Hi, I'm your resident Francophile, Stephanie!
I'm a mom, a former ER nurse, a classically trained pastry chef, and as I've discovered recently, very happily midlife. While some people are busy trying to reverse the clock, I’ve decided to enjoy it. Aging comes with a wonderful kind of freedom: you worry less about what people think, you get clearer on what you want, and your tolerance for mediocre wine drops dramatically.
After years in high-pressure hospital rooms, I learned that “someday” is a terrible plan. So now I build a life (and retreats) around the things worth savoring: beautiful places, unforgettable meals, deep laughter, and tables filled with remarkable women.
I’m also a firm believer that a chilled glass of rosé and great cheese can fix almost anything. The rest? Usually solved with fresh bread and a walk through a French market. If you like thoughtful details, a little indulgence, and travel that feels both elevated and easy, we’re probably going to get along very well.
Each retreat is designed with intentional rest in mind.
If you're a woman who...
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wants their only question to be “should I have another glass of wine?"
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is ready to take the leap in new experiences
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needs to fill their cup (and then some) - literally and figuratively (🍷)!
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is ready to come back to herself
...then you'll find your place here.
Maison d’Amies exists because I reached an age (and a level of tired) where I stopped believing that rest had to be earned. I leaned into a life where indulgence didn't need a permission slip and I stopped saving joy for later. Spending time in France taught me something I wish more of us learned sooner: that boundaries aren’t rude, pleasure isn’t a guilty secret, and a well-lived life is made up of moments you actually let yourself enjoy. That way of thinking is baked into everything I do here, usually alongside good bread and a decent glass of wine.
I design retreats in France not just because I love it deeply (I do), but because the way life moves there reminds me of what so many women are craving. The French seem to just know what matters, they take pleasure in it without overthinking, and somehow they do it all with confidence you can’t help but notice.
Every Maison retreat is built in partnership with women-led, small, local businesses. From our chefs and hosts to the local artisans who share their craft with us, we prioritize these relationships because supporting women doing meaningful work is not a marketing angle for me, it’s the point.
And because no two places or seasons of life are the same, no two retreats are either. Each one is intentionally one-of-a-kind, deeply rooted in its location, and never repeated. If you’ve spent years people-pleasing, over-functioning, or waiting for permission to want more, this is where that pattern ends. Maison d’Amies is where "someday" finally meets "today."
And if you’re here reading this, chances are you already know you’re ready for it.