Changing How We Travel: An Exclusive Interview with Alastair Sawday

We love receiving questions from Perfectly Provence readers about travel and places to stay. So, when Alastair Sawday himself, the visionary behind Sawday’s, reached out in search of an “old contact in Provence,” we were thrilled. His friend, once an inspector for Sawday’s Special Places and a regional guide, had drifted out of touch. With a few clues, we were able to make the connection, and they enjoyed a joyful reunion over a Provencal lunch.

Fresh from a family holiday in Provence, Alastair Sawday graciously agreed to share his insights on the company he founded and his love for the region. To begin, discover how Sawday’s Special Places transformed the way we experience travel through this conversation.

“We meet people, we find special places, and we share them with everyone. We’re looking for something that breaks the bland mould from which so much accommodation seems to be printed.” ~ The Sawday’s Story

Changing How We Travel

You transformed your guiding notes from Alastair Sawday’s Tours in France into a thriving business and an iconic travel brand. When you self-published the first “Special Places to Stay: France” in 1994, the response surpassed all hopes. Today, Sawday’s stands as a mark of trust for travellers and a symbol of pride for property owners across the UK, France, Italy, and beyond. With that in mind, let’s explore questions our readers are eager to ask.

1. Sawday’s showcases properties of every shape and size, but do you think the charm of rural gîtes in France and cozy UK cottages truly capture the spirit of slow, mindful travel? What makes them stand out?

Many of them certainly do. We still, after over 30 years, seek out such places. They are still exceptional in providing relationships, warmth, and nourishment to the soul.

2. When the first Special Places to Stay: France guide was published, Provence’s accommodations were scattered and rare gems. How has the region transformed since Sawday’s first set out to discover its secrets?

There are now more places to stay, but many are grimly uninteresting. There is a general reluctance to be different and personal, and over-regulation doesn’t help. But Provence certainly still has special gems.

3. Sawday’s, as a B Corp-certified company, puts sustainability at its heart. How do you balance Provence’s rich heritage and enduring beauty with the pressures of tourism and change?

With difficulty, for there is still wide ignorance about sustainability and the huge threats that hover over us now. Respecting heritage should mean a respect for the conditions that enabled it, the cultural dynamic too. It is all too common for modern tourism to be anti-environment and exploitative.

4. When you picture the South of France, what timeless qualities still shine through?

The quality of the light, those ineffably lovely villages where one can sip a wine beneath a plane-tree and imagine oneself at peace with the world.

5. What transforms a simple stay into an unforgettable experience?

People. We have always prided ourselves on our ability to connect travellers with lovely owners who can guide, advise and nurture.

6. From Brittany to Provence, food and drink are at the heart of French life. How much does sharing a meal help a place earn its title as a Special Place to Stay?

This was once a major inspiration behind the books, and thousands of relationships have grown and flourished around the dinner table. Sharing, however, is less familiar now, and I would love to see its resurgence. If a place does offer meals this way, it has a head start in earning a place.

7. Travel has been transformed since 1994. With the rise of the internet, social media, and AI, self-guided journeys mean something entirely new. How is Sawday’s evolving with these changing ways of exploring the world?

We have to go with the flow, with a website that is seductive as well as helpful. But we also trumpet our difference: our ethics, our sustainability, our human contact, our language, our integrity. We offer what is so sought after in this changing world: friendship and warm, unusual advice.

8. Human connection and responsible travel have always been at the core of Sawday’s. As you look to the future, what do you imagine lies ahead for slow, soul-stirring travel experiences?

I think they will flourish again. We need them. Travel can now be stressful, competitive, over-digitalized and risky. It can so easily go wrong. I have just returned from one of my best holidays ever, in an old farmhouse run by a couple whose food, values and conviviality opened us all up to each other. Rarely have I witnessed such warmth and happiness among strangers.

9. You recently enjoyed a family holiday in Provence. Which moments or discoveries would you most recommend to fellow Sawday’s travellers? May I give you small moments?

Such as sipping a coffee in a small square in Aix while the town was waking up. Picnicking below the walls of an abandoned village high on a hill. Having lunch in the sun with old friends in their home, talking and listening and learning. I will also, unasked, include staying in an old farmhouse many years ago and sharing the cooking. Food is so important, and so is Beauty. There is a gentle strength to Provence which I treasure.

Thank you, Alastair Sawday, for inspiring us to see travel through new eyes!

Full day Bandol & Cassis Discovery Wine Tour from Marseille

Begin your journey in the medieval village of Le Castellet, perched elegantly atop a wooded hill overlooking lush vineyards. Next, venture into the renowned Bandol wine region.

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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).