Hello, luv!
Hi there!
My name is Martha and I am a single, retired woman from the Denver area who is a big fan of Rick Steves tours. Since my first trip to France in 2012 I have been hooked! I am in love with England and decided to take the Villages of Southern England tour in the fall of 2018.
FINAL REFLECTIONS
About the tour
We experienced a wide swath of French history in this tour. We saw prehistoric caves to modern cities with many examples of medieval villages and opulent chateaux and a bit of Roman just to spice things up. While the first part of the tour was spent in mainly small towns with light crowds, things seemed very different in busy Arles and touristy Nice. I was very surprised to find I really enjoyed the Italian feel to the Riviera. The light, colors, and energy were amazing!
About the food...
A few practicalities regarding food on the tour... All our group dinners were eaten inside and we had a preset menu. While the choices were not ones I would have made, I enjoyed all the meals and they were great adventures in trying something new. The couple people who had specific dietary requirements had meals just as beautiful as the rest of us. And, every group dinner included wine! Both white and red in a carafe or bottle were often on the table when we sat down. Our breakfasts were generally standard European buffet fare. Plenty of food for the morning with lovely breads and croissants.
My personal thoughts
This was a terrific tour! It was great to be back in one of my favorite European countries, particularly after two years of Covid. I love the sound of the French language (even when I don't understand a single word) and delight in hearing it all around me. I also really enjoyed the food, particularly experiencing the local specialites at the group meals.
I always find the pace of a tour a bit fast for me but certainly appreciate the efficiency of being with a group. If I had had another half day in several places I would have taken the time to visit more museums or special sites. I will say that in pretty much every location I got "lost" for a bit. I easily found my way back on track and just enjoyed seeing the unplanned areas.
I am always in awe of the beautiful, enormous structures built before modern technology. I just stood and looked up at both the Chartres cathedral and the Pont du Gard, wondering how in the world they did that! WOW moments, for sure. And, seeing the vivid colors of Arles and Nice were amazing! What would it be like to live there? So cheery.
I know I am in the minority but I was not too excited to visit the chateaux in the Loire Valley. Yes, they were interesting and beautiful but I guess I am a peasant at heart and think of the amount of money it took to build and maintain them. But, to each their own!
The guides on this tour were awesome, I could tell they were all glad to be back working after a couple years off! Almost as glad as I was to be able to travel again. I will certainly be on another RS tour in 2023, just watch me! Until then, au revoir from back at home in Colorado.
