Join Ellen Lewis of Crazy for Ewe for eight extraordinary nights in the South of France — Nice, Aix-en-Provence, and Lyon.

Ellen has been to Nice and Saint-Paul-de-Vence twice. She went to Lyon in March specifically because she hadn’t been before and wanted to see it for herself before bringing a group. Every experience on this itinerary has been personally chosen or personally vetted. Nothing is on this trip because it seemed like a good idea — everything is here because Ellen knows it will move you.

This is an intimate journey — 14 to 18 travelers — built around knitting, art, food, silk, and the particular beauty of a part of France that most visitors never slow down enough to really see. We’ll have private workshops with Rowan designer Martin Storey and Florence Merlin of Little French Knits, a boat excursion along the Riviera coastline, a private tour to the Fondation Maeght, a cooking class in Lyon, a working silk atelier, and more meals arranged together than you’d expect — because in a place where not everyone speaks the language, sitting down at a lovely table without having to figure it out yourself matters more than it sounds.

Our hotels are elegant and carefully chosen, including the five-star InterContinental Lyon for our final three nights.

Please note that the tour price is based on a minimum number of 14 people travelling. If the number of people booked does not reach this minimum total then we reserve the right to cancel the tour.

Payment is possible by credit card or bank transfer.

A deposit of €500.00 per person is required at registration to confirm your booking, with a further deposit due by 30th October 2026 and the balance due no later than 12th February 2027 (66 days prior to departure).

Please note that his tour price is based on a minimum of 14 travellers. If the minimum number is not reached we reserve the right to cancel the tour or calculate a new tour price to reflect the number of people booked. You have the right to cancel free of charge if you do not accept the revised tour price.
 

CANCELLATION POLICY

Individual cancellations received in writing on or before 28th August 2026 will be subject to a forfeiture of €150.00. Thereafter, individual cancellations will be subject to the following forfeit of the tour price:

(a) if received in writing after 28th August 2026 and on or before 29th October 2026; loss of €500.00 deposit

(b) if received in writing after 29th October 2026 and on or before 15th January 2027: 35% of the tour price;  

(c) if received in writing after 15th January 2027 and on or before 11th February 2027: 55% of the tour price;

(d) No refund for cancellations received after 11th February 2027.

We do strongly recommend that all passengers take out some form of cancellation or curtailment and medical insurance.

All contracts and  agreements will be governed by English Law.

Access:

A reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour – participants should be able to walk up one flight of stairs and at least half a mile. Step-free access to hotel rooms and showers cannot be guaranteed. 

Please ensure that you bring suitable footwear for walking, occasionally on unpaved and uneven ground. 

Limitations and Conditions of Operator's Responsibility:

Pathfinders, operator of the tour herein outlined, its subsidiaries and/or its associated agents act as agents only for all services and disclaim any and all liability for property loss or damage, and/or any and all damages resulting from death or personal injuries, including loss of services which may be sustained on account of, or rising out of, by reason of, or while engaged on any aspect of this tour whether due to the ownership, maintenance, use, operation or control of any vehicle, common carrier, inn, restaurant or other, or whether caused by failure or delay or by any transportation company due to any cause whatsoever occurring during this tour under its management, sponsorship, procurement or otherwise. All tickets, vouchers and orders are furnished and issued subject in all respects to these terms and conditions and to any and all terms and conditions under which the means of transportation or any other service provided thereby are offered or supplied by owners or operators for whom Pathfinders acts solely as agents.

Due to the unpredictable nature of travel, Pathfinders reserves the right in its discretion to alter any part of the itinerary or change any feature without allowance or refund.

Pathfinders reserves the right to cancel the tour and to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour at any time for reasons of health, safety and/or general welfare of the tour group or of the individual participant. In such case, the refund will be based on actual costs of services remaining in the unfinished portion of the tour. 

Welcome to the South of France! Arrive in Nice and make your way independently to our hotel on the Riviera. Take a moment to settle in, freshen up, and let the Mediterranean air do its work.

That evening we gather for a welcome drink followed by our first dinner together in Nice's charming Old Town — the perfect way to ease into the rhythm of the trip and get to know your fellow travelers over a wonderful meal.

Pre-tour accommodation can be arranged at a supplementary cost — please enquire.

After breakfast we travel by private coach into the hills above the coast to visit the remarkable Fondation Maeght — one of Europe's most celebrated collections of modern art, and one of those places that genuinely surprises you with how extraordinary it is. With a private guide we'll explore the sculpture gardens, the Giacometti courtyard, and the Miró mosaics. Original Alexander Calder mobiles hang overhead, close enough to feel the air move around them.

Afterward we'll wander the enchanting medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence together, with its winding cobbled streets, art galleries tucked into ancient stone doorways, and views over the surrounding hills that seem almost too beautiful to be real. We'll enjoy lunch together here before returning to Nice.

The evening is free to explore at your own pace — the Promenade des Anglais, a local bistro, a quiet glass of rosé watching the light change over the water.

Today we spend the morning and afternoon with one of Rowan's most beloved designers, Martin Storey, in a private workshop created especially for our group. Many of you will remember our time with Martin in Bath — he had such a wonderful trip with us that he said yes immediately when I invited him to France.

This is a rare chance to spend unhurried, meaningful time with a designer whose work many of us have been knitting for years. Lunch will be enjoyed together at a nearby restaurant within easy walking distance.

The evening is free — perhaps a stroll along the Promenade, some shopping in the old town, or a quiet dinner at one of Nice's wonderful restaurants

This morning we experience the Riviera the way it deserves to be seen — from the water. Our boat excursion takes us along the coastline from Cap de Nice to the to the Promenade des Anglais passing through the famed Villefranche bay, hugging the shore and offering views of the coast that simply cannot be had any other way. The water really is that blue.

After returning to shore we board our private coach and begin the journey west to Aix-en-Provence. Along the way we stop for a special Provençal wine and gourmet tasting — regional wines paired with olive oils, tapenades, and the small savory delicacies of this corner of France. It's a lovely way to transition from the Riviera to Provence.

We arrive in Aix-en-Provence in the late afternoon and check in to our hotel for a two-night stay.

This morning we explore Aix together with a visit to the lively local market and tastings of regional products, followed by a visit to the Musée du Calisson — a fascinating museum dedicated to the famous Provençal almond confection that has been made here for generations.

After that, the afternoon is entirely yours. This is intentional. Aix-en-Provence is one of the most beautiful towns in the south of France, and the best way to experience it is slowly, on foot, without a schedule. Browse the boutiques along the Cours Mirabeau, sit at a café and watch the world go by, find a quiet fountain courtyard, knit in the afternoon shade.

We gather again in the evening for dinner together — a lovely meal at a restaurant I've chosen specifically so you won't have to navigate reservations and menus on your own in a place where not everyone speaks English.

This morning we depart Aix-en-Provence on the high-speed TGV train — a comfortable, scenic journey of just under two hours that brings us directly into the heart of France's most underrated city.

After settling into our hotel — the InterContinental Lyon, which is as magnificent as it sounds — we set out to explore Old Lyon and the Croix-Rousse district with a private guide. This historic area was once the beating heart of the European silk trade, and our guide will walk us through the famous traboules — hidden passageways used by silk workers to transport their goods through the city unseen. They are unlike anything else.

Dinner this evening is at a traditional Lyonnais bouchon, where we'll experience the regional cuisine that has made Lyon one of the great food cities of the world.

This morning we join a local guide for a tour of one of Lyon's famous covered markets — a feast for the eyes as much as anything else. From there we make our way to a hands-on cooking class with a French chef, where we'll prepare and then sit down to enjoy a proper Lyonnais lunch together. There are few things more satisfying than eating something you've made yourself in a city that takes food this seriously.

In the afternoon we visit Brochier Soieries, a working silk atelier and museum where we'll see firsthand the extraordinary craftsmanship behind Lyon's historic silk weaving tradition. It is one of those visits that stays with you.

Our final full day begins with a private workshop with Florence Merlin, the designer behind Little French Knits. Florence lives just outside Lyon — practically our neighbor for the week — and she has created a special project exclusively for our group. Her patterns are known worldwide for their elegance and their unmistakably French sensibility: timeless, delicate, made with intention. Her English, she'll tell you, is not perfect. Her knitting absolutely is.

In the afternoon we visit Lyon's remarkable Musée des Tissus — one of the world's great textile museums — followed by a relaxing cruise along the Rhône River. There will be time for a little shopping or simply wandering the beautiful Presqu'île before we gather for our farewell dinner together, raising a glass to a week well spent.

After a final breakfast together we say our goodbyes and make our way from Lyon for our individual flights home — carrying with us a Calder mobile seen up close, a silk atelier visited, a Lyonnais meal cooked and eaten, and whatever small beautiful thing we made in Florence's workshop.

Please do not book a flight departing before 11:00am.