Disconnect to Reconnect

A SIGNATURE COUPLES EXPERIENCE AT PINE COVE

TUESDAY OCTOBER 13 - FRIDAY OCTOBER 16, 2026 SEASON

OCTOBER 13 - OCTOBER 16, 2026 SEASON

Get outside. Do meaningful things together. Step away from screens, routine, and everyday demands.

What This Experience Is About

This is a midweek couples experience built around movement, nature, and shared adventure. Hosted at The Lodge at Pine Cove along the French River, it offers access to land and water experiences rarely available to guests.

The focus is simple:

Get outside. Do meaningful things together. Step away from screens, routine, and everyday demands.

For those with young children, this is an invitation to ask for help, call in grandparents, and carve out intentional time for the two of you. Midweek allows you to leave routine behind rather than squeeze connection into a weekend window.

The schedule is deliberately flexible. Not everything runs back-to-back, and participation is always optional. Time is left open for rest, conversation, and spontaneous moments, fostering curiosity, play, and a sense of discovery throughout the stay.

Evenings are relaxed and welcoming, with shared meals, fireside time, and space to unwind after full days outside. The overall experience is designed to feel engaging without being demanding, and memorable without feeling overplanned.

Signature Experiences

These are the core highlights of the gathering.

Guided Forest Exploration

An immersive fall hike through the surrounding trails, moving at a relaxed pace and noticing what’s underfoot and overhead. In cranberry season, there may be the opportunity to pick a few along the way. The experience includes lighthearted forest challenges and a playful treasure hunt, encouraging couples to slow down, collaborate, and discover small natural “treasures” as they wander.

French River Canoe Experience

A guided paddle along the historic French River with instruction from Alex, the lodge owner. Couples move through granite-lined channels at an unhurried pace, learning the rhythm of the water. The excursión includes a stop at Five Fingers for an exploration and picnic lunch before returning to the lodge by boat

Private Island Drop-Off

Each couple is transported to their own private island for uninterrupted time together. A delicious picnic basket is provided, a campfire with all the materials needed, along with optional creative elements and reflective prompts. Explore the waters by canoe or kayak. The experience is designed to offer solitude, connection, and a sense of gentle adventure.

Shangri-La Island Barbecue

A boat ride across open water to Shangri-La Island for an evening gathering by the river. The experience includes an outdoor barbecue, time around the fire, shared stories, and stargazing once the sky darkens. It’s communal, relaxed, and rooted in the setting.

Date Night Experience

An evening that begins with a playful cocktail and mocktail crafting competition before couples retreat to their own private dinner tables. Curated prompt cards guide meaningful conversation and for those who wish, the night can close with a bonfire gathering.

Nordic Sauna Ritual

A guided sauna experience rooted in the Nordic cycle of heat, rest, and renewal. Couples are invited to move between warmth and cool air, with an optional cold plunge for those who choose. The ritual incorporates breathwork to support grounding and reset.

Optional Practices Throughout the Stay

Morning meditation by the pond for early risers.

Informal coaching-style conversations woven into the rhythm of the days.

Guidance on bringing simple rituals into everyday life at home.

Evening bonfire circles and shared stories for those who want to gathe

Meet your guide

Jill Kantor

The founder of The Hygge Wellness Company. Her work centres on helping people slow down, reconnect, and experience life with more intention, presence, and meaning.

Jill designs and facilitates experiences that bring people back into rhythm with themselves, each other, and the natural world. Her approach blends Positive Psychology, Nordic well-being principles, nature-based practices, sound meditation, seasonal ritual, and traditional food wisdom. She holds certifications as a Certified Applied Positive Psychology Practitioner and as an Applied Positive Psychology Coach through The Flourishing Center. She is also a Certified Workplace Health and Performance Practitioner, a Sound Meditation Practitioner, a Traditional Wisdom, Modern Kitchen teacher, and a Morning Altars teacher, where art, nature, and ritual intersect.

Her background includes more than 2 decades in learning and development, facilitation, and leadership. At the heart of everything she does is creating environments where people feel grounded, capable, and supported to show up as they are.

For this couple’s experience, Jill’s role is not to lead therapy or heavy discussion, but to curate the conditions for connection. She guides the rhythm of the days, introduces simple practices, and holds space for shared adventure, quiet moments, and meaningful time together. Nature does much of the teaching. Her role is to help you notice it, engage with it, and bring those insights back into your relationship and daily life.

Retreat Schedule

Retreat Package Options and Fees

1) Private single bedroom cottage package

$1610 per person plus 15% service charge plus HST

Based on a private single bedroom with fully equipped kitchen, King bed, Wood stove and screened porch. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

2) Private Studio cottage package

$1477 per person plus 15% service charge plus HST

Based on a private studio cottage with fully equipped kitchen, Wood stove and screened porch. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Cancellation policy

Full payment is required upon registration. If you are unable to attend the retreat due to illness or other health problems, you will receive a refund for the amount paid, minus a $245 application fee, ONLY if we can fill your spot at the retreat. We will endeavour to fill a spot left vacant due to illness or other health problems, but we are not able to guarantee it. You may consider purchasing trip insurance with a service such as: Trip insurance store

How to Register

Please complete the registration form and send it to laura@frenchriver.com or info@frenchriver.com

Disconnect to Reconnect Registration Form

Paddling & Hiking

As the sun rises, with mist skittering across the mirror-like river and great blue herons standing silently on guard, you will paddle your canoe or kayak amid soaring maple, oak, and pine trees. As morning becomes day, you will enjoy a lovely breakfast on the banks of the river before the return paddle to The Lodge at Pine Cove. Paddling in the silence of the morning’s fresh air is great stress relief in itself. Take an opportunity to float effortlessly in a canoe or kayak while basking in the quiet of Pine Cove. Why not take the time to reflect and listen to the quiet sounds of nature?

Birkin’s Lake-Trail has something for everyone. It travels through some mature pine, spruce and oak forest; climbs over several spectacular rocky outcrops; passes through moss so thick you’ll want to sleep on it; and ends up at a beautiful little lake.

Moira’s Pond/North Channel Connector Trails can take you around Moira’s Pond and out along the North Channel of the French River. As you circumnavigate the pond, the forest opens up in areas. Small rugged jack pines become evident on the massive pink granite rocks. This landscape is typical of much of the Canadian Shield. Soon, you’ll come to the French River’s North Channel. You can leave the trail here and scramble along the river’s rocky shore.

Useful information

Fishing

The French River, was a larder for millennia, for the First Nations peoples that fished its rich waters. Today, sport fishing is one of the French River’s main activities and attracts fishers for; muskellunge, northern pike, walleye (or pickerel as it is known in Canada), large and small mouth bass and other varieties of fresh water fish. Ask us about hiring a guide, bring your own boat or rent one from us.

Bird Watching

French River is home to many species of birds including; various warbler migrations, sandhill cranes, many species of duck, bald eagles, ospreys, merlins, coopers hawk, merlins, pileated woodpeckers, blue herons and many other varieties. Birding on the French River is a joy.

Hiking

Hike at Lodge at Pine Cove, on our well marked trails. From a 20 minute stroll to a 3 hour hike across the rugged Canadian Shield, you will find plenty of trails to interest you. Beaver ponds, large channels, cranberry bog, huge pine trees and plenty of flora and fauna. Hike Pine Cove and discover the French River.

Kayaking

The French River is an incredible kayaking destination. Huge expanses of flat water that you can paddle for hours, whilst exploring wild shorelines, islands, bays and channels. Bring your own kayak or we can outfit you with one. Discover the French River and it will keep you coming back for more.

Upcoming Events

May 18th to May 22nd, 2026 season

Body & Soul Retreat

Relax, re-boot and restructure your body and your mind at this 5-day and 4-night yoga and nature retreat.

Saturday May 23rd to Thursday May 28th, 2026 season

French River Writing Retreat

A Creative Writing Retreat at the Lodge at Pine Cove

June 21st - June 24th, 2026

Explore the Historic French River with your Camera

This retreat is about creating a narrative of the historic French River with your camera.

September 7 - 10, 2026

Wild Calm: Forest Bathing & Restoration Retreat

Slow down and experience the forest, the granite, the trees, the water, the stars, through all your senses

September 24th - 27th, 2026 Season

River Within

Where seasonal rhythm, Nordic ritual, and inner wisdom meet.

September 27th to 30th, 2026 season

Sights & Sounds of the French River

A Landscape Photography Retreat with Music

October 2nd - October 5th, 2026

Wild Soul Retreat

Come Away with me for a weekend of LUXURY in the WILD

October 13th - October 16th, 2026