The retreat runs over six days and five nights, with check-in from 22:00 on arrival day and check-out at 16:00 on the last day. Day one is arrival, welcome tea, an opening circle and a short walk to get used to the land, then dinner and a first journaling prompt. From there the days build: a morning stretch and breathwork session, breakfast, then a nature therapy walk with silent intervals and grounding exercises. After lunch there is rest time and a second session — sensory awareness practice, a journaling workshop on giving emotions a voice, or a look at what is shifting in you.

Walks vary in length and terrain. One day is a forest bathing walk with sit-spot meditation; another is a longer scenic resilience walk with reflective pauses and a picnic lunch outdoors. Jo leads them herself and carries the group's pace, and there is free walking kit to borrow — poles, water bottles, day packs, lunch boxes and waterproofs — so you do not need to travel with your own.

The final full day is about integration: a gratitude walk, then a workshop on building a plan for after the retreat, and a closing circle. Guests consistently mention that Jo adapts the programme day by day rather than running a fixed script, which matters when the weather turns or when someone needs a quieter afternoon.

Jo and Bob have run retreats in this part of southern France since 2006. Jo holds certifications as a nature therapy guide, meditation and mindfulness instructor, spiritual wellness and breathwork coach, past life regressionist and hypnotherapist, with over 19 years of experience. They also deliver residential training courses for guides and coaches seeking accreditation in nature therapy and natural wellness.

The setting is the former Languedoc, around the village of Escueillens: 12th-century Cathar castles, rolling hills, vineyards, brooks and small hamlets. The property is a converted vignoble and barns with four private garden areas, a games room used for yoga, and a library of books and maps on the Cathar castles and local walks.

What's included

- 5 nights accommodation in a private apartment - Full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) - Airport pickup and drop-off from Carcassonne (free) or Toulouse (€150 round trip) - Daily yoga classes - Daily meditation classes - Daily pranayama classes - Mindful breathing and relaxation practices - All nature therapy activities - Nature hikes with a trusted guide - Personal reflection materials and journal prompts - Supportive connection in a small group - Pre and post retreat support from the team - Transportation during the retreat - Water, tea and coffee served throughout the day - Welcome drink - Free parking and luggage storage - WiFi connection - Free use of walking kit (poles, water bottles, day packs, lunch boxes, waterproofs)

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Past life regression sessions (€40 each) - Cathar castle entry fees (most under €10) - Market, medieval town, castle and cave visits - Wine tasting and restaurant meals - Optional massage and other therapies - Extra nights before or after the retreat - Laundry (charged per kg) - Private classes