©Ellen Barone. Poppies paint the Provençal landscape near Lacoste, France. 

I’ve just returned from the sensory high of a Provençal walking vacation with The Wayfarers. If you’re picturing a forced march weighted down by heavy backpacks and hostel-style lodging. Think again. A walk with The Wayfarers falls into a travel category “luxury adventure.” Which is to say, after a day of rambling through the luminous hues of the Provençal landscape and lingering over café lunches in pretty villages tumbling down hillsides, you get to  take a long bath, eat a gourmet dinner, drink fine French wine and sleep in the comfort of luxury hotel. Myself, I can’t imagine any other way to discover the flavors, fragrances, scenery, food and joie de vivre of Provence.

Click here to view my photos of the trip.