At the conclusion of my Africa trip earlier this year, I promised Noozhawk readers to watch for my next bucket list adventure.

Second on my list was a visit to the South of France. I signed up with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art for its “South of France Contemporary and Timeless Masterpieces” trip.

Art immersion is how I describe this experience — or eating a whole box of chocolates.

Unlike Africa, I needed no special vaccines or safari wardrobe. The climate was similar to Santa Barbara, half as long to fly there, and no weight restrictions on my suitcase.

SBMA membership is required when registering, and most trips offer tax-deductible portions. Something that sets the museum apart: pre-tour gatherings so travelers can get acquainted before departure.

The museum has been hosting tours globally for more than 50 years, running a dozen trips a year with accompanying scholars.

After perusing the itinerary with a neighbor, we jumped in. Early last month, off we went for our 10-day adventure.

Tours don’t appeal to everyone, and this one is not a lie-by-the-pool vacation. It’s fast-paced and group-driven.

Get up early, go all day to different venues, lots of walking, climbing stairs in old chateaus and museums. Physical fitness was spelled out as a prerequisite.

Many participants were decades older than me and had no difficulty. This type of active travel may be the key to longevity.

I racked up 11,000 steps daily, even after croissants, cappuccinos, apple galettes, baguettes with fresh butter, local wines and delectable cheeses.

Tours appeal to me. I like not stressing over decisions — where to go, eat or stay, getting lost, converting dollars to euros, or speaking the foreign language.

Our tour manager was Cy Britt, who handled all hiccups, including me forgetting a daily medicine.

SBMA staff host Amy Davidson worked with Lisa Benshea to organize our itinerary.

Our local expert was Cecelia Auber, whose talent for weaving together cultural, historical and artistic narratives was extraordinary. She had a delightful personality, rich expertise and skill at keeping us stragglers moving.

The group of 23 came from across the United States — Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Montana. Many were collectors and art savants.

Day One was checking into the legendary Carlton Cannes, a luxury Regent Hotel in the heart of the French Riviera.

The hotel is one of the most breathtaking symbols of the Côte d’Azur, home to the Cannes Film Festival since 1939.

Known for glitz and glamour and iconic films like Alfred Hitchcock’s famed To Catch a Thief, with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.

It was a pinch-me moment.

First night was a meet-and-greet at bistro Le Voilier Cannes, then back for a night of down-filled luxury. Breakfast the next morning was a work of art itself.

We departed for Mougins with a guided tour of FAMM (Femmes Artistes Musée Mougins), an unparalleled museum serving to reposition women in art history.

Despite the plethora of talented women, most escaped history, becoming as expected wives and mothers. Collections ranged from Mary Cassatt to contemporary art.

Next was the Musée National Marc Chagall, created during Marc Chagall’s lifetime and housing more than 300 of the painter’s works.

“The museum has become a fully fledged monographic institution of Chagall’s work,” Auber said.

We proceeded to the Musée Matisse in a 17th-century Nice villa, home to one of the largest collections from Henri Matisse.

The museum follows Matisse’s artistic development from the 1890s to his final works, including personal objects.

We returned to Cannes for a special welcome dinner at an art collector’s private home.

Sunday brought a guided tour of the Musée Picasso in Antibes, created during Pablo Picasso’s lifetime in the Château Grimaldi.

In 1946, the castle served as Picasso’s studio. When he moved back to Paris, he left 13 paintings and 44 sketches. The museum grew with exceptional acquisitions, including those of Joan Miró.

The afternoon included Foundation Maeght, a prominent art foundation opened in 1964, showcasing Marguerite and Aimé Maeght’s collection of modern and contemporary art in gardens and a striking building designed by Catalan architect Josep Lluís Sert.

The next day we ventured to Le Muy for the Venet Foundation, established at minimalist artist Bernar Venet’s home, displayed within his sprawling residential cultural park. His collection incorporates pieces from Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt and Carl Andre.

The afternoon brought us to Correns, a lovely small Provence town. We had an outdoor lunch and a studio visit with Australian artists Shona Nunan and Michael-Francis Cartwright for art, lemon mousse cake and coffee.

On the next day we took a deep dive into Paul Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence, with a guided tour of Jas de Bouffan, the historic estate where Cézanne spent significant time. A special exhibition featured more than 130 paintings, drawings and watercolors.

The afternoon ended with a spectacular WOW at Château La Coste, which opened in 2011. This working organic vineyard and plein-air museum features works by Louise Bourgeois, Richard Serra, Andy Goldsworthy, Damien Hirst, Jenny Holzer and Frank Gehry.

The art center was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, surrounded by 200 acres of vineyards, olive groves, pines and oaks.

After three days in Cannes, we moved to Arles. Within 24 hours, Britt had relocated us to a small family-run boutique Hotel B Design & Spa. Much better, happier group.

Midtrip we headed to Barjac to see the work of Anselm Kiefer, a well-known post-World War II German artist whose work addressed controversial issues from recent history.

Private tour guide Alison Bracker gave a slide presentation unpacking Kiefer’s intellectually rigorous work at Eschaton, with more than 60 buildings and art areas.

The next day brought a full excursion to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Monastère de St-Paul-de-Mausole, where Vincent van Gogh lived and worked for more than a year.

While he only sold one piece in his lifetime and was plagued with severe mental illness, he created 143 oil paintings and more than 100 drawings in 53 weeks while confined there at the asylum.

Our visit coincided with weekly market day in Saint-Rémy. Some lunched, others toured a photography exhibit headlined by David Bowie, or visited the Musée Granet.

Drawing to a close was a walking tour of Arles and the Lee Ufan Foundation in a renovated museum. Lee Ufan, a Korean-born artist, has shown at the Guggenheim in New York City, the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and Serpentine Galleries in London.

The day before departure, we toured LUMA Arles, a 27-acre contemporary art center. The LUMA Tower, designed by Gehry, was inspired by van Gogh’s “The Starry Night,” painted in Arles in 1889.

Our farewell dinner at L’Adresse — an Arles sidewalk café specializing in Mediterranean-French cuisine — was the perfect ending. An emotional time to toast each other, the guides, and have one last glass of champagne with our travel mates.

Arriving home was bittersweet. I was glad to see my dogs and family, but already missing the camaraderie of new friends.

I’m still dreaming of my recent adventure and the beauty that exists in this part of the world — that I actually walked in the steps of Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, Cézanne and van Gogh in the Provence-Côte d’Azur.

C’est magnifique!

Click here for more information about Santa Barbara Museum of Art Travel trips.

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