Afghan walking and yoga in the Auvergne

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Aubrac

Participants travelling by car meet directly in the hostel in Nasbinals, a hiking stage of the Way of St. James (Via Podiensis), at 7pm. Those travelling by train can be picked up at the TGV station at Aumont-Aubrac (€30 / return trip payable on site). Once you have checked into your room, you will receive a welcome drink and a brief introduction to the week's programme in the hotel's restaurant. Dinner before participants retire for the night.

Days 2 to 6: Afghan walking on the hiking trails

For 5 days, you will take part in guided star-shaped walks from the hotel in the vastness of the Aubrac, during which you will gradually learn the techniques of "Afghan walking". Back in Afghanistan in the 1980s, a Frenchman observed how the caravan nomads covered very long distances, without difficulty and up to 4,000m altitude, with ease.

The morning begins with a rich breakfast. The hikes have been planned to complement the progression of the Afghan walking learning process, that way everyone has an easy start. Depending on the weather, mood and condition of the participants, they will decide between different hiking routes.

Sample route:

Waterfall Déroc - Lake Salhiens. Discover one of the most beautiful places in the Aubrac mountains. The Déroc waterfall, formed by the outlet of the Salhiens lake, is located in the heart of Aubrac, a land of legends with cold winters.

Nasbinals- Saint-Urcize: This round trip takes you to the village of Saint-Urcize through the Hère Valley, an original glacial valley in the shape of a trough, framed by high basalt cliffs. Arrival in the picturesque historic village of Saint-Urcize, a former stage of the Way of St. James. Walking time about 3 hours.

Le Puy de la Tuile: The summit of the Puy de la Tuile offers participants a panoramic view over two regions (Occitania and Auvergne) and five departments (Cantal, Puy-de-Dôme, Haute-Loire, Lozère and Aveyron). The beauty of this landscape, the peat bogs and their protected species, justifies the classification of the area as a sensitive nature area and its integration into the European network Natura 2000. Walking time approx. 3 hours.

Day 7: Last round trip

After breakfast, participants will set off for the statue of the Virgin Mary on Nasbinals Mountain. Now it should not be a problem anymore to put the learned breathing techniques of Afghan hiking into practice. After the 2-hour walk, they will return to the hostel. The tour ends around 1pm.

Travel dates

Price per person in a double or twin room

Single room supplement: €155

Services

Price includes

6 nights in double room, full board, activities planned in the program, French-speaking guide & instructor with a basic knowledge of English, Yoga sessions, transfers according to the program, visitor's tax.

Optional treatments (+€165): 1 Foot reflexology massage, 1 individual 60-minute massage.Treatments will take place after you return from your hike starting at 5:45 pm. Your two days of treatments will be communicated to you upon your arrival, according to the schedule established by the practitioners.

Number of participants

Guaranteed departure for groups of 8 or more (max. 16 participants)
Travel generally not suitable for persons with reduced mobility.
Last possibility of cancellation by the tour operator: 21 days before departure

Accommodation

6 nights in a comfortable 3-star hostel (national category) with private bathroom with 2-person occupancy, some witha balcony or terrace.

The guide

Participants will be accompanied by a French, state-certified mountain guide who is a specialist for the region, and an experienced yoga teacher from the Viniyoga School. The tour is in French.

Afghan walking

Afghan walking", i.e. conscious breathing walks are located between periods of physical and respiratory warming, nasal breathing, periods of exchange, discovery of the environment, local richness and periods of social exchange. Our brain consumes 20% of the oxygen in the body. During exhalation, Afghan walking techniques allow us to remove up to 70% of toxins in our body. Thus, the senses increase with your conscious sense of breathing. By coordinating walking and breathing, you will become aware of the purity of the place, the variety of the flowery scents of the trees, the humus and the peat bogs. More information in our detailed blog article. An experienced mountain guide, who knows the mountains like the back of his hand, ensures safe and varied hiking tours. At the same time, ViniYoga-inspired exercises allow you to experience a range of experiences such as:

• Increasing your respiratory capacity
• Becoming aware of your own body through chest and abdominal breathing and breathing techniques.
• Preparing the body before each hike and "repairing" it afterwards: stretching, toning the back and legs, relaxation.
• Working on activating the 5 senses leading to self-regeneration and rejuvenation, you will become more conscious of your environment, in this case Aubrac.
• A few moments of silence in which one concentrates on oneself (as in meditation). This allows participants to integrate these different elements in their own way.
• Sharing and exchanging ones own experiences of these different activities with other.

An extensive wellness programme at the hotel will ensure relaxation after the hikes and round off each day of the holiday.

The region of Aubrac (Auvergne)

At an altitude of over 1000 metres, the Aubrac plateau invites you to discover an infinite range of olfactory atmospheres. Aubrac is a volcanic and granite plateau in the south-central part of the Massif Central. On this exceptional hiking tour, you will experience one of the most impressive regions of France at close quarters. Aubrac is a volcanic and granite plateau in the south-central part of the Massif Central. On this exceptional hiking tour, you will experience one of the most impressive regions of France at close quarters. The conscious breathing techniques that you will learn will help you effortlessly roam the unique landscape, explore parts of the famous Way of St. James, visit Romanesque churches and marvel at the local craftsmanship. From the famous knives from Laguiole to regional specialities such as flat bread and cheese, you will learn about the special cultural features of the Aubrac region.

Level of difficulty: easy to intermediate

Average length of the walks: 3 to 4 hours per day
Terrain: Hilly hiking trails or mountain paths with altitude differences between 300 and 500 metres.
Times are based on actual walking time, which may vary from group to group.

The area is similar to a low mountain range and requires both normal health and good physical condition, and the walks are open to people who are used to walking regularly. You should also be physically able to walk in the low mountain range.

Getting there

We recommend an eco-friendly train ride to Aumont-Aubrac. Your hosts offer a pick-up service from the station (€30 per person for the roundtrip, payable on site, please let us know in advance while filling out our online enquiry. General information and tips for travelling to France can be found here.

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