It’s the little things that tell us that the seasons are turning. The soft-changing colours of the trees, needing that “extra-layer” and the air. It’s no longer humming. It’s still. The internal monologue shifted to, “summer went by so quickly.” And as the seasons turn, so do our travels. It’s not so much about chasing the sun, it’s more about chasing a feeling. Warmth, connection and the pleasure of being exactly where you want to be.

The Mediterranean offers so much when it comes to the summer months. It’s less about the deep blue water and more the trappings of European culture. In St Tropez, mornings might start with a market stroll and finish with a basket brimming with figs, lavender and a bottle of Provence’s finest. The afternoon then strikes with a soft glow from the sun or the light hitting the terracotta rooftops and evenings by the harbour, as what feels like an intimate part of the world gathers for an aperitif. It’s an atmosphere that lingers in the memory long after the tan fades.

As autumn approaches, the desire to chase that connection shifts westward and St Barths is often cited as the perfect destination. It’s the Caribbean cousin to the Riviera, where the love of the sea, the unhurried meals and the blend of society and culture just sit at ease with one another. One stay at the Wild Banana Beach House nestled between the renowned Gypsea Beach Club and vibrant La Guerite restaurant on Saint Jean beach is enough to make you forget about Europe for a moment or two.

Of course, where there are similarities, there are also some differences. Move over rosé, it’s a rum community… by the palm trees. Instead of a soundtrack brought to you by cicadas, it’s the waves gently washing over powder-soft sand. Different but curiously familiar is often heard at the dinner table on these shores — a reminder that the joy of travel often lies in recognising echoes of one beloved place in another.

Heading west is one option but what if that connection that you seek is somewhere else? What if that connection is to head to the crisp mountain peaks and enjoy a holiday that is less kicking back and relaxing and more, adrenaline pumping in the morning and fireside chats in the evening? Waking up in Courchevel and Megeve are worlds of their own; carving up the fresh snow in the early hours can only be topped with the perfect apres-ski. For some, that’s the bars where the thuds of skiboots and the shhhrrrkkk of ski jackets being unzipped, for others, it’s the cosy slope-side cafés where the evening quickly drifts into nights of fondue, firelight and laughter.

From St Tropez to St Barths and then to Megeve, they share something beyond their beauty. They offer continuity, season after season. Where one month you’re savouring bouillabaisse in the Riviera sun, the next you’re raising a glass of rum in St Barths, and soon after, you’re cradling a vin chaud at the foot of the mountains. The flavours change, the landscapes shift, but the essence remains: moments shared, time celebrated, and a travel life lived in harmony with the seasons.

This is less about following the sun, less about geography and more about joy. It’s knowing that every season holds its own kind of beauty, and that the real luxury lies in choosing to embrace them all.