Five-Day Yoga Retreat in an 18th-Century French Château

The château sits on a working estate with acres of forested trails, fields, and rose gardens along the Loir river. You're not in a hotel — you're in a family home with antique furniture and modern bathrooms. Mornings start with coffee or tea before an 8am yoga class, then breakfast around 9. Lunch is at 12:30, and afternoons are either free or spent on an excursion. Evening yin yoga runs 4:30–6pm, dinner is at 8, and after-dinner drinks happen in the Grand Salon.

The yoga itself is split into two styles. Morning sessions are active but accessible: sequences that build strength and flexibility, with options offered for every level. Evening sessions are yin — seated and supine postures held longer to release connective tissue. Kelly has advanced training in yin and teaches it as a quiet, inward practice.

Excursions are included and vary by day. Tuesday afternoon you visit a 12th-century abbey to hear monks chant Gregorian psalms. Wednesday morning you go to the local open-air market for produce, cheese, meat, and seafood. Thursday you have lunch on the banks of the Loir in La Flèche (€50 supplement) and tour another château.

What sets this apart from a standard yoga week is the setting and the cooking. Mary, your host, cooks everything herself — fresh baguettes, wine at dinner, vegetarian options if you want them. Meals are at a long table, not a buffet. The group is capped at 10, so it stays quiet.

Program details can shift based on weather or what's in season. Arrival Monday is between 2 and 4:30pm, first yoga at 5, welcome drinks at 7:30, dinner at 8. Departure Friday is 2:30pm to Angers train station.

What's included

- 4 nights shared accommodation with private bath - Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner - Wine with lunch and dinner - After-dinner drinks, infusions, and chocolates - Daily morning and evening yoga sessions - Yoga mats and equipment - All excursions (12th-century abbey, local market, château visit) - Free wifi - Access to forested hiking trails, fields, and rose gardens - Optional pickup from Angers train station or La Flèche bus station (at designated times)

What's not included

- Transportation to and from the retreat - One off-site restaurant meal - Laundry services (additional cost) - On-site massages (additional cost) - Thursday lunch in La Flèche (€50 supplement) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses