I received something in the mail from La Sabranenque today, which I must have requested awhile back. I’m very interested in vacations that have a restoration or preservation component to them (although I’ve yet to try anything like this myself) so find that I’m often drawn to reading about these hands-on vacation programs (like the Forest Service one I mentioned the other day). Maybe it all goes back to those camping trips I took as a young Girl Scout, when we were always building something or frolicking in the woods searching for firewood. I like to be active when I travel…most of the time. La Sabranenque offers a variety of weeklong sessions in France and Italy that keep visitors moving while still enjoying a relaxing, vacation-like atmosphere. Some weeks are purely volunteer driven, and others combine volunteer work with hike and tour options. The two locations are in Provence, at St. Victor la Coste, France and in the southern Italian town of Altamura. All activities, housing and home-cooked meals are included. Yum. They have some off-season sessions that I might actually consider doing if my itinerary and budget allow. I’m off to investigate this further…