Anne & Kirk Woodyard – Music and Markets Tours

A summer escape to Brittany, to enjoy a respite from the intense heat of Southern France, was a great idea. Little did I know that in addition to very welcome cooler temperatures, I would be surrounded with more gorgeous hydrangeas (my favorite flower!)  than I’d ever seen! Yes, Brittany, the far northwest corner of France,  in July is Hydrangea Heaven!
Arriving at our friend’s renovated lighthouse keeper’s home, Le Colombier, the row of glorious color took my breath away! And right beside the Airbnb we’d booked is another tumble of blue – big enough to play hide-and-seek in!
Walking or driving, we continued to pause as we were grabbed by a burst of color tucked in a garden corner, climbing to the roof, clambering over a fence, filling a backyard, gracing a tumbledown wash house in the delightful village of Pontrieux (be sure to take the boat tour on the river passing dozens of charming old washhouses), even gracing a parking lot!
The blooms prop up an old stone wall, dance in the wind, escape through fence posts, reflect in the river. peek in a window.
And the colors! The deepest blue, always my favorite, grows in abundance, along with the palest baby blue or pink –  nearly white, deepening shades of purple and raspberry pink,varied hues of blue, multiple colors – what would you choose for your bouquet?
May your summer be blessed with lush blooms and golden light as ours has been in Brittany!

The best way to describe us (Kirk and Anne Woodyard) is that we’re interested in the stories that make the places we visit come alive. We’ve visited Europe more times than we can count, learned some entertaining stories there, and met some warm and helpful people who also enjoy the wonders of music and life in Europe. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with our Music and Markets guests. Since 2003 we’ve hosted Music and Markets tours in France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, England and Spain, and in 2019 added Wonder Tours with a more intentional concentration on art and architecture, local culture, food and wine, and less time dedicated to concert-going.We also design and host custom private tours – previous locations include many French, Spanish, British and Italian regions. Between our music-related travels, we enjoy our home in the south of France. While both of us have experience in organizing travel and music groups, Kirk’s background is in project management and competitive writing, and Anne is an accomplished pianist with over forty years of teaching and performance experience. Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.