Find Clarity: 8 Days of Deep Silence & Supported Contemplation
Enter the Great Silence
17 - 25 January 2026 | Bonnevaux Centre for Peace, France
Some Biblical stories, such as the story of Jonah and the whale, have found a firm place in popular imagination from childhood onwards. But what sort of wisdom do they hold out to us as we seek a deeper understanding for our lives?
This retreat offers a unique opportunity to meditate together and go to a deeper and simpler place – together in solitude into the ‘great silence’ in the beautiful and serene settings of the French countryside.
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Meet the instructor
Liz Watson is a member of The World Community for Christian Meditation and lives by the sea in Cornwall,UK. She has served the meditation community in various capacities over the past 28 years, including a term as UK National Coordinator. She now focuses on teaching meditation in a wide range of settings – speaking and writing – leading retreats and offering spiritual direction. For WCCM she has recorded the CD ‘Images of Meditation’ with its accompanying booklet, contributed chapters to the book ‘Journey to the Heart’ and to the website ‘Contemplative Path through the Crisis’.
Highlights:
- Full Silence Retreat
- Seven Daily Meditations
- Times for Contemplative Walking
- 15-Minute Personal Session with Retreat Leader (optional)
Skill level:
- Intermediate Meditator
Accommodation:
| Single room with ensuite bathroom | 1120€ (per person) |
| Single room with shared bathroom | 960€ (per person) |
The Venue: Bonnevaux Centre for Peace, France
Bonnevaux (Bonne Vallée , or Good Valley) is set within a beautiful valley formed by the river Rhune (la Rhûne) which descends past the Chapel and the 12th-century Abbaye, emptying into the lake beyond. The beauty and peace of Bonnevaux´s 65 hectares (160 acres) reflects the contemplative life lived here from its foundation as a Benedictine monastery in 1119 until the French Revolution. The community is continuing this policy as a living witness to the link between ecology and the human spirit. The land has over 20 different plant habitats, some of which are of heritage value.
How to Get There
Bonnevaux is located near Poitiers, in the southwest of France. The closest airport and train station is in Poitiers. You can get a taxi from there to Bonnevaux which is about a 20 minute drive away.