Every journey has a beginning, and this one started as a simple conversation that turned into something extraordinary: a fully vegan, immersive journey to beautiful Provence.
I’m so excited about this trip and would love you to meet my partners, Kim and Margo, and to hear the story behind how this dream trip to Provence came together.
How This Dream Trip Took Shape
While working with Kim Giovacco of Veg Jaunts and Journeys on her Philadelphia tours, I said, almost offhand:
“I’d love to lead a trip to Provence.”
Kim’s response?
“I’d love that too, but Provence isn’t very vegan-friendly.”
Challenge accepted. And I had an idea.
Enter Chef Margo de Groot Coenen, the perfect connection!
I reached out to Margo, whom I first met when she was enrolled in my Essential Vegan Desserts course at Rouxbe. She’s actually a triple Rouxbe graduate, also completing the Plant-Based Professional and Blue Zones programs.
Margo lives in Viens, a perched medieval village in the Luberon region of France, where she is the chef-owner of the celebrated Picnic en Provence, the first whole food plant-based outfit in Provence . I proposed our idea.
Her answer– Oui, Yes. Let’s go!
From there, Kim, Margo, and I spent over six months thoughtfully collaborating to design a one-of-a-kind, fully vegan journey to Provence.
Meet Your Hosts
Kim Giovacco
Kim is truly living her dream, turning her passions for travel and veganism into a thriving career. Since 2016, Veg Jaunts and Journeys has run 57 small group vegan tours around the world. An incredible 65% of bookings come from returning travelers, and half of the guests have joined more than one tour! Veg Jaunts and Journeys donates 5% of its profits to large and small animal sanctuaries in the United States.
In short: you are in very good hands.
Follow Kim on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to check out all of Kim’s 2026 tours and 2027 tours!
Margo de Groot Coenen
Margo is a Dutch-born plant-based chef living in Viens in the Luberon, with her husband Harm, their dog Elmo, and their cat Koosje. After a 20+ year career in purpose-driven project leadership, Margo now channels her passion into food, creating joyful, shared experiences rooted in care, connection, and compassionate living with her plant-based company, Picnic en Provence. The first of its kind in the region, Margo does private cheffing, catering, classes, and her signature picnics. She brings a fresh, plant-based approach to Provençal cuisine, deeply inspired by the region’s Blue Zone lifestyle. Margo was recently awarded Chef of Honor by a prestigious Provençal culinary group for her cuisine, her radical simplicity, accessibility, and inclusive, happy approach to cooking and being a chef.
Photo of Margo by Fanny Steverlynck
Follow Margo and Picnic en Provence on Instagram.
Fran Costigan (that’s me!)
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely seen my bio. After classic training at culinary school, I was a pastry chef in both traditional pastry and vegan pastry kitchens (who remembers Angelica Kitchen in NYC?). I have spent more than 35 years helping shape the modern vegan pastry movement. And, yes, I did make the Chocolate Cakes to Live For for Rip Esselstyn’s wedding.
As Director of Vegan Pastry at Rouxbe, I created and led the Essential Vegan Desserts course. Cookbooks, writing, consulting, teaching, and presenting across the U.S. and internationally have been and remain my joys. Fun fact: in France, I might be heard referring to myself as Françoise de Colmar, a nod to my paternal grandparents from Alsace. And, my cookbook Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious Decadent Desserts was published by a French press. Mousse au Chocolat and Tarte au Citron are high on my list of favorite desserts.
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
About This One-of-a-Kind Provence Trip
This tour is designed to be both enriching and restorative. It’s filled with beautiful surroundings, exceptional plant-based food, hands-on experiences, so much fun, and time to connect, explore, and simply enjoy Provence. It will be a trip of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to welcome you, spend 10 glorious days and 9 nights together, and share this experience with you.
To learn more about the trip, visit Veg Jaunts & Journeys for details. In fact, check out all of Kim’s 2026 and 2027 trips on her website.
As of this writing, the Provence trip is sold out and has a waitlist.
Warmly,
Fran
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