Wild Provence Tours
Little did I know when I started fieldwork in Provence back in 2002 for a museum exhibit that I would eventually write a book, film a documentary and start taking small groups into the land that so enamored me – the Camargue (kä-ˈmärg) region of France.
But then, you never really know where life is going to take you. I think it's your job as a human to be open to all kinds of possibilities and that is exactly what I ended up doing. (See more background story below.)
Besides the Camargue region, I discovered and researched more “off the beaten path” areas of Provence. I found famous wine appellations like Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, and my friends of the area showed me not-so-famous wineries that completely delighted me. Good wines made in village co-ops and small boutique wineries.
I trekked over Roman ruins, followed the trail of Van Gogh, tried the best cheese shops, shopped the markets and stayed at family-owned hotels always walking distance to the villages I loved.
What fun to get to share this with others.
What to Expect on Our Tour
We’ll start with the whitewashed homes and thatched roofs of the Camargue where we'll see the largest nesting ground of Flamingos in Europe, we'll have dinner with a ranching family and dance to Gypsy music. We then head a bit north where we'll sip wines in several different areas including Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. We’ll walk through medieval villages, see the biggest aquaduct in the world and eat the most amazing Provencal cuisine.
On some tours we participate in cooking classes and we always find a couple of markets to go to because that is so quintessentially Provence! We do walk a lot but my theory is that we can then eat more of the fabulous desserts that you will see in the patisseries.
You are going to have plenty of time for exploring on your own as well. My tours are not rushed. We save time every day for a bit of relaxation. After all, it's those little discoveries that you make yourself that makes travel so memorable.
I have this notion that a good tour shouldn’t feel like one. It really should feel like you're traveling with a friend. And this friend makes your life really easy and comfortable. My goal is to provide a fun, safe and cultural experience for those wanting to explore the more unique aspects of the south of France. Let’s go!
MORE BACKGROUND STORY...
As a singer/songwriter of western folk music, I was used to meeting all kinds of people and loved to ask about their lives and experiences but in 2001 when I received a letter from a women in France who had bought one of my CDs, the subject matter intrigued me. She told me about an area of Southern Provence where there were cattle, horses and cowboys not unlike our own. "I should visit,” she said, so I did.
I found very little written about the Camargue region of France.
This unique area sits within a triangle formed by the two branches of the Rhone river and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a delta of pastures and wetlands and is considered by the French to be the “terre sauvage”, the wild lands.
Seemed like a challenge. I contacted a museum in New Mexico. Would they like to sponsor an exhibit about this rare culture? Why yes, they would! The wheels quickly started turning and I put together a traveling museum exhibit. I interviewed many “Gardians” (the cowboys of France). I photographed, I wrote a book called “Wild Provence” and filmed a documentary “Gardian Nation”.
This all lead to the museums holding my exhibit wanting to take various funders to see the Camargue. I had never done an actual tour before but with help from friends and others in the business I started doing just that. I found that there was a real interest in being close to a culture that is at once far removed and yet very similar to ours. After I started feeling confident I opened my tours to the general public and Wild Provence Tours began.
