FAQ

What makes french girl tours different from many other tours?
Many packaged tours that are offered today are designed to take in the maximum amount of site-seeing in a relatively short time. Customers may spend hours in buses, going from one stop to the next. With french girl tours, you'll spend the entire week in the beautiful Chateau Montblanc (or other similar lodgings); this will let you settle into French daily life in a way that whirlwind tours won't. For a week, this will be "home". We also value a balance between activity and relaxation. After a day spent in Montpellier, for example, we'll take a more relaxed pace the following day, allowing time for our clients to simply relax by the pool, walk through the village, or take a midafternoon nap.

Can we bring our spouse or significant other?
By all means! We encourage you to come with your partner or friend. All of our rooms are set up for double occupancy, so couples are more than welcome.

What if my spouse or partner is not a knitter – will it still be worthwhile for him/her to come?
For the classic French Girl Knitting Tour, remember that knitting classes are held just three mornings during the week. During class time, your partner can relax by the pool, explore the surrounding countryside, or even accompany Phil on forays into local villages to pick up supplies. Most afternoons, we'll be taking short day trips that are not knitting-specific (see the "Itineraries" page for details), so there will always be plenty for both you and your partner to do. And remember that the Cuisine/Wine Tasting Tours are specifically geared toward couples (although, of course, individuals are welcome!).

What if I don't want to go on a particular day trip – can I just stay "home"?
Yes – this is the beauty of a CFG tour. Although we encourage clients to partake in all of the day trips and activities, if you're feeling the need to just stay home and relax, you can do just that. Remember - the chateau is your home for the week.

I'm a vegetarian – will I be able to find something on the menu?
Most French restaurants have some menu items that are vegetarian, although admittedly the selection may not be as varied as you'll find in the US. For the home-cooked meals at the chateau, we'll do our best to accommodate your dietary needs (be sure to let us know ahead of time).

If I plan to extend my France vacation beyond the tour week, will you have any suggestions on lodgings, places to visit, etc?
Certainly! There's nothing we love more than to share our love of France with others. While there are still many regions of the country that we haven't had time to explore, we've been to Paris a number of times and can recommend hotels, restaurants, and mustsee places to visit, and we're also familiar with Provence. And of course, Languedoc feels like home away from home, so we can definitely give you information about this region. We will be happy to help with your travel plans in any way we can.

Why is purchasing travel insurance important, and are there any companies that you recommend?
If you must cancel your tour after you've made the deposit or full payment, due to illness or other covered reason, travel insurance will in most cases reimburse you for all of your pre-paid costs. Since deposits are non-refundable after sixty days, and final payment is not refundable within 120 days of the tour date, we urge all of our clients to purchase travel insurance. We are agents for Travelex Insurance, and feel that they offer a very good product at competitive prices. Please call or email us with more details. Of course, there are many other companies that offer insurance, so be sure to compare rates and coverage before making your decision.

What is the difference between the Knitting Tour and the Knitting Retreat?
The primary difference is that the Knitting Tour includes three mornings of classes with world-renowned knitting designers and teachers (for the 2010 tour, this will be our own Kristeen Griffin-Grimes, author of the best-selling French Girl Knits). The Knitting Retreat is an opportunity for knitters to spend a week together, sharing techniques and designs, getting to know other knitters, and simply spending a relaxing week in the South of France. Itineraries for both tours are very similar in many respects.

I've been to Provence before – what is special about Languedoc?
There is no question that Provence is truly a beautiful region, and we encourage people to visit. What we like about the Languedoc region, which stretches all the way from the Rhone River to the Spanish border, is that it is much less touristy than Provence. No matter how beautiful a place is, if it is over-run with tourists, it tends to lose some of its authentic feel and charm. While Languedoc does have tourists (ourselves for starters!), there are far fewer, and this alone lends itself to a deeper experience of French life.

What is the normal tour group size?
Most of our tours have no more than ten clients. Part of the reason is that the chateau will only accommodate this many people. But we also feel that there is value in keeping the groups small – people can establish friendships more easily, and we are better able to tailor our tours to the needs of our clients. At the end of a week of drinking wine while lounging around the pool, or laughing over more wine late into the night under a star-studded sky, you'll form bonds with others that can last a lifetime.