Picture yourself telling tales under the deep blue Provençal sky, surrounded by mountains, flowers, fruit trees and sunshine. Imagine enjoying good food, great wine and the company of likeminded people who share a love of storytelling. Sound good?

Then come and join me this summer from 28th July to 3rd August 2012 for a storytelling experience like no other.

Part training course and part mini festival, this week long story extravaganza is set in the beautiful Les Maisons de Chante Oiseau, a hamlet of stone houses nestled into the foothills of the Alps. Accommodation consists of a collection of larger mas farmhouses to share and sweet self contained cottages for one or two. There is even an enchanting treehouse overlooking a stream. It is a flexible space that allows you to come alone or bring friends, partners and children. There is plenty of space and lots of activities for everyone, along with the opportunity for you participate in workshops and activities together and share your new found stories and skills with all the guests.

This beautiful setting offers courtyards for alfresco dining, poolside sun loungers and shady trees to sit under and relax.  You will find both intimacy and privacy as well as the opportunity to meet and spend time with other storytellers.

The training element is designed to support your development as a your storyteller, building skills such as;
*Finding your authentic storytelling voice
*How to have a strong and confident physical presence
*Using sound, song and percussion in storytelling
*Growing your repertoire and how to find stories that are right for you

We will also be exploring different storytelling traditions throughout the week such as;
*Traditional French Fairy Tales
*Greek mythology
*African Traditional Tales
*One thousand and one nights

For partners, families and friends joining us at Les Maisons de Chante Oiseau there is plenty to do, including a swimming pool, horse riding, bicycles and a play area for children, plus lots of other activities in the region. Accommodation can be either shared or completely private, self catering or full board. (A special meal on the first and last nights are included in the price for all participants and their ‘guests’, plus breakfast on your first morning.)

Alongside the training, there will be a selection of workshops that family and friends can also participate in such as;
*Stargazing Stories: Lie back under the night sky and let our expert stargazer talk you through the map of the stars and listen to the ancient stories behind them.
*1001 Nights: Hear and share theses infamous stories and enjoy a traditional Moroccan feast.
*The story of Wine: Discover the story of how wine came to be, and sample the delights of the region’s tastiest tipples.
*Drumming Workshop: Try your hand at some simple rhythms with call and response songs.
*Tales for after dark: Ghosts, supplies and wicked fairies.
*Workshops for children: interactive storytelling, drama and storybook making.

Prices for this amazing storytelling experience start at £730 for one person. This price includes over 20 hours of tuition, an hour long one to one session, evening meal and breakfast on the first night and a Moroccan feast on the last night. All guests and children also get these meals included.

You will need to organize your own travel. There are lots of flight options from Marseille International Airport. The train from London to Aix en Provenec TGV is very easy and there is a direct train from London to Avignon during the summer. I can offer collection from either Marseille International airport, Aix en Provence TGV or Avignon.* All three are around one hour and 20 minutes away by car.

Hiring a car is not vital*, but if you or your guests wanted to explore the region then it is recommended.

Places are limited, but you can reserve yours with a special early bird 10% discount available only until 1st January. A deposit of 20% must be made to secure your place. (The course can then be paid in installments. )

To register your interest and for further information please fill in this form.

*Please note that I cannot offer a collection/ drop off service unless I have a minimum of 6 who require it. There will be a maximum of 8 spaces for this service and it will cost approximately £45 pp per journey. I would also be able to offer complimentary supermarket runs and other short excursions, as the accommodation is quite remote.