La Maison des Marronniers an idyllic and gourmet yoga retreat within easy reach of

Looking for the perfect place to unwind? We've found you a real haven of peace in Ile-de-France. La Maison des Marronniers awaits you in Essonne, in Ris-Orangis, not far from the RER station. We rush into a private alley lined with chestnut trees (hence its name!) to stop in front of this 1870 millstone that holds many surprises.

Because the concept of the Maison des Marronniers is that of a holistic place of life that offers us a beautiful moment of disconnection in a beautiful green setting. It is here that Alena and Jean-Victor, the charming couple who live here and who are at the origin of this spot , await you. With their combined talents, the two lovers intend to bring you the peace of mind you were looking for. WhileAlena gives yoga classes, Jean-Victor is busy in the kitchen concocting delicious vegetarian dishes to reward your efforts!

For Parisians of a day and of a lifetime who sometimes find themselves tired by the hectic pace of the capital, La Maison des Marronniers offers yoga retreats in different formats that best fit our timing and budgets. Whether it's for a morning, a day or a weekend, a wide range of programs awaits you, sometimes with photo workshops, tarot card drawing and other surprises.

During our visit, we tried the Phytodéjeuner Flâneur, which takes place over half a day. Offered at 65€ it is the perfect plan to discover the concept or for an original and affordable gift. This experience includes a yoga class, a sound bath as well as lunch and the disconnection is there!

As soon as you enter, you find yourself at the crossroads of several eras with beautiful antique pieces. The dive in their universe has already begun! You are welcomed here as good friends: after removing our shoes, Alena takes us to the garden side, making us cross the yoga studio under a beautiful glass roof before settling comfortably on the deckchairs, around the pool. Beyond, a green garden where the plants evolve freely is the playground of the chickens. The hustle and bustle of the capital seems far away here.

While the different guests introduce themselves in a warm atmosphere, Jean-Victor wakes up our taste buds with an iced tea with melon and mint from Milly-la-Forêt, spoil us the plant around which he will articulate the lunch of the day. After this refreshing tasting, it's time to follow Alena back to the studio bathed in natural light. Everything is provided for you, including eye pillows: you just have to come dressed!

• To be read
• Tips for the week of November 18 to 24, 2024 in Paris: free or inexpensive outings
• What to do in Paris and the Paris Region in November 2024? Our tips and ideas for outings
• The guide to running and running races 2024 in Paris and the Ile-de-France region

That day, it was a Yin Yoga class, a gentle practice inspired by Chinese medicine. Very educational, Alena makes this class a real moment of well-being, but also of sharing, for novices as well as for regulars. With gentleness and kindness, she corrects the positions, shares tips to easily reproduce certain poses at home, specifies the benefits and the situations in which they can best relieve you. Places are limited to a dozen guests, so no one gets left out!

Then, Alena invites you to lie down and relax. With your eyes closed, you let yourself be transported by the amazing vibrations and sounds she produces with chimes and bowls. This ancestral method originating from Tibet and China is based on the principle that the whole of our body, and not only our ears, is sensitive to sound and that sound can help harmonize the whole. Rocked by this strange melody, we empty our heads and let ourselves be guided by Alena.

Once refreshed, it is time to meet for lunch. Jean-Victor articulates his menus around a plant to make discover it to his guests and this time it was the mint of Milly-la-Forêt, as we had said earlier.

Seated in the garden, in the middle of the chickens, we savored in turn spring rolls, roasted vegetables, cauliflower and potato croquettes, all terribly greedy and well-balanced plates that leave no room for doubt: Jean-Victor is a culinary artist and by following the thread of his inspiration, he manages to surprise the taste buds with his vegetarian recipes while respecting the natural flavor of the products and limiting waste to a minimum. The meal ends with the dessert, a mint panna cotta accompanied by a melon granita.

This is the end of this day's escapade. Our adventure ends as it began, on a taste of melon, mint and conviviality. We have the impression to have lived the rest of a weekend and yet the day is still ours. The stress, as for him, we left it far and we have now the parade against the blows of slackness and the Parisian spleen!