Please note that prices for the courses do not include flights. You can check flights using the Skyscanner link below if required.

About the school

Laval de Nize, a beautiful secret valley in the glorious Herault region of the Languedoc is the setting for learning to create your own signature scents on a perfume course or making your own beauty products and cosmetics using the highest quality essential oils for a learning holiday with a difference.

The High Languedoc National Park around Hérépian breathes France's cleanest air, with a climate and soil heaven-sent for wild flowers and herbs. This remote retreat is nearby to where many of the raw aromatherapy ingredients including clary sage, mint, Californian poppies, ginkgo, violets, arnica and verbena are grown.

Your tutor is Petre Sefton* who after a extremely serious attack of septicemia left her in incredible pain, turned to natural remedies and discovered the healing power of plants. After her own experience she gave up her job in the UK as a successful publisher and bought this 250 acres of land renowned for its amazing diversity of plant life.

In 1593 in Herault’s capital Montpellier, France’s first ever botanical garden was established and was dedicated to the study of medicinal and aromatic herbs. Now Petre grows many of these same herbs herself, to exacting standards using bio dynamic farming methods – always conserving the therapeutic value of the plants and ensuring that they are genuinely, 100% organic. Her philosophy underpins everything and absolutely nothing superfluous is used in any of their products.

You’ll stay in an elegantly restored house split into two buildings with beautiful views over the valley.

The main building has been lovingly restored to a high standard; the main building houses five rooms, two of which boast their own sun terraces with views over the valley. The second building is a gite and houses six rustic rooms all with ensuite facilities and one of the rooms has it's own mini kitchen and wet room.

In keeping with the period, the decor in the main house is simple and all rooms have either wooden or tiled floors, comfortable wooden beds, shutters rather than curtains, tea and coffee making facilities. All rooms are named after flowers and each bathroom has hand-made soap and other products created on-site for you to enjoy.

The restaurant provides tempting dishes using local produce where possible and serves many organic wines from the Languedoc region.

A wellbeing holiday learning to make perfume or your own beauty products at this tranquil retreat in one of the most beautiful areas of South West France is sure to relax, restore and get your creative juices flowing.


Features
- Tranquil, relaxing retreat set in the secret valley of Laval de Nize
- Two buildings, one main house with four rooms, the lab and massge centre and one gite with six rooms
- Swimming pool
- An area of outstanding natural beauty
- Surrounded by wild flowers and herbs
- 100% organic herb garden
- Regulated by ECOCERT in France
- All essential oils and products used are organically produced and sourced
- Just under an hour from Montpellier or Beziers airport or train station
- On-site laboratory for perfume, essential oils, cosmetic and beauty product creation
- Day courses and residential beauty and perfume holiday courses offered
- Courses also on offer suitable for professional therapists and practitioners
*Occasionally Petre will bring in a guest teacher to guide you through the perfume, soap or beauty product making process but always someone who shares her philosophy and of course in-depth knowledge


Customer Feedback
“I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for a wonderful few days! The course far exceeded my expectations in so many ways. We learnt how to make fabulous products, the course notes are very thorough and have allowed me to come home and make the products myself without any problems. Great accommodation, great setting and all of the food we had was fresh, tasty and plentiful, I cannot recommend this course enough!”

Janey Lee Grace, co presenter on the Steve Wright Show on Radio 2 and author of a number of books Imperfectly Natural, highly recommended this course after she spent a weekend at the school learning to make her own unique organic perfume and beauty products.

School Location

Directions - How to get here...

By Taxi - Nearest airport: Montpellier

Montpellier airport is just under an hours drive from the retreat. Car hire is essential if you decide not to book the optional transfer as there is no public transport to the retreat.

You can also take the train to Montpellier.

Flights are also available to Beziers which is also around 1 hour away and transfers can be arranged from this airport also.

You can also fly to Carcassone which is 90 minutes away. Toulouse and Perpignan airports are around 2 hours away.

You can pre-book a transfer to the beauty & wellbeing retreat from Montpellier airport or train station for 120-150 Euros each way for up to 4 people sharing depending on the time of arrival although we do recommend car hire to really explore the area.

Full directions will be shown on your booking confirmation voucher.