JOY: Juan-les-Pins' new Osteo Yoga studio
We can all use a little more Joy in our lives. Now, Juan-les-Pins has its very own Yoga studio offering group and private lessons in Hatha, Yin and Vinyasa Yoga, and Pilates.
One of the newest yoga studios in the Côte d’Azur is now open in Juan-les-Pins. JOY Juan Ostéo Yoga was created by Samantha Jacquemin, a skilled Osteopath for over 20 years. In 2022, her battle with breast cancer showed he the tremendous therapeutic benefits of Yoga therapy and she wanted to incorporate this extra dimension into her clinical repertoire. By completely transforming her Juan-les-Pins clinic, she has opened the first yoga studio in town, featuring four other yoga and Pilates instructors. JOY welcomes both French and English-speaking students to a variety of classes from Vinyasa to Hatha and restorative Yin Yoga and Pilates.
Located just off the busy avenue Dr Fabre, JOY is an oasis of calm with wood walls, bright natural lighting from a large frosted glass window, earthy tones throughout and an overall Zen feeling. Samantha carefully created this human refuge by taking down walls, redoing the entryway, and building new walls.
As a former (and possibly returning) Gazelle Rally racer— the intense women’s 4x4 desert rally race from Nice to Africa, traversing the Moroccan desert — Samantha doesn’t shy away from a challenge. So, turning her Osteopathic studio inside out to transform it into a yoga studio was a challenge she faced head-on.
Now, stepping inside from the busy main street from the rail station, feels like you’ve crossed the threshold into a calm day spa. Whether taking a Hatha Yoga class or an invigorating Pilates session, JOY is a great place to escape the stress of everyday life and the bustle of seasonal traffic!
We give it a try!
Samantha invited Bon Vivant Mag to try both a Yin Yoga session and a Pilates lesson which turned out to be a very surprising experience.
While I’m no yoga expert, I do consider myself experienced with several different types of yoga - some that I love, and some that I’m not too interested in. For me, Yin Yoga was always too calm, and too boring. As a very calm and quiet person, I don’t tend to want more of that, preferring a more invigorating practice. However, one’s experience of yoga is only as good as the instructor and my Yin Yoga lesson with Samantha Kléber (Sam K.) opened my eyes to a completely different side of this ‘calming’ practice, a side much more aligned with Traditional Chinese Medicine than just stretches and breathing.
Sam K. works with a client in a yoga lesson.
Starting with a gentle spine-lengthening movement over a set of pillows, my instructor Samantha began working along my meridian points and kidney energy. I was surprised to discover this side of Yin yoga, especially after recently having an acupuncture treatment focused on my gallbladder meridian. After sharing this, Samantha adapted the lesson to really work on releasing blocked chi in my gallbladder meridian and getting the ‘flow’ going again. Through a series of awkward side stretches and her delicate pressure movements and guidance, I didn’t feel relaxed—I felt energised! It was an incredible experience to feel the sensation of energy coursing through my veins, not in an over-caffeinated way, but in a vibrantly awake kind of way. In fact, I left my ‘relaxing’ Yin yoga session with plenty of energy to continue on to two more events that evening.
Madina, the Pilates instructor, took me through a personalised session, strengthening and lengthening my body and spending time working on my more difficult areas. I found her to be a skilled and caring teacher who knows how to keep the balance between pushing you and being gentle where you need it. Her attention to you each step of the way is reassuring and makes for a wonderful Pilates class.
Instructors (from L): Sam K., Madina, Hélène, and Matt
Joy Yoga offers several classes with other instructors as well: Hélène, who teaches Vinyasa and Yin yoga; and Matt, who teaches Vinyasa and Hatha flow.
If the stress of the mid-season is getting you down, or you could use an invigorating boost to get through the darker days and colder weather, treat yourself to a visit at JOY and tell them that Bon Vivant Mag sent you!
JOY: Juan Osteo Yoga
8 Av. Dr Fabre, 06160 Antibes https://www.juan-osteo-yoga.fr/