Simply put, the French countryside is a special place. I have visited many times, and no matter the season, there's something that resonates within me, reminding me that I don't have to travel far to find peace and balance outside of Barcelona. It's as easy as hopping in the car and driving north just a couple of hours, and before you know it you're driving through a rolling landscape blanketed with hundreds of mature vineyards and ancient hilltop castles for as far as the eye can see. I knew this would be the perfect escape for my Mom and sister, Jamie, two country mice visiting the big city in mid-February.