2026/17/08 to 23/08 – Summer Workshop: Traditional Ayurvedic Massage from Kerala

Infos pratiques

For whom: This training is open to anyone with a basic knowledge of āyurveda and practicing yoga. Send us an email with your motivation and your personal situation, so that we can assess it together.

Internship location: Le Château du Reclos, Route de Claviers D55, 83830 Bargemon

When: from 17/08/2026 (arrival from 5pm) to 23/08/2026 (departure after breakfast)

Teachers: Yves-Marie Doré, with the assistance of Jens Keygnaert and Sophia Gomis

Price for teaching: 800€ (excluding accommodation)

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT!!

– 100€ discount before 26/02/2025: i.e. 700 €

Prices for accommodation and full board: single rooms/ 490€, rooms at 2/440€, rooms at 3 or 4/400€

Description

One of the oldest massages in the world, taught by Yves-Marie Doré, physiotherapist and student of Bernard Bouanchaud.
In Ayurveda, Snehana occupies an essential place among the regenerative techniques. It aims above all to soothe Vāta, the doṣa responsible for the hyperactivity of our nervous system, the dryness of our tissues, muscle and joint pain, as well as premature aging. Through this treatment, we deeply nourish and restore the vital balance.

The word Sneha means “friendship” or “love”. The oil is understood as the symbol of the bond and nutrition proper to the element of water. It reconciles us not only with the other, but also with ourselves, by integrating a fragmented body back into a unified consciousness.

Among the oldest practices, Uzhichil, derived from the South Indian martial art Kalaripayattu, remains one of the most complete and refined. The massage trajectories follow long paths that are reminiscent of both the myofascial chains and the meridians of acupuncture. The marma points were stimulated, which were real gateways to the circulation of prāṇa in the nāḍī. The session is practiced on the floor: the whole body of the practitioner participates as in a dance, also using his own weight to apply deep and regular pressure. Yoga postures and stretching are integrated into the massage, promoting flexibility and openness. Originally, this technique prepared warriors for battle or healed the resulting wounds.

The result is a remarkable increase in body awareness, renewed energy and increased flexibility, both for the person being massaged and for the masseur. By calming Vāta, Uzhichil helps to prolong the duration and quality of life.

An ancient legend tells that a wandering Indian monk, named Bodhidharma, transmitted this knowledge to China. It is through him that the martial art of Shaolin and certain health practices are said to have found their roots in the Indian traditions of Kalaripayattu and the science of vital points.

“After following this technique in 2000 with Yves-Marie Doré, I practiced and taught it myself for a long time. During one of his visits to Belgium, I invited my Āyurveda teacher, Dr. Kurush Kurmi, to attend one of my classes. At the end of the session, deeply impressed, he testified that it was rare today to find in India an authentic teaching of such quality, with such fidelity to tradition and attention to detail. These words perfectly describe Yves-Marie Doré’s professional ethics and rigor. For the first time in a long time, he is once again passing on this practice outside his professional circle: a unique opportunity to learn from someone with such experience and mastery. (Jens Keygnaert)

The place

We are welcomed in an estate that has belonged to the Villeneuve family since the fifteenth century.

For us, this magnificent secular heritage, tastefully restored by Manuel de Villeneuve, is a nod to the ancient but living tradition of Vedic chanting.

The Domaine du Reclos is home to three springs that irrigate the estate and offer a luxuriant flora. In addition, it allows us to cool off in a basin of spring water during breaks.

The delicious vegetarian dishes are prepared by Christine de Villeneuve and her team. We eat under the lime tree and the southern sun