I visited the South of France with my parents, who are in their 70s. We made some good decisions and a few mistakes.

• Traveling with my parents, who are in their 70s, was a unique experience. • I learned to choose accommodations that work for everyone and travel at a slower pace. • I wish we'd planned our day-trip transportation and looked up more restaurants in advance.

My parents love the French Riviera and invited me to experience their favorite spots together. Even though we're close, I was nervous about traveling with them.

It's not because I'm 40 and I think it's unchic to travel with parents once they've hit their 70s — it's that I worry that my camera and my chronic illness make me a less-than-ideal travel companion.

As a travel photographer and writer, I was afraid I wouldn't have alone time to tap into creative inspiration, or that I'd irritate my parents by constantly stopping for pict