A Trip to Provence with my 'Almost French' Girlfriends

In the spring of 2018, I had the pleasure of hosting my first floral workshop in France. It was a dream of mine to return to the place I called home in my early 20s to teach something that is near and dear to me. Being the daughter of a floral-designer mom, I knew back then that I had to frequent the Parisian flower shops to absorb all things floral. Every Sunday evening, I would telephone my mom in the States and report back to her what I had learned that week. Little did I know that 25+ years later I would return as an experienced floral artist to teach my own workshop in the South of France.

While in Provence, our group made Chateau de Moissac our home away from home. The owners Marie Christine and Louis welcomed us into their home and shared their incredible story of how they restored the chateau along with the history behind the artistry. It took them a total of 10 years to restore; it was truly a labor of love. Every detail was exceptional which I hope the photos reflect.

To my joy, 13 of my wonderful clients from our area joined me on this carefully curated trip. I was fortunate that my friend, Sharon Santoni, creator of the blog 'My French Country Home' suggested we put a tour together for the upcoming September, and I jumped at the chance. 

Our private tour ran for 5 days with every minute filled to the brim. We had the opportunity to visit charming villages like Grasse, where we had a private lesson in perfume making, wandered the brocante fair in Avignon and sat in cafes drinking our new 'fave' drink - the aperol spritz. 

There were a lot of wonderful memories on this trip, but the one I will remember the most is our floral class. It was surreal for me to be in the French floral market in Nice choosing the flowers for our workshop. I had to stop and look around, because I couldn’t believe I was the one standing there ordering flowers for my very own class. I still tear up, remembering how I would play this scenario in my head, never knowing if I would ever have the chance to design like the Parisian floral designers I had once watched. I truly believe now that dreams do come true.  

As our tour came to an end, I saw many new friendships form and old friendships become stronger. We laughed, cried and shared so many stories. It truly was a trip that I will cherish for a lifetime. Thank you to my 'almost French' girlfriends (as Sharon would affectionately refer to us). I am so incredibly honored to have shared this journey with you. 

Bientot.

XOXO,
Sandra  

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