reverie grill party, complete with music, oysters, fun wines, and some classic Reverie games.
DAY six
monday 5.18.26
You’ll have the morning on Monday to pack up your things and enjoy your final moments at the château because after lunch, we’re headed to glorious Biarritz! The afternoon is yours to explore the city with fresh eyes, uncovering the hidden gems you may have missed upon arrival, lost in the fog of the weary traveler. Enjoy tea at the Grand Palais, a cocktail with views of the ocean, or simply lay out on the beaches watching the masters of surf. We’ll all meet up in the evening for a final dinner together in the city before returning to Larraldia for a final goodbye toast. Santé!
DAY sEVEN
TUESDAY 5.19.26
Today, we depart from our home for the week and we soak up every last breath of the Larraldia views. Breakfast will be served and we will say our goodbyes as the vans arrive to shuttle our sun-kissed selves away from the château and toward the Biarritz airport so we can make our way to our next destinations.
WORKSHOPS
French technique is the foundation for anyone interested in building or honing their classic baking and pastry skills. Our dear guests will have access to the incredible mind and experienced hands of Erin Jeanne McDowell at our love-filled Basque retreat. The kitchen and workshop spaces will be open for guests to jump in, watch demos, get their hands dirty and get down to the nitty gritty technique with one of the absolute best in the business. Erin’s fun and effervescent teaching style in our small group workshops will be the highlight of our guest’s experience during this week.
Erin will open up the week with a look at the Gâteau Basque, a sort of custard tart known in the region since the 18th century. Then she’ll lead you in a course in puff pastry, demystifying the technique so you can achieve layers upon layers in your home kitchen. And finally, an ode to the treasures of the southern Basque region in the now-famous (and for a reason!) burnt Basque cheesecake. Our mouths are watering already!
WORKSHOPS
Gâteau Basque - The quintessential pastry from the Northern Basque country
Puff Pastry - the mystery of laminated dough broken wide open for you! The nuances, the habits, the infinite possibilities of pastries that you can make with this one dough is like getting the keys to the kingdom
Burnt Basque Cheesecake - This sumptuous dessert hails from just over the border in Southern Basque country in Spain, and Erin will demonstrate the simplicity of creating one in your home kitchen
*To preserve the shared culinary experience we strive to create, we’re happy to accommodate vegetarians, pescatarians, and allergies. However, we are unable to tailor meals for additional dietary preferences or restrictions. If you have specific questions about your needs, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to chat!
EXPLORE
While you'll have ample time to enjoy to property at the Château de Larraldia, we want to make sure you get a taste of the surrounding region as well!
You’ll begin with a one-night stay at one of our favorite hotels in the world, the Hotel Regina Experimental in Biarritz. This 5-star accommodation will have you feeling like a star from the moment you walk in the door.
On Saturday morning, it’s off to the marché in Bayonne to get a taste of local goodies and people watch in one of our favorite places.
And for our final day together, we’ll head back into Biarritz for a final taste of the ocean air and a last supper together in the city. What a week!
OUTINGS
One night stay in the 5-star Hotel Regina Experimental
Shopping at the open-air market in Bayonne
Explore the beautiful city of Biarritz
Group dinner in Biarritz
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Nearly everything, except for your big ride across the ocean and to the chateau’s nearest airport. But once you arrive, we got you!
Transfers to and from the Biarritz airport.
One night stay at the 5-star Hotel Regina Experimental in Biarritz with breakfast
Please note that dinner on your first night is not included - you can eat dinner at the hotel, or we’re happy to help you choose a place to eat in the city!
Recipes galore!
All meals, unless you go rogue
All wine and beverages, unless you wanna have your own after hours party ;)
Private coach transportation for all scheduled outings
All scheduled outings and events during our week
Chateau lodging, naturally
* To preserve the shared culinary experience we strive to create, we’re happy to accommodate vegetarians, pescatarians, and allergies. However, we are unable to tailor meals for additional dietary preferences or restrictions. If you have specific questions about your needs, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to chat!
GETTING HERE
Airplane
Several planes fly direct to the Biarritz Airport (BIQ) every day from Paris and other cities around Europe. We will arrange for an airport pickup on Wednesday May 13 at 3:00 pm, and we will drop you off at the Biarritz Airport on the last day, Tuesday May 19 at 10:30 am.
If you arrive in Biarritz before or after 3:00 pm on the 13th, you’re more than welcome to hire your own transportation to the Regina Experimental Hotel. The airport is in the city center, so it’s a short ride to anywhere!
*If you choose to leave earlier on the last day, we would be happy to help you arrange for a private transfer for an additional fee.
*Cost of airfare to the Biarritz airport is not included in the cost of your reservation. Please let us know if we can offer any support or guidance with your travel plans - we’re happy to help!
Car
If you’re the seasoned-traveler type and you’d enjoy having your own transportation, then please - rent a car in Paris or wherever and drive down! Have a stopover in the region of Dordogne for a foie gras tartine or take a day to discover the great city of Bordeaux and its surrounding vineyards. You could then keep your car for the week and choose your own destiny, or drop off at the Biarritz airport on the first day of the retreat and we’ll come grab you.
Train
Trains are another option for those who feel comfortable traveling around on their own! Please note that if you take the train to the Biarritz train station, you will need to take a taxi to the Biarritz airport (6 minute drive) for 3:00 pm on the 13th if you want our drivers to transfer you to the Regina Experimental hotel.
Travel Reservation
If you would like guidance with booking your travel to the Chateau, please reach out.
We are here to help make this part easy and smooth.
If you would like to extend your stay in France, we are delighted to partner with The French Travel, a locally owned and operated trip designer based in Paris. They are true experts who will help you perfectly plan your before and/or after Rêverie experience. Check them out for more info!
Our friends at Coucou French Classes offer some incredible online French language classes - whether you’re looking to brush up on your high school French or looking to learn a few phrases to feel more comfortable with travel, Coucou French Classes is the way! Check out their website for more information.