France Trip Details 2024

Beyond Paris and Provence lies a wealth of culture and places, mostly hidden from view to tourists. This is the France that interests me. It’s the lively, seaside restaurant that doesn’t take reservations. The passionate entrepreneur making complex vinegars in wooden barrels her backyard, who sells to Michelin-starred chefs in the big cities. It’s the Beaux Arts-trained young painter creating huge canvasses of the region’s colorful landscapes.

This small group trip to the South of France brings you behind the scenes with an insider. You’ll meet locals, artists and winemakers. You will have access to experiences that only someone with deep knowledge on the ground can offer. I have done the leg work so you don’t have to!

I will lead six travelers on an exploration into the heart of the Roussillon, France’s southernmost region famous for being “the fruit basket” of the nation. It is also a land of vineyards, olive trees, rocky coves, oyster cultivation, hiking and hot springs, and ancient Catalan traditions.

The trip lasts 8 nights and 7 days, beginning September 19 and ending September 27, 2024.

We’ll stay in a beautiful, tranquil hotel with just 18 rooms, each one with a view of the Mediterranean. The hotel, Les Roches Brunes, is located in Collioure, a magical village on the sea.

Some of the Experiences on this Trip *

Visit the salt flats of Gruissan, learn how fleur du sel is produced, and eat a briny lunch in a popular, outdoor seafood restaurant overlooking the sea
Take a private tour of the Collioure Museum of Modern Art with the director
Hike up to a hillside vineyard with a winemaker, taste his wines and picnic together
Spend a morning at the famous Ceret market, picking up local soaps, ceramics, olive wood utensils and other treasures
Get a backstage tour at Les Toiles du Soleil, a storied Catalan weaver and then watch how the fabrics are used to make espadrilles at the small country manufacturer
Go to some of the peaceful, hillside Roman Chapels and then have lunch at Nan and Gerard’s farmhouse
Take a vinegar tasting in a tiny village where award-winning vinegars are made and shipped to chefs in top restaurants
Spend a morning with a talented local painter at his studio in Perpignan and have lunch together at a hip and fun restaurant in town
Take a boat trip down the coast to secret coves in Spain
Walk the coastal trail for a day of exercise, dips in the Mediterranean and lunch at a favorite spot

* Please note this list is being finalized and is subject to change

Details and Registration

FEES & REGISTRATION

Double room $6,475 USD
Single room $7,200 USD

Please note: If we are not able to match you with another participant for a double room, single room prices will apply. Double room occupancy is on a first-come, first-served basis. Maximum number of guests is 6. Double rooms can have 2 beds, or one if you request that.

Register Now – Download the Registration Form, Terms & Conditions

ACCOMMODATIONS

We will be staying in the Hotel Les Roches Brunes. I chose this hotel for its high standards of hospitality, its beauty and its location. The hotel has a restaurant overlooking the sea where we will have breakfast most days, as well as a few other meals.

The hotel is set apart, on a cliff overlooking the pretty bay, and within easy walking distance of charming Collioure: shops, medieval backstreets, cafés, etc.

TRANSPORTATION, ITINERARY AND CHECK-IN / DEPARTURE DETAILS

ARRIVALS September 19, 2024 in Collioure, France

We will have a car and driver available to pick you up at either the Barcelona airport (3 hours drive from Collioure), or at the train station in Perpignan (30 minutes drive from Collioure).

If you wish, you may want to add on a few days to your trip, staying in Barcelona for example, or coming from another European city. We can also arrange for an early arrival in Collioure (or later departure). Additional hotel nights are at the individual’s expense. But we can help you book the room.

The trip officially begins on September 19, for an early evening welcome meal in our hotel.

DEPARTURES September 27, 2024 from Collioure

We can help with transportation to Barcelona or Perpignan, depending on your travel plans.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

all guides, performances, entry fees and local experts during the 7-day itinerary
comfortable, private vehicle and driver for the group (mini-coach)
a full-time local resource, fluent in English and French
8 nights at the hotel
breakfast every day
most meals included
all applicable taxes
tips to guides and driver
maximum number of guests set to 6

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

international flights
transfer from the airport to the hotel on arrival in Barcelona (or another city)
two meals, when guests choose to dine alone or in smaller groups
alcohol and personal expenses, such as laundry, mini-bar, massage and spa treatments
travel insurance

Register Now – Download the Registration Form, Terms & Conditions