We live in an era where the culture of competition has overshadowed the culture of care. This retreat will be an opportunity for us to reflect on and deepen our self-care so that we can better care for others. What is care, why do we care and for what purpose?
Care is a way of being. A way of being-in-the-world that forms the relationships established with all things. Caring is part of the natural dynamics of life. Experiencing being cared for by God through the love of Christ broadens our awareness of love and care. Meditation is a way for us to align our minds and hearts with this flow of love so that care becomes our way of being.
This retreat experience is an opportunity to deepen your sense of life as a spiritual journey. It will combine a variety of practices – meditation, contact with nature, prayer, body work, solitude, talks and exchange with young adults (18-45) from all over the world.
Immersion in nature
Some of the benefits:
- Reduction of Stress and Anxiety
- Enhances Spiritual Connection
- Physical Health Benefits
- Simplicity and Essentiality
Living in the atmosphere of a Benedictine monastery
This event takes place at Bonnevaux and offers an opportunity to discover the rich cultural and historical French and European heritage of the 12th-century Abbaye de Bonnevaux, as well as to explore the varied and natural beauty of the land which we cultivate as a model of ecological responsibility.
This retreat is both for the beginning and ongoing meditators. There will be four periods of meditation a day to accommodate your level of practice. Mornings will be in silence through breakfast and lunch, with the afternoon opening to times of rest and solitude and a convivial dinner where you can get to know your neighbour.
Bonnevaux (Bonne Vallée , or Good Valley) is set within a beautiful valley formed by the river Rhune (la Rhûne) which descends past the Chapel and the 12th-century Abbaye, emptying into the lake beyond. The beauty and peace of Bonnevaux´s 65 hectares (160 acres) reflects the contemplative life lived here from its foundation as a Benedictine monastery in 1119 until the French Revolution. The community is continuing this policy as a living witness to the link between ecology and the human spirit. The land has over 20 different plant habitats, some of which are of heritage value.
Bonnevaux is located near Poitiers, in the southwest of France. The closest airport and train station is in Poitiers. You can get a taxi from there to Bonnevaux which is about a 20 minute drive away.
By Road
Parking is available on site.
Bonnevaux is about a 5 hour drive from Paris via the A10 motorway. Directions
By Air
The closest airport to use is Poitiers-Biard Airport. It is served by several low-cost airlines and convenient for those coming from Europe and the UK. There is a direct Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Poitiers.
For International travellers, you will need to fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport. It is a major international hub with flights from around the world.
You could also fly into Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, another international option, in southwest France.
If you are flying into Paris or Bordeaux airports you will then need to take a train to Poitiers to reach Bonnevaux.
By Train
There are some direct trains from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Poitiers. Please check your connecting times.
From Paris all trains for Poitiers leave from Montparnasse Station. These high-speed trains are frequent and the journey takes about 1.5 hours.
By Taxi from Poitiers to Bonnevaux
The airport and train station at Poitiers is about a 20 minute drive to Bonnevaux.
There are several independent taxi companies you can contact to pre-book your ride:
gosebdriver.fr allocab.com poitiers-taxi.fr taxipoitiers.com
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Speakers
Leader
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Laurence Freeman
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Fr Laurence is a Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto. He is Director of Bonnevaux and of The World Community for Christian Meditation.
Other Leaders
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Tayna Malaspina
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Taynã is a WCCM oblate and Director of Meditation for Young People, having started her work in the community with a meditation project with children. She graduated in Social Communication with a Master’s degree in Social Psychology, a postgraduate degree in Positive Psychology: Science of Well-being and Self-Realization (PUC-RS), certification in Neuroscience and Well-being Science (PUC-RS) and a postgraduate degree in Spirituality and Consciousness Studies (PUC-RS). Taynã lives on a farm near Sao Paulo, Brasil, with her husband and they have two daughters (4 and 9 years old). “Christian meditation was the path I found on my spiritual journey that deepened my Christian faith through the experience of being with God in silence. Bonnevaux is an oasis of peace in a world usually busy with distractions. Living in the spiritual energy and natural beauty of Bonnevaux helps us to be calm and clear, to look at our current lifestyle and ‘recalculate our route’, seeking a better balance between action and contemplation.”
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Patricio Lynch Pueyrredon
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Originally from Argentina, Father Patricio is currently the pastoral advisor of Amigos de Jesús, a Home for Children in Honduras. He is a missionary priest, living part of the year in rural areas of the Honduran West, and the rest of the year in the US spreading the word about Amigos de Jesus and contemplative prayer according to the teachings of the WCCM. Father Patricio also conducts weekend retreats and days of recollection for various groups including local parishes, women’s groups, and Latin-American communities in the US. Father Patricio is part of the Latin American pastoral team of the WCCM and travels around Latin America giving talks and retreats related to contemplative prayer.
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Terry Doyle
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Terry works as a Holistic Wellbeing Coach and Community Organizer in the North East of England. As a young man he played guitar in various punk bands and led the classic life of sex, drugs and rock n roll! Then following a big spiritual conversion in his life Terry discovered the Path of Awakening through meditation, a Path he has walked now for over 30years. He became a Benedictine Oblate with WCCM in 2012 in order to deepen his own commitment along the Way. Having studied Eastern Healing and Martial Arts, Terry is well known for teaching Tai Chi and Qi Gong across the North of England. He is also very motivated by social justice and has trained in Asset Based Community Development as well as the same training in Community Organizing that Michelle and Barack Obama completed to start their political journeys! Over the years he has developed many projects that help vulnerable people to live more fulfilling lives especially in the fields of addiction and homelessness and over the past 10 years helping locally dispersed Asylum Seekers to feel welcome in resistant communities. Terry is also the Wellbeing Coach for the incredible NEO Singing Group (formerly Streetwise Opera) which is made up of people from all kinds of difficult and disadvantaged backgrounds, who come together to learn and grow as people and regularly wow audiences with their passion and enthusiasm on stage and video! Terry is the WCCM Special Interest Coordinator for sharing the gift of Meditation with people from the margins of society. He leads workshops and retreats across the Uk for people ranging from street homeless to the rich and privileged believing that we are all the same underneath.
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Schedule
Young Adults Retreat
Caring for Oneself, for Others and for Us
| Arrival | Tuesday 29 July 2025, check-in: 13h30 – 15h30 |
| Departure | Sunday 03 August 2025, after lunch (14h00) |
Provisionary Schedule
| 13:30 – 15:30 | Check-in |
| 16:00 | Tour of the Abbaye |
| 17:00 | Introduction to meditation |
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Evening prayer & meditation |
| 19:00 | Dinner |
| 19:45 | Welcome Session and General Orientations |
| 07:00 – 07:30 | Meditation (optional) |
| 07:45 | Morning prayer and meditation |
| 08:30 | Breakfast + 30 minutes work |
| 09:40 – 10:30 | Yoga and Breathe |
| 10:30 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Opening Talk led by Laurence Freeman |
| 12:15 . 13:00 | Midday prayer and meditation |
| 13:00 | Lunch + 30 minutes work |
| 15:00 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Talk by Terry Doyle (Online) |
| 18:00 | Evening prayer & meditation |
| 19:00 | Dinner + 30 minutes work |
| 20:45 | Quiet chanting the names of God & Candle Light |
| 07:00 – 07:30 | Meditation (optional) |
| 07:45 | Morning prayer and meditation |
| 08:30 | Breakfast + 30 minutes work |
| 09:40 – 12:00 | Construction of the Meditation Tent and Work and Immersion in Nature |
| 12:15 – 13:00 | Lectio Divina with Creation and meditation in nature |
| 13:00 | Lunch + 30 minutes work |
| 15:00 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 15:45 | Contemplative movement |
| 16:00- 17:00 | Talk by Taynã Malaspina |
| 18:00 | Mass & meditation |
| 19:00 | Dinner + 30 minutes work |
| 20:45 – 21:30 | Conversation circle |
| 07:00 – 07:30 | Meditation (optional) |
| 07:45 | Morning prayer and meditation |
| 08:30 | Breakfast + 30 minutes work |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Personal one-to-one with a mentor (optional) |
| 12:15 – 13:00 | Midday prayer and meditation |
| 13:00 | Lunch + 30 minutes work |
| 15:00 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Personal one-to-one with a mentor (optional) |
| 18:00 | Evening prayer & meditation |
| 19:00 | Dinner + 30 minutes work |
| 07:00 – 07:30 | Meditation (optional) |
| 07:45 | Morning prayer and meditation |
| 08:30 | Breakfast + 30 minutes work |
| 09:40 – 10:30 | Yoga and Breathe |
| 10:30 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Conversation circle |
| 12:15 – 13:00 | Midday prayer and meditation |
| 13:00 | Lunch+ 30 minutes work |
| 15:00 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 15:45 | Contemplative movement |
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Talk by Patricio Lynch |
| 18:00 | Evening prayer & meditation |
| 19:00 | Dinner+ 30 minutes work |
| 20:45 – 23:00 | The Talent Show Night |
| 07:00 – 07:30 | Meditation (optional) |
| 07:45 | Morning prayer and meditation |
| 08:30 | Breakfast + 30 minutes work |
| 10:00 | Final Session / Q&A |
| 10:45 | Coffee/Tea break |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Sunday Mass |
| 13:30 – 15:00 | Lunch and good-byes |
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Testimonials
By sharing the silence together, I experience some kind of intimate connection without actively having to verbalise that I'm not feeling well. And often that is just what I need."
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Contribution (per person)
| Single room with ensuite bathroom | €950 |
| Single room with shared bathroom | €800 |
| Shared twin room with ensuite bathroom | €600 |
Special group offer for shared room bookings. Bring a friend and save together!
2 People
Pay 1,000€ total instead of 1,200€ (you save 200€ together)
Cost 500€ per person
4 People
Pay 1,800€ total instead of 2,400€ (you save 600€ together)
Cost 450€ per person
More than 4 people?
No problem—we will find a fair cost that works for your group.
To claim this offer, simply email Mila Jourdes at mila.jourdes@wccm.org giving full names and email addresses of each member of your group. You will each need to pay for the retreat separately through Mila.
Just reach out to us and we will sort it out together!
The prices reflect the need to achieve self sufficiency. Therefore if you’re able to give a little more we would be very grateful. Please, click here to donate.
If you need a concession, please fill out this form to request one for this retreat.
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Dietary Information
We provide three freshly prepared meals per day, and throughout the day, refreshing drinks (coffee and tea) and fruit snacks are available for all retreatants.
Our kitchen offers vegetarian, non-vegetarian, gluten-free, and lactose-free meal options. You can select your preferred option during the registration process.
Unfortunately, we cannot cater for specific intolerances and allergies as we do not have the facilities for this. Please also be aware that traces of allergens (e.g. nuts) may be found in the food at Bonnevaux.
To help us ensure your comfort and safety, please inform us of any other special dietary needs by emailing us at contact@bonnevauxabp.com at least 15 days before the event. Without this information in advance, we will provide our standard menu.
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Registration
Registrations must be made by young adults between the ages of 18 and 45.
Cancellation
— Please ensure you have travel insurance in place as we cannot refund cancelled travel for any reason.
— If you cancel your Bonnevaux booking up to 30 days before the event starts, you will be refunded the full cost of the event. Cancellations occurring within 30 days of the event start will be offered a voucher for a future event. Bonnevaux reserves the right to cancel events at any point – cancellations occurring within 30 days prior to the event start date will be subject to the voucher refund policy only.
Membership Fee ** – 10€
Membership fee is paid once per year, valid from Jan – Dec.
** by French law you must be a ‘member‘ of the charity (association ABP) Abbaye de Bonnevaux – Centre Pour la Paix in order to participate at an on-the-ground event at Bonnevaux – 86370 Marçay, France.
Membership is non-binding. It simply means that you are invited to attend the annual general meeting if you wish and that you may receive information about our events during the year.
The Abbey of Bonnevaux is the spiritual home of the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) which includes a Conference and Retreat Centre dedicated to peace. The on-the-ground activities of the Abbey are organized under the responsibility of l’Association Abbaye de Bonnevaux – Centre pour le Paix (ABP). The Association, which is governed by the French law of 1st July 1901, is registered in Poitiers under the reference RNA: W863007299.
The Abbey of Bonnevaux is the spiritual home of the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) which includes a Conference and Retreat Centre dedicated to peace. The on-the-ground activities of the Abbey are organized under the responsibility of l’Association Abbaye de Bonnevaux – Centre pour le Paix (ABP). The Association, which is governed by the French law of 1st July 1901, is registered in Poitiers under the reference RNA: W863007299.
Address : Bonnevaux, 86370 Marçay, France.
Phone number : 06 33 43 71 71 / 06 61 96 57 74.
José Pype (President of the Association); Krzysztof Albinski (Executive Director)
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