Creative Writing Retreats in the Basque Pyrenees

These retreats are run independently by professional writing instructor Diana Friedman
Dates 2023: 24th - 31st July & 4th - 11th August 2023

Creative Writing Retreats

Professionally facilitated writing retreats in a friendly atmosphere, run by an award-winning author, teacher and editor

Great Basque Food & Wine

Relaxed communal dinners around the farmhouse table with local produce and wines

Pyrenean Experience house icon

Farmhouse

Inspiring mountain views from every window, cosy writing nooks, comfy sofas, landscaped gardens and south-facing terraces.

Bucolic Country Walks

Mountain and forest walks along traditional Basque shepherding paths right from the farmhouse door

Warm & Friendly Atmosphere

Small, relaxed and supportive atmosphere with opportunities to exchange ideas with like-minded writers

During a few weeks each summer, Diana Friedman takes over this beautiful home of ours to run her independent creative writing retreats. Here you can hunker down and shake away the cobwebs, relax to the sound of the sheep bells across the valley or simply soak up the inspirational views that greet you from every window in the house.

Breakfast in the Baztan Valley

All Writers Welcome at our Creative Writing Retreat in the Pyrenees

Whether you are new to writing or an established author we are here to support you. We gather each morning around the kitchen table to explore various aspects of creative writing. For the rest of the day, guests enjoy the private spaces offered by this beautiful home and take advantage of the charming walks that step out from the farmhouse door. At seven each evening we come together for an informal dinner and to share the creative processes we have explored during the day. We also share our daily writing experiences, which may include anything from roadblocks and doubts to triumphs and breakthroughs.

"Diana has taught me to trust my voice. She possesses a terrific mix of sensitivity and challenge and helps you to develop those areas - be it dialogue, character, plot – in a clear, smart and inspired way. Diana is dedicated to each student’s process and the seriousness with which she engages in her teaching fosters trust right from the start. My work with her is life-giving and priceless."
Anne E. Wild-Rocheleau, PhD

Diana Friedman Writing Instructor

Diana Friedman has taught creative writing for over a decade and loves working with writers of all levels. As a 'midwife' for emerging artists, she especially enjoys helping those new to the artistic process find their voice. Over the years, she has taught professional writing at the University of Maryland and facilitated numerous workshops for writers at all levels.

Diana’s fiction, articles and essays have appeared in numerous publications including New Letters, Huffington Post, Newsweek and the Baltimore Sun. She is the recipient of the Alexander Patterson Cappon Fiction Prize and a Pushcart Prize nomination. Her work has been selected as a finalist and short-listed at multiple presses.

“Diana is the consummate writing instructor who checks all the boxes of a great collaborator. She lands squarely among those precious beings who can get out of your way and spark your craft, unearthing a talent you may not have known you possessed. Her endless generosity enhances her easy charm. If you study with her, consider yourself lucky.”
Thomas Rini, MA LMHC

pyrenean experience welcome tapas on the terrace at our farmhouse walking centre in the Pyrenees
TOP