Incentives & supporting programmes

Benedict à la carte

This event is a culinary-monastic dining function in the presence of an abbot or a parish priest. A specially created dinner prepared following the recipes of the old monastery kitchen and being served in the candlelit dining room. The meal is accompanied by inspirational stories related to the life and the rules of the Benedictine order. This event is perceived as the most memorable and impressive one and will enrich conferences at its best as the surrounding of the ancient  and enchanting Benedictine abbey is giving the prefect setting.

Teambuilding Events, Incentives or Kick-Offs

The planning, preparation and realization of a successful team-event needs special and very careful attention. It is important that the goals of your meeting or conference will be reflected in the teambuilding activities which create the valuable positive mood of all participants:

Pre-Breakfast Tai Chi

T'ai chi ch'uan often shortened to t'ai chi or tai chi in English usage, is a type of internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. Its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions and longevity. As a consequence, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of t'ai chi ch'uan's training forms are especially known for being practiced at what most people categorize as slow movement. This relaxing morning session will be held in the tranquility of our peaceful monastery garden under professional guidance.

Nordic Walking

This active walking session will be introduced to the group by a professional Nordic walking trainer. The participants will be familiarized with the Nordic Walking techniques and motivated to continue Nordic Walking on their own. The motion in the nature is leading to an improved well-being and a balanced feeling. This sport can be quickly and easily learned by everyone.

Tépacap– Adventure Village

Climb to the treetops or test the bungee-trampoline in this unusual adventure park near Bitche. Each course begins on a wooden platform in a tree and leads over several lengths, some of which can be easily completed and some of which require a certain level of acrobatic ability. Whatever the action is you choose fun and recreation is guaranteed.
www.tepacap.de
(for opening hours please refer to the website)

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We highly recommend the cooperation of our partner for many years "Buhl Outdoor & Sport Events". This experienced and successful event organizer has developed several motivating modules exclusively for our hotel and the surroundings.

Please find here some examples:

Dining on cloud 9

This is an exciting outdoor event in the beautiful woods nearby the hotel. With saw, gloves, drill, rope and the supporting hands of all team members construction work is the goal. The team will build a pendant dinner table including benches created from a simple log directly in the woods. As soon as the wooden plates have been cut out of another wooden log the deserved and tasty stew will be served from the kitchen team. The leisure part of the day can start in the wild of our beautiful forests.

"Klosternopoly"

Everybody knows the famous board game “Monopoly”. This version is based on the principles of the popular game and combines indoor and outdoor team building elements. The requirements to the participating teammate are diverse: Activity, strategic planning, self-motivation, the use of national and international communication skills and personal commitment – all contributes to raise  the “TEAM FUND” following the basic rules of Monopoly. This activity is suitable for groups of various sizes (minimum four teams). The winning team certainly will be celebrated.

Bottle Quest

This challenge requires not only luck to find the right coordinates and to “harvest” all necessary parts and tools to build the essential raft also team-work and a trustful cooperation leads to success  The final – and maybe most important -search leads, if successfully completed, to some cool crates of beer called  “Zischke”. The participants should not be afraid of water.

"Land sailing" in the North Vosges mountains range

“Hold and feel the wind in your hands” – that is main purpose of this special event. After a briefing and some instructions the team is learning how to navigate and will be introduced to the feeling and performance of the vehicle. The participants will compete in their first sailing regatta. The challenging race course is marked by pylons and other decorative tons and flags. This is a great opportunity for groups to free their minds and to interact as a team. The beautiful surroundings of the Vosges mountain range helps to create a memorable day.

The journey is the destination

This self-drive experience starts when the participants take over their convertible car and the road description of the historic salt route. A road map will support the “navigator” to find the interesting places en route. A CD with classical music will underline the relasing drive on the scenic country roads. A fully stuffed delicate picnic basket for the crew of each car will be the “anchor” for some nice breaks between the “food stops” in some roadside taverns.

Please contact Mr. Buhl directly to discuss your schedule and the different opportunities.

Contact: +49 (0) 4413 844965, www.buhl-events.de

Citadel of Bitche

The citadel of  Bitche gives a medieval distinction to the townscape of city Bitche. The location was strategically important for the crusaders in the middle ages.  Elevated by 80 metres above the town this historic monument is indeed very interesting to visit. In 1979 the citadel was rate as historic monument. Also Marquis de Vauban (commonly referred to as Vauban) was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them left his influence in this remarkable monument.

Tour the impressive Citadel of Bitche which acted as an exemplary focal point to the resistance during the conflicts of 1870-71.

Duration: two hours, please remember to wear warm clothes.
Opening hours: March to mid-November: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
July to end of August: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

www.citadelle-bitche.com

Garden for Peace

The “Peace Garden” is an emblem of urban floral displays in the fortified town and it unfurls like a piece of nature in the heart of the town. It is linked to the Citadel that overlooks it. In fact, it enhances the symbolic and heritage value of the fortress, reflecting a theme based on the link between war and peace. It also stands out for the contemporary design of its layout. The "Garden for Peace" is situated below the Citadel and above the city of Bitche. The garden’s theme is “Peace and War” – truly a source of inspiration.

Opening hours:
May to October: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
July to August: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

www.gaerten-ohne-grenzen.de

Excursion to the Maginot Line

The Simserhof is one of the biggest artillery buildings of the Maginot Line. Simserhof was, like most Maginot fortifications, composed of a combat section and a support section. Simserhof remains the property of the French Ministry of Defense. Its museum operations are managed by the Moselle département and the city of Bitche. Restoration work is ongoing. Simserhof has an extensive array of visitor services, including a gift shop, picnic area and café. The tour is limited to the entry, caserne and magazine, excluding the combat blocks.

Duration: One and a half hours, please remember to wear warm clothes.
Opening hours: Mid-March to mid-November: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
July to August: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tour on demand
Closed on Mondays

www.simserhof.fr

Excursion to the museum inside the Eschviller Mühle

In the middle of the nature park “North Vosges” one of the last mills in the Schwalbach Valley gives a very nice demonstration of the everyday life in a mill. Comprehensive guided tours demonstrate how the miller lived and worked in this scenic building. The museum is situated in a lovely surrounding which keeps many attractions for the visitor.

Duration: 45 minutes
Opening hours: April to June, September to October
Saturdays, Sunday and holidays: 2:00 to 6:30 p.m.
July to August: Daily excluding Tuesdays

Office de Tourisme du Pays de Bitche

www.pays-de-bitche.com
Phone: 0033-387 06 16 16

Sweet team building

The sweetest way to build your team
Experience and enjoy this outstanding team building acitivity with 6 to maximum 12 participants. This desert cooking workshop will be guided by Olivier Fabing. Olivier is known far beyond our area and he has collected and improved desert recipes from the „in-places“ and top-restaurants in Paris. With his French roots Olivier knows the secrets of fine pastry and elegant deserts and he is happy to share this knowledge with you and your team. His preferred ingredient is chocolate and you will find out why – and you will love it! In the evening, the resulting desserts will be served as the grand finale of a delicious dinner.

Create your own “flammekueche”

Traditional food experience
Tarte flambée is an Alsatian dish composed of bread dough rolled out very thin in the shape of a rectangle (traditionally) or circle, which is covered with white cheese or crème fraîche, thinly sliced onions and lardon cheese. It is one of the most famous specialties of the region. Depending on the region, this dish can be called in Alsatian” flammekueche”, in German Flammkuchen, which means "Flame cake" or in French” tarte flambée”, which translates as "Pie baked in the flames." Contrary to what the direct translation would suggest tarte flambée is not usually flambéed, but cooked in a wood-fire oven. There are many variations of the original recipe, in terms of the garniture.

In this event all participants learn how to create a traditional „flame cake“. The motto is “all you can eat”. This event can be held in our “beer garden” or in our monastery garden with a maximum of 18 “cooks”. Our friendly staff will assist you at least with drinks.

Rustic evening in a hunting lodge

Romantic outdoor barbecue experience
A professional hiking guide will pick up the participants in front of the hotel. The beginning of this scenic walk takes you through romantic forests and if the group is lucky some local game can be spotted along the easy trails. On the way you will have water and other drinks to refresh and if required some breaks will help to recharge the energy. Upon arrival at the private lodge the wild boar barbecue can begin. On a huge fire place the delicious roast of wild boar will be freshly prepared. All group members will be served you a rustic Palatinate vesper supper. After strengthening with meat and beer the way back can begin. For the romantic feeling you will receive fire torches and if the group is into music a nice hiking song will make this evening a memorable one.
Duration: 3-4 hours

Wine tasting with Professionals

As Palatinate is Germany’s second largest wine-growing region certainly also in Kloster Hornbach Wine is essential. The Benedictines cultivated wine after the Romans started with wine growing in already in 1 A.C. In order to follow the importance of wine growing in the region we are happy to organize wine tasting events. We can do this in a wine-growing-estate in cooperation with some leading wine-grower of the region or on the premises of our hotel.

Culinary wine tasting for groups of 15 and more

What is a gourmet dinner or a culinary meal without wine? A tasty dinner requires the accompaniment of a good wine. In this interesting wine tasting lesson you will not only taste several exquisite wines in a convivial atmosphere. But you also learn details about wine growing and bottling from a professional. A five-course gourmet dinner will be served and we honour the Benedictine monks culture. All ingredients will be freshly harvested from our monastery garden and our decorated chef creates a delicious five course culinary treat. A renowned Palatinate wine grower will attend the dinner and gives you an overview about the wines of the region which will be served with the food.

A truly interesting, delicious tasting group event for maximum of 15 participants.
Duration: 4 hours

Sensorial Wine Seminar

Especially for wine and food lovers from abroad, we have a unique way of guiding you through what culinary Germany has to offer: fantastic Rieslings, Müller-Thurgau or Silvaner along with inside looks behind the scenes - plus everything you always wanted to know about winemaking in Germany. Take advantage of our comprehensive  knowledge and our contacts.

The participants of this event will enjoy a fun and fascinating two-hour exploration of the world of wines. You will smell, taste and become aware of the different wine qualities and styles. The seminar is presented in an entertaining way and illustrated by examples of select wines you will taste with the group. A wonderful way to conclude a busy meeting or conference day.

Organised by our partner www.genusstur.de
Dates and prices upon request
Duration: 2 hours

Dates and prices upon request

Guided -post-conference- walk in historic Hornbach

Hornbach is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate. The monastery was the most likely reason for the founding of the town of Hornbach. According to legend, Saint Pirmin (†11/3/753) chose this area for the foundation of the monastery. A plaque in the renovated monastery museum indicates that the monastery was founded in 737. Saint Pirmin was first buried in a crypt near the old church, a short distance from the monastery before his corps was moved to Innsbruck/Austria. In 1220, Hornbach was under the direct ecclesiastical rule of the Bishop of Metz. King Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor 1316-1378, also known as King Karl IV of Weisswasser in Bohemia, gave the town Hornbach its town rights on 16 April 1352, in connection with the establishment of a mayoral office.

While you enjoy a relaxed walk through the historic town located on a hill between Horn Brook and Schwalb Brook you will visit the encircling defensive wall and the town gates. An old map showing the encircling stone wall, interior streets, church, monastery and other buildings which were constructed around 1700 A.D. You will pass the historic Town Hall today still in public use. You also will visit the New Church-the Evangelist Protestant Church built in 1785.

Duration: 90 minutes

Of Heaven and Earth

Experience a lecture or seminar by a Benedictine abbot or clergyman. The Canon of Benedict of Nursia, the founder of the Benedictine Order, was once perceived as one of the great sapience books of the occident. Today, the Canon of the Benedictines still evokes reflection on our actions, provides an impulse to achieve authenticity and a cogent culture of management and organization - just as it is still cultivated in the monastic communities. Particularly suitable for executive managers and their teams to improve management and team culture.

Concert at the monastery of St. Fabian

Following the legend this little chapel – erected around 1000 A.D.- was the grave of the Pope Fabian who was the first Christian killed by the Roman Emperor Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius in 250 A.D. In this small and intimate chapel we can arrange little concerts for a meditative conclusion of the day and for some spiritual moments of deceleration.

Duration to be negotiated