I love teaching in this beautiful location, and it was everything I had dreamed off. The house is beautiful and the surroundings are so incredibly peaceful. During our yoga practices we listen to the bird song, the bells of the monasteries in the distance. The smell of the lavender, the flowers and the trees is just so calming and
deeply relaxing. I feel like one can shed the layers of stress and really drop into a deep place of connection and rest.
I am really excited to be able to return next year to teach two September retreats. I have chosen September as the weather is gorgeous and sunny but not too hot! So we can practice yoga and go for lovely walks.
So here is some information about what to expect.
The accommodation
The Domaine St Joseph is a 17th and (in parts) 18th Century farmhouse situated on a plateau above Cotignac, with glorious views of the St Joseph monastery and the Besillon mountain.
The beautiful 9 bedroom house is surrounded by thousands of hectares of wild nature. The property provides a wonderful base for relaxation, in the peace and quiet of the countryside surrounding the domaine where you will find an abundance of incredible aromas of wild plants including, amongst others, Rosemary, Thyme and Wild Mint.
The domaine is also 25 minute walk down to the idyllic provencal village of Cotignac with its vibrant year round market, restaurants, art galleries and shops. The village is also steeped in history dating back to the time of the Troglodytes who built their houses in the cliffs which now form the backdrop of the village and can be visited.
The house dates back to the 17th century; it is full of character, yet the rooms have a modern twist; the property has a pool, a sauna, somewhere to play Boules; and there are acres of forest, with lots of beautiful trees around the property. The Troglodytes houses in the cliffs behind the village and can be visited.
The rooms have a mixture of kingsize or twin beds. In the old house upstairs there is a beautiful large bathroom with a claw foot bathtub, shower and toilet.
Off the main house there are courtyard rooms and the potteries which have their own rooms also.
There is plenty of space inside the house and around the grounds to relax, spend time alone, read a book in a hammock, go for a walk around the grounds, have a sauna after a swim, relax in a salon, explore the village, hike the mountains or visit the vineyards,
Activities in the area
Erin who will be joining us is an excellent massage therapist and will be offering massage in the afternoons. Erin blends her own oil using rosemary, lavender and lemon to create a beautiful healing oil for an even more relaxing experience.
There will be plenty of time to explore the village, the mountains and the forests. There are bikes if you feel like a cycle or you can easily walk down to the village. There are rivers, waterfalls and lakes nearby, and some people might even want to day trip to another location. We will practice yoga in the morning and evening after breakfast and before dinner. So there is time off in the afternoon where you can do your own thing or simply relax by the pool.
What I love about the location is that you can walk everywhere, you can visit the monastery or walk down to the village. Everything is within half an hour. There issomething so grounding about not getting into a car, and just enjoying the beautiful walks, nature, the forests the smell of trees, herbs and flowers that fill the air. One day we will day trip to the waterfalls and have a swim in a river.
Sometimes the best thing is to curl up by the pool and read a book, enjoy a sauna after a swim, or have a snooze in your room.
On our final day we have our beautiful farewell brunch and then visit the famous market in Cotignac which is a busy, thriving market full of wonderful local produce, clothes, baskets, furniture, soaps. oils, it Is a wonderful experience.
The Yoga
It is a yoga retreat after all! I see this retreat as a yoga holiday, I love the idea of self-care taking time for you, coming back to yourself, your yoga practice, relaxing, eating delicious food, and enjoying yourself!
I will be teaching Vinyasa yoga and meditation from 8am - 10am every morning, And in the evenings Yin and restorative from 5.30 - 7pm
The theme of the retreat is to rest, relax and reconnect to yourself. The practices will be themed around just that taking time to pause, reflect and check in with yourself.
The morning practice will be grounding with a lovely meditation; we will warm up, stretch and move with a mindful Vinyasa practice before a relaxing Savasana practice.
In the evening we will stretch and open into the body, releasing tension from the joints through a yin and restorative practice. We will reach a place of quiet and calm.
the morning and evening practices are carefully planned so each day we will practice a yang and in pairing of practices, balancing our children, meridian pathways and organs. Bringing harmony and balance within.
The food
We have three wonderful cooks (Erin, Lucy and Virginie) coming along who specialise in nutritious, locally sourced, delicious food. Lucy will create a visual feast using wholesome seasonal produce, all produced in the region. Lucie and Erin also want to create dinners from Provence. So we all get a lovely send of the local, tasty food.
The food will be sourced locally from the village market every day; we will have a lovely brunch after practicing yoga and meditation. A picnic style lunch so you can take it and eat by the pool, enjoy the hammocks or go off for a hike or a village walk. And a delicious Provencal feast in the evenings, healthy and tasty before a relaxing nights sleep.
Please email me for more info - places are limited - dearbhlaglynn@gmail.com
