Family Adventure Week

Our first summer is over.. and we have been overwhelmed by how many wonderful people have come to share our space and adventures. We already have guests coming back for Autumn Rock Climbing and Yoga courses and, then Ski Touring Courses in the Winter. We have spilled over to the neighbours house as we have run out of space at the Lodge, but luckily our massive dining room can cope with 20+ people!

The last busy week was the Family Adventure. There were 5 families including ours - 9 children of 8 and under and 12 adults. The highlight of the week was swimming under a waterfall in Fer a Cheval. Closely followed by... hiking to a high mountain refuge with 2 'out of control' donkey's! We hiked to Refuge Anternne and on the way the kids stripped off for a dip in an icy stream.

Places have certain feelings, and this place just enables you to relax deeply and let go of 'reality'. There were 1300 sheep in the distance under an enormous cliffband. The shepard lived in a hut near the refuge and explained that under the cliff the grass was dry and therefore his sheep fattened better! Dunc, Warren and I slept under the stars, and everyone else was warmly tucked into a big open plan dorm on mattresses on the floor.

Another great day was the day Respect the Mountain had a rubbish collecting event. We all cycled to the Gorge du Tines and collected rubbish, had a BBQ and then went rock climbing or white water rafting. It was a great day.

Climbing, Yoga and Hiking Weeks at La Source

There were 14 guests at La Source this week, full capacity! Considering we only started in May, things are going swimmingly. We were honoured to have our very first clients from the deep South, USA! Quentin is South African and arrived on a big shiny red motorcycle, Ralph came from Dublin, Sarah came from Geneva, and the rest of the crew were from the UK.

There seems to be something that yoga people have in common. They are well read, well travelled (at least in spirit), and open. I think we love our yoga weeks as much as our guests.

On the first night, everyone was a little shy but we put into practice our new pre-dinner ritual (it is top secret!) and by dinner the conversation was flowing…. And it was torrential by the end of the week. Everyone had so much to say to each other. Friends for life were formed this week.

There was a mix of yoga virgins and advanced yoginis. We had 18 hours of yoga ahead of us, so started gently in the dojo and worked up throughout the week to quite a rigorous flowing practice. In the morning we started with a little awareness meditation, pranayama, a good warm up and then a Hatha based series of asanas. Everyone progressed very quickly. In the evening, we did a more spiritually focussed practice with meditation. Eva, who was a little quiet at the beginning of the week, and struggled with some of the postures requiring arm strength, stunned us all with a perfect headstand!

A lot of the guests came to relax and relax they did. I think our library was very well used and appreciated. Some people came to be active, and they went on some 9 hour hikes and rock climbed.

On our last night we went out to a Yurt for a fondu dinner. We celebrated Duncan and Agniezka’s birthday (Duncan is my husband, and a climbing coach and Agniezka is our climbing instructor and hiking guide). Our lovely guests gave us all presents to thank us for the week.

Here are a few comments that people have e-mailed us:

I owe you much from this week - a good rest, good company, good spirit, good inspiration, good healing, good yoga, good heart, the right place to be at the right time, and a good welcome.... thank you so much.

I thought it was all perfect.

I just wanted to thank you all for last week. It was very easy to stay with you, I never felt awkward and I haven't laughed or cried so much in years. What you're doing is very special.

I think all of my 120 staff could benefit from what you gave me!!! They can't believe how much better I feel and how I am hitting the ground running............that's the magic of La Source xxx

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