Journey to Mary Magdalene

Join Annalisa on a Journey in the South of France where we’ll immerse in the legends of Mary Magdalene and explore her archetypes and myths as a vessel to reclaim our embodied vitality, wisdom, and sovereign feminine power.

Are you ready to:

• Experience the living presence of Mary Magdalene

• Engage Mary Magdalene’s story to live more deeply as a woman

• Embody her archetypes to (re)awaken your deep feminine power
  
  

This journey is more than just a retreat—it's a spiritual awakening, a call to connect with the deepest parts of your soul and the ancient feminine wisdom that lies within.

THIS SACRED JOURNEY IS DESIGNED FOR WOMEN WHO…

• feel curious about the legends and teachings surrounding Mary Magdalene

• wish to embrace different facets of womanhood through her stories, myths, and archetypes

• seek to connect with Mary Magdalene as an inspirational heroine and mythic guide

• carry a deep longing to awaken the Sacred Feminine within

• are healing from patriarchal religious conditioning or wounding

• honor spirituality as a universal concept woven from many traditions

• enjoy embodiment practices and somatic exploration

• desire to heal their relationship with their female body

• want to create bonds of sisterhood with like-minded women

• are ready to challenge inherited beliefs about what it means to be a woman

• feel called to engage in transformative inner work

WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE

Days 1, 2, & 3

Location: Sainte Baume & Saint Maximin

Archetypes: The Mystic Mary Magdalene and Queen of the Underworld

What you will experience:

Our journey begins in La Sainte Baume, exploring the serene monastary and hermitage tucked away in the mountains of Provençe. Legend has it that Mary Magdalene spent the last 30 years of her life inside the cave Sainte Baume in deep prayer. The cave, now adorned with magnificent stained glass windows, tells a secret story (see picture below) of Mary’s life and spiritual journey. Here Mary Magdalene comes alive as a mystic, a beloved devotee, and a holder of sacred wisdom. Together, we’ll explore Mary Magdalene as a mythic guide to achieve the inner sacred marriage of feminine and masculine energies—a true journey of wholeness.

We’ll stay at the hostellerie at La Sainte Baume where we'll enjoy local cusine and have free time to explore the sacred grounds.

Our next pilgrimage will be the Basilique of Saint Mary Magdalene at Saint Maximin. Inside church is a crypt which holds what’s believed to be the head of Mary Magdalene encased in a golden helmet transforming her into the Queen of the Underworld. Here, women will get in touch with their inner Underworld Queen and embody the Sacred Feminine potentcies of death and rebirth as a portal toward transformation.

Days 4, 5 & 6

Location: Les Saintes Maries de la Mer

Archetype: The Great Mother Creatrix

What you will experience:

The next three days of our journey takes place in Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, a seaside town in the Camargue region. Legend has it that Mary Magdalene arrived here by sea after fleeing Jerusalem. She was welcomed by a local woman, Saint Sara. During our stay in this picturesque town, we will join the local Romani festivities in honor of their matron Saint Sara, who is part of the Black Madonna tradition.

Here, we’ll join celebrations and folklore traditions in which the whole town comes alive with flamenco dancing and music. The archetypal Mary Magdalene of the Camargue invites us to view her as the Great Mother Creatrix, Goddess of creation, sustenance, death-transformation, and rebirth.

Other activities can include horseback riding, a boat excursion, or a walk through the beautiful landscape of Les Saintes Maries. Another option is to take a day trip to Arles, a city so charming that Vincent van Gogh chose to spend his life there.

OUR SACRED EXCHANGE

YOUR INVESTMENT - Save 200$ with EARLY BIRD EXTENDED! February 15th, 2026!

PRIVATE ROOM - 3795 $ —> 3595 $

Details: All the rooms we will book for your stay throughout the journey will have a single or double bed and private bathroom.

SHARED ROOM - 3495 $ —> 3295 $

Details: All the rooms we will book for your stay throughout the journey will have two single beds and private bathroom which you will share with another female participant.

PAYMENT PLANS

Payment plans are available upon request. You have the option to divide your fee payment in up to 4 installments. Kindly note that there is an upcharge of 25$ per installment.

Payment plan dates:

• Installment 1: Deposit Payment Date

• Installment 2: January 15th, 2026

• Installment 3: February 15th, 2026

• Installment 4: March 15th, 2026 EXTENDED! March 30th, 2026

WHAT YOU’LL RECEIVE IN EXCHANGE OF YOUR INVESTMENT

• Dr. Annalisa Derr’s knowledge & expertise on Mary Magdalene and her passion for female empowerment rooted in years of studies, embodiment practices, and experience in leading women’s workshops

• 3 educational workshops leading up to the journey via Zoom ( Total value: 210$ )

• Daily meditations and journaling

• Daily embodiment rituals & sharing circles

• Daily discussions on the legends of Mary Magdalene and how they are connected to the Sacred Feminine by Dr. Annalisa Derr

• Additional reading material to enhance your knowledge and experience:

  • Gnostic texts:

    • The Gospel of Mary (attributed to Mary Magdalene)

    • The Gospel of Philip

    • The Thunder: Perfect Mind

  • Mystic Cynthia Bourgeault’s excerpt on Magdalene as “The Beloved Companion”

• An assistant guide who will support you during the journey

• 6 days / 5 nights at charming local hotels

• 11 meals

  • 2 breakfast meals

  • 4 lunch meals

  • 4 dinners at favourite local restaurants

  • 1 dinner with flamenco dance & music

• Private transport throughout the journey (excluding optional activities or free time)

• Private group transport from Marseilles airport to Le Sainte Baume

• Visits / Special Experiences:

  • Entrance fees for the planned museums and sites

YOUR INVESTMENT DOESN’T INCLUDE

• Optional activities such as

  • Visit to Arles and the Vincent Van Gogh Museum

  • Other activities in Les Saintes Maries de la Mer (horseback riding, boat excursion, or birdwatching)

• Some breakfast meals & snacks to give you the freedom to explore local boulangeries at your leisure

• Travel insurance

• Flights to and from France

• Transport from the final hotel location to the airport

• Tips for hotels, restaurants, etc

• Private expenses

RESERVATION & CANCELATION POLICY

• Reservation process & Payment methods

  A $500 deposit is required to secure your spot on the Journey to Mary Magdalene tour. Out of this, $450 is refundable up to 150 days prior to the first day of the tour, while the remainder is non-refundable and covers processing costs. The balance payment shall be completed no later than 60 days before the day you are due to arrive. If your balance payment is not received on time, your place may be reassigned to another Guest. You may choose to pay the balance of your fee in one go or in up to four settlements with an uncharge of $25 per settlement, upon request. Your attendance is confirmed upon payment completion of the final installment. If you do not execute all payments, your attendance will be canceled. Last-minute bookings (bookings made less than 60 days before the tour begins) must be paid in full at the time of booking.

  You may execute payments via Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal or via a Wise bank transfer to the bank details indicated within the confirmation email we send you.

• For our cancelation policy check Paragraph 4.1.2 andtheParagraphs in segment 6.1 here.

• Read our Terms & Conditions here.

THIS SACRED JOURNEY IS DESIGNED FOR WOMEN WHO…

• feel curious about the legends and teachings surrounding Mary Magdalene

• wish to embrace different facets of womanhood through her stories, myths, and archetypes

• seek to connect with Mary Magdalene as an inspirational heroine and mythic guide

• carry a deep longing to awaken the Sacred Feminine within

• are healing from patriarchal religious conditioning or wounding

• honor spirituality as a universal concept woven from many traditions

• enjoy embodiment practices and somatic exploration

• desire to heal their relationship with their female body

• want to create bonds of sisterhood with like-minded women

• are ready to challenge inherited beliefs about what it means to be a woman

• feel called to engage in transformative inner work
  

THIS JOURNEY IS NOT INTENDED FOR WOMEN WHO…

• have fixed religious beliefs about Mary Magdalene

• expect to join a traditional pilgrimage experience

• are closed minded / not curious about alternative interpretations to the legends of Mary Magdalene

• are not ready to challenge their inhereted beliefs

• are not interested in engaging in deeply transformative work

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOUR TRAVEL

A TYPICAL DAY WITH US

08:00 Breakfast

09:00 Morning meditation/ journaling

10:00 Activities

12:30 Lunch break

14:30 Activities / Free time

17:00 Evening Ritual & Sharing Circle

19:00 Dinner

Please note that the meals at the Hostellerie de Sainte Baume are pre-set and cannot be changed. Please plan accordingly if you feel you may need to supplement your meals during our stay there. The seasonal menu will be available prior to our arrival in France.

Still have questions?

Email us at journeytothegoddess@gmail.com

Ready to join the journey of a lifetime?

REGISTER BELOW!

My Personal Story with Mary Magdalene:

A Journey of Coming Home

My journey with Mary Magdalene began shortly after encountering the fierce, sensual, and infinitely powerful Hindu goddesses while on a dance retreat in India. These goddesses literally turned my world upside down. Suddenly, the difference between Hinduism and Christianity was glaringly obvious. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the two starkly different religious approaches. One that sees Goddess everywhere and the other one that sees Her nowhere. As I processed this massive chasm, I looked back at my own culture and longed for a familiar image of the Divine Feminine. “Where is She?” I wondered. Feeling perplexed, angry, and betrayed, I knew that my next and only mission was to find Her. 

It was from there that I began my search for the missing Goddess in the Western tradition. Soon Mary Magdalene came to me in a mediation and made it clear that She would be my guide and Sacred Feminine muse on this quest.

Ravenous to learn everything I could about Magdalene, I quickly found myself on a solo pilgrimage to Her sacred sites in South France. I wanted to know who the REAL Mary was, beyond the official church narrative.

My quest to find Mary Magdalene there was a magical initiation into the realm of Goddess worship. According to the legends, it’s believed that Mary Magdalene landed on the shores of Southern France (then Gaul) post-crucifixion. She taught Christ’s teachings to the inhabitants before retiring to the cave La Sainte Baume (in Provençe), living as an ascetic, devoted to Her beloved Christ, for the last 30 years of her life.

Entering the cave feels like entering the womb of Goddess. Walking through the cave entrance for the first time, I felt as if I was entering Mary Magdalene’s secret feminine sanctuary. Magnetically pulled to this site, I made the 30-minute hike three times in two days. I had an urgency to be near Her. I felt deeply connected to Her spirit there. On my final day in the belly of the cave, standing in front of one of Her statues, I reached my hand out to touch Her face one more time. In the exact moment my hand made contact with Her face, a single drop of water fell from the cavernous ceiling and landed directly on my forehead in the location of my third eye. Ecstatic, I exclaimed “I’ve been anointed!” so loudedly in my head I was sure everyone in the cave heard my joy. This was a moment of divine clarity; I was on the right path.

Mary put me in touch with a deeper, archetypal, experience of the Sacred Feminine. She revealed Her archetypal potency as intense devotion and a heart on fire with Love.

At the end of my journey I realized that my pilgrimage to Mary Magdalene was just as much a journey of self-discovery as it was about finding Her. It dawned on me that my search for the “real” Mary Magdalene was born from my desire to discover what it truly means to be a woman outside of patriarchal conditioning. As my journey with Her continues, the Magdalene has helped me discover that truth for myself.

The Mary Magdalene pilgriamge makes it possible for all women to experience this level of transformation and freedom.

Are you ready to join me on the journey?