PROVENCE, FRANCE

FORM + FLAVORS – Get ready for our annual getaway in the south of France – this time with a new itinerary with daily yoga, walks, and food-focused activities throughout the week. From gourmet tastings, the famous Provencal rosé, and plenty of time to take in the gorgeous surroundings on our hikes past lavender, blue waters, and vineyards.

FORM+FLAVORS RETREAT
Join us for our newest addition of a YOGA + FOOD retreat. “FORM” – Besides a daily yoga class, we will also enjoy many walks/hikes around the breathtaking scenery in the south of France, from countryside hikes, to a meditation walk through the vineyards, and several other lesser known paths in the area. “FLAVORS” – We’ll not only balance the week with the healthy “form” part of the retreat, but also with learning about and experiencing firsthand the amazing flavors of this region. Each day we’ll be able to enjoy mouth-watering cuisine, as well as take part in tastings from wine and olive oil, to cheeses and patisserie. From award-winning restaurants to family farms and kitchens, learning and enjoying the food will be an added bonus to working up an appetite during our classes and walks!

THE VILLA

This yoga retreat will take place at the beautiful villa of Bastide Avellanne. The Bastide is a charming fortified Provencal demure dating back to 17th century. Totally refurbished in 2011, it welcomes you with spacious light rooms in country style, all with modern en-suite bathrooms and independent apartments with every comfort.

In the Bastide you will find a vast air conditioned lounge with old leather sofas, a stone chimney, exposed beams and a bar, a dining room in the veranda overlooking the garden and a workshop-come-meeting room close to the pool.

Surrounded by vineyards, Bastide Avellanne is set in a private park of 3 hectares, where the colours of the olive trees and centuries old oaks blend with the perfumes of lavender and rosemary, creating a small mediterranean paradise. You will also enjoy a heated swimming pool and summer bar, giant chess, tennis and petanque courts.

CUISINE

Healthful, vegetarian food is part of the retreat experience, including breakfasts and dinners daily, as well as selected lunches. Enjoy cuisine which combines creativity and flavours with a special attention to creating balanced meals. Wholesome ingredients, freshness of the foods, cooking times and methods are present in every meal you will enjoy at the Bastide. Meals will be enjoyed on the terrace in the shade of the oak trees, or served by candlelight under the pergola or in the veranda. We’ll feast on traditional flavours of Provence mixed with the French, Italian and Mediterranean styles as well. Plus, throughout the week, we’ll have a chance to sample many regional wines, aperitifs, and other tastes such as cheeses and various other specialties.

SURROUNDING AREA

Guests will not only enjoy the villa and encompassing estate, but also the richness of the French cities and villages from the hills to the coast.

Bastide Avellanne is the ideal location to visit Provence. Situated only 30 minutes from the sea and from the Cote D’Azur between Cannes, St. Tropez and Hyeres. With its hundreds of kilometers of white beaches, rocky capes and wild bays, it is considered the most beautiful coastline of France – 300 kilometers of coast accompanying the Mediterranean Sea, white sandy beaches, a preserved landscape, protected islands and famous locations renowned worldwide. It looks just as you see in postcards: fields of lavender, medieval villages, chateaux, markets full of colours where you can find local products and exotic spices, lively small towns with a slow way of life.

Day trips will allow guests to add arts, culture, adventure, and natural beauty to their retreat experience. Trips may include visits to small villages, large cities, outdoor activities, even a gorgeous spa day in a 5* countryside chateau where guests can swim, enjoy lunch, use the spa area and receive a relaxing treatment (included in the retreat). See smaller villages that few tourists visit, and get a true education and taste of France with various tastings of regional wines, aperitifs and cheeses.

One day will be spent on the French Riviera on the island of Porquerolles for freetime to explore the beaches, hiking trails or town. We will take a tour through the countryside to see quaint villages, French markets, and hopefully get a peek at the early-blooming lavender fields. You’ll enjoy a true Provencal experience with the markets, food, culture, and sites. Our final day will be spent relaxing at a beautiful spa in the countryside with treatments, 5* service and lunch.

YOGA

Daily meditation and yoga classes will be offered in a way to relax, stimulate, and help guests grow in their own personal practice. Classes are open to all levels, beginner to practiced, and can range from gentle, restorative, and more vigorous vinyasa flow and ashtanga styles.* Style and class levels will be determined and modified to fit participating students’ needs, and with a small intimate retreat class size, students will be able to get personalized attention and comfortability to deeply explore their practice. Depending on each retreat location, classes will be held in a dedicated indoor yoga space and some also offer outdoor options as well for us to use if the weather is agreeable.

* Participation in classes and activities is optional throughout the retreat. All levels welcome!