Experience

1. The experience is extraordinary

2. Tours, day trips, excursions, and activities are designed with you in mind and offer a unique perspective of the place you are visiting

3. Tours, day trips, excursions, and activities are designed with you in mind and offer a unique perspective of the place you are visiting

Companionship

4. You are likely to meet other women who will become your  lifelong friends

5. You can feel comfortable asking questions and lots of them. Being in a close group makes it easy to ask questions and share experiences.

Safety

6. Know that you can travel safely in a group even if you don’t know someone else ready to buy a plane ticket

7. Nervous about traveling? Sit back and let the experts take care of it.  Group leaders have experience in travel and often in the place you are in. They can point out unique spots, great eats, and expose you to a side of the place you are visiting that you would otherwise miss.

Save Money

8. Group prices are often cheaper than individual. You can often save lots over individual pricing for normal traveling expenses such as airfare, entry fees, and transportation.

FUN!

9. The more the merrier. We know this well. Traveling alone or in a pair is rarely as much fun as with a group.

10. Memories, laughter, great photographs, and unforgettable fun.

Provence, France holds many treasures to be discovered throughout its varied rich landscape, but a lesser known delight is a decadent afternoon of wine and chocolate tasting.  Flavorful wines can be explored after nearly every bend of the road, however, Bernard Castelain in Chateauneuf-du-Pape pairs chocolate with wine in a very informative and delicious way.  This rocky region produces some of the best wines of southern France which are a delicious complement to the rich delicacies of this chocolatier.

A recent visit there as part of Gateway Destinations Belle Provence women’s only tour proved what a delightful afternoon these two tastings are!  Spending a morning exploring villages and enjoying the colorful autumn scenery made for a perfect day in Provence.  After a delicious lunch in a village café, we ventured to this beautiful area in the Rhone River valley.  Not only were the tastings delicious, but there was an informative explanation and demonstration of how their chocolates are made. 

Join us next May (or October) for our Belle Provence, France’s Southern Jewel tour as we return to this rich region to explore, taste and delight in all that Provence has to offer.

Have you ever had a fantastic vacation planned but once you got there weather wasn’t cooperating and you felt your only option was to stay inside and sulk? Well, that almost happened last week on my women’s travel tour in Provence, France. Autumn is a wonderful time to be in Provence as you can admire the vibrant colors of leaves as they turn to wonderful golds, oranges and reds. Days are often sunny with temperatures usually in the 60’s, and there are fewer tourists.

The first day started out just that – mid-60’s and sunny. However, a strong wind known locally as the “mistral” started to blow through the Rhone Valley the next day. What’s a tour leader to do with weather like that? Our expert local guide, Eric, had the perfect solution! We boarded a beautiful boat in Avignon and cruised the Rhone River for three relaxing hours to Arles to enjoy the scenery, live music and delicious 4-course lunch while protected from the elements. Our guide met us in Arles where we did a guided walking tour of this intriguing city with its ancient Roman influence still visible today. Our afternoon was rounded out by a countryside visit where essential oils are extracted (such as lavender) and sold worldwide. All in all, it was a perfect day in Provence in spite of the uncharacteristic weather.

Being a small group allowed our women’s tour to be flexible and adjust our itinerary when needed – a great way to travel!

If you are planning to drive in a foreign country, you may need an International Driver’s Permit. This requirement will vary depending on the rental car company and country, and is being required more in Europe. It is simple and inexpensive to obtain one through your nearest AAA office. No written or practical test is required if you hold a valid state driver’s license and you are at least 18 years old.

Three years is much too long for a return visit through the countryside of Provence, France.   I anxiously await to again revive all my senses as I immerse myself in this colorful, fragrant, tasty, and sensual corner of heaven with a small group of ladies.  Our journey begins October 17 in Avignon, where we will explore this walled city and the former palace of the Pope.  This will be our base as we explore the surrounding countryside before traveling further north into Haute-Provence.  Our days will be filled with tasting the delicious foods and wines of this region as we visit an outdoor marketplace, indulge in wine tasting and learn cooking secrets from Chef Jean-Jacques Prévôt in his Cavaillon kitchen of La Table des Melloniers, Chef Jean-Jacques Prévôt. 

Not only is Provence known for its abundant produce, but also truffles, perfume, soap, olives and olive oil, honey, linens, Santon dolls, wonderful cheeses and a wonderful variety of red, white and rosé wines.  We’ll do our best to sample all of these products as we wander through village after village in this hypnotically charming countryside.  Along the way, our bi-lingual local guide will share his knowledge of French art, culture, history and architecture of this rich area. 

Hmm…I’m already thinking of my Provence journey in the spring of 2010 to share even more treasures of this region of southern France to ladies looking to travel in an extraordinary way.  Watch for our 2010 schedule of women-only tours at www.gateway-destinations.com