Loire Valley Yoga & Nutrition Escape at a 19th-Century Chateau

The chateau sits at Chateau de la Vigne in the Loire Valley, about four days of programme built around cooking, yoga and walking. Days start with yoga before breakfast, then a session with May in the kitchen where you actually cook the lunch you're going to eat. Afternoons are for walking or cycling in the surrounding countryside, a massage treatment if you've booked one, or doing nothing at all. There's a second yoga session before dinner, and most evenings end with a discussion on some part of eating well — reading labels, planning a week of meals, what to do when you're too busy to cook.

What separates this from a standard yoga retreat is May Simpkin. She's a UK nutritionist who owns the chateau, and the four days are built around her teaching rather than as an add-on. You'll stand next to her at the counter making the same dishes, then eat them, then talk about why they work. Past guests consistently mention the practical demonstrations and the recipe ideas they took home.

The yoga side is led by Jamie Blowers, who runs teacher training courses. That matters if you're a beginner — you're being taught by someone used to training instructors, and guests regularly comment that they saw improvements in posture and flexibility within the four days. Sessions run twice a day and are adjusted for whoever is in the room.

The setting is a historic chateau with a mix of accommodation across the main house and outbuildings, with a pool and gardens. The Loire Valley countryside around it is flat, quiet and good for walking or easy cycling, which is what the programme uses it for. There are massage treatments available on site during the retreat.

Guests leave with a goodie bag and a set of recipes, which sounds like a small thing but is the practical difference between this and a retreat where you feel great for a week and then go back to eating the same way. The schedule is deliberately relaxed — this is a retreat built around cooking and eating together in a French country house, not a packed timetable.

What's included

- 4 nights accommodation at Chateau de la Vigne - Twice-daily yoga sessions with Jamie Blowers - Three healthy meals a day - Hands-on cooking sessions with May Simpkin - Cooking demonstrations and recipes - Guided walks and cycling in the Loire Valley countryside - Evening nutrition discussions and Q&A - Goodie bag to take home - Use of the chateau grounds and pool

What's not included

- Travel to and from the chateau - Airport or station transfers - Travel insurance - Massage treatments - Personal expenses - Alcohol and drinks outside meal times