Discover Provence
France 2025

📍Aups, Le Var

May 17 - 31, 2025

8 spots only

$4400 - 4900

Travel abroad like a welcomed friend, exploring the French countryside and village life for a blend of culinary, cultural, and outdoor experiences.

What You Will Experience

Nature

  • Hiking at Gorge du Verdon

  • Swimming at Le Lac de Sainte Croix

  • Visiting Lavender fields

  • Foraging herbes de provençe

Historical Sites

  • Medieval Villages

  • Sacred Site La Sainte Baume of Mary Magdelene

  • Chapels, churches, monasteries

  • Roman remains

Markets

  • Open air marchés de Provençe

Provençal Gastronomy

  • Olive oil

  • La bouillabaisse

  • Cuisses de grenouille

  • Pistou, aioli, & tapenade

  • Ratatouille

  • Fromage

  • Nougat

  • Fruits confits (candied fruits)

  • Calissons d’Aix

  • Rosé wine & Pastis

Local Live Music

  • Soirées

More details on the May 17-31, 2025 trip HERE.

Learn more about Kindred Voyages below, the original travel company founded by MayaJoëlle in 2009.

View-From-Moissac-Bellevue 1000 web.jpg
Var-cotignac-1000-web-IMG_0578.jpg
Hvp4UROw.jpeg
DSC05851-1000-web.jpg

About Kindred Voyages

  • Motivated by a desire to share the love of France, her native country, from 2009 - 2024, MayaJoëlle has joyfully provided travelers with opportunities to feel like a welcomed friend while visiting France. Together, a space is created where spontaneous magical experiences can occur, while expanding communities and relationships overseas.

  • Growing up in a family of musicians in the Lorraine Region of France, MayaJoëlle’s family reunions revolved around preparing and sharing food, singing and making music, and moving the dining room table to make room for dancing.

    After moving to the United States, MayaJoëlle felt compelled to share the growing love for her native country:

    • Co-creating a Cabaret in New Haven CT

    • Initiating a play running yearly for 7 years, “Café Déclassé,” an Interactive/environmental musical very well loved Paris Retro type of show in the New Haven area directed by Amy Seham.

    • Creating and directing “French on Stage,” a traveling theatre designed to draw interest and excitement for learning the French language

    • Teaching French Cooking in Chicago and in New Haven area

    • Teaching the French Language and culture to children and adults for 30 years

    • From 2000-2007, teaching French and Theater at Brevard Academy in Brevard, NC.

    • Developed and run her independent company, “Ah Joie de Vivre” in Asheville, NC for 10 years

  • You know you are a Kindred Voyager if you:

    • like to interact with locals

    • wish to be immersed in local life

    • wish to savor experiences rather than moving through an agenda

    • enjoy both social company and time alone

    • enjoy more intimate small group travel

    • like traveling slowly without packing & unpacking daily

    • prefer traditional villages to larger cities

    • enjoy both spontaneous discoveries and planned activities

    • need help with the language barrier or welcome the opportunity to speak the local language

    • neither wish to travel solo, nor in a large group

Passing the Torch in 2024

MayaJoëlle met Kimberly in 2023, each recognizing a kindred spirit and traveler in the other. Their shared love of language, cooking, music, and dance make up a strong foundation for sharing the story of Kindred Voyages.

After witnessing the “Joie de Vivre” for many years among Kindred Voyagers, MayaJoëlle has now decided to let it go and pass it on. She has invited Kimberly to become a part of this journey and carry it on.

Kimberly founded and built La Cuisine around her experiences traveling, cooking, and eating with various cultures. She is full of gratitude and joy to accept this offer and continue the kindred explorations to France and beyond.

Previous Trips to France

Provence - Luberon

* Give yourself an unforgettable, meaningful, and transformative experience

* Delight in the flavors, scents, sights, and sounds of this magical region

* Share moments of joy, laughter, awe, discovery, sacredness, silliness with other Kindred Voyagers

To see full details on this trip, including pricing, accommodation, transport, food, and activities, download the pdf file HERE.

See photo gallery HERE.

Provence - Le Var

* Breathe deeply, dance, run freely through the fields of lavender

* Marvel at les Gorges du Verdon, unique in Europe, known as the Grand Canyon of France

* Let yourself wander through charming medieval perched villages dating from 12th century

* Swim in the turquoise waters of the Lac de St Croix

To see full details on this trip, including pricing, accommodation, transport, food, and activities, download the pdf file HERE.

See photo gallery HERE.

Dordogne

* Explore 50,000 years of history, caves, and some of the 1001 Castles of Perigord Noir

* Immerse yourself in a region where, without interruption, man has been present for 400,000 years

To see full details on this trip, including pricing, accommodation, transport, food, and activities, download the pdf file HERE.

See photo gallery HERE.

Alsace

* Experience medieval village life with locals

* Share food and laughter with new friends 

 * Speak French, English, gibberish

To see full details on this trip, including pricing, accommodation, transport, food, and activities, download the pdf file HERE.

See photo gallery HERE.

Videos from Voyages in France

Nous nous voyageons pas pour échapper à la vie, mais pour que la vie ne nous échappe pas.

(We do not travel to escape life, but so that life does not escape us.)

Kind Words for Kindred Voyages

  • We had an amazing sensorial experience immersed in all the sights, sounds, tastes, feel, and smell of France. It was beyond any clichés or post card picture facsimiles. The best way to briefly describe our two week Kindred Voyages journey is to compare it to a wonderful French meal where the setting, aperitif, bread, cheese, meats, vegetables, sauce, wine, language, conversation, culture, and friendship combined to become more than the sum of each. It all blended into an experience of Joy. France so permeated our senses and being that we now carry a bit of it in our hearts. One person brought all these vital elements together, MayaJoëlle. In the same way she puts ingredients together to lovingly prepare one of her wonderful home cooked meals, MayaJoëlle deftly puts people and experiences together and, Voilà! C’est magic! She makes moments, memories, relationships, and joy happen. It is her gift and her passion. Merci Beaucoup Kindred Voyages!

    —Jeff McKibben, Asheville, NC Alsace 2017

  • “Kindred Voyages” is not just a clever name for a touring business. The moment we met our guide, MayaJoëlle, I felt a comfortable sense of the familiar, a “kindred” spirit” welcoming us with a gracious smile and a warm heart. And our voyage was no ordinary tour. From the pre-travel meeting where we explored our personal desires for our trip, to our last night at a quaint restaurant in the countryside in Dordogne, with it’s delectably authentic multi-course French meal, MayaJoëlle struck a wonderful balance of offering just enough structure and flexibility for us to experience what was important to us, and rest when we needed. Her passion for France; the food, the charm, the language, the beauty, the ancient history imbued each meal and adventure with almost a childlike sense of wonder and pleasure. I can’t imagine getting acquainted with the French appetites and sensibilities with anyone more appropriate than MayaJoëlle. She so beautifully embodies them!

    —Mary Davis, Asheville, NC Dordogne 2011 mary-davis.com

  • Thank you for a trip full of miracles. Every day was full of pleasure, discovery, surprise, and warm connection within our group and with the people we met. With grace and great love, you supported each of us in fulfilling our intentions for the trip. All the while we enjoyed wonderful meals, great conversation (I’m now dreaming in French, as you suggested might happen), and generous fellowship. It’s been a privilege to travel with you. Anyone would be lucky to do so.

    —Lisa Sarasohn, Asheville, NC Dordogne 2010 corewellbeing.net

  • Thank you for this truly wonderful adventure. So many discoveries: France, the caves, the castles, the villages, and the discovery of a new “family” whom you nurtured and pampered with your dedication beyond measure. I will always remember fondly this street, this home, so welcoming and so full of history.

    —Denise Odell, Asheville NC Dordogne 2010

  • I traveled in France with a small group led by MayaJoëlle during the summer of 2009. We spent two weeks in a lovely villa in Aups-en-Provence, in the Var region, becoming part of the community, taking day trips to beautiful medieval villages, going to the marchés (open air markets), meeting local people, dining out and cooking our own wonderful French food. MayaJoëlle was the perfect facilitator. Her love for and knowledge of the area and the culture, and her tireless enthusiasm for sharing the best of it with us made for a most memorable experience.

    —Rachelle Rogers, Asheville, NC Var Provence 2009 serendipitydigitaldesign.com

  • My first trip to France and it was not only enjoyable but I learned so much. MayaJoëlle explained things and really helped me to feel comfortable in a new country even though I didn’t speak french. She is so delightfully friendly and eager to share information that is was the best trip ever.

    —Karen Noel, Asheville, NC Var Provence 2009 karennoelart.com