Meet Our Experts

MATT RYDER – Oil Painting Experience

Matt Ryder is an award-winning British artist committed to documenting the land, sea and sky of the changing landscapes that surround us. A life-long painter inspired by the natural world, and the beauty of nature and wildlife.
With a true love for the outdoors Matt’s paintings often start as small onsite studies, painting ‘Plein-Air’, in order to capture true light and colour. Many of these studies are then transferred to the studio and used as colour reference for larger work.
Matt has lived, painted and taught in the UAE for the last 12 years. He travels extensively during the summer months, capturing the mountains and coasts of Europe in paint and is happy to be teaching in the Gorges du Verdon for the first time.

Immerse yourself in 5 days of oil painting with landscape artist Matt Ryder on a week-long painting adventure unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Spend your days painting the stunning scenery of the Gorges du Verdon in Provence and learn how to capture this incredible landscape in all its beauty. Painting alongside Matt with guided instruction and daily demonstrations in oil, all out in the beautiful fresh mountain air.

JULIE LEWIS – Women’s Wellness Experience

Julie is the Founder & Director of Mountain High & Julie Lewis Consulting established in 2003. Over the last 17 years she has led multi-national teams of women and men on 60 transformational expeditions around the globe to include the Arctic and Antarctica. Julie challenges the way people think, act and dream and is passionate about sharing her diverse and often unusual experiences in business, sports and life. Born on World Health Day , she is an advocate for resilience, peak performance and optimal health. “Along with the LPSV team, I look forward to making your experience in Provence ‘simply the best’!”

Join us for 5 days of exploring, adventuring, setting achievable goals, meeting like-minded women, and preparing to live your healthiest years yet!

GRAY CAWS – Trail Running Experience

Gray is a master ChiRunning and Oxygen Advantage Coach and Teacher Trainer based in the UK. He is also a specialist Personal Trainer and Buteyko Practitioner. He brings his practice and teaching skills learned over the years to coaching on worldwide retreats. He believes that taking time out of our usual everyday routine, exploring different environments, learning new skills, or fine tuning an existing one helps us to gain a clearer focus, and deeper insight into ourselves. And therefore a great way to reset mind and body. Alongside his regular movement practice, Gray enjoys reading, researching and keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in health and fitness. His teaching style is relaxed, encouraging clients to question, experiment and experience.

“I’m delighted to be part of this new retreat for 2022 in France alongside Louise and Pascale. The aim of the retreat is to make running these stunning trails loads of fun so that you’ll want to keep doing it! And to give you the time and space to reset, re-energise, and refocus your mind and body. The central theme throughout all of my teaching is that of mindful movement. This simply means having an intention and paying attention to how and why you move. And what better way to experience this than in like-minded company and amazing surroundings practicing daily ChiRunning, breathwork, conditioning, and meditation.”

EVA CLARKE – Ultimate Fitness – Form + Function Experience

“I am extremely excited to be working with Louise and Pascale. I have run many of their ultra marathons and trail runs in the UAE and they are sensational at organizing and running events that make members feel part of a uniquely adventurous community. The goal of the retreat aligns with my objectives as a fitness enthusiast and mentor. We all want our members to take a moment to decompress and recharge the soul, mind and body. The way we intend to help them find new beginnings is by connecting them to the beautiful landscape and by showing them how they can take charge of their life through movement.”

MICHELLE AITCHISON – Immersive Yoga Experience

 

EMMANUELLE RAMOS – Yoga Instructor

Emmanuelle is a certified yoga teacher 200 RYT Yoga  (2019). She is a breathing coach and a yoga trapeze instructor, via Lucas Rockwoods-Yoga Body’s training (2021). She also followed Adell Bridge’s brain-based creative sequencing course (2023). A passionate and curious athlete from an early age, she studied outdoors sports at university. Her teaching and pedagogy are hugely inspired by it. Emmanuelle teaches inclusive yoga, for all levels, ages and bodies, the main goal being a gain of mobility and stability.

Emmanuelle est professeure certifiée 200 RYT Yoga  (2019) ainsi que coach de respiration et professeure de yoga trapèze, via les formations de Lucas Rockwood – Yoga Body (2021). Elle a également suivi un cours de séquençage créatif basé sur le cerveau avec Adell Bridge (2023). Sportive passionnée et curieuse depuis son plus jeune âge, elle a réalisé un cursus universitaire dans les sports de plein air . Son enseignement et sa pédagogie s’en inspirent grandement. Emmanuelle sera ravie de vous accueillir dans des sessions de yoga collectives ou individuelles. Elle enseigne un yoga inclusif, pour tous les niveaux, tous les âges et tous les corps dans un objectif de gain de mobilité et de stabilité.