Just a few more tips on driving the French roads...

 So. often times folks can be a bit nervous on that first day driving in a foreign country... But let us assure you driving in France is not all that different from driving here in the USA...  But there are some differences...  We did not write the article below, but we think it's a good post for getting you prepared for some of those differences.   

Driving by car is a great way to explore France, travel on your own schedule, and see areas of the country that are harder to access by public transportation. As an American, you’ll find that driving in France is not all that different from driving in the United States.

If you are planning to drive in France in a rental car as a tourist it’s essential to take note of the rules of the road. Let’s look at some of the key differences and important road signs so that you know what to expect when driving in France.

Can you drive in France on a US license?

As a short-stay visitor, you can drive in France on your US driver’s license. It’s not required, but its a good idea to bring an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) with you. This is simply a translation of your driving license. It is not valid on its own and must accompany your actual driving license. You can obtain one quickly, easily, and cheaply from your local American Automotive Association (AAA).

Can you rent a car in France with an American license?

You can rent a car in France with a US driver’s license. An IDP (see above) is not necessarily required. The rental agency can ask you to present an IDP, but they might not request it at all.

Each rental agency has their own terms and conditions for renting. Most car rental agencies in France impose a minimum age of 18 years (or more for certain vehicles) and at least one year (sometimes two years) of experience. Additionally, there are supplementary charges for younger drivers. Anyone below the age of 25 is generally considered a young driver.

While manual cars are very common throughout Europe, there are also options for automatic cars. The rental price for automatic cars is typically higher.   It’s beneficial to shop around when choosing a car rental agency. Compare costs as well as terms and conditions.

How is driving in France different from driving in the States?

Driving in France is not too different from driving in the United States and should be fairly manageable for an American to handle. Here are a few noteworthy differences to keep in mind before getting behind the wheel. This is based on what stood out to me!

Traffic Circles

While the United States is ruled by stop signs and traffic lights, France is primarily ruled by traffic circles. Known as un rond-point in French, roundabouts are super practical, allowing for a continuous flow of traffic.

In truth, you can go around as many times as you like in order to verify signage and make sure you head off in the right direction. If you’re traveling around more than half of the roundabout, keep to the left lane (if there is one). Keep your left turn signal on until you are ready to exit. A right turn signal will allow others to know that you are exiting. Be sure to check your blind spot on the right before leaving the rotary.

Priorité à droite

Priorité à droite is a fundamental French driving rule that can cause confusion for foreigners and natives alike. The basic tenet of priorité à droite is that you must yield to cars entering from the right. In this way, even if you are driving along a main road, you might find a car suddenly pulling out in front of you from a minor road. This can be confusing (and dangerous!) for Americans who are used to having priority on a main road.

Although priorité à droite is the default rule for determining who has the right of way, there are so many signs around France indicating when it is not in effect that one wonders why they didn’t just repeal this rule in its entirety.

At a rond-point, if we’re abiding to priorité à droite, those in the traffic circle are supposed to yield to those entering. Indeed, this is the case for perhaps the most frightening of all the French roundabouts… I’m speaking, of course, of the rotary around the Arc de Triomphe. However, most traffic circles throughout France these days have a cédez le passage sign for those entering to yield to those already in the roundabout. This will probably feel like common sense to you!

A yellow square (diamond) sign means that you have the right of way and priorité à droite does not apply. Many major routes will have signs like this. When you see that the yellow square has been crossed out, priorité à droite is back in force. This is frequently the case when entering a town or village.

Another indication that drivers on the main street have priority over minor streets is if you see a solid white line on the minor road. This signifies that the driver on the smaller road needs to stop, thereby yielding to the cars already on the main street.

Right on Red? Don’t even think about it!

As you roll to a stop at a traffic light, resist the urge to creep forward in preparation for making a right turn on red. Unlike in the States, this is not the default. Right on red is not allowed in France unless otherwise indicated.

Speed Limits

Take note that speed limits are indicated in kilometers per hour (kph), not miles per hour (mph) 😉

What I find most frustrating about driving in France is that the speed limit is not always displayed. Sometimes, you’ll simply encounter a sign indicating that a certain speed limit is no longer being imposed and you can return to the normal speed limit. It’s expected that you know what type of road you are driving on and the speed limits that are associated with that type of road.

It is rare to see police pulling cars over. Speed limits are most often enforced by radars. If you’re speeding, you’ll be sent the fine by mail. This is also the case if you are renting the car. Don’t worry—They’ll forward any fines along to you!Here is a traditional radar on a French road.

This is not a big deal and certainly something you can get used to, but it can be a bit disconcerting when you’re unsure! I found that the GPS on my phone is often, but not always, accurate in displaying the speed limit. Keeping up with traffic can be a good rule of thumb as well.

Types of Roads

Autoroutes in France are highways designated by the letter A followed by numbers. They are generally the most efficient route to take when driving for a long distance across the country. The speed limit is 130 kph but this decreases to 110 kph when it’s raining. There are often tolls (péages) to use these motorways which you can pay by credit card or cash.When on an autoroute or other major motorway, you should drive on the right and pass on the left. If you are not actively passing someone, you should move over to the right lane. When there are more than two lanes, the slowest vehicles (like trucks) typically travel in the farthest right lane. In this case, you can travel in the middle lane.

Note: If you are driving in a middle lane and you see that the car behind you is flashing their lights, this could be signal that something is wrong with your car or you left a turn signal on, etc. However, what’s more likely is that they are giving you encouragement to drive a bit faster!! If you are going exactly the speed limit, consider yourself a slow moving vehicle and move over to the right lane

Routes Nationales in France are designated by the letter N followed by numbers. Routes Départementalesare designated by the letter D followed by numbers. Both are generally toll-free, yet larger and with higher speed limits than communal roads.

When in a town or rural area, communal roads can be quite narrow in some areas. It’s often necessary to pull off the road slightly in order to provide enough room for a car coming in the opposite direction to pass by.

He's still got it after all these years!

Bring it with you!

 Europe for the past ten years has been strongly discouraging single use plastics, resulting in the all too common convenience store bottle of water becoming less common and way more expensive... Here at Adventures to Tuscany, for both our Provence and Tuscany Tours we typically provisioned 3 bottles a day per guest for the week, so for our typical Provence Tour went through at least 48 bottles per day or 336 plastic bottles for just one Tour Group! When we did the math, we realized we were responsible for several thousand plastic bottles every Tour Season and unfortunately, many of these never made it to a recycling plant...  

Just a small token of our appreciation...

So back a few years ago, we decided to get on board and be a little more environmentally conscious! With this in mind, that's why we gift you the small thermos we sent in the mail.  As a small token of our appreciation, each guest received one of our official Adventures To Provence thermos bottles! We think you'll love these; they'll hold half a liter (17 ounces) they're super lightweight,(only 8 ounces), double walled, vacuum insulated & powder coated 18/8 stainless steel thermos' bottles... You can fill them with water, coffee or even wine, and they'll keep beverages ice cold or steaming hot for almost 24 hours...  

They'll easily fit in the side pocket of your daypack and they're wonderful to take along for your daytime activities while you're with us in Provence!  We're typically out all day long... It'll be late June, so it can get pretty warm, and it's nice to have something ice cold to sip on! (in late June it's common in this area of the mediterranean for temps to hit highs in the mid 90's... the day you arrive they're forecasting a high of 96).  So we strongly encourage you to bring these bottles along on your trip... We put out pitchers of ice water on the Breakfast Buffet in the morning... Fill your bottle and throw it in your daypack... you'll be glad you did!

Terese & I actually fill one of ours with ice water and the other with coffee and share throughout the day!   You'll find they'll also work well to fill with ice water and have at your bedside overnight while you're at The Villa! And don't worry, we think you'll find the water at our Villa, high in the rural Provençal countryside is ultra pure and tastes wonderful!

We first discovered these years ago when we were looking for something functional for ourselves, as it's not always convenient for us to stop somewhere to buy water or coffee while we're out leading our Tours... and after a few years, we decided it would be a nice gift for our guests as well...  We think you'll enjoy these for many years!   So many of our guests over the years tell us they use them everyday! Got one of these from a previous trip with us?  Now you've got two!

Thanks again for choosing us for your Adventure To Provence!  We really appreciate it & we're looking forward to spending time with you!

Tommy & Terese

We've seen the rain!  best to bring a small travel umbrella...

T-10 and counting: 10... 9... 8... 7...

 Hi Guys, hope you are all well, and getting excited about your upcoming adventure to France! 

Today we're  less than 10 days out from the start of our first Beautiful Villages of Provence Expedition!  Terese and I fly out in just 2 days to prepare for your arrival!  And we know many of you are going over early as well, to spend a few days in other destinations before coming to meet us at Château du Soleil in Provence!  It's typically at this 10 day out countdown that our guests start to get really excited and have questions... After 25 years of running OIGT (organized international group tours) multiple times a year, we understand this...  and we encourage you to give us a call if we can help you with any of your planning for your trip!

Also we remind you, that there's a good chance that we've previously addressed many questions right here on The Blog!  The simplest way to search The Blog is to use the "Search Box" in the very top left of your screen.  To search for something, just type a keyword into the search box...   So let's say you have a question about "how much to tip in France,"  Just type the keyword "Tipping" in the search box and all posts that address that topic will come up in the results.

Got questions about something The Blog doesn't address?  Shoot us an email to AdventuresToTuscany@gmail.com... We always try to respond to emails within 24 hours... Something urgent? need a quicker answer? give us a all at 610-657-7894

If you haven't seen "A Good Year" with Russell Crowe & Marion Cotillard, we highly recommend it... This Ridley Scott movie was filmed very nearby our Villa, and many of the scenes take place in Villages we'll be visiting! (the film is loosely based on Peter Mayle's famous best-seller "A Year in Provence") It's one of our favorite movies, and we watch it every year the week before we leave for Provence... you'll typically find it on one of the streaming channels like Netflix)

Real Reviews from Real People

We always ask all of our guests for reviews, and we're lucky that so many guests write them for us... Nobody believes fake reviews, so we'll only post reviews from real guests that allow us to use their full names & addresses. We just received this incredible review from two of our most recent Tuscany Expedition guests from a couple weeks ago, and it leaves us truly humbled and deeply appreciative. Their kind words are a testament to our team's dedication and inspire us to continue delivering exceptional experiences! We're always humbled and proud of the kinds words people send us! To see more of our "Real Reviews from Real People" click here: https://adventurestotuscany.com/reviews/

Experience the Expedition Difference: Slow Travel, Small Groups, and Big Adventure!

So we're always talking about Expeditions and how different we are... And sometimes guests say to us:  "Expeditions" ~ I see that word bandied about a lot these days in travel brochures...  What makes you guys different?

Forget the typical tourist grind. We're not your average tour operator; we're an alternative expedition company, and we believe a truly immersive journey is about quality, not quantity. We embrace the "Slow Travel" philosophy, allowing you to genuinely connect with the destination.

Unlike traditional 50 person bus tours that shuffle you between hotels and cities, sometimes stretching across an entire country, we offer a more intimate and personalized experience, focused on just a large region: Provence, in The South of France, or Tuscany, Italy!   Our groups are deliberately small, with no more than 14 guests, fostering a sense of camaraderie and allowing for deeper engagement. You won't find us in crowded city hotels; instead, we accommodate our guests in magnificent gated, private Villas on expansive & sprawling Country Estates. The best part? You'll settle into the same stunning Villa for the entire expedition, unpacking only once and truly making yourself at home.  

Unconventional Travel, Exceptional Dining, Unforgettable Evenings...

Say goodbye to impersonal tour buses and 50 person bus loads of strangers. Our expeditions are designed for fun & adventure, with guests following us "Road Rally Style" in their own personal cars, outfitted with large Rally Insignias and two-way radios for seamless communication. And when it comes to dining, prepare for a culinary experience unlike any other. We skip the banquet halls and crowded restaurants, bringing our own private French Chefs directly to our Villa to prepare exquisite meals tailored to our group.

Your evenings are just as exceptional. Enjoy unlimited and included Champagne, Wine, and Beer bars at the Villa, setting the stage for lively conversations and relaxation. We host nightly parties, and for one unforgettable evening, we even bring in a live band for our spectacular Soirée Blanche (White) Party!)  It's these unique differences that transform a trip into an extraordinary adventure, making all the difference in the world! 

We're getting very close now... And we look forward to welcoming you to Château du Soleil in just days! 

If we can help you with anything at all, please reach out to us!

we're looking forward to a great trip with you guys!

(ps: it's Summer in The South of France & it's gonna be warm!)

Le Gare de Lyon

Gare de Lyon ~ one of the most beautiful Rail stations in Europe

So several of you have told us you're heading to Paris for a couple days before meeting up with us in Provence... And if you're taking the TGV Train (high-speed) down to Avignon, you're likely leaving out of The Paris Gare de Lyon (station)...  This is a beautiful & majestic old Rail Station from mid-1800's, and can be a bit intimidating the first time you enter... Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the Station by using this handy Guide, just click here:  Gare de Lyon Station Guide  

(if you have an extra couple of minutes while at the Rail Station, take a moment to peek into the famous "Train Bleu" restaurant located in the rail station...  while we've heard mixed reviews over the years on the taste / value ratio, there's no doubt the decor & majesty of this restaurant is over the top!)

this is really great!  some would say: Perfect!

 

If you're in The South of France, make it Rosé all Day!

 Provence, and well the whole country of France, is know for their wines... Some of the very best wines in the world!  And while the Provence region is home to many different types of wines, over the last 20 years, one wine in particular has become the official wine of the amazing Provençal Summers; Rosé....  Provence has without a doubt the biggest selection of Rosé wines in the world...  

There's a reason why crisp, refreshing rosé from Provence is practically synonymous with summer, especially in this sun-drenched homeland. Picture this: warm breezes, azure waters, and a chilled glass of beautiful pink wine in hand. It's not just a drink; it's a lifestyle!

Provence is the world's leading region for rosé production, and they've perfected it over centuries. Unlike some sweeter rosés, authentic Provence rosé is typically dry, elegant, and bursting with delicate flavors of red berries, citrus, and floral notes. It's incredibly versatile, pairing perfectly with everything from fresh seafood and salads to grilled delights and charcuterie.

But why is it the "official wine of summer" in Provence? It’s simply how they live! Rosé is woven into the fabric of their warm-weather culture. It's the go-to for long lunches, sunset aperitifs, and relaxed gatherings with friends and family. Its light body and refreshing acidity are the ideal antidote to the Mediterranean heat, offering a cooling, thirst-quenching experience that just screams "vacation."

So, as your days in Provence get longer and warmer, reach for a glass of Provencal Rosé. Close your eyes, take a sip, and let it transport you straight to The South of France. Cheers to summer and the undisputed king of warm-weather wines! 🥂 

#ProvenceRose  #SummerWine  #RoseAllDay  #FrenchWine  #WineLover

Can you hear me now?

can you hear me now???

Hi Guys, we've had a guest ask for info on using your cell phone in France...  There are certainly many options...   Firstly, know this:  If you do nothing at all, your phone will likely work just fine from Europe, albeit the cost per minute, data & text rate will usually be significantly higher...  

Which options works best for you depends on who your carrier is and how much you think you'll use your phone....   We provide you with free wi-fi at the Villa... which means that you can use your home-plan's amenities at the Villa without any extra charges...  

So if you don't plan to use your phone for much, you'll still have wi-fi available at The Villa... But if you're planning on "being accessible at all times" or want to be able receive emails, calls & texts from the US at all times, want to send texts or post to FB at all times, or perhaps using your phone as your GPS, then you'll probably want to have some sort of international  plan in place.

People often ask us what we do personally... So, we have Apple iPhones that are on the ATT system, and we always sign up for either their International Day Pass.   The International Day pass is $12 per day on the days you use it and includes unlimited talk and texts and then uses the data from your home plan... (and they charge for only the first 10 days of usage per each billing cycle). 

We of course use our cell phones a lot both here in the US and in Europe so we have unlimited data plans at home, and it uses the data from that plan...  If you're a couple using two phones, and the second phone is on the same account, ATT will only charge you $6 per day for the second phone.( again for a max of 10 days per billing cycle).  We personally have been going with the International Day Pass as we have unlimited data plans at home so our costs for our two phones are fixed at $18/day for the first 10 days.

many of our guests use their phones for their

mapping program

Verizon has similar plans... Their $12/day Travel Pass is similar to the ATT  plan mentioned above...   

T-Mobile, on many of their calling plans offers free unlimited texting & data (at 2G speed) with voice calls at 25 cents/minute.

And, lastly (regardless of who your carrier is) if your phone is "unlocked" (it probably is) you can alternatively buy a prepaid SIM card in Europe or an E-Sim online which is probably the least expensive option,...  although this might change your phone #. 

Ultimately, we suggest you consult your carrier for their advice on what will work best for you individually.  

And again, you can use WhatsApp for free with the wi-fi at the Villa..

Again, while we always try our best to provide up-to-date and accurate information, plans change all the time and  again, we strongly suggest you check with your own carrier  for the best plan and details for your individual needs.  We will in the next 24 hours, put links for the Big Three carriers to your right on the side-bar.

So who are guys really?

 We know what we do is a little bit different, and when you do what we do, you get a lot of questions...  Here at Adventures To Tuscany, we always tell people: "What makes us different, makes all the difference in the world."  So our guests often ask us: "what is it that makes you so different?"   

Hopefully you’ve already read and know a little bit about us from our website and our introduction of ourselves on this Blog.  So this post focuses on who we are, how we got here, why we do what we do, how we travel, how we choose who to work with, and why we do things the way we do…

We thought we’d lay out for you our Code of Ethics that’ll let you see, transparently, what it is that we’re up to, how our little company works, and what our mission & our goals are for our small boutique expedition company.

First, some basics. We’re not travel agents... We're full-time Expedition-Tour Operators, guides, travel consultants, travel writers and expedition leaders... This isn't a part-time gig we do on the side once a year... Our teeny-tiny boutique & specialized expedition company is incorporated and this is what we do full time, and like most small business owners, we work at it 365 days a year and we've been running these expeditions for 25 years!  

          Goals of Our Travel Blogs & Expedition Operations

What we try to do is:

• Share our travel stories, travel tips, and photos
• Inspire you to travel and visit the places we go
• Provide you with quality resources & information to help you plan your trips
• Give back to the world in at least some small way
• Generate an income that lets us keep doing the above four things
• This last point is the one we’ll focus on in regards to our Code of Ethics.

Our Mission

At Adventures to Tuscany, our goal & mission is to create Expedition-Style International Tours that totally exceed your expectations in every possible way. It starts with our experience... We've personally been touring Europe for over 40 years and we're in our 25th year of organizing our Tour Groups. We're honored & proud that so many of our guests who have traveled with us, choose to do it again, and again... and sometimes again & again!... We know our success depends on providing our guests with the very best value and the most unique travel experience they've ever had. We work hard to do that and we hope you are already recognizing that! Our hope is that are guests are impressed enough to tell their family & friends... and we hope they'll consider traveling with us again... If we can improve your experience in any way, please let us know. 

How We Generate an Income
Like most self-employed people, we make money in several different ways and these can differ a bit each year. But here are the primary ways we earn our incomes and support ourselves.

Our primary source of income is our boutique Expedition Operations. For the last 25 years, we personally research, design, curate and market  Expedition Style Tours to just two destinations; Tuscany, Italy & Provence in The South of France. We strive to market totally unique, authentic & immersive, escorted & guided experiential adventure expeditions.

We do not make any commissions from any airlines, hotels, restaurants, attractions, wineries or activities that we recommend, but we do get small referral fees from only two of the vendors we recommend; InsureMyTrip Travel Insurance, and AutoEurope.com Car Rentals. Purchasing travel insurance or renting a car from one of our links may earn us a small referral fee, (if you use our exclusive links) but it NEVER costs you anything extra. We only recommend vendors and services that we believe are both relevant and good quality. We do not personally recommend any service we have not used ourselves. And when we use these services, we pay for them, just like you do. We again, only work with brands that we are excited about and genuinely believe in.

Our Code of Ethics:

• At the very core of our ethics is integrity; And integrity is the core of trust... and to us this means acting with honesty and fairness. It's doing the right thing even when no one's looking.  We call it "Our Golden Rule Philosophy".  It's our foundation for self-respect and a positive reputation. Our guests rely on us, and we want our word to hold weight.
• We will never recommend a product or service that we don’t believe in ourselves.
• We will only market tours & expeditions, that we genuinely believe are unique, alternative, immersive and of the best possible value.
• We will only work with brands that we believe in and are relevant to you
• We do not work with third party destination management companies that operate mass-market tours. 
• We'll never allow the components & activities of our Tours to be dictated by others – we control all the components of our Tours and our Villa accommodations. Our loyalty lies with you, our guests.
• We limit & always disclose clearly if we receive referral fees from a vendor or service provider that we provide a link or recommendation for.
• We are proud to be a long time, invited member of the NTA (The National Tour Association) and adhere to the NTA's high standards & The NTA's Professional Code of Ethics. 
• We have been running our Expedition Operations for 25 years, and our company is legally incorporated.  
• Like most companies, we hire and pay for professional services like accounting, website development, advertising, computer maintenance, healthcare insurance,  office equipment, trade association memberships, travel insurances, business consulting and  Professional Tour Operator's Liability Insurance.
• We give back to the areas we work in by leasing locally owned properties, hiring local Chefs, Tour Guides, Musicians, Cleaning Staff,  etc and we support local Grocery Stores, Markets, Butchers, Bakers, Wine Stores, Restaurants and Wine Estates, etc. 
• We support the Villages we home-base in by paying all local permit & licensing fees and our guest's individual Daily Tourist Taxes.
• We subscribe to the National Tour Association's Code of Professional Ethics to strive for the honest & truthful marketing of Organized International Group Travel.

What does all this mean 

• Well, it's quite simple actually; we believe in both Karma & The Golden Rule
• And these two concepts intersect in their focus on the impact of our actions
• The Golden Rule focuses on empathy and reciprocity. (ie: treat others how you'd like to be treated, creating a more positive and harmonious world.)
• Karma focuses on cause and effect. (Our actions, good or bad, have consequences for us, encouraging self-reflection and responsible choices.)
• Both principles ultimately nudge us in a similar direction: above all else, act fairly with kindness and consideration for others. 
• For us, they provide different angles on the same basic truth: our morals, our ethics & our actions have the power to shape our experiences... and ultimately our world.   
• That's it....    it's as simple as that... we've found that following these ideals works for us.

Privacy Policy
We respect and protect your privacy. We will never share your personal information you provide us unless specifically agreed upon.

Hope you guys are getting excited about France!  We certainly are!  We're so close now, you can almost smell the cheese!   We've already started packing!

while John Mayer has had relationships with dozens of celebrities, (including Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Aniston,  Cameron Diaz, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mandy Moore, and Natalie Morales among many others) and there are  equally as many rumors about who he wrote this song about, he actually has recently admitted he wrote it about his high school sweetheart