Guest Book
If you’re ready to have the same wonderful experiences as our other lovely guests, click the button below, and join us on the ‘Escape the Everyday’ 7 Day Women’s Wellness Retreat in France.
“Maria is an exceptional person. She moves easily and gently through life with warmth, humour, kindness, and generosity.
She always made me feel so welcome and comfortable, plus she has had me in stitches laughing at her many funny stories.
Going on the French Wellness Retreat was an authentic immersion experience into Maria's gorgeous French life, the local community, and their gentle pace of life. It was an incredibly personal life journey, and it felt like being embraced in a soft, warm hug.
Her Farmhouse is gloriously French and beautifully decorated.
Coming home, I felt joyous, empowered, and centred, and that my creativity had been sparked. It's an experience I thoroughly recommend to every woman wanting to redirect her life and live with purpose.”
— Nina Winterbourne, Australia
Emma, from the UK, says…
“Pure Heart Wellness is a little slice of heaven in a busy and hectic world.
On arrival at Le Rochelle airport, we were greeted by the lovely Maria who drove us about an hour to the retreat in Beugnon-Thireuil, the journey passes in no time as you go through the beautiful French countryside.
The house, or home as you will come to call it during your stay, has been lovingly restored keeping hold of the traditional features like the beamed ceilings and stone fireplaces, and offers pure luxury with the comfiest beds, roll top bath and Neal’s Yard toiletries – which are divine!
Each meal was beautifully prepared by Maria and was full of healthy and delicious ingredients that were often locally sourced, giving you the real taste of the French countryside. My favourite meal of the day was breakfast with a table full of homemade granola, stewed apples, and fresh croissants.
Yoga was something that I had very (VERY) little experience of and as someone with little to no balance and flexibility and all the grace of a baby elephant, I was somewhat apprehensive to give it a go, however Maria made me feel instantly at ease and I found I thoroughly enjoyed each session learning new moves and how to take life at a slightly slower pace. By the end of the trip I couldn’t wait to get home and incorporate some of the moves I had learnt into my daily workout routines.
Each day provided the opportunity to visit some of the local villages, which I would highly recommend as there are few places that are so peaceful, tranquil with amazing countryside and views.
Maria knows of some of the best places to visit and was happy to show us around so we didn’t miss out of any of the local sights! Beugnon-Thireuil itself is a sleepy little village with some great walking opportunities if you fancy getting out and about.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Pure Heart Wellness Retreat. Maria was just the best host and had us crying with laughter many times with her wonderful stories and put us at ease from the minute we arrived, to the minute we left.
If you are looking to escape for a few days I would highly recommend a visit and you will come back feeling refreshed and ready to take the world on once again!”
— Karen, Canada
Maria is a veritable fountain of knowledge about all things yoga.
She gave me personalized attention, imparting a much deeper understanding of positions and breathing techniques. I found that my limited practice of yoga didn’t matter in the least.
This type of retreat will suit beginners (comme moi) and experienced yogis alike.
The farmhouse and surrounding lands are serene and picturesque, the bed was heavenly.
The claw foot bathtub was lovely to nestle into after a well-organized day of varied activities.
Maria’s love of cooking illuminated each bountiful meal.
I loved the afternoon excursions to unbelievably quaint medieval villages and the vibrant market in Niort.
All of which reminded me of why I love France.
The perfect setting for a retreat…
“I have just returned from a weekend stay at Pure Heart Yoga Retreat – what a relaxing couple of days!!
The house and the grounds are beautiful and so peaceful, the perfect setting for a retreat.
Maria opened up her home and made me feel very welcome, there was nothing that was too much trouble.
I loved all of the little extra touches, like the fresh flowers in the room and all of the beauty products available.
The food was also amazing and definitely a highlight!
I’m still fairly new to yoga, but Maria made sure that everything was tailored to suit me. I felt completely comfortable in every class and the studio space was fantastic.It was great to explore the local surroundings as well, the local church is beautiful and a good choice of walks right on the doorstep. There was also lots to see and do within a short drive. The perfect place to do as much or as little as you like!”
— Kim, UK
“Maria’s boutique retreat space, ‘Pure Heart wellness - escape the everyday French Wellness Retreat,’ is a true reflection of her own philosophy and approach to yoga both on and off the mat.
A space that is welcoming and inviting, a place where you will be able to leave the world behind.
In the words of Pantajali the great sage of ancient India, “Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.”
At Pure Heart wellness, ‘escape the everyday French Wellness Retreat,’ you find the space to do just that.
To share an interest with a friend is a wonderful thing, and to share the passion for the practice of yoga with a long-time friend is an amazing honour.
Maria is truly an inspiration, she is authentic, sincere and caring in her approach to teaching yoga.
She considers the needs of each student carefully and creates a practice that is available, as well as giving guidance and support to allow students to grow in their individual practice. Creating a safe nurturing environment that gives each individual the confidence to explore and deepen their body/mind experience.”
— Lyn, Australia
What an amazingly beautiful part of France to relax and reconnect.
With only the church bells and bird song to break the silence, I would highly recommend Pure Heart Yoga Retreat.
The renovated farm house accommodates a truly beautiful yoga studio and the hub of the house, the kitchen, draws you to sit and chat around the big table with many great meals of local market produce enjoyed throughout our stay.
With a great balance of activity and rest, Maria has created a wonderful space to rediscover yourself and live a life of joy!
— Robyn, Australia
— Sarah, UK
“As soon as we arrived, it was great to be greeted by a smiling Maria at the airport.
It was so easy as Maria had organised everything and made lots of suggestions of what to do and see and what walks to take nearby the retreat to make our weekend very special.
The ambience and decor of the retreat are very relaxing and cosy. Very stylish yet rustic.
There is lots of space to explore and do your own thing, whether it is to read a book in the sitting room or practice yoga in the studio, wander in the garden or village, or cosy up by the huge open fire in the kitchen.
One thing I really liked was being able to pamper yourself in the gorgeous French-style bath with Neal’s Yard products.
The meals were fantastic – all homemade and delicious.
Maria is very health conscious and cooks meals that are tasty and wholesome, all locally bought and often organic.
The breakfast was very filling and consisted of homemade granola with different types of milk and croissants.
All of the pastry and bread was made by a local baker, and the vegetables were picked by neighbours – which added to the country feel.
The location is ideal for a relaxing weekend away and there are lots of beautiful little villages nearby that I would recommend visiting.
My favourites were Saint-Loup-Sur-Thouet (especially the Chateau De Saint-Loup) and the historic quarter of Parthenay- all very close to the retreat and very quaint.
I was a beginner to Yoga, with only a few classes under my belt before going, but Maria caters to all abilities and I really enjoyed the morning Sun Salutation yoga as well as the evening Yoga Nidra before going to sleep, as it is not something I would normally do at home.
It is obvious that Maria is a very knowledgeable and experienced instructor.
Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable girly weekend away that mixed sightseeing and pampering sessions with eating good food and yoga – perfect for your natural well-being and happiness.”
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Join us on our glorious 10-Day French Wellness Retreat.
If you're truly ready to pirouette and live life to the full, this is the retreat for you!
Far from an ordinary" retreat from life", ours is a beautiful experience that ignites your passion for life with plenty of fun in the serene French countryside.
It's unlike any other retreat and provides endless possibilities to create exactly the life you want.
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