What to Expect:

Mountains are not inclined to join the hustle of modern life. They will hold us steady and firm. The epitome of the slow life. 

We created this retreat to share a stunning corner of the world that you'd likely never find on your own. Corine has lived in the French Alps on and off since she chose it as her adopted home at the age of 18. Mado's connection is through her mother who came to the region for healing when she lived in Paris as a child.

We both love to travel, but prefer to go off the well-worn paths to the places where people still love to meet a stranger. If you agree, we'd love for you to join us for a replenishing week of yoga, hiking, community, and nourishing meals. We'll take care of all the details so you can drink deeply from the well of presence.

Turn off your phone. Set down your responsibilities. Give yourself the space to remember who you are without them.

Sunny Slopes & Clear Vistas:
Welcome to Jarrier, France

The Setting

Jarrier is a quiet commune in the Savoie department of southeastern France, overlooking the Maurienne Valley. Scattered across sunny slopes, the village is characterized by traditional stone-and-wood hamlets, historic chapels, and clear vistas of the surrounding Alps. It functions as an active rural community rather than a tourist resort, offering an authentic look at contemporary alpine life.

History & Culture

Historically, the Maurienne Valley has been a primary transit route between France and Italy since the Roman era. This legacy of trade and travel created a distinct cross-border identity. The fusion of French and Italian cultures continues to shape the local culinary traditions, music, and artisan crafts.

Terrain & Trails

The location serves as an excellent base for hiking, with an established trail network immediately accessible from the village. Paths connect local forests, open alpine pastures, and panoramic viewpoints across the valley floor.

Meals

In France, food is savored slowly with family and friends. Laughter, connection, and lively discussions are just as important as eating.

In the Lodge La Tuviere kitchen, Chloé crafts thoughtful and authentic dishes inspired by the brasserie tradition, where indulgence meets expertise and passion. She reinvents classics with a personal touch, highlighting fresh, local, and seasonal products.

Here, every meal is a meeting, every service a moment of sharing — all set against a soothing mountain view that completes the experience beyond the plate. More than a meal, your repast is a pause to fully enjoy, in a spirit of conviviality and simplicity.

 Inclusions, Extras, & Special Diets

A light breakfast, brunch, snacks, dinner, coffee, and tea are included in your retreat fee. Regional wines and other beverages may be purchased if desired. In keeping with our focus on local cuisine, you'll be offered a variety of breads, pastries, and cheeses. However, we've also requested a fresh selection of vegetables at every buffet-style meal so you can honor your body's needs. Specific dietary needs (gluten-free, dairy-free, etc) will gladly be accommodated with advance notice.

Your Hosts

Corine Bombled

I believe movement is a conversation between the body, the breath, and the ground beneath us.

My approach stems from my experience as both a yogi, dancer and choreographer. The practice is rooted in organic, grounding movement, drawing inspiration from the rhythmic and fluid patterns of the body and breath along with the natural cycles that come with each season. These influences weave together to create practices that are both creative and deeply embodied.

I value movement that makes sense to the body—sequences that are intelligent, accessible, and sustainable rather than performative. Every body carries its own history, needs, and possibilities, which is why I believe the practice should adapt to the practitioner, not the other way around.

Breath is the thread that connects everything. It guides transitions, supports effort, and creates space for awareness. Through breath and movement, I invite practitioners to explore the dynamic oppositions that bring the body to life: rooting through the feet while lengthening through the crown of the head, finding stability and freedom, strength and softness, grounding and expansion.

My intention is to create an inclusive space where everyone can move authentically, discover their own expression, and cultivate a deeper relationship with themselves. Movement is not about achieving a shape—it is about feeling connected, present, and fully alive in the moment.

Mado Hesselink

Movement is a precious tool to learn, unlearn, and build new neural pathways while taking care of this vessel that carries me through life.

After a sedentary childhood as a bookworm, I turned to exercise in college to help manage seasonal affective disorder. That shift sparked a lifelong exploration of movement modalities, including martial arts, yoga, CrossFit, hand balancing, and weightlifting. I have been teaching yoga since 2004, training yoga teachers since 2010, and hosting the Yoga Teacher Resource podcast since 2018.

As a movement optimist and anatomy nerd, I gravitate towards movement that is challenging, novel, and fun. At the same time, I recognize that appropriate challenge is built on a thorough understanding of and thoughtful progressions from the basics of human movement.

Rather than focusing on "correctness," I tailor my approach to the individual, asking what movement is supportive for you in the current moment based on your history, your goals, and your unique needs. 

This retreat holds a profound personal significance for me. My mother grew up in Paris as a sickly child due to the city's poor air quality, and she found healing whenever she visited the Alps. After she passed away in 2012, I traveled to the Alps in her honor and experienced an immediate sense of peace. The scale of the mountains put my life and my worries into perspective. I'm delighted to share this grounding and joyful experience with you.