Are you in need of a reset, a moment to hit the pause button on life? This holiday in France takes you to the southwestern foothills of the French Pyrenees for daily movement, connection with nature, and a chance to restore in an idyllic French countryside château setting. Join and explore a region of France that is a true hidden gem. You’ll discover quaint French villages, stroll through traditional French markets and discover Ariégeoise craftsmanship.
Arrive at any time in the morning or afternoon at the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS). Transportation is provided from the airport to the centrally located boutique hotel. Once everyone has arrived and settled in, you'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.
You 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. You'll celebrate the beginning of your French countryside retreat with a seasonal meal in true French style served up with fresh, local ingredients.
This morning, wake up to French serenity as you begin your day with a post-travel yoga flow. After breakfast a la Frances, you'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 Da Vinci. 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 the workshop, you'll get to see how the brilliant blue dye is used for textiles and how the industry is thriving today in and around Toulouse. After the 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!
This morning you'll turn inward for an intention-setting flow before venturing out into the French countryside. You'll drive about 1.5 hours from Toulouse to the French countryside château nestled 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 the lovely home base and will be based on local, seasonal fare. They can happily accommodate dietary restrictions including vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy or lactose-free.
Each Traverse Journeys trip has a non-profit community partner to which a portion of your trip price is donated.
Today, Traverse Journeys will wrap up the holiday with a pre-departure flow and a final farewell over a delicious breakfast. You'll take a van to the Toulouse airport together, arriving by 12:00 noon. Please plan your departure no earlier than 12:30 pm.
Each day you'll get to move your body through nourishing yoga flows and immersive walks in nature. You'll also visit historical sites and medieval ruins unique to the mid-Pyrenees region. Invoke your inner chef through a French cooking class, learn about ancient French healing traditions through herbs, and participate in a workshop about the historically famous medieval art of dying fabrics with the local pastel plant.
The whole week is steeped in little-known French history and culture - including the art of leisure at your historic château - and fueled with fresh, local and seasonal French cuisine. You'll also have numerous optional activity add-ons such as a wine tour, a chocolate and pastry tour, and a long day hike.
Traverse Journeys would love for you to take part in all the planned activities, but the holiday 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, they're in full support.
If you'd like to extend your French experience a bit longer, opt to take the 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 the local 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, Traverse Journeys is happy to help make arrangements.
Breakfast a la Frances will be served daily during the holiday. 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 the lovely home base and will be based on local, seasonal fare.
Traverse Journeys can happily accommodate dietary restrictions including vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy or lactose free. 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 Traverse Journeys know your needs in advance and their chefs will prepare for your arrival with many delicious options to choose from.
The following meals are included:
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and catered for:
A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price. The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled. The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
