When it comes to vacation, I'm choosy. (Picky, according to my husband.) I'm anti-humidity, anti-insects, anti-crowds; my expectations for hotels are sky-high; and my ideal vacation is an activity taster menu of sorts, with space for water activities, fine dining, nap time, hiking, beachside cocktails, and minimal travel. As has been pointed out to me—mostly by said husband—this asks a lot of a single vacation.
Enter: Shoulder season. Defined as the period between slow season and peak tourist season—in the south of France, where I'd been eyeing for my trip, this is April and May—it promises low humidity, fewer crowds, and a more authentic experience. And authenticity was definitely what I was looking for in this vacation—along with hiking trails, beaches, great restaurants, pools, luxurious hotels, and no significant traveling from place to place (I can't be navigating the French railways, I'm in my thirties). Not much to ask, right?
