Meet the 102-Year-Old Yoga Teacher Who Proves Age Is Just a Number

Lifestyle News: Charlotte Chopin, a yoga teacher from the Loire region of France, is 102-years-old and has spent decades practicing yoga to keep herself strong, flexible, and alert. She began yoga at 50 and started teaching at 60. She believes her long life is not due to any secret, but rather to enjoying what she does, staying consistent, and living with balance. Her mornings start with a light breakfast, followed by time outdoors and teaching yoga, which she sees as essential to her health. She also values the friendships she has built with her students, who give her energy and encouragement. For Charlotte, living well at an older age is about movement, mindfulness, and meaningful relationships, showing that real vitality is found in both body and mind.

Charlotte Chopin’s yoga in Léré

On a cloudy evening in Léré, a small village in central France, Charlotte Chopin stood in her usual yoga position. Dressed in loose, comfortable clothes, her short white hair slightly messy, she called her class to begin. Though her small frame might suggest weakness, her movements in warrior poses showed the strength and stability she carries in her practice. Since 1982, Charlotte has taught yoga in her village, guiding many students through exercises that improve flexibility, balance, and focus. Her yoga studio, once a police station with peach-colored walls and old cells turned into changing rooms, is a place filled with history and dedication. Her students, aged between 35 and 60, follow her instructions with trust and admiration.

How Charlotte Chopin stays strong, flexible, and resilient

Charlotte first tried yoga at 50 after a friend suggested it as a way to take a break from housework. Soon, it became an important part of her life. By her 60s, she was teaching, finding joy in sharing yoga with others in her community. Now at 102, her classes remain simple but powerful, focusing on stretching, balance, and calm breathing. Even at her age, she moves through poses with surprising ease, shifting from one to the next with perfect control. She believes her good health comes not from any miracle but from steady habits, enjoyment, and a little luck. Her mornings begin with coffee, buttered toast with jam or honey, and sometimes a spoonful of jelly, a small routine that sets her mood for the day. She says, “I don’t have too many problems. I have an activity that I like.” Even after fainting and breaking her sternum in a car accident at 100, she returned to yoga within three months, showing her strength and resilience.

Social bonds and long life

For Charlotte, staying healthy is not just about yoga but also about staying connected with people. Her classes bring a sense of togetherness and support, which studies show can help people live longer. Her students describe her as strict yet kind, always pushing them while also building their confidence. Her son, Claude Chopin, once a physical therapist and skilled yogi himself, says that her love for people shaped how he views aging well. “She loves people,” he explains. “Her way of connecting with others has influenced me more than anything else.” Charlotte’s efforts have even gained wider recognition. At 99, she performed a series of yoga poses on the French TV show La France a un Incroyable Talent, earning praise from the audience, media, and even India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who honored her for promoting yoga worldwide. Today, she continues to inspire, not with fame, but with her discipline and joy in daily life.

Charlotte Chopin’s simple secrets to healthy ageing

Though she has slowed down slightly, teaching only three classes a week instead of practicing every day, Charlotte still shows more strength and flexibility than many much younger people. She no longer does some of the harder poses, such as handstands, but her steady practice proves the lasting power of movement. Her teaching style has stayed nearly the same for decades, showing how repetition and routine build lasting wellness. Charlotte’s way of living may seem simple, but it rests on strong values: regular physical activity, mindful habits, deep social ties, and an attitude of gratitude. At 102, she shows that aging well is not about fighting against time, but about caring for both body and spirit. Her life reminds us that true health is simple, sustainable, and personal.