2026 August 29th - Sept 5th

Retreat to Nature Summer Edition

In this retreat, you will treat yourself with a combination of peace and adventure to take a break from the stress of everyday life. Do you want to make some changes in your life? Join us at La Forêt du Dragon to enjoy the beautiful mountains and forests that the region of Aveyron has to offer.
How long has it been since you truly felt connected with nature? 

Press the button below to go to our page at Bookretreats – that’s where you can buy tickets for the moment.

Life can be so much simpler

Phones off, campfire on. Join us for workshops to relax at the start of the week. Start everyday with yoga and breathwork to let go of worrying thoughts and land in your body. Be outdoors. Join us for an adventure later in the week. Reflect and go home with a new plan!

The video on the right shows footage of our very first retreat of 2025 (Autumn Edition)

Feel Alive and Sit with Yourself

The Four Elements of our Retreats

Stillness

Daily yoga and breathwork to land in your body. Exercises to arrive home in yourself again.

Growth

Vision quests, sharing circles, cold exposure. The kind of growth that doesn't wash off when you get home.

Connection

With nature, with the group, with yourself. In that order.

Adventure

Hiking, wild camping, foraging. Because physical exercise outdoors is not optional. 'Cause when it's finished: it's what helps us relax completely.

Programme

Daily Retreat Schedule

Living Without Clocks

  • From Sunday onward, we release timekeeping
  • Mornings begin with the sound of drums, gently reconnecting you to natural rhythms
  • Daily flow guided by daylight, energy, and intuition rather than schedules

 

Daily Rhythm

  • Morning:
    • 1 hour of yoga and breathwork to awaken body and mind
    • Shared breakfast in the outdoor kitchen
    • Option to prepare lunch to take with you into the day
  • Daytime:
    • Varied workshops, including movement, cold training, and nature-based practices
  • Evening:
    • Campfire gatherings with music, singing, and short sharing circles
    • Reflection and connection to close each day

This program is designed to gently guide you back to simplicity. One rhythm, one breath, and one fire at a time.

Our experienced guides/coaches Rick and Marjolein and will help you along the way.

Day 1: Saturday – Arrival at the Dragon Forest 🔥

  • Arrive anytime on Saturday and settle in at your own pace
  • Your accommodation is ready, inviting you to slow down and land gently
  • Time to unwind, explore the surroundings, and attune to nature’s rhythm
  • Saturday 19.30 campfire gathering:
    Welcome circle + introductions of terrain, people, animals + game of names
  • Participant agreement and intention-setting
    Handing in your phone (securely stored for the week)
  • Receive a personal journal to capture insights and intentions
  • Begin a fully offline week, rooted in presence and simplicity

Day 2: Sunday – Yoga and breathwork 💨

  • Morning yoga and breathwork practice
  • Sharing circle to integrate with the group
  • Guided hike to explore the Aveyron landscape
  • Evening cooking together in the outdoor kitchen
  • Freedom to eat communally, privately, or in quiet solitude

Day 3: Monday – Foraging and Cooking with Nature 🌿

  • Learn about edible plants and wild foods in the area
  • Guided foraging walk
  • Prepare and share a meal using ingredients gathered from nature
  • A new perspective on food, abundance, and connection

Day 4: Tuesday – Fire making and cold water training

  • Safe, guided cold exposure in a river or snow (depends on the season)
  • Learn to regulate the nervous system and build resilience
  • Fire-making practice, even in winter conditions
  • Develop trust in your body

Day 5: Wednesday – Rest Day or Activity Upon Request

  • A full day dedicated to rest and reflection
  • Journaling, quiet walks, time with animals, or stillness
  • Optional activities upon request
  • Space to integrate previous experiences

Day 6: Thursday – Vision Quest 🌊

  • Preparation and intention-setting
  • 1.5-hour group hike into the forests of Aveyron
  • Each participant sets up a personal camp in solitude
  • Food, water, and journals provided
  • 24 hours of silence, reflection, and deep listening

Day 7: Friday – Vision Quest and Firewalk 🪨

  • Return from solitude and guided reflection
  • Rest and recovery time after the overnight experience
  • Afternoon integration indoors or in nature
  • 🎉 Friday night celebration:
    • Campfire party with live instruments
    • Music, connection, and joy
    • Optional firewalk for those feeling called

Day 8: Saturday – Departure from the Dragon Forest

  • Final breakfast together
  • Phones returned
  • Departure carrying new insights, skills, clarity, and a renewed sense of freedom
  • Integration of nature-based wisdom into everyday life

Why This Week Is Perfect for You

This week is designed for people like you:
🌟 Dreamers who long for simplicity and self-sufficiency.
🌟 Seekers who are ready to find their place in nature and life.
🌟 Adventurers who want to learn new skills and embrace challenges.
This week is all about reconnection: with yourself, with nature, and with what truly matters.

Pricing

Welcome to the Forest of the Dragon, where time slows down and nature takes the lead.

We over several packages of different levels of comfort. Do keep in mind that this is not a luxurious retreat. We help our guests return to the basics and grow a confident mindset. That is not learned from comfort, but from discomfort.

Every package below includes:

  • access to the outdoor and indoor kitchens
  • two organic nourishing meals a day (oatmeal and bread with fruit in the morning) and a warm self-cooked dinner. All meals are vegeterian
  • all workshops
  • a yoga mat
  • BONUS: a personal journal to write in

What is not included:

  • Transportation, although we do offer a transfer from the nearest train station Aurillac for 30€
  • Camping gear, please bring your own. A packing list can be found below in the FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Discover answers to common inquiries about our retreats.

Our retreats include:

  • Cozy accommodations
  • Daily workshops: yoga, breathwork
  • Specific workshops: firemaking, cold training, foraging, vision quest and firewalk
  • Two meals per day (you can prepare your own lunch.

Each retreat is designed to help you unwind and reconnect with nature.

Little experience is required.

  • If you book the campsite, previous experience with outdoor camping is expected. This is not a regular campsite, but we will help you get used to a more primitive campsite such as this one.
  • The breathwork and yoga are at beginner level. No previous experience is required. As we practice daily, you will quickly get the hang of it.
  • Wild-camping experience is not required, and we will guide the process during the retreat.
  • For the winter retreat, some cold training experience (such as cold showers) will be nice-to-have. 

If you’re not an experienced winter camper, we advice to book one of our rooms.
None of the options are what an average person would call “luxurious”.
However, our tiny house provides a hot tub, private shower and private 2p bed. 
The stone house provides 4 beds in total, a private shower, and a wood stove for heat.
The birch room provides a small 2p bedroom, which is connected to the shared kitchen and shower area. 

And our personal favorite: sleep in your tent at the campsite beneath the stars. The starry skies here often show the milky way, which is the most liberating and comforting ceiling you could wish for.

Our retreats are open to anyone seeking personal growth, healing, or simply a break from the daily routine. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds who understand that personal growth can be found in a more primitive way of living

  • An open mind
  • Sturdy hiking shoes
  • Clothing: bring layers! Especially in wintertime, the nights on the mountain can get truly cold. ake sure to bring multiple layers for legs and upper body. 
  • Clothing: comfortable and flexible, so you can do yoga and other outdoor activities
  • Swimming gear
  • Your outdoor gear, such as: a hiking bag, hiking shoes, water bottle, pocket knife, lunch box, firekit
    (Anything for the workshops will be provided by your hosts)
  • Sleeping bag (even if you book a room! it can get chilly on the mountain)
  • Toiletry bag
  • Your food (think of snacks, extra food for lunch)

Your camping gear:

  • Make sure you bring a good sleeping bag, comfortable up to -5*C
  • Insulated mattress
  • Tent

Yes, all meals are included in your retreat package. We focus on wholesome, nourishing food to support your wellness journey. Any dietary restrictions can be accommodated with prior notice.

Absolutely! We encourage bringing a friend or loved one to share this enriching experience. It can enhance the journey and help deepen your connection with nature together.

Yes, dogs are allowed, as long as they are well-trained and grounded. The terrain here has multiple goats, a pony and dogs too. At the yoga grounds, we want to retain an atmosphere of calm and focus.

We welcome anyone above 18 years old.

However, our guests are mostly between 25-45 years old.

As we organize our retreats in a primitive area in the mountains, a basic level of fitness is required (a 1h hike in the mountains should be easy).

Absolutely!

Most of our guests are solo travelers.

As such, it is easy to connect with the other guests.

Our vision quest is a prime example of our belief that time spent in complete solitude is a source of wealth and personal growth.

You will never speak more to anyone than you speak to yourself, so we better build the best relationship with ourselves.

The organisation is currently bound to one-week retreats every season. We do have other dates! Once per season, so four per year in fact!

So if you cannot make it at this specific retreat, we would refer you to one of the other retreats in the other seasons.

The retreat will start with a minimum of 6 participants and a maximum of 25 participants.

Based on the amount of sold tickets, we will arrange coaches so that there will be a maximum of 10 people per sharing circle or breathwork session.

Yes, you can prebook an airport transfer (40€) or train station transfer (30€).

The nearest airport is Rodez-Marcillac.

From there, a 1.5h drive remains to the lush forests of Murols.

More information regarding travel to Foret du Dragon can be found under Location Information.

No, you do not need to attend all of the activities.

As a matter of fact, we ask participants to sign a waiver at the start to take their own responsibility in which activities to participate.

Cold training is wonderful to connect with nature and to land in our bodies, but it is not for everyone.

The same applies to the firewalk on the final night.

You are free to say no to any activity and instead have some time off from the program.

No, this retreat is not suitable for children.

We want to protect a place where calm and nature-connection is central.

Perhaps in the future we will organize family-friendly retreats.

Yes, you can let us know if you want to arrive earlier or depart at a later day.

Longer stays are possible, but our coaches will not provide a program, nor meals, nor activities.

Other than that, you are free to stay longer!

Out of your head. Into the wild.
Rick2025-Klein

Want to stay tuned? Our preferred communication is pigeon post or smoke signals. But we also do e-mail ;)

You can unsubscribe anytime. The forest won’t judge.