About fasting, with Renaud Carpe, in La Capelle-La-Masmolène

(FR) Normally, your body is always busy working, but when you're fasting, it takes the time to clean up. Fasting allows you to take a break and give your digestive system a chance to cleanse itself, to feel good, to get rid of some of the superfluous, to set the record straight, to take a new direction or, quite simply, to rethink your lifestyle.

LET'S DISCOVER FASTING

Welcome Renaud to the Health section of the blog.

You opened your 'Bien Dans Mon Jeûne' centre in La Capelle-et-Masmolène in 2023, and the 2024 season starts on 9 March. What led you to fasting and what training did you undergo?

To tell you the truth, fasting literally changed my life. Originally from Lyon, I moved to Paris at the age of 20 to live a fast-paced life until I was 48. One day, I said stop, or rather, my body and mind said stop. I used to go on holiday to the other side of the world, but one day I decided to take a real break, in every sense of the word, and fast a few kilometres from Aix-en-Provence.

As a novice in this field, I had to convince myself that I was going to have to pay for a stay... where I wasn't going to eat! In the end, it was a real revelation. The feeling of really settling down, taking my breath, meditating, detoxifying and getting back to basics.

After several fasts, the desire to introduce people to this ancient practice took hold. So, on the eve of my 50th birthday, I decided to make a 360° change by becoming a fasting and walking guide and setting up my own "Bien Dans Mon Jeûne" centre.

Accompanying fasters is not something you can improvise. That's why I took a 4-month training course run by the Fédération Francophone Jeûne et Randonnée, which enabled me to obtain the certification.

What about your team? We know Maud Simonelli, UzEssentiel's health partner. Can you introduce us to Céline, Faustine and Stéphane?

Working with Maud Simonelli was an obvious choice. I was looking for someone who could offer naturopathic advice and provide quality massages. Maud had both these areas of expertise, combined with the kindness and professionalism that make her a partner like no other.

Fasting and yoga are two complementary practices. As chance would have it, Céline opened her @YourYoga studio 100 metres from the house. A wonderful opportunity to offer restorative yoga, particularly suited to fasting. The emphasis is on relaxation, letting go and inner listening. The use of supports (ropes, chairs, bricks, boosters, blankets) will reduce any muscular effort, allowing you to stay longer in the postures and providing a unique sense of relaxation. Put at rest, the body is able to recuperate and regenerate in depth, reawakening its vitality and replenishing its energy!

Living just a few kilometres from Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie, I felt it was my duty to offer a pottery workshop to fasters, who are always on the lookout for new experiences. That's how I came to meet Faustine, who comes to share her knowledge with us every Wednesday and allows our guests to express their creativity during a two-hour workshop. A little souvenir to remind them of our beautiful region.

I needed someone to accompany me on my hikes. I met Stéphane during a botanical walk organised by the town of Uzès. As walking is a daily activity on a fasting holiday, Stéphane is there to help me supervise the group, allowing everyone to walk at their own pace and making the walks more enjoyable with his infectious good humour.

Can you tell us about your programme(s)?

A stay at "Bien Dans Mon Jeûne" lasts 7 days/6 nights.

This interlude actually lasts 3 weeks because, beforehand, a dietary descent consisting of eliminating one food family each day must be programmed to enable a smoother start to the fast.

Once the fast has been broken with a breakfast of vegetables and fruit, a gradual resumption of eating must be put in place to allow the body to gradually resume its activity.

The proposed fast is a well-being fast that follows the protocol of the Buchinger doctor:

 To get the day off to a good start, a juice made from vegetables and fruit pressed in an extractor is served in the morning, a real source of beneficial energy for the body and mind.
 This is followed by a hike to keep you active and prevent your body from draining your muscles. Hiking is ideal for oxygenating the body, discovering the Gard countryside and boosting the elimination of toxins by supporting the detoxifying and energising action of fasting.
 The afternoon is given over to rest and relaxation, with massages, the perfect complement to fasting.
 A filtered vegetable broth is served at the end of the day. The evenings are enlivened by lectures on the physiology of fasting, the benefits of a healthy diet, and creative workshops such as pottery and board games.

Throughout the day, herbal teas and flavoured waters are available. It is also essential to drink 2 litres of demineralised water to help flush out toxins.

Are the people who come to "Bien Dans Mon Jeûne" already practising this discipline or are they just discovering it?

A group is generally made up of half first-time fasters and half experienced fasters. They all share a common desire: to share an experience, to surround themselves with caring people so that they can make the most of their fasting. Those who have already fasted are a real support to first-time fasters, with whom they share their experiences. Very few who will not repeat the experience, as all of them leave saying that they would like to fast once a year.

There is no typical fasting profile. The majority are women, but more and more men are joining the group. The median age is 50, with the oldest being nearly 80 and the youngest 22.

There are many reasons for coming to fast: the need to take a breather, find yourself again, take a break to make a decision, review your diet, lose weight, etc. It's important to remember that "Bien Dans Mon Jeûne" offers fasting for well-being, aimed at people in good health who are able to hike for 3 hours a day. If you are undergoing medical treatment or have a medical condition, you must obtain a certificate from your GP stating that fasting is not contraindicated. In some cases, fasting is even prohibited (more information on contraindications).

Is there a better time of year than another to embark on a week of fasting?

The best time to fast is when your body is whispering it in your ear. It's true that spring, a symbol of renewal, is a particularly good time to leave winter behind. And autumn is a good time to prepare for the cold weather.

However, many fasters start a detox in January to get the year off to a good start and get rid of the excesses of the festive season. In summer, you can go hiking early in the morning and enjoy the pool in the afternoon. In conclusion, the only watchword is: listen to yourself, listen to your body, it will tell you when it feels like fasting.

The most important thing is to choose the right time for you, the right place, the one where you feel at home, but also the right people (good to know: before any booking is made, an initial discussion is planned to get to know each other and make sure that fasting is suitable).

You work in symbiosis with the surrounding nature and local producers. Who are your local partners?

When we go hiking to discover the ruins of the château d'Allègre, we stop off at the Distillerie Bel Air in Saint-Just-et-Vacquières. During a visit and workshop, these distillers, who are passionate about local and organic aromatic plants, show us the process of distilling lavender, of course, but also thyme, rosemary, savory, noble laurel... The shop then gives you a chance to discover all the organic essential oils and hydrolats.

When the weather permits, I like to replace a hike with a trip down the Gardon river with Kayak Vert. This gives the lower body a rest, this time it's the upper body that gets the workout. Isn't that the best way to discover the Pont du Gard?

The fasters arrive on Saturday, so Friday is reserved for shopping to stock up on vegetables and fruit for the delicious morning juice and the tasty evening broth. Then, to my pleasure, I go to the Marché de Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie.

Finally, would you like to add a detail or comment?

First of all, I'd like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to present my activity and to offer a forum for fasting and well-being. Then I'd like to thank all the readers who have taken the time to read this article.

For those of you who have not yet fasted, a small seed has just been planted, which will make its way and perhaps one day, when your body or mind feels the need to do so, you'll think again about fasting, reread this article and come with us to share this unique experience of fasting.
 

Many thanks to Renaud Carpe for his collaboration on this article, and for the visuals provided.
The right address: Bien dans mon jeûne, 826 route de Pougnadoresse, 30700 La Capelle-et-Masmolène. Contacts: Tel: 06 58 98 70 98, contact@biendansmonjeune.fr,
Instagram : @biendansmonjeune.

To find out more, watch the video on Bien dans mon jeûne.