This summer in the Alps, hikes become contemplative, sensory, mixed with yoga, fasting and meditation. In the mountains, you no longer have to walk just for pleasure, but also to regain your health, relax and develop new wellness practices.
Meditate while hiking
Walking in consciousness is not just a trendy activity. It is an ancestral practice taught by the greatest yogis for centuries. This practice matter of walking not only to enjoy the landscapes, but the beauty of nature—enjoying its smells, listening to its sounds, making all its senses work. There is also a sense of opening yourself to what happens inside your body when you walk: how do you breathe? How are you feeling?
At Giettaz in Savoie Mont Blanc, walks are organized to follow the rhythm of breathing, along with relaxing movements and breaks throughout the walk. In the same spirit, in Vars, you can explore nature and yourself in small contemplative paths: these are called “tender paths,” designed to make the hike more zen. To go further towards relaxation, combining yoga with hiking allows muscle building and balancing work. In Serre-Chevalier, you can practice both together with the "Randozen" walk.
Savoie Mont Blanc in French Alps Vars Randozen in Serre-Chevalier
Lightening and purifying yourself
Taking advantage of the sweetness of nature and the benefits of walking to sharpen a fast is the idea developed by the Eau Vive de Flumet hotel. The hotel works alongside Emmanuel Roux, a mountain guide, yoga teacher and facilitator of “Fast and hiking” (subject to resumption of activity this summer), a detox program based on intermittent fasting combined with relaxation practices and light sports walking. The different activities are offered at a reasonable pace and the environment of the group allows all participants to keep fasting without too much effort. This method of natural detoxification of the body gives the digestive system the opportunity to rest and regenerate, manifest with immediate effects multiplied by the practice of a gentle yoga.
The walk that frees the feet
It's said that bare feet are actually the best footwear: you're aware of each of your movements, forced to slow down, you can finally feel the ground, understand how your feet land, rectify the bad reflexes and practice positions to minimize pain and difficulties. This practice is highly recommended by osteopaths.
Spiritually, walking without socks or shoes also means reconnecting to the ground. You are moving slowly, feeling the energy circulating, muscles stretching and relaxing, enjoying every moment. The benefits of walking barefoot have been proven: reduced stress, improved sleep, better digestion, among other benefits. If the idea seems odd or a bit risky, you can practice the free walk with a course on a path specially arranged in the alpine pastures in Haute Savoie with "La maison des brasses." The most daring will yearn to hike barefoot in the mountains of Albiez-Montrond.
La maison des Brasses Albiez Rando Patrimoine (return to activity at the begining of July)
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By Caroline de Surany
Author and journalist with a taste for the good things in life
