It begins on Baltimore, where we'll join the svelte crew of an Icelandair 757 on an overnight voyage to Reyjavik, then Paris. Our tentative plans are to grab a train south, perhaps Avignon, where we can spend a few days basking in the rustic glow of small-town France.

We'll be meeting up with our friends Tom, Judy, Rusty and Mary in Apt, a tiny village nestled in the Luberon hills. Rusty and Mary spend a good chunk of the year at their renovated farmhouse here, and we're looking forward to spending time with them exploring the hills of Provence.

The trip wraps up in Paris trying to squeeze as much art, food, shopping and sightseeing into three days as possible. Ten days is hardly enough time.