You Want France. The Real France. Not the Tourist One.
You've imagined it: long lunches at a sun-drenched café, walking cliff paths above a lazy river, buying walnuts from a farmer at a village market, coming home to a stone manor that smells of lavender and old oak. You've imagined it and then wondered if you really want to navigate all of that alone.
That's exactly why We Wander France exists. Our small-group walking retreat in rural France is built for women who are independent at heart but smart enough to know that the best experiences are shared ones. You bring your curiosity. We bring everything else.
I've been a solo female traveler in France for years. I know this landscape the way you know your own neighborhood. I also know that arriving somewhere beautiful alone, with no one to turn to and say "can you believe this place?", that's the part that gets lonely. We fix that.
What Makes This Different for Solo Women Travelers
Solo travelers make up a large part of our group every year. The retreat format, shared meals, guided walks, an intimate house, does the work of bringing people together naturally. No awkward icebreakers required.
Mornings and afternoons are guided and filled. Evenings are entirely yours, linger over wine with the group, explore the village alone, read on the terrace. You decide, every night.
Your guide is a solo female traveler herself. She knows France not as a tourist but as someone who has lived and wandered it for decades. That shapes everything, where we eat, what we skip, what we never miss.
The Dordogne is unhurried, local and warm. Stone villages where everyone knows everyone, markets run by the same family for three generations. One of the safest, most welcoming places I've ever traveled as a woman alone.
"Get out of Paris, people." It's on the back of my business card for a reason. The France that will change you is not in the 8th arrondissement. It's down a gravel lane in the Dordogne, past the walnut trees, at the end of a trail you almost didn't take.
, Your guide, Meghan
What's Included in Your Week
Everything below is taken care of so you can arrive and simply be present. See the full week-by-week itinerary for daily details.
A restored stone manor outside Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. Unpack once. Stay for the week.
Fresh, unhurried mornings at the manor before each day's walk begins.
Multi-course sit-down meals at local restaurants. Long, leisurely and completely French.
3-7 miles daily through forest paths, river valleys and medieval villages.
Getting to trailheads, villages and markets, all handled throughout the week.
A guide who knows the Dordogne deeply, the hidden paths, the best markets, the tables worth waiting for.
Questions Solo Travelers Ask Us Most
You can also browse the full FAQ page for fitness level, what's included and how to book.
Is it safe for a solo woman to travel in France?
Absolutely. I've been a solo female traveler in France for years and have always felt extremely safe. Rural France and the Dordogne in particular, is warm, unhurried and welcoming. The retreat also means you travel with a small group of like-minded women, so you have both independence and companionship.
Will I feel like an outsider if others come as couples or with friends?
Not at all. We Wander France is designed with solo travelers in mind and solo guests make up a large portion of our group every year. Shared meals, guided walks and an intimate house naturally bring people together. Guests who came alone consistently leave as friends.
Are there small group tours in France for women over 50?
Yes, We Wander France is exactly that. Our guests are typically women in their 40s, 50s and 60s who are curious, active and ready for a travel experience that goes beyond sightseeing. The group is small (6-8 people) and the pace is intentional. Read more about the retreat.
What do solo travelers do in the evenings?
Evenings are entirely yours. Explore the village, linger over a glass of local wine, read by the fireplace at the manor or join others for a casual dinner out. There's no pressure and no schedule, just the beauty of a French evening in the Dordogne.
Do I need to speak French?
Not at all. Your guide handles all communication with locals, restaurants and vendors. You get the full French experience, village markets, family-run restaurants, countryside conversations, without any language-barrier stress.
Is there a single supplement for solo travelers?
No. Every traveler gets their own large private room with no single supplement. Many guests travel solo with us every year. Contact us for any specific room arrangements.
- October 12-18, 2026
- Dordogne, France
- 6-8 guests
Your Week in the Dordogne Is Waiting
A small group. A stone manor. Seven days of walking, eating and discovering the France that most travelers never find. Come alone, you won't feel it for long. Limited to 6-8 guests; spots fill early.