If there’s one thing I’d been dreaming of ever since my time in Paris, it was being able to meditate and breathe in the sea air by the coast at sunrise. I pictured it in my mind and made it happen over 10 years ago now. Then I started practising yoga, first at home, then in yoga studios in Nice and at the Club Metropolitan Cap 3000. At the same time, I discovered the benefits of a swim in the early morning at sunrise. It became my little ritual every August. Then I had the idea of following up with a few sun salutations after my swim. That’s when I experienced what I would call Sunrise Yoga in Nice by the sea, to the sound of the waves.
Sunrise Yoga in Nice: more than just a class, it’s a unique sensory experience
As the name suggests, sunrise yoga is the practice of yoga at sunrise. The advantage of living in Nice is that I practise it by the sea, which makes it a special experience where all the senses are stimulated: hearing by the sound of the waves, touch by the gentle rays of the sun warming the skin, smell by the scent of the sea, sight by the magnificent spectacle of nature unfolding before you… For all these reasons, I consider sunrise yoga by the sea to be a unique experience in its own right, compared to practising in a studio.
Now that I have obtained my yoga teacher certification, I am delighted to be able to share these very special moments with you. I know just how much this environment has soothed me, and it’s really lovely to be able to bring that to a few people.
But why sunrise yoga in particular?
Quite simply because the energy of the morning is so special to me. The city is still half asleep,the streets aren’t quite awake yet, the café shutters are still down, and the usual noise gives way to something rarer: calm. As for the sun, it rises timidly, as if it too were taking its time. The light isn’t harsh; it caresses. It gently outlines the facades and warms the air. The energy is still gentle; it’s the only time you can enjoy the silence whilst being in the city… Which creates such a special feeling.
The morning is the perfect time to find yourself, ground yourself, and start the day not by rushing… but by being fully present.
What benefits has Sunrise Yoga brought me?
As a former Parisian—and therefore stressed out by life like never before, constantly chasing after things yet having nothing to show for it, conditioned to perform without questioning the meaning—yoga has given me more than I could ever have hoped for. This practice didn’t transform me overnight, but it taught me something simple and essential: to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with my body. This practice has also allowed me to rethink the notion of performance and how to find a balance between performing and slowing down.
Practising yoga at sunrise brings something extra special. Above all, it allows you to reclaim your day, before the outside world’s rhythm, demands and obligations take over completely. The mind is still calm, the body is gently waking up, and your breathing naturally becomes deeper. At that precise moment, you are simply present, attuned to your sensations. Added to this, unlike a studio class, you are in direct contact with all the natural elements: the changing light, the fresh morning air, the still-unbroken silence and the subtle sounds of the environment create an almost meditative experience, where you practise not only with your body but also with nature. This synchronisation with the sunrise helps to regulate energy, clear the mind and establish a lasting sense of grounding for the rest of the day.
For me, Sunrise Yoga has become a ritual that helps calm the nervous system, bring you back to the present moment and provide a space to reconnect with yourself, start the day gently and feel a sense of inner peace before the world speeds up.
More useful information
Class location: Carras Beach on the jetties
Equipment: please bring your own mat
Class dates: Saturdays and Sundays
Class times: 8am and 9am
For further information, please contact me directly via my Instagram @love-ly-south or send me a message using the form on my website
