For more information
email Emma at
or fill in the contact form to the right of this page and we will get in touch
email Emma at
or fill in the contact form to the right of this page and we will get in touch
Amy was on our first camp in March 2018:
Coming from London, the land of smog, loud bustling streets and cruel hard concrete, I came to the camp to escape. As a runner, I craved to spend hours bounding up the mountains, discovering tracks, forests and trails in the glorious French sunshine. I also craved, a silent nights sleep. Which is exactly what I got. The camp is unbeatable in it’s location for the train hard, rest hard way of life.
Location
Nestled away in the little village of Casteil, the camp looks upon beautiful rugged mountains and is surrounded by pretty traditional French villages. The house itself is modern, clean, warm and homely. I miss it so much! It’s a fantastic place to escape and get some peace and quiet and the nearby town (3k away) is a lovely walk and has a supermarket for all your needs and little cafes for a lunch stop. Locals are also super friendly.
Running
I went with 3 other women who were all fantastic cyclists, I was the only runner. Although this didn’t pose any problem. Most days I ran with Clare, who’s deep knowledge and love of the trails is infectious. When I went off alone, I didn’t get lost once (this is saying something) as the trails are easy to follow and if you do happen to forget where you are as you get distracted by the view of the snowy mountain tops as you’re basking in warm sunshine, there are many mountain bike trails to drop back onto. From here it’s easy, up is up and down is down. All the terrain is perfectly runnable and safe, yet challenging on the quads!
Camp Life & Workshops
I don’t even know where to begin talking about John and Clare. Their combined understanding of athletes needs, knowledge of training, nutrition and recovery are second to none. Their hospitality is impassable. When you don’t think anything can beat the homemade bread that is delivered to your door each day, just in time for when you return from a day of training, J & C also welcome you with a glass of wine and a hot meal.
One aspect that I hadn’t considered when looking for a training camp, was the ability for it to be a place of rehab and recovery. A place to be silent with your thoughts and regroup a little in life. J & C really emphasised this point, which was comforting for me as I had picked up an injury just before flying out. When I was there I read books in the sun, I ate well, I took a God forbid rest day! I came home feeling refreshed, calm and had a better understanding of my training / life balance. I cannot thank John & Clare enough!
[note: with reference to the food, this camp was fully catered with accommodation in our apartment. We hope to provide this service in for future camps but at present our apartment is solely self catering. Bread is delivered daily and we provide refreshments during our workshops]
Karen was one of our first visitors, coming to our March 2018 camp and workshops:
I came out to Casteil thinking that what I wanted and needed (and what I’d get) would be a week of great cycling, some sunshine and a bit of a holiday.
I did get all of that – the climbs and descents in the area are spectacular, the village is a dreamy spot to relax, and John and Clare are such warm, generous and knowledgeable hosts. But what I hadn’t anticipated is how much I would gain from the wide range of workshops and one-to-ones. They gave me knowledge and understanding to train and race better when back home, and also gave me tools for dealing with some more personal and psychological issues that I wouldn’t have expected to come up at a sports camp.
This all combined into the perfect environment for taking some much-needed space for reflection and refocussing. By the end of the week I was feeling refreshed, energised and focussed in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time. I can’t recommend a week with John and Clare enough!
Clare is one of our staff team and this is what she had to say about our first camp, which was based in Casteil in March 2018:
What a lovely experience to watch four determined and committed athletes come to us in March tired and stressed and leave more like themselves. The transformation was visible, as people began to relax and enjoy the simple structure of training, eating, workshops and resting.
Throughout my professional life I have strived to help people become better at life, better at coping, to become the person they really want to be. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a transformation happen so quickly. This is a credit to the commitment that each person gave to the camp and its processes. It worked far better than I could have hoped.
I love working with people and seeing them develop and grow; it’s a real pleasure to provide a setting in which they can do that. Rather selfishly it also gives me an opportunity to learn about myself and be inspired by the strength and talents of others.