James Norton reveals how travelling shaped his life

James Norton has revealed he frequently retreats to a quiet Buddhist monastery in France to find peace and stay grounded.

The 39-year-old American actor appeared on the latest episode of the Travel Secrets podcast, where he shared how he relaxes himself amid the glitz and glam of the entertainment world.

Norton said, “I go to a Buddhist retreat in the South of France and I study a lot of Buddhism.”

Expanding on this, he added, “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.”

The Grantchester star added, “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.”

Moving forward, Norton talked about how travelling has played a crucial role in his life, as he recounted, “The most important year for me was my gap year. It was huge because I'd had a strange time at school.”

He was admitted to one of the “big boarding schools,” where he enjoyed theatre and music but he “wasn't so good at rugby and I went through puberty really late so it wasn't the most rewarding period for me.”

“Ampleforth was rugby-orientated, lots of testosterone, lots of one-upmanship. It's quite competitive. I did well there, I knuckled down and worked hard, and I did later find my footing in the theatre, but it wasn't the happiest few years.”

However, “When I travelled... I realise in hindsight how much I just needed to get away from everything - be on my own. It really was the making of me. I came back and felt like I'd arrived in adult life.” (sic)

Norton went on to quip that “when I left school, I decided to take a year in between then and university. I really gung-ho about it. 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.”

Years after his first trip, the Happy Valley star now realises the importance of his trip, as it shaped his life in several different ways.

“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,” Norton stated.