Last September I had the opportunity to go on my very first Untour. I started with a week in the Swiss Heartland, but then spent my second week in the destination I was really looking forward to, Provence. This was a new destination for me, and new places always excite me!

My fiancé Krista and I spent a fantastic week traveling around Provence, meeting fellow Untourists, spending time with our Untours staff Régine, Max, and their son Charlie, and found Provence to be one of those places where one is immediately at ease. It's hard for me to focus on one or two things we enjoyed in Provence, so here is my list of five things that made this trip unforgettable:

1. Our very own stone farmhouse: Max told us we were in for a treat when he was taking us to the Gresse apartment on arrival day. Driving down country roads, through the beautifully unspoiled village of St. Didier, and finally up a hill to the edge of the forest of Venasque, we were not disappointed. An old restored farmhouse greeted us with views from our private patio of the open valley leading up to Mt. Ventoux. We could barely believe this was going to be our home for the next week!
2.  Scenic diversity: What makes Provence such an interesting place to explore is that each village you get to is so very different from the last. On one of our first days in Provence we drove the Luberon loop, a scenic drive that took us through some of the most beautiful villages in the region. From medieval Gordes, to the ochre sandstone village of Roussilon, to the hillside castle ruins in Oppède-le-Vieux; each village greeted us with something new.
3. Food and wine: I had read a lot about the markets of Provence and was looking forward to doing our shopping there each day so we could cook our very own French meals to enjoy on our patio. The selection was endless, especially during the Sunday market in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Vegetables picked that morning, wines from Gigondas and Séguret, lavender honey, freshly baked bread, olive oil ... everything one would need to satisfy any culinary urge.
4. City contrasts: We spent the last day of our trip in Aix-en-Provence, the cultural and academic capital of the region. Sitting at one of the countless coffee shops one can take in a show of French fashion and style. Who needs Paris! Aix is every bit as glamorous as the French capital, and locals young and old are rushing though the narrow streets to their next class or appointment. This was a nice counterpoint to the serenity of the Provençal countryside.
5.  The people: Everyone we met was absolutely delightful: Régine and Max made sure we were comfortable and provided ample suggestions of what to see and do; fellow Untourists shared stories of their travels and pointed out restaurants they swear captured the essence of Provençal cuisine; and the locals were warm and open, helping us pick out the best ingredients for the meal we wanted to cook that evening, or pointing us in the right direction when we took a wrong turn and stumbled on a beautiful little village we would otherwise never have seen.

We had a full week that included both sightseeing and relaxation, but there is so much more to see and do. There are few places out there that we say we must go back to, but we're already thinking about when we can go back to Provence.