The Beautiful Villages of Provence Checklist

 So we're down to just about 4 months out and as we get closer to your departure date, many guests start to worry about forgetting things that they may want to do or bring with them to France...  

It's usually at this point that expectations start bubblin' with anticipation!   And as you get closer to your departure, we strongly suggest you dedicate a basket and start putting things in it that you don't want to forget...   We've tried to put together this comprehensive checklist, but theres no doubt, we missed things... and by all means, don't feel like you have to bring all of these things... just bring what you want to...  there will be stores to buy things, and in fact, that's fun... but remember, it does eat up your valuable time... the most important things you need are your passports, credit cards, Euros and access to cash (we suggest atm/debit card)... and ultimately with just those things, you'll get by... everything else is just for your safety, comfort and convenience...

So here's our attempt at a checklist:

• Passports (take a photo of this and email it to yourself)
• stop your mail and newspaper delivery / turn off water / adjust thermostat/water heater
• leave/email a copy of itinerary with hotel addresses, phone #'s, etc with family or friends
• pack a personal copy for yourself
• tape a 3rd copy prominently visible inside your suitcases in case it gets lost (put your cell phone # and hotel phone #'s on it)
• check expiration dates on credit cards, atm cards, passports, driver lic, etc (France now requires your passport to be valid for 3 months beyond your intended return date)
• inform your bank of your travel dates and adjust your atm daily withdrawal rate
• inform your credit card companies of your travel dates and destinations
• double check your credit limit on credit cards you intend to use...
• bring "international" contact phone numbers for credit and debit cards along with you
• have phone pics available of any credit or debit card u r bringing along
• make a photocopy or take phone pic of your passport ...
• email yourself pics of passports 
• drivers license  (rental car company will not give you a car without a dvr lic)
• medical insurance cards
• bring along your travel docs, flight receipts, frequent flyer #'s, etc
• bring copy of your travel insurance policy and contact #'s
• plan on bringing a little US emergency cash
• consider using a money belt or neck wallet
• consider purchasing international cell phone plans
• bring road maps (we suggest Michelins)
• bring any guidebooks you want (freq traveller hack: just rip out pages needed and staple)
• don't forget to bring any prescription medications you may need/in original bottle
• other pharma: sleep aid, ibuprofen, band-aids, vitamins, anti-diarrehal, kleenex, Qtips, sunscreen, extra contact lens, extra glasses, sunglasses, hat, etc
• ear plugs / sleeping mask / travel blanket / tiny flashlight
• hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes for the airplane 
• phrase book or translator app
• travel umbrella or rain jacket/hat
• luggage locks (needs to be TSA approved)
• tide pen/wine stain remover
• wall and & car chargers for cell phone
• camera/charger/travel binocs
• extra storage media for camera
• European electric plug adapters
• safety pins / ziplock bags / sew kit
• swimming suit
• corkscrew 
• shoes you can truly walk in
• notepad, journal, pen (great journaling apps in the app store)
• nailclipper / tweezer / hairbrush / razor
• lay out all your clothes you want to bring...
• only bring half of them... (seriously) traveler's rule of thumb is two tops to every one bottom
• your rental car voucher (they won't give you the car without voucher)
• set up "out of office auto-email response"
• have a list of spouses/friends cell #'s, email addresses, hotel, villa addresses, phone #'s, flight #'s, etc... (know where you are, where ur going, and how to get back)
• leave expensive jewelry / watches / purses at home
• consider bringing empty tote bag  (to meet carry on restrictions)
• ziplock bags for carryon liquids / wet swim suits
• GPS (if you're planning on bringing your own, check that it has euro-maps) many folks now use cell phone map apps
• road maps (if you need to buy 'em - go online & get Michelins) We suggest Michelin Provence Map #527 available here : Amazon

again guys, we've tried hard, but it's very likely we may have missed things... and of course, not everyone needs everything on this list...  Just bring what YOU need! it's getting fun now! It's gonna be a magical adventure!

PS: it's never too late to learn a few words of French!  Many of our guests are surprised to learn that not everyone in France speaks English... Click on the Duolingo logo in the right sidebar... It's free, it's effective, and we guarantee you will have a better experience if you learn 100 words of French!  

As always, we're here to answer any questions that you may have, or to help you in any way that we can... 

Rick Steves; Provence in The South of France!

 If there's any place in the world Rick Steves loves as much as Italy, it is indeed Provence in The South of France!  Here you'll get a feel for the region in the way Rick Steves brings the history and the culture to life!  You'll want to pay particular attention to the segments on The Pont du Garde, Arles and The Cote du Rhone Wine region; two of the areas we'll be Touring and we'll be spending some time at a very special Wine Estate and rumor has it they'll be some wine drinking during the week!... Also he talks about Boule and we have our own Boule court at the Villa! And we've heard from some of you that you might be heading to Avignon or Aix-en-Provence on Wednesday (the free day) and he touches on those areas as well.  (fair warning: this video exceeds the 3 minute duration but we think its well worth it!)

Venasque ~ Your Home Base Village

 Hi Guys, hope you are all well... We wanted to give you some idea of the beauty of Venasque, what will be your home-base Village in Provence... but we couldn't decide between these two video's so we've included both of them!  Venasque is an incredibly beautiful little village just down the road about a mile from our Villa, Château du Soleil ...  

The French Cultural Ministry lists only 164 villages throughout the whole country as 'Plus Beaux Villages de France'  ("The Most Beautiful Villages in France") With over 32,000 villages in France, a country that relies on tourism, getting this official designation is a really big deal! The villages in the 12,000 square mile region of Provence have just 17 of these designations... We will be taking you to four of them; Venasque, Gordes, Rousillion and Les Baux-de-Provence! 

In this first Video, they use a drone to show you how Venasque is truly a hilltown with high elevation perched on the edge of cliffs... you'll realize this as we drive ups the switchbacks to get to the village!

In this second video, they walk you through the various pedestrian streets of Venasque, and you might want to pause the video at exactly 4:05 in; if you look out in the distance, right in the middle of the screen, you'll see our Villa Château du Soleil (big yellow villa)... and the last mountain Range in the far background  behind the Villa and a little to the right at about 1 o'clock, is Mont Ventoux (what the locals call Old Baldy) in the Alps!  That mountain will be the site of our Le Provençal Classique Road Rally on Monday! Mont Ventoux has become famous as one of the big mountain climbs of The Tour de France Bicycle Race! When we ascend Mont Ventoux on The Road Rally, you'll have a whole new respect for the athletes that peddle up this monster during the race!

Bon Jour... Un Cafe, S'il Vous Plaît... (don't forget the Bon Jour and the S'il Vous Plaît)

  If you think ordering coffee in a French café or bar is the same as back home, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. Ask for un café and you'll be presented with a tiny cup of espresso...  and if you then request milk, you're likely to get a dirty look or sigh of exasperation. What's the problem?

this is what you get if you order un Cafe S'il Vous Plaît...
what you may know as espresso

In France, un café, which may also be called un petit café, un café simple, un café noir, un petit noir, un café express, or un express, is an espresso: a tiny cup of strong black coffee. That's what the French drink, so that's what the simple word café refers to. 

Many US visitors to France, however, may prefer a large cup of filtered, relatively weak coffee, which in France is known as un café américain or un café filtre.  If you like the taste but not the strength of espresso, order un café allongé and you'll get an espresso in a large cup which you can dilute with hot water.

On the other hand, if you'd like something even stronger than espresso, ask for un café serré.  In the unlikely event that you find a place serving iced coffee, it will be called café glacé.  For decaffeinated coffee, add the word déca to your order: un café déca, un café américain déca, etc.

Du Lait, S'il Vous Plaît

If you want milk, you have to order it with the coffee: 

un café au lait, un café crème, un crème - espresso with hot milk (large cup)

un cappuccino - espresso with foamed milk (large cup)

un café noisette, une noisette - espresso with a dash of milk or a spoonful of foam (small cup)

Et Du Sucre?   You don't need to ask for sugar — if it's not already on the bar or table, it will arrive with your coffee, in little envelopes or cubes. (If it's the latter, you can do like the French and faire un canard: dip a sugar cube in your coffee, wait a moment for it to turn brown, and then eat it.)

un café au lait

At breakfast, the French like to dip croissants and day-old baguettes into café crème - indeed, that's why it comes in such a large cup or even a bowl. But breakfast is the only meal at which coffee is consumed (1) with milk and (2) with food. The French drink un express after lunch and dinner, which means after—not with—dessert.

French coffee is not meant to be consumed on the street, so there's no takeaway. This is slowly changing, but take-a-way coffee is still more rare in France. But if you're in a hurry, drink your petit café standing up at the bar, rather than sitting at a table. You'll be rubbing elbows with locals, and you'll save money to boot. (Some cafés have three different prices: bar, indoor table, and outdoor table.)

Un café liégeois is not a drink, but rather a dessert: a coffee ice cream sundae. (You're also likely to encounter un chocolat liégeois.)

Pastis ~ the official cocktail of summer in France!

 Want to get your French Vibe on?  Want to fit in and look like a local in Provence this summer?   Order some Pastis!

If you’ve been to The South of France during the summer months, you’ve undoubtedly seen locals sitting around cafes & pools sipping on a cloudy pale yellow cocktail...  Beloved by many, Pastis has basically become the unofficial drink of summer in France, and most particularly amongst regions in The South of France. So what exactly is it, what does it taste like, and how in the world does it change from caramel brown to pale yellow? We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about this signature French spirit, here.  

What Is Pastis? 

Pastis is a booze-heavy, anise-flavored spirit and aperitif most commonly produced in The South of France. The spirit generally clocks in at around 40-45% ABV and boasts less than 100 grams per liter of sugar. The name pastis comes from the Occitan word for mash-up. 

Where Is Pastis Made?    Pastis was first commercially sold in 1932 by Paul Ricard, exactly 17 years after absinthe was banned. Although distilled across a handful of regions now, the spirit is most commonly enjoyed in Marseille, the Var, the Luberon, the Vaucluse and other areas in Provence / and The South of France.   

How Is Pastis Made?  Although artisanal versions exist, most commercial pastis is made by mixing a neutral base spirit with licorice flavoring. In smaller-production distilleries, anise essence/extract may be used instead. Pastis’ legal definition describes the booze as an anise-flavored spirit bottled at 40% or more ABV.  

How Does Pastis Get Its Color?    On its own, pastis, like many spirits/liqueurs, shows a caramel-like hue. However, when a splash of water is added to it, the drink takes on a cloudy, pale yellow hue. This is because pastis contains terpenes, which become insoluble when diluted below a 30% ethanol percentage. This is how the drink gets its signature cloudiness in the glass once water is added! 

What Is the History of Pastis?    Pastis was originally created during the early 1930s as a result of the banning of absinthe. At the time, the French were crazy for anise-flavored spirits, and upon the banning of absinthe, Ricard created and commercially sold pastis as a similar alternative.  

What Does Pastis Taste Like?   Pastis is often compared to absinthe, though the two aren’t really that similar. Pastis is more licorice and anise-flavored. If you’ve had Arak, Ouzo, or Raki before, these are similar spirits.  

How Is Pastis Best Enjoyed?   Although best enjoyed on its own or with a splash of water, a handful of pastis-based cocktails exist. The most popular creations include the Rourou (made with strawberry syrup), Tomate (made with grenadine), and Perroquet (mixed with green mint syrup). When the latter two mixers are used (grenadine and mint syrup), the cocktail is called a Feuille Morte (‘dead leaf’ in English). Pastis is often substituted for other popular cocktails that call for absinthe, most notably the Sazerac.   

When Is Pastis Best Enjoyed?    Pastis is enjoyed year round by a variety of drinkers, though the drink is commonly consumed as an aperitif during French apéro hour. However, on the weekends, pastis is often enjoyed all day long while playing relaxing games of pétanque beneath the sun – though fair warning, this stuff packs a serious punch (and might sneak up on you if you don’t pay attention!) 

Want to practice?

You'll find these world famous liquors at your local Wine & Spirits shop right here in Pennsylvania... Our personal favorite is Pernod!  Just pour a little in a glass and add ice cold water to dilute it to your preference...  We tend to sip on this once the weather warms a little... It makes a great Summer Cooler!  We'll make sure we have this on hand at the pool bar at Château du Soleil this summer! For those of you who are champion drinkers you might like to try Ernest Hemingway's favorite cocktail when he lived here in France;  Pastis & Champagne, aptly named Death in the Afternoon! We'll have this at the pool bar as well for those of you who dare!

check out this amazing remake of a classic...

A little Bonjour goes a long way!

Bon Jour - Welcome to France! 
The French buy their baguette everyday.

 If you've not been to France before this, you're going to find that there's a lot of interesting things that will seem very different from what you may be use to... Be patient, give it some time, and learn to embrace the differences... 

#1.  Their culture and traditions are thousands of years old, and nothing you say or do is gonna change them ... 
and
#2. you didn't spend thousands of dollars and travel half way around the world to experience something that's exactly the same as it is in your hometown!

You've come to France to truly experience the uniqueness, beauty & charm of the French way of life ~ The Old World... And they do things differently... and it's actually pretty cool once you get used to it... 


But there are things that take some getting use too...  If you want water with your meal in a restaurant,  often you will have to buy bottled water... For many first timers, this is surprising, as most of us don't often buy bottled water with our restaurant meals here in the US...  But this is the norm throughout much of Europe... Some places will make tap water available if you ask (une carafe d’eau s’il vous plait), but many places will not... Over the years, we've gotten use to it, and now we actually enjoy ordering the bottled waters...  both still & sparkling... If the idea bothers you, we tell our guests to think of it this way; If you order a large (1 liter) bottle of  mineral water for your table at maybe 2 euro, you'll be less likely to take it for granted like we do water at our table here in the US...You'll likely drink it, as you've paid for it, and easily save the cost over what you'd pay for a couple additional glasses of wine...

Another difference first timers to Europe often notice; Ice in drinks is usually sparse...  usually just one or two cubes.   This is because they're just not used to drinks as cold as we typically enjoy them...  and, electricity in France is typically 5 times what you pay here in the US...  and massive amounts of refrigeration is rare... they also feel ice cold drinks are not good for digestion... (if it's really hot, and you need a drink poured over a whole glass of ice, find a McDonalds)

The French tend to order off the menu and accept the offering as it is presented on the menu... They don't typically ask for substitutions as we might here in the US...  Your waiter may not understand if you ask for French Fries instead of a baked potato, and you may end up with both (and be charged for both).  Most all French people have the classic French Vinaigrette on their salads; white wine vinegar, olive oil, classic Dijon Mustard, shallots, a light sprinkle of salt & pepper and a sometimes a pinch of sugar... it's wonderful! And hence many restaurants will not have a whole assortment of what we call salad dressings... They'll just have the Vinaigrette...  or perhaps separate bottles of olive oil & red wine or balsamic vinegar.

In their cafes (in cities) they often have different pricing structures for coffee... one for standing at the bar, and another for sitting at an inside table with waiter service and in cities and large tourist areas, even a third for an outside table...  and of course the prices rise as you go toward the outside table... We suggest you do one or the other... Often,  a frequent  American faux pas is that we order at the counter and then carry our drinks to the table...  If the establishment has waiter service, this is considered a no-no... and in France the waiter will tell you in no uncertain terms! (this issue is much more casual & relaxed in smaller villages, but still often if they have waiter service, they'll expect you to do one or the other).

At their outdoor markets, you shouldn't touch the fruit...  Tell the vendor what you want, and they'll often ask you: quand voulez-vous le manger? (when do you want to eat it) and then they'll pick the appropriate fruit for you based on it's ripeness...

In a larger grocery store, you can handle the fruit and produce yourself, but usually only with the disposable plastic gloves that will be on a roll near the end of isles...  if you don't use the gloves, you'll get nasty looks from everyone around...   and you'll need to note the id# to weigh it and price it yourself on the little scales at the end of the isles. Both the gloves and the scales have gradually worked their way into the US market, but it's been this way forever in France...

be careful - it's easy to fall in love in France! 

If you've been following along on the BLOG, you might remember that tipping in restaurants is a lot less in France... Service charge is always included. Many French don't tip at all... Leave a small tip if you've received some outstanding or special service. (refer to the full post on tipping).

Life is just slower and more relaxed in France...  In the US, when we sit down at a table in a restaurant, we expect immediate service...  Not so much in most of Europe...  Dining out is considered a magnificent event, not to be rushed... You may be shown to a table and given a menu, but it may be ten minutes till someone comes to ask for your drink order... They don't want to rush you and they're just much more casual...   

 And the table?  It's your's until you decide to leave...  Here in the US, they're trained to turn the table as often as possible, and they typically ask us, is there anything else, and then give us the check...  This is often the signal that they want you to leave so they can give the table to the next party... This will almost never happen in France.. You always have to ask for your check; L'addition, s'il vous plaît = the check please... It's not at all unusual for a French family to occupy a table for over 3 hours...  Also, if you're with a group, they likely will not give you separate checks... this is very rare in France; one table one check,  - splitting it up is up to you.

We could go on & on... but you get the idea... these are just a few examples, you'll experience many more... The cultures are different!  And unlike a lot of mass market Tours, your Adventures to Provence Tour is designed to deeply immerse into the authentic culture, not shield you from it...  Again, be patient, slow down, and embrace the differences... It will make for a much better vacation experience, and you want the memories to be positive! If you follow along with the blog, by the time you get there, you'll have a much deeper understanding of France than most people do when they leave! 

There's lots of Mistletoe & lots of Kissing! 💋😘💋

Mistletoe & The French Kiss

New Year's Traditions in France:There’s lots of mistletoe! and a lot of kissing! 

If you’re looking for an opportunity to smooch over Christmas, you’ll have to wait until New Year’s Eve to whip out the mistletoe in France. 

The Druids started off the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, believing that mistletoe has mystical powers that ward off evil spirits. But unlike elsewhere in the United States and Northern Europe, ‘S’embrasser sous le gui’ (to kiss under the mistletoe) happens on New Year Eve’s, rather than at Christmas. It brings good luck and, if you’re in love & only kissing one person it predicts a wedding before the end of the following year.

A lot of kissing!  It’s not just kissing under the mistletoe either. In France, you’re not just aiming to kiss one person at midnight, you’re supposed to kiss everyone! 💋💋💋 Some historians trace the tradition of kissing on New Year’s Eve back to ancient Rome. The Romans would throw a huge celebration called the Festival of Saturnalia, where we gather lots of kissing occurred. This tradition filtered down to Europe. Some argue that in the Renaissance period, people would throw masquerade balls to ring in the New Year. At the stroke of midnight, they’d remove the mask and kiss to purify each other from evil. Bisous bisous. And in France, the kissing doesn't stop at midnight.... They're just getting started... Let's just say the French are very big on kissing!  💋💋💋They're a very sensual people!   Who else could have invented The French Kiss! 😘