In downtown Pont-L’Évêque, author Hortense de Chabaneix has trans- formed a large Norman house into a sanctuary for travelers, dreamers, and storytellers. Today, La Belle Aventure is a place to breathe, write, and reinvent yourself. A studio, apartments, and a small house make up the accommodations, to rent out together or individually, for a night, a week, or longer. You’ll feel right at home in the common room and shared garden. But La Belle Aventure is not just a place to lay your head; it’s also an imagi- nation think tank. Hortense hosts workshops and writing retreats that will spark your creativity: “Our sessions are a collective breath. No experience is required, just the will to start. I bring the keys to unlock your writing,” she says. Step by step, attendees discover that a character or a story can start with the smallest detail, photo, or conversation. “When people leave saying, ‘And I thought I didn’t know how to write,’ I give credit to La Belle Aventure,” says Hortense.