Walking Women Only holidays offer guided and self-guided walks based from the Razès gîtes in the heart of the rolling Razès countryside, just 25 minutes south of Carcassonne. Come solo, with partners or friends, we cater for small groups (max 8 sharing).
Over the years, we have met many women who travel solo, taking time out to experience an outer journey that allows them to reflect and grow on their own personal inner journey. We also meet many women who simply treasure quality time with close and special girlfriends, enjoying time and space to re-kindle old bonds or re-affirm and deepen what already exists. Either way, women enjoy spending time together and being guided on walks in new places, through historic lands and diverse cultures, laughing, relaxing and gaining life-enriching experiences in the safety and comfort of an understanding and unassuming female guide.
Best suited for individuals, couples or small groups Walking Women Only holidays are about making the walking choices that suit you and your ideas of well-ness and well-being.
Accommodation in the Razès
There are three gîtes at the Razès – Soujeole, Corbières and La Cour du Blé. Soujeole and Corbières are suitable for singles or couples; La Cour du Blé can accommodate a further 2 to 4 people. Each has its own private entrance, parking, fully equipped kitchen, dining and lounge areas, double bedroom(s) and bath or shower room. Each gîte individually offers privacy and has its own place and space, and yet, all three can be booked together to accommodate for larger groups travelling together.
Each gîte has a double bedroom, bath or shower room, well equipped kitchen, dining and lounge area with TV, DVD and CD player. Full linen and towels are provided at no extra charge. A wide library of books, music and films is also available. The gîtes have heating for those who prefer to sojourn outside the summer months.
Our extensive range of detailed road and walking maps are kept in the grange. A meditation and yoga room is available for use and instruction is optional.
The grange is a great place to meet, eat and get together, offering respite from the summer sun or snug comfort from the wood burner in winter. There are cooking & BBQ facilities here, table-tennis and darts, boules and board games and a washing machine. There are three secluded gardens perfect for outdoor dining or relaxation.
Jo & Bob live in the adjoining property and are only too happy to help with any queries you may have.
If you are hiring a car and wish to explore the local area, your hosts are very happy to give recommendations and make reservations on your behalf. If you’ve already made your own plans or simply don’t want to make any, then you’ll be left tranquil in your own peace and space. If you don’t want to hire a car, we can organise trips to the local shops, markets and castles.
Walking Women Only in the Razès
The Razès is a small rural area in Occitanie, 90 km inland of the French Mediterranean coast and 90 km north of the Pyrenees. It is famed for its birds of prey and wild orchids as well as its beautiful, rolling landscape decorated with hills and dales, valleys and peaks, rivers and streams and clocher-mur style churches. The Razès generally offers easy to moderate terrain.
Depending on the time of year, walkers will typically pass alongside vineyards and fields of sunflower, poppies or barley and over garrigue (scrub) outcrops, through country lanes and woods, past farms and crop fields, hamlets and villages.
Each Walking Women Only holiday affords its own spectacular views of the Malepère Massif and the Corbières region to the East, the spectacular Pyrenees to the South and the Montagne Noire in the Minervois to the North.
Walkers have a choice from 35 circuits and 15 linear trails (ranging from 5–20 km) covering the length and breadth of the gently rolling Razès countryside. A Walking Women Only holiday is about choosing your own routes, walking at your own pace, deciding when you do and don’t want to walk, and whether you want to walk alone or be guided by Jo!
For walkers seeking to find greater balance of mind, body and soul, you may choose to complement your walks with sessions designed to help you re-connect with nature, explore the symbology of nature, or even try out some walking meditations.
Walking Women Only walking holiday itinerary
Jo will give a full briefing prior to each walking day and answer any questions you may have about your chosen route, its distance and difficulty. If you wish to include some walking meditations and/or re-connecting with nature trails, simply ask for more details at the time of booking.
The majority of the walks (excepting the Cathare Castle walks) start from your very doorstep at the Razès Gîtes. Jo leads all the guided walks but if you want to self-guide, detailed maps and route guides are available.
Below is a selection of example walks. Please contact the holiday provider for a personalised itinerary.
EXAMPLE ITINERARY
Day One – Arrival, welcome, drinks and dinner An afternoon stroll around the local Razès countryside if flight schedules permit.
Day Two – Day Seven Example Walks (from over 30 to choose from):
Le Lac de la Pène & Bellegarde (5 or 10 kms) – Starting from your Razès gîte, this is an easy ramble over gently rolling terrain, down country lanes, old railway tracks and through scarcely trodden woodland trails of pine and oak to emerge at the local lake of la Pène – a great stopping place for a picnic, meditation or a leisurely wander through the surrounding woods. You can be sure of the sweet singing of the birds and insects to accompany you along the way. The extended version takes you past vineyards to the neighbouring village of Bellegarde for stunning views of the Pyrenees and back to Escueillens along a converted railway path richly dressed in local flora where hosts of butterflies simply thrive.
Cathare Trails around Lastours (5 or 10 kms) – You may want to walk the longer trail (10 km) which is a circuit leading up to and around the surrounding hills of the Montagne Noire, circling the village itself, to give a fantastic view of the 4 castles of Lastours from the opposing hillside. The trail then leads to and around the heart of the 4 castles themselves.
The route takes you along small country lanes, through centuries-old forest paths which simply ooze with tranquility and well-being. The ascent to and walk around the 4 castles (5 Kms) is not tough but very rewarding in terms of opportunity to see, hear and smell the ever-changing flora and fauna in beautiful and vibrant valleys and mountains, richly imbued with both history and intrigue. The views south towards the Pyrenees are equally spectacular.
For Forest lovers, there are 2 local options (5 and 12 kms) which take you through botanical woods unique to Europe following interpretive trails. The richly resinous scents from a variety of species of hardwoods and softwoods coexisting there punctuate the walk. There are beautiful views of the Pyrenees and a refreshing stop at the edge of the Cascade du Saut-Cani. Both are absolutely perfect for shade in the height of summer!
A section of the Camino GR78 (18 km) – The trail leads you to the GR78, walking parallel to the Pyrenees, following part of the age-old pilgrim’s route, the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. We are not suggesting you go quite that far, but just enjoy the diversity of flora surrounding the peaceful GR78 track as you pass ponds and hamlets, farmyards and garrigue with rolling plains stretching up to the Pyrenees on your left. The medieval town of Mirepoix offers plenty of places for a drink or lunch or to the cathedral. The return walk by foot is along a converted railway path or by car if you’ve had enough!
Day Eight – Breakfast and departure. A possible short walk around the Razès if flight schedules permit.
Dates and Availability
Reconnecting with Nature offers guided and self-guided walking holidays based from the Razès Gîtes are available all-year round – come in the season that best suits you!
You can choose whether you want to come for 7 or 5 days, a long weekend or a month if it suits! You choose how long you wish to stay for and on which days of the week you plan to arrive and depart.
The number of walks you do is entirely up to you. If you want to walk every day, simply choose your circuits and you will be guided by Jo or self-guided if you prefer. If you want to walk every other day and have a rest day in between, the tranquil gardens offer you a beautiful space within which to relax and unwind.
Please contact the holiday provider, through the contact form, for more information.
Additional information
Extras
- Picnic lunch (€10) and/or 3-course evening meal with wine (€25).
- Inclusion of wellbeing activities into your schedule (as listed under the Wellbeing Activities page on our website).
- Inclusion of Day or Half-Day Trips into your schedule (as listed under the Day Trip page on our website).
- Airport pick-up/drop-off from Toulouse, Béziers or Perpignan at an additional supplement of €100.
Please contact the holiday provider, through the contact form below, for more information.
