Tag Archives | FAQ

Whether you write or paint for 8 hours a day is up to you. This is only a recommendation, as a vigorous schedule really pays off. This does not mean you have to write for 8 hours. It means one has to respect these hours as periods of time when work is being done.

That said, taking a day to hike, swim or relax also really pays off and a daily 1/2 hour to hour walk really helps to clear your head.

Everyone has his/her process; some work better very early in the morning (Auden etc.), some very late at night (Dostoyevsky etc.) and then there are all the times in between.

Some artists work straight for a week, some for three hours a day.

We trust people to take their work seriously. We don’t chain people to their desks but we expect them to respect others’ projects, the goal they set before they came, the “quiet hours” and other structures in place to foster an environment conducive to work.

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We are unable to predict the weather with any accuracy. There are four distinct seasons. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but both seasons can be surprisingly unseasonable, with balmy winter days and chilly summer days, as seems to be the case all over the world these days. Generally, summer and winter are what you’d expect them to be. Fall and spring are dry and warm with chilly nights. We find the climate temperate in all seasons—never hot or cold. That said, everything’s relative. We come from Ireland and New England in the States. It’s certainly warmer here than in either of those places!

For the hot months, we recommend opening the windows at night to let the cool air in, and closing them during the hottest periods of the day. Each room has a fan. We do not have air-conditioning, nor do we need it with cool mountain air. Even if you’re coming in July or August, however, do bring a fleece or warm sweater in case you happen to come during a cool spell. Our village does not permit lighting fires between May and October, so if it happens to be chilly the only way to warm up is to wear layers. Very unlikely, but possible.

In the fall, winter and spring, even when the weather is still quite mild (which it should be, but isn’t always), we heat with a combination of wood-burning stoves and central heating, which we keep set at 20 – 22 degrees Celsius in the winter and 18 degrees in the fall and spring (cooler at night when people are snuggled under their sheep shearling comforters).

The stoves add a great deal of heat and comfort to the house; there is one in the dining room, one in the living library and one in Calliope (a bedroom with a private salon). Calliope is the only room with a wood-burning stove, and would be well worth the extra money to those who wish to work in a private space during the winter.

Residents keep the stoves lit themselves, though we and barters pitch in. Because this is an old stone house with old single-paned windows, some people find it chilly regardless of two sources of heat, even when it’s not particularly cold outside (sitting at a desk for hours writing away doesn’t exactly heat the body up). Bring cozy sweaters and house slippers. Many people choose to work in the library during the winter because the heat from the wood burning stove is so lovely.

We supply beautiful, thick, artisanal sheep fleece comforters, as well as cotton and feather duvets and have a plentiful supply of Mexican blankets.

We recommend that anyone who has an emergency avail themselves of the great medical facilities at the Clinique Montreal, in Carcassonne.

It’s a 30-minute drive from the retreat.

There is a doctor’s office in Conques-sur-Orbiel with a very capable, friendly group of doctors, many of whom speak English. There is a doctor who makes house calls from Conques, a 20-minute drive from the house.

The nearest pharmacy is also in Conques.

Please let us know about any health and safety worries and we will help you assess whether or not this is the right place for you.

Next Up: What Is The Weather Like?

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Services at the Retreat don’t consist of bricks and mortar shops. Up in the mountains we are serves by trucks and delivery cars. Generally writers and artists who come on retreat buy most of their groceries in Carcassonne before coming up the mountain and then supplement with the delivery trucks and vans.

There is a bread truck/car that comes to the village three days a week in the summer. A grocery truck comes once a week, and sells everything from potatoes to toothpaste. A butcher comes once a week, and a green grocer, once a week too. The quality of the products sold by these trucks is very good. They announce their arrival by blasting their horn through the village, and then return to the main parking lot or nearby to park and open for business.

It’s the social highlight of any day in Labastide, so come with a smile and a “Bonjour” for our neighbors!

Mas Cabardes, a nearby village, has a small shop that’s open for two hours every morning and every evening.

The nearest restaurant, the Sire de Cabaret in Roquefere (the next village) is excellent. It’s a five-minute drive, or a 20-minute walk downhill… again, longer on the way home. There is also a cafe, Le Fenial, with a lovely terrace that sells artisanal products as well as ice creams and coffees and has hosted many La Muse readings.

Next Up: Where Are The Nearest Medical Facilities?

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La Muse is isolated. There is no public transportation to our village. There is a bus stop at the top of the village but because of the little road in the village below us big buses and trucks can’t gain access here. So, transportation to the retreat is by car.

View down the Valley - La Muse

Taxis make the drive to and from Carcassonne for anywhere from 40-65 Euro one way, depending on the time of the day and where you leave from in town. If you count in stops to shop etc. this adds up to be a lot more.

We strongly recommend that all residents have access to a car. Rent one or contact us about the “ride package.”

Rentals vary, but usually cost about 650 Euro per month. Depending on the time of year and the size of car this could be more or less.

Some Musers (former residents who have been here 5 times now) feedback regarding transportation options to the retreat:

“As far as needs for local transportation: I think, as a couple, it has served us well and works economically to hire a car for the duration; particularly as we don’t have easy access to Carcassonne airport, but have to fly into Toulouse. But for individuals, unless they really want the freedom of getting out several times a week, having a rental/hire car is unnecessary. The ride package provides access to all the places on the hit list for those new to the area (Lastours, the Cite) as well as the essentials for shopping each week. I think the ride package is great value for money and saves the hassle of petrol - very expensive, tolls and having to navigate mountain roads in a foreign country.”

During the school year there is a bus that makes round trips from Carcassonne to Mas Cabardes, a nearby village. It’s a 45-minute downhill hike from Labastide Esparbairenque to Mas Cabardes, longer and uphill coming home. The hours of the bus to Carcassonne are roughly 7 AM and 1 PM (This schedule varies, so make sure to verify. You also need to call in advance to reserve a seat!) Return trips to Mas Cabardes are around noon and 6.

NOTE: We describe the bus service only for those who may need additional trips to town. Most people get anxious without consistent, reliable transportation for groceries or other errands. We are very reluctant to accept applicants who do not plan to avail of the ride package or rent a car. We do not feel comfortable leaving people to walk uphill in the rain (worst case scenario) on a narrow, winding mountain road, with groceries. We also do not think it fair for people to ask those who’ve paid for the ride service or a rental car to get groceries for them, or to ask those who’ve rented a car for rides.

People have come and enjoyed hiking everywhere, but it would be unwise for us to assume that you are that kind of person. In nearly 15 years of doing this we’ve met two such people; one of them a US marine who fought in Afghanistan before coming to La Muse.

We reiterate, most people are not happy here without access to a car during their stay. Your comfort and our safety are to an extent our responsibility while you’re here.

Again, we are very cautious to accept applicants who do have access to a car.

Next Up: Are There Services At The Retreat?

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The Best Way to Get to the Retreat From Europe

Basically, the best bet to get here is Ryanair to Carcassonne, which is a 30-minute drive to the house. Of course, non Europe-based residents who want to visit London, Berlin or Dublin (for example) for a day or two can also use Ryanair.

Ryanair is infamous among travelers for their surcharges. Read the fine print. To note: if you miss a flight or pack too much luggage, what seemed like a very inexpensive ticket suddenly becomes very expensive. Obey their check-in procedures. If you are 30 seconds late for a connection they will not let you on the plane.

The Best Way to Get to the Retreat From the US

It’s easiest to fly into Toulouse through other European cities, including Paris. Driving to the house from Paris is a very long day-long affair. Same with the train.

Those who want to visit Paris on either end can certainly do that. TGVs from Paris to Toulouse cost about 100-150 Euro round trip, and it’s good to have a reservation in advance.

The Best Way to Get to the Retreat From Toulouse

It’s an easy hour and a half drive to the house. Or, people can take the train to Carcassonne (about 60 Euros round trip; the airport shuttle to the train station costs an additional 5 Euro each way) and get picked up. You can also take a taxi up the mountain from there, if you don’t plan to rent a car or sign up for the ride package (we will attach information about this when your application is accepted). The train schedules, etc, are on the SNCF website.

From Barcelona, it’s about three hours by car. Again, it’s an easy drive. Sorry, we don’t know the prices for trains to Carcassonne from there. That would also be on the SNCF website.

There are other ways too. Some people come into Marseille, or Montpellier.

You can find out a lot more about how to get to the retreat by checking out our get here page.

Next Up: What Is The Local Transportation to The Retreat?

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Through the process of communicating with people who are interested in coming on a retreat at La Muse, we often refuse applicants before they even get to how to apply.

This can happen through the question and answer process and in our honest answers to each others questions. By the time people actually apply to come, they’re at the place where they know where they are going and why.

We get amazing applications from wonderful people, most of whom end up here. They don’t need to be published or recognized, we just ask that people be earnest about their intention to come and focus on a passion. Honestly, that comes through and we think if it’s not there (that passion, inspiration and intention), then a person simply wouldn’t bother reading through all our materials, nor would they be attracted to what we offer (guidelines, remote location, lack of neighboring cafes and bars, etc).

So, we are happy to say that our correspondence acts as an effective filter and that although we’d love to accept everyone for a retreat at La Muse this is not always the case!

Next Up: What’s The Best Way to Get to The Retreat?

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