Meditation Retreats in Quebec: Silent and Guided Programs

Meditation Retreats in Quebec: Your Complete Guide for 2026

Quebec is one of the strongest provinces in Canada for meditation retreats. The combination of natural beauty, French-Canadian contemplative traditions, and a growing wellness community has produced a retreat landscape that ranges from strict monastic silence to relaxed guided weekends in the Laurentian Mountains.

Whether you want a traditional Vipassana experience, a Zen sesshin, a yoga and meditation immersion at a forest ashram, or a quiet weekend in a 400-year-old monastery, Quebec has a retreat that fits. Many of these centres have been operating for decades. Some have been here for centuries.

This guide covers the major meditation retreats in Quebec for 2026: what each centre offers, how much it costs, what language instruction is available in, and what you should know before you go. We have organized the information by retreat style so you can find the right match for where you are in your practice.

Silent Meditation Retreats in Quebec

Silent retreats are the deepest form of meditation practice available outside of a monastic lifestyle. You stop talking. You stop reading. You put your phone away. And for a set number of days, your only job is to sit, walk, breathe, and observe your own mind. Quebec offers several outstanding silent retreat options.

Quebec Vipassana Centre (Dhamma Suttama), Near Montebello

The signature program here is the 10-day Vipassana course, and it is not for the faint of heart. You arrive on the evening of Day 0, hand over your phone, wallet, keys, and any reading material, and enter Noble Silence. For the next 10 days, you follow a schedule that starts at 4:00 AM and includes roughly 10 hours of seated meditation per day.

Noble Silence means more than just not talking. You avoid eye contact, you do not gesture, and you do not write. Meals are vegetarian, served at set times (breakfast at 6:30 AM, lunch at 11:00 AM, and a light tea with fruit at 5:00 PM for new students). Men and women stay in separate areas throughout the entire course.

Evening recorded teachings by Goenka explain the technique step by step in both French and English. An assistant teacher is present throughout the course to answer questions during scheduled interview times.

Cost: Donation-based. There is no set fee. At the end of the course, students who feel they have benefited may give whatever amount they choose. This donation model has kept the centre running since it opened.

Duration options: 10-day courses (the standard format), 3-day courses (for experienced students who have completed at least one 10-day course), and longer courses of 20, 30, and 45 days for advanced practitioners. Satipatthana courses are also offered periodically for those who want deeper study of the foundational texts.

Registration: Apply through the Dhamma.org website. Courses fill up fast, especially in summer. Apply at least 2 to 3 months in advance. First-time students must complete the 10-day format before shorter or longer options become available.

Art of Living Canada Retreat Centre, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc

The Art of Living centre sits on 300 acres of forested land with five lakes in the Mauricie region, about two hours from Montreal. They offer several silence-based programs, including 4-day, 6-day, and 10-day intensive silence retreats.

Unlike Vipassana, these retreats use guided meditations created by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, called "Hollow and Empty" meditations. The approach is structured but gentler. You receive instruction on breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation throughout the retreat, with periods of walking meditation, light yoga, and time in nature between sessions.

Cost: Programs range from roughly $300 to $800 CAD depending on duration and room type. Dormitory-style rooms are the most affordable. Private chalets cost more. Meals are included in all retreat packages.

Languages: Programs run in both French and English, with bilingual instructors available for most retreats throughout the year.

Note: The 4-day and longer silence programs require prior completion of at least one Art of Living introductory course (such as the SKY Breath Meditation program). This is not a drop-in retreat. You need a foundation in their breathing techniques first.

Sentiers du Silence, Saint-Damien-de-Buckland

About an hour south of Quebec City, Sentiers du Silence (Paths of Silence) offers guided silent retreats in a rural forest setting. This is a smaller, more intimate alternative to the large Vipassana centre. The approach blends periods of silence with gentle guidance, making it a good stepping stone for people who are drawn to silence but not yet ready for 10 days of strict Vipassana practice.

The property includes walking trails through the forest, a simple retreat house, and enough space for solitude without feeling isolated. Instruction is available in French, with English support on request.

Cost: Around $320 CAD for a weekend, including lodging and all meals.

Zen Meditation in Montreal

Montreal has a solid Zen community with two well-established centres, each following a different lineage within the Rinzai tradition. If you prefer the structure and discipline of Zen practice, these centres offer both regular sitting schedules and intensive retreat formats called sesshins.

Montreal Zen Centre (Centre Zen de Montreal)

The Montreal Zen Centre follows the tradition of Albert Low, who studied under Roshi Philip Kapleau and established this centre as a place for serious Zen practice. The centre offers Sunday morning zazen with three 30-minute sitting periods, each separated by 7 minutes of kinhin, followed by a 50-minute teisho (recorded Zen teaching). One-on-one interviews with senior practitioners are available on request.

The centre holds multi-day retreats (sesshins) in October, December, March, and May. Led by Jean-Luc Foisy and Louis Bricault, both longtime students of Albert Low, these sesshins provide an intensive format of sitting, walking, and interviews. A sesshin strips away all the distractions of daily life and puts you face to face with your own mind for an extended period.

Languages: Sessions and retreats run in both French and English.

Introductory workshops: The centre periodically offers introductory workshops on Zen meditation practice. These half-day sessions teach proper posture, breathing, and the basics of zazen for newcomers.

Enpuku-ji Zen Centre, Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal

Enpuku-ji is a Rinzai Zen practice centre located on Rue Saint-Dominique in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood. The resident monk and abbot, Zengetsu Myokyo, trained under Joshu Sasaki Roshi starting in 1980 and was ordained as a Zen monk in 1986.

The centre maintains a daily schedule of morning and evening zazen, making it one of the few places in Quebec where you can sit every day with a community. In addition to the regular schedule, Enpuku-ji offers one-day retreats, five-day sesshins, study groups, and dharma talks throughout the year.

The Rinzai style practiced here uses koans as a central method. During sesshin, students meet with the teacher for dokusan (private interview) where they present their understanding of their koan. This is an active, dynamic form of Zen that engages the whole being rather than just sitting in stillness.

Cost: The regular sitting schedule is free and open to all. Retreats and sesshins have modest fees to cover food and operations. Contact the centre directly for current pricing.

Mindfulness and Guided Meditation Programs

Not everyone wants to jump straight into a silent retreat. Quebec has several centres that offer guided meditation programs with instruction, discussion, and a more gradual introduction to practice. These are excellent starting points if you are new to meditation or prefer learning within a supportive group setting.

Montreal Shambhala Meditation Centre, Plateau Mont-Royal

Located at 1225 Boulevard Saint-Joseph Est, the Montreal Shambhala Centre teaches meditation in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition founded on the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Shambhala emphasizes "basic goodness" and the connection between meditation practice and everyday life.

The centre runs open public sitting hours on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. No experience is needed. Just show up, and a volunteer will offer instruction if you are new. Beyond open sits, the centre offers a structured curriculum called The Way of Shambhala, with introductory weekends, multi-week courses, and weekend retreats of increasing depth.

City retreats are a unique Shambhala format: you stay in your own home but follow a retreat schedule on weekends, attending sessions at the centre during the day. This works well for people who cannot take time off work or travel to a rural centre.

Cost: Open sitting is free. Courses and retreats range from $50 to $300 CAD depending on length. Financial assistance is available for those who need it.

Languages: Programs run in French and English, with bilingual teachers on staff.

Institut de Pleine Conscience Appliquee de Montreal (MIAM)

MIAM teaches mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen master who brought mindfulness practice to a global audience. Teachers at MIAM received dharma transmission directly from Thich Nhat Hanh, giving the centre a direct connection to this lineage.

The approach here is warm, accessible, and grounded in daily life. Practices include seated meditation, walking meditation, mindful eating, and deep listening. MIAM offers regular group sessions, introductory workshops, and periodic day-long retreats. If the stripped-down intensity of Rinzai Zen feels too austere and you want a gentler, heart-centred path, this community is worth exploring.

Languages: Programs are offered in both French and English.

Yoga and Meditation Retreat Centres

Several Quebec centres combine yoga and meditation into integrated retreat programs. If you enjoy physical practice alongside sitting meditation, these ashram-style centres offer some of the best immersive experiences in the province. For readers who have explored yoga retreats in British Columbia, the Quebec ashram scene offers a distinctly different atmosphere rooted in classical Indian tradition.

Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp, Val-Morin, Laurentians

The daily ashram schedule includes two meditation sessions, two yoga classes, two vegetarian meals, and an evening satsang (gathering with chanting and a lecture on yoga philosophy). This rhythm repeats every day, and after a few days, the routine itself becomes a form of meditation. You stop planning and just follow the bells.

The ashram welcomes visitors for stays ranging from weekend retreats to month-long teacher training programs. Weekend retreats are the most popular entry point: you arrive Friday evening, follow the ashram schedule for two days, and leave Sunday afternoon feeling like you have been away for a week.

Cost: Weekend retreats start around $180 to $350 CAD depending on accommodation (tent, dormitory, or private room). Week-long stays offer better per-night rates. All meals are included.

Languages: Instruction is available in both French and English. Many teachers are bilingual.

Transportation: The ashram runs a Friday evening shuttle from its Montreal centre for a small fee each way, returning Sunday afternoon. Buses from Montreal's central bus terminal also connect to Val-Morin.

Babaji's Kriya Yoga Ashram, Eastern Quebec

This ashram focuses on Kriya Yoga, a specific system of meditation, breathing, and mantra practice. The centre hosts personal retreats, initiation seminars, and teacher training programs. The meditation techniques taught here come from the lineage of Babaji Nagaraj, and the training is more structured and technique-specific than what you would find at a general mindfulness retreat.

The ashram property is available for personal retreats when not hosting group programs. If you already have a Kriya Yoga practice and want a quiet space to deepen it, this is a solid option. The kundalini energy practices taught in Kriya Yoga share some overlap with other energy-based meditation traditions.

Monastic and Heritage Retreats

Quebec's religious history gives it something that no other Canadian province can match: centuries-old monastic spaces that are still active and open to visitors. These are not meditation centres in the modern sense. They are places where silence, prayer, and contemplation have been practiced continuously for hundreds of years, and that accumulated stillness is real when you walk through the doors.

Le Monastere des Augustines, Quebec City

In the heart of Old Quebec City, Le Monastere des Augustines occupies a 17th-century complex that was originally built as the first hospital in North America north of Mexico. The Augustinian sisters arrived in 1639 with a mission to care for the sick, and their order has been present on this site ever since. Today, the beautifully restored monastery operates as a wellness retreat centre and heritage site.

The retreat experience here is unlike anything else in Quebec. You sleep in restored monastic cells (the "Authentic" rooms) or in the more modern "Contemporary" rooms. The daily schedule includes guided meditation, gentle yoga, meditative walking through vaulted stone corridors, and access to the museum documenting the Augustinian sisters' 400-year history. Meals emphasize whole, seasonal foods and are served in a communal dining hall where breakfast is taken in silence.

Cost: Rooms start around $100 per night for Authentic rooms (shared bathroom, monastic style) and around $200 per night for Contemporary rooms. Wellness retreat packages that include meals, activities, and holistic treatments range from $300 to $600+ per stay. Special rates are available for healthcare workers and caregivers.

Languages: The Monastere operates primarily in French, with English support and bilingual staff available.

This is a place where the walls themselves hold centuries of care and contemplation. If you are drawn to the intersection of spiritual practice and heritage, Le Monastere stands alone in Canada.

Abbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac, Eastern Townships

Overlooking Lake Memphremagog in the Eastern Townships, Abbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac is a working Benedictine monastery home to about 30 monks. The modern abbey building, designed by Dom Paul Bellot, is a striking piece of architecture that pays tribute to natural geometric forms. The monks follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, organizing their day around prayer, work, and lectio divina (meditative reading of scripture).

The abbey welcomes guests in its guesthouse for stays of silent contemplation and spiritual renewal. Guests can join the monks for the Liturgy of the Hours, which structures the day with communal prayer from early morning until evening. Between prayer times, you are free to walk the grounds, read, or sit in the chapel in silence.

This is not a guided meditation retreat. There are no workshops and no structured instruction. What the abbey offers is a container of silence, prayer, and centuries of accumulated contemplative practice. If you are comfortable with solitude and self-directed practice, the atmosphere here is profound. The inner experiences that arise during this kind of deep stillness sometimes parallel what practitioners describe as spiritual awakening symptoms.

Cost: The abbey asks for a free-will offering for your stay. There is no fixed price. Reservations for the guesthouse must be made by telephone.

Languages: The monastery operates in French. Basic English communication is possible, but expect a primarily francophone environment.

The abbey is also well known for its cheeses and apple cider, produced by the monks and available in the on-site shop. Many visitors combine a contemplative stay with a taste of Quebec's monastic culinary tradition.

Comparing Quebec Meditation Retreats

To help you decide which retreat is right for your needs, here is a side-by-side comparison of the major centres covered in this guide.

Seasonal Guide: When to Go on Retreat in Quebec

Quebec's four distinct seasons each create a different retreat experience. Here is what to expect throughout the year.

Summer (June through August): This is peak season. The Sivananda Ashram in Val-Morin runs its fullest schedule, with outdoor yoga sessions, tent accommodation options, and a vibrant community of residents and guests. Vipassana courses at Dhamma Suttama fill quickly. The long daylight hours and warm weather make it easy to combine sitting practice with walking meditation on forest trails. Book early for summer. Popular programs sell out months in advance.

Fall (September through October): The foliage in the Laurentians and Eastern Townships is spectacular, and the cooler temperatures make sitting practice more comfortable than the heat of summer. Abbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac is particularly beautiful in autumn, surrounded by the colours of the Eastern Townships hillsides. The Zen centres in Montreal hold their October sesshins during this period. Smaller groups and a quieter atmosphere make fall an ideal time for introspective work.

Winter (December through February): Quebec winters are cold and long, which is exactly what makes them so well suited for retreat. The snow muffles sound, the short days encourage inward focus, and the world outside feels far away. Winter Vipassana courses carry a special quality of stillness. The Montreal Zen Centre holds its December sesshin during this season. The Art of Living centre and Monastere des Augustines remain open year-round. If you can handle the cold (and the centres are well heated), winter retreats in Quebec offer a depth of silence that warmer months cannot match.

Spring (April through May): The snow melts, the land wakes up, and the retreat centres transition into their warmer-weather programs. Spring offers smaller groups, lower prices at some centres, and a sense of renewal that mirrors your own inner practice. The Montreal Zen Centre holds its May sesshin, and the Shambhala Centre offers spring courses and weekends. It is a good shoulder season for a quality retreat without the summer crowds.

What to Expect on Your First Meditation Retreat

If you have never attended a meditation retreat before, here is an honest look at what the experience involves. Knowing this in advance helps you choose the right program and show up prepared.

The first day is the hardest. Your mind will race. Your body will ache from sitting. You will wonder why you signed up for this. Every experienced retreat-goer knows this feeling, and it passes. By day two or three, something shifts. The mental noise starts to quiet, your body adapts, and the rhythm of the schedule begins to carry you.

Silence is not empty. In a silent retreat, you will hear everything: birds, wind, your own breathing, the person next to you shifting on their cushion. The absence of speech creates a heightened awareness of everything else. Many people report that colours look brighter, food tastes more vivid, and small moments become rich with detail.

Emotions surface. Without the usual distractions of phones, conversation, and media, buried emotions often come up. Sadness, anger, grief, unexpected joy. This is normal. The practice gives you a framework for observing these emotions without reacting. If intense emotions feel overwhelming, speak with a teacher or retreat staff. Some practitioners describe the more intense waves as part of a dark night of the soul process, and having a teacher nearby makes all the difference.

Sleep patterns change. Early wake-up times (4:00 AM at Vipassana centres) combined with long sitting hours often lead to deep, restful sleep at night, even with less total sleep time.

The benefits often appear after the retreat. The real integration happens in the days and weeks that follow. You may notice that you respond to stress differently or that your attention is sharper. These shifts are often subtle but lasting.

How to Choose the Right Quebec Retreat for You

With so many options, picking the right retreat comes down to a few key questions.

How much experience do you have? If you are brand new to meditation, start with a guided program at the Shambhala Centre, a weekend at Sivananda, or a wellness stay at Le Monastere des Augustines. If you have a regular sitting practice and want to go deeper, a Vipassana 10-day course or a Zen sesshin will challenge and reward you. If you are still building your practice at home, resources on different meditation traditions can help you find which style resonates before you commit to a retreat.

What tradition resonates with you? Vipassana is technique-focused and secular in tone. Zen is disciplined and direct. Shambhala blends meditation with everyday life. Sivananda integrates yoga, meditation, and Hindu philosophy. The Augustinian and Benedictine spaces come from the Christian contemplative tradition. Try the tradition that you feel drawn to. You can always explore others later. Some people also find that combining retreat practice with chakra balancing meditation or crystal meditation adds another dimension to their inner work.

How much silence can you handle? A 10-day Vipassana course demands total silence. A weekend at Sivananda includes some silence but also group chanting, meals together, and interaction with staff. The Shambhala Centre is the least silent of the options, with discussion as an integral part of the learning process. Be honest about where you are. Jumping into extreme silence before you are ready can create more anxiety than peace.

What is your budget? Vipassana is donation-based and therefore accessible to anyone regardless of income. Abbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac asks only for a free-will offering. Shambhala offers sliding scale pricing. Sivananda is mid-range. Le Monastere des Augustines is the most expensive option but provides a heritage experience you cannot find elsewhere in Canada.

Do you need French or English instruction? All of the major centres listed in this guide offer at least some English support. The Montreal-based centres (Shambhala, Zen Centre, Enpuku-ji, MIAM) are fully bilingual. Rural and monastic centres (Abbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac, Sentiers du Silence) operate primarily in French. If English-only instruction matters to you, confirm availability before registering.

Preparing for Your Quebec Meditation Retreat

A little preparation goes a long way in making your retreat experience productive and comfortable.

Start sitting at home. Even 10 to 15 minutes of daily meditation for two weeks before your retreat will make a real difference. Your body will adjust to the posture, and your mind will have some familiarity with the process of settling. If you are looking for local classes to build a foundation, our guide to meditation classes covers how to find quality group instruction.

Get your body ready. Long hours of sitting can be hard on your hips, knees, and back. Gentle yoga and hip-opening stretches in the weeks leading up to your retreat will help. If you have knee or back issues, bring a meditation bench or extra cushions.

Pack smart. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing in layers is essential. Quebec temperatures can swing widely. Bring warm socks, a shawl or blanket for sitting, and walking shoes for outdoor paths. Most centres provide towels and bedding, but check in advance.

Tell someone where you will be. Since many retreats involve giving up your phone, let a family member or friend know the dates and location and provide the centre's phone number for emergencies.

Plan a buffer day after. Do not schedule meetings or social dinners for the evening you return. Give yourself at least one quiet day to transition back to regular life.

Finding a Teacher or Guide for Ongoing Practice

A retreat is a concentrated experience, but the real work happens when you go home. Having a teacher or meditation group to return to makes all the difference in sustaining what you gained.

Most centres listed in this guide offer ongoing programming beyond retreat formats. The Shambhala Centre has regular evening sittings. The Zen centres offer daily zazen. MIAM holds regular group practice. You can also find a local sangha or meditation group in Montreal, Quebec City, or wherever you live to maintain your practice between retreats.

If you want to work with a specific teacher, the process of finding a qualified meditation teacher applies across traditions. Look for someone with direct training in a recognized lineage and years of personal practice. A good teacher will challenge you without overwhelming you.

Quebec's meditation community is close-knit and welcoming. Once you attend one retreat, you will start meeting other practitioners and building a network of people who share your interest in inner work. Understanding the deeper philosophy behind meditation can also enrich both your retreat experience and your daily practice.

Taking the First Step

Choosing a meditation retreat in Quebec is a gift you give yourself. Whether you sit in silence for 10 days at Dhamma Suttama, spend a weekend doing yoga in the Laurentian Mountains at Sivananda, or rest in the quiet stone corridors of Le Monastere des Augustines, you are stepping out of the noise and into something real.

Quebec's retreat landscape is rich, bilingual, and welcoming to all levels. The centres described in this guide have been serving practitioners for years and in some cases for centuries. Pick the one that calls to you, register, and go. The only wrong choice is the one you keep putting off.