Organising a residential seminar cannot be improvised. This format meets specific objectives for the company: aligning teams, strengthening cohesion, creating a framework conducive to reflection, etc.
Unlike a simple meeting, a residential seminar involves participants over several days. But it's important to know how to organise each stage, from choosing the venue to putting together an appropriate programme.
What is a corporate residential seminar?
Definition of a residential seminar
A residential seminar is a company event organised over several days, with on-site accommodation for each participant. It takes place in a venue that combines work areas, meeting rooms, bedrooms and relaxation areas. This format makes it possible to hold a series of working sessions without having to travel.
Differences from a traditional seminar or a simple meeting
The difference lies in the time, place and involvement of the participants.
- A meeting is limited to a few hours, often on the company's premises.
- Premises, with an immediate operational objective.
- A traditional seminar lasts a day, without accommodation, and remains very work-focused.
- Residential seminars are long-term. Participants share meals, evenings and activities, which prolongs exchanges and strengthens the relationship between employees.
It's a formula often compared to team building, but more structured: whereas the price of a team building depends mainly on the activities chosen, the residential seminar also includes accommodation, catering and logistics.
More and more companies are turning to eco-responsible seminars, choosing venues that are committed to a sustainable approach: certified accommodation, local catering and careful management of resources.
Why organise a residential seminar?
Benefits for the company
A residential seminar allows you to concentrate, in a short space of time, subjects that are usually spread over several weeks. By bringing participants together in the same place, the company eliminates interruptions. Discussions become clearer, decisions are made more quickly and objectives are validated collectively.
Whether you're looking to organise a residential seminar in Lyon or a residential seminar in Toulouse, Whereez gives you the opportunity to access unusual locations, to make the most of your time and to develop your business.to unusual locations, use committed caterers and take advantage of original events and activities offered by specialist partners.
Impact on teams and cohesion
By sharing working hours, meals and the evening, employees move away from a traditional hierarchical position and adopt a more direct communication style. The activities included in the programme facilitate informal exchanges and strengthen cohesion. This guarantees greater involvement and smoother collaboration.
When the residential format is most appropriate
When the issues at stake go beyond what can be dealt with effectively in a single meeting or working day. It is the right choice when the objective is to :
- Decide on complex issues that require several successive working sessions and time to step back;
- Align a management team on a roadmap without dispersion or time constraints;
- Strengthen team cohesion after a period of rapid growth, large-scale recruitment or internal reorganisation.
The key stages in organising a residential seminar
Defining the objectives of the seminar
The company must first clarify the objective of the residential seminar. Is it to make decisions, train teams or combine several issues? A poorly defined objective will result in an unbalanced programme and a waste of time for the participants.
Identify the participants and their expectations
The number of participants, their role in the company and their expectations determine the entire organisation. A residential seminar for an executive committee is not the same as an event for a wider operational team.
Choosing the right duration and format
The duration must serve the objective, not the other way round. A residential seminar can take place over one day with an overnight stay, or over several days if there are a large number of topics. Too short and the seminar becomes ineffective. Too long, and it will generate fatigue and dilute the messages.
Build a balanced work/relaxation programme
A successful residential seminar alternates structured meeting times with activities that encourage collective breathing. Work is generally concentrated in the mornings or early afternoons, when attention is at its highest.
How do you choose the ideal venue for a residential seminar?
Essential criteria: accessibility, rooms, accommodation
First and foremost, the ideal venue should facilitate participation. Too much travel time undermines commitment from day one. Accessibility, whether by rail or road, therefore remains a major criterion. Spaces must be large enough, well-equipped and separate from rest areas, so that work sessions can follow one another without causing a nuisance.
Hotel, estate, unusual venue: what should you choose? *
The choice of venue depends on the objective of the residential seminar. A hotel is ideal if the company is looking for standardised services and a rhythm focused on formal meetings. An estate or private home, on the other hand, encourages a more collective dynamic.
Domaine Mongol de France, 45 minutes from Paris
The Domaine Mongol de France is located in Seine-et-Marne, around 45 minutes from Paris. Set on an estate of more than 8 hectares on the edge of a forest, this atypical site is the result of a fully restored former farmhouse dating from the XVIIᵉ century and features Mongolian yurts and guest rooms. It has over 180 on-site accommodations for your participants and three large modular reception areas.
Château de Terrides in Occitania
Château de Terrides, in Occitanie, is a historic XIVᵉ century château located near Montauban. It features a 93-hectare estate with six equipped meeting rooms, an 18 × 12 m infinity pool and a large 400 m² terrace. Accommodation is in 52 luxury rooms, each with en suite bathroom, flat-screen TV and minibar,
A monastery in the heart of the Verdon
The Monastère du Verdon is a former Cistercian monastery that has been converted to accommodate groups in the heart of the Verdon Regional Nature Park. The setting features a cloister, a shady garden with a fountain, and a solar-heated swimming pool (16 × 6 m). Several lounges, rooms and a chapel are available for organising work sessions or workshops. Activities such as table tennis, pétanque, sauna and mountain biking are all within easy reach of the monastery.
Residential seminars in Paris, the Ile-de-France region or elsewhere in France
The choice between Paris, Ile-de-France or a regional destination depends above all on travel time and the number of participants:
Le Moulin de Malvoisine, near Paris in the heart of nature
Would you like to organise a residential seminar in Paris? Located in Seine-et-Marne, less than an hour from Paris, Le Moulin de Malvoisine is a residential seminar venue set in the heart of a protected natural environment. A renovated former mill, the venue has a workspace of around 90 m², suitable for business meetings, workshops and group sessions. Depending on its configuration, it can accommodate up to 25 people for meetings, 70 people for cocktails or 80 people in a theatre setting.
The Domaine de Canaille in Cassis
Situated in Cassis, the Domaine de Canaille is an event property suitable for residential seminars on a human scale. The estate has 12 rooms on site and around 600 m² of interior space that can be configured for group work and discussions.
A Lyon country house on the Saône
near Lyon, Lyon Country House is a 12-hectare estate on the banks of the Saône. It offers on-site accommodation for up to 28 participants and workspaces suitable for meetings. The outdoor area is ideal for team-building activities and relaxation time, and can accommodate up to 70 people in the evening.
