EXTRA - yoga retreats May, June & July with organic vegan cooking

Inspired by the success in running our yoga retreats for several years now and on the positive comments we received from our guests dining with us at our table d'hôtes we decided to combine our two passions, yoga & cooking. We offer 3 dates for yoga & organic vegan cooking weekends with Claudia as the chef and Jim as the wine sommelier:

* 20. - 22. May (2 spaces left)
* 14. - 16. June
* 1. - 3. July (4 spaces left)

Cooking with Devotion: Good food requires more than top-notch ingredients and creative recipes - it's the compassion, intention, and energy of those in the kitchen that make a meal fulfilling. Cultivating a selfless intention, committing to recognizing the Divine in those you're feeding, and cooking joyfully without expectation of recognition will improve your awareness as well as your food. For the yogic cook, integrating mindfulness and love only deepens a cooking experience and, according to some, enhances the quality and flavor of the food itself.

Fridayarrival after 15h and installation in your rooms
16h workshop on healthy, clean, organic vegan cooking and introduction of the weekend's menu and activities plus the La Vudèle goodie bag
19h classic Provencal apéritif dinatoire: a relaxed sit-down dinner with several different dishes prepared by your hosts, to explore the flavors and aromas of Provence

Saturday
7.30 energizing morning yoga practice outside in nature, to get Prana flowing and stimulate digestion
9h our copious organic vegan breakfast with sourdough bread
10h visit of the local farmers' market in Riez with guide to our organic producers. We will purchase the ingredients for the delicious meal for dinner
afterwards free time to explore the area, the lavender fields, the gorge du Verdon and its lakes, etc
16h cooking course and preparation of our dinner:
Cooking with the fresh ingredients from our own vegetable garden and purchased at the market in the morning.
Practice of mindfulness, kindness & ahimsa, nonviolence, one of the yamas of yoga.
Awareness meditation: the love we place into the preparation is the love which nourishes us
19h gala dinner presenting the bounty of our cooking experience accompanied by wine tasting of local organic wines from Quinson, some cultivated right behind La Vudèle

Sunday
7.30 energizing morning yoga practice outside in nature
9h our copious organic vegan breakfast|
followed by a workshop on ideas for a healthy vegan breakfast and a certificate of your participation of this workshop
afterwards departure or possibility to extend your stay in our B&B

2 nights accommodation in our organic B&B or guest house including our copious organic vegan breakfast and 2 dinners € 580 for two

Bienvenue à La Vudèle & bon appétit!

ACTIVITIES - 2 extra guest rooms in guesthouse

We opened up our home at La Vudèle as a B&B about four years ago, with a spacious double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, overlooking our garden. Since then many people have come to stay with us and enjoyed the calm and our vegetarian organic breakfast.

Starting this year we can offer two more bedrooms in our guest house which is also part of the old farmhouse La Vudèle. Two modern bathrooms were installed and the entire house restored whilst keeping its original charme, dating back to 1880. Built using traditional methods with solid stone; in front of the house is a large sun terrace, and behind the house you can enjoy the shade on a hot day, with a beautiful view; the Pre-Alpes and Mont Lure are within plain view, and on a clear day the white top of the Mont Ventoux is visible.

La Chambre Bleue
This double bedroom is called "La Chambre Bleue" because of its ancient walls in faded blue and views onto the Provencal blue sky. From the large iron bed measuring a comfortable 2mx2m you have beautiful views toward Provence's tallest mountain, the famous Mont Ventoux.

La Chambre Bleue with awesome skylight in the shower

La Chambre Blanche
This double bedroom is called "La Chambre Blanche" because of its vaulted white ceiling. It offers space and tranquility and beautiful views over lavender and wheat fields. If booking for 3 or 4 people there is connecting room with 2 single beds.

La Chambre Blanche

The rate for each room is € 85 including our copious breakfast with freshly baked sourdough bread

Happy holidays
&
à bientôt!

LIFE AT LA VUDELE - théâtre à domicile

About 10 years ago a young man called Romain started an association to promote cultural activities around the river Verdon, an area a bit forgotten between the big cities of the Côte d'Azur and the bigger cities further north. It was par hazard that we had been WWOOFers at a farm of friends of his, even before we had bought La Vudéle! Le Plancher des chêvres offers music, workshops, even a little café nowadays but our favorite remains Le Théâtre à Domicile, a live performance of young artists from the region, always hosted at someone's home.


In March and November we choose from a list of hosts and reserve our spots as space is always limited by the size of the living room, lounge room, converted barn, wherever this event takes place. We have watched and applauded singers, comedians, a story teller, performers, sometimes one-man or one-woman shows, sometimes duos but never more. It's all very small and intimate, there is no stage, sometimes a microphone and never a light show or any special effects aside from what the artists can bring or do themselves, sometimes with the help of the audience. 

The best part is the shared meal afterwards where everyone brings a dish or a bottle and everything is shared. A great way to meet new people, to see acquaintances after the summer or after the winter and to visit and explore parts of this region we normally would not have the privilege of!

The performer this March is Morbac, a vocalist using only his voice and various items he finds, like a baguette, some glasses, a gourde on top of a wardrobe, a bottle of water, to create sounds and music: we very much enjoyed this unusual creative performance and were pleased to discover the farm where it was held, in Moissac Bellevue.

In late summer we also very much enjoy the Piano sur le Lac, another fantastic opportunity to absorb some regional culture before the winter:
 a real piano on a ponton, floating on the lac Sainte Croix whilst the audiences is installed on the beach! Part of the series Piano sur la Mer which must be very challenging with the waves on the Med the musicians and spectators alike. People bring picnic hampers, chairs, their dogs and children, and an air of lightheartedness ensues, at the end of a hot summer as usually the end of August the evenings have become much fresher.

Supported by the region PACA and several local organisations we hope Le Plancher des Chèvres will provide us with many more wonderful shows and events!

Bon festival!

  

RECIPES - VeganOK in Italy

During our last visit of Italy, the Cinque Terre in September, we came across a very small ice cream shop in Chiavari promoting vegan ice cream and brandishing the label veganok.com. An Italian initiative to easily identify vegan products it is the first ethical certification process for vegan products from Italy.

At the ice cream shop on the main street under arches in Chiavari, a rather unassuming town when passing by but really pretty and charming once explored. We tried 4 different flavors which were all super delicious, like Fior di Latte, chocolate with hazelnuts, a mango fruit sorbet and a vanilla cherry swirl.

We were helped by a lovely lady who explained the concept of veganOK to us, with lots of pride which goes into their products. Everything is made fresh on the premises, every ingredient is listed, with some sounding very interesting and tasting very yummy! 

Next time you are in this part of Italy why not stop at Gelateria Artiginale Toca Nò per Sopra,
Via Vittorio Veneto, 10 in Chiavari

Not only will you discover that vegan ice cream is super delicious, you may also discover that it's easier to digest and hence you can eat more!

Buon appetito!

YOGA - World Yoga Day '16

Every year on the third Sunday in February World Yoga Day -  now in its 8th year - takes place allover the world. This year on 21nd February between 10h and 12h yogis everywhere came together to celebrate this special moment, united spiritually and connected through yoga.


A donation-based project every year a different cause benefits from the contributions of each yogi, be it monetary or idealistic. This year it is for Borderline-Europe

50.000 participants in Ahmedabad/India

"Borderline-Europe is a non-governmental organization which aims to raise attention to the tragedies at Europe’s borders: In the wake of the European politics of shielding, hundreds of people die every month in the Mediterranean Sea. We counter the authorities’ cover-up attempts with in-depth research at Europe’s frontier regions as well as create a public awareness based on reliable information and facts of the deadly consequences of present migration policy. Therefore we produce reports on issues such as human trafficking, human rights and refugee camps in Italy, Cyprus and Greece. Another important element of our work includes the support of humanitarian aid at the borders and the formation of a worldwide network. All in all borderline-europe avows for freedom of movement for everybody!"

With great thanks to the initiators and supporters of World Yoga Day!

Namasté

&

enjoy your yoga!