200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training
A Sacred Immersion in Embodiment, Presence & Spiritual Awakening
at the 15th-Century Château de Montcuquet
Yoga Teacher Training in France at Château de Montcuquet
A small group gathers for something rare and deeply intentional.
The Ross Method 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training is not a conventional certification course. It is a carefully held container for transformation, where yoga is honored first and foremost as a spiritual practice of presence, energy, and awakening.
Here at Château de Montcuquet — a private family home in the medieval village of Lautrec — you are invited to slow down, remember the true purpose of yoga, and emerge ready to teach from embodied wisdom and quiet authority.
This is not about creating a new identity. It is the falling away of layers of conditioning, so the light of the Self may shine through.
In the Quiet of the Château
Château de Montcuquet stands above the quiet hills of the Tarn, its 15th-century stone walls and towers holding centuries of stillness.
Here, in a private family home rather than a conference hall, light moves slowly across terracotta floors and through ancient windows. Gardens and open countryside surround the château, offering long views toward the Pyrenees and the gentle rhythm of the land.
It is a place of historic beauty and quiet luxury — intimate, grounded, and deliberately held for those who come to slow down and remember.
A Day at the Château
8:00 – 9:30 Yoga class
9:30 – 10:30 Break
10:30 – 12:00 Theory
12:15 – 13:00 Spiritual Circle
13:00 – 15:00 Lunch break
15:00 – 16:00 Asana workshop / student practice teaching
16:00 – 17:00 Pranayama and meditation
17:00 – 18:00 Gentle yoga
The Practice: Méthode Ross
Om gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhisvaha
(Go, go beyond, go ever beyond into enlightenment)
— The Heart Sutra
Yoga is not primarily the practice of postures. Some of the most realized practitioners place little emphasis on the body as performance. Asana exists to move energy, to open what has become stuck, and to allow what no longer serves to pass through.
Yoga is not acrobatics. It is sometimes a dance — a dance of life in which energy moves you. At other times one holds, going deeper until the story falls away.
“The stopping of the thoughts in the mind is yoga.”
— Patanjali, Yoga Sutra 1.2
Meditation is the highest form of this practice. It begins with the body, the mind, and the energy, yet it is not mindfulness, relaxation, or trance. It is the recognition that you have a body but are not your body, that you have thoughts but are not your thoughts. What remains is not a new identity, but the falling away of identities.
You are a divine, magical creation.
This is the heart of the Ross Method.
The yoga teacher training provided by Awake Space uses the Ross Method which primarily treats yoga as a spiritual practice and uses a combination of hatha, vinyasa, ashtanga and kundalini to train future yoga teachers. It also uses various relaxation techniques, mantra and meditation techniques as well as simply meditating with Presence. Respect and knowledge of ancient traditions combined with modern methods and knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics are very important to the school. Its objective is to train holistic and multidimensional teachers. This is a Yoga Alliance 200hr registered yoga teacher training course. The first part of the course is an online self-paced course. This must be completed before arriving at the chateau. There are four in-person evaluations : teaching and demonstration of the hatha sun salutation teaching and demonstration of the vinyasa sun salutation leading a 30 minute pranayama and meditation class leading a 1hr yoga class Yoga History and Philosophy - the ancient and authentic roots of yoga and spirituality and the ancient doctrines of thought prevalent during that age up to modern times. Teaching Methodology - practical teaching guidelines and class management as well as class creation Anatomy and Physiology - how yoga affects the systems of the body such as the nervous system, muscular and skeletal. Biomechanics - considerations of the body in movement. Important points in anatomical and skeletal differences in people relevant to teaching a safe and adapted yoga class Practicum - practice teaching postures, meditation and breathing techniques (asana and pranayama) Yoga Postures - Fundamental breakdown of each posture, how to teach and how to adapt for different levels and bodies Breathing Techniques - ancient and modern practices of breath and energy (prana) Meditation Techniques - ancient and modern practices of mind discipline and various relaxation techniques within the domain of meditation. For French speakers: Study materials are available in French, including the online course. You may also take your evaluations in French.
What Our Graduates Say
"I love Sunshine's peaceful presence and energy. She's very knowledgeable about the philosophy, postures, and anatomy of yoga. As a spiritual person, I especially appreciated practicing raja yoga (meditating), the chakras (energy channels), and the pranayamas (breathing exercises) along with the philosophy. I also admire teachers who respect the traditional ways and cultural roots. Thank you Sunshine for your teachings, your energy and your time. And thank you to you and your family for welcoming us in your home."
The Essentials
In Person Dates & Pricing please note arrival day and departure day are written as first and last dates learning materials, lectures and manual are available in both languages 2027 DATES March 15- 29 (french) May 10-24 June 7-21 July 1-15 Aug 2-16 Aug 23-Sept 6 Oct 4-18 Nov 1-15 (french) 2 Week Training Single Room private bathroom Є2950 (high season - May, June, July, August) Є2,550 (low season-March,October, Nov) Single Room shared bathroom Є 2450 (high season - May, June, July, August) Є2,050 (low season-March,October, Nov) Double Room shared bathroom Є2150 (high season - May, June, July, August) Є1,799 (low season-March,October, Nov) *** comprend les frais de cours, le matériel, l'hébergement et trois repas par jour. Veuillez nous contacter à l'avance si vous avez des besoins alimentaires particuliers *** includes course fees, materials, accommodation and three meals a day. Please contact us ahead of time if you have special dietary requirements ** promotions do not apply to single room pricing Getting Here We are able to pick you up from Castres Train station. Don't hesitate to coordinate your arrival with us. Flying Castres Mazamet airport(DCM) - Paris Our nearest airport is conveniently 20 minutes away by car - Castres Mazamet, daily flights from Paris Orly typically leave and return 3 times per day. Toulouse Blagnac airport(TLS) Located just over 1 hour from the Chateau is Toulouse Blagnac airport Direct flights from these UK airports - London Heathrow/Gatwick/Stansted, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh Many other cities have direct flights including - Dublin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Lisbon, Frankfurt and Brussels Carcassonne airport (CCF) This nearby airport is just under 1hr 20minutes from the chateau by road, regular direct flights from London Stansted, Manchester, Brussels, Dublin, and Porto on budget airlines make this a great option. Trains The best way to arrive by train is from Toulouse Matabiau train station. A bus leaves the airport every 20 mins (9.00 euro) it takes around 30 minutes to the train station. Regular trains depart to Castres from fares as low as 10.00 euro one way and takes between 1hr - 1.30hr.