WELLNESS RETREAT
WHAT? Yoga Season Experience
WHERE? Evian Resort, Lake Geneva, France WHY? To practise your postures surrounded by breathtaking landscapes HOW MUCH? Three nights from around £1,140
The Alps in winter you say? Are you mad? Actually, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by modern life, Évian-lesBains is exactly what you need. Squeaky clean, like the water named after it, this spa town on the edge of Lake Geneva is the antidote to 21st century madness. The itinerary at the hotel is designed to get you back in sync with the seasons. Days are slow, with the speed set by how fast you can shuffle along in spa slippers. First, the yoga – is it all day every day? Definitely not. This is a five-star spa hotel. You will start and end your days with a yoga session, learning why the transitions are as important as your #yogagoals, but the rest of the time you’ll be in the spa or restaurant. Do tuck into the sourdough bread before your vegetarian mains: although meals make art out of bulgar wheat, if you aren’t here to lose weight you could feel hungry. What about the treatments? In a word: heaven. Try the Thai massage, the body wrap – which includes acupressure on pulse points – or the lymphatic drainage to help remove blockages. Having them in a beautiful hotel in the Alps makes them so much better and let’s face it, yoga + pamper = one very happy (and chilled) bunny. Is it not a bit weird being in snow resort sans snow? Not a jot. The Alps are a fine reminder that beauty exists outside Instagram, especially when experienced on foot. A mindful hike with the hotel’s trekking team is simply the best way to walk off the kilos of buttered sourdough. You want even more good news? A London to Geneva flight and hotel transfer takes just two and a half hours. No jet lag, no hassle. And breathe.