James Norton visits a Buddhist retreat in France
James Norton has revealed that he visits the south of France to escape the stresses and strains of fame.
James Norton regularly visits a "Buddhist retreat in the south of France".
The 39-year-old actor has a keen interest in Buddhism, and he often goes to the south of France to escape the stresses and strains of the entertainment industry.
During an appearance on the 'Travel Secrets' podcast, James shared: "I go to a Buddhist retreat in the South of France and I study a lot of Buddhism.
"I go to a retreat called Plum Village, which I love. I've been for the last few years. It's in the Dordogne region and it's an amazing experience. I know the community there now and I know the abbot and it's a very special place.
"Thich Nhat Hanh set up this incredible movement - it's a very friendly, very accessible form of Buddhism if you're someone like me who is interested in and knows the value in it but life just always [gets in the way]. It's Buddhist-lite."
James had a "strange time" at school and he embarked on a gap year in Asia before attending university.
The actor now recognises that time as one of the defining periods in his life, explaining that it's shaped his "relationship with the world and travel and [himself ]".
The 'Happy Valley' star - who was born in London, but lived in Yorkshire during his school years - shared: "When I left school, I decided to take a year in between then and university. I really gung-ho about it.
"I did three months working multiple bar jobs - one in a golf club, one in a hotel ... earned about three and a half thousand pounds, and then I just packed a bag and went on a trip for eight months around south Asia on my own ... at 18. It was crazy.
"I can't quite believe how brazen I was. I went to Nepal, Tibet, India - I didn't see a single person I knew for eight months. It was mad. But I realise now how important that trip was for me, in so many ways: my relationship with the world and travel and myself - mostly myself."
