Luxury Yoga, Pilates & Wellness Escape on the French Riviera and Monaco

The retreat is based at a boutique spa hotel on the French Riviera, chosen for its wellness facilities and its location within easy reach of both Monaco and the coast. You sleep and practice on site, with the spa facilities available between sessions. The host's own home base is this stretch of coast, so the itinerary mixes the iconic (Monaco harbour, the Casino de Monte-Carlo) with spots that don't usually make it into guidebooks — small restaurants, patisseries and viewpoints she knows personally.

A typical day starts early with a yoga or Pilates class, followed by breakfast. Mid-morning might be a coastal hike or a paddleboard session; lunch is usually out, at a local restaurant the host has picked. Afternoons are a mix of free time, beach clubs, spa treatments and skincare or wellness rituals. Some days include a helicopter flight over Monaco and the coastline. Evenings range from sunset aperitifs and fine dining to a Monte-Carlo Casino night, with sound healing or a quieter meditation session on other evenings.

What separates this from a standard yoga retreat is the host's background and the range of practice on offer. Aviv Hendler trained in India (200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Vijay Amar), studied Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Hatha, Yin, anti-aging yoga and meditation, and also teaches Tantra, Ayurveda-informed living and Human Design. She runs a practice called Yoga Art, which combines yoga with body painting on canvas — playful rather than solemn. Since 2020 she has curated over 100 retreats across Italy and Monaco, and in 2023 her retreats were featured by Muddy Stilettos as among the best yoga retreats to explore.

The food on this retreat is part of the programme, not an afterthought. Expect Mediterranean cooking, local Riviera restaurants, fine dining, wine, and some genuinely indulgent moments — champagne sunsets, patisserie stops and long Italian-style lunches. It isn't a detox week; it's a balanced one.

Group size is deliberately small — up to 10 people — which makes the schedule flexible and lets the host adapt sessions to who's in the room. The format suits solo travellers, couples and friends. There's also an exclusive gift for each guest: a luxury jumpsuit made in Italy in collaboration with Mahr.

What's included

- 4 nights accommodation in a boutique spa hotel - Daily yoga, Pilates, meditation and breathwork sessions - Sound healing session - Helicopter flight over Monaco and the French Riviera - Paddleboarding session - Coastal hike with a local guide - Beach club visit - Monte-Carlo Casino night - Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily - Sunset aperitifs and champagne moments - Skincare and wellness rituals - Yoga Art session with body painting - Exclusive luxury jumpsuit gift made in Italy in collaboration with Mahr - Spa access at the hotel - Host-led guidance to local restaurants, patisseries and hidden spots

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers (can be arranged separately) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses and shopping - Optional spa treatments beyond those listed - Alcoholic drinks outside included aperitifs and dinners - Gratuities