Tipping... it's more than just a town in China

 Traveling in a foreign country can be slightly intimidating, but it doesn't have to be... you might not know the language, and likely you're not 100% familiar with the local customs or culture... This is normal, and we see it as our job to "get you mentally prepared" so that you have a better feel for what's happening around you!

Here at Adventures to Tuscany, you'll hear us talk a lot about truly authentic experiences and deep cultural immersion... We pride ourselves on working hard to prepare our guests for their trips, so that you know how to plan for your trip... you know what's going on and that you have the best experience possible. Most Tour Operators do very little of this, and when their tour guests get to their destination, they of course muddle through... but often they feel somewhat "lost" as to what's expected of them or what they're supposed to do... Questions abound, and typically because of the standard 40 -50 person group sizes, those questions often go unanswered... or most often because of the large size of the group, a guest ends up just asking the question to another tour member who doesn't really know the correct answer either... 

Our goal has always been to overcome these issues, and we use this BLOG as our main conduit to prepare you by feeding you just one spoonful at a time... If you've been following along, you may not realize it, but you're already far ahead of most Americans who travel to France... You've already read a lot of customized articles addressing the who, what, when, where and why's of your Tour... And we're just getting started! We'll be posting at least another 50 - 60  articles before you leave for France!   If you continue to follow along with the BLOG, you'll be an expert by your departure...  And that is our goal! As always, please reach out to us if you have questions, or if we can help in any way!

We call this "The French Flinch"

Tipping in restaurants in France...  Probably one of the most heavily debated and argued topics among frequent international travelers... And with this in mind, we're going to try to give you a little confidence with your tipping practices... 

Know this first & foremost:   In 2008, the French Government put in place a law that requires most restaurants and cafes to add a service charge to the bill, this allows them to tax tips. Known in French as Service compris, the restaurant will usually add around 15% to the bill, and while it most often applies to restaurants, it can also be added in other instances.   You will not see this 15% indicated on your bill... By French law it is added to the menu price of each individual item you order.  It generally doesn’t go directly to the waitstaff though. But in concept, this service charge is indeed in place to pay their salary.

To truly understand this topic, you must first talk about the French Culture and what local French people do in their daily lives...  Here in the US, most of us know and understand that our waiters & waitresses get paid a lower base wage and depend on gratuities for their living...  And that gratuity over the years has pretty much become a standard of 15 to 20%, and it's often the minimum expected whether you got special service or not...   In France, waiters & waitresses are professionals and they get paid a full wage, and could never make it on tips because in their culture, they just don't tip very much, if at all... and they're not necessarily expected to do so...

In France, waiters are paid a livable wage with benefits and do not depend on tips, nor do they go out of their way to give customers the same service we’ve come to expect in the USA. Being a waiter in France is often thought of as a profession and not something you do for six months as a student for extra pocket money. That’s not to say they won’t provide good service. It’s just that waiters in France are not trying to serve you in a certain way in the hopes of earning a big tip.

Generally, French waiters aren’t going to tell you their name and check on you multiple times throughout the meal and keep refilling your water. They do their job appropriately  — what’s normal for French culture — and get paid for it. It’s not a well-paid job or one that will make someone rich, but it’s a job and waiters have a work contract and are compensated via a salary. You can leave a small tip as a gesture of appreciation for great service. 

For the most part, most native French do not tip very much...  It's just not part of their culture... In a restaurant, they'll often just leave "the change."   IF they got really good service... Perhaps if their check is 37 euro, they'll just leave 40 euro... (around 5%).   Seriously, a lot of French do not tip at all... We're talking zero... zilch... notta!   It's not that they're cheap; it's just not a thing in France. And quite honestly, most French waiters don't expect a tip... (except from Americans... more on this later)


What complicates all of this is that most Americans, over the last 70 years, who don't understand this issue, feel guilty not tipping, and leave the typical 15 - 20% tip that they do in the US...  This has created a very weird, hard to explain "double standard" where many waiters and waitresses (especially in the bigger cities like Paris) while knowing full well they'll get little or no tips from their fellow Frenchmen, will still expect Americans to leave big tips...

So this is what makes the debate go on forever;  Your typical American, feeling guilty about not tipping, will end up asking the waiter; "Is the tip included?"  Now you have to understand this: the service and tax are both included in the price you see on the menu (indicated by the words service compris, and it’s 15%). So they legitimately will tell you "No, the tip is not included..." because it is not!  So the American leaves a 15 - 20% tip on the table!   And this is why this issue is debated so heavily all over the internet! 

   What we suggest:  Do what the French do! leave the change... or if you feel you need/want to, perhaps a small 5% - 7% tip...You can now feel relieved of your guilt... You've shown respect, and you've left a much bigger tip than most Frenchmen ever would... (again, most just don't tip at all). If someone has done something extraordinary and special for you, (perhaps you've asked for a special table, or something not on the menu) and you want to do something special for them in return, you could leave 10%... That, in France is a huge tip!  And of course, if you're just an overly generous person, trust us, no one will hate you if you leave them 20%!  

Home SWEET Home... It's simply Magnifique!

 So often we use the words magnificent & amazing to describe the  Estates and Villa properties that's we choose for our Provence & Tuscany Expeditions... And it would of course be human nature to think that we might be biased or exaggerating just a bit...  But we try hard not to "oversell" the magnificence of the Estates, as that would only lead to disappointment and mistrust... 

We spend a lot of time (and money) on research trips to find the right properties...  Our friends often laugh when we tell them we're going to Europe on research trips to find Villas or work on Tour Itineraries... But that's exactly what we do!  Your local travel agent does this type of thing... They typically just refer to a Villa Broker's catalog to make recommendations...  But we don't feel we can comfortably do that... Often properties are photographed and described in a way to make them appear & sound grander than they really are...  And if there's a loud four lane highway or sewage plant in the backyard, you'd never know it till you got there! Don't laugh, we hear these stories all the time! And that's why we feel we have to personally scout out and visit these properties before we pick one. 

You're gonna love this lounge area off of the Solarium

In standard European business etiquette, we work ahead of time to make the proper contacts in the Real Estate & Brokerage businesses, and then we send letters of Introduction explaining who we are and what we do... We ask for a meeting, typically we take them out for a nice dinner; This way we can have their undivided attention for 2 to 3 hours. We make all the arrangements for what is usually for us a two to three week working research trip; flights, rental cars, hotels, Airbnb's, etc... And then we go and meet these people! 

We ask for their assistance to help us find the right properties that will meet our needs.  And then we set up daily appointments with them to Tour specific Estates.  We worked with three different brokers to finally find Château du Soleil in Provence... We narrowed it down from a little over 150 Villas and toured a dozen different Villas that met all of our prerequisites...  and on the days they couldn't get us appointments to get into the Villas, we work on the Tour Itinerary and scouting out cities, villages, wineries and attractions to include (or exclude) on the Tour.  While there's lots of Villas throughout Provence, there's very few that meet our exacting standards and specific needs... 

This is the dining loggia down at the Pool
with the pool kitchen in the background

So firstly, they need to be in the right area; a great Villa that's not central to our Tour Itinerary just won't work... And then, and this is a "biggie," we need large Villas with lots of Bedrooms, each with its own private ensuite bathroom!  So this narrows the field dramatically!  Very few Villas have ensuite bathrooms for each bedroom or suite of bedrooms.  And then there's a whole list of other prerequisites! We want a Villa high up on a hilltop with  magnificent views!  Of course a pool!  This, believe or not,  again cuts what's left of the prospective choices in half... and this time we asked that it be a heated pool, so fewer still!  

with the whole property being so grand it's sometimes easy
to miss the various water fountains, and large statues places
throughout the gardens... if you zoom in on this photo,
you'll see a couple of statues behind the pool...

Air conditioning; while we think of this as a basic standard here in the US, it's not typically so in these large Villas in Europe where electricity is so expensive (typically at least 5 times more expensive) and the size of the Villas so large (this one's a little over 20,000 sq feet);  And while here in the US, we often tend to think every place has air conditioning, it's just not that common in Europe, and when they do have air conditioning, most times, it's just not as efficient as what we're used to here in the US. Often times in Europe hotels will have air-conditioning set to go down to only certain pre-set temperatures... or sometimes they just don't keep the units charged.

the grand kitchen in the Villa, is a beautiful light filled space...
we use these large counters and the kitchen table to lay out
the wonderful breakfast buffet

And then of course, we need common areas, dining areas, outdoor recreation areas, and kitchens that can comfortably function & handle groups as big as ours... And lastly, it's gotta have what we call "PUNCH" -  that is, a really large, beautiful & magnificent private Estate on lots of acreage that has that undeniable, first look curb appeal... or what the French call Savoir Faire... And then of course, we have to be able to make it work within our budget!   We made three of these research trips to Provence to work on this project, finding the right Villa and putting together the Itinerary of the Tours.  But we think you'll agree with us, that what we've finally found in Château du Soleil will have made it all worthwhile... 

Château du Soleil...  our Villa in The South of France! It is truly your time here at this incredible Villa that separates Adventures to Provence from most other Tour operators.  Most Tour Operators would have you and your whole 50 person busload of tour-mates staying at a crowded tourist hotel in the center of a busy & noisy city like Avignon...  That's why we use tag lines like; "the way you choose to see the world creates the world you see" and of course our favorite; "what makes us different, makes all the difference in the world."

we rarely use the formal dining room,
in favor of eating outside

And we think you'll understand these differences as soon as you drive thru the gates to this incredible property!  In fact, as you turn off the road onto the mile long paved, private driveway up to the Villa, you'll immediately start to recognize these differences!  This long lighted private driveway winds up the hill thru various cherry orchards, olive groves and grape vineyards... all lined by Provence's iconic cypress trees, interspersed with lavender bushes and rose bushes... 

Château du Soleil is a beautiful and sprawling estate.   A 400 year old Villa sitting on a hilltop on the border of the Luberon & Vaucluse  regions overlooking the Provençal Hills & the medieval village of Venasque... having received the most prestigious award; Les Plus Beaux Villages de France by the French authorities as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France". 

We will in fact not be taking you to just one of these "Most Beautiful Villages", but to four of them! Venasque, Gordes, Rousillon and Baux-de-Provence! And with over 35,000 villages throughout France, to be awarded this designation is indeed truly prestigious! 

You're going to love this Estate... It is magnificent! The original Villa is 400 years old and over four centuries has been added onto several times. But in more contemporary times, the estate was purchased and completely renovated 

While this Villa has been in several families over 4 centuries, it was it's latest owner who most recently renovated the entire estate... He added the latest additions including over 8000 Sq feet of new living space; the amazing Solarium, 4 more bedrooms, a full apartment for the care takers, a 10 car garage (for his personal car collection), the game room, a new pantry, the ice machines, the new kitchen, the Bocce court, the new heated pool, the extensive landscaped gardens with statues and water fountains, the sound system and internet access that surrounds the pool area and gardens, the outdoor terraces with the electronic sunshades, and the Pool Kitchen.  

The estate had sold a few years ago to a French celebrity who remains anonymous to us...(the management & brokers of the estate have signed NDA's (non-disclosure agreements) and can not tell us who owns the estate) but it'll be pretty obvious to you that whoever owns this estate, has some serious money.  

The open-air Solarium, the Terraces that surround it,
and the pool areas are where we typically enjoy our
evening Happy Hour Parties!

We hope you're getting excited about your upcoming adventure!  We've just started working with the chef's on the new menus... As you know, our evening meals are served family style, so please let us know now if you have medical allergies or serious dietary restrictions so that we can try to make arrangements for you. 

We've attached a video below of the driveway and the approach to the Villa to give you just a bit of an idea as to how large this estate really is...  And lastly, notice that you're not just going up a long road, you're climbing over 1200 feet of vertical ascent!  This hilltop setting gives The Villa just outstanding views out over the Provençal Countryside and of our nearby homebase village of Venasque!  Enjoy!

you'll want to turn your volume on and consider going full screen for this

Trick or Treat!

The Halloween Decorations were just amazing! They even
arranged for a live spider to crawl up my leg! 

Last night we went to a great little Halloween themed dinner party hosted by our friends Mark & Roses, and dined with a bunch of you who are joining us on one of the upcoming Provence Trips! 

We had a great time with fantastic foods & wines... And the most amazing Halloween decorations we've ever seen! From salads in "Spider Bowls" to "Witch Finger Cookies" this dinner was so much fun! 

Photo-bombing just seems to go so well with Halloween!

The weather was outstanding, the fall foliage was in perfect form, and we sat outside in an amazing setting amongst giant oak trees coming right up thru their deck!  (those of you who know me, know how much I loved this!) This was indeed a perfect evening! 

Thanks so much for having us over! We got to talk a little bit with some of you about your excitement as you plan for your upcoming adventures in France... We look forward to spending time with all of you in Provence this coming summer! And as always, if we can help any of you with your planning, please reach out to us!

Thanks again Mark & Roses, we had a great time!   Tommy & Terese

Make sure you have some souvenirs of your adventures for when you get old and senile... for how will you ever prove to yourself it wasn't all a dream!

these blues & yellows are the traditional colors of Provence

Our guests are always asking us about the "typical" products of the area and what to bring back as souvenirs of their time in Provence.   So one our very favorite "gets" while we're in The South of France is Provençal tablecloths!  When we're at home, we enjoy entertaining, and we love to use these colorful tablecloths! They've been one of our favorite souvenirs ever since we brought our first Group to Provence back in 2008...  We can't get enough of them! 

If you're not already aware of these popular Provençal Tablecloths, you'll see them all over France on your upcoming trip this summer!  Their casual elegance and colorful Provençal hues are easy to fall in love with! And the best part is you'll find them at the markets everywhere at great prices! Save room in your suitcase to bring one home!

French tablecloths have a fascinating history. So, let’s go through the history. For many people, just the sight of these beautiful brightly colored tablecloths with their distinctive patterns of olive branches, vines, sunflowers, lavender, lemons and cicadas will certainly trigger longings for The South of France. The intense sun-drenched colors of these vibrant, bright fabrics are an iconic symbol of Provence. However, they were not originally created in France...

Les Indiennes

These exotic textiles first arrived in France from India in the early 17th century mainly through the port of Marseille. Les Indiennes as they were known, were an instant success in Europe for clothing and furnishing. These luxurious fabrics were light, bright and importantly, color fast. As a result, the French loved them. Responding to demand, the French soon started producing their own versions.

The booming import trade didn’t go unnoticed. In 1664, King Louis XIV wanted to take control. So, he had his Minister of Finance, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, create the Compagnie des Indes (East India Company). Armenian dyers and fabric makers were brought into Marseille to share their skills with local producers. Originally the dyes were obtained from natural materials. Each color in a design was applied with separate woodblock impressions. 

Les indiennes became all the rage at the French court. The new style was satirised by Molière in a production of his comedy ( Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme). In this 1670 production, the playwright himself played the vulgar nouveau riche merchant M. Jourdain. He was splendidly attired in a dressing gown made of the fabric – with the pattern printed upside-down.

However, not everyone was happy. The French silk and wool manufacturers suffered with the new, less-expensive competition. As a result, several factories in Lyon were forced to close. In 1686, they successfully lobbied the government to stop the importation and production of les indiennes.

Those Clever French

So, no more colorful fabric? Not exactly. Les indiennes manufacturers simply dodged the law by moving to Avignon. This lovely city belonged to the Vatican and was under Papal rather than French jurisdiction. The ban only increased the enthusiasm of the public for these brightly colored materials.

Officially the ban lasted 73 years and was lifted in 1759. Les indiennes took off again and were incredibly popular for the next century. Easy to wear, wash and maintain, they were traditionally used in Provence for household goods including tablecloths, bedspreads and clothing.Women wore skirts, scarves and aprons, sometimes of different designs all at once, while men wore colorful waistcoats and kerchiefs.

Artisanal production was hit hard in the aftermath of Europe’s industrialisation. Because of this, many small companies closed down. But today les indiennes are more popular than ever in Provence. Many of the companies producing these iconic French tablecloths have a long and proud history.

These tablecloths make great souvenirs of your adventures to The South of France as they're easy to pack and take home in a suitcase... and they're a great memory of your trip as you use them over & over through the years! We used one for a small dinner party we hosted over the weekend and of course it brought back so many great memories!

🎼 On the road again... I just can't wait to get on the road again... 🎼

 🎼 Seein' things that I may never see again... And I can't wait to get on the road again... 🎼

So there's been a lot of chatter lately about airline tix... Everybody  is starting to look!  Some folks have already booked.  Some folks have reached out... and we've received a few questions from guests... And of course we always invite you to give us a call if we can help you...  

Here's the caveat, we are not travel agents... and we can not buy tix for you... but we'd be happy to try to help you find a few options online, or if you need advice with something like: "is this a good airline" or "is this a good price" or perhaps "is this layover time safe" or  "is this a reasonable flight duration"  or maybe: "can we fly on one airline into Paris and another home from Marseille?"

Again, we're not travel agents, and we only have the same tools you do... but we do, between the two of us, have an extensive amount of International Air Travel experience, specifically to Europe over the last 40 years...  

Personally, we typically start out researching tix on Kayak.com and Google Flights... and when we find something we think might work for us, we go directly to that Airline's website, search for that flight, and buy the tix directly from the Airline.   We're not masters at finding the cheapest tix... but we can tell you that the more time you spend researching, the more likely you are to get a good feel for what is a good value! 

Terese and I personally tend to stick to the legacy carriers we know & trust; United, Delta, American, Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates, British Airways, etc...  We do this because we can't afford  to not get there on schedule...  If there's a major delay or cancellation, most of these legacy carriers have multiple flights to Europe everyday and they have "codeshares" with multiple airlines and can more easily get us on another flight in a reasonable amount of time... Sometimes, the discount airlines do not have these codeshares and also they usually have very limited flights...  (For example: United Airlines & their combined codeshares probably have dozens if not 100's of flights leaving major airports daily into major hubs in Europe... and those airlines would likely have dozens of flights daily going into Marseille.  Some discount airlines have only one or two flights a day from the US and no codeshares at all... and some of these discount airlines have only 1 or two flights a week) 

This isn't to say that there may not be other good airlines & flights out there... This is just our personal strategy... 

We also look at Flight Duration and # of stops...  If flying from the US into Marseille, you likely have at least one stop...  We try never to book a flight with more than 1 stop... Two stops / or connections double the possibility of either us, or our luggage, not making the connection...  But with that in mind you'll usually find that the flights with the shortest duration sometimes have the shortest layovers.. and short layovers can again possibly mean either you or your luggage not making the connection...  So it's a fine line.... and of course there's always an element of risk... For those of you flying into Paris for a few days; most of those flights will be direct nonstop.

Yet another thing to keep in mind is that these days many airlines have a lot of different levels of "Economy" tix... and often the lowest level of basic economy (read: least expensive) of these tix have more restrictions... Often these tix are not changeable or upgradeable... And most often they don't include checked luggage... And sometimes they only allow a personal-size carry-on and not a full size carry-on...  You should know that if your tix doesn't include a piece of checked luggage, you likely would have to pay $90 to $120 per person to  check your bag... and that fee will apply twice per person - once each direction!

And lastly:  While some guests arrange their flights to arrive the first day of the Tour (Saturday), we usually suggest flying over at least one day earlier and staying in your arrival city in a hotel for at least one night just to be safe in case of cancelled or delayed flights. (this is of course totally your choice) But this does help you adjust more easily to the jet lag / time zone change.

And if you're flying home on the Saturday immediately after your Provence Tour, be careful concerning how early your flight leaves (you'll need to drive to the airport, return your car, get a shuttle from the car return lot to the terminal, and check-in a few hours before your flight departure... all of that can be pretty tough to do if you have a 10am flight... you may want to consider an afternoon or next day flight.

Lastly, someone has asked about the pros and cons of buying air tickets thru online discounters or an OTA (online travel agency). We personally prefer to deal directly with the airline, but many folks are temped by the prices they see in ads for ticket discounters. So we break these down into two categories; the traditional Online Travel Agencies like Expedia or Orbitz... and the major Ticket Discounters like Cheapo Tickets, CheapFlights, and ASAP Tickets.  Usually buying tickets thru a traditional online travel agency is much like walking into a brick and mortar travel agency and they typically sell tickets for the same price as the airlines do directly.  Often when buying thru one of the big Ticket Discounters you'll end up with "promotional tickets" that they buy from the airlines in bulk and they sometimes have very few perks or amenities attached. (ie: non-changeable, non-refundable, no checked luggage, etc.) So just be careful; ask questions and read ALL the fine print... for more on this subject click here 

Again, if we can help you in any way at all, please reach out! We're happy to help! 

Pardon My French!

We Americans have lots of misconceptions about France & the French... and most often these things are simply not true... Here a few of the ones that are most common...

Oh My Gordes!

 Hi guys,   so today this post offers no specific practical information or functional tips... It's purely a simple visual exercise to give you an emotional feel for the area of Provence where we'll be staying... This gal is one of our favorite You Tube video bloggers for Provence... She & her family are locals who live over in the eastern part of Provence, and she does lifestyle videos of their life in Provence that she calls "French Vibes".  We love her style...   It indeed has a very casual, authentically French style, and you'll see more from her over time here on the Blog... This particular video is about the Luberon area and specifically the area around the village of Gordes, (gourd) one of the most famous villages in all of Provence... Our Villa, Chateau du Soleil, where we'll be staying is just down the road and we'll be taking you to Gordes as part of the Tour!  Everybody love this village!  Hope you enjoy!

Anyone who says money can't buy happiness, has never spent a week at a magnificent Villa in The South of France!

  So a common question we always get is: How much money do we need for our Provence trip and how do we get Euros ?

First and foremost you need to know that they do accept common credit cards in France... Mostly Visa, and MasterCard. American Express is excepted, but not quite as widely as MC & Visa... (note: Discover Card is usually not commonly accepted France).   But sometimes at smaller establishments, just like here in the US, it is cash only.  As far as how much cash you'll need... That's of course totally dependent on your personal choices & lifestyles... Over the last 23 years that we've been taking these groups, we've seen some of our guests get by using very little in euros (maybe a 100 Euro per person over the 8 days) and other guests spending ten times that....

it always seems so far away, but
it'll be here before you know it!

During your week at The Villa, for your Adventures to Provence Tour, most all of your "hard expenses" are included with your Tour price, with the exception of three lunches while we give you free time in some of the villages we'll be touring...   On these 3 days,  some prefer to maximize their time sightseeing & shopping and forgo lunch... (the Breakfast spreads at the Villa are substantial) or just grab a quick and simple sandwich or slice of Pizza and Soda from a street vendor (typically available for around 6 -7 euro)...   

On the other end of the scale, some prefer to relax outside at a table with a view in one of the nicer Cafes or Restaurants and have a larger hot lunch and a glass of wine and do a little people watching...  this is likely more in the neighborhood of 20 - 25 euro per person (depending on the view)!   And of course anyone that's spent any time at all in tourist destinations, knows that it's not hard to spend 50 to 75 euros per person, if lunch to you means either steak or lobster with a bottle of wine...  A simple and casual relaxed lunch with a glass of wine and a little people watching is always one of our favorite things in Provence... we tend to favor moderately priced Cafes with a nice view, and of course, you're always welcome to join us on these days if you'd like... 

And of course, you'll have small miscellaneous personal expenses throughout the week... perhaps a glass of wine, a gelato, a caffe, parking, maybe something you need from a drug store, etc. Nothing big, but you will need a little pocket money...  So you can see, as far as how much money you'll need, this is not an easy answer...

We always suggest you budget around 20 euros per person/per day (+/- 150 euro per person for the week)...  And you can certainly get by on a whole lot less if you want to...   But your personal expenses for shopping can be a whole other story... There's leather purses, shoes, belts, perfumes, pottery, clothing, paintings, sculpture,  Provençal tablecloths, etc...  Usually anyone selling more expensive items, will take credit cards...  (and when using a credit card, if you're asked; would you like to be charged in Dollars or Euros, always say Euros... choosing Dollars gives a retailer the ability to do his own "dynamic conversion" and charge a higher exchange rate).

best if you start watching the
fluctuation in the price of the
Euro so you can buy them
when they're at a low point...

So there's quite a few options for accessing Euros... We'll address the three main options:

#1.   Buying Euros in advance from your bank

Buying Euros ahead of time from your local bank here in the states is a safe & conservative approach... This is what we do... In our opinion, this is the most convenient and easiest way to get Euros, and already have them in pocket when you arrive in France.  Often they won't have the euros at a branch, but they'll get them for you in a day or two...  They usually give you a very fair exchange rate and typically any fees are covered in the exchange rate.  We always buy them easily online in advance from our bank; Bank of America...  and they just ship them to us.   That way we have the euros in our pocket when we get there.  

we'll have future posts about Euro notes & coins

So our Villa is a private residence, not a hotel, so there are no room safes, and we strongly advise against leaving valuables in your room when you're not at the Villa. (cash, expensive watches, expensive jewelry, etc).  In fact we strongly advise against even bringing & wearing expensive jewelry/watches at all... If you're going bring these types of things with you on your vacation, we suggest carrying them with you when you when you leave your hotel or the Villa during the day...

#2.  Buying Euros from one of those all too familiar Currency Exchange Booths

these types of booths at airports tend to be 
an expensive way to exchange currency

You know these places... You see them all over the place at international airports and in large tourist cities... These booths, while very convenient, and always touting "The Very Best Rates" are usually the most expensive way to get Euros...  We don't suggest them basically because they're just so expensive... Their exchange rates are typically 10% or more above the going rate.

#3.   Using your ATM Debit Card to access cash from ATM Machines

This is what we suggest to our guests as the most economical way to access Euros once you're in Europe...   If you decide to go this route, we always suggest to our guests to bring a couple hundred US dollars as emergency cash, two credit cards, and an ATM debit card... And just hit an ATM at the airport in Europe as soon as you get in and access Euros with your ATM Debit Card. (you probably don't want to use a credit card for this... that would be a cash advance and be costly).   Most banks give you a fair exchange rate doing it this way, and charge little or no additional fees... We always suggest checking with your bank to find out which European ATM networks you're in... It's best to use a Bank ATM in your network as the fees will likely be less.  Be careful using small private ATM's as the fees can be substantial, and stay away from "dynamic conversion" offers at ATM's or retailers as this is typically a very costly option.  Have them charge you in Euros, NOT US dollars, as your bank offers the best conversion/exchange rate. (note: sometimes ATM cards are slow to start in Europe, even when you tell your bank you're going to be in Europe... We always advise to have an international phone number handy, in case you need to call your bank. With all the credit card fraud that's going on these days, banks are super cautious... and their abundance of caution can be an inconvenience for you.

We always suggest that you call your bank and credit card companies a month in advance and tell them your travel destinations and dates.  Many will tell you there's no need to do this, but we strongly suggest you do...  and  politely insist they please note the info on your account... Often you can do this yourself on your bank's website.

Whichever way you choose to exchange currency, you should definitely do it before you arrive at the Villa on Saturday, as you'll want to already have Euros in your pocket before our Touring activities  start on Sunday morning... we also suggest you fill your car with gas before you arrive at the Villa on Saturday... 

                    _______________________________________________________

By the way, with The Blog having started recently, someone has just reached out and asked: When are our final payments due?  

So your final payments, as noted on your Reservation Forms,  are due 6 months before departure (Tour start date). ie: if your tour starts June 15th, your final payment is due by December 15th. If your Tour starts June 22nd, your final payment is due by December 22nd. 

And there are several ways to make this payment:

*  By mailing a personal check made out to Adventures to Tuscany and mailed to:
            Adventures to Tuscany
            215 Country Acres Drive
            Kunkletown, Pa.  18058

*  By making a easy online ZELLE Transfer from your bank account directly to our bank account at:     

            AdventuresToTuscany@gmail.com  

        (if you make a Zelle transfer, please send us a quick text or email to let us know to watch for it)

*. By credit card ~ we accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express ~ we need:

• account type (Visa, Mastercard or AE)
• name on  the card  
• mailing address associated with card
• phone # associated with card
• expiration date
• security code 
• you can email or call us with this info. 

(please note: while mailing a check or making a Zelle transfer incurs no additional costs, paying by credit card will add 2.75% to your total payment)                                    

Google Flights: How to Find Cheap Flights & Airfares Like a Pro

So guys, here's a great article by Thrifty Traveler on using "Google Flights" to find "cheap flights & airfares".  A couple of things:

1. This article is not written by us   
2. We don't necessarily endorse or recommend Thrifty Traveler (we don't know them)
3. While they offer some great tips on how to find cheap flights, as folks who do a fair amount of flying, in our humble opinion, cheapest price isn't everything.
4. Other things to consider besides price: comfort, convenience, ease, safety, reliability, reputation, etc. (all these things have value that you may be willing to pay a little more for)

All that being said, enjoy this video and article from Kyle Potter at Thrifty Traveler:

By Kyle Potter:  There are plenty of search engines out there to find a cheap flight. Maybe you've got a favorite airfare tool like Skyscanner, Hopper, or an online travel agency like Priceline or Expedia. But one option is better than all the rest: Google Flights.  Yes, that's right, the search engine behemoth Google is also king when it comes to finding cheap flights. It's incredibly powerful, with tons of features that will help you zero in on the best prices for your flights … and maybe even get a refund if prices drop after you book thanks to its new Price Guarantee feature. It's got a bevy of filters you can use to find the best flights you really want – and avoid the ones you don't. Plus, you can use this tool to search almost all carriers and book directly with an airline rather than through a third-party site – something that's become even more important since the pandemic. click here to continue reading

Parlez Vous Francais?

So wouldn't it be incredible if there was a "secret word" and every time you used it, you immediately benefited from it...  a better price on something that you're buying, a better table in a restaurant... a free upgrade at a hotel... better treatment from a waiter...  perhaps a little more compassion from a police officer... 

Well France has this magic word...   It's "Bonjour"!  It simply means "good morning" or hello... and it's not the word itself that creates the magic, but the act of saying it!  The French culture and European culture overall is just a tad more formal then our own here in the US and anytime you encounter someone, they clearly expect you to formally address them with a greeting before you begin to speak to them...  They always do this by saying Bonjour!

So if you walk into their little shop...  are asking directions... are asking the price of something, or whatever... The best (and expected) way of starting out, is to smile and say Bonjour... Here in the US, we're much more casual and we might walk up to a clerk in a store and just say "does this shirt come in yellow?"   But in France, and actually all of Europe, they'll think you're slightly rude if you just start talking to them without formally addressing them first... ps: a smile is half the deal, and the smile comes first!

1. Look them in the eye
2. Smile
3. Say Bonjour (pause 3 seconds)
4.  Then, and only then, you can order your coffee!
5. Un café s'il vous plaît (a coffee please) 

So Bonjour is acceptable for Americans to say at any time of the day... They just respect you cause you said it... If it's after a certain hour (usually 6pm),  some might correct you and say "Bonsoir" - good evening... or good night... but believe me, they'll give you what we call The 1% Credit for even trying!

So, what do i mean by The 1% Credit?  It's simple;  99% of Americans don't even try to speak their language, and of course, the French find it slightly disrespectful...  Imagine the opposite; you own a little shop here in the US, and some French guy walks in and just starts speaking to you in French... You can't understand him, and shake your head, and he just raises his voice a little louder and just keeps saying the same thing over & over in French...  after this scenario is repeated three times, you'll start to think he's a little crazy...  get the picture?    Well, welcome to their world...  this is the exact scenario that happens over and over again,  to shop owners, waiters, waitresses, taxi drivers, hotel staff and policemen, etc all day long...


We, as Americans tend to do this all over the world much more so then other cultures do...  You don't have to learn their entire language... You don't have to be fluent, or even close; you just have to make a tiny effort.  It sends an offensive message if you don't even acknowledge 'good day'  or 'thank you' in their language.  It's total and utter anathema to many French people when an American starts a conversation without beginning it with Bonjour...

So this is a another very small example of what we mean when we say: "what makes us different, makes all the difference in the world..." We want you to have the very best vacation experience possible... and our philosophy on how to accomplish this lies in "experiential immersion" - that is, get you as close to the local culture as possible so that you can have truly authentic experiences...  We try to do this thru this BLOG... The idea is:  we go out eight months before you leave for France, and slowly start immersing you into their culture... They're values, beliefs, norms, customs, cuisine, holidays, rituals, social habits, government, laws, family, religion... and of course, language!  As a tiny company, this is one of the ways we compete in a vast marketplace... We do these things because we know, if we we can get you in "the immersion zone" you will have an outstanding vacation... and when you do, you just might, like many of our alumni guests, join us again for another Tour!

So does this mean having to take a college course to learn another language?  No, not at all...  but maybe spend 90 seconds a day quizzing yourself on "Word of The Day & Menu item of the Day..."  By your departure date those lists will total around 200 of the most commonly used French words by travelers...  And with that, you'll be able to communicate, have a better understanding of what you see and what's going on around you...  and be able to create a bit more of a bond with the local Provençal people! 

But 200 words isn't the whole language, right?  Of course not...  This paragraph and the paragraph before it total just 181 words... But imagine if you could read them if it was in French?  You could also spend 5 minutes a day on the free DuoLingo website on the right side bar (5 minutes a day for the next 8 months is 20 hours of study...  20 hours is a lot! We've seen this be incredibly successful with guests on both our Tuscany & Provence Trips!)

The simple solution, if you don't want to spend 3 months in a foreign language immersion course for 2 hours a day, is to learn the Word of the Day list and just "buy a very small inexpensive phrase book..." Then, and this point is important, rough up the phrase book to make it look like you've used it really hard, and carry it in your back pocket...  Then when you need assistance, you simply say: "bonjour madame, pouvez-vous m'aider? (good morning madam, can you help me)   Now, wrinkle your brow and reach for that beat-up phrase book...   After about 10 seconds of you leafing frantically thru the phrasebook,  almost  100% of them will say to you in fairly decent English- "how can i help you?"  And now, at this point,  you can respectfully proceed in English...   And here's the very best part; they'll think the world of you for the mere fact that you've  tried!

You're now in the 1%!    They become much more compassionate and helpful... prices get better... they'll even walk you down the street to show you directions...   And you will have done your part to save the image of  the other 99% of Americans who won't even bother to try! 

But 200 words isn't the whole language, right?  Of course not...  This paragraph and the paragraph before it total 80 words... But imagine if you could read it if it was in French?  You could also spend 5 minutes a day on the free DuoLingo website on the right side bar (5 minutes a day for the next 8 months is 20 hours of study...  20 hours is a lot! We've seen this be incredibly successful with guests on both our Tuscany & Provence Trips!)

Lastly, using the Google Translate app on your cell phone is another way of achieving similar results... but it's important to learn how to use the "conversation mode" before you get there... no one will enjoy standing around waiting for you to try to figure it out while they have other things to do...

Maybe you're not seeing the whole picture...

the way The Blog probably
appears on your phone

Word of The Day?  Someone  has asked about our reference to "The Word of The Day" here on The Blog, and said they didn't see it?  So if you're reading The Blog only from a cell phone, there's a good chance you're not seeing the whole picture!  Viewing the blog on a cell phone often just shows a summary of "post titles" with links to the full post. But what you may be missing is the right side bar that has all the Travel Tools and Resources. 

To see this on your phone, scroll to the very bottom of the page just above the blue "About Us" section, and you'll see a link that says "view web version" If you click this link you'll see the full version of The Blog with the full right side Bar...  

Many of gadgets you'll see on the right sidebar are links to click on that will open other windows... These are resource tools to help you find flights, trains, car rentals, travel insurance, currency exchange rates, weather, language classes, etc... While others are just resources to help you learn things like a few words of French, or to help you learn to understand French Menus... 

the way The Blog will appear on your phone
if you click on "view web version"

These elements of the side bar (Parlez Vous Francais & Mangeons) will continue to grow every time we post, and of course we'll continue to add new resources to the sidebar every now & then... While these language resources might seem meager right now, by the time you leave for France, they'll probably be close to 200 words that you'll likely see and use once you're there. (That's about 195 more French words than the average American bothers to learn before they go to France!) And if you want more than a Word-A-Day, consider clicking on the DuoLingo link in the right side bar; DuoLingo offers totally free 5 minute French Lessons as often as you'd like! It's an intuitive based learning system just like the Rosetta Stone platform, but it's totally free!

We don't want the Blog to become overwhelming... And please once again understand; you don't have to read the BLOG...  We just offer the Blog as an optional resource for your convenience... Again, our philosophy is: the more we can inform you about what you might need for your trip, the culture, etc... the better prepared you'll be, and the better time you'll have! 

Of course if you've been viewing The Blog on a desktop, a laptop or a tablet, you've probably been seeing the full page all along!  If there's ever anything we say that you don't understand, please reach out to us! We're happy to explain!

Joie de Vivre Extraordinaire!

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days are today & tomorrow October 10th & 11th! If you need luggage, travel accessories, clothing, shoes, some new Ray-Bans, or maybe even a new Raspberry Berét to up your "Joie de Vivre" for your upcoming Adventure to Provence, get it now for 30 to 60% off during Amazon's  Prime Big Deal Days!  click here to go crazy now!

check out "Raspberry Béret"

L'eau fait pleurer, le vin fait chanter...

 (Water makes one cry, wine makes one sing!)

Les Deux Magots ~ one of Paris's most famous...
known as a popular literary hangout for the likes of 
Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso,
James Joyce, Jean-Paul Sartre and André Breton

In North America, terms for French restaurants are often used interchangeably, but, in France, there is a definite difference between a brasserie, a bistro and a bouchon. From auberges to restaurants and everything in between, France has a wide variety of places to dine with different offerings, price ranges and atmospheres. This can lead to some confusion, however, if you’re hungry and not sure where to go if you’re looking for a multi-course meal or just a casual bite to eat. 

Here is a quick glossary of French eateries.

Bistro

Bistros are intimate, usually family-owned restaurants that serve traditional fare and French wine. You’ll find casual menu items that also show up in brasseries, as well as tartes, braises and stews. If you’re short on time or just not looking for a real-sit down meal, bistros generally offer a casual atmosphere and reasonably-priced, simple fare. They are very popular destinations and so tend to get crowded, but beyond their cramped quarters, bistros offer a sampling of some of France’s favorite culinary staples. Many bistros also sell tobacco, lottery tickets and scratch-off games. They tend to be open only during meal hours, meaning from around 11:30 am- 2:00 pm for lunch and 7:30 pm- 11:00 pm for dinner.

Bouchon

Specific to Lyon, bouchons are independent, casual dining spots that typically serve decadently high-fat items like pts, offals and roasts.  While traveling in Lyon, you will undoubtedly encounter the city’s typical bouchons serving the region’s traditional specialties, which tend to be meat-heavy dishes such as sausage, duck pâté and pork. Bouchons are known more for their convivial, lively atmospheres than refined haute cusine, but a hearty meal is guaranteed, usually accompanied by a glass of Beaujolais or Côtes-du-Rhône. Expect opening hours to coincide with meal times 

Brasserie

The name translates to “brewery,” so a brasserie is a French version of a pub: beer and cider are usually served in a loud, bustling space. Typical brasserie meals include steak frites or mussels (also with frites, please!). Closely identifiable with pub restaurants, brasseries serve traditional French food, coffee and drinks at moderate prices. They offer a wider food selection than bistros and tend to be bustling and serving food all day long, from morning until late at night. As brasserie means “brewery” in French, you can expect a beer and wine selection that will satisfy true aficionados!

Caf or Café

In France, a caf is where you go for your coffee, and perhaps a light snack or lunch in the form of a croque monsieur or a meal-sized salad. The French café is so ingrained in the country’s reputation that you can hardly imagine France without it! Cafés are often casual neighborhood hangouts but can also have trendier atmospheres. They mainly serve coffee, of course, as well as tea, hot chocolate and light snacks such as toasted sandwiches. Cafes are usually open from morning (roughly 7 am) until evening. Unlike some other establishments in France, cafés do not close mid-day

Auberge

For a rustic family-style meal, an auberge attached to a rural bed-and-breakfast or hotel serves up cuisine that will hit the spot, and an auberge terroir uses certified local ingredients. In both cases, a table d’hôte with limited options is usually offered. Since they are often attached to bed and breakfasts or hotels, auberges will also offer accommodations to their visitors.

Restaurant

For a traditional multi-course meal in France, restaurants are your best bet. Most will offer a wide selection of dishes on a prix-fixe menu (with some combination of appetizer, entrée and dessert) as well as an à la carte option. Wine choices and higher-end service are also often emphasized in restaurants. And like bistros, restaurants are usually open only during meal hours, and you may find that many are closed on Sundays or Mondays.

Traiteur  

The closest thing to a delicatessen.  They offer catering and ready-meals, and deli-type goods such as marinated olives, tapenades, seafood and salads. These are great places to go if you're trying to put together some take-away foods for a picnic...

Buvette  

Also known as a ‘buffet’ or ‘snack’, they sell pizza by-the-slice, paninis, baguette sandwiches and drinks.

Salon de Thé

Serves a range of teas, and usually offers cakes, quiches and tarts.

Boulangerie

A bread shop. Usually fresh baked croissants...  Dedicated boulangeries usually don’t dabble in pastries or cakes.

Fromagerie 

A cheese shop.These can be amazing places with incredible selection... Ask for advice, and take it!

Crêperies  

You are certain to encounter a crêperie serving crêpes (thin pancakes, sweet and made with wheat flour) and galettes (savoury and made with buckwheat flour). Sometimes you'll find a Creperie street cart (think hot dog cart, but with fresh to order crepes stuffed with incredible fillings)

Patisserie

A bakery specializing in cakes and sweets. This is where you’ll find your eclairs, macarons and petit fours.