Hosting a company retreat means more than allocating bedrooms. It also means helping the organiser bring together working sessions, meals and time for colleagues to talk. At Les Gîtes de Flaubert, we have welcomed management meetings, workdays and residential team stays over several years.

This article shares our perspective as hosts. It is not a survey or a promise of measurable improvements: each team comes with its own objectives and needs.

A change from the usual meeting room

Our estate is in Morville-le-Héron, in the Andelle valley in Normandy. The calm surroundings, independent cottages and outdoor areas allow a team to move between structured discussion and less formal moments.

The indicative journeys mentioned in our French guide are around 25 minutes from Rouen and 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris. Allow for your actual departure point and traffic when planning arrivals.

Accommodation for different team sizes

There are 49 sleeping places across five cottages and 17 bedrooms. Depending on availability, you can reserve one cottage, a combination or the whole estate.

• Les Dépendances: 20 guests in 8 bedrooms, or 24 guests in 9 bedrooms when Emma is included.
• La Cour de Flaubert: 25 guests in 8 bedrooms, across La Charretterie and Le Gustave.
• The whole estate: up to 49 guests in 17 bedrooms.

For business groups, bedroom allocation is as important as the total number of beds. Tell us if colleagues need individual rooms. The sleeping capacity does not establish the capacity of a meeting room or a shared meal: those arrangements must be confirmed for your group.

Living spaces that fit the programme

Meetings, workshops, presentations and meals can be planned around the spaces in the cottages reserved. Describe your seating layout, working equipment, connectivity needs and catering plans before booking so we can confirm a suitable arrangement.

Keeping the evening and overnight stay in the same place can leave more time for conversation, provided the programme respects the agreed timings and the estate’s house rules.

Leisure between working sessions

Pool tables, table football, darts, pétanque, gardens and terraces offer informal activities on site. Equipment is distributed across the cottages and outdoor areas; access depends on the accommodation reserved.

Emma’s private two-person hot tub is only available with that cottage. It should not be planned as a group spa or as equipment included in every configuration.

What we notice as hosts

In conversations with organisers, we hear that the relaxed atmosphere and time spent together are valued parts of a stay. Shared meals and breaks can give colleagues opportunities to talk differently from a normal working day.

These are observations from our hosting experience, not quantified results or attributed testimonials. Constructive discussion, decisions and team satisfaction depend on the group and the way its retreat is run.

Explore the surrounding area

The forest of Lyons, Vascœuil, Martainville and the village of Ry offer ideas for breaks outside the estate. Ry is associated with the literary world of Madame Bovary. Choose walks or visits that fit the weather, opening times and available time.

External activities, guides, catering and transport are separate services. Discuss them directly with the relevant providers and confirm availability before building them into the schedule.

Prepare the stay with your hosts

• Give us the number of overnight guests and the bedroom allocation required.
• Describe the working sessions, equipment and room layout.
• Confirm the number attending each meal, including any visitors.
• Agree catering, activities, access and departure arrangements.
• Allow time for breaks and informal exchanges.

For an organiser, this preparation helps make the accommodation and programme fit one another. It also makes clear which services are included in the accommodation and which require a separate booking.

A base for your next company gathering

Up to 49 sleeping places, 17 bedrooms, leisure areas, parking and a personal welcome make the estate an option to explore for a company stay near Rouen. Full privatisation means reserving all five cottages; smaller combinations reserve only the accommodation specified.

Tell Aurélia and Christophe your dates, headcount, room requirements and meeting and meal plans. We will confirm availability and help you choose a suitable configuration.

Discuss your company retreat with us

Plan your stay

• Company retreats and team building
• La Cour de Flaubert: up to 25 guests
• Les Dépendances: 20 or 24 guests
• Compare accommodation options
• Local partners and services

Rates · Frequently asked questions · Contact us

Related guides

• Planning a countryside company retreat
• Team building near Rouen