2017 Photo Contest Entries & Winners

The 2017 contest was open to everyone who participated in one of our 2016 trips to the Luberon, Chianti, Alsace, and the Cotswolds

We received 90 entries from 46 people, our biggest photo contest ever. Thanks so much to everyone who entered!

The photos share many different aspects of our trips: scenery, food, unique experiences, fellow travelers, local people, and so much more. Some photos offer long views of the landscape and others focus on small details. But most importantly, each photo represents an important memory for the photographer from their Experience week. We hope you’ll also read the text that each person provided about their photos, as these provide very special insights.

This slide show includes all the photos entered in our 2017 contest. The 15 winning photos are included first, and then the other photos follow, sorted by trip.

Instructions for viewing the slide show: Click on the side of the photo (an arrow will appear) to move forward or back in the show. Click on the three dots below the text to reveal the full description.

The winners were determined by four judges who worked independently. Our judges are all experienced European travelers who love taking photos on their trips. They were only provided with the photo, the location, and the caption… no information about the photographer. Although each person could enter up to two photos per trip, they were only able to win one prize.

And the Winners are…

Grand Prize for Best Photograph

The prize is a $500 discount on a future European Experiences trip.

Cindy from Florida, USA

Grand Prize Runners-Up

Our three runners-up will each receive a $250 discount on a future European Experiences trip.

Mindy from Massachusetts, USA

Debbie from New South Wales, Australia

Steve from California, USA

Special Recognition Awards

These 11 photographers were also recognized for their photos. They each won a $50 Amazon gift certificate or a $50 discount on a 2017 or 2018 trip.

Lisa from Minnesota, USA
Becky from Tennessee, USA
Cathy from Virginia, USA
Cecile from New South Wales, Australia
Diane from Arizona, USA
John from Tennessee, USA
Pauline from Manitoba, Canada
Rebecca from Michigan, USA
Richard from Arizona, USA
Sonia from Virginia, USA
Tim from Queensland, Australia

Participation Prizes

Everyone else who participated in the contest will receive a special prize to thank them for sharing their memories and being part of our contest. This year’s prize is a special set of notecards created for us by our artist friend Eleanor Cox, featuring locations we visit on our trips.

Anita from Queensland, Australia
Becky from Vermont, USA
Bob from Ohio, USA
Bonnie from Georgia, USA
Bruce from New York, USA
Carol from Georgia, USA
Dan from Maryland, USA
David from North Carolina, USA
Diane from New South Wales, Australia
Diane from New York, USA
Donna from North Carolina, USA
Duane from Manitoba, Canada
Fred from Missouri, USA
Helene and Gary from Massachusetts, USA
Ivy from Hawaii, USA
Jacquelyn from North Carolina, USA
John and Pat from Virginia, USA
Karen from Illinois, USA
Linda from California, USA
Lisa from Queensland, Australia
Margaret from Louisiana, USA
Marguerite from Ohio, USA
Patti from Tennessee, USA
Peter from Western Australia, Australia
Phil from North Carolina, USA
Ron from Hawaii, USA
Sarah from Missouri, USA
Sharon from North Carolina, USA
Taso from North Carolina, USA
Wendy from Maryland, USA
Wendy from New South Wales, Australia

We’ll feature these photos on our websites, in our newsletters, and on our Facebook page this coming year and in the future. Thanks to everyone for sharing their special photos with us!