Congratulations Kathy & Charley

Blog readers might wonder what this means, but everyone within the Slow Travel Tours group knows.  Earlier this week Kathy revealed to us that The Luberon Experience had been selected for a prestigious National Geographic Award and this seemed the most appropriate way for the rest of us to congratulate them publicly – it was no easy ride achieving this accolade.

National Geographic Traveler Magazine 50 Tours of a Lifetime (photo courtesy of National Geographic)

Each year National Geographic hand pick tours from a myriad entries and home in on those they regard as worthy of being included in their ’50 Tours of a Lifetime’ which are featured in their Traveler magazine.  It must have been an agonising wait from Christmas until early April, but then the great news came via email: this year The Luberon Experience is one of the companies to wear this crown.  The 50 selected Tours are world wide and this year’s selection is revealed in the May issue of the Traveler Magazine.

This is how National Geographic describes the Tours they are looking for:

“They offer a short but deep dive into far-flung cultures and transformative experiences. We looked for tours (including volunteer, adventure, family, and small-ship trips) designed for experience, immersion, sustainability, and cultural connection.” and “An antidote to the average”

Obviously Kathy & Charley’s Luberon Experience Tours fit this bill and it’s true to say that all the Tours offered by Slow Travel Tour group members do too.  But to be selected for such an award is irrefutable confirmation that those ‘returners’ are right – a Tour with Kathy & Charley is a life-changing and memorable experience.

This is just one comment from Kathy & Charley’s Travelers’ Feedback Page:

“I felt like a traveler, not a tourist… seeing those things most people do not. Goat farms, family homes, private vineyard tours… they all topped all expectations. I loved the feeling of being a “local”. 

Nick from Massachusetts, USA

Everyone in the Slow Travel Tours group works tremendously hard to put together unique Tours and importantly, Tours are led by the group members – right from the start you deal with the person you will be touring with.  Kathy and Charley have a time proven track record and many ‘returners’ on their tours, what better recommendation can there be? But again, all the members have excellent track records too – take a look at any of the groups’ websites and you’ll find glowing comments from past visitors.

Visitors’ comments are appreciated and cherished; this is just one example from our Visitors Book that you can see on our website:

“There is an old Van Morrison song called “Enlightenment” – this one word that so well describes my 6 days staying in your lovely home – drinking your Pineau! Eating absolutely splendid meals created both by Judie and also by your friends at local restaurants (beef cheeks? Who knew?!) and of course, being chauffeured and guided by archaeologist extraordinaire – Steve!  The caves, the castles – the emotion and enthusiasm you brought with you to each site was truly infectious and will change the way I view our world, our past, as humans. Thank you both so much for enlightening me with this knowledge and your passions. I truly am changed (for the better!) for this adventure. I will be back someday!”         

            Sandy, Colorado, USA, April 2011

Selection is no lottery!  All entries are screened and sifted, checked and rechecked. As Kathy told us “we filled out the extensive questionnaire and made it through to the next round when we were asked to send photos and captions”

That’s a lot of hard work!  I once asked Kathy if she ever slept – she is a major contributor to STT as well as organising and running the Tours with Charley – her days seem to have more hours than mine!  Her answer was “I fortunately need very little sleep”.   I believe it!  She is so committed to everything she is involved with.

Kathy, Charley – we all applaud you.  You run great Tours and this Award substantiates what your previous visitors and we your fellow group members know: you are truly dedicated to what you do and also work incredibly hard to promote and develop your Tours.

It has been suggested that other members of the Group should try for this prestigious award next year.  Having one member of the group recognised in this way is tremendous – if others of us could join you up there, it would be phenomenal!

Watch this space….

In the meantime, again congratulations to you both from all your fellow members of Slow Travel Tours.

Steve and Judie Burman live in the beautiful Vezere Valley in the Dordogne region of South-West France. Together they run Caves and Castles, specialising in prehistoric Cave Art and medieval Castles Tours. Small groups tours (up to six people) are based at their recently converted farmhouse. Alternatively, they offer non-residential tours for a day or longer.

Professional archaeologist, Steve and his wife Judie love to share their passion for the ‘Cradle of Humanity.’ World famous sites such as Lascaux, the ‘Sistine Chapel of Prehistory’ and Font de Gaume are close by. Coupled with gastronomic meals and superb wines, your Caves & Castles Tour is really special

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

… the “coquelicots” that bloom in May.

Farmers plant fields of poppies just for their beauty.

We can always find poppies around Bonnieux and Lacoste…

… and near colorful Roussillon across the valley.

The poppies offer some of the best photo ops in Provence…

Everyone loves the poppies in Provence. 

Poppies make people smile.

Some people lie in the poppies. Some seem to swim through the flowers.

And some can’t help skipping.

Some poppies share their field with other flowers.

Some poppies are sown by the wind, growing here and there…

… along a wall

… near an ancient bridge

… around castle ruins…

… and among the vines.

Later in summer, we sometimes see poppies and lavender together.

Our friend Françoise painted this picture of Bonnieux and the poppies. It hangs in our home, a reminder of a special friend, a special place, a special time of year.

Reminding us that soon we’ll be back in Provence with the poppies again.

Kathy Wood and her husband Charley lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France.

In 2012 Kathy and Charley are hosting groups in the Luberon, the Chianti region of Tuscany, and the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Their 2013 trips will include the Luberon, the Cotswolds in England, and a new trip—The Périgord Experience—in the Dordogne region of southwest France.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for over 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with other travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

Although most of our European Experiences weeks are open to anyone, we do offer some trips for a very special group: women travelers. We’ve already designated our May 19-26, 2012 Luberon Experience trip as a special Women’s Week. We’re also considering opening up a second Women’s Week in the Chianti region of Tuscany the week of June 9-16.

Laughing in the Luberon (photo contest winner by Lindsay)

Women’s Week is very important to me personally… it’s the trip I’d always dreamed of! I met Charley when I was 35 and we got married the next year. Before then I’d always wanted to go to Europe, but I didn’t have anyone to go with.  After Charley and I got married and started traveling together, I met many women who wanted to travel abroad but didn’t want to go alone or end up on a tour surrounded by couples. My European travel experiences had such an impact on me, and I really wanted to help more women travel and especially to experience our beautiful area of Provence. So when we started European Experiences, Charley and I decided to designate at least one of our weeks each year as a “Women’s Week.” He and I both really look forward to these groups.

Lisa traveled solo from Australia

Since our first Luberon Experience Women’s Week in 2007, our all-women groups have included women of all ages, from all over the USA, Australia and Canada. Our women’s groups have included solo travelers, college roommates, friends, mothers and daughters, and sisters. These groups bond very quickly, and in just a few hours, everyone is among friends. I love being part of these groups.

I asked several women who have been part of our Womens Weeks groups to share more about their experiences:

“We had organized a group of girlfriends. My friend Lavonne suggested we do a girls’ trip to Provence and I found Kathy and Charley’s week to be a perfect fit. We all loved visiting gardens, shopping in charming markets, dining on great food and fabulous wines, laughing, and exploring lovely Provence with our experienced guides who took us to the best of the best. It was worry free–no decisions, just have fun. I especially spending the week with my sister who had never travelled abroad.” (Lindsay – California)

Sharing the Luberon with new friends

“I’m not a big traveler and this was my first trip to Europe. My husband doesn’t travel at all but my sister Eileen is an experienced traveler. The Luberon Experience Women’s Week was exactly what we needed for my first trip abroad. I did not have to decide where to eat, what to see, and most of all how to get around in a foreign country.

Our group included another pair of sisters, a mother and daughter, two childhood friends, and one single traveler. We mixed and mingled all week, and many of us still keep in touch. I think Women’s Week is a fabulous idea for a female single traveler.  I’ll do another trip with Kathy and Charley. I would not hesitate to go alone because I know once I am introduced to the group, I’ll have companions for the week and friends for a lifetime.” (Lorraine – South Carolina)

“As I was travelling on my own, I thought it more likely that within an all women’s group I would be included by others in activities in the non-structured tour times. I was right. I loved the flexibility. If in the free time I wanted to read a book or have a sleep, I could. Or if I wanted to go for a walk, go shopping or go to a café or restaurant, there always seemed to be someone else to share this experience with. Everyone got along together very well. It was great getting to know everyone and sharing our life stories. I felt there developed over the week a very strong sense of companionship within this lovely group of women with such different lives. We enjoyed a lot of laughter and good times – who could forget our wonderful lunch with our host playing the guitar and singing whilst some of the group danced!” (Lisa – Queensland, Australia)

Anne enjoyed the trip with her mom

Sisters Cathy and Ginny had an adventure

“My mother and I chose the Women’s Week tour because it seemed so very appropriate for us as a mother/daughter duo. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with other women and each other. I really enjoyed the feeling of camaraderie in our group. There was a feeling of easy companionship, a feeling of acceptance, and at times a shared joy in the experience. One special memory is the ‘on your own’ evening meal my mom and I shared with two of the women we met in our group. We ate at the restaurant across the street from our B&B. We laughed and celebrated, sharing amazing conversation, food and wine.” (Anne – Minnesota)

“My sister Ginny and I wanted a small group tour in Provence and The Luberon Experience had everything we wanted. We also wanted to be in Paris on my 50th birthday and in Provence the next week. It happened to work out for us that it was Women’s Week.  I think we would have come regardless of that, but it really was a lot of fun. The women in the group seemed to be interested in the same types of things for the most part. We were very cohesive.” (Cathy – Iowa)

This was definitely a memorable Women's Week!

Valerie joined us for Women’s Week in 2009 and enjoyed it so much that she and her friend Julie came back this summer for one of our other Luberon Experience groups. “The women’s trip was a chance for all of us women to eat as much as we like, drink as much as we like, shop till we drop, and even have a beer and play cards, all while enjoying the most lovely place on earth. The trips themselves were the two best I ever had…well-orchestrated, friendly, fun-filled and full of warmth and charm.” (Valerie – Montana)

An all-women's group with Adventures in Italy

Fellow Slow Travel tour leader Kristi Steiner and her husband Bill of Adventures in Italy also often host all-women’s group and she beautifully describes what we’ve experienced in our Women’s Week. “Because most of our trips focus on exploring a creative art form while in Italy, our guests are often women. We see their level of sharing, of connecting, and of relaxing comfortably in this foreign land heightened by being with other women. Total strangers almost instantly become friends and often stay in close touch upon returning home.  We love our all-women’s groups because of the beautiful transformations we witness during their week with us.  We see the stress, the responsibilities, the worries of the world peel off weary shoulders day by enchanted day.  At the end of their trip, most women are glowing with a new found vibrancy and zest for life.”

Our 2010 Women's Week group in Provence

Whether you’re a woman traveling on your own or with a friend, sister, mother or daughter, an all-women’s tour could be just the trip you’ve always dreamed of! Or think about the special women in your life; this might also be the ideal type of trip for them.
 

Kathy Wood and her husband Charley lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France.

In 2012 Kathy and Charley are hosting groups in the Luberon, the Chianti region of Tuscany, and the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Their 2013 trips will include the Luberon, the Cotswolds in England, and a new trip—The Périgord Experience—in the Dordogne region of southwest France.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for over 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with other travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

So for this post I again asked other Slow Travel Tours leaders to join me, this time for a discussion about how to dress for a European vacation. Obviously this depends on your personal style, where you’ll be, what you’ll be doing, and the time of year, but our group offers some very helpful ideas—whether you’re part of a small group tour or traveling on your own.

If you’re traveling in Europe on a small group tour, always pay attention to the guidance provided by your trip leader. They will give you excellent information about the weather and what kinds of clothes you’ll need for your activities.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

How should people dress for a trip like yours? 

Cheryl Alexander (Italian Excursion): We stay in the Italian countryside so it’s appropriate to dress casually.  Jeans, khaki pants, t-shirts, cotton shirts or blouses, sturdy shoes (I recommend bringing only 2 pair of “broken in shoes) are all on our list of what to wear.  We may only dress up for dinner once (if at all) on a tour, and I just recommend adding a pretty wrap or scarf for women and a button or polo shirt for men.

Dress casually for the countryside

Anne Woodyard (Music and Markets): Our trips involve concerts and sometimes are based in major cities. For summer tours we suggest our travelers bring a cool brimmed hat, comfortable walking sandals for the day, and cool, casually dressy outfits for concerts, with a light shawl or sweater for cool evenings.

For winter tours we suggest travelers bring a small umbrella, a warm coat, gloves, and scarf, comfortable walking shoes, and casually dressy outfits – such as slacks or skirt and a long-sleeved nice top – for evening events. New Year’s Eve dinner and jazz is our dressiest event. We spend a good amount of time outside walking on our tours, but restaurants and shops can sometimes be heated to an almost uncomfortable warmth, so layering is always a good idea.

Bill Steiner (Adventures in Italy): We encourage people to think layers and to bring, at most, one more- formal outfit. Our trips are relaxed and don’t require fancy clothes. Think about clothes that all go well together. Then add or shed a layer to stay comfortable.

Matt Daub (Arts Sojourn): No matter where you are going, or for how long, there is no need to bring more than just a few changes of clothes. Select items of clothing that coordinate so that you can make it appear that you have more outfits than you actually do.

Kathy Wood (European Experiences): Our European Experiences trips are based in the countryside, where dress is practical and informal. Women don’t need dressy clothes, heeled shoes, or expensive jewelry. We’ve rarely seen a man in a tie on any of our trips—even at the very best restaurants—and most don’t even wear a sports jacket.

We ask people in our groups to dress comfortably and informally. You want to be neat and tasteful, definitely not sloppy-casual, and a good representative of your own country. Jeans, khakis and hiking pants are fine, and shorts of a respectable length are fine on warmer days, especially for active days. I wouldn’t bring more than one pair of jeans though, as they are bulky and heavy and difficult to handwash and dry. Capris are a great alternative for women in warm weather. Black and khaki capris are great basics to include for travel May through September.

For men, slacks, khakis or jeans are fine, with a button shirt or polo shirt. In Europe you’ll also see a lot of men in midcalf-length pants in the warmer months, and these are very popular for hiking. I’d stay away from gaudy or bold patterns in shirts and if you wear a t-shirt, choose something simple—not a loud logo.

Personally, I wear a lot of black that I accessorize with different tops and scarves, often layering tops. I’ll take a few pairs of black pants (black jeans and dress pants) and couple pairs of black or khaki capris, two or three pairs of black shoes. That keeps things very simple.

Buy scarves to vary your wardrobe

Heather Jarman: (Sapori e Saperi) Dress in Italy is very casual. You can wear jeans (though maybe not shorts) even to the opera or to a Michelin-star restaurant. I recommend that people bring layers which they can add on chilly nights and peel off on warm days. I supply umbrellas to my guests, but a light waterproof jacket is more comfortable if you’re caught in a shower in the woods. Comfortable walking shoes or sandals are essential, because even in towns many streets are steep and cobbled and walking on them feels a bit like mountain climbing.

What types of clothes do you recommend people bring for your trips? 

Bill Steiner: We travel in the shoulder seasons when the weather is neither hot nor cold. Consequently we recommend casual, comfortable, and breathable. A rain jacket, which can double as a light coat and a crushable hat are useful to deal with the elements. Comfortable walking shoes are a must, and I prefer thick socks that wick moisture away.

Kathy Wood: Lightweight, comfortable, casual, tasteful. Neutral colors that mix and match, perhaps with one or two accent colors. Simple accessories. Layers to add or subtract based on the weather.

Bring clothes you can layer up or down

You always need a jacket or sweater for the possibility of cooler days and evenings. Women can bring (or buy) a big scarf or shawl.

You’ll walk a lot on any European vacation, so it’s absolutely essential to have good walking shoes that are well broken-in… shoes that will enable you to walk safely on uneven surfaces like cobblestone streets or gravel tracks. There’s no need to bring heeled shoes as they just aren’t practical. Sturdy sandals are fine in the warmer months, but women should always bring one pair of closed toe walking shoes for the possibility of cooler days and evenings. If you have to buy shoes in Europe, they can be quite expensive.

Heather Jarman: If people are coming on one of our tours with a truffle hunt, then they need long trousers, socks and sturdy shoes. In October last year, five Australians and two Americans set off with Gianni and his dog into the brambles in search of these precious nuggets. The Australians were all wearing shorts or skirts and sandals without socks; the Americans were wearing sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. When they returned, the Australians legs had been shredded, but they bore their wounds bravely and swore they’d enjoyed every minute of it, especially later when eating the truffles.

Judie Burman (Caves & Castles): We always advise our guests to bring casual clothing – adaptable for varying temperatures. When it’s hot outside, the caves feel cool so a jacket, fleece or cardigan is necessary. And, of course, a waterproof is advisable – just in case.

Our tours are very relaxed. Most guests prefer to change in the evenings, especially if we’re going out, but if they choose not to, that’s fine. Equally, some people like to dress up a bit more to visit restaurants – that’s fine too.  It’s what they’re comfortable with. We don’t mind and the restaurateurs don’t mind; they understand people are on holiday.

Footwear is important. Again the key word is comfort, but firm soles are necessary for walking on rough ground, although walking boots are not necessary. They’re not always comfortable for travelling in and are bulky to pack.

We always recommend travelling light. We were most impressed by a young graphic artist who was with us for a week-long tour. She’d travelled from the States, stayed over in Paris and just had a carryon roller case, but she had everything she needed, including her sketching materials!

Do you find that some travelers have misperceptions about how to dress in Europe? 

Cheryl Alexander: Yes, many folks have an impression of formality that is no longer present in Europe unless one is traveling at a higher level of luxury travel.  There are some small, exclusive cruise ships that require guests to “dress” for dinner.  Our trips do not require that level of sophistication.  It’s easy to dress up a woman’s outfit with a colorful wrap or scarf or interesting costume jewelry.

There are certainly some high-end restaurants in the major cities where it would be appropriate to dress up more, but most restaurants are very casual about their presentation as they are family run and tend to know all their local customers.  Having said all of that, it does seem that the older Italian generation tends to be less casual in their attire.  You will always see some of the older women who only wear dresses and men who wear only slacks, not jeans.

Bill Steiner: Every country has its own style of dress, often quite recognizable. Americans tend to be much more casual than Europeans. Because we are visitors, I try to at least respect local tradition. In Europe, I think this means casual but a little more covered up than we would dress in the U.S.

Heather Jarman: My gastronomic tours all take place in Italy, which many people believe to be uniformly hot and sunny in every season. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Around Lucca, in northern Tuscany, where most of my tours are based, we have lots of rain and sometimes snow between November and March. Temperatures often hover around 0?C (32?F) for weeks at a time. We also often have some rain in May and June and again in September, but we welcome this since it produces delectable porcini in the woods. But it would be a shame to miss winter here; there are many chestnut festivals, Christmas fairs and even a soup competition. Dressed properly, you can stay warm and dry, and indoors you’ll usually find a cheering log fire to sit round.

Kathy Wood: Some people do think that the dress in the south of France is much more sophisticated. That may be true down on the Côte d’Azur, but in our small Luberon village and on all our European Experience trips, dress is more informal and functional. Some people think “cruise wear” might work for a European vacation, but I think those bright colors and patterns are too bold and conspicuous in the areas where we travel. I tend to avoid the super bright colors that you sometimes see in American clothing.

We had three women in one of our early groups who admitted they had not read the materials we sent about preparing for our trip. They based their wardrobes on a certain image of southern France that was more appropriate for the coast in July or August. For our early May trip, they brought mostly pretty flowing sundresses (sleeveless) and little flip flop shoes. This didn’t work at all for the weather or the walking. They all had to buy several items of warmer, more practical clothing. One of the women had a blanket from her Air France flight that she wore one night a wrap… hardly the stylish look she had hoped for! And the flip flop shoes really cute but definitely not practical!
 

Kathy Wood and her husband Charley lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France.

In 2012 Kathy and Charley are hosting groups in the Luberon, the Chianti region of Tuscany, and the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Their 2013 trips will include the Luberon, the Cotswolds in England, and a new trip—The Périgord Experience—in the Dordogne region of southwest France.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for over 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with other travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

In our last post we provided some background about the markets of Provence. In this post we’ll focus more specifically on what to buy and how to shop at the markets.

What to Buy

The larger markets (Apt, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Aix-en-Provence, St. Remy-de-Provence) have hundreds of sellers, meeting the needs of locals and tourists, especially during the summer months. Here are our suggestions of some of the best offerings at the markets:

Food to eat during your stay: fresh fruits and vegetables—whatever is in season; fresh eggs; mushrooms; cheese (including locally-produced goat cheese); meat, poultry and fish; bread and baked goods; olives, fresh tapenades, and other spreads; nuts; dried sausages.  In the Luberon we love to buy local produce, often direct from the farmers:  the small, sweet melons from Cavaillon, strawberries from Carpentras, cherries from the Calavon valley around Apt, and tomatoes from Bonnieux.

Summer fruit at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Food products to take home:  locally-produced honey in many flavors; jams and other preserves; herbs and spices; olive oil (much of it local); jars of dips and spreads.

Prepared foods for a picnic: rotisserie chicken and other meats, roasted potatoes, asian food, pizza from the pizza trucks, paella, tarts and cakes.  (See our post A Picnic in Provence for more ideas for a picnic lunch from the market.)

Wine from local wineries. (Tastings are probably available!)

A bouquet of flowers to brighten up your rental house or B&B room.

Pottery: dishes, bowls, pitchers, olive oil containers, olive dishes.

Olive wood products: cutting boards, bowls, spreaders, spoons and other utensils.

Artwork: paintings, sketches and photographs, usually sold by the artist.

Handmade jewelry: necklaces, earrings, brooches, beads.  The best thing about buying jewelry is that it takes up very little room in your suitcase.

Fabric products in bright Provençal patterns and colors: tablecloths, napkins, placemats, bread baskets, potholders, dish towels, aprons. (I buy lots of the Jacquard dish towels to take home as gifts during the year.) Measure your table in centimeters before you go, though typically you just need to know the shape (round, oval, square or rectangular) and the number of people the table seats.

Clothes:  tops, dresses, even underwear at a variety of prices.  The women in our groups especially enjoy shopping for scarves, which is a distinctly-French purchase.   If you’ve forgotten something, you can also find “flea market” clothes at very reasonable prices.

Straw baskets and hats of all types and sizes.

Lavender: dried bouquets, oils, and sachets.

Soaps and oils: in a variety of scents.

Flea market finds: hardware and tools; kitchenware and gadgets; perfumes; clothes; socks and shoes; books and music; children’s toys. Sometimes you can find some real deals.

Brocante: A friend once described “brocante” as somewhere between “antiques” and “junk.”  Some markets have brocante sellers, offering a variety of older collectible items, perhaps from grandmother’s attic.  At the famous L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue market on Sunday mornings, there’s an entire area of brocante.  You might find something interesting to take home.

How to Shop

Bring a basket or bag to carry your purchases, as you’ll likely accumulate a number of small bags during your morning at the market. There might be a basket in your rental house; if not, buy one at the market. (Then use your new basket as a carryon bag to transport purchases home.)

Take small bills and change. Credit cards are normally not accepted by market sellers. Use 20 euro notes from ATM machines in restaurants and shops, and hold onto smaller notes and coins for the market. The seller will usually give you a register ticket with the total price. If you don’t understand the price or can’t figure out the money, ask the seller to help you pick out the right coins.

Buy what you like when you see it. In the big markets, it it’s usually impossible to find your way back to a particular tablecloth stand after you’ve looked at tablecloths at six other stands all over town.

Speak some French, even if it’s just a few words. You’ll be more respected for your efforts than if you just burst out in English. If you try to speak French (and it will be very clear that you aren’t French), the seller will often respond in English if they can.  Many market sellers do speak some English. It’s also amazing what can be communicated in sign language.

Be polite and respectful. Use the basic French terms of courtesy that hopefully you have learned. Wait until it is your turn to get help and then know what you want. Say “Bonjour Madame” or “Bonjour Monsieur” before placing your order. Smile.  Communicate your order in French or sign language and be sure to say “s’il vous plait.” And then complete your transaction with “Merci beaucoup, Monsieur” and “Au revoir” or perhaps even “Bonne journee.” (Have a good day.)

Be positive, even if you sometimes feel frustrated. And if you have anything negative to say (about the market, the village, the products, the prices, France in general, etc.), hold your thoughts and express them to others in the privacy of your car. room or house. Don’t assume that no one can understand you if you speak English—the likelihood is that someone within earshot will hear you and very possibly take offense.

Be careful about touching food If there are little baskets set among the produce, it’s okay to pick the produce you want. Put it all in the basket and then have it weighed. If there aren’t any baskets, the seller probably doesn’t want you to handle the produce. When it’s your turn, say what you want (or point with a big “s’il vous plait”). The seller will pick the right produce for you, sometimes even asking when you plan to use it so he or she can make the best selection for your needs.

Ask before you rummage through carefully arranged merchandise, like tablecloths. (Ask in sign language if you don’t know the words.) Often the seller will prefer to show you the merchandise.

Be sensitive about negotiating. Negotiating is not really part of the process here like it is in some other countries. Prices are normally clearly marked, sometimes with a quantity discount. If you are buying several of the same item (like six aprons) or if an item is damaged, you can always inquire if a lower price is possible, but don’t push or take offense.

Provence is truly a sensory delight of colors and tastes and scents, and it all seems heightened at the marketplace. What else can fit in that new straw bag? There are so many choices of items uniquely Provence… a bottle of locally-produced olive oil or wine, a few pots of tapenade or honey, a sackcloth bag of herbes de Provence, an assortment of olive oil soaps, a fabric-covered lavender sachet…enjoy shopping for the tastes. aromas and textures of Provence to take back home and savor your memories.

Kathy Wood and her husband Charley lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France.

In 2012 Kathy and Charley are hosting groups in the Luberon, the Chianti region of Tuscany, and the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Their 2013 trips will include the Luberon, the Cotswolds in England, and a new trip—The Périgord Experience—in the Dordogne region of southwest France.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for over 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with other travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

We love shopping at the outdoor markets in Provence. We love the busy, social environment; the interaction with sellers we’ve come to know; the colors, smells and sounds. We love buying fresh seasonal produce and other food to incorporate into our menus for the next few days. We love buying special things to take home, for ourselves and for our friends and family. And we love how the markets change as the seasons and the year progresses. It seems there is always something new and unexpected. We especially relish the opportunity to occasionally find a good deal!

Market Day at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

What to Expect

Most markets in Provence are temporary outdoor markets—kind of traveling shopping malls on the same day each week. Big markets take over the center of town, sprawling in all directions. Small markets are based in the village square. Some sellers have extensive and elaborate booths and displays, some have stores set up inside refrigerated trucks, and sometimes there’s just a folding table. In the town of Uzès (where there’s a large Saturday market) we once saw a wizened elderly woman standing in a doorway selling brussel sprouts from an oversized basket, probably picked the afternoon before from her garden. Often you are buying from the actual farmer, seamstress or artist or members of their family. Typically, sellers have a weekly schedule they follow, rotating to a different market every day. We enjoy seeing sellers we know at different markets. For example, Kim sells colorful, reasonably-priced scarves at Apt on Saturday, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue on Sunday, Gordes on Tuesday, St. Remy on Wednesday, Roussillon on Thursday and Lourmarin on Friday. I love bringing the women in my groups to shop with her in Gordes.

Although tourists are drawn to the markets and many stands sell primarily to visitors, the markets are extremely important to locals. The French use mostly fresh food and produce in their cooking, and many people shop for food every day or two. The markets provide easy access to fresh produce, often locally-grown. The markets are also important social centers, a place where residents gather not just for shopping but to see their friends and get caught up on local news.

Types of Markets

Some markets are enormous with hundreds of sellers, sprawling out across the town. These markets typically cater to both locals and tourists. Other markets are very small—just a few sellers providing fresh and convenient food to local residents on a weekly basis.

A few markets are designated as a “marché paysan,” usually held only during the main growing season. These are farmers or peasant markets, specializing in locally-grown produce sold by the producer. The evening market at Velleron (near L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue) is one of the most famous. We visited one July evening to find well over 50 sellers, most selling freshly-picked produce and farm products, mostly sold in bulk. The prices were excellent.

Brocante for sale at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

November through March there are special truffle markets in some towns and villages. The truffle is a black lumpy-looking tuber that grows underground in certain parts of Europe, usually found only with the help of trained dogs or even pigs. These are prized delicacies and very expensive. The biggest truffle market in France is held in Richerenches on Saturday mornings during truffle season.

Where to Go

Almost every town and village in Provence has a market. Although some big towns and cities have a market several times a week or even daily, most villages and towns have a weekly market, always on the same day of the week and usually in the morning.

If you’re visiting for a few days or a full week, we suggest visiting two or three markets, depending on how much you enjoy the experience and like to shop. One market should be very large, someplace like L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Apt, Vaison-la-Romaine or Aix-en-Provence. These markets have hundreds of sellers as well as many permanent shops. You can easily spend an entire morning at these markets and will likely wish you had more timeFor a contrast, you should also visit a smaller village market. This trip may take only 30 minutes. If you’re staying in or near a village, plan to visit the market in your village.

At the Bonnieux market

We also enjoy several mid-sized markets that have 50 to 100 sellers. It’s easier to shop and find your way, and they’re typically less crowded. The market in Gordes (Tuesday) has lots of crafts and artwork, in addition to more-typical market offerings. The market in Lourmarin (Friday) is another mid-sized market we enjoy. Lourmarin has several wonderful cafes and restaurants for lunch after the market.

A product demonstration in Apt

We enjoy the street performers at larger markets, often including a group of drum-playing and noise-making Indians complete with feathered headdresses. A few untethered dogs usually move around the crowd, and there’s an occasional sad-looking beggar. Everyone has their shopping basket and a sense of energy and anticipation.

Some Cautions

Do be careful with your purse or wallet. We’ve never had an incident with our groups, but the markets can be very crowded places. Keep a small amount of money handy so you don’t have to pull out your whole wallet when you’re paying a seller.

We warn our groups about two different sellers we encounter at most markets. The first involves a small cart with adorable baby animals (a baby pig or goat, perhaps a puppy or kitten). The people then try to sell you some sort of lozenge, perhaps creating the impression that you’re helping the baby animals. We are very skeptical about this! The second are cheese sellers with big wheels of mountain cheese, usually luring you in with delicious samples. Be very careful! If you buy a slice of the cheese, you are likely to spend 20 to 30 euro!

When to Go

Most markets are held in the morning, beginning around 9 am and wrapping up between noon and 1 pm. If you’re visiting one of the larger markets, get there as early as possible so you can locate parking reasonably close to the market and get started before the crowd really swells. The crowds can be overwhelming in July and August. Most people probably need a couple of hours to visit one of the big markets. In the larger towns, we suggest focusing on the temporary market stands in the morning as the permanent shops will be available after lunch and even on another day.

Lunch Plans

Part of the fun of market day is a wonderful lunch after the market. If you spot a place that interests you for lunch, we suggest stopping in earlier in the morning to make a reservation for 12 noon or 12:30 pm, especially if your group numbers several people. Lunch places fill up quickly at the end of market day, and you may find yourself trooping from place to place unable to get a table if you don’t have a reservation. If you have a reservation, your group can have an assigned meeting time and place, and can split up to pursue their own interests at the market.

Another lunch option is a picnic after the market, at some beautiful spot in the countryside or back at your rental home or B&B. There are usually several kinds of prepared foods for sale that are perfect a picnic. (See our post A Picnic in Provence for some ideas.)

Enjoy a picnic lunch from the market

Seasonal Differences

We’ve been in Provence in every month of the year, visiting the markets first as tourists and later as residents. As residents we’ve come to the market looking for food, clothes, and varied necessities for our daily life, as well as gifts for friends and family. The markets definitely take on a different personality at different times of year. And we’ve found ourselves experiencing the markets in different ways when we’re shopping as residents vs. shopping as tourists.

Most of the big markets are still large and busy in the colder winter months, focusing mostly on the needs of local residents. The markets get bigger and much more crowded as the tourist season begins. The Apt market was crowded in mid-October and we noticed virtually no difference until about mid-March, when the weather got warmer and the restaurants and cafes set up their outdoor tables. An increasing number of shoppers were clearly tourists, and the size and focus of the market shifted accordingly. In the summer months the Apt market is so big that parking is offered at the old train station on the edge of town and shuttle buses transport people to the market area. Much of the market takes place in several large squares, but the narrow pedestrian streets are often packed with people.

The market in our village of Bonnieux changes much more dramatically during the year. From June into September, Bonnieux has maybe 70 sellers; the activity builds around the end of March and continues into October. During the warmer months, the market fills the shady Place Gambetta mid-way up the village and now extending around the new church at the base of the village. There’s a festive atmosphere, usually accentuated by a man and woman singing cabaret-type songs outside the café. People fill the outdoor terrace of Le Terrail, our favorite village cafe, drinking coffee, listening to the music, and enjoying the view across the valley.

But by early December the Bonnieux market had only six sellers in an almost-deserted market square: the fish truck, cheese man, flower man (who kept his flowers in his van because it was so cold), a man selling farm-raised chickens, a man selling organic bread, and the pizza truck. In the winter, the Bonnieux market is for the residents, making their lives a little more convenient.

(In our next post on July 31 we’ll talk about how to shop in the markets and all the special things you can buy.  Check back to learn more about the Markets of Provence!)

Kathy Wood and her husband Charley lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France.

In 2012 Kathy and Charley are hosting groups in the Luberon, the Chianti region of Tuscany, and the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Their 2013 trips will include the Luberon, the Cotswolds in England, and a new trip—The Périgord Experience—in the Dordogne region of southwest France.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for over 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with other travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

I asked the other American-based Slow Travel Tours leaders to join me in discussing packing for a European vacation. We’re all frequent travelers who often stay in Europe for several weeks at a time— and we’ve learned from experience. We’ve also watched travelers in our groups who packed smart… and those who wish they had.

Whether you’re traveling with a small group tour or on your own, we hope our stories and suggestions will help you better pack for your next European vacation.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What luggage do you typically take on one of your European trips?

Cheryl Alexander – Italian Excursion:  My typical trip lasts 3 weeks.  I take one small rolling carry-on and a 22″ roller bag.

I’ve had a Tumi suitcase for about five years that I love!  It’s 22 inches and the corners are rounded (which makes it easier to carry on if I wish to do so), so it’s smaller and easier to maneuver than a square bag.  It’s sturdy, but not heavy, a distinguished gray color (not another black bag), and has plenty of room inside with many, many compartments and zipper pockets.  Having multiple compartments is a great way to stay organized.

Matt Daub – Arts Sojourn:  We try to travel very light, whether our trips are for three weeks or a couple of months. What makes our packing different is that we must also include our art supplies and I also have to bring various handouts for our clients. If not for our art supplies, which we also try and pare way down, I could easily survive with one approved carry on.

As it is, I usually put my art supplies in a day pack and place that inside the carry on which I usually check through. This is in addition to one suitcase that is usually half empty. I occasionally put the carry on inside the suitcase and check it all through as one. That way we have room to bring back purchases we make in Italy. We have been able to bring home large ceramic pieces and tableware sets, clothing purchases, etc.

Anne Woodyard – Music and Markets Tours:  Our European trips vary from three nights to seven weeks. For a shorter trip we carry 22 inch Briggs & Riley expandable rollaboards. (If needed, we can expand and check them on the return trip.) For a longer trip or one of our tours that requires dressier clothes (such as Music & Markets Prague that includes operas and concert halls) we take a 26 inch expandable, which we check.

We love our Briggs & Rileys and have taken advantage of the lifetime guarantee. They’ve replaced the frame and expanding mechanism of both of our cases after hundreds of thousands of travel miles. We also really like the expandable feature. We can usually squish the case closed, unexpanded, when we start a trip in order to carry it on, then can expand it during the trip for easier use, and also for extra room if needed when we return home.

Bill Steiner – Adventures in Italy:  We typically stay four to six weeks. We each take one piece of carry-on luggage as well as a small backpack. We check no bags.

There is a lot of discussion about suitcases. Some people advocate no wheels and equipped so you can carry it like a backpack. The reason for this is to keep your weight light, because heavy bags wear you out traveling. Ultimately, however, most people are not going to put their suitcase on their back. A durable bag with wheels is the most practical solution. My bag is made by Eddie Bauer. I tried a Bauer wheeled duffel with a lower compartment separate from the top. I like it from a packing standpoint, however because the wheels are close together it is unstable when you pull it, particularly on the cobbled streets in Europe. So I am happily back to my wheeled Bauer carry on.

Minimal luggage for a 59 day trip

Kathy Wood – European Experiences:  In our early European trips, especially traveling with a young child, we always seemed to take too much luggage. If your suitcase is too big and heavy or if you have too many pieces of luggage, your trip can be much more stressful– especially if you’re traveling by train.

Nowadays we travel to Europe a couple of times a year, including about 10 weeks every summer. Our trips sometimes require clothes for different weather conditions and activities and often involve some travel on trains or budget airlines where you must be careful about your luggage. We each take a rolling bag (usually 24” for these long trips) and a hands-free carry-on like a backpack or a shoulder bag. I also pack a small Rick Steves daypack for daily use during the trip. In this photo I was about to leave for a 59 day summer trip to France with just a 22″ soft-sided rolling bag and a carryon to sling over my shoulder. Note the very distinctive color!

Normally we favor rolling, soft-sided duffle bag type luggage, with wheels. I like a bag with compartments to organize my stuff, especially helpful if we have some short hotel stays when we don’t unpack. A unique color is good because you can spot your bag easily. I don’t spend a lot of money on luggage since mine gets a lot of wear-and-tear. I’m still searching for my perfect bag.

What are some of the most common mistakes people in your groups make with their packing and luggage?

Cheryl: Unfortunately some people don’t take my advice when I suggest taking less rather than more luggage on a trip.  One carry-on of a reasonable size and one 21″or 22″ roller bag is sufficient for a trip that is more than two weeks. (Less than two weeks, I use only a week-end roller bag.)

One couple that joined me on a trip brought one carry-on each, one 30″ roller bag each, and another, shared bag of about 22 inches.  I had cautioned the wife about using a purse while traveling through places like as the train station.  On their last day in Italy, about three hours after I’d seen them off on the train, they called in a panic to tell me they had been robbed.  They had to keep track of, had taken her purse out to use in transit, and weren’t paying attention while trying to maneuver all of the bags through the crowds. 

Another thing I remind travelers is that there are no porters in Italy and they will have to carry their own bags.  If you have too much luggage, traveling by train can get very difficult because most stations don’t have escalators to get from one track to another, just stairs.  You can easily injure yourself trying to carry large, heavy bags up a flight of concrete stairs.

Anne: We’ve had people forget an important wire to charge a laptop, camera or phone—and then they have to try to find one that fits in the country where we’re traveling. Another problem has been over-packing and then buying so many things that the luggage was overstuffed and broke the day the traveler was packing to go home!

Bill: Quite simply they bring too much – often three bags. One time I arrived at the airport in Rome at the same time as three members of our group, and we traveled to Orvieto together. Between the three of them they had eight bags. Each had the very largest you can buy and a carry on. Two had a third bag. Being the only male, I ended up dealing with their eight bags and my one bag getting on and off trains, funicular and bus. They all felt terrible, but I survived! One of the things they did during the week was figure out how to downsize for the return trip. They each ended up sending a box home, which cost a small fortune. But, they recognized it was just too much trouble to be encumbered with lots of luggage.

Kathy: Like the others, we’ve had travelers who brought too much luggage—too many pieces of luggage, oversized bags, and/or luggage that weighed too much. This is an especially big problem for people traveling by train. Some of the most stressful experiences in our early days of European travel were when we had to manage too much luggage on the train. We have learned since then!

Too much luggage is also a problem in taxis and cars, which have limited space for luggage. We pick up our groups in vans, and we have limited space for luggage. I remember two recent travelers, a mother and daughter, both small women. They didn’t follow our guidelines and each brought an oversized rolling bag and two other pieces of luggage. There were seven of us in the van coming from the Marseille airport. The others had followed our guidelines, but we didn’t have room for all the mother and daughter’s luggage. They had to ride with their carryons in their laps, and I know it was an uncomfortable ride. They were also shoppers, and at the end of our week they had more bags of purchases. I remember watching them struggling with their luggage when I left them at the airport and wondering how they would manage during the rest of their travels.

In contrast, we’ve had a number of travelers who have arrived with only a carryon bag, very sensitive to bringing only what they could manage themselves while traveling. Smart travelers bring lightweight clothing that they mix, match and layer, and they’re creative with accessories like scarves—and they always seem to have plenty of different outfits to wear during the week.

These three people packed light. We have three more to pick up... hope they did too!

Are there any important items you suggest people bring on a two week European trip?

Cheryl: I tell people to make sure they have their “comfort” items with them.  These are the things that make one feel at home, away from home and will be different for each person.  For me, I need to have lots of books to read in my spare time. I buy half a dozen used paperbacks and leave them wherever I’m finished, though now that I have a Kindle that will change.  For the plane ride, which is where I need to most support, I need my special wrap (a pashmina that serves as a blanket and a fashion item), a neck pillow and a few antiseptic wipes, as well as an air sickness RX.  A small journal to make notes or sketch in also makes me feel good. Having two sets/copies of all my documents makes me feel safe and prepared. Other than that I find I can buy almost anything else necessary when I’m at my destination.

Bill: I suggest bringing a small first aid kit that will help you deal with unexpected problems in the short term. Pharmacies are particularly helpful in Europe, should a bigger problem arise. Two other important items: a very small flashlight, because rooms can be dark and a line for drying clothes you wash.

Matt: We always bring a travel clothesline and plastic clothespins and hand wash detergent that we use regularly in our hotel rooms to keep our limited wardrobe fresh.

Two other indispensable items to pack are a small travel alarm with a fresh battery and a reliable watch. It is important to be on time when you are traveling with a group. Remember that when you are traveling overseas your U.S. electronic devices will not work in most foreign outlets. Some people use adaptors and converters, but you may risk damaging an expensive device — be sure to check with the manufacturer if you have doubts.

Handwashing supplies will help you pack light

Kathy: We’re outdoors on our trips a lot, so sunscreen and a packable hat are important. I agree with Matt about the battery alarm clock and the handwashing supplies. For handwashing I also really like the inflatable hangers that help clothes dry quickly.

Ziplock bags are extremely handy on a trip, and I always take a supply of heavy-duty freezer bags in the quart and gallon size. You’ll be surprised at how many ways you’ll use them. You can enclose liquids that might leak, pack damp things, or seal food items. We use them as compression bags and a way to organize small clothing items like socks, scarves and underwear. I keep my trip receipts in a quart bag. Roll them up tightly with a couple of rubber bands for packing; you’ll find the rubber bands useful too.

You need to have things to do in your room when there’s downtime: reading material, a puzzle book, a journal, a lightweight laptop, a deck of cards or small games. I’m a big reader while traveling, and having a Kindle has helped me tremendously.

If you like to shop, bring some sort of simple zipped bag you can pack in your suitcase on the way over. For the trip home you can stuff your dirty laundry in that bag, check it, and make space in your other luggage for special purchases. (Just be sure you can manage everything on the train if the rest of your trip involves the train!)

Is there anything people often bring on a European trip but should have left at home?

Cheryl: Lots of electronic items seem unnecessary to me, and so do large cameras that are bulky to haul around and add weight to the luggage.  With so many amazing small digital cameras (or phones) on the market today, great pictures are easy to get without a great deal of equipment. 

Leave behind heavy, bulky sweaters, coats or jackets.  If the weather turns cold, I go to the traveling farmers markets and buy an inexpensive jacket, which I can leave for someone in town or at the airport before departing. 

Many people bring too many shoes!  Who needs to bring a whole suitcase for shoes on a two or three week trip to Europe?  I had a guest who did just that and she only wore three of the 12 pair.  I would also leave valuable jewelry behind.  The guests I mentioned earlier who were robbed at the train station lost several valuable heirlooms that they will never see again.  They were heartbroken and obviously had not heeded the warning in our pre-trip instructions.

We had one interesting woman who traveled with us. She brought only a small overnight rolling case with two pair of jeans, a couple sets of underwear, and sundries. She wore her sturdy shoes.  The weather was mild so she had only a light wrap for evenings.  She bought t-shirts in some of the towns/cities we visited and when they were dirty, she discarded them.  That is traveling light!

Kathy: Quite a few people on our trips leave things behind at the end of the week to make room for gifts and other purchases. Here are some of the things that have been left: large bottles of health and beauty products (such as a big bottle of contact lens solution and a large bottle of Tums), multiple heavy guidebooks, big athletic shoes, curling irons and hair straighteners, bulky items of clothing. None of these items were necessary for the trip.

There is one school of thought that says you should bring old clothes with you to wear and leave them behind as you purchase new things on your trip. If you do this, just be sure to let your B&B or hotel know they are deliberately being left behind.

Simplify your beauty routine and bring travel sizes—or buy things like shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste when you arrive in Europe. You can even buy an inexpensive and small European hairdryer at the supermarket and use this on future trips. Some people bring way too many health items, sometimes full bottles of over-the-counter drugs for every possible ailment. I know they want to be prepared for an emergency, but you can buy similar products at pharmacies all over Europe. If you want to bring the over-the-counter drugs you’re comfortable with, at least bring a reasonable amount for a vacation. For example, put 10 Tylenol in a small baggie or tiny plastic bottle instead of bringing a larger container.

And I agree with Cheryl about the shoes. You need at most three pairs of shoes, one of which you’ll wear on the trip over. (And NEVER bring a pair of shoes that isn’t well broken in!)

What’s your most important advice about packing for a European trip?

Cheryl: Pack your luggage at least a week prior to departure, then go through all the items several times and remove things you know are unnecessary.  It’s surprising but many folks tell me they will have removed about half of the original amount of clothing they started with.  Women, limit yourselves to neutral colors that can be mixed, matched or dressed up with an accessory. Men, take twice as many shirts as pants/shorts.  A two week trip requires only four or five bottom pieces and seven or eight tops. 

Anne: It’s wise to include in your small carry-on your camera, jewelry, medicines, a change of underwear, makeup, and anything else valuable, or that you absolutely can’t do without in case your luggage is delayed.

Bill: When traveling for long periods, more than anything, you want to be comfortable. Part of comfort is not hauling around lots of heavy bags. Trying to prepare for every eventuality leads to overpacking. If you really discover there is something you need, you can buy it in Europe. Pack in one bag.

Matt: Keep a list of everything you have packed, even the size of deodorant cans and toothpaste tubes. Upon your return write down what you did and did not use, what you should have brought with you and what you could do without. Then put your list where you keep your passport. When you prepare for your next journey, you will have a great head start and can eliminate unnecessary bulk. Do not overstuff your suitcase on the way outbound since you will invariably make purchases while you are traveling. Airlines today are much fussier about checked baggage. You may also be facing steep charges for additional or overweight bags.

Kathy: Begin your packing with the size bag that you want to deal with; then limit what you bring to what will fit in that bag. Don’t cram it all the way full, so you have room to bring things home. You will still be surprised how much you can fit in. Regardless of the length of your trip, pack clothes for just one week: layer, mix and match, wear every piece several times, and handwash or do laundry when needed.

My last suggestion: Pay close attention to the packing guidance from your tour leader! It really will make your trip much more enjoyable.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Do you have other packing tips for a European vacation? We’d love to hear them!

Kathy Wood and her husband Charley lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France.

In 2012 Kathy and Charley are hosting groups in the Luberon, the Chianti region of Tuscany, and the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Their 2013 trips will include the Luberon, the Cotswolds in England, and a new trip—The Périgord Experience—in the Dordogne region of southwest France.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for over 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with other travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

I love the Luberon at any time of year, but I especially enjoy being there in May and June. It’s such a colorful time of year! Provence awakens from winter in an explosion of color, as if Mother Nature opened her paintbox and brushed all the colors over her personal paradise.

The bright blue sky, the fresh green grass… and most of all, the flowers! I love the flowers in May and June. Over a hundred years ago, the French Impressionist artists came to Provence to paint, inspired by the light and the color. They painted the iris, the poppies, the sunflowers… the same flowers that have us reaching for cameras and sketchbooks today.

I especially love the entire fields of vibrant color: poppies in May and early June, followed by sunflowers and lavender, usually by mid June.

Enjoy this preview of the glorious Luberon we enjoy in May and June, thanks to Nature’s Paintbrush.

Daisies and poppies near Roussillon

The vineyard comes to life at Chateau la Canorgue

Valerian wildflowers at La Louve garden in Bonnieux

Roussillon - the most colorful village in Provence

A colorful walk through Oppede-le-Vieux

Sunflowers near Apt

Iris near the falaise at Lioux

Lavender fields below Bonnieux

Countryside between Bonnieux and Lacoste

Early evening near Bonnieux

Flowerpots in Roussillon

Poppies near Bonnieux

The Pont Julien, a Roman bridge near Bonnieux

I stood at the window of our B&B with our innkeeper friend Pierre. It was a glorious morning in May on one of our early Luberon Experience trips. We looked out across the lush green plain below Bonnieux, dotted here and there with splashes of red, fields of bright red poppies.

“Why do the farmers plant the poppies?” I asked.

Pierre seemed surprised at my question. “For pleasure,” he said simply. “Because they’re beautiful.”

In Provence, surrounded by the vibrant colors of nature, that beauty gives me pleasure…and memories that last through the long days of winter back home.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kathy Wood and her husband Charley lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France. Their 2011 trips include three weeks in the Luberon and two weeks in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. They also lead trips in the Salzkammergut region of Austria and the Cotswolds in England.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for almost 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with other travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here. They’re now counting the days until they return to the Luberon in May.

Since this is my last post of 2010, I thought I’d close the year by sharing a few photos from our 2010 scrapbook. We’re fortunate to host our groups in truly incredible places, but it’s the people who join us who make each week so memorable. We come together on Saturday afternoon as strangers and say goodbye the next Saturday morning as good friends. Our goal is to make each person’s experience week their “best vacation ever,” and we appreciate all 68 of our 2010 travelers entrusting their vacation to us. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously.

Women's week picnic near Lioux (May 2010)

Gordes overlook (May 2010)

Lunch at Domaine Faverot (May 2010)

At Domaine Faverot (May 2010)

Hiking to Lacoste (May 2010)

On the Mediterranean (May 2010)

Visiting the Matteis (May 2010)

Rollright Stones in the Cotswolds (June 2010)

On a Cotswolds hilltop (June 2010)

Dinner at Janice's (Sept 2010)

On the way to Lacoste (Sept 2010)

Our family will be spending the Christmas holidays in Bonnieux, the little village in Provence that means so much to us. And we’re looking forward to new experiences in 2011: back to the Luberon in May, June and September and our first Chianti Experience trips in mid June.

From our family to yours… we wish you a very special holiday season. Happy travels in 2011!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kathy and Charley Wood lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France. Their 2011 trips will include three weeks in the Luberon and two weeks in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for almost 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with others travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here. Kathy, Charley and their daughter Kelly are looking forward to a family Christmas in Bonnieux… and to new experiences and friends in 2011.

If you were to join us on one of our week-long Experience trips, you’d very quickly realize that Charley and I are living our dream.  We’re proof that people have the ability to change direction at any age to pursue the lives they’ve imagined.

We love what we do! We spend several months a year in Europe, in some of the most beautiful places in the world.  We work with wonderful, interesting people. Our work is incredibly positive… we’re helping people have great vacations.  We’re outdoors much of every day.  We have incredible meals.  And we get to do all this together. 

I always wanted a job that didn’t feel like work… and now I definitely do.  I wish I could say that this was a carefully-planned life and career strategy, but it wasn’t. I was lucky in many ways. 

For almost 30 years, that quote by Thoreau played in my head.  In my younger, idealistic days, it literally hung over my head, on an inspirational poster above my college dorm room bed.

Despite a major in English and History, after college graduation I pursued a business career. A year later I headed more aggressively down that path, pursuing an MBA from a prestigious school.  Armed with my Wharton MBA, I spent the next 27 years in the corporate world.    

In 1991 I met Charley, quite unexpectedly.  I was a 35-year old VP of Human Resources in a growing company, single, and working 60 to 80 hours a week.  Charley was divorced with two grown daughters, working in sales. 

We were engaged six and a half weeks after our first date.  We married the following spring and had our daughter Kelly 15 months later.   I was definitely heading in the direction of my dreams.

Newlyweds in London

When we talked about our hopes for our married life, Charley and I both said we wanted to travel abroad.  Our geographic interests were very compatible:  we both dreamed of experiencing Europe.

Charley had been to the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada, but didn’t even have a passport.

My situation was a little different; I had lived abroad as a child.  I was born in Munich, Germany and lived in Melbourne, Australia for four pre-teen years.  As a college student and young adult, I always wanted to travel, but it just didn’t happen. So many excuses. I didn’t have the time, the money, anyone to go with.   I had a current passport, but it had never been stamped.

Then in 1991, right after Charley and I got engaged, I went to Europe with two girlfriends. It was a trip planned before our whirlwind courtship.  Cheap airfares and encouragement from my parents helped propel  my friends and me across the Atlantic instead of to a beach or ski resort.  It was a fast-paced two-week trip to Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Paris and the Bavarian and Swiss Alps. 

I loved Europe!  And I couldn’t wait to share it with my husband-to-be Charley, the traveling partner I had dreamed of.

We spent our honeymoon in London, and we’ve been traveling in Europe ever since.  In Europe we’ve found everything we enjoy, in the most beautiful places we’d ever imagined.  

On Lake Como (1997)

Over the next ten years, with our young daughter in tow, our family vacations increasingly focused on European destinations, first one and then two trips a year.  Our travels provided a much-needed break from my often stressful job and never-ending meetings, voice mails, and e-mails.  Thousands of miles from problems like layoffs, plant shutdowns, health care costs, union negotiations, and lawsuits, I could relax 24/7 with the two people I loved in a totally different environment.   

In 2002 something else happened that made dreams possible:  one of my former companies went public, and I was still a shareholder.  I made some money I hadn’t expected… not a fortune, but enough to give us the confidence to take some risks and pursue some major life changes.  In early 2004 Charley and I shocked family and friends when we announced that we’d be going to Europe for 14 months.  Kelly was 10 years old. 

I quit my job in June.  Charley put his home renovation business on hold, and we took Kelly out of school for her 6th grade year.  We rented our house, sold my new car, and put our personal possessions in storage.   We left the USA with a duffle bag and a backpack each.   

We called our trip “Our Grand Tour of Europe.”  Our 14 month trip involved nine countries (England, Scotland, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland), where we stayed in 20 rentals and 34 hotels in a mix of big cities, small villages, and the countryside.  We also did two long-distance hikes:  192 miles across England and 100 miles in the Swiss Alps.

Living in Provence

In the Austrian Alps

For the first time in my adult life, I didn’t have a job, but my life was full.  We explored, made new friends, shopped and cooked, studied French, hiked, hosted friends and family from home.  We even took care of the owners’ dog and cat.  I was one of the first people I knew to keep a blog.    

“Our Grand Tour” was an amazing life-changing experience, significantly enhanced by the people we met and the many friends we made along the way.

In August 2005 we returned to Knoxville and our old house, but it was impossible to return to our old lives.    Charley was approaching retirement, and after the freedom of a non-traditional lifestyle, I didn’t want to return to a demanding corporate job. Flexibility was more important to us than money.  We wanted to stay in Knoxville for Kelly’s schooling and our families, but we also wanted to continue to spend time in Europe.

Charley and I had an idea for a small part-time business that would potentially enable us to achieve all these objectives. That business was European Experiences. 

We’re often asked where the idea for European Experiences came from.  During the time we lived in the farmhouse in Provence, we hosted seven groups of family and friends.  It was like running a country B&B and acting as tour guides.  We really enjoyed planning our friends’ visits, introducing them to the area, helping them understand the local culture, choosing just the right places to eat.  That was the beginning of the idea. Charley and I began to talk about a special kind of small group tour that would help people get to know the real Provence, a week-long “experience” based in the Luberon.

The more we brainstormed ideas for The Luberon Experience, the more it became clear that this opportunity was an ideal match for us, bringing together our interests, experience, skills and dreams.  We could use our knowledge and interests in history, literature, art, architecture, music, food, wine, and culture.  We both had careers that involved working with people, and we could engage with people in a very positive way.  We’d be outdoors surrounded by spectacular scenery.  And we could use our business skills to build something we were truly passionate about.  Best of all, it was something we could do together, working as a team.

We hosted our first Luberon Experience groups in Provence in September 2006, based in our village of Bonnieux.  Our first two groups were small, including some trusting friends from Knoxville, one friend’s sister, a wonderful couple from California who knew us through the Slow Travel website, and an adventurous woman from Oregon who discovered us on the internet.  Several other friends who were traveling independently in Provence joined us for a few activities during those two weeks. 

Our first Luberon Experience group

Sometimes you’re just in the right place at the right time.  Our September 2006 trips took place just a few weeks before the Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe movie “A Good Year” was released.  The movie, based on a book by Peter Mayle, was filmed mostly in the Luberon, and the major filming location was a wine estate just outside Bonnieux.  While we were in Provence with our groups, we were contacted by a USA Today travel writer working on a feature story about the Luberon, Peter Mayle, and the movie.  She had found us on the internet. The writer Laura Bly and her husband ended up joining our second group for a full day.

We were mentioned in a sidebar to Laura’s article in USA Today, with a link to our brand-new website.  What great fortune to have that kind of visibility just a few months after we started our trips!  We had over 800 visits to our website the day the article appeared.  Our May and September 2007 trips filled quickly, and interest continued to grow and develop from that beginning.   

We’ve welcomed 20 groups to Provence in our first five years.  In 2009 we expanded to offer trips to other areas of Europe that we know well, and we’ve now hosted groups in the Salzkammergut of Austria, the Bavarian Alps of Germany, and the Cotswolds in England. Next year we’ll have two groups in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. 

Our work with European Experiences has enabled us to connect with so many wonderful people. We now have friends all over the USA, and in Canada, Australia and New Zealand too. Most of the people in our “new” trips have traveled with us before, and we love being with them again.  Next year we even have five people coming back to Provence for a second Luberon Experience. 

With Kelly on the 20th Luberon Experience

Meanwhile, our dreams have taken our family’s lives in other new directions too.  We now spend about three months a year in Europe, and nine months at home in Knoxville. Charley is semi-retired, and enjoys doing volunteer work, writing, woodworking, and home improvement projects. Kelly is busy applying to colleges and getting ready for her more independent adventures. We’re proud of the young woman she’s become, and the impact her European experiences have had on her plans for her future.

A part-time teaching opportunity at the University of Tennessee led to another new career for me, one that complements our travel business.  My part-time role soon became full-time, a nine-month appointment which provides summers off and a lot of flexibility.  My teaching now focuses mostly on international business, and it’s fun to work with and mentor young people who are excited about international careers and experiences.  My new teaching career has opened up other international opportunities for me too, such as my two week trip to China earlier this year. 

I haven’t always moved confidently, but I’m definitely living a dream…  a life I once only imagined.

The other members of Slow Travel Tours have their own stories, each one an interesting personal journey.  We all share something very special:  we’ve shaped our lives to pursue our dreams and passions.

We lead small group tours because we want to share places we love with other people.  It’s so much more than a job or a business, a way to make money or get a free trip to Europe. Our trips are very personal; they aren’t subbed out or led by hired guides… our travelers are with us!   

We’re passionate about creating unique experiences.  We love sharing different, often simpler lifestyles and traditions.  And we celebrate slowing down to savor some of the world’s most beautiful places.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kathy and Charley Wood lead European Experiences, week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe, including The Luberon Experience in Provence, France. Their 2011 trips will include three weeks in the Luberon and two weeks in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for almost 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with others travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here. They’re looking spending a special family Christmas in Bonnieux… and to next year’s groups in the Luberon and Chianti.