Start by ditching constant social media checks on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Put away your smartphone and computer to savor the moment. A Kelkoo-LH2 study reveals that most French vacationers spend more time on gadgets than exploring destinations or swimming. Vacations demand real unplugging. Commit to TV-free, radio-free, email-free, and voicemail-free days every other day—radical yet proven effective. Need extra support? Opt for a digital detox program at a specialized hotel, campsite, or retreat.
Seek spots with zero signal. Try Eremito, a 14th-century Italian monastery in Umbria's heart: dine silently by candlelight, sleep in a hermit's cell, and unwind with massages to Gregorian chants—disconnection assured. Huttopia campsites offer no Wi-Fi or TVs in accommodations. Digital Detox travel agency follows one mantra: "Disconnect from technology to reconnect with yourself." At the Abbey of Lérins on Saint-Honorat Island near Cannes Bay, there's no internet, and meals are silent in a serene paradise. Explore more monasteries for recharging at www.guide-st-christophe.fr.
Catherine Berliet, author of And If I Took My Time! (Eyrolles, €14.90), professional efficiency coach and trainer, advises: "On vacation, silence your inner critic—the Jiminy Cricket whispering 'hurry up,' 'be strong,' 'push harder,' 'please others,' 'be perfect.' These voices overload your mental hard drive, hindering true efficiency. Quiet them by setting three pre-trip goals on a list, like 'stop always trying to please everyone,' and stick to them!"
