Our Story
The Capcir Nature Retreat is the combined vision of an American Acupuncturist and a French Architect.
Our common love of the outdoors and the understanding that reconnecting with Nature brings healing is the cornerstone concept behind the Capcir Nature Retreat. We created and designed a place for people to reconnect and restore themselves in the wild, beautiful landscape of the Pyrénées mountains along the border of France and Spain.
The Acupuncturist – Aimée
Being in Nature is Healing. As an Acupuncturist, I know that when we live in harmony with Nature and follow its seasonal patterns and daily rhythms, our health and well-being is greatly enhanced, supported and sustained. Walking in the forest, we are calm, centered as we take in the natural world around us.
Looking out at the landscape, we are uplifted and inspired by the beautiful views. Listening to birdsong and observing the blossoming flowers warms our hearts and brings us cheer. Gazing upon a cascading mountain stream or a placid lake reflecting the blue sky relaxes us to the core of our being. The serenity found in Nature brings peace to our body and mind – and this is the basis for all healing.
As an Acupuncturist, I have long imagined a place out in Nature where the deepest kinds of healing can take place. This is what we have built today – the Capcir Nature Retreat – and we invite you to come and take part in all this place has to offer.
The Architect – Geoffroy
It was an enormous effort to lead and complete this project. I’ll remember it as a long rollercoaster ride – a journey mixed with human stories, technical challenges and aesthetics. Looking at the photos of the construction process, I am still amazed…
Located at the heart of the village, these sheep barns were a central part of Odeillo de Réal’s visual identity. Their renovation has encouraged some of our neighbors to also renovate. The village has become attractive again. It was a great pleasure to hear the mayor of Réal tell us how delighted he was.
The tower style of The Grande Bergerie immediately caught my eye, as it rises towards the sky in harmony with the landscape. I opened up the top, letting the light into our living room between the stones and the slate roof tiles.
The additions to the traditional sheep barns made in the 1950s, the cement blocks and corrugated iron sheets, these all had to be taken down, allowing for more openness and comfort.
As an architect, I had the rare opportunity to build and change the plans as time went on. If my wife or I had a new idea at night, we could put it to the test the next morning and finish it in the afternoon. This is totally impossible in my professional practice where everything has to be decided, designed and budgeted many months before implementation. The slightest change to any plan can cause anxiety for both clients and companies!
This project is our project, my wife Aimée and mine. She has always supported me through the most difficult moments and encouraged me in the most exciting ones. She will now manage the Capcir Nature Retreat, and I will try to help!
Today, it pleases me when I hear people talking about les Bergeries, hearing what they like, what strikes them about our renovations, what will stay engraved in their memory or what may fade…
It is such a pleasure for me to sit and gaze at a detail like a stone staircase and reminisce about what had to be done for its preservation or construction.
There is a time for everything!
