Yoga and Wellness Retreats at Domaine des Terres Noires, Drôme Provençale

Daily life on a retreat at Domaine des Terres Noires starts in the shala. It's a dedicated, well-equipped space with mats, bricks, bolsters and speakers, and a view out over the surrounding landscape. Sessions run indoors, and outdoor yoga and meditation happen in the grounds when the weather allows. Depending on the theme of the week you might be doing vinyasa, yin, feminine yoga, barre, dance, or one of the grounding and fascia-mobilisation workshops that feature on the Access Flow programmes.

The programmes lean on more than movement. The 'Ultimate Metamorphosis', 'Sun & Lavender' and 'Ancrage & Renewal' retreats each include a one-hour fasciatherapy session, two workshops on stress management, self-massage, breathing and standing meditation, three guided healing meditations, and introductory Tai Chi & Qi Gong sessions. The September women-in-leadership retreat swaps some of that for neuroscience, cardiac coherence and mental visualisation work. Every participant on those weeks gets an Access Flow Signature Gift Set.

Meals are full board and vegetarian, cooked on site by a private chef using fresh seasonal produce. There's a welcome treat on arrival. On-site leisure is genuinely varied: bicycles, a tennis court, pétanque, table football, ping-pong and a basketball hoop, plus a heated indoor pool and indoor and outdoor jacuzzis for the end of the day.

The location does a lot of the work. La Garde-Adhémar is in Drôme Provençale, and the grounds open onto trails through lavender fields, the Creux loop and the Ochres — described locally as a mini-Colorado. The cliffs of Saou are nearby for rock climbing, and you can canoe the Drôme or Ardèche rivers. Hiking, mountain biking, trail running and road cycling all start from the gate.

What separates this from a generic yoga week is that the estate is reserved exclusively for the retreat you're on. You're not sharing the pool or the dining room with other groups. The property is also available for organisers to run their own retreats — the team can bring in plant-based chefs, naturopaths, massage therapists, facialists, and facilitators for creative and sensory workshops — which is why the calendar mixes in-house themes with programmes from visiting teachers such as Kate Matthews and the Access Flow team.

Accommodation is in eight carefully decorated bedrooms across the estate, with seven bathrooms and capacity for up to 22 guests. Beds are high quality, and sheets and bath towels are provided. It's a family-home feel rather than a hotel — a place for meetings and exchanges, with top-of-the-range amenities.

What's included

- 4 days / 3 nights (or 5 days on longer programmes) at Domaine des Terres Noires - Full-board vegetarian meals cooked by a private chef - Refreshing welcome treat on arrival - Grounding workshop on arrival - Three workshops on mobilising the fascia - Three guided healing meditations - Three introductory sessions of Tai Chi & Qi Gong or Yoga - One-hour fasciatherapy session - Two workshops on stress management, self-massage, breathing and standing meditation - Yoga Pranayama closing session - Complimentary Access Flow Signature Gift Set - Use of heated indoor pool, indoor and outdoor jacuzzis - Yoga shala with mats, bricks, bolsters and speakers - Bicycles, tennis court, pétanque, ping-pong, foosball, basketball hoop - Sheets and bath towels

What's not included

- Travel to La Garde-Adhémar - Airport or station transfers - Travel insurance - Additional massage, facial or treatment appointments - Alcoholic drinks - Personal expenses - Excursions not listed in the programme