Off-Grid Yoga, hiking & Simple Living Retreat in the French Alps

2026 Retreat Dates:

31 July – 6 August

8 – 14 August | 16 – 22 August

“French Alps summer sunlight over Praz-sur-Arly mountains — off-grid yoga, hiking and community retreat setting

A Return to Simplicity, Nature and Community in a disconnected world.

This Summer join Mike Farr, myself and 11 other adventurous souls for a truly unique off-grid retreat in the French Alps.

Together we embark on a transformational journey of inner growth that holds the potential to ignite transformation through yoga, self enquiry, shadow work, mountain hiking trails, and the often-forgotten medicine of living together.

Step away from the noise of the “doing world” and into a slower, more connected way of being — held by the stillness of the mountains, far from distraction.

This secluded, off-grid retreat offers space to pause and simply be.

To nourish yourself.

To gain perspective.

And to realign with what truly matters to you.

Live in rhythm with nature alongside a small community of like-minded souls.

Explore the depths of your inner world and the quiet intelligence of self-reflection — through different but complimentary yoga styles, meditation, shadow work, long mountain hikes, daily campfires, and sleeping close to the earth.

This is simple living as a practice.

Not an idea.

You will be supported to:

  • Reconnect with your body and breath, through somatic and alignment based yoga.

  • Align with your personal values

  • Cultivate emotional resilience and presence

  • Remember who you were before the world told you who to be

You will leave with practical tools to support your wellbeing, a felt sense of emotional healing, and friendships rooted in honesty and shared experience — connections that often last long after the mountains are behind you.

Unleash your adventurous soul and step into a retreat that changes people - not through theory but, through lived experience.

In the words of one of our returning retreat participants…

“I realised that you have given me a way bigger gift, of a lasting impact in daily life. Literally, the one initial retreat week changed my life permanently for the better.”

A small off-grid yoga and hiking retreat in the French Alps, rooted in simple living and shared experience.

Camping in french alps

Daily Yoga & Self-Enquiry for Personal Growth

Our Retreat offers more than yoga and hiking. It provides potential for deep inner change, amidst the tranquility of the French mountains.

You are welcomed into our home and way of living.

Here, you are entirely off-grid — water straight from the mountains, no electricity cables, no wifi. Life slows, attention sharpens and the phases of nature become more noticeable.

This environment invites deep presence.

A place to rediscover your spirit and your passion for life.

The combination of different teaching styles and approaches, and over 40 years of teaching experience between us., creates a unique and life changing experience.   

You will guided to explore your thoughts, emotions, and long-held beliefs through the lens of yoga asana, pranayama and philosophy—

supporting self-discovery, emotional healing, and reconnection with your core essence.

Camping in the French Alps at off-grid yoga and self-discovery retreat — tents, mountains and shared community fire
“I found awareness, strength of consciousness, and silence here. The retreat takes you out of your usual orbit so you can see yourself differently.

With space held for everyone, new or experienced. The different energies of Soraya and Mike, helped me  to break old habits and patterns.”
— Previus Participant

Why join our 2026 Summer retreat?

We create an environment that fosters growth, empowerment, and genuine connection — an experience many carry in their hearts long after leaving the mountains.

As you journey alongside like-minded individuals, a deep sense of community and belonging begins to form.

Stories are shared.

Laughter comes easily.

Support arises naturally as you walk the winding paths of self-discovery together.

Daily life on this off-grid yoga retreat in the French Alps unfolds in rhythm with the land and includes:

  • Two daily yoga practices (dynamic mornings of somatic or alignment based, late afternoons of restorative or yin — approx. 4 hours per day), facilitated by either Soraya and Mike Farr

  • Daily periods of silence

  • Meditation practices

  • Sharing circles

  • Self-enquiry through journalling and reflective processes

  • Creativity and art

  • Sound baths

  • Ecstatic dance

  • Kirtan and song

  • The lived experience of being in community with like minded folks

There is also plenty of unstructured space.

Time to soak in the wood-fired hot tub, nestled into the mountainside.

To read in a hammock.

To brave the cold outdoor nature shower.

Laughter usually filters out of the kitchen as folks sit around the kitchen table, helping to prepare meals with one of our amazing chefs. Or you might be asked to help cut down a tree and chop wood or tend the campfire whilst watching the kaleidoscope of light bathe the mountain tops.

The highlight is, however, the luxury of living simply, in nature and being nurtured by sleeping close to the earth under canvas, lulled by the chorus of crickets and the nearby gorge. You will notice the moons phases and how nature comes alive under the light of a full moon.

Embrace the adventure, feed your soul, and embark on a transformative journey unlike any other.

Step into a journey of self-discovery that genuinely changes people.

Retreat participant reflecting by mountain campfire — off-grid yoga and hiking retreat in French Alps
This could be you - come and join us

What previous participants have said…..

  • A magical week in the mountains! 

    Soraya and Mike make you feel at home from the minute you arrive.

    Soraya has a knack for knowing just what the group needs. Her yoga brings you closer to yourself and opens your senses.

    Being close to nature all day made that the weather didn’t matter. Sun? Lovely! Rain? Equally wonderful. In fact, the thunderstorm coming in just at the right time during the sound bath made for an unforgettable experience. 

    Time flew by and before I knew it, I was left with lots of precious memories and a strong wish to come back next year!

  • A really special retreat....full of beauty and natural poetry.  It straddles the line between a personal visit and a revelatory professional group experience. The food and communal work was fantastic and helped anchor us in to this space together. Thank you.. Food for the soul and the body!

  • What a week! I really didn't expect to get so much of what I have from this retreat. It's been such a journey and feels longer than a week. Time in many ways feels like it has stopped or not been important.

    The home and space that you both have created are inspirational, your retreat really does touch people in a life changing way. It certainly was and continues to be a rollercoaster of emotions and I am truly grateful to you both for supporting me. What a very special couple you are and I am so grateful I have found you both in my life. 

  • Soraya's retreat is so much more than a yoga retreat. It's a week that nurtured my body, stilled my mind and that made my soul sing. The week wasn't always just bliss and happiness, sometimes it's hard work, physically, but also emotionally. Soraya took us on a journey, we've all gone through a process or connected deeper with ourselves, nature and each other. 

    I wish this journey for literally everybody, it's healing, it's fun, it's loving. It's the best possible way I could have spent a week taking care of myself.

  • Without a doubt, Soraya is a gift in herself. A humble, supportive, loving space-holder who takes you on more than a yoga retreat. 

    Along with her partner Mike, she transports you to a sanctuary in the mountains and guides your journey with compassion, integrity and an open heart. I cannot recommend this experience more highly, or put into words how special a place it is. If you are looking for community, connection and off-grid living you will find everything and more here.

  • Both complement each other by giving yoga classes and processes to soften and open layers, both physically and emotionally, to reach your deeper self.

    Challenge and gentleness at the same time to consciously enter the poses with techniques and instructions. Their attention is divided over the entire group, seeing and approaching each individual uniquely, taking into account his/her trauma, personal growth, physical state, etc. T

    hey completely open themselves, the house, the domain, so that you immediately feel at home. A warm, familiar feeling, support, guidance, fun, dance, singing, wise lessons.

    I felt monitored and supported by Mike and Soraya through all my emotional waves and processing. They give you all the time and space, they see you in your purest form, which you may have hidden yourself. The group that arises from sharing experiences and exercises provides courage, energy and support. Has had a huge effect.

  • A magical week in the mountains! 

    Soraya and Mike make you feel at home from the minute you arrive.

    Soraya has a knack for knowing just what the group needs. Her yoga brings you closer to yourself and opens your senses.

    Being close to nature all day made that the weather didn’t matter. Sun? Lovely! Rain? Equally wonderful. In fact, the thunderstorm coming in just at the right time during the sound bath made for an unforgettable experience. 

    Time flew by and before I knew it, I was left with lots of precious memories and a strong wish to come back next year!

  • Beautiful setting and wonderful people. I was initially challenged by the retreat, which in retrospect, was a good thing. I hadn't fully understood the extent of the "retreat" nature of the week. Once I adapted to the idea of a very spiritual/reflective retreat, I found it both immensely rewarding, enjoyable and beneficial to me on an unexpectedly deep level.

    There aren't many yoga teachers who possess the ability and skills to teach on both a physical and spiritual/personal level and make you feel safe enough to embark on this, Soraya is all of these. The activities, lodge and food were really well organised and of high quality and it began to feel like home very quickly. I have had a really wonderful week and have learned a lot on many different levels 

  • The retreat was brilliant, yoga morning and evening is something you can rarely experience in the hecticness of everyday life. It resulted in a refreshed body, stronger and more able to function. It brought out emotional issues that needed to be resolved. Cooking, washing up and fire duties strengthened the group and led to a sharing of experiences and support which heightened and deepened the retreat. Walking was enjoyable, challenging and meant you could be immersed in the scenery, which was magical.

  • What a wonderful experience of balance, integration and coherence. Soraya, you gave stillness and intuitive connection. The experience of slipping into the stillness of my soul, where words became a hindrance rather than a help. You helped me tune into this stillness and reconnect with the unlimited possibilities of my being. I feel a sense of wholeness as I leave and a deep connection with Mother Earth. Highly recommend to those who are trapped in the rat race of life.

  • This experience has been absolutely brilliant for me and exactly what I needed in my journey at this time. I have been stretched out of my comfort zone, taken to my edge and made some massive breakthrough's physically, emotionally and spiritually.

    The standard of yoga teaching was very high and I feel blessed and appreciate I could be part of a very special group, who I found supportive, accepting and warm. I feel I have made some great new friends. I leave feeling totally inspired to made some radical changes to the way I live...to take myself on a journey of yoga, a lifetime journey. Thank you for your thorough love and care

  • I have had an amazing time, I am not sure what I expected but I feel it has really opened up my mind and made me look at my life in a different way. A very emotional experience! An added bonus was making such wonderful new friends...Thank You

  • I have enjoyed myself immensely, you have the most amazing space up here in the mountains that makes people really connect with themselves...to realise fully where they are in their life/journey no matter how hard that can be. The food and environment has also been amazing, I am in awe of the way you live up here. You have instilled sense of community with the indoor and outdoor teams and it's been so much fun, an amazing experience.

Rustic wooden cabin in the French Alps, home to simple living mountain retreats

Off Grid Living, about Les Fraissies

We will be staying at Les Fraisses above Praz sur Arly. This is a home, not a retreat centre. It’s a traditional alpine building 1300m up on the side of a mountain, not accessible by road.

It was originally handmade from trees cut down in the surrounding forest over a century ago.

This is a place of outstanding beauty that invites you to pause just to gaze in wonder at the ever-changing beauty of nature. The building is surrounded by alpine woodland, wildflowers, and a gorge.

Mike, started restoring it 15yrs ago with a vision of running yoga retreats here, most of my Summers of the past 10yrs have been spent digging, plastering, painting.

Many people have offered their help along the way, with replacing the roof, carpentry, tiling, buffing, sanding, digging.

It has been a labour of love and each part of the house is filled with memories of community restoration, all held by the vision and commitment of Mike. He has many stories to share, around the campfire, if you are interested.

The yoga studio was the original barn and has a beautiful rustic feel to it. This is a place of outstanding beauty on the side of a mountain, that invites you to pause just to gaze in wonder at the ever changing beauty of nature.

As you walk around the perimeter, you are rewarded with views of Mont Blanc. Or spend time gazing at the stars whilst sitting in the wood fired hot tub.

The village of Praz sur Arly is  within easy transfer of Geneva airport but feels like a million miles away from the busyness.

Accommodation is in bell tents (glamping style) or dome tents (with proper mattresses). These are nestled amongst the pine trees  surrounding the house. We do have a fully working bathroom with hot shower and toilet and an outdoor nature shower.

 

A group of people having a picnic on a grassy hilltop with a scenic mountain view in the background. They are sitting on blankets with backpacks nearby, enjoying the outdoors under a cloudy sky.
People practicing yoga in a studio, using blue blocks for support. They are on purple mats, performing a forward bend pose. The room has wooden floors and beams.
Snow-capped mountains overlooking a green valley, forested hills, and a rustic cabin under a clear blue sky in the French Alps.
people hugging in presence, vulnerability, and embodied wisdom,
Gathering in presence—sharing food, laughter, and stillness in the embrace of the mountains
A retreat group gathered in a sharing circle, fostering authentic connection and deep listening in a supportive space
Three people relaxing in an outdoor hot tub surrounded by trees, with a stack of firewood and scenic mountain view in the background.
Campsite in a forested area with several tents, surrounded by trees and mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
Inside a cozy tent with a rug, pillows, and a decorative lantern, overlooking a forest view with a guitar propped against the tent wall.
French Alps Yoga retreats, karma yoga helping in the kitchen
A tepee set up in a forest clearing surrounded by tall evergreen trees in the French Alps
Man showering outdoors in a forest setting
Two people cooking a colorful vegetable dish in a large pan over an outdoor fire, surrounded by a forested landscape.
Person in wooden hot tub in a forest with tall trees and mountains in the background.
Person outdoors holding sticks near a cabin with trees and grass, wearing a tank top and shorts.
healthy eating in the mountains
Plate of quinoa salad with vegetables and black olives on a rustic wooden table in an outdoor mountain setting.
Man sitting on grass playing a handpan with a campfire and stacked logs in a forest setting.
Sacred land of mountains, forests, and sky—a sanctuary for transformation, connection, and simple living in nature
Two women sitting on a rustic bench, sharing laughter, and stillness in the embrace of the mountains.
Feet resting in a hammock with a forested mountain view.
Sacred circle around the campfire, stories shared under the wisdom of the land
finding stillness in the doorway, held by the mountains
Three people enjoying an outdoor hot tub in a forest setting at dusk.
Interior space with yoga decoration featuring a poster titled "8 Limbs of Yoga" listing yoga principles, shamanic drum and various decorative objects on a wooden surface.
Sacred land of mountains, forests, and sky—a sanctuary for transformation, connection, and simple living in nature
Plate of food with pancakes topped with strawberries and nuts with yogurt, set in front of a forest view.
Two women sitting outdoors, smiling and holding chocolates with small flags.
Glowing tent illuminated in darkness outdoors
Landrover love in the mountains
Wooden cabin with a hammock outside, surrounded by trees and stacked firewood.
People practicing headstands in a yoga class, using mats and props for support.
French Alps yoga retreats, outdoors in a forested mountainous area, carrying cut firewood, smiling,
Soraya, smiling and welcoming you at the entrance of our mountain retreat cabin.
Man sitting cross-legged on a wooden bench outdoors, wearing sunglasses and smiling, with a solar panel in the background.
Two women outdoors, one smiling at the camera while the other uses a bow saw to cut a log on a sawbuck, surrounded by greenery.
Sound healing with shamanic drums, singing bowl, chinese wind gong and rainstick
Alpine cow on a grassy hillside with mountains in the background.
Group of women sitting on stone steps with a dog in front of a rustic wooden cabin. Pile of firewood and flowers are visible outside the cabin.
Chopped vegetables on a cutting board inside a wooden cabin with an open window showing a forest view.
View from inside a tent with feet visible, overlooking a forest and mountains under a blue sky.
simple living mountain retreats, group picnic, enjoying a meal with a mountain range and a small lake in the background.
People cooking outdoors over an open fire, with a pan containing colorful vegetables.
Interior of a rustic log cabin with wooden walls, an open window showing a night sky, a chair covered with a white sheepskin, and a small framed picture on the wall.
Smiling person in a blue jacket holding a red checkered cloth, standing near a stone and wood structure with large black pots, outdoors with trees in the background.
Two women sitting on a wooden floor in a room with log cabin walls. One woman is showing her hands stained with charcoal, smiling, with papers featuring charcoal drawings on the floor. A purple yoga bolster and a pink travel mug are nearby.
Abstract black and white pencil sketches featuring mountains, trees, swirls, and textured patterns. Collage layout.
Man relaxing on wooden bench outside rustic cabin in forest, with others seated nearby on deck, surrounded by pine trees and nature.
A yoga instructor assists a student in a wall-assisted handstand pose on a purple mat indoors. The room has wooden floors and other participants are visible in the background.
Two people sitting on a wooden bench at night; one is holding a guitar and adjusting it while the other watches attentively, both illuminated by a soft light.
Woman practicing yoga headstand against a wall with blue yoga block support in a studio.
A man wearing a blue polka dot apron stands outdoors in a forested area with tall trees and dense greenery in the background.
A group of people practicing yoga in a sunlit room with wooden beams. They are standing on purple yoga mats in a pose with arms raised overhead. Various yoga props and gear are scattered around the floor.
Group of people sitting in a grassy meadow with mountains in the background, raising their arms and smiling.
People sitting on a wooden porch outside a rustic cabin in a forested area. A man is playing a guitar while others relax and enjoy the scenery. Pine trees and mountains are visible in the background.
Two retreat participants sitting on a wooden bench against a stone wall, enjoying a meal.
Two people sitting cross-legged on yoga mats, covered with blankets, in a yoga studio with yoga blocks nearby.
Person lying on a wooden floor, covered with a white blanket, wearing an eye pillow, with glasses and a yoga strap nearby.
A mountain landscape with a signpost indicating Mont de Vorès at part of the Mont Blanc range, 2066 meters high, with a hiking trail on simple living mountain retreats
Group of people smiling in a circle, looking down at the camera, with a bright sky background.
People cooking over an open fire outdoors in a large pan, surrounded by nature, with smoke and sunlight.
A man playing an acoustic guitar outdoors on a wooden platform surrounded by trees, with several women and men standing and sitting nearby, in a forest setting.
Three people riding an ATV on a dirt path in a forest, two waving and smiling.
Cozy tent interior with soft lighting, blankets, a patterned lantern, a ukulele, and string lights.
Woman in floral dress cutting bell peppers on a wooden bench outdoors in a forest setting, with logs piled nearby and a large pot in the background.
A person standing in an open grassy field with hiking poles, surrounded by pine trees and mountains under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Person crouching by a campfire surrounded by rocks at dusk, wearing a light jacket and boots.
Three women in a rustic kitchen, two are near the doorway, one is preparing food at the counter. One woman near the doorway is standing barefoot, drinking from a cup, and the other woman is standing near a round table with a green polka dot tableclot
People sitting outdoors near a cabin, enjoying a meal, surrounded by trees and mountain scenery.
Rustic outdoor toilet with wooden seat, corrugated metal roof and wall, surrounded by trees and foliage, toilet paper hanging on the wall.
Hiker with backpack and trekking poles on a mountain trail with a group of people, surrounded by green hills and distant mountains on a sunny day.
Group yoga class with people in a triangle pose on yoga mats inside a wooden-beamed studio.
Conscious conversations over the kitchen table
Three women smiling and posing in a forest creek, with one wearing a floral dress and straw hat, another in a blue shirt and white shorts, and the third in a black tank top and denim shorts. They stand on rocks surrounded by lush green foliage.
Two people standing in a rustic wooden interior, one smiling and the other making a playful expression. A window with a view of a vehicle and trees is visible.
Two people arranging wildflowers in glass jars on a wooden bench in an outdoor setting, with trees and greenery in the background.
A person sitting on a tree stump in a forest setting, wearing casual clothes and sunglasses, looking at the greenery on a sunny day.
Person sitting on a wooden bridge in a forest with mountains in the background.
Group of friends preparing food outdoors in a forest setting, sitting on a rock with a scenic mountain view in the background.
raw and real yoga retreats, Snow-capped mountains under a clear blue sky, with green rolling hills in the foreground.
Wooden building with metal roof surrounded by trees, smoke coming from chimney, vehicle parked outside.
A person swimming in a lake with a mountainous landscape in the background on a sunny day.
Person wearing a blue shirt and black shorts lying on a wooden bench in a forested mountainous area.
Mountain landscape at sunset with silhouetted trees and colorful clouds.
Close-up of a rustic wooden door with a heart-shaped keyhole.
Scenic view of snow-capped mountains beneath a partly cloudy sky, with a still body of water reflecting the landscape in the foreground a blissful place for a retreat picnic
Two women on rocks in a creek, one sitting with her feet in the water and the other kneeling behind her, surrounded by mossy rocks and overhanging branches in a forest.
Natural waterfall flowing into a narrow stream surrounded by lush greenery and moss-covered rocks.
Hot air balloons floating over a green mountainous landscape under a clear blue sky.

Investment & Bookings

31 July-6 August

8-14 August

16-22 August 2026

£955  single occupancy Glamping Bell tent  (Soulpad ) or very large tent (including 1 mattress, pillow, rugs, throws, fairy lights & lantern)

£830  single occupancy tent (4 man dome tent that includes  1 mattress and pillow)

A deposit of £150 will be needed to secure your place with full payment due 6 weeks before the retreat date.

Booking Now
Glamping yoga retreat french alps
sleeping close to nature soothes the nervous system

This is a small, off-grid yoga, hiking and community retreat in the French Alps for those seeking real change, not escape.

What You Might Be Wondering

A retreat group gathered in nature, finding connection and healing in the French Alps

  • 7 day stay at Les Fraissies, Praz sur Arly, Haute Savoie, France, with use of all the facilities. Arrival day from midday, departure by midday (12pm) 

    2 daily yoga practices, dynamic morning practice and restorative, yin, sound bath and Yoga Nidra, late afternoon.

    Daily Self Reflection/self enquiry practices; meditation, times of silence, journalling, art and other processes

    Daily sharing circles

    Daily campfire's with chat, song and sometimes cooking. 

    Forest Bathing

    Hiking trails straight from the venue for those that wish to hike.

    Accommodation of a tent to yourself or single occupancy of glamping style bell tent or tent (availability dependant). All tents come with mattresses. You will need to provide a sleeping bag and pillowcase.

    all meals; fruit and herbal tea's before practice. Muesli, bread, coffee and tea after practice followed by substantial veggie brunch. 2 course Vegetarian evening meal. Herbal tea's and normal tea, fresh mountain water (straight from source!) and snacks available throughout the day. Special diets can be catered for, let us know at time of booking.

    Use of Wood Fired Hot Tub

    All yoga equipment is provided, purpose built Iyengar studio.

  • Flights are to Geneva Airport and easy transfers are available from Geneva airport to Praz sur Arly for under £30. We will collect you in the village to bring you to the retreat centre.

    Guided hikes

    Please note flights and transfers are not included in the price and you are strongly advised to have travel insurance.

    Additional treatments outside of our schedule are not included in the price.

  • You will need to bring:

    an all weather sleeping bag, pillowcase

    towel

    head torch

    walking boots or similar,

    clothes for all weathers (mountain weather is very changeable, you can experience hot 30+ sun, dramatic thunderstorms, fog all in the same day)

    small day rucksack for the hikes.

    Rucksack of similar rather than wheelie suitcase (we are up a mountain).

  • 2 daily yoga practices (dynamic in the morning and restorative late afternoon), a total of 4 hours each day, facilitated by Soraya and Mike Farr)

    Daily times of silence

    Daily meditation

    Daily sharing circles

    Self-enquiry: daily journalling and  reflective processes

    Hiking trails from the house

    Creativity & Art /dance/sounbath

    Kirtan and Song

    Breakfast, substantial brunch and dinner

    Being in community with like minded folks whilst doing a little karma yoga

  • We are in the mountains so the weather can be changeable. Generally it looks like the photo’s, this clear blue sky and temps between 22-30+ degrees. But we can get thunderstorms passing through.

    Nightime can range from 12-19 Degrees, depending on the weather. We suggest an all weather sleeping bag, but we do have a ton of blankets for those that need.

  • The nearest airport is Geneva, there are regular airport buses to Praz sur Arly, with a change at Sallanches €35 and a time of 1.5hrs

    Nearest Station is Sallanches where you can pick up a local bus to the village.

    We collect you from the village and bring you to the bottom of the walking track. Your luggage will be taken up for you.

  • We have solar panels which give lighting downstairs and charging points for phones. There are no electric sockets though, so no WIFI only your cellular

    We do encourage you to ditch the phone for the week and experience life outside of it. We can offer our number as an emergency contact.

    Similarly, the are no outlets for hair dryers etc. This is simple living

  • We have amazingly creative chef’s that come and nurture us with food. The menu is vegetarian but we can cater for vegan, gluten free and other dietary requirements, just let me know when you book.

  • In order to get the most out of our transformational programme, the more you participate, the more you changes you will see.

    The morning and afternoon yoga practices are mandatory as is the daily sharing circle and karma yoga. The time from brunch (11:30am) up to the afternoon practice (4pm) is for you. You can hike with us, hang out in a hammock or the hot tub or nap in your tent. This is time for you to be

  • It can be daunting if you haven’t participated in a retreat before or attended something like this on your own. Most of our guests are solo travellers and what we notice is friendships happening almost straight away, do to the way we structure life here.

    At half of our participants return to us each year, to them it has become home.