Join us for a week of monastery life and mindful hikes in the beautiful countryside around Plum Village.
During this week, we invite you to practice mindful and peaceful hiking in the beautiful nature around our monastery. On a typical day, after sitting meditation with the sangha and a short teaching we may hike around 15 kilometers. Be aware that we will walk faster than walking meditation during our normal retreats.
We always walk in silence and can talk to each other mindfully during breaks.
We’ll pack lunch after breakfast, have a silent lunch outdoor in nature and we will be back at the monastery before dinner.
Arrival day & check-in times: Friday 6th March 2026, from 3pm to 7.30pm
Departure day: Friday 13th March 2026, from 7am – 12pm
Location: Upper Hamlet monastery, 437 Chemin du Pey, Thenac, 24240 France
Language: English
Costs: Contributions vary according to the price tier and the type of lodging you choose in the registration section below. The price includes lodging (except if you book as a “Commuter”), daily vegan meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), teachings and activities.
Important: Participants should be physically fit enough to walk 15 km per day at roughly 4 km per hour.
Tentative sample schedule:
05:45 – Wake up
06:30 – Sitting meditation
07:15 – Breakfast and pack lunch
09:00 – Short Dharma talk, hiking, lunch in nature
16:00 – Activities like mindful service, Dharma sharing, total relaxation etc
18:00 – Dinner
20:00 – Evening activity
21:30 – Noble silence
Essential items to bring: Small backpack, lunch box, water bottle, hiking shoes (some trails may be muddy) and rain gear.
Register in Upper Hamlet (with the brothers)
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.
Note: For retreats taking place in 2025 until January 3, 2026, retreat contributions are received by Communaute Bouddhique Zen du Village des Pruniers, the religious nonprofit 1901 association operating our activities from 1988-2025.
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.
In the buttons below:
- Indicate whether you are coming alone or with someone.
- Next, select your gender identity.
- Then carefully review the information about the price tiers and choose the tier that applies to you.
- Once you’ve selected a tier, click the “See Availability” button at the bottom of the price section to view the accommodation options.