7 Day Holistic Yoga and Meditation Retreat in Côte d’Azur, France

Program

This seven-day and six-night yoga retreat runs weekly, from April to mid-November. Set in the beautiful medieval village of Saint-Jeannet in the South of France, The FrogS’House is a stone’s throw away from the French Riviera, with breathtaking views of it from the house.

All of the activities during the retreat are performed with the awareness of the present moment, in complete connectedness with the body and the breath.

Language

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Philosophy

The FrogS’House has created a program that lasts for a whole week in order to offer their guests enough time to find the perfect balance between the yoga sessions, excursions, shared moments with the teachers and with other guests, as well as time on their own.

This is why you are encouraged to arrive on Sunday and start the retreat from the beginning with everyone else to feel the natural progression of the program and get its full benefit. However, if your itinerary does not fit with this schedule (arriving earlier or later), please let them know, and they will see what they can do.

On occasion, they are also able to let the guests stay one extra night after the retreat has finished, to just rest before their onward journey or return home. Please ask. For guests who will be unable to come to a weeklong retreat, The FrogS’House may, on occasion, be able to offer shorter alternatives. Again, please ask them, and they will see what they can do.

There will be no “level” required there. The invitation during The FrogS’House’s yoga sessions is to listen and observe the feeling of the moment, both physically and mentally. So whether or not you have been practicing for a long time, it does not matter. Beginners or regular practitioners – everyone will be welcome.

Bring with you an openness to experiencing a new approach, a new practice, and a willingness to explore your own being deeply. The FrogS’House will offer you some tools and support you through your own exploration. A better understanding of yourself and of the world will, they hope, follow.

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Instructors

Benoit will lead most of the yoga and meditation sessions of the week. He was inspired by the French spiritual teacher Jean Klein and his practice of Kashmir yoga, a meditative yoga that allows one to delve deeply into subtle feelings – both physically and energetically.

To do so, one has to first turn the internal voice that constantly makes comments, criticizes, and judges, into an observer, and let themselves become totally open to the here and now, to the proposition of the moment, to what is happening in their own body and their own mind, and let it be – through simple but profound observation.

In brief, the yoga that Benoit likes to share is that of being, not of doing.

Jean is a certified teacher of Ashtanga, a more dynamic and physical yoga style; Yin yoga, a more meditative style; as well as a practitioner of Tibetan sound healing, which he sometimes offers after Yin yoga in class.

All the teachers at The FrogS’House do their best to guide and listen to everyone’s needs and at the same time maintain harmony in the whole group.

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Walking day

Following the philosophy of the Buddhist Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, let each one of your steps deepen yourself into the present moment. “Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We just have to awaken and live in the present moment.”

During the spring and autumn, the walking day will take place in the surrounding hills called “Baou” to reach the top of the hill for a shared homemade picnic lunch and a fantastic view over the whole French Riviera and the Southern Alps.

Equipment required

The FrogS’ House will provide backpacks, water bottles, and walking sticks on demand. Each guest will need to bring comfortable shoes (running shoes are a minimum, but quite adequate as well), sunscreen and sunglasses, a hat, and, in case of cold weather, a windproof jacket and/or rain mac.

Description of the walk:

• 8 kilometers
• +350 meters uphill on a rocky path
• -350 meters downhill on a rocky path
• 4 hours plus picnic lunch at the top

During the summer, an “aquatic” walk will take you into a gorge / canyon to walk along, and sometimes into, a river. Waterfalls and freshwater ponds will be the highlights of the day to jump and swim in, a perfect activity during the warmer summer months.

Equipment required

What you will need are the same as the spring and autumn walk, plus swimming suits. The FrogS’House can provide you with a towel for bathing.

Description of the walk:

• 5 kilometers
• -100 meters downhill on a rocky path
• +100 meters uphill on a rocky path
• 2 hours plus picnic lunch and a swim in the river

Free flow day

To practice what is preached – being present – the activity of this day will be left open, to be decide during the week, as the guests get to know each other and feel what they want to do.

Activities that can be included are a trip to the beach, visiting the chapel designed by Henri Matisse, visiting Saint-Paul-de-Vence with its art galleries, a silent meditative walk in the village followed by a picnic and dip into the ice-cold waters of a local river, wine-tasting at the local village vineyard, and ziplining in the local canyon forest (at extra cost), etc.

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The FrogS’House yoga retreat program

Sunday (Arrival day)

Note that you are encouraged to arrive on Sunday and start the retreat from the beginning to get the full benefit of it. However, if your itinerary does not fit with this schedule (arriving earlier or later), please let them know, and they will see what they can do.

• 15:00 – 18:00 Arrival
• 18:00 – 21:00 Welcome evening to introduce The FrogS’House and the yoga retreat, followed by a welcome finger-buffet dinner, including wine served by The FrogS’House

Monday

• 08:00 – 09:30 Yoga
• 09:30 – 11:00 Homemade breakfast on the sunny terrace and time for sharing and socializing
• 11:00 – 18:00 Walking day, including an introduction to the practice of meditation
• 18:00 – 19:00 Guests’ free time to rest
• 19:00 Dinner provided by The FrogS’House, self-service

Tuesday

• 08:00 – 09:30 Yoga
• 09:30 – 11:00 Homemade breakfast on the sunny terrace and time for sharing and socializing
• 11:30 – 13:30 Where does yoga fit in my day-to-day life? An introductory workshop exploring aspects of yoga other than the practice of postures.
• 13:30 – 14:30 Light lunch
• 14:30 – 17:00 Free time to relax, meditate, at your own rhythm, reserve a massage, or wander around the picturesque streets of the village or in the surrounding hills
• 17:00 – 19:00 Vegetarian French gastronomy workshop with The FrogS’House’s chef Aurore
• 19:00 – 22:00 3-course dinner prepared during the gastronomy workshop, including wine

Wednesday

• 09:30 – 11:00 Yoga
• 11:00 – 13:00 Homemade brunch on the sunny terrace and time for sharing and socializing
• 13:00 – 18:00 Free time to reserve a massage, relax, meditate at your own rhythm, wander around the picturesque streets of the village or in the surrounding hills, or even take a trip to the beach
• 18:00 – 19:00 Yoga and meditation session
• 19:00 Dinner provided by The FrogS’ House, self-service

Thursday

• 08:00 – 09:30 Yoga and meditation session
• 09:30 – 11:00 Homemade breakfast on the sunny terrace and time for sharing and socializing
• 11:00 – 11:30 Guided meditation
• 11:30 – 13:30 Where does yoga fit in my day-to-day life? A practical workshop exploring aspects of yoga other than the practice of postures
• 13:30 – 14:30 Light lunch
• 14:30 – 17:00 Free time to relax, meditate at your own rhythm, reserve a massage, or wander around the picturesque streets of the village or in the surrounding hills
• 17:00 – 18:00 Yoga and meditation session
• 19:00 Dinner (at your own leisure / expense)

Friday

• 08:00 – 09:30 Yoga and meditation session
• 09:30 – 11:00 Homemade breakfast on the sunny terrace and time for sharing and socializing
• 11:00 – 17:00 Free flow day
• 18:00 – 19:00 Closing ceremony of the retreat
• 19:00 – 21:00 Farewell dinner of the retreat, including wine: Sometimes, you will play hilarious games, while sometimes, you will dance, and sometimes, you will mingle and chat, but you will always have a lot of fun and celebrate the week spent together and the connections that have been made.

Saturday

• 09:00 – 11:00 Homemade breakfast on the sunny terrace and check out

Note

Please note that rooms should be freed by 11:00 to allow cleaning for the next retreat. The FrogS’House will be happy to store your luggage if you would like to leave later on in the day. It may also be possible to extend your stay if required; please ask a member of the team.