Southern France, or “le Midi,” is a heady seduction of vine-gilded countrysides and centuries-old castles that tower over the cerulean depths of the Mediterranean. Nexus of culinary alchemy, nave to the most exclusive vintages in the world, “le Midi” is a palette-expanding, eye-opening expression of flavor, color, and culture exploding against panoramas that inspired the Masters. Toast à votre santé inside the grape-festooned region of Bordeaux, and savor a Grand Cru in the region it was born. Venture to the bastides of Dordogne, and break bread in the vineyards of 16th-century architectural titans. Idyll away the time among the lavender fields of Saint Rémy, join the hunt for truffles alongside a master chef and his dogs, and enter a living storybook in the UNESCO-designated village of Carcassonne. In Southern France, discover the virtue of time standing still.