“Travel…the word reminds me of my safari to Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water.”
W.C. Fields
Eight years ago I took the proverbial road less traveled to southern France. Those of you following this blog have journeyed with me down those less traveled roads through a landscape as beautiful as it is unknown, and you’ve journeyed with me as I’ve explored unchartered territories within myself. I’ve learned from my correspondence with you, that whether we travel across the world or from one room to another, we all love adventure, and quite often find mis-adventure as we wander. A lot of you have asked me to write more often about the details of my French life, but I have a better idea…why not travel with me? You’ve already been my guests…
Beginning this summer I invite you to discover the art of southern French living with me on thoughtfully researched, imaginative and sometimes adventurous, small market tours. Since the love of good food is at the heart of French life, what better way to step into rural French village life than through the market place.
Every morning of the week, in small and large villages, in all kinds of weather, there are farmer’s markets. They are the place where locals gather and shop, share stories & gossip, listen to music or have fleeting flirtations. There are dazzling displays of seasonal produce, samples of honey & sausages, olives & beignets. There are local wines to be tasted, artisan cheeses to savor and crusty breads to take home. I’ve chosen a different market for each day of the week, some further afield then most locals care to travel. We’ll wander & take photographs, have coffee and croissants in cafés, cook together at my house & have good conversations at my table under blue skies and sunshine.
Sometimes we’ll go to antique markets, other times night markets. We’ll join in village fêtes & visit artist’s studios and we may even spend a lazy afternoon touring a working winery, armagnac distillery or chevre farm. I want to share with you all of the places that interest and inspire me. Next year, in May, we’ll travel east to Provence, to the land of lavender, René Char and Van Gogh. First, well go to one of my favorite destinations, the Camargue, for the Gypsy Festival, then visit the villages of Aigues Mortes, Nimes, Arles, St. Remy de Provence, Uzès, L’Isles sur la Sorgue and St. Quetin de Poterie. In the fall we’ll travel to the Tarn to the full bodied wine villages of Gaiillac & Cahors, the hilltop villages of Cordes sur Ciel, Puyselci, and the red brick village of Albi, home to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
I am creating a master calendar & itineraries, working with local artists & cooks, visiting accommodations from chateaux & chambre d’hotes, trying to imagine everything you might possibly need for a once in a life time experience – for your rest & relaxation pleasure, I just secured the gift of an amazing masseuse who will accompany us on our longer sojourns. And, of course, there will be a site complete with a price list as well as all of the pertinent information.
Travel can be enriching & transformative in subtle and unimagined ways. Embrace the rich culture of southern France and discover une tranche de la vie française, a slice of French life, with me.
Bienvenue à Campagne Tours.
* Until everything is up and running you can contact me directly by leaving a comment, emailing me at dharma@w-link.net, or by calling – 33 (0) 6-33-32-89-61.
