Anne & Kirk Woodyard – Music and Markets Tours

When traveling, it’s such a pleasure to notice how the use of local materials determines the hue of the buildings…the pale golden stone used in our beloved Aix en Provence or the Cotswolds, the brick of Siena, or the pietra serena (a gray stone) in Florence. I love how the construction is so linked to the earth in each place – it adds depth to the beauty.
You know you’re getting close to what’s probably our favorite Provençal village, Roussillon, when the russet cliffs appear by the road.No matter how many times we visit this Luberon gem, we always take more photos here than anywhere else – can you blame us?!On the edges of town, you can still see where the ochre was harvested – scraped off generations ago – in shades from palest yellow to blood-red brick. Today synthetic paints have replaced the ochres used in times past.Enjoy the views with us – a rainbow row of homes,  an ancient arch leading to the topmost part of the village,colorful abodes, one tucked right into the red rock,others scattered among the cliffs.Not far from this vibrant village, we’re surrounded by the stark contrast of pale, pale stone in the village of Ménerbes.Ménerbes has been compared to a ship above the vineyards, and we walk the gentle slope up, noting the touches of color in shutters and flowers, to the top, crowned by a lacey belltower.At the end of town, the rounded “bow” of the ship, is a museum and café with a table full of diners out in the beautiful courtyard overlooking the vines far below. A good place to relax with a drink, and reflect on the colors of the Luberon… a place that will draw you back again and again!

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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.
Between our music-related travels, we split our time between our homes near Washington DC and the south of France. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with our Music and Markets guests.
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 thirty years of teaching experience, and a travel and food writer specializing in France and Italy.