4. Little French Retreat, France

Ideal for: some quiet self-reflection 

The pace is unhurried and the peace palpable at this charming country house in rural Gascony with year-round retreats that focus on cleansing, physical movement and relaxation.

Little French Retreat founder Tamsin Chubb ditched a high-flying corporate career for her late mother’s rural home in France in an attempt to overcome her grief and refocus her life. She draws on her experience as a yoga instructor, Ayurvedic cook and interior designer to create a space that accommodates guests’ all-round health. The result is a welcome antithesis to five-star sprawling wellness resorts, with Chubb offering just six guests “the space to see and think clearly, to re-examine current habits and reset their course” through thoughtful balanced programmes: it’s intimate and personal with “no ego, standards or expectations”.

Food is one of the trump cards with recipes riffing on Ayurvedic principles with a French twist, all made with organic local ingredients. The programmes, which range from beginner’s yoga to seasonal Ayurvedic cleansing, mountain hiking, sunset meditation and workshops, are designed to reset your inner switch. “It’s a very open, non-judgmental atmosphere,” says Chubb. “You don’t need a new yoga outfit, or even an expensive mat, just an open mind and a willingness to learn. All the health benefits will follow.”