Hridaya France - Hridaya

Visit Our Forested
Sanctuary in

France

Hridaya Yoga France

Our center in France is located in a lovingly restored castle nestled in the picturesque Beaujolais countryside. Spanning seven hectares in the heart of Longeval Forest, it offers breathtaking views of the Azergues Valley and direct access to numerous hiking trails.

Our property features bright yoga and meditation halls, comfortable accommodations, a vegan restaurant, and extensive permaculture gardens.

This tranquil and serene environment is ideal for introspection and exploring the depths of yoga. We invite you to participate in our year-round program, which includes silent meditation retreats, yoga modules, workshops, volunteering opportunities, and drop-in meditation and Hatha Yoga classes. At Hridaya France, you’ll have the chance to integrate yogic wisdom off the mat by experiencing daily life within a vibrant community of people committed to living with an open heart. Join us!

Coming Soon in the French Alps

We’re delighted to share that a new Hridaya Retreat Center is being born in Bramans, nestled in the breathtaking French Alps region. This sanctuary is envisioned as a sacred space—a place where we can return home to the Heart, held by the silence of nature and the beauty of Stillness.

The land was chosen by Sahajananda and Antoaneta not only for its striking natural landscape, but for its profound spiritual availability. There is something here—quiet, spacious, alive—that invites inner silence and deep transformation.

More than a building project, Bramans is a sacred unfolding. Construction is currently underway, and though its doors are not yet open, the spirit of Bramans is already alive—inviting us inward, reminding us of the silent Presence that underlies all things.

We will share updates in the coming months as this sanctuary continues to take form.

Bramans is coming. The silence is already here.

Getting to Longeval

Hridaya Yoga France is located at Château de Longeval near the village of St. Just d’Avray, just one hour from the center of Lyon. You can easily get to Lyon by plane, train, or bus. Below you’ll find more information on all transportation options, including how to get to our center with your own vehicle.

Please note that if you are joining us for a silent meditation retreat or our Module 1 Intensive, we strongly encourage you to arrive by 18:00 for the château tour and orientation session. For other programs, please check the program schedule and/or your registration email for timings.

If you are participating in any of our courses, you will receive a pre-arrival email five days before your arrival date. This email will include a link to a form where you can provide your arrival information, which will help us organize pick-ups, etc.

How to Find Us

If you’ll be driving, motorway links provide access to all major European cities. Using Google Maps, please click here for the exact location of Hridaya France. You can then enter your starting point to receive directions to our center.

We encourage ridesharing! If you are coming to Longeval by car and can offer a ride to others, or if you would like to find someone who can offer you a lift, please register here.

From Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport: Book a fast train (TGV) to Lyon Part-Dieu station (2 hours). To reach Domaine de Longeval from here, please see the transportation options below.

From Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport: This international airport is located 74 km southeast of Longeval. It offers direct connections to all major European hubs, plus North America and North Africa. To reach Domaine de Longeval from here, please see the transportation options below.

Lyon has two main train stations, Lyon Part-Dieu and Lyon Perrache. Both stations have trains arriving from within France and from major European cities.

Train tickets can be purchased in advance at trainline.com or oui.sncf.

Please see below for onward travel options from these two train stations to our location in Longeval.

Big bus companies (Eurolines, Megabus, Flixbus, etc.) link Lyon to Paris and other major European cities (Torino, Barcelona, Geneva, Zurich, Frankfurt, etc.).

Buses usually arrive at Lyon Perrache or Lyon Part-Dieu train stations. From these stations, you take a train and bus to get to Longeval (see below).

Onward Travel to Longeval

After arriving at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport or Lyon Part-Dieu/Perrache Train Stations, there are three options for onward travel to Domaine de Longeval.

Airport pick-ups (and, potentially, train station pick-ups) can be arranged; depending on your arrival time, rides may be shared with other participants. Community members offer this service, and you can connect with them via this dedicated WhatsApp group. Please note that we cannot guarantee that someone will be available and reply to your request. If no one responds, you may need to organize a private taxi.

If you would like to carpool either from Lyon or from your initial departure point, you are welcome to add your details here. Please note that Hridaya does not get directly involved with any carpooling arrangements.

Public Transportation Options on Arrival at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport

There are two options for getting from the airport to Lyon-Part Dieu train station (for onward travel to Longeval):

Take the RhoneExpress tram (pricing and schedule can be found here). It will take 30 minutes and cost around €15. You can buy your ticket online or on the tram. You will arrive directly at Lyon Part-Dieu.
If you have the time and prefer a cheaper option, you can take bus number TCL 47 to Meyzieu ZI. It will cost you around €2 and takes about 30 minutes. Then you can take Tram T3 and exit at Lyon Part-Dieu (about 20 minutes, cost around €2).

Public Transport Options on Arrival at Lyon Part-Dieu or Perrache Train Stations

Lyon has two main train stations, Lyon Part-Dieu and Lyon Perrache. Both of them have train/bus connections and certain direct trains to Chamelet and Lamure-sur-Azergues, villages near Longeval.

For reference, you can access the bus/train schedule here. You can buy your ticket in advance at trainline.com or sncf-connect.com. We also recommend the site (and related app) Citymapper as a useful tool for travel within Lyon and beyond.

Note that if you need to travel between the two Lyon train stations, you can take Tram T1 from Lyon Part-Dieu to Lyon Perrache and vice versa. It costs around €2 and takes 10–15 minutes.

At the station, buy a combined train/bus ticket to Chamelet (approximately €12) or, for a similar fee, a direct train ticket to Lamure-sur-Azergues (this option applies to the early afternoon arrival Monday-Friday and on Sunday).
If you are joining us for a course that starts on Saturday or Sunday, please note that there is reduced service on weekends. The last service on Sundays (check-in day for the yoga modules) that will reach Chamelet is the combined train/bus from Lyon Perrache at 15:57 or Lyon Part-Dieu at 16:08, arriving in Chamelet at 17:07.
For Chamelet bus arrivals, first board the train to Lozanne (the train’s final destination is Roanne, so look for this on the departure boards). Exit the train at Lozanne, and the bus will be waiting for you directly outside the train station. The bus will then drop you off in the village of Chamelet, about 4 km away from our center.
For Chamelet (Monday-Friday) and Lamure (Sunday only) train arrivals, stay on the train you boarded in Lyon all the way to Chamelet or Lamure—do not disembark at Lozanne.
We offer a shuttle service for €4 from the bus stop in Chamelet or at Lamure train station, coordinated with the TER schedule. We will send you an email five days before your arrival that will include a link where you can provide your arrival details and the pick-up you require, if you did not provide this information when registering.

Suggested Packing List

The area around Longeval is at an altitude of 480 meters, so the temperature can vary.

From June through September, the region enjoys warm, pleasant weather, with summer temperatures ranging from a refreshing 15°C (59°F) to highs of 40°C (104°F). Warm conditions often last into October before cooling down for winter, when snow is possible from December to March. Spring brings comfortable averages around 20°C (68°F), making it ideal for outdoor activities. July stands out as the warmest and driest month, while December is the coldest and May the wettest—so pack and plan accordingly for the season you choose to visit. It is worth bringing an extra layer of clothing even in the summer.

We recommend bringing the following:

Warm clothes in winter. A light sweatshirt should be sufficient in the summer months.
Clothes for yoga and meditation. We recommend breathable clothing made from natural fibers whenever possible. Depending on your personal preferences, t-shirts, tank tops, yoga pants, leggings, sweatpants, and shorts are all good options. You may want to wear a long-sleeve shirt or sweatshirt until you warm up. The most important thing is that you are comfortable and able to move freely.
Warm slippers for inside during winter; flip flops in summer
Refillable water bottle and a thermos for tea (if you enjoy drinking tea during lectures, it is a good idea to bring a thermos, as mugs are not allowed in the halls)
Yoga mat (although the school has mats available for use, it is more hygienic to bring your own)
Meditation cushions (we have cushions available if you don’t have your own)
Shawl or blanket (however, for early morning meditations, blankets are also available for use)
Bio-degradable soap, shampoo, and other toiletries. Note: Our center has an eco-friendly sewage system. Therefore, we have a strict policy requiring all guests to use chemical-free, 100% natural, organic toiletries. A range of such products is available in our on-site shop.
Any required medications
Notebook and pen/pencil
Earplugs
Electrical adapter, if needed
Hiking or running shoes if you plan to do outdoor activities
Cash (if you need to do laundry during your stay, €2 coins are required to operate both our washing machine and dryer; also, a €50 deposit is required if you wish to borrow a book from our small library)

Become a Member of Hridaya France

Because Hridaya France is a recognized non-profit association, an active membership is required for all visitors. A €10 annual fee gives you access to our facilities for one calendar year—whether you’re joining a yoga class, participating in Karma Yoga, or attending a retreat or workshop.

Note:

You are welcome to attend one drop-in morning meditation session or Hatha Yoga class before deciding if you want to become a member.
If you purchase a membership for an arrival date in October, November, or December, it will be valid for the entire next calendar year.
You can purchase your membership when booking a program or on this page.

Your membership fee not only provides access to our center but also helps support our mission of sharing the teachings of the Heart and creating a space for transformation and Self-discovery. We warmly invite you to join us and experience all the benefits that come with being part of this unique and welcoming community.

The Spirit of Karma Yoga

Transform through Service and Community Living

Serving in the spirit of Karma Yoga offers a profound opportunity to deepen your spiritual practice while fully immersing yourself in the Hridaya France community. You’ll be invited to participate in yoga and meditation sessions, support our internal operations, and engage in our active community life while learning to act from a space of awareness, detachment, and love.

Have Your Next Event at Our Center

Our center, encompassing the historic Château de Longeval and the nearby Clair Joie annex, is a sanctuary for healing and connection with nature. Nestled in the tranquil hills of Beaujolais, just an hour from Lyon, it offers an ideal setting for contemplation, meditation, and harmonious personal growth—far removed from the stress and noise of urban life.

The Château, a beautifully renovated 17th-century landmark, is surrounded by a serene wooded estate. With 40 bedrooms, 4 spacious practice halls, and a vegan restaurant, our center is perfectly equipped to host retreats, workshops, seminars, and other events. It provides a rejuvenating experience in a peaceful natural environment.

More than just a venue, our center radiates a unique, tranquil energy as the home of Hridaya Yoga. Here, yoga and meditation are practiced year-round, creating a space where participants can immerse themselves in a community dedicated to mindfulness and inner transformation.

We can accommodate groups of 10 to 100 participants and welcome programs that align with the spirit and values of our center.

Practice Halls

Four practice halls are at your disposal, each one a different size (85, 132, 140, and 188 square meters). Additionally, the Château sits on a 7.5-hectare property that includes two relatively flat outdoor areas where outdoor programs can be held, with a larger outdoor area available at Clair Joie.

Accommodations

Our retreat center offers 40 rooms with a variety of configurations of single, twin, double, and bunk beds. While some rooms have private bathrooms, most use shared facilities. Bedding and towels are provided in all rooms.

Meal Service

Our restaurant serves buffet-style vegetarian meals three times daily. All food is prepared on-site using fresh, organic, local ingredients. Rentals are offered with full board only.

Housekeeping

For long programs, we offer housekeeping service at the following intervals:

Rooms are cleaned once per week
Practice halls are cleaned twice per week

Administrative Support

Your group can book meals and accommodation in advance using our online booking system. Our reception team will take care of answering questions, welcoming, and orienting your guests upon arrival and during departure. Our administrative, kitchen, and hospitality teams will ensure the smooth running of your program.

Materials

Rentals come with the use of our yoga mats and meditation cushions, as well as a whiteboard and projector. We can also provide tables and chairs. Please note: The consumption of drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, and animal products is forbidden at Domaine de Longeval.

Rates and Booking Information

Please contact us for rental rates and availability:
Email: contact@hridaya-yoga.fr
Telephone: 04 74 72 30 88
Address: Château de Longeval, 2370 chemin de Longeval, 69870 Saint-Just-d’Avray

Fostering Harmony & Sustainability

Sustainability is a core value of Hridaya France, where personal transformation and environmental care go hand in hand. As we cultivate self-awareness through yoga, we also develop a deeper respect for nature and its interconnectedness with all life.

We approach sustainability from a yogic perspective, promoting harmony between people and the Earth. Our projects focus on reducing our environmental impact and preparing our center to contribute to a sustainable future. Through permaculture, we’re reducing consumption and growing food on-site.

When renovating the Château, we used eco-friendly insulation, second-hand and recycled furniture, and sustainable systems such as ecological heating, wastewater treatment, and rainwater collection for irrigation. Currently, we are creating a natural swimming pool that will be part of a larger system of water management.

Permaculture Principles

Life on Earth naturally moves towards abundance. When we work with its cycles and biodiversity, we can create and sustain environments that allow our communities to thrive. Permaculture is a holistic design system for creating sustainable human settlements and food production systems.

It is guided by three principles:

People care
Earth care
Fair share

These principles lead to a fundamental shift in perspective: rather than asking what we can get from the land or a person, we ask what the land or the person has to give when we cooperate with it. In permaculture, decisions are made via applied systems thinking: by observing and using nature as a guide, we can consciously design resilient systems following a set of ethics.

Furthermore, as in nature, closed-loop systems are developed, minimizing external inputs wherever possible.

Organic Gardens

At Longeval, we seek to restore a healthy relationship with food and its production. By growing and harvesting part of our food and medicinal plants on-site, we become more aware of the abundance offered by nature and the natural cycles that sustain it. Healthy nutrition and sustainable food production begin with healthy soil. That’s why, in our vegetable gardens and herb beds, we strive to create the conditions necessary for vibrant soil life.

We have built permanent garden beds to avoid disturbing the earth, keep the soil permanently covered, and foster a thriving underground food web by applying locally produced compost and other organic matter. At the same time, we recognize that the steep slopes and shallow soils across much of the property flourish best under tree cover. So, our long-term vision is to cultivate a variety of fruits, berries, and other foods within food forests.

Applying the principles of syntropic agriculture, we are experimenting with converting existing Douglas fir plantations into self-sustaining food production systems. In addition, we source ingredients for our restaurant from local, seasonal, and organic producers whenever possible.

Ecological Sewage System

Our retreat center must treat the water used by up to a hundred visitors each day. At the same time, our ever-expanding gardens and food forests require water during periods of drought. Rather than releasing polluted water into the grounds or sewer system, we purify it on-site using a natural system called “phytodepuration.”

This effluent water purification system uses basins containing specific plants to eliminate the polluting substances found in wastewater. The system functions as a self-sustainable and natural ecosystem, with reeds working together with microorganisms to filter chemicals, unwanted nutrients, and organic matter. Clean water is then returned to the land and helps water our food forest.

We have also installed a rainwater collection system that captures and stores rainfall runoff from the Château’s roofs. In summer, this water irrigates one of the vegetable gardens.

We are in the process of turning an old basin into an ecological swimming pool, whose overflow will feed another vegetable garden. We further aim to reduce our water consumption by installing more compost toilets.

Ecological Heating System

We modified our heating system from being fossil fuel-based to using wood chips, which is more sustainable. The wood chips are a byproduct of forestry activities in the surrounding valley. The use of a renewable resource results in less greenhouse gas emissions, as the carbon in the wood chips does not come from fossils but from a forest ecosystem that will continue to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Additionally, as the wood chips are purchased nearby, the local economy is supported, whereas the purchase of fossil fuels often supports political regimes in countries with questionable governance.

This project required us to change our two main boilers and renovate part of our heating infrastructure to a state-of-the-art system.

Support Us

At Hridaya, we are grateful to be able to share knowledge and educational resources. In addition to sharing the teachings of the Heart through yoga modules and silent meditation retreats, we love to share them through the practice of permaculture. We are looking for permaculture enthusiasts to co-create an oasis of natural beauty and abundance.

Do you have a service or resource to offer? We’d be happy to hear from you.

Are you interested in joining us as a volunteer? Find out about Karma Yoga here.

Give the Gift of Yoga and Meditation

“It is in giving that we receive.”

-St. Francis of Assisi

Looking for a meaningful way to show your friends and family how much you care? Inspired by the teachings of the Spiritual Heart? Give the gift of yoga, meditation, and inner transformation with Hridaya France gift certificates.

Imagine your loved ones meditating, practicing Hatha Yoga, and exploring yogic philosophy while immersed in our warm community, enjoying delicious organic vegan meals, and wandering through our peaceful forest. It’s a gift that offers rejuvenation, peace, and joy—what could be better?

Our gift certificates cater to a range of aspirations. With a variety of courses to choose from, there’s something for everyone.

Gift-giving has never been easier! Simply choose an amount by clicking the link below, and we’ll send you a certificate ready to print or forward.

And why not show yourself some love, too? Consider committing to your own practice by buying a gift certificate for yourself.

Choose Your Gift

Gift certificates are redeemable at our center in Longeval for two years from the date of issue and are non-refundable. They may be put towards course fees, on-site accommodation, and/or meals.

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