5-Day Mother & Child Yoga Escape in the Lot Valley, South of France

The retreat is set in Puy-l'Évêque, a medieval village on the Lot River in the Lot department of south-west France. The Lot is quieter than Provence or the Côte d'Azur — limestone cliffs, vineyards, walnut groves, and small market towns — and Puy-l'Évêque sits right on the river, with narrow streets climbing up from the water. It's the kind of place where the main activity is walking, eating, and watching the light change. That setting is a large part of why this retreat works: there's genuinely nothing competing for your attention.

You and your child stay in a gîte or apartment — self-contained French holiday accommodation, typically with its own kitchen, bathroom, and living space. The exact property and room configuration are confirmed per booking, and Joyce can tell you about private rooms, shared spaces, or upgrades if you ask. This is practical rather than luxurious accommodation: comfortable, local, and set up for families rather than for couples on a romantic break. Expect to be able to make a cup of tea at 6am when your toddler is up, which matters more than thread count.

The yoga is the through-line of the week. Sessions are gentle and restorative, pitched at mothers who want calm and presence rather than a hard physical challenge. That means slower sequences, plenty of floor work, breathing, and probably a few poses you can do with a small person climbing on you. There's no expectation that you'll hit a certain number of classes or a certain level — the timetable is built around the group, and around the children.

Food is cooked for the group, and the kitchen accommodates dietary requirements if you flag them before you arrive. Meals are shared, which is part of how the group gets to know each other — this is a retreat where you'll end up talking to the other mums over dinner whether you planned to or not.

What makes this different from a general yoga retreat is simply that children are welcome and the whole week is designed around that. You're not the one person who brought a kid. There's no hushed meditation room you're worried about disturbing. The days have room in them for the unpredictable, and the other guests are in the same situation. Joyce Mol leads the retreat personally and is based in France; the facilitator team for each specific stay is confirmed before you arrive, so ask if you want to know exactly who will be guiding your week.

What's included

- 5-day stay in a gîte or apartment in Puy-l'Évêque - Daily gentle and restorative yoga sessions - Meals cooked for the group - Dietary requirements catered for on request - Guided walks and village time with the group - Welcome and closing gatherings with Joyce Mol

What's not included

- Travel to and from Puy-l'Évêque - Travel insurance - Personal expenses and souvenirs - Optional upgrades and extras (confirmed on request) - Anything not confirmed in your booking summary