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Who among us hasn’t dreamed of putting our overscheduled lives on pause to savor the rhythms and rituals of a simpler existence? Bob and Carroll Pierce, whose four daughters range in age from twelve to seventeen, recently did just that, leaving Boston behind for a three-month family sabbatical in Provence. Through the rental company HomesAway (800-374-6637; www.homesaway.com), they found a charming stone house with beamed ceilings. Homes Away also arranged for private tutors so their kids could continue their schoolwork. Indagare spoke with Carroll in April, a month into their adventure.

What was the impetus for your trip? A sabbatical abroad is something my husband and I had each thought about on our own, but we weren’t sure we could pull it off. The catalyst was our oldest daughter’s decision to spend her January-to-June semester in Rome. We thought, “What if we did this ourselves?” We have two sets of friends who had gone abroad for several months, so we had a template. One family took a sabbatical in Luca; the other traveled the world and took the school curriculum with them. Both emphasized that it was so worthwhile. Bob is the CEO of his family’s aluminum company and is able to work remotely, so we started to think that we could really make it happen.

Did your children embrace the idea? The kids were horrified at first. The fifteen-year-old, in particular, dreaded leaving high school and everything familiar: her friends, her sports team, our neighborhood. We almost thought it wouldn’t work. Our thirteen-year-old has enough curiosity about life that any resistance she had was overcome. Our youngest daughter was the most open to it. But to be honest, all of us needed an adjustment period.

How did you choose HomesAway? We looked at a lot of different high-end villa-rental companies. Most were geared to people on vacation and were heavy on services, but we weren’t looking for an over-the-top house or private chef or someone to do our laundry. Some friends recommended HomesAway. What sold us was the company assuring us that it could find tutors for our kids. We had looked at various international schools, but we didn’t want to be limited by their calendar, which ends in June.

How did you decide on Provence? My mother’s family is from there, and I speak a little French, as does one of our daughters. Bob loves to bike, and we wanted to be able to pursue a lot of outdoor activities. We chose a house called Le Moulin near Sablet, a tranquil little village on a hill.

How difficult were the logistics? It was fairly easy to get the structure of our trip in place, thanks to both HomesAway and Good Deeds (781-235-0008; www.gooddeedsllc.com), a wonderful Massachusetts-based personal-concierge company. Good Deeds handled so many complicated projects, like securing visas. When we decided to bring our dog, it researched entry requirements. While we’re away, the company has been doing things like getting our car inspected and sorting through our mail to see what needs to be forwarded. When my daughter lost her retainer, Good Deeds made immediate arrangements for a replacement.

What are some of the services HomesAway delivered? Before we arrived, the company procured bikes and helmets for all of us. Our local host recommended bike routes and ski areas for my husband, cooking classes for me and a place to make pottery for my daughters.

HomesAway is known for its local hosts. Has yours been useful? From the minute we arrived to find fresh flowers in the house, a stocked fridge and a hot meal waiting for us, I adored our local host, Anne Messelink. She’s Dutch, has lived here for years, knows everyone and is incredibly nice. On our first day, she took us to the local market and showed us the best stalls and spots for coffee. I email her all the time and talk to her every few days.

Did the house and grounds live up to your expectations? I did not anticipate how large and beautifully landscaped the property would be. It’s not formal, just very relaxed and Provençal. Watching spring bloom has been a treat. The house was exactly as I had hoped: simple and a little bit rustic. Houses in this region tend to be dark because it gets so hot, so the lighting is not great in the living room. It’s someone’s home, so there are a lot of antiques—not necessarily my taste but quite charming. And there are little details that I love, like the beautiful French linens in the kitchen.

How is the education working out? Are you happy with the tutors? The tutors HomesAway found us are absolutely amazing: Sally Shelton-Colby, who used to be an ambassador and is very sophisticated, and John Dalton. Our kids were attending private schools in Boston, and they were quite encouraging. They understood that this would be an education with a larger perspective. They gave us their curricula so our tutors could implement them. Most assignments are posted online.

What have been some of the unexpected pleasures of your stay? One of the joys of being here has been the ability to be spontaneous—something our family lacked at home. It’s a real luxury for all of us to linger at the table until we really want to leave, or to ride a little longer on our bikes because the route is especially beautiful, or for the girls to go to bed an hour or two later than usual just because the day is so fun and full.

Were there unforeseen problems? For me, the most challenging time was when we arrived in Provence in March and all of a sudden I had to be the support system for these kids who were adrift in a foreign county. We had somehow expected the weather to be warm and welcoming, but instead the Mistral was blowing and it was cold. Now, a month later, the younger two have completely adjusted. The older one will never admit to having a good time, but I see so many smiles.

What are some of your favorite rituals and details? At night we close the downstairs shutters, which makes the house snug and cozy. Upstairs we leave the windows open, so that we can hear the church bells chime the hours. Twice a week, a local gardener comes in to tend the herb garden. He proudly shows me his new additions, and I try to find a way to use them in that night’s dinner.

Would you do this again? We might when the older two are in college.

Do you have any advice for others contemplating a similar move? Plan to go for longer than you think you’ll want to. This trip has allowed our family to experience a quality of life that our generation has a hard time creating. In Boston, the pressure of afterschool sports meant that a typical meal lasted fifteen minutes. Here, one might last an hour or two. We all cook together—the girls love to make crèpes. At night, we play backgammon and cards. And we’re outdoors constantly, enjoying the countryside. My husband and I have been on a bike ride together every day since we’ve been here. Stepping away has been such a luxury.