Lifestyle Mirror

For our monthly check in with travel expert Tom Marchant, co-founder of London-based online travel outfitter Black Tomato, Marchant takes Lifestyle Mirror to the idyllic French countryside in Provence, where you’ll learn the art of perfumery with L’Occitane, which is based here. Marchant, whose team is known for its off-the-grid excursions, also knows a thing or two about the good life, and a visit to Provence curated by his team will include meals cooked by Michelin-starred chefs and pampering spa treatments. Check this space regularly for more of his picks on where you should be heading this summer and Lifestyle Mirror’s take on what should be in your bag once you get there. —Nandita Khanna (@dresslikenan)

THE LOCATION: Provence, France. THE VIBE: Rural Chic. WHERE TO STAY: Le Couvent des Minimes Hotel and Spa, a rural paradise in the heart of peaceful Provence, it’s nestled within the vineyard- and orchard-filled Luberon region, just beyond the pastel-painted houses of the charming village of Mane en Provence. WHERE THE LOCALS EAT: La Bastide Saint-Antoine hotel, home to the legendary Michelin-starred Jacques Chibois restaurant. WHAT TO GO ALL OUT ON: Spend the day learning the ins and outs of perfumery from the acclaimed Olivier Bagarri, director of the research and training center for the study of aromatic and scented plants. You can then create your very own fragrance. TOM'S TIP: Don’t miss the hotel’s L’Occitane spa.