What to Expect
Community Council isn't a conference. It’s a retreat. A working sabbatical. A reset button. It’s a pause from the pace — and a return to purpose.
Held at the historic Château de Courtomer in Normandy, we’ve curated an experience where every detail has been designed with intention: from who you’ll sit beside at dinner, to the conversations we’ll spark around the fire, to the challenges you’ll unpack around the roundtable.
The program
Each day kicks off with coffee (and an ensemble cast of breakfast delights) from our fabulous chef, Linda Saris a.k.a The Cheeky Chef.
Then we’ll take a short stroll to the Orangerie — a glassy little haven where you’ll dive into masterclasses led by community pros who’ve seen things. Founders, execs, strategists: all ready to spill the good, the bad, and the "wow, that escalated quickly" from behind the scenes of their work.
There will be ice breakers that don’t make you cringe — more like playful team missions, designed with a wink. Think creative capers across the chateau grounds, with just enough ridiculousness to make bonding inevitable.
But Here’s the secret:
While the framework is set, the real agenda emerges from you.
In the application, we ask: what's keeping you up at night? What part of your community efforts do you really want to focus on? So while a handful of sessions are planned in advance, much of the program is bespoke — tailored to the unique mix of people, priorities, and problems in the room.
Looking for the speaker list? We don’t confirm the majority of our mentors and guests ahead of time. We invite some of them after we’ve listened closely to the needs of the group — because what’s the point of bringing in a Discord expert if everyone’s trying to
fix their on-boarding funnel?
We believe in just-in-time magic, not just-in-case content.
The Roundtables
One of the most impactful parts of the retreat: our peer-to-peer roundtables. This is where we get into the meaty stuff.
You’ll bring one real, thorny challenge from your community work — the thing you wish you could phone a friend about.
With a thoughtful facilitator and a solid framework, you’ll get fresh insights, creative ideas, and candid feedback from folks who genuinely get it. No posturing. No slides. Just smart, generous humans sharing what they know.
the vibes
There’s structure. And there’s space.
We’ve carved out time for connection and quiet. For game nights in the chateau’s old dungeons. For fireside chats with wine. For solo walks through the garden or spontaneous late-night ideation in the kitchen. There’s free time to breathe — and moments designed to spark serendipity.
Some meals will be open and unstructured. Others will be curated intentionally, bringing together people whose paths should cross.
It’s the kind of environment where small talk turns into big ideas, late-night laughs become lifelong connections, and leaving feels a little bit like the last day of summer camp — but with a better wine list.
