Patricia Sands

Author

Provence

Reading suggestions for our 2017 France tour

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If it’s Friday, it must be France …

 

 

Our 2017 women’s tour of Provence is just weeks away! I know the time will fly by and can’t wait to greet the sixteen women when they arrive in Nice on June 6. Our beautiful Hotel Beau Rivage, is just out of this photo to the left. The vieille ville (old town) and colourful daily market are located there as well, footsteps away. So this will be our ‘neighbourhood’ for six days before we move on to Avignon for another six days of exploring the countryside of pastoral Provence. Lavender will be in bloom!

One of the great features of this tour is that we only move once. From our base hotels, we have wonderful day trips with well-trained guides and bus drivers. My friend, author Susan Sommers, and I are along to ensure that everyone is happy and organized every day. We have the best time!

I recently sent some reading suggestions to the group in advance of their arrival in France and I thought I would share the books with you too. You may well be familiar with the titles as they are favourites of mine that I frequently recommend. Enjoy!

 

Click here for Kristi’s book.

Click here for Ted’s book.

Click here for Anne-Marie’s book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you love the south of France like I do, you would enjoy reading all of these books too.

Of course, #PeterMayle is the writer who began it all … back in 1991! Click here for A Year In Provence.

Whether you are preparing to visit France or not, you will find hours of reading pleasure in these books!

 

 

Of course we’ll be visiting many of the beautiful locations written about in the Love in Provence series. Most of the women on our tours have read the stories of Katherine’s adventure in France and it’s great fun to experience their enthusiasm as we visit the special places they have discovered in the books. Antibes is a highlight!

 

 

Where have you taken vacations in books? And did you actually visit those places at another time? 

 

 

 

Joyeuses Pâques~Happy Easter~Chag Sameach~Passover Wishes ~ et bon weekend to all???

The countdown is on … start packing!

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It’s official! Our 2017 tour, Promenade En Provence, is filled to capacity with sixteen enthusiastic women who will spend twelve glorious days in June, exploring the beauty of the south of France with me and my good friend, fellow author Susan Sommers. 

Click here to visit Susan’s informative new website , Power Source For Women. On our trip, Susan will accompany those interested on morning walks and easy hikes along scenic routes. Her new book, Love Your Body ~ Embrace Your Life offers a wonderful combination of fitness, nutrition, spirituality, and health for women of all ages.

I will be waiting in France for you at the hotel. We can begin our time together with a toast on the beach!

Arrivals will be coming from Canada, the U.S.A. and the U.K., and we’ll make our first rendezvous at the elegant Hôtel Beau Rivage (my favourite!) in Nice. With the glistening turquoise Mediterranean across the street and the famous daily market of Cours Saleya in the old town just steps away, there’s not a better place to begin.

Each day will bring a new adventure with guided day trips to stunning nearby destinations, but there will also be plenty of time to rest, shop, or take a dip in the Med.

After six days, we will settle into the ancient walled town of Avignon. With just one hotel change during the entire trip, we can get comfortable once again. Our day trips will take us to picturesque medieval villages in the storied countryside of Provence, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, as well as endless fields of sunflowers and lavender.

 

I promise you an experience also filled with fine food, good company, laughter and lovely new friendships.

It’s such a pleasure to share my love of this exquisite part of the world on these tours. I’m already hearing from many who are eager to walk the same streets and discover the villages and scenery they read about in the Love In Provence series. We will do it all! On y va!

Susan, along with Debbie Ross, owner of the Womens Travel Network, will be hosting a Meet and Greet in May for anyone joining us from the Toronto area. Thanks to Debbie’s expertise for organizing all of the many details that make a trip like this possible!

Click here for photos of previous tours … and start planning your packing! I will be posting some packing tips later and also will send a list of great books you may want to read in advance. 

Are you excited? Susan and I can’t wait!

 

Our June trip to Provence ~ are you coming?

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Now that 2017 is underway, our women’s trip to Provence feels like it is just around the corner. As always when we do one of these fabulous trips, I’m already excited about it! I’ve received emails from several of the women who are coming with us and they can’t wait too. The countdown is on!

Our hotel in Nice is in the photo above on the Promenade des Anglais and just down the street from the daily market. There’ll be time to shop and go to the beach.

We spend a day in Antibes and visit the market where Kat met Philippe! ===>

At the moment, there are just four spots left out of the 16 offered. I’m posting info here about the trip in case you haven’t read about it. Please feel free to share it too.

Here’s the link to the women’s tour of the south of France that I will accompany from June 6 to 18. My friend and fellow author, Susan Sommers, goes with me. She writes non-fiction books about fitness for women over 50 and organizes some pleasant walks during the trip (purely optional in case you would rather shop!).
The cost of the tour (including daily breakfast and 11 dinners) CA $4995 and at the moment that cost is roughly US$3700. Plus airfare. It’s extremely well-priced for all that is offered AND it’s very personal, relaxed and a lot of fun.
You can find photos of the two previous tours on my website by clicking here.
 
I’m happy to answer any questions. We’ve had wonderful mother/daughter, sisters, and best friends combinations join us. Women who  have come on their own have all enjoyed the trip and made great friendships. It truly is a very special experience.
Many of the women who join us have read the Love in Provence series and are thrilled to explore the same places as Katherine does in the story.
I’ve put together a reading list to share and will post it here soon, as well as sending it to all on the tour.
Thanks for spreading the word … and, even better, for coming along with us on this great escape!

Like something out of a novel …

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That’s how the fabulous Julie Mautner of The Provence Post heads up an ad for the last three spots on our women’s tour of the south of France. Find it on the travel page of her website.

Have you thought about joining us for twelve magical days in the footsteps of Kat Price, the main character in The Promise of Provence? The two previous tours have been a great success and a lot of fun.

In case you’ve missed it before, here’s the scoop:

Like Something Out of A Novel…

June 2017

Fall in love with Provence…just like the main character in author Patricia Sands’ award-winning “Love in Provence” trilogy!

This trip is planned perfectly to experience the settings in The Promise of Provence. With Patricia and her friend, author Susan Sommers, as your guides, you’ll explore the exquisite Côte d’Azur, as well as the brilliant Provençal landscape with its mosaic of fields of sunflowers and lavender. It will not take long to feel as captivated and inspired as have writers, artists and travellers for centuries. Each day trip while in Nice for 6 days, offers diverse experiences that share one certainty… charm and stunning views! Step out of our hotel into the heart of the old town in one direction and bask in the turquoise glow of the Mediterranean in the other. A stop in Aix-en-Provence marks the transition from the coast to the interior. Then, settle into enchanting Avignon for the next six days of the trip. From here you’ll discover the magic of the Provençal countryside as we visit Arles, Roussillon, Les Baux, St. Remy-de-Provence, having special experiences along the way.

Dates: June 6 to 18, 2017.  Only 3 places left.

Tour Cost (per person):  CA $4995* ($3725 US).  Taxes and Gratuities (per person):  CA $325* ($243 US). Tour Cost for Guaranteed Single Accommodation: CA $6690* ($4990 US) *approximate.

Air fare not included but can be arranged.

Click right here to join us!

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 MEET YOU THERE! Allons-y!