Advivum Journeys

Joie de Vivre, France

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Participant Information Form (fill-in online by April 1, 2024)

Participant Release Form (read, sign, and return by April 1, 2024)

Group Welcome Call (Zoom link) Sunday, April 14, 2024 - 12 ET/5UK

Coaching Call (book here and complete before April 1, 2024)

Workbook 1 Open the workbook and download to your computer to use fillable fields.

Workbook 2 (available April 12)

Workbook 3 (available June 11, 2024)

Post-Retreat Coaching Call (book here to complete by July 15)

Group Post-retreat Call (Zoom link) Saturday, July 20, 2024 - 12 ET

key information

Tania Carriere +1 613 297 0012 try me on What’sApp or my iPhone;

Location: Mas Edem, Vins du Luberon, 145 Chemin des Maquignons, 84220 Goult, France (R6VX+C7 Goult, France)

Arrival: Sunday, May 12 anytime after 10am in time for lunch at 12:00 (see Avignon bus info below)

Departure: Saturday, May 18, at 10am (see Avignon bus info below)

 WELCOME!

I fell in love with Provence the first instant I stepped off the train. Here the world moves a little more slowly, people live their lives according to the seasons, shop at the village markets, and sip rosé on the terrace in the mid afternoon sun. Hill top villages have been the same for hundreds of years, allowing you step immediately back in time. Cobblestones and olive trees will inspire you to slow down and soak in the unhurried life. I return a couple of times a year and I always make time to smell the wild thyme and rosemary that grows at the roadsides and find a hidden spot for a two hour lunch.

The information below is to help you with your trip planning and your time before and after our retreat. It is based on my discoveries and preferences with the intention of giving you a visit that is high on culture and experience. Modify to your budget and personal preferences. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Happy Planning!

Phone a Friend

If you get stuck, we’re simply a call/text away!

Tania Carriere +1 613 297 0012 try me on What’sApp or my iPhone

Please complete the following so that we can prepare for your arrival!

Participant information form

This form is vital to our planning and ensuring that your personal requirements are being taken care of. Please fill in the following form by April 1, 2024.

Participant release forms

This document includes a Letter of Responsibility and a Permission for Photography. Please read the document fully. Then complete the blue sections, and return it to tania@advivum.ca by April 1, 2024.

Coaching call

Please use the “Book Now” button below to book your one hour Coaching Call.

On the call you are invited to share your thoughts and hopes for the JOIE de VIVRE retreat with me. All calls must be completed before April 1, 2024.

Workbooks

Open the workbook and download to your computer to use fillable fields.

Arrival and departure TIMES

We welcome you at MAS EDEM on Sunday as of 10:00 a.m. Our program will begin with time to settle in, explore the property, lounge by the pool and “arrive”. Lunch will be provided at noon.

Our session will finish on Saturday before 10:00 am. Remember that Mas Edem is a quiet countryside winery, more than an hour away from Avignon or Marseille, and on the opposite side of the country from Paris. I recommend that you find a cute place to stay for Saturday night, before making your way home.

See below for transportation information.

coming to France

entry requirements to FRANCE

As health measures can change quickly, I recommend that you visit the Official Government website for the most up to date Entry Requirements.

GETTING TO PROVENCE

I recommend that you get to Avignon prior to the retreat to spend 1-3 nights exploring the city and getting over jetlag. Then take the local bus to the retreat town on Sunday morning (details below.) There are a few ways you can get to Avignon:

1) FROM PARIS - CHARLES DE GAULLES (CDG)

This is a major airport with lots of flight options. There are two train stations within the airport complex. Here is a great website with step by step instructions. TGV stands for “Train Grand Vitesse” or high speed train. There are several train companies that run on these fast lines (which is why you will see a difference in fares for different times of the day). I find it easiest to do the research on The Trainline and then, once I have found my preferred time/price, I double check the price with the corresponding site for the Train operator.

• You can get a TGV train from CDG to Avignon.

• Another option from this airport is to ride a train in to Paris. (Tip: This may take time so be sure to visit the restrooms in the airport “arrivals” hall.) After visiting Paris, you can ride a TGV train from there to Avignon.

2) FROM PARIS - ORLY (ORY)

• You will need to take a train in to Paris, and then choose when you want to take a train to Avignon.

3) from marseille (mrs)

This is a lovely, small airport. It allows easy access to Aix-en-Provence and Avignon or any of the small towns in the region.

• There is a train that goes directly from the MRS airport to Avignon. You can book it here https://www.raileurope.com/en

• All major car rentals can be picked up here and the driving through Provence is very manageable (once you get used to the small roads.) You may rent a car from MRS if you prefer to explore the small towns on your way, however, please note, that a car is not required while on retreat.

GETTING FROM TGV avignon STATION IN TO avignon ITSELF

The TGV train station is outside of Avignon, however, there is a very easy connector train that will take you to the centre of the city in 5 minutes. Purchase a ticket (approx $7) from any of the ticket booths that look like ATMs in the main station where you arrive. You may also reach the city by bus within 20 minutes which may drop you off closer to your accommodation.

STAYING IN AVIGNON

I like a smaller more unique experience with someone greeting me and making me feel more like family than a tourist. For this reason, I use a Bed and Breakfast for short stays. Here is one of my most trusted booking sites. https://www.sawdays.co.uk. He lists 3 places in Avignon centre.

GETTING to the house

ARRIVING BY CAR

To come directly to the Farmhouse, please follow directions to this address. You will enter the property and the vineyard through an iron gate (shown above.) Please let us know your anticipated time of arrival, so that we can greet you (and open the gate.)

directions for bus from/TO avignon

We have found a consistent, reliable, regional bus that picks up at both the Avignon TGV Station and the Avignon Central Station, and has a stop within 4 minutes of our venue!  It’s a coach with a luggage hold, anticipating travelers from the train stations.  We are excited for this more sustainable option, which is also 10% of the price of sharing a taxi or an Uber. The ticket is under 3 euros and can be purchased from the driver. Please let us know your intention of riding the bus and we’ll coordinate to greet you at the Lumières bus stop.

Arriving:  Outbound Zou! bus 915 leaves TGV Avignon, on Sunday at 9:45am, and arrives at Lumières-Goult at 10:46am.

Departing: Return Zou! bus 915 leaves Lumières-Goult on Saturday at 10:06am and arrives at TGV-Avignon at 11:15am.

(Remember that Mas Edem is a quiet countryside winery, more than an hour away from Avignon or Marseille, and on the opposite side of the country from Paris. I recommend that you find a cute place to stay for Saturday night, before making your way home.)

TRAVEL TIPS

When choosing a guidebook, I like Rick Steves to guide my way. He has an interesting website and forum which may also be of interest.

WEATHER

May temperatures average a high of 23ºC/ 73ºF and a low of 10°C/ 50°F.

Expect sunny, blue skies during the day and cool clear evenings. Please note that we will often be meeting and eating outdoors.

what to pack

If you are moving through France with your suitcase please know that there are NOT elevators everywhere. Expect that you will have to carry your luggage up a flight of stairs or two. Pack accordingly!! I am a dedicated carry-on luggage only kind of person.

at the location

Here are a few things to note:

• there are hairdryers in all the bathrooms

• there is enough shampoo to get you started, but you will need to bring a little extra for the week

• as we eat outdoors, having a sweater or wrap for the evenings is a must

deciding what clothes to bring

Comfort: Casual, comfortable clothes are encouraged. While the house is grand, we should dress for comfort and not the Paris runway. Feel free to wear what gives you joy, and bring your active-wear or yoga-wear for relaxing and for moving around (like country walks or morning stretching.) For the most part we will be dining at the house, with an optional excursion to a Michelin Star restaurant at lunch time. (Dress for the restaurant is casual-chic which is the only time that you may want to avoid yoga-wear.) Tip for the market: ladies: wear yoga pants and a tank top under a cute sundress, so that you can easily try on other tops and dresses that you discover in the market.

Sturdy Walking Shoes: We will spend time outdoors each day as Provence is in its glory at this time of year. Please bring sturdy walking shoes to enjoy the trails in the gentle hills around the property and the hillier cobble stoned streets of some of the nearby villages.

Pool: There is a beautiful, heated pool on property for swimming and lounging around.

Currency / payment options

France is a digital payments society- you can use your credit cards in all grocery stores, transport, and shops. There are very few instances where cash is required. (If a porter helps get your luggage to an upper floor of a hotel without an elevator, then maybe some euros in your pocket would be nice.)

I encourage you to have a “contactless (sans contact)” or “tap” credit card (or load them to Apple Pay) for ease of use. If asked, it is generally in your favour to be charged in the currency of the country you are visiting (Euros) as opposed to the converted rate (which will use an exchange rate that favours the seller.)

The only additional expense, once you have arrived on the property, will be any alcohol that you wish to consume with dinner and an optional meal at a Michelin Restaurant (more details to come on that.)

sim or esim card for your cell phone

Travelling “old school” (without using your cell phone) can be very freeing.  It can help you stay in the moment.  It can nudge you to engage with locals for directions, suggestions, help, and advice. And, travelling with cell service to your phone can be very comforting.  It can give you confidence knowing that if you need to, you can find directions, make a call, and reach out to people you know for assistance.

So when travelling somewhere outside of your usual cellular service (and into roaming service) you have a choice to make.

• A: Commit to not using cell service at all, and only use apps when you can connect to Wifi.

• B: Accept that using your phone would only be in an emergency and you’ll pay the roaming charges incurred.

• C: Sign up for an international plan with your regular cellular vendor.  This might be upgrading your monthly plan for a specific period of time.  Or it might be that on days that you use your phone abroad, you pay a daily rate.  (ex. T-Mobile is known for a plan where your phone “just works” no matter where you are.  Verizon offers a daily TravelPass.)

• D: Buy a short term plan from a cellular vendor that is local to where you’re going.  You can do this ahead of time, or you can find a vendor in the airport when you land.  This is often notably less expensive than option C (unless you already have a travel plan with the likes of T-Mobile.)  ex. Service covering all of Europe, for 30 days, with 5 GB of data is approximately $20USD.

Let’s talk more about option D.  What makes your cell phone work with your specific phone number and password, is a SIM card.  You might be familiar with using the end of a paper clip to press a hole on the side of your phone for a little tray to pop out, with an actual card in it, smaller than your thumbnail.  That’s a physical SIM card.  Today’s advancements have created a different way to accomplish what the SIM card does, without needing an actual card.  It is programmed directly into your phone.  So it’s an electronic SIM card, also known as an eSIM.

Travellers used to have to buy a travel SIM, take their home SIM out of their phone (and tape it inside the case so as not to lose it!), and put the travel SIM in, and then reverse the finicky process when they got home.  With eSIM, we can buy a travel eSIM online, download it to our phone, and toggle it on and off in our phone’s settings.  So much better!

To check if your phone is compatible with this new technology, see if your make and model is on this list.  You can also go to your Settings on your phone, find the Cellular section, and look for the term SIM.  If you see an option to “Add eSIM” then the eSIM option should work for you.

Whether you buy a traditional card or an electronic card, you’ll have choices for a) location (ex. just UK,  all of Europe, global), b) duration (ex. 7 days, 15 days, 30 days), and c) gigabytes of data (ex. 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20)   Note that almost all plans allow you to add days and add data, but check beforehand how much those “top ups” might cost.

I recommend the company Airalo as a place to buy an eSIM.  Airalo is well-established, is highly rated, and provides reliable cell coverage.  And you can choose to have prices in different currencies (ex. USD, CAD.)   When you check out, you can use the code TANIA9228 for $3 off.  Airalo has lots of instructions, videos, and customer service to help you make the eSIM work smoothly so you can fully enjoy your trip!

adaptors

You will need to bring a plug adapter to fit a US plug in a French power outlet.

For France there are two associated plug types, types C and E. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type E is the plug which has two round pins and a hole for the socket's male earthing pin. France operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. Because the voltage is different in France use a power converter if your device isn't dual voltage and check that it will work with a 50hz power outlet.

frequently-used travel apps

Here are some of my favourite Apps that make getting around and sightseeing a lot easier. You may want to download them now and get familiar with them.

CityMapper

CityMapper is billed as “The Ultimate Transport App,” and it’s one of my favourite apps for large cities like Paris. It shows you the quickest, easiest, and cheapest ways to get from point A to point B via buses, underground network, overground network, taxis, walking, and even by bike. There are real-time departures and line status alerts. There’s also Uber integration.

Uber

Uber is a cost-effective way to travel through larger French cities.

RATP

RATP for an easy way to navigate Paris metro.

Rome to Rio

I love this app/website and use it to check how to get from any point A to point B whether within a city or from one country to another. It is the best place to start.

Google Maps offline

Walking is the best way to get anywhere and to sightsee along the way. Did you know that you can use google maps even if you don’t have any data? Just be sure to open the map and search your destination while you still have access to wifi. Here’s more information on how to set it up.

food & beverage add-ons

dinner tipples

If you would like to enjoy some wine with dinner or in the evening, we are happy to provide a selection of wine, by the bottle or by the glass, that is produced on the estate. Just mark the tally sheet when you pour, and we’ll settle up at the end of our stay.

If you would like an alternative to wine, we are happy to help. Here is a link to the local grocer’s beverage list. Send us a note of the specific item(s) you want and quantity(ies), and we’ll pick it up and have it ready for you at the house. You can settle up when you arrive.