Fitness & Pilates Adventure Retreat in South of France

Jenna is a qualified fitness and Pilates coach who works in Monaco and runs retreats across the South of France and Italy. She is bilingual in English and French, which is useful if you want to chat with locals or order off a French menu without pointing. Her coaching work covers one-to-one sessions, small group training and online programmes, and the retreats are an extension of that: structured training, but in a setting where you actually want to be outside.

A typical retreat day starts with a fitness or Pilates session before breakfast, usually outdoors if the weather holds. After that there's a proper breakfast, then the middle of the day is for a hike, a walk into town, or a dip depending on where the group is staying. Late afternoon there's often a second, gentler session — yoga, stretching or mobility — before dinner. Evenings are long and relaxed, usually with local wine and food.

The accommodation varies by retreat, but the format stays consistent: small B&Bs, restored farmhouses (bastides), boutique hotels or private villas. These places are chosen because they have outdoor space for training sessions and are close enough to walking routes to make the hikes worthwhile. Groups are capped at 6-12, so it feels more like a trip with friends than a packaged tour.

What separates this from a standard fitness retreat is that Jenna tailors sessions to whoever is in the group. If you've never done Pilates, you'll get the basics explained properly. If you train regularly, you'll be pushed. The itinerary is also flexible — activities are planned but there's room to change plans if the group wants a longer hike or a lazy afternoon by the pool.

For private groups, Jenna builds the whole thing from scratch: you pick the dates, the region, and whether you want more hiking, more training, more sightseeing or more downtime. That option is popular with groups of friends, families or colleagues who want something active but not regimented.

What's included

- Accommodation in a B&B, farmhouse, boutique hotel or villa - Daily fitness and Pilates sessions - Yoga and stretching sessions - Guided hikes - Breakfast each day - Some lunches and dinners (varies by retreat) - Welcome briefing and group support

What's not included

- Flights to and from the retreat destination - Airport transfers (can be arranged for an extra cost) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses (drinks, souvenirs, extra activities) - Some meals (depending on itinerary) - Alcohol