A Month in the Country
Those weeks at La Gonette were that rarest of occurrences; when your actual life overlaps with dreams, seemingly hopelessly optimistic ones, of what your life might actually BE.
- Michael Cunningham, Writer
A Summer Salon
This June we welcomed 15 writers and artists from all over the world for our inaugural month-long Summer Salon. Our guests played, rested, created, communed and explored to their hearts’ delight as the days unfurled before us, the afternoons growing increasingly warmer, and the cicadas starting up their summer soundtrack. There were poetry readings under the stars, impromptu cabaret performances, jewellery making, ceramics, photography, and painting sessions, Tarot readings, endless rounds of Bananagrams, Shakespeare recitals, spontaneous karaoke, floral sculpture and much more.
Floral sculpture with chef-in-residence Jeni Glasgow
Clay sculpture with Amy and Tennyson
A starlit evening on the terrace.
Our resident chefs Harriet Davidson and Jeni Glasgow dreamed up a fabulously creative, ever-evolving menu of seasonal delights. Served on the terrace, in the orangerie, under the ancient olive tree, or by the pool, our meals and aperos quickly became the heart of our temporary commune.
The Work of Art
Our public in-conversation event on ‘The Work of Art’ with Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Cunningham and our founder Alice Nelson proved to be a stimulating and inspiring evening, with a fascinating discussion about the creative process, the purpose and place of art, and integral role of narrative and storytelling in all of our lives.
We also welcomed several local artists and producers to La Gonette, and enjoyed studio visits, concerts and exhibitions. Guests were particularly moved by local ceramicist Yanira Yariv’s project based on ‘cups for Gaza’ in which she created a unique ceramic cup for each day of the war in Gaza. Yanira’s work sparked important discussions about the responsibilities of artists and the possibilities of art in time of division and suffering.
Breaking bread with chefs Jeni and Harriet
Michael Cunningham with founder, Alice Nelson
Works on display at the exhibition Cueillir la Terre
Embracing natural wines
‘The most excellent wine is one which has given pleasure by its own natural qualities. Nothing must be mixed with it which might obscure its natural taste.’
- Columella
This June we also hosted Michael Cohen, sommelier extraordinaire and founder of Artizan Wines, who led us through an exciting exploration of the world of natural wines. At La Gonette, we are committed to sustainable agriculture in all forms, as well as authenticity of place and product. Embracing the principles of permaculture and biodynamic farming, natural winemakers are creating a product that truly reflects the richness of the terroir, and protects the microbiological life of the vineyard. Natural wines are also free of any additives, and intervention in the natural fermentation process is kept to a minimum. Michael introduced us to some wonderful wines and winemakers and helped us to ensure that even our wine cellar is governed by our commitment to supporting local, sustainable producers. Michael will be returning to La Gonette in 2025 to host a five-day residential natural wine retreat.
Wines from our selection.
Sommelier Michael Cohen in action.
Adesh at our LG x Marie Bossee x Artizan dinner.
Upcoming Programs and Events
In October we will be holding a month-long immersion based around the notion of cultivating wild beauty, and connecting with the extraordinary landscape of the Haute-Alpes. Our guests will engage in a range of creative workshops led by local artists and in-house facilitators, and have ample time for reflection, play and exploration. By popular demand, we are also offering guests the opportunity to participate in this retreat as a two-week program. We still have some places left in our October program; please get in touch if you would like to learn more. Further details can be found here.
During October we will also be running a second ‘Heart and Science of Self-Compassion’ workshop with our Creative and Program Director Amy Finlay-Jones. This workshop proved to be extremely popular and immensely transformative for participants when we ran it in April, so we are thrilled to be able to offer this again.
Amy will also be running a day-long workshop, in collaboration with Alice Nelson, focused on cultivating intimacy with the self and with our experiences through the practices of mindfulness and creative writing.
We will also be opening several of our creative workshops with local and international artists in October to the public. Limited places are available in these workshops, so don’t leave it too late to secure a place. All our one-day workshops include a delicious seasonal lunch dreamed up by our fabulous in-house chef Harriet Davidson.
What we’re learning
In June our Creative and Program Director Amy Finlay-Jones attended The Women’s Sanctuary retreat in Pantelleria focused on the plants of the Qur’an (many of which, we discovered, are flourishing in the La Gonette gardens). Our founder Alice Nelson has been working with local horticulturalist Olivier Brunetto to explore ways to make our gardens and grounds more sustainable, and many exciting projects are planned for the autumn including installing rainwater tanks, and an environmentally friendly phyto-purification septic system.
This month we have been immersing ourselves in the diverse creative works of our Summer Salon guests.
Day by Michael Cunningham
Conditions of Precarity by Joseph Boone
All The Lasting Things by David Hopson
Murder Over a Girl: Justice, Gender, Junior High by Ken Corbett
Playing and Becoming in Psychoanalysis by Steven Cooper
Handbook of Self-Compassion by Amy Finlay-Jones
Faithless by Alice Nelson
H: A Journal by Harriet Davidson (available on substack)
Bui – an exhibition of the most recent work of photographer Doreen Kilfeather
The songs of cabaret artist Lady Rizo
The Showtime series Couples Therapy with Orna Guralnik
The dreamy abstract landscapes of Jennifer Ellwood.
With love,
