European Experiences

11/11/2024

Our new Inside Lyon trip is offered for the first time in 2025. This is a four-night trip, developed and led by European Experiences team member Drew Fedorka. In this post on the Slow Travel Tours blog, Drew shares how his love of Lyon developed and introduces several of the unique aspects of this less-discovered French city.

Our new Inside Lyon tour will focus on discovering Lyon, one of France's best kept secrets, featuring history, architecture, and gastronomy

29/10/2024

In case you haven't heard, the EU will soon require authorization for entry into the Schengen Zone. The timeline for implementation has already been delayed several times but, as of now, is set for mid-2025. For travelers joining a European Experiences trip next year, rest assured that we'll offer additional guidance on the application process (which is expected to be quick and inexpensive). In the meantime, you may find this article useful.

Mark your calendars: The launch of the ETIAS travel authorization is currently slated for November 2023.

25/10/2024

The Luberon Experience in Provence - just a few openings left in our 2025 trips! May 3-10: 5 openings. May 17-24 (Women's Week): 1 opening. Our two September trips are full and waiting list only.

We've been hosting small groups in the beautiful Luberon region of Provence since 2006 and have welcomed over 800 people since then. This trip was named one of the top tours in the world by National Geographic Traveler magazine and is really our "signature" trip. This Experience week is led by European Experiences owner and co-founder Kathy Wood with local co-leader Christian Linke.

The Luberon is the most beautiful area in Provence, stretching 34 miles on either side of a small, rocky mountain range, an hour or so north of the Mediterranean Sea. Our base is the ancient perched village of Bonnieux with sweeping views across the valley. We stay in a charming and authentic family-owned hotel in the heart of the village. The Wood family has a second home in Bonnieux, and because of their many local relationships, this trip include unique experiences that wouldn’t be possible on your own or with another tour.

The Luberon offers a wide diversity of experiences for a week-long stay: a rich history dating back to prehistoric and Roman times, incredible landscapes of mountains and farmland, hilltop stone villages, the ruins of old castles, delightful outdoor markets, and outstanding cuisine and wine.

Learn more on our website here: https://european-experiences.com/luberon-france/

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John from Indiana: "Our base was a lovely small hotel in the equally lovely village of Bonnieux (great for walking). It was a wonderful week filled with local experiences in a number of villages . . . each different and welcoming. (The) Luberon is known for Lavender, Olives and Olive Oil as well as Wine. Our week included visits to a Lavender farm, Olive Oil producer and Vineyard/Winery. ... The inclusion of a visit to multimedia Quarry of Lights was another highlight."

Sheri from Pennsylvania: "I had the good fortune to participate in the Luberon Experience during a Women’s Week. This is a stunning area of Provence. Our days were filled with visits to charming villages, delicious food (including a meal at the home of a local artist), & beautiful scenery. Our home for the week was a hotel in the lovely village of Bonnieux. The rooms were lovely & the views/grounds were spectacular. Breakfast was wonderful everyday. Our group leaders, Kathy & Christian, were great hosts who planned every last detail with great care."

Mary from Massachusetts: "I have traveled all over the world. Some for business, some walking/hiking tours, some self-guided tours. This was THE BEST. I felt part of the local community and not just someone passing through. People, trip guide (Kathy Wood), food, markets, etc. were all outstanding. I have already signed up for two more European Experience trips so that is my best testimonial."

Don from Tennessee: "Our third trip with European Experiences was in the Luberon region of France... It was another wonderful week visiting interesting towns and places that Kathy and Charley had found, researched and made arrangements to visit at a very comfortable pace.... We never thought of these trips as "tours", but rather "experiences" created by knowledgeable and caring folks that left us with fond memories, new friends and looking forward to the next adventure with them."

25/10/2024

We love spotting our apartment in pictures of Bonnieux!

Want to stay in our lovely home in this charming village? Visit bonnieux-apartment.com.

22/10/2024

Openings in all three trips in 2025! The Mediterranean Provence Experience: April 21-28; June 11-18 (Women's Week); September 5-12.

The Mediterranean Provence Experience, hosted by Jennifer Dugdale, has become one of our most popular trips and is offered several times each year.

This Experience week is based in the waterfront village of Bandol in the protected, lesser-known western area of the French Riviera. The landscape features a mix of natural Provençal forests, rocky cliffs, coastal paths, discreet sandy coves, and the azur blue sea. Our week includes day trips to Marseille and Toulon, visits to coastal villages and vineyards, boat trips to enjoy the spectacular scenery, meals of fresh and seasonal foods, and much more.

Learn more on our website: https://european-experiences.com/mediterranean-provence/ We'd love to have you join us!!

Doug from Washington: "Great tour, and a great company: small groups, one-week in the same central town with daily side trips. Highlights were: Cooking school and dinner with a Michelin chef; visit to hilltop village Le Castallet, and a another great dinner; WWII Memorial at Mont Faron, in Toulon; small seaport of Cassis."

Julie from Queensland, Australia: "I joined the Mediterranean Provence trip with Jennifer and JP. Right from the beginning they were very welcoming and helpful. The week felt like being shown around by two friends and not an organized tour. They both went out of their way to ensure we experienced French culture and visited beautiful places, often away from the busy tourist areas. Every day we had plenty of laughs, wonderful experiences and great food and wine!"

Linda from California: "I just returned from the Mediterranean Provence Women's Week with Jennifer Dugdale as the Leader. It was amazing! Every day was an adventure ...from exploring the magnificent coastline to a cooking class with a Michelin star chef, to a French winery tour and picnic. Activities were well paced. Our hotel in Bandol was lovely. The food all week was excellent. A highlight was also getting to know the other women on the tour. We all got along great and had a lot of laughs. Some new friendships formed. Jennifer did an outstanding job as Leader. I would definitely recommend this tour!"

22/10/2024

Our writer/blogger friend Leyla returned recently to Bonnieux... our special village has also captivated her. Learn more about Bonnieux from her perspective in her article.

Over 800 people have spent a week in Bonnieux on one of our Luberon Experience weeks. What do you love about Bonnieux?

Bonnieux, France, is a jewel of the Luberon, and I use it as my base whenever I visit that beautiful region.

22/10/2024

What a great recognition for our friends and fellow Slow Travel Tours members, Jim Nilsen's Photography Travel Tours. They offer wonderful photography tours. Congratulations, Jim and Magrit!

Photography Travel Tours was chosen for a cover story feature in Groups Today Magazine. Come join our unforgettable photo tours in 2025.

21/10/2024

Next year will be a big year in Aix-en-Provence!!

20/10/2024

Six spots left! The Cornwall Experience, April 21-May 1 (10 nights)

We're looking forward to returning to Cornwall this spring. We've been hosting groups in this beautiful and interesting region of southwest England since 2018. This trip includes seven nights on the mainland in the town of Penzance, two nights in the Isles of Scilly (25 miles off the coast of England), and one night back in Penzance. This area is impacted by the Gulf Stream, so it's a subtropical environment with the warmest temperatures in England.

We're never more than 30 minutes from the sea! Our groups enjoy visits to coastal villages and towns, beautiful gardens, prehistoric sites, and even a former tin mine. We enjoy an evening with the Mousehole Male Voice Choir. And of course the food is wonderful! Our time in the magical Isles of Scilly make this trip especially unique. This trip is hosted by Kathy and Charley Wood, who have been exploring Cornwall for over 20 years.

We'd love to have you join us! Learn more on our website here: https://european-experiences.com/cornwall-england/ Contact [email protected] to learn more.

From Pam and Bob from Texas:

"The entire trip ran very smoothly from meeting up at the Penzance train station to daily transportation... The hotels and restaurant experiences chosen were superb. The hospitality and regional uniqueness of each one were outstanding. We had so many outstanding experiences, such as listening to the Mousehole men’s choir in a medieval church and a visit to the Isles of Scilly. What really impressed us was the overall organization and planning of the trip along with the flexibility to respond to opportunities that presented themselves in the moment.

"The Cornwall trip is notable for its dramatic sea and moor landscapes and ancient history. We likely would never have experienced it in depth were it not for Kathy and her team."

18/10/2024

One spot left! - The Morocco Experience (February 14 - 25, 11 nights)

Since we have just one trip left in 2024 (our Christmas trip), our thoughts are turning to 2025. Perhaps you're dreaming of your own travels next year? Many of our 2025 trips are full, but we do have openings on several trips. Over the next two weeks we'll be featuring opportunities to join us in 2025. You can see all the trips available here: https://european-experiences.com/2025-trips-2/

Our first trip of 2025 is The Morocco Experience, February 14–25. This 11-night trip is led by "leader extraordinaire" Jennifer Dugdale. Our group meets in Paris for two nights where they participate in a cultural orientation at the nearby Arab Institute. Then everyone flies together to Marrakech. The trip includes three nights each in the city of Marrakech,on the coast in Essaouria, and in the Atlas Mountains. This welcoming country and its people will amaze you!

See our website for more info. https://european-experiences.com/morocco-experience/ We have just one spot left for a solo traveler. Our group includes other solo travelers, couples, and pairs of friends/family. Join us for the experience of a lifetime in Morocco!

From our 2024 group (Google reviews):

“We daily experienced the hospitality and kindness of the Moroccan people. The cultural exposure, the places we visited, the delicious food including the home cooked meal we participated in making... we came to appreciate the country and the people in a hands-on way.” (Harry from Louisiana)

“The Moroccan trip was the perfect experience for me. It had fantastic food, learning, beautiful scenery, hiking, and a chance to give a little something to children.” (Susan from Tennessee)

“Jennifer chose the most amazing activities to get us to understand and appreciate the culture and people of Morocco. It is an amazingly welcoming country. The people are extremely kind and generous. We ate in families' homes and were encouraged to learn and use Arabic, French and Berber words to connect with our hosts.” (Kesslyn from Alaska)

16/10/2024

A big “au revoir” to our 2024 Paris groups!

We skipped over Spring, while the city was busy preparing for the Olympics. And once those festivities were over, we raced back with 3 Autumn groups to get our fix of fabulous Paris.

Here are a few parting shots of last week’s travelers and our final activities. We joined in with locals at the weekend St Ouen flea market, accompanied by Elodie, a Paris Tourism Board senior executive. We are lucky she carves out time for us, to share the best sellers and special ambiance of this colorful market.

We caught up with Edith again, who brought to life Josephine and Napoleon Bonaparte at the Chateau de Malmaison. Little frequented by other tourists, we felt the intimacy of their home; and it was a great follow-up to our visit of Napoleon’s Relief Maps at Les Invalides.

We ended the week with Allison, another favorite Parisienne, who taught us the history of restaurants and gastronomy in the former wholesale district. A traditional French lunch, in Allison’s company, at brasserie Le Grand Colbert was a delicious conclusion. (Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton famously sat in the historic dining room during the film, “Something’s Gotta Give”.)

Our Paris Experience group definitely experienced Paris through locals’ eyes. We can’t wait to return in 2025!

https://european-experiences.com/paris-experience/

15/10/2024

Bordeaux is synonymous with wine, quite literally. It even has two museums dedicated to wine! So how could a visit to this city be complete without exploring and tasting its liquid delights?

On our Inside Bordeaux trip, we will spend one day with a local wine expert in Saint-Émilion, a village known for its macarons, charming streets, ancient history… and of course wine! The Saint-Émilion appellation covers 75 square kilometers, of which vines cover 54.5 square kilometers. The vines come right up to the edge of the village, a physical reminder and demonstration of how intert-wine-d the village and viticulture are.

Learning about wine and the wine industry in Bordeaux is not just for wine aficionados - it’s a fascinating insight into how people live their lives in this area, the national cultural importance of wine, and the curious history of winemaking that bought us to where we are today. In Bordeaux, wine is about more than the beverage: it is about people, livelihoods, passions, history, culture, landscape and environment, government, and knowledge.

14/10/2024

We're honored to be a founding member of Slow Travel Tours, an informal affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France, England and other European countries. Our members offer a variety of trips. All these people have a travel philosophy similar to ours... staying longer in fewer places for a deeper, richer experience.

Check out all our diverse offerings for many glorious European adventures. The trip of a lifetime awaits. Join us in 2025!

14/10/2024

Who’s up for a little hot chocolate sauce with their lunchtime Parisian profiteroles?

https://european-experiences.com/paris-experience/

12/10/2024

In Paris, we enjoyed a private visit of the very unique Museum of Relief Maps. We were some of the first visitors of the day at Les Invalides, the army and veterans complex where Napoleon is buried, and at times it felt like we had it to ourselves.

This special collection is the only one of its kind, worldwide, and spans all the kings from Louis the 14th through to Napoleon. There are over 300 maps, many close to 400 years old, created by teams of artisans, working up to two years each, and using silk, dyes, paper mâché, and wood. Engineers would carefully measure every detail of strategic forts, ports and frontier towns, mountains, coastlines and valleys, and reproduce them as scale models. The military would then consult the maps in Paris, while planning military campaigns and protective structures.

These maps survived the French Revolution, as they were hidden in the eaves of Les Invalides rooftops and undiscovered. Equally, they were saved from the German invaders during WW2.

The maps are priceless, historical archives for geography and urban planning, as well as being artistic objects that are visually fascinating. We will not forget this very special and intimate visit of French heritage.

https://european-experiences.com/paris-experience/

10/10/2024

A perfect indoor activity on a rainy day - an eclair workshop!

We had such fun and a lot of teamwork cooking up an afternoon tea treat for ourselves while the sky came down outside. Chef Florence taught us the methods for making “choux” pastry, a cooked pastry with lots of butter that can be piped into shapes. We made a variety of pastry creams, including vanilla, chocolate, pistachio and coffee. Then, we filled those into long eclairs, little puff balls, and wheel-shaped rings traditionally called Paris Brest. The “crème de la crème”, let’s say, were tiny swans with long necks.

Our apprentice chefs worked, and laughed, hard, and definitely earned their big spread of classic French pastry treats! Bon appétit.

https://european-experiences.com/paris-experience/

10/10/2024

Singing in the rain.

This week Paris is experiencing some intense rain, off the Atlantic, so we are adapting!

Instead of visiting Bagatelle Gardens, designed for Marie Antoinette, we pivoted and went to the Auteuil Greenhouses, one of the botanical gardens of the city. While a chorus of raindrops danced on the roof, Amy gave us a fascinating tour of several collections of exotic plants in this historic garden. Built in 1761 under the reign of Louis the 15th, the glass and iron structures are heated (initially by underfloor coal burners, now gas) and house plants from all corners of the world, from orchids to ferns to cacti. And in her usual entertaining style, Amy shared fascinating information about botanical life. We were riveted.

After the visit, we went to Amy’s beautiful home for lunch. She lit candles and made it so cosy for us. We enjoyed a delicious meal of homemade quiche, salads, cheese course and chocolate cake, and no one wanted to leave at the end.

We all loved our Plan B.

https://european-experiences.com/paris-experience/

09/10/2024

Autumn in Paris!

Welcome to our week-long Paris Experience, to old friends and new!

We had a rainy start on our favorite ice breaker evening, touring Paris at night in Citroen 2CV classic cars. But it didn’t stop our fun. In fact, we had the Sacre Coeur almost all to ourselves. It’s little known that one can visit the interior of the basilica at night and it’s peacefully magical at that hour.

The next day, we explored closer to our Left Bank home, with a walking tour in Edith’s company. Previous travelers will remember her lively energy, sharp wit, deep knowledge and pride for Paris writers and philosophers of the past.

Lunch was enjoyed in the Galeries Lafayette food hall, which features outlets from famous Paris chefs. And we had a trip up to the department store’s roof terrace for views across the city!

Bienvenue à Paris!

https://european-experiences.com/paris-experience/