A friend came to spend time at Can Pit Roig. She had just gone through a difficult experience and needed comfort.
At the end of her stay, she sent me a photo she had taken from our terrace of the book she was reading: “The Country of Women” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (translated in English as “Herland”).
When we talked about it, I told her that this title resonated with me because I saw our place as a refuge for women. A refuge where they could have “a moment to themselves.” And she replied that this was exactly how she saw Can Pit Roig—a refuge where she felt safe, where she managed to recharge, and from which she always left with renewed energy.
It’s true that we’ve had quite a few female guests who have come to Can Pit Roig, some of them several times, and this feeling of safety and comfort always came up when we asked them about their impressions of their experience with us.
This conversation reminded me of books that are references for me, books that have deeply inspired me, all written by women…
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim: This is a book I’ve read several times and it moves me every time… I won’t give away the story, only what I took from it: The magic of a place transforms the lives of a group of women and their loved ones, allowing them to let go and accept happiness. But there’s so much more than that…
This book was published in 1922. I found it very feminist when I first read it in 1985, when I was a bookseller in Toulouse. I’ve returned to it regularly since then, always with great pleasure.
There was a TV movie with Miranda Richardson that I adored, even though it was quite dated.
Babette’s Feast: A book I read after seeing the film with Stéphane Audran. Again, I won’t tell you the whole story, just what I took from it.
A woman, through her culinary art, manages during a dinner to bring joy and comfort to a very austere religious community. The idea that combinations of flavors can bring a moment of happiness speaks to me deeply.
This is really how I imagined Can Pit Roig—a special place from which all our visitors would leave happy and filled with new energy.
Those who follow me, particularly on Instagram, know that I’m very sensitive to feminist ideas, and the thought that Can Pit Roig could be a refuge of comfort and well-being for women satisfies me completely.
At our place, we strive to ensure there are no judgments or constraints. Everyone goes at their own pace.
Jason and I are here to make sure there’s no stress. The garden is made up of little quiet corners that allow for moments of solitude when desired.
Mealtimes are convivial moments of exchange, musical discoveries (another of our passions), culinary curiosities, and laughter.
Can Pit Roig wish to be a balm, a tonic, a safe place for women, a place of well-being, indulgence, and kindness…
There are a multitude of other important books for me, almost all written by women… but that’s not the point of this article 🙂