As I sit here at my desk in my home office, I am finding it difficult to put into words what an amazing experience the 2022 Outrageous Paris Retreat was. It was such a powerful and transformative week, full of sisterhood, feminine power, and self-discovery, all while basking in the unbelievably romantic glow of the most beautiful city in the world (in my humble opinion).

paris retreat - Live Outrageously

The week was filled with unforgettable moments and experiences — most importantly, the opportunity to connect with powerful women from around the world.

The experience was truly more rich and rewarding than I could have ever imagined when I first designed this retreat. We went on a journey to dig deep and uncover our truth, allowing us to find ourselves in the beauty of Paris. I am still feeling the wave of inspiration that was generated last spring, and I thought I would share a glimpse of what we got to enjoy together.

Let the Outrageous Paris Retreat begin!

After a crazy experience with delayed flights and lost luggage, I eventually made my way to our incredible boutique hotel — the gorgeous Hôtel Napoléon — in the heart of the city, near the Arc de Triomphe and many of Paris’s most famous attractions. Each morning, our group met for a delightful breakfast in the hotel restaurant, where our charming waiters took such very good care of us, even coming tableside to make tea with honey for one woman who wasn’t feeling well.

After breakfast, we met upstairs in the lovely Josephine suite with stunning views of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. Each day had a different theme based on feminine archetypal energies, including the healer, muse, heroine, wild woman, and queen. We explored each archetype by learning about it together and then setting out into the city for activities that helped us really embrace and understand how we could embody each energy.

paris retreat - Live Outrageously
The view from our suite is breathtaking!

The Healer

From the moment we arrived at the Paris retreat until the moment we departed, we were surrounded by beauty and magic. The first day, we took the time to let go of what was holding us back from personal evolution and prepared to receive the healing and nourishment that Paris had to offer us as women. We spent the day savoring delicious French cuisine from inside the gorgeous Michelin-starred Jules Verne restaurant at the Eiffel Tower and allowing the most luxurious food and drink in the world to be our medicine.

The Muse

On the second day of our Outrageous Paris Retreat, we took a private perfume workshop at Studio des Parfums where we designed our own signature scent. We had so much fun learning about different notes and mixing together our favorite essences. As each of us blended her unique creation, it was an incredibly powerful experience to honor and celebrate each woman’s creativity and unique sensuality.

After class, we took an incredibly fun private fashion tour with Les Visites de Maude, where we explored Place de Vendome, learning about the history of fashion and luxury brands, who made them famous, and which celebrities were fans. We had a chance to peek inside some of the most exclusive stores in Paris, where we oohed and ahhed at the exquisite displays.

Finally, we made our way to the newly redesigned Samaritaine, the iconic Paris department store. Here, we indulged ourselves in the beauty and charm of this grand old building as we browsed the fashionable selections of clothing, shoes, accessories, and beauty products. We were even gifted a surprise makeup tutorial with the newest products!

The Heroine/Wise Woman

Friday, the group also took a day trip to Chartres Cathedral to walk the ancient labyrinth, which was a profoundly powerful experience. It felt like walking through a portal into another realm, allowing us to explore the depths of our souls and discover new aspects of ourselves.

At the center of the labyrinth, we each embraced our heroine journey and celebrated our inner wisdom. As we walked away, different archetypal symbols emerged that resonated with us individually, signifying spiritual guidance on our heroines’ journeys to become wise women. We shared these stories later that evening while sipping wine and enjoying a Seine dinner cruise aboard the beautiful boat, Le Calife.

The Wild Woman

Saturday was a day just for us, as we reconnected with our bodies and our inner wild woman. We began with a grounding warmup in the morning, followed by the most incredible visit to the hammam. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the hammam is a women-only bathhouse where we went from one room to another, experiencing showers, hot tubs, saunas, exfoliation, steam rooms, massage and more. It was followed by tagine and tea (one of the most magnificent comfort food meals I’ve ever eaten) in a simple but gorgeous Moroccan restaurant.

Shortly after we finished lunch, we found ourselves in a private burlesque class with Juliette Dragon — feminist, fire performer, burlesque queen, author, and former Gaultier model. Under her careful guidance, we talked about having the choice to embrace what felt comfortable, and each of us had so much fun learning the steps and movements, unleashing our inner divas.

Lastly, we closed out this night of the Paris retreat with a personal favorite – Crazy Horse Cabaret. For some women, it was the constantly flowing champagne and VIP treatment, for others, it was the sheer freedom of seeing people embrace the human body as a work of art. And for most, it was seeing themselves in the performers up on stage and realizing that they, too, had permission to be as wild a woman as they chose to be.

The Queen

Sunday, we talked about power and exploring our inner queen archetype. We went “royal treasure hunting” at Les Puces de Vanves, an outdoor flea market, and we returned with everything from silk scarves to silver teaspoons to commemorate and anchor us to our Paris experiences and wisdom gained on this retreat.

We finished our day with an exquisite meal from a queen in her own right – Sophie Pic – one of the only women in the world with a Michelin star. Our meal at La Dame de Pic was creative, imaginative, and absolutely beautiful, showing us how it felt to dine like queens. From the opening amuse-bouche to the final sip of wine, it was an explosion of the senses.

Celebration!

On our final day of this beautiful and luxurious Paris retreat, we rose early and met the brilliant Krystal Kenney, photographer extraordinaire. She escorted us all over Paris, photographing our group and making incredible memories along the Seine River, at the Eiffel Tower, and near the Arc de Triomphe.

After some necessary souvenir (read: lingerie and chocolate) shopping and a relaxed afternoon, we made our way to the iconic Moulin Rouge for our final celebratory event. We were dazzled by the show: a mix of traditional French can-can, freaky underwater snake wrangling, and even a mind-blowing roller skating duo.

We spent our final Paris retreat night celebrating with our newfound sacred circle of sisters – letting go of all sense of time and space as if to say goodbye to Paris in one final, explosive goodbye.

paris retreat - Live Outrageously

The women who attended this year were some of the most passionate and inspiring I have ever had the pleasure to meet. We all supported each other, shared our stories, laughed together, and cried together. Each woman left Paris with a greater sense of self-awareness, newfound clarity about her feminine strength and power, and a heart full of love for herself and her new lifelong friends.

The lavishness of the Paris Retreat was an incredible experience for us to remember and cherish. We explored our individual paths, embodied our unique creativity, reconnected with our bodies and souls, and created unforgettable memories that will stay in our hearts forever. Now we will carry those lessons with us on our journeys and into the future, knowing that we can always come back to the roots of Paris and feel at home.

I cannot wait to return to Paris and experience all its wonders on the 2023 Outrageous Paris Retreat this April! I highly recommend this retreat for any woman who is looking to explore her inner power, connect with other like-minded women, and experience the beauty of Paris. It will be an unforgettable journey!

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