Let's talk with... Hélène Duval, founder of YUJ YOGA STUDIO
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Hi Hélène, thank you for having us at your place. What does this place represent for you?
Welcome to my hidden paradise in the middle of nature, between sea and mountains, in the south of France. It's the place where I get the most inspiration, where I create my collections of clothes and accessories.
We know your passion for yoga, and I believe you have another, decoration…
My love affair with decoration began many years ago. I have an infinite pleasure in antiquing, in finding rare and particular pieces. Nothing was thought of at random, everything has a symbolism. I have always been very sensitive to objects, to the soul they represent, and finally, everything we have in this house has been chosen with care, with love; it inspires me, it makes me feel good, it looks like me! Whether it's at home or in the YUJ studios, I need everyone to feel good there.
Bouroullec armchair. LRNCE vases. Sofa togo line of roset. Assouline edition books.
A day in the skin of Hélène Duval, what does it look like?
We are incredibly lucky to enjoy an exceptional setting and this immense joy of hearing the cicadas daily, with pure air and extremely dense flora.
I usually get up early, right now I'm doing intermittent fasting so I don't eat breakfast. This fast makes it possible to detoxify the organism, to cleanse the vital organs in order to gain energy and vitality. So, waking up at dawn, then I finally get to work quickly, I check my emails, I call my team in Paris to follow the progress of the projects, the creation of new courses, workshops and retreats for the start of the school year, so to offer moments of well-being and calm for you in Paris in our studios from September.
After my morning meetings with my team, I prepare lunch with my children with recipes that are both light and healthy.
At the end of the day, either I go back to work for a few hours or I decide to give myself precious time by doing a yoga session and I'm also lucky to have a pilates studio near my home where I practice regularly. This is an important time to refocus and enjoy the present moment.
We'd love to know what your beauty/wellness routine is...?
Right now, I'm trying out a new routine, I'm using products, my Blend, created by the Clarins group, products designed for each type of skin. To this beauty routine, I add intermittent fasting for a fixed period to recharge your batteries. And what would a wellness routine be without a yoga session.
The advice I can share with you is finally to take five short minutes, it is not enough more, for a sun salutation that allows you to wake up the body, relax the tendons, engage the muscles and open the heart. Whether it's in the morning when you wake up, before or after your breakfast, during the day, or in the early evening, take this time for yourself. If you want to be accompanied, you can find our teachers on our on-demand yoga video platform, YUJ YOGA +.
A recipe to share for this summer 2022?
I tend to prepare and promote simple, friendly and balanced dishes based mainly on seasonal vegetables.
We have a recipe in the family that I've always made during the summers, it's a thin cherry tomato tart.
It's simple, tasty and light for those hot days. For the greediest, I add parmesan shavings and arugula leaves with a drizzle of olive oil, it's a guaranteed treat.
Namast'Hey.
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