Provence, France

If you're in Provence over a Sunday during high season, head to l'Isle sur la Sorgue. This antiques mecca boasts more than 300 picturesque booths where dealers have been pedaling their wares, from high-quality antiques to quirky collectibles, since the 1960s.

Fall in the Cotes du Rhone wine region of Provence means grape harvest. Trucks filled with grapes wind through the countryside and in Avignon, which hosts an annual wine festival, you can stroll narrow cobblestone streets tasting wine and enjoying local cuisine.

If you are looking for the ultimate French cookie, head to Le Petit Duc in St-Rémy-de-Provence for the Oreilles de la Bonne Déesse, or Ears of the Good Goddess, an adaptation of a Roman porridge recipe that uses olive oil, red wine, pepper, honey and cumin.

Many of the city centers are pedestrian-only, so it's much better to park outside the walls and walk into town for the day. And in our opinion, it's the only way to take in everything the local culture has to offer.

The town of Grasse is known to be the custom perfume making capital of the world. One of the favorites is Fragonard, which offers factory tours daily, all of which end at the boutique where the company's 35 different fragrances are on display.

Just 10 minutes away, your concierge will direct you to a hill overlooking Roussillon, where the sunset will take your breath away. The effect of the final light on the old village and the ochre hillsides is something artists have tried to capture for centuries.