Dear beloved young friends,
We are happy to gather once more in Plum Village for time together in nature, to heal and to restore ourselves in this special retreat for young mindfulness practitioners aged 18-35.
We will have a week-long retreat from 10-17 August where we will welcome many hundreds of you, to enjoy live Dharma talks, sitting meditations, walking meditations, living together joyfully, simply, and happily. There will be time for hikes, listening to one another, bonfires, and touching a spiritual dimension in our life.
Practical Information
Our annual Wake Up retreats are part of the active community of young practitioners in the Plum Village tradition called Wake Up.
If you are new to Plum Village retreats, we invite you to read more here.
- Arrival day & check-in times: Monday 10th August (check in time from 3pm)
- Departure day: Monday 17 August (depart by 09.30am-12pm).
- To support the stability and collective energy of mindfulness, all participants are asked to stay the full week, and only arrive and depart on the designated days.
- Locations: All of our 3 hamlets of Plum Village will host this retreat together. All Hamlets will be receiving male, female and non binary friends (including singles and couples). The morning, evening and circle sharing sessions will be hosted in each hamlet separately, while also coming together for Dharma talks, walking meditation, workshops, and the closing celebration. A more detailed outline of the retreat will be provided upon arrival.
- Language: Teachings will be in English with French interpretation. Smaller circle sharing groups will be offered in English, French, and some limited spaces for Spanish, Italian and German speakers in one hamlet.
- Cost: 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. You can find our general pricing table here.
Circle Sharing (or “Dharma Sharing”)
Participants will be divided into groups called “Dharma Sharing Families”, which you will stay together with during the retreat. Most sharing groups are open to everyone (“general”), with a mixture of genders and ages from 18-35, and are facilitated by an experienced monastic. Within all sharing circles we will learn about and practice loving speech and deep listening, share our insights, joys and difficulties. Depending on the need, there may be groups based on language.
As per Wake Up Retreat tradition, one afternoon of sharing circles in safe spaces will be dedicated to topics of sexuality.
We also offer a few themed groups as follows (click to expand and read)
Circle Sharing for the LGBTQIA+ community (English Speaking)
LGBTQIA stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual. To welcome the LGBTQIA+ community, we offer sharing circles with experienced monastic facilitators to create an inclusive and safe atmosphere.
This year, Upper Hamlet and Lower Hamlet will offer LGBTQIA+ sharing circles for those who identify as LGBTQIA+ while New Hamlet will host an LGBTQIA+ and Allies circle. Facilitators of all circles identify either as allies or members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Circle Sharing for People of Color/BIPOC (English Speaking)
We are offering Dharma Sharing groups for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and those who identify as such can choose to join this group if they wish.
Aware that People of Color, as individuals and communities, may have similar lived experiences, including of intended and unintended discrimination, we provide circle sharing groups offered by an experienced facilitator, in which People of Color can express themselves freely and feel safer. It is reserved for People of Color only, in order to cultivate an environment that can support our individual and collective transformation and healing.
Note that the British use the acronym BAME, meaning Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic.
Circle Sharing for BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ (English Speaking, Upper Hamlet only)
This group is for those who identify as both BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. Due to limited places, this is a closed group reserved for those who self-identify and with a genuine need. It is not open to allies or friends; we kindly invite those participants to join the general groups
Circle Sharing for Neurodivergents (English Speaking, Upper Hamlet only)
The Neurodivergent Dharma Sharing Family is a group only for participants who identify as neurodivergent (Autism, AuDHD, ADHD, or similar) and who would benefit from a more supportive and adapted space during the retreat. Due to the limited number of places, this group is reserved for those who feel a genuine need for this dedicated space. It is a closed group, offered in a calm and structured setting with facilitation sensitive to neurodiversity.
While our dedicated circle gathers for a 90-minute sharing and a shared dinner on most days, we otherwise flow with the general rhythm of the retreat for all other activities. Because the Plum Village environment can be quite full of sensory and social impressions, we invite you to consider if you feel comfortable navigating the communal schedule independently, as our small team is unable to provide one-to-one assistance or personal care.
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.
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:
- Select a hamlet
- Indicate whether you are coming alone or with someone
- Select gender identity
- Select a dharma sharing group preference
- 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 on another page.
More information about joining us for a retreat
- Transportation, what to wear, what to bring, and meals
- Information about our hamlets
- Accommodation and contributions
Feedback from last year’s Wake Up Retreat
I felt like I was able to practice a lot, growing my compassion towards myself and others and to see that change is possible. It made me hopeful
The retreat was fantastic, very nourishing for my body, mind and soul
Totally transformative
The atmosphere of mindfulness really brought me back in the present moment, without losing myself in the past or future.
It was simultaneously one of the best and also scariest things I have ever done. I came to Plum Village knowing that I had a lot of inner work to do and that I would not be able to avoid doing that work while there. I met a lot of amazing people, both from the monastic and lay community.
Volunteering
We would like to invite experienced practitioners in the Plum Village tradition to support us as volunteers from Aug 5 – 19 Aug during Wake Up 2026 Retreat for young people between 18 and 35.