The Journey In Chapters

Spain-France-Switzerland Winter 2024

Follow our route from Spain’s olive groves to the snowy Jura mountains — one stop at a time.
Each place left a mark. But the full stories? Those live inside our book, Where The Olive
Trees Meet The Snow

Zoom in to explore each destination in more detail

- The Road South -

From the Atlantic coast to Andalusia’s soul, this leg traces the first steps of escape, belonging, and sunlit discovery.

Click on any destination or its description to open the gallery to reveal photos which are not included in the ebook. Then click on an image to view it in full screen and use the viewer toolbar to scroll and explore as needed.

Biarritz – Where the sea met the need to escape

Donostia – Pintxos, poetry, and salt in the air

Vitoria-Gasteiz – Quiet green spaces, waiting for something

Salamanca – Golden light, and thoughts that wouldn’t leave

Cáceres – Timeless walls, and a silence that echoed

Seville – A December that felt like coming home

Nirvana –A place that felt like home

El Rocío –Sand roads and spirit horses

Jerez de la Frontera – Flamenco feet, sherry breath, stories under stars

- Around The Southern Tip -

Where wind and water converge, these shores carry whispers of shipwrecks, wild skies, and stories carved in sand.

Cádiz – Wind-whipped wonder and ancient beauty

Los Caños de Meca – Where the lighthouse whispered of shipwrecks

Tarifa – Kites in the sky, stories in the sand

Marbella – Palm-shaded mornings and restless evenings

Málaga – The city we nearly missed, and never forgot

- In Land For An Interlude -

Two cities. Two moods. A pause between coasts to breathe deep, gaze high, and feel history echo off stone.

Ronda – A gorge that divided time and feeling

Granada – Moorish dreams and mountain breath

- Along The Eastern Coast -

From desert cliffs to bustling boulevards, this winding coastline brought contrast, calm, and unexpected colour.

Almeria – Desert light, wide space, time to reset

Las Negras – Bohemian shores and volcanic stillness

Mojácar – Whitewashed walls and nights by the sea

Mil Palmeras – A quiet pause between journeys

Denia – Where the winds changed, and we did too

Valencia – A city of contrast, rhythm, and oranges

Orposea del Mar – A quiet bay and Bow Boe’s first swim

Barcelona – A final Spanish burst of colour and awe

- A Tapestry Of History -

From medieval mist to Roman stone, this journey weaves a path through time, beauty, and the character of Southern France.

Carcassonne – Towers in the mist and medieval wonder

Toulouse – Pink brick, riverside calm, and slow delight

Béziers – A vineyard stop, nine locks and one lingering thought

Montpellier – Energy, contrast, and the call of the future

Nîmes – Where the Romans whispered and time paused

Pont du Gard – Arches across time and stone

Avignon – Bridges, popes, and poetic echoes

Lyon – A final feast of architecture and memories

- Into The Alps -

The final climb—where clouds fell away and the mountains opened their arms to stillness, snow, and reflection.

Geneva – A return after forty years

Pully – A quieter shore with stories beneath

Bullet – Upward into snow and stillness

Les Rasses – Where the mountains finally revealed themselves

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Warmly, Steve & Bow Boe

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