Wild Heart Retreat at Domaine Bonneblond
In 2026, we hosted our very first retreat at Domaine Bonneblond: Wild Heart Retreat. An intimate retreat with six women from Paris, Marseille and Lyon, filled with yoga, movement, breathwork, sound, wellness, long shared meals and, above all, plenty of time to simply be together.
For us, it was not only a very special weekend, but also the moment we discovered just how naturally Bonneblond lends itself to retreats.
A meeting in India that continued in France
Our collaboration with Mia began in a very special way. Mia and Eva met in India, where they connected through their shared love of yoga, connection and creating space to step away from everyday life for a while.
Some time later, that meeting found its continuation at Bonneblond.
Mia brought her own vision, energy and programme. We took care of everything around it: accommodation, meals, wellness, materials and the different spaces around the domaine where her sessions could take place.
It became a beautiful collaboration.
And perhaps precisely because Bonneblond is not a traditional retreat venue, something very unique emerged. One session took place in the forest, the next on the terrace, and the retreat ended by the lake.
From the forest to the lake
One of the most beautiful things about hosting a retreat at Bonneblond is that you do not have to spend several days in the same room.
The domaine itself becomes part of the programme.
Friday – arriving and settling in
Wild Heart began with an Opening Circle · Intention & Oracle in the forest.
Among the trees, we laid out rugs with meditation cushions, soft blankets, flowers and candles. A peaceful place to arrive, meet one another and truly settle in after the journey.
Later, the group gathered for Yin Yoga & Sound Journey on the wooden platform. A sheltered spot surrounded by greenery, where everyone could fully retreat into the practice.
Saturday – movement, voice & sunset
Saturday was all about movement and expression.
For Somatic Dance · Voice Liberation · Voice Activation, we moved to the large back terrace, overlooking the vast French countryside.
Tables and chairs aside, space cleared, music on. Suddenly, the terrace transformed into an open-air retreat space.
Later that day, for Sacred Songs at Sunset, we found an open spot on the domaine with sweeping views of the horizon.
Rugs on the grass, meditation cushions, blankets, flowers, a shamanic drum and egg shakers. The participants dressed in white and wore flowers and bindis.
And as the sun slowly began to set, there really wasn’t much else that needed to be added.
Sometimes, the setting does most of the work.
Sunday – yoga & closing by the lake
The final morning began with a Morning Yoga Flow & Sound Relaxation by the pool.
A gentle practice to soften after the intensity of the weekend and slowly move towards closing the retreat.
Afterwards, Wild Heart came to an end by the lake with a Brunch by the Lake & Closing Circle.
Sharing food, looking back on the days together and gathering one last time as a group before everyone headed home.
And during those final moments, the same feeling kept coming back: we really don’t want to leave yet.
The Wild Heart Retreat programme
Friday
Opening Circle · Intention & Oracle — in the forest
Yin Yoga & Sound Journey — on the wooden platform
Saturday
Somatic Dance · Voice Liberation · Voice Activation — on the back terrace
Sacred Songs at Sunset — in an open spot overlooking the horizon
Sunday
Morning Yoga Flow & Sound Relaxation — by the pool
Brunch by the Lake & Closing Circle — by the lake
This was Wild Heart. But of course, a retreat at Bonneblond never has to follow the same programme.
That is exactly what makes it so special.
Every space has its atmosphere
At Bonneblond, there are several different spaces that can be used throughout a retreat.
The back terrace offers sweeping views over the French countryside and is a beautiful setting for yoga, movement or larger workshops. For smaller groups and private sessions, we often move towards the wellness area at the edge of the forest. There, the trees seem to curve around you and the sound of birds becomes part of the experience.
There is also the forest, the lake, the swimming pool, open fields and many quiet corners spread across the domaine.
And when it rains, sessions can move indoors to the wooden loft of the old barn. A warm and atmospheric space where you can hear the raindrops on the roof, giving yoga, breathwork, sound healing or workshops an entirely different feeling.
This means each day can move through different parts of the domaine, depending on the programme, the weather and what the group needs in that moment.
The moments in between
Something else we noticed during Wild Heart: a retreat is not only about the scheduled sessions.
The time in between matters just as much.
Breakfast together after yoga. Long lunches. A swim in the pool. A walk through the forest. Time in the sauna. Sitting somewhere in the grass with a cup of coffee. A conversation that lasts much longer than expected.
At Bonneblond, there is plenty of space to be by yourself, but also many places where people naturally come together again.
Meals are an important part of that rhythm. We can take care of breakfast, lunch and dinner, allowing the retreat host to fully focus on the programme and the participants.
What we learned from our first retreat
Wild Heart was our very first retreat, and because of that, it taught us a lot.
The first lesson? A weekend is actually very short.
On Friday, everyone is still travelling and settling in. By Saturday, you really begin to find the rhythm of the group, and on Sunday, it is already time to say goodbye.
At the end of Wild Heart, all the ladies wanted to stay longer. Just as everyone had truly arrived and settled into the experience, there was already a sense that it was nearly over.
For future retreats, we would therefore love to create more space than just a weekend. An extra night, or a few additional days, gives so much more time to arrive, let the programme breathe and truly have moments where nothing needs to happen.
And luckily, the goodbye was not final: the ladies have already told us they would love to come back.
And one more thing: timing is everything
Wild Heart took place in July.
That taught us something too.
For Bonneblond, July is already quite late in the season for a retreat. By then, the domaine starts filling up with regular holiday guests, families and campers. The atmosphere changes, and complete peace and privacy are no longer as natural.
If you would still like to organise a retreat in July or August and have the entire domaine exclusively for your group, that is possible. Naturally, exclusive use during high season comes with a different price tag than in the quieter months.
For retreats, we therefore find May, June and September the most beautiful months.
The domaine is quieter and green, nature is fully alive, and there is much more space to work outdoors.
You hear the birds, can spread sessions across the forest and the grounds, and with your group it can truly feel as if you have stepped away from everyday life for a while.
For us, these are the months when you can really become one with nature here.
Organise your retreat at Domaine Bonneblond
Wild Heart was the beginning of something we would love to create much more space for.
Bonneblond is open to yoga teachers, coaches, facilitators and other retreat hosts who want to bring their own group to France for a few days.
You bring your own vision, programme and participants.
We think along with you about everything around it: accommodation, meals, the right spaces for different sessions, wellness, materials and the practical organisation of your stay.
Maybe you want to start the morning with yoga on the terrace. Host a workshop in the forest in the afternoon. Leave some free time for the pool or wellness, and end the day together around the table.
Or maybe your retreat looks completely different.
That is exactly the idea.
We do not want to offer a fixed retreat format, but rather create a place where your programme has all the space it needs — and where there is enough time to truly settle in.
Dreaming of organising your own yoga, wellness, coaching or other retreat in France?
Tell us what you have in mind, how many participants you would like to bring and which period you are considering.
We would love to explore together what your retreat at Domaine Bonneblond could look like.
