STARTING AT $3995

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Maw 18-25, 2024 with Leti Alvarez & Tegan Wylie

8-day France retreat with an experienced Retreat Leader

Max 16 people

International airfare

Alcohol, unless specified

Tips to your local guide, Traverse host, drivers, etc.

Required travel insurance

Arrive at any time in the morning or afternoon at the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS). Transportation is provided from the airport to our centrally located boutique hotel. Once everyone has arrived and settled in, we’ll take a walking orientation of the charming city of Toulouse. Known as La Ville Rose “the pink city”, Toulouse dates back to the height of the Roman Empire’s expansion. We will wander the streets and unveil its secretly epic past relating to World War II, the French aristocracy and most importantly the Cathars, a religious sect from the medieval ages that greatly influenced the cultural landscape of the region. We’ll celebrate the beginning of our French countryside retreat with a seasonal meal in true French style served up with fresh, local ingredients.

Meals: D

This morning wake up to French serenity as we begin our day with a post-travel yoga flow. After breakfast a la frances we’ll get out to learn about one of the hidden gems of southwestern France: pastel. Isatis tinctoria is an unassuming, yellow-flowered plant that has a long and impactful history as the “blue gold” of southwest France. Used as a dye dating back to the 15th century, pastel gained much notoriety in its use by many famous artists including Quentin de la Tour and Davinci. The plant contains the same chemical that produces the “true indigo” from the indigofera tinctoria plant from India that eventually overtook pastel by the 19th century due to trade with the East. In our workshop, we’ll get to see how the brilliant blue dye is for textiles and how the industry is thriving today in and around Toulouse.

After our workshop you can enjoy a leisurely French lunch on the town. Take the afternoon to explore on your own and settle into the relaxed French art of being!

Meals: B

This morning we’ll turn inward for an intention-setting flow before venturing out into the French countryside. We’ll drive about 1½ hours from Toulouse to our French countryside château tucked in the lush forest of this region. Springtime heralds beautiful wildflowers and also brings the scent of fresh elderflower, which locals use to adorn fruit desserts or make an evening aperitif called sambual.

For the next five days, your charming château will be your center of nourishment and restoration. Each morning you can take part in inspiring yoga flow and intention setting practice followed by a nourishing breakfast in a peaceful setting. Each day will include one key activity with free time built around it for you to rest and relax or explore on your own. Lunch options will vary depending on the activity and can range from a picnic from delicious market fare to sit down options in one of the small villages. Dinner is included each evening at our lovely home base and will be based on local, seasonal fare. We can happily accommodate dietary restrictions including vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy or lactose free.

Local villages We will take a day to explore some of the area's most charming villages, including Mirepoix and Foix as well as the medieval city of Carcassonne and famous book village of Montolieu. Steeped in medieval history, Mirepoix was once an important textile center and is noted by its cobblestone streets, charming central square and timber-framed houses in beautiful pastel colors. Much of the woodwork is original, with carvings that tell the stories of days past. The name Mirepoix is also the same one for the French classic recipe base of carrots, onion and celery.

Nearby Foix will take you back in time and give you a glimpse inside the life of the local Ariegeoise community. Visit local boutique shops and markets in the historic center. You can live like a local at one of the French style Brasseries for some local fare and partake in the famous French activity of people watching. We will visit the medieval castle of Foix perched above the city, whose beginnings date back to before the tenth century and was once occupied by the Cathars.

Both Foix and Mirepoix demonstrate the fascinating history of the Ariége department (region) through its various periods which can be seen in its architecture, local culture and stories of the people that live there today.

Village Markets One of the staples of French living, the markets are the heartbeat of commerce in the tiny villages and a place where the community meets up for trade and social interaction. Each spot has their own market rhythm - some weekly, others daily - so we will sprinkle in market visits wherever we can. This is a great spot to stock up on picnic fare such as local French cheeses, crusty bread, cured meats and of course an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Foraging and nature walks Join us on nature walks as we discover all the gifts the local forests have to offer. In the spring we can find an abundance of plants such as wild asparagus, elderflower, wild strawberries and nettle. Many of these plants can be found in forests across the world, giving you the opportunity to take this knowledge and create your own unique relationship with nature and foraging. We will also cover things like best practices, ways to identify and handle wild food and fun ways to use foraged plants to make unique dishes at home. We’ll also learn about other herbs like the famous herbs de Provence blend, that while used in more of a culinary sense today, have roots in ancient healing practices.

Castle Ruin Visits The southwest of France is famous for the multitudes of castles dotting the hillsides and this area is no exception. Though they come with a surprise: The word château in French can be interpreted as castle or a large country house that in ancient times was indeed a castle to those that housed there. Today, many of these castles are more like ruins, with the façade still intact but not the interior. In the mountainous segment of the Pays Cathars (Cathar Country), which stretches from the southern Languedoc region up into the department (region) of Ariege, we will have the chance to explore some of these sites. One will be a short but elevated climb up to the Château de Montségur, the area's most famous Cathar Castle and their last fortress during the Albigensian Crusade (that’s the first crusade ever. In History!). Here we will explore in more depth the story of the Cathars and their rebellion against the Catholic church in the 12th and 13th century. During this time, they almost succeeded in a complete cultural takeover of this region. There are also opportunities to visit other fortress ruins such as Château de Lagarde, Château de Roquefixade and Château de Foix.

French cooking class It may come as a surprise that French cuisine is both simple and complex at the same time. The French take great pride in their ingredients, including French butter (life changing!), wild foraged herbs, and bursts of flavor like the Espelette pepper from the Basque region. One of our evenings will be spent in the kitchen learning the technique of French cooking to bring out the best flavor combinations in such simple yet powerful ingredients. Each tiny department (region) in France is like a microcosm of its own culture. For example, herbs de provence, while used in French-American cooking for all things French, is really a blend specific to the southeast of France (and we are in the southwest). The French are very particular about these things so this is where learning the small nuances is so important.

Long day hike + running trails For the adventurous out there that want an aerobic boost during their retreat, we’ll organize one long hike of about 6-8 miles. The lush landscape of this region is filled with ancient walking and hiking trails that take you into fairy-like forests with streams, flora and fauna that will leave you truly refreshed. For the runners, we can also provide top tips for routes in the area to get your mileage in during your week.

Community Partner Each Traverse trip has a non-profit Community Partner to which a portion of your trip price is donated. Read more about our program here and stay tuned to learn about our French partner!

Meals: B, D daily

Today we’ll wrap up our retreat with a pre-departure flow and a final farewell over a delicious breakfast. We’ll take a van to the Toulouse airport together, arriving by 12:00 noon. Please plan your departure no earlier than 2:30 p.m.

If you’d like to extend your French experience a bit longer, opt to take our optional chocolate and pastry walking tour. French pastries are much more than just butter and flour. Each variety such as the Toulousian fenetra or bite-sized demi-gateaux have their own unique story, steeped in history and tradition and often hyper local. What you’ll find in Toulouse, you won’t find in Paris! Chocolatiers in Toulouse also take their craft seriously, and you’ll find rare combinations like violet-infused or one of our favorites, a chocolate studded with pine nuts and honey.

If you’re up for more indulgence in the evening you can also add on a wine bar excursion to take you to the most happening spots in the city. If you need an extra night in Toulouse we are happy to help make arrangements.

Meals: B

Optional add-ons: Chocolate and pastry walking tour, wine bar tour

You'll be paired with a roommate of your same gender unless you request your own room.

$3995 per person, double occupancy

+$595 'My own room' option

+$100 chocolate and pastry tour on Day 8 - A delightfully indulgent afternoon excursion through the best of Toulouse’s bakeries and chocolate shops with samples and stories through each, approximately 3 hours

+$100 wine bar tour on Day 8 - An early evening hop around Toulouse’s best wine bars during apéro to sip on local wines and learn about how each one has carved out a place for itself in the region. Approximately 2 hours, can follow the pastry tour if you want to do both.

starting at +$220 (3-star) to $400 (4-star) extra night in Toulouse, per room

This retreat is booking up quickly, so we'd recommend soon! The retreat has a maximum of 16 participants.

This retreat starts and end in Toulouse, so you'll arrive/depart from the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS)

YES! Some of the best travel is done by yourself. You have no roles to play and you get to be yourself, explore aspects of yourself in a supportive group setting. And without a doubt, you'll leave with new friends!

The menus always include some vegan and vegetarian choices rotating everyday to provide a wide selection of tasty farm to table French cuisine throughout your stay. The local chefs also cater to visitors who eat gluten-free or have other dietary restrictions. You can let us know your needs in advance and our chefs will prepare for your arrival with many delicious options to choose from.

Of course we love for you take part in all the planned activities, but the retreat is also designed so that you get a break from "all the things." So if that means you want to sleep in rather than do yoga one morning we're in full support!

The official train is the SNFC and you can visit SNFC Connect to buy your tickets. We suggest booking the TGV (high speed train) which takes 4.5 hours to get to Toulouse from Paris. Ticket pricing ranges from 50-120 euro depending on the time of booking. It’s best to book train tickets earlier rather than later.

For all transportation around France, it is always best to be prepared for delays or strikes, as they can happen at any given time especially when the weather is nicer and people move more. Usually if you catch wind of a strike you can go onto the SNFC website since more info on changes will be listed there. It might not happen but it happens enough that you should be aware and be prepared to have patience. If you have an obligation on the other end of your trip, traveling a day early is best as a due diligence.