Bio Retreat

At the heart of Vinci, among the Tuscan hills, simple living meets the quiet legacy of Leonardo.

Life here follows a natural pace shaped by seasons, light, and daily rhythms.

Guests are invited to slow down, breathe, and experience a simpler way of living in connection with the land.

Located just outside the historic village of Vinci, the retreat offers both privacy and accessibility. The town centre can be reached on foot, while the surrounding landscape remains calm and protected from noise and heavy tourism.

This balance allows visitors to explore Tuscany during the day and return to quiet evenings surrounded by nature.

The atmosphere is informal, welcoming, and deeply connected to the rural environment.

SStone house entrance at Genevieve Grove in Vinci, Tuscany, showing traditional architecture, plants, and the portrait of Leonardo da Vinci on the exterior wall.

THE HOUSE

The house is built of local stone, using traditional materials and craftsmanship from the surrounding area.

Thick walls provide natural insulation, keeping the interior cool in summer and warm in winter. The structure reflects an approach to building that values durability, simplicity, and harmony with the environment.

Over time, the house has remained grounded while the world around it has changed. When I first encountered it, I felt a quiet sense of stability and potential.

The restoration is an ongoing process, guided by respect for local tradition and the intention to preserve what already exists.

This is not a rapid transformation, but a gradual return to balance between human presence and the natural setting.

Dog in the living garden at Genevieve Grove, a quiet rural retreat in Vinci, Tuscany surrounded by open land and traditional farming tools.

LIVING GARDEN

The garden forms a small living ecosystem where soil, plants, animals, and people share the same ground.

Vegetables grow seasonally, organic matter returns to the soil, and natural cycles shape the rhythm of daily work. Observation guides decisions, allowing the land to respond gradually over time.

Chickens and ducks move freely through the garden, contributing to a balanced environment. Compost, fallen leaves, and natural materials support soil fertility and biodiversity.

The intention is not control, but cooperation.

Guests are welcome to walk through the garden, sit quietly, or simply observe the interaction between plants, animals, and the changing seasons.

The garden reminds us that nourishment is not only something we consume, but something we participate in.

PET-FRIENDLY

Animals are part of daily life at Genevieve Grove.

Chickens and ducks live freely as part of the land’s natural rhythm, and their presence contributes to a calm and continuous atmosphere.

Guests travelling with dogs or other companion animals are welcome, provided they feel comfortable in a peaceful rural environment.

The garden is fully enclosed, allowing space for safe movement while protecting cultivated areas and resident animals.

This is a shared living environment where attentiveness and respect support harmony between all beings present.

Rather than strict rules, the intention is balance — allowing both humans and animals to feel at ease within the same space.

Genevieve with her dog Marilyn at Genevieve Grove, a countryside retreat in Vinci, Tuscany focused on simple living and connection with animals.

ABOUT

Although I was not born in Italy, it has been my home for more than thirty years.

Over time, daily life here has shaped my values and the way I see the world.

Living close to the land has taught me patience, observation, and respect for natural rhythms.

Genevieve Grove is a personal project that reflects a long relationship with Italy and the Tuscan landscape.

The retreat developed gradually from a desire to live more simply and to care for a place responsibly and sustainably.

Genevieve Grove is neither a hotel nor a traditional agriturismo. It is a personal home that I am restoring step by step, allowing the place to evolve over time.

Living between different cultures has shaped an appreciation for both tradition and adaptation.

This project expresses a wish to create a quiet environment where people can reconnect with slower rhythms of living.

Get in Touch

  • Stone garden table under large trees at Genevieve Grove homestead in the Tuscan countryside.
    The garden gathering table at Genevieve Grove, a quiet place beneath the trees where conversations, meals, and shared moments unfold.
  • Marilyn the husky lying in the garden grass at Genevieve Grove in the Tuscan countryside.
    Marilyn enjoying a quiet afternoon in the garden at Genevieve Grove, surrounded by grass and trees in the Tuscan countryside.
  • View of Genevieve Grove homestead from Vinci town overlooking Tuscan hills, farmland, cypress trees, and the rural garden below.
    The view from Vinci looking down toward Genevieve Grove, a quiet countryside homestead set among the rolling hills of Tuscany.
  • Close-up of a Buddha head statue with a white top and a gold lotus ornament, surrounded by green leaves and buds in a garden setting.
    A calm presence nestled into the living garden — green leaves, soft buds, and a golden lotus at the base.
  • Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, Renaissance artist and inventor born in Vinci, Tuscany
    Leonardo da Vinci, born in Vinci, Tuscany.
  • Hands planting young vegetables in soil at Genevieve Grove, reflecting slow living and self-sufficient gardening in Tuscany
    Hands in soil, tending the garden with care.
  • Free-range chicken living in a natural, pet-friendly garden at Genevieve Grove in the Tuscan countryside
    Chickens living freely as part of the land’s natural rhythm.
  • “Bamboo grove at Genevieve Grove, a peaceful retreat in the Tuscan countryside near Vinci.”
    A quiet bamboo grove at Genevieve Grove, offering guests a peaceful corner to walk and unwind.
  • “Sunlit Tuscan hills and vineyards near Vinci, Italy, seen from Genevieve Grove.”
    The golden hills and vineyards surrounding Genevieve Grove, capturing the peaceful, rural beauty of Vinci.
  • “Antique Tuscan farm tool in an open field at Genevieve Grove in Vinci, Italy.”
    Antique farm equipment set in the open fields of Genevieve Grove, reflecting the rural heritage of Vinci.
  • Portrait of Genevieve Cheung, founder of Genevieve Grove, in the Tuscan countryside surrounded by olive trees. Ritratto di Genevieve Cheung, fondatrice di Genevieve Grove, nella campagna toscana circondata da ulivi.
    Genevieve Cheung at Genevieve Grove, a personal countryside retreat near Vinci, Tuscany. Genevieve Cheung a Genevieve Grove, rifugio personale di campagna vicino a Vinci, in Toscana.
  • Greenhouse vegetable garden at Genevieve Grove, showing self-sufficient living and seasonal growing in the Tuscan countryside
    Seasonal vegetables grown with care inside the greenhouse.
  • Young vegetable plant growing in the soil at Genevieve Grove, with garden beds and greenhouse softly visible in the background
    New growth emerging in the vegetable garden at Genevieve Grove, shaped by soil, light, and time.
  • Rustic Italian stone house - Genevieve Grove, with wooden shutters, outdoor patio table and chairs, potted plants, and a framed artwork on the exterior wall.
    A rustic stone house – Genevieve Grove, in the Italian countryside (Vinci) with shuttered windows, patio seating, potted plants, and a framed artwork displayed on the exterior wall.