Solo Female Travel to southwest France

A Woman’s Guide to Travelling Confidently to a Camino de Santiago Walking Retreat

Quick Summary

Solo female travel to a Camino de Santiago walking retreat in Southwest France is easier than you think. This guide shows you exactly how to navigate from Toulouse to your retreat destination via train to Auch and bus to Nogaro, using Rome2Rio.com for scheduling. More importantly, it reveals why this solo journey becomes the first step in your transformation—building confidence, creating space for reflection, and proving to yourself that you’re capable of far more than you imagined.

Introduction

There’s something magical that happens between booking your flight and stepping off that bus in Nogaro. It’s not just the miles you cover or the connections you make—it’s the quiet revolution that begins the moment you decide to travel alone.

Most women I meet at my Camino retreats tell me the same thing: “The scariest part wasn’t the walking. It was the getting there.” But here’s what they discover, and what Ashley Ross learned on a grey Saturday morning in March—sometimes the journey to find yourself begins long before you lace up your hiking boots.

Ashley’s Story: When Fear Becomes Freedom

Ashley Ross stared at the departure board at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, her phone clutched in one hand and a crumpled printout from Rome2Rio.com in the other. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting everything in that peculiar airport glow that makes 2 PM feel like midnight. Her stomach churned—not from the airline coffee, though that hadn’t helped—but from the voice in her head that had been chattering since she’d left her flat in Manchester.

What if you get lost? What if you miss the connection? What if this whole trip is a disaster?

She’d planned this trip for months, cross-referencing train schedules and bus timetables, even emailing the retreat centre twice to confirm directions. But now, standing in a French airport with her overstuffed rucksack cutting into her shoulders, Ashley felt the familiar weight of second-guessing herself. At forty-two, she was a project manager who could coordinate multinational teams, but somehow buying a train ticket in a foreign language felt insurmountable.

The automated announcement crackled overhead: “Navette pour Toulouse Matabiau, départ dans cinq minutes.” The shuttle to the train station. This was it.

Ashley joined the small queue of travellers, mostly locals with the easy confidence of people who knew exactly where they were going. A woman about her age smiled at her—the kind of warm, knowing smile that transcends language barriers. “First time in Toulouse?” she asked in accented English.

“Yes, I’m… I’m going to Nogaro, actually. For a walking retreat.” The words felt strange in her mouth, like trying on clothes that didn’t quite fit yet.

“Ah, the Camino region! Magnifique. You will love it.” The woman’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Solo?”

Ashley nodded, expecting the familiar look of concern or pity she’d gotten from friends back home. Instead, the woman’s smile widened.

“The best journeys are the ones we take alone, non?”

Twenty minutes later, Ashley stood on Platform B at Toulouse Matabiau station, watching the sleek TER train pull in with a whispered whoosh of air brakes. The Rome2Rio printout had been right—the 15:47 to Auch, just as scheduled. She’d done it. Step one complete.

Finding a window seat, Ashley pressed her face to the glass as the urban sprawl of Toulouse gave way to rolling countryside. The train rocked gently, and for the first time since leaving home, she felt her shoulders drop. Fields of early spring green stretched to the horizon, punctuated by stone farmhouses with terracotta roofs that looked like they’d grown from the earth itself.

An elderly man across the aisle was reading Le Figaro, the pages rustling softly. Two teenage girls shared earbuds, their heads bobbing in synchronised rhythm to music only they could hear. Ashley found herself really looking at these strangers, these fellow travellers, in a way she rarely did at home. When was the last time she’d sat still long enough to simply observe the world?

The conductor’s voice, melodic and unhurried, announced: “Auch, terminus. Tout le monde descend.”

Ashley gathered her things with the practised efficiency of a business traveller, but her heart was beating faster now. This was the connection point—the place where careful planning met actual adventure. The bus to Nogaro would be her final leap of faith.

Auch station was smaller than she’d expected, more like a large village stop than the transport hub she’d imagined. But there it was—the blue and white bus bearing the LiO logo, exactly as described on her Rome2Rio itinerary. She approached the driver, a man with kind eyes and weathered hands.

“Nogaro?” she asked, holding up her phone with the retreat centre’s address.

“Oui, en effet. Twenty minutes,” he replied in English, then added with a grin, “You are not the first pilgrim I take there, madame.”

As the bus wound through villages that seemed plucked from a storybook—St Jean de Poutge with its medieval church spire, Demu with its vine-covered stone walls—Ashley felt something shift inside her chest. The anxious knot that had lived there for months was loosening, replaced by something lighter, more expansive.

She thought about her friends back home, probably settling in for Saturday evening television, and felt not homesickness but a surprising surge of gratitude. For the first time in years, she was completely present, completely here. The bus smelled faintly of diesel and the lavender soap the cleaning lady used. Outside, the late afternoon sun painted everything golden, and she could almost taste the spring air through the slightly open window.

When the bus pulled into Nogaro’s small town centre, Ashley saw a woman next to a black Mini and a warm smile holding a sign with her name on it. But more than that, she saw herself reflected in the bus window—the same face that had stared nervously at the departure board hours earlier, now relaxed, eyes bright with possibility.

“Ashley! Welcome to Nogaro,” the woman called out. “How was your journey?”

“Perfect,” Ashley heard herself say, and realised she meant it. “Absolutely perfect.”

As she stepped off that bus, rucksack in hand and mud from three different regions on her boots, Ashley Ross understood something profound: she hadn’t just navigated French public transport. She’d navigated fear itself and come out the other side stronger, more confident, more herself than she’d been in years.

The walking retreat would be transformative, yes. But the transformation had already begun somewhere between Toulouse and Auch, in that quiet space between leaving the familiar and embracing the unknown.

Five Key Takeaways for Your Solo Journey

1. Planning Is Your Confidence Builder

Rome2Rio.com isn’t just a travel tool—it’s your anxiety antidote. When you can see exactly how to get from Point A to Point B, including real-time schedules and platform numbers, you’re not just prepared; you’re empowered. Print backup copies, screenshot important details, and remember: every successful solo traveller was once a first-time solo traveller.

2. Saturday Travel Is Your Secret Weapon

Weekend travel in Southwest France operates on a gentler rhythm. Trains run less frequently but crowds are lighter, connections are more relaxed, and locals are often more patient with travellers. That Saturday afternoon TER train to Auch becomes a moving meditation rather than a rush-hour ordeal.

3. Small Talk, Big Impact

Those brief conversations with fellow travellers—the woman at the airport shuttle, the bus driver who’s seen dozens of pilgrims—become tiny bridges over the gap between anxiety and confidence. Don’t underestimate the power of a shared smile or a simple question. Connection is the antidote to solo travel fears.

4. Your Senses Are Your Anchors

When your mind spirals into “what-ifs,” ground yourself in physical reality. The rumble of train wheels, the scent of countryside air, the warmth of afternoon sun through the window—these sensory experiences pull you out of anxious thoughts and into the present moment.

5. The Journey IS the Destination

Your retreat begins the moment you board that first shuttle, not when you arrive at the centre. Every connection made, every small challenge overcome, every moment of presence cultivated during travel becomes part of your transformative experience

Narrative Journaling Prompt

“Write about a time you felt most proud of yourself for doing something that scared you. Now imagine yourself one year from now, writing about this solo journey to your Camino retreat. What would that future self want to tell you right now about courage, capability, and the magic of solo travel? Write that letter to yourself.”

The “Five Senses Travel Log”

During your journey, pause at each connection point and note:

• What you see (colors, faces, landscapes)
• What you hear (languages, sounds, silence)
• What you smell (coffee, countryside, new places)
• What you touch (textures, temperatures, your own steady heartbeat)
• What you taste (anticipation, freedom, your morning coffee)

This practice transforms travel anxiety into mindful awareness.

The Confidence Compass Exercise

Before leaving home, write down three things you’re worried about regarding solo travel. Seal them in an envelope. When you arrive at your retreat, open the envelope and reflect on how you’ve already overcome each concern. This becomes powerful evidence of your resilience.

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” — Tim Cahill

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” — Augustine of Hippo

Further Reading

Books

• “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed – The ultimate solo journey memoir
• “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert – Finding yourself through solo travel
• “The Art of Not Being Governed” by James C. Scott – On the freedom of movement
• “A Field Guide to Getting Lost” by Rebecca Solnit – Embracing uncertainty as adventure

Articles & Resources

• Rome2Rio.com Travel Guide: France Public Transport
• The Solo Female Traveller’s Handbook (online resource)
• Camino de Santiago: A Comprehensive Guide by Gitlitz and Davidson
• Women’s Solo Travel Safety: European Edition (travel blog compilation)

Documentaries

• “The Way” (2010) – A father’s Camino journey
• “Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago” (2013) – Multiple pilgrims’ stories

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if I miss a connection on Saturday?

A: Weekend schedules are more forgiving than weekday rush. Rome2Rio shows alternative routes, and most connections have 30-45 minute buffers. Plus, missing a connection often leads to unexpected discoveries—that extra coffee in Auch station might be exactly what you need.

Q: Do I need to speak French to navigate public transport?

A: Not at all! Transport workers in Southwest France are accustomed to international pilgrims. Key phrases help (platform = “quai,” bus = “autobus”), but pointing, smiling, and showing your destination on your phone work wonderfully. Most signage includes English or universal symbols.

Q: Is it safe for women to travel alone to rural France?

A: Southwest France has extremely low crime rates and a strong tradition of hospitality toward pilgrims. Train conductors and bus drivers look out for solo travellers, locals are genuinely helpful, and the Camino region specifically welcomes individual journeyers. Trust your instincts, stay aware, and remember—thousands of women make this journey safely every year.

Q: What happens if the Rome2Rio information is wrong?

A: Rome2Rio is generally accurate for French public transport, but always have Plan B. Download the SNCF Connect app for real-time train updates and the Citymapper app for local connections. Most importantly, build buffer time into your schedule—rushing creates stress, while patience creates space for serendipity.

Q: How do I overcome the fear of travelling alone?

A: Start by reframing the narrative. You’re not “travelling alone”—you’re travelling independently, courageously, authentically. Every solo traveller feels nervous initially; it’s normal and temporary. Focus on the skills you already have (you navigate your daily life successfully!), prepare thoroughly, and remember that confidence comes from action, not the absence of fear.

Your Next Step Forward

Here’s the beautiful truth about solo travel to a Camino walking retreat: the journey tests you gently, builds your confidence gradually, and rewards you abundantly. Every woman who’s made this trip—from nervous first-timers to seasoned solo travellers—discovers the same thing: you’re far more capable than you ever imagined.

Your path to Southwest France isn’t just about trains and buses and connections. It’s about connecting with your own courage, your own resilience, your own capacity for growth. The walking retreat will nourish your soul, yes. But this solo journey? This is where you discover that you already have everything you need within you.

The trains are running, the buses are waiting, and your seat is reserved. The only question is: are you ready to claim it?

Ready to take that first brave step? Join us for a transformative Camino de Santiago walking retreat in the stunning Southwest French countryside. Our stress-relief retreats combine gentle hiking, mindful practices, and the profound peace of the pilgrim’s path. Small groups, expert guidance, and a warm community of like-minded women await you.

Discover more about our upcoming retreats by clicking here. Your path to inner peace begins with a single step—and we’ll be there to welcome you when you arrive.