The Summer Retreat at Plum Village, France, for Vietnamese people this year will take place at Son Ha temple (map), at the foot of the hill on which Upper Hamlet monastery stands.
The program will be in Vietnamese only.
| Arrival Day | Departure Day | |
| Week 1 | Saturday 11th July | Saturday 18th July |
| Week 2 | Sunday 19th July | Sunday 26th July |
| Week 3 | Monday 27th July | Monday 3rd August |
Information for Families with Children
- Vietnamese families with children aged 6 to 12 years old are welcome to register in Son Ha temple for all weeks – limited to 16 spaces for children.
- Vietnamese families with babies and toddlers aged 5 or below are welcome to register in Son Ha temple for all weeks but please note that there is no organised program & limited to 5 spaces for babies/toddlers.
- For Week 1 and Week 2: Son Ha temple will not be able to accept teenagers aged 13–17 and there will be no program.
- If teenagers can speak English or French fluently, they may join the waiting list for the teen program at other hamlets:
- Boys aged 13–17 who speak and understand English can register at Upper Hamlet. They will camp with other boys, and parents may camp in the family area.
- Girls aged 13–17 who speak and understand English or French can register at New Hamlet, and will camp with parents/guardians.
- You can apply for the teens program with an adult here (there is a waiting list): https://plumvillage.org/event/retreat/summer-opening-2026
- If teenagers can speak English or French fluently, they may join the waiting list for the teen program at other hamlets:
- For Week 3 only, Vietnamese speaking teenagers are welcome to register in Son Ha temple. A note to the parents/guardians: Please only register and bring your teenager if they are happy to come. Limited to 16 spaces for teenagers.
- Adults are welcome to register for all 3 weeks – limited to 60 spaces.
Parents or guardians are responsible for their children outside the official retreat program.
Additional Info:
- Accommodation is mainly camping. We encourage families to bring your own camping equipment if possible.
- If you cannot bring your own tent and camping equipment, some camping equipment will be provided upon request – please email Upper Hamlet registration office. Everyone will need to bring their own sleeping bag.
- There are very limited beds for older adults or those with health needs – please check with the Upper Hamlet registration office after registration.
- There are no rooms with private bathrooms in Son Ha temple.
- For questions, contact email Upper Hamlet registration office: UH-Office@plumvillage.org.
- For families who may wish to join the retreat in other languages, please click here.
Registration
Click here to view our updated payment and cancellation policy
Registration & Payment
Payment Structure
For retreats from January 3, 2026 onwards, your contribution will be split into two payments:
- Main payment to Bienvenue Aux Pruniers S.A.S. (BAP) for practical retreat aspects (food, accommodation, facilities, administration, taxes)
- Monastery contribution to Congrégation Bouddhique Zen Village des Pruniers (CBZ) to support the monastic community
Your bank statement will show two charges, and you will receive two invoices.
Payment Methods
Our online booking system accepts:
- Credit card payments (worldwide)
- European direct debit (SEPA) for European bank accounts
All payments are processed via the secure Stripe payment gateway. We do not store payment details. Due to strict French regulations, we cannot accept cash, cheques, or manual bank transfers for retreat payments.
Cancellation Policy
To ensure fair access for all, we have revised our cancellation policy to encourage participants to book a retreat place only when certain they can attend.
Cancellation by Participants
If you need to cancel:
- 28+ days before arrival: Full refund minus €100 admin & cancellation fee
- 14-27 days before arrival: 50% refund after deducting the €100 non-refundable admin fee
- 13 days or less before arrival: No refunds possible
We strongly recommend obtaining travel insurance to cover retreat cancellation fees in case of unforeseen circumstances, including personal illness or family emergencies.
For those generously coming to Plum Village to help as a volunteer, the cancellation fee is €25 (to cover admin costs).
Cancellation by Plum Village
Plum Village reserves the right to cancel a retreat under any circumstances. If this occurs, you will receive a full refund of all payments made to us, including the admin fee.
Plum Village accepts no further liability beyond the retreat registration fee refund. We cannot be liable for funds spent on advance travel arrangements, such as flight tickets and visas. We strongly recommend obtaining travel insurance that covers this.
Families with children aged 12 and under, teenagers (for Week 3 only), adults and couples can register below:
- Please indicate whether you are coming alone or with someone.
- Next, select your gender identity.
- Choose which week(s) you wish to register for.
- After that, carefully review the information about the price tiers and choose the tier that applies to you.
- Once you’ve selected a price tier, click the “See Availability” button at the bottom of the price section to view the accommodation options in the next page.
- Please fill out one registration form per person and add another person at the end of the registration.
More information about coming to practice with us