Omtropy

Create Space XXIV Retreat - celebrating our 10 year Anniversary at The Mill - Wednesday 8^th to Sunday 12^th June 2022

Mill Retreat Centre Fully booked

Moulin de Breteuil, Route Treport (D316), Montmarquet, Nr. Aumale, FRANCE

This retreat will provide an opportunity and environment where you will be able to enhance your practice and deepen your knowledge. We invite you to immerse yourself in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings of the Mill Retreat Centre near Aumale in Normandy to nurture yourself both physically and spiritually. If you would like to see what previous students at a Create Space Retreat have said then please follow this link.

The leaders will introduce you to aspects of philosophy and practices that are often overlooked during general classes, and there will be the opportunity for you to have direct contact with the teachers and receive guidance for your personal practice. The program will include 2 Yoga classes per day, early morning & evening meditation & satsang, Chi Kung/Tai Chi, a walking meditation, guided walks and talks/workshops on Yoga philosophy, plus free time to appreciate the secluded and private location.

The Mill Retreat Centre is set in 30 acres of private grounds including a 10 acre lake, woodland and a wetland wildlife reserve. This has a huge variety of fish, birds, mammals and plant life. It provides a secluded and tranquil environment for meditation, walking and being at one with nature. Accommodation is primarily shared twin rooms. There is limited single accommodation. There are plenty of bathrooms and lounging areas.

The retreat will start with an Introduction on the Wednesday at 17.00 (please arrange to arrive between 15:00 and 16:30) and finish on the Sunday at 14:30.

About the Retreat Leaders:

Heather teaches Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga blending different disciplines and incorporating elements of Pilates. Having a background in nutrition and Reiki healing as well as being a qualified Life Coach, has allowed her to develop an intuitive approach and awareness of both the physical and emotional wellbeing of students. This enables her to tailor their practice and take a holistic view of the lifestyle, diet or other remedial action than may benefit them.

She has Diplomas in Anatomy & Physiology and Pre- & Post-Natal Yoga. Heather is also a Life Coach and Reiki practitioner. She coaches for exam stress management in schools and runs workshops in meditation & deep relaxation. Heather also provides services to Spas, health clubs, schools, private & corporate clients and also to local authorities to help tackle inequalities in affordable healthcare for a broad range of age groups and ethnicities.

Jean-Claude teaches Rasa Yoga which weaves together asana, mantra, mudra, pranayama, meditation and chanting… along with tantra, shadow work, ritual, and a deep reverence for nature. It honours the many traditions and lineages of yoga, while awakening your authentic creativity as an individual in the modern world. He aims to motivate and inspire his students that Yoga is a way of life, a journey to be taken peacefully and healthily in both mind and body.

He has Diplomas in Hatha and Rasa Yoga, Mindfulness and Gravatonic Swing Yoga.

Jean Claude will also be catering for our meals, which will be vegetarian and mainly organic, using much local produce. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or sensitivities.

Tony is a retired IT management consultant & mindfulness teacher with Diplomas in Advanced Meditation & delivering the 8 week mindfulness course. He has a strong interest is in the benefits of mindfulness in the workplace. He presents some of the workshops on Yoga and Meditation history & philosophy, organises the walking meditation and guided walks as well as looking after the logistics of the retreat. He has over 40 years experience of hill walking, is a member of the Long Distance Walkers Association and a qualified walk leader.

Andy Hamilton is a Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Yoga teacher. Chi Kung is an ancient traditional Chinese practice that involves the use of synchronised breathing and slow, deliberate movements to help restore the flow of Chi meaning your life energy within your body. Regular practice is said to help cleanse your body of the stresses and toxins that lead to ill health, both physical and mental. It does this by acting on your lymphatic system and helping your body to metabolise oxygen more effectively.

Melanee Dyer will be providing holistic therapies at the retreat. She has been practicing Reflexology since 1993 and has extended her knowledge to specialise in fertility and hormone reflexology as well as lymphatic drainage. Reflexology is an amazing treatment which helps restore balance to your body so it may heal itself. Melanee is also a Reiki Practitioner and Aromatherpist, providing Aromatherapy massage as well as combining it with Reflexology.

Melanee works for the London Ambulance Service as an Emergency Crew member. She just enjoys helping others in all situations.

Booking

Investment per person include classes, workshops, accommodation and all meals. £100 deposit on booking.

Single

Sold

Single ensuite

Sold

Twin/Double

Sold

Twin/Double ensuite
Sold

Triple
(1 only)
Sold

Large downstairs Triple ensuite
(1 only)
Sold

Large Twin/Double
with balcony
Sold

Standard per person, full payment by 24/04/22

Cancellation Policy

Deposits (£100) are non-refundable. For cancellations within four weeks of retreat start a refund of 25% of payment excluding deposit will be given. Consideration will be taken for exceptional circumstances at the discretion of Heather George. Cancellation, for whatever reason, must be notified in writing or email.

Covid-19 Policy

We will comply with the, then current, UK and France Covid-19 policies on travel between the two countries and conduct whilst in France. As the risks change these policies are updated and published on the UK government website https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france . To keep up to date with these policies, the site contains the facility to enable those interested to "Get email alerts".

Current advice is as follows:

Passengers who are fully vaccinated:
- Show proof of vaccination when entering France (ferry or tunnel). If you are travelling by Eurotunnel, then you need to upload proof to your booking BEFORE travel;
- No PCR tests or health declarations forms are required;
- No requirements for returning to the UK.
Passengers who are not fully vaccinated:
- Proof of a non-NHS PCR or Lateral Flow test when entering France (ferry or tunnel). If you are travelling by Eurotunnel, then you need to upload proof to your booking BEFORE travel.

You need to have the NHS app or equivalent, set up to provide evidence. This can take time, so don't leave it too late. Eurotunnel and DFDS have detailed guidance on the requirements:

How to Get there:

By Car

The Mill Retreat Centre is about 35 miles from Dieppe for the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry crossing or 96 miles from Calais for either the Dover - Calais ferry or Eurotunnel.

The Dover - Calais ferry has suffered from a section of the M20 being turned into a lorry park when necessary plus other delays and then problems following the P&O crew redundancies, so is not recommended.
Eurotunnel is quick (35 mins crossing time), frequent but expensive (£234 return) and driving to and from it could be delayed by using the contra-flow on one side of the M20 if the other side (J8 to J9) is being used as a lorry park. Eurotunnel have a link to the current status of restrictions;
Most attendees are using the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing (circa £140 return), times are local:
- Wednesday 8th June:
  - Newhaven - depart 10:00
  - Dieppe - Arrive 15:00
- Sunday 12th June:
  - Dieppe - depart 18:00
  - Newhaven - arrive 21:00

When booking, be aware of check-in times and documentation requirements eg passport validity, Covid-19 evidence requirements.

If you have Sat Nav with French maps, when you reach France enter the following. NB: We recommend you experiment with how to enter the location in your sat nav whilst in the UK to confirm how to do it, as sat navs differ, particularly the integrated ones. Many of these don't have quite the same flexibility and ease of use as, say, a stand-alone Tom Tom or Garmin.

Country: France;
City/town: Montmarquet (Lafresguimont-Saint-Martin);
Street: Breteuil;
and then choose: anywhere.

Alternatively enter:

Country: France;
Place/Post code: 80430 Lafresguimont-Saint-Martin
Street: Lieu-Dit Breteuil;
and then choose: anywhere.

This will take you directly to the Mill Retreat Centre. NB: If you just enter Montmarquet (without Breteuil as the street) the sat nav will most probably direct you to the main village which is 2.5 miles/4 km away. In which case you will need to take the D178 in a south westerly direction, shortly after passing the village of Blangiel, there is a right turn down a narrow road signposted Breteuil, over one cross-road and at the T junction you will see the sign and driveway to the Mill Retreat Centre straight ahead.

If you don't have a Sat Nav you can get on-line directions from either Google maps or Bing. Type in your departure point eg Calais in Box A and in Box B put: Breteuil 80430. This will show you full car directions to the front door of the Mill Retreat Centre.

And if you are using a map. The Mill Retreat Centre is located about a mile north of Aumale on the D316 (Route Le Treport) on the west side of the road behind what is marked as 'Breteuil Farm'. You will clearly see the sign.

The route from Calais takes you via a toll road which was 8 Euros the last time we used it. Alternatively it is very pleasant to get an early morning ferry and then drive to the pretty town of Le Treport at the mouth of the River Bresle. You can look around the town and maybe have lunch at one of the many excellent fish restaurants beside the harbour before driving down the Bresle valley to the retreat in the afternoon.

Other means of travel

There are two alternative means of getting to the centre:

Fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle, metro to Paris Nord and then the train to Aumale changing at Beauvais. We can arrange to pick you up from Aumale which is about 15 minutes from the Mill. There are flights direct to Beauvais from Manchester and Edinburgh;
Eurostar to Paris Nord and then as above.

Important if you are driving !!!!

When driving in France you need to remember a number of things you need to have with you:

Driving licence;
Passport with at least 6 months validity on date of arrival;
A florescent jacket or vest in the car, not the boot, for the driver as an absolute minimum. (If you breakdown and then get out of the car to fetch it out the boot you are breaking the law at that point);
GB sticker on rear (if not on your number plate);
A warning triangle which must be used in the event of breakdown, and placed 50-100m behind your vehicle;
Spare set of bulbs;
Photcopies of your insurance, MOT and registration document;
Headlight beam deflectors, also known as headlamp adaptors or converters must be fitted for continental driving, even if you are travelling during the hours of daylight. Fit them before you leave the UK. Allow plenty of time for this as you need to get the lens clean and warm (by having the lights on for 10 mins or so) to get them to stick. The first time Tony went over to the Mill he fitted the deflectors whilst queuing for the ferry. By the time he got to the Mill both had dropped off;
From July 2012 it is also a requirement to carry a breathalyser. Some car parts suppliers have expensive electronic ones but you can get cheap single use ones on the ferry and at terminals. Remember in France the limit is 50mg per 100ml which is much lower than the UK's 80 mg per 100ml.

Radar detectors are banned in France, even carrying one will result in a heavy fine. If you have a Sat Nav make sure you get the latest updates to French maps. Tom Tom, Garmin etc have re-named speed camera sites in France as "danger zones".

Speed limits are:

Motorways - 130 km/hr (110 km/hr in rain);
Dual carriageways - 110 km/hr;
Single carriageways - 80 km/hr;
Built up areas - 50 km/hr (as soon as you are past a name-board for a village or town).