France—The Southwest
Oct. 1–13, 2023
Explore the Pyrenees, Dordogne, Basque Country, and Bordeaux
Whether you’re experiencing la belle France for the first time or you’re a committed Francophile, this tour will guide you deep into the heart of France to experience the people, culture, and scenic beauty of the Southwest. In our private vans we’ll explore the spectacular peaks of the Pyrenees, the terraced vineyards of the Dordogne valley, the picturesque Pays Basque and sophisticated Bordeaux.
Professional photographer Wayde Carroll will be your guide as you capture the changing light of the season. We’ll explore a variety of techniques and share ideas in a friendly ambiance. Multi-night stays will ensure an immersive experience. Through regional gastronomy and conversations with local artisans, you’ll also develop an understanding of the complex history and rich resources that have shaped the unique character of France’s southwest.
And new to the Lightminded Tours guide team is Karen Brinkmann, a lifelong student of French language and culture. Karen has spent years visiting the region and has put together the perfect itinerary for travelers to experience the best of Southwest France’s natural beauty, rich gastronomy, and unique culture.
12 Nights
8 Travelers
Activity Level
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ◯ ◯
$6,999
(Double-occupancy; single supplement $1,600)
$1,000
Deposit
Itinerary
We’ll start our journey with three days in Toulouse, capital city of the Occitanie region, historically known as the Aquitaine. Toulouse is the largest city in southwestern France and fifth-largest in the nation. It is easily accessible by plane and train. We’ll meet in the afternoon at our hotel and enjoy an apéritif or “apéro” to welcome everyone. We’ll have an introductory photography discussion with Wayde, Karen will give an overview of the Occitan history and culture and the foods and wines of the Languedoc, the largest wine-producing region in France. An evening stroll through the old neighborhood of Carmes will end with a celebratory dinner.
Highlights
- Check in, relax, and enjoy afternoon “apéro”
- Trip orientation and slideshow
- Evening stroll and welcome dinner
Meals
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Le Grand Balcon (luxury hotel on the Place du Capitole, in the heart of Toulouse)
Important
- Breakfast included.
After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll spend the day exploring Toulouse, known as “la ville rose” for its rose-tinted sandstone buildings. Sights will include monuments of stone such as the Place du Capitole, basilica of St-Sernin, Jacobin cloisters, and St. Étienne cathedral, as well as Toulouse’s water attractions: the mighty Garonne river and the Canal du Midi. Nighttime photography is a must in this beautifully illuminated city!
Highlights
- Local tour of Toulouse
- Lunch and dinner featuring the cuisine of southwest France
- Night Photography (weather permitting)
Meals
- Breakfast at hotel
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Le Grand Balcon
Important Notes
- Lots of walking today!
A visit to this region must include its historical perched villages: reminders of the Albigensian crusade against the Cathars in the Middle Ages. The majestic city of Albi, with its Ste-Cécile fortress cathedral, bears witness to this conflict. It’s also the birthplace of beloved artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. We’ll have lunch in Albi and then visit atmospheric Cordes-sur-Ciel. Its defensive location “in the sky” giving us the opportunity for some vigorous hiking up and down picturesque cobblestone streets. We’ll be rewarded with dinner at a gastronomic bistro.
Highlights
- Tours of Albi and Cordes-sur-Ciel
- Dinner at a gastronomic bistro
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Le Grand Balcon
Important Notes
- Today includes walking up and down steep, cobbled streets.
From Toulouse we’ll drive into the western Pyrenées for three days, delving into Basque culture and stunning scenery. More great photo opportunities abound in this bucolic setting, from the majestic peaks and sparkling meadows of the Pyrenées to unspoiled villages throughout the region. We’ll visit St-Jean-Pied-de- Port, at the “foot of the pass,” a popular point of departure for the Camino del Santiago (Way of Saint James) through the mountains to Spain. After a lunch of tapas, we will make our way to the hidden gem of St-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, where we will spend three nights in a charming family-run hotel set right on the Baigorry (red river). We’ll have an opportunity to taste the local Irouléguy wine (its own appellation) and dine in this idyllic setting.
Highlights
- Scenic drive into the mountains with lunch in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
- Wine tasting
- Charming inn on the picturesque Baïgorre river
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Hotel Arcé
We’ll gather riverside for breakfast before departing for a day of shooting in the mountains. We’ll follow the weather for the best opportunities amid majestic peaks and rugged valleys. The rapidly changing weather itself can be a dramatic subject! Waterfalls, narrow passes, heathered meadows and herds of sheep add to the drama. We’ll picnic in the mountains and return for a four-course dinner prepared especially for us.
Highlights
- Breakfast on the river Baïgorre
- Exploring landscapes in the Pyrenées
- Four-course meal prepared especially for our group
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Hotel Arcé
Important
- We’ll be taking short hikes in the mountains.
Those up early won’t want to miss viewing the river as the sun rises over the mountains. Depending on the weather, we’ll have another day to explore the Pyrenées or visit local “red pepper villages” such as Ainhoa, Ciboure, and Espelette. We may want to return to our little village in time to visit the local chocolaterie before another gourmet dinner. We’ll spend time reviewing our photos and findings from the first half of our journey.
Highlights
- More landscape photos in the Pyrenées or local villages
- Visit to local chocolaterie
- Gourmet four-course dinner
- Photo review
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Hotel Arcé
Today we’ll turn toward the Atlantic coast and different types of dramatic scenery. St. Jean-de-Luz on the Bay of Biscay used to be known for its Corsaires (pirates). With strong Basque influences, it now charmingly welcomes visitors. We’ll spend two nights at a small, villa-style hotel convenient to the shore and the pedestrian friendly old port. This afternoon we’ll explore the waterfront, old fort and half-timbered houses of St Jean-de-Luz, and learn about the curiously colorful Basque architecture. The galleried cathedral of St-Jean-le-Baptiste is a gorgeous example of the Basque style.
Highlights
- Scenic drive to St. Jean-de-Luz on the Bay of Biscay
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Les Goelands (3-star)
A visit to the covered market (les Halles) is a must. We’ll pursue portrait photography and gather provisions for a picnic on the coast. The scenery along the Basque Corniche is wild and rocky, and sturdy old castles dot the coast. We’ll have time in the evening to share photographs and discuss techniques once again before departing in the morning for the last leg of our journey.
Highlights
- Local covered market and street photography
- Coastal scenery and castles
- Evening photo sharing
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Les Goelands (3-star)
The mountainous Pays Basque (Basque Country) gives way to the low country of Gascony (think Musketeers) as we wend our way up the Atlantic coast to massive estuaries. En route we’ll stop in scenic Biarritz where dramatic rock formations make this coastline especially picturesque. We’ll spend our final four nights at a chateau on the right bank of the Garonne river. We’ll have time to explore the property before our apéro.
Highlights
- Scenic drive to Bordeaux
- Photo opportunity in Biarritz on the Atlantic coast
- Stay in a vineyard chateau
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Château de la Grave (4-star)
Bordeaux! “Pearl of the Aquitaine,” capital of the Gironde. Today we’ll explore France’s sixth-largest city. We’ll learn about its world famous wines and wine trade, taste wines, enjoy the local cuisine, and photograph a wide variety of locations. The Garonne river is a beehive of activity. The Port of the Moon in the old city is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of Bordeaux’s monumental architecture is illuminated at night and camera friendly, so we’ll stay in town after dark to take advantage.
Highlights
- Walking tour of Bordeaux
- Wine tasting
- Night photography
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Château de la Grave (4-star)
Important
- Lots of walking today.
The Dordogne river valley – historically known as the Périgord — boasts some of the richest cuisine in France and many charming villages such as Bergerac, St-Michel-de-Montaigne, and Sarlat-le- Caneda. We’ll spend the day and evening taking in the scenic countryside and historic locations in the Dordogne valley. Of course, we’ll use all our senses to appreciate this plentiful region!
Highlights
- Charming villages and scenic countryside
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Château de la Grave (4-star)
The wine town of St-Émilion, perched atop a limestone hill in the Dordogne valley, is a jewel-box filled with scenic, historic, and oenophilic treasures. We’ll take our time exploring its steep cobblestoned streets and stunning vistas. We’ll visit a subterranean church carved out of the limestone. And we’ll have a chance to taste some of the wines of the renowned St-Émilion appellation. This evening we’ll enjoy a “farewell” dinner, share our photographs, and celebrate our discoveries together!
Highlights
- Walking tour of historic St-Émilion
- Wine tasting
- Farewell dinner
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations
- Château de la Grave (4-star)
After breakfast at our hotel, Wayde and Karen will see you off at either the Bordeaux train station or the local airport.
Meals
- Breakfast
Note: All activities are weather-dependent; if poor weather keeps us inside, we’ll practice photo editing and post-processing techniques.
Meet Your Guides
Wayde Carroll
Principal and Photography Instructor
Karen Brinkmann
Guide: France 2023
Packing List
Recommended
*Note: These are recommendations only. Don’t feel you need to buy everything on this list before your trip! Bring the gear you need to take the type of photos you really want.
- Digital SLR or advanced “point and shoot” camera with the ability to shoot in “manual” mode and with a wide angle to telephoto range zoom.
- Plenty of batteries for your camera and flash. Don’t forget to bring your chargers!
- A card reader so you can download images.
- Individual lenses, fixed focal length, or zoom, that give you wide-angle and telephoto possibilities. A good range would be 24mm to 400mm.
- Tripod. Please make sure it is made to support the weight of your camera model. Flimsy tripods are useless!
- Rain cover for your camera and camera bag. (Check out Fotosharp and Think Tank Photo covers for example).
- A lens hood for each lens. This helps keep stray light out as well as rain off the front glass.
- A polarizing filter for each lens diameter. I think all models use “circular polarizers” now but check your lens/camera manual to be sure! (You can also buy a filter for your largest lens diameter and buy “step-down” rings that allow that filter to attach to smaller lens sizes.)
- Your camera’s manual. A digitial version saves weight and space.
- Cable release, or wireless trigger-for tripod work.
- Plenty of storage cards and batteries. I would bring enough cards to shoot about 1000 images a day just in case. More if you shoot multiple frames per second often.
- Small portable hard drive to store your images on. ( 500 GB)
- Small hand towel to keep in camera bag.
- Lens cleaning solution and cloth.
- Jeweler’s screwdrivers (pack in checked luggage!)
- Dust blower and your preferred way of cleaning your camera sensor.
- Laptop computer (with surge protector) or iPad etc., with your photo manipulation software ie: Photoshop, Lightroom. We’ll spend time viewing images to make sure we’re all getting results we’re happy with! We’ll work on post-processing when time allows as well.
Optional
- 2 or 3 stop graduated neutral density filter with holder and lens mount for each lens size.
- A super wide angle, 16mm would give you more options inside historic buildings and if you have the option to capture various birds we may come across I would bring up to 400mm (I don’t anticipate a lot of wildlife though).
- Second camera body as back up.
- Dedicated flash unit. This is a flash separate from your camera. The “built-in” flashes in the camera are very limited.
- Project-a-flash/ flash extender
- Small softbox or umbrella for dedicated flash.
- Off-camera flash cord or wireless trigger such as Pocket Wizards.
( I love to do portraits/wildflowers with off-camera flash and a small umbrella!) - Photoflex Litedisc gold/white reflector. 12 inch or 22 inch.
1.4 X or 2X Tele-extender (Makes a 200mm a 280mm/400mm for example)
- Light layers for daytime wear
- Warmer options and waterproof clothing to guard against any nighttime chills and those autumn showers.
- Long sleeve shirts and pants can help protect you from the sun and insects.
- A light rain jacket would be wise.
- Two pairs of comfortable walking shoes are recommended in case one gets wet.
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Your preferred bug deterrent
- Umbrella
- Toiletries
FAQ
The deposit to hold your spot on the tour is non-refundable provided that the tour runs as scheduled. For this reason, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance will often cover unexpected trip cancelations, delays, lost luggage reimbursement, and other travel-related expenses that may arise unexpectedly (policies vary). Should the tour itself be canceled for any reason, we will do our very best to refund any deposit amounts that have not already been forwarded to secure airfares or hotel accommodations.
Current COVID-19 travel protocols for France can be found on the French Embassy website. Current information about return entry into the U.S. can be found on the U.S. Embassy website. Because we expect further developments between now and the tour departure date, we’ll be monitoring the situation closely for any update. Please make sure that your passport is valid for at least three months after the end of our trip.
If it is required to have a COVID-19 test at the time of our return we will make sure to adjust our schedule so that every participant can receive their test.
We will be out walking quite a bit but there are no long treks, or walks of anything over moderate difficulty, built into our itinerary. We will be walking a lot daily and will be visiting some sites that have steep streets. We will be in no rush in these locations and can take our time accordingly. We have private transportation throughout the entire trip, and when we need to cover more ground, we’ll be doing so from our private vehicle.
Average temperatures in southwest France in October range from the low 50s to mid 60s with some occasional rain likely. There is always a possibility of heavier rain days but it is not typical for this time of year.
- Hotel accommodations from October 1 – 12, 2023 (12 nights)
- Knowledgeable bilingual France expert, Karen Brinkmann
- Individually tailored photography instruction from professional photographer Wayde Carroll
- Private transportation in air conditioned van
- Daily activities as noted in itinerary
- Meals as noted in itinerary
- International airfare
- Meals not listed in itinerary
- Travel insurance
- COVID tests and related expenses to meet current entry requirements