See in the new year somewhere quiet. This four-day yoga and meditation weekend from Le Bar à Yoga runs from New Year's Eve to the first Sunday of January. It takes place in a privately owned, renovated château with its own spa, in a four-hectare walled park in Château-Renard, under an hour and a half from Paris.

The weekend is led by Bernard and Gana, the teachers behind Le Bar à Yoga in Charenton-le-Pont. They trained in India and go back there every year. Classes are open to every level, with options for beginners and for experienced practitioners. Yoga and meditation are taught in a room with an open fireplace. The programme is full but relaxed: every class is optional, there is a group mandala to make together, and there is plenty of time to rest, read or use the spa.

The group is small, 12 to 14 people depending on how the rooms are shared, so it feels warm and personal. Meals are vegetarian and full board, organic and local wherever possible, with vegan options and changes for allergies or intolerances on request.

The shared spa has a hot tub, a sauna, a counter-current pool and a small cardio corner with a rowing machine, a bike and a treadmill. You can also book a one-hour Thai or Balinese massage, but only two slots are available.

You can reach the château by train from Paris Gare de Lyon (line R to Souppes / Château-Landon, about 1h20, on a standard Navigo pass), with a shuttle from the station, or by car in about 1h20 from Porte d'Orléans.

What's included

3 nights' accommodation in the château; Full board, vegetarian meals; Yoga and meditation sessions with two teachers; Group mandala activity; Access to the shared spa: hot tub, sauna, counter-current pool and fitness equipment; Yoga equipment: bricks, straps (mats on request), music and incense

What's not included

Transport to the château; Station shuttle (€20 per person each way, €35 return; limited places); Massages (€90 per one-hour massage)

More wellness retreats in France