“I have found that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” – Mark Twain
A little less than two weeks ago, my friend Haley and I made a spur of the moment decision to spend two weeks traveling together. I’d mentioned that I wanted to visit Spain (a country where I speak the language, finally!) and wanted a travel buddy. Although traveling with someone you’ve only known for 2 months is pretty ambitious, we were excited to get going; besides, having a travel buddy means having a built-in photo taker! Pretty soon, we were booking tickets to France and Spain for the following week!
We began our journey with a 3-night stay in Nice – the heart of the French Riviera. Getting off the plane and walking into the heart of Nice, I was blown away. Everywhere I looked I was bombarded with pastel-coloured buildings, palm trees and posh people. The balmy 20 degree weather (it didn’t last) and the backdrop of beautiful beach coastline didn’t hurt either.
To be completely honest, France has never been at the forefront of my travel bucket-list but when Haley and I were making travel plans, I thought it might be fun and asked my cousin for suggestions…I’m so glad that I did!
“See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask for no guarantees, ask for no security.” – Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
After spending almost a week in the French Riviera and in Provence, I can easily understand why this part of the world was so beloved by some of the most influential talents in the world. The fact that people like the Fitzgeralds or Picasso summered here makes it even more appealing.
Not only is this part of France absolutely beautiful, the food is fantastic and the people are relaxed and friendly. At this time of year – the off season – nothing was crowded and we were able to meet the pace of the other (largely retiree-age) travelers. At one point we were asked “Are you 21 or 81?” but honestly it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of a big city and just relax by the water.
Although we were traveling in the off-season, I actually enjoyed it! Some stores and restaurants were closed but all the cities we visited still had a fair number of people and I can’t imagine having to deal with the crowds during the late summer (their high season). Despite having to deal with thunderstorms and torrential downpours on certain days, we also got to experience 20 degree weather in October which would be unprecedented in Denmark.
I’m still alive and still walking around with a camera attached to my neck – here are some overall thoughts about Southern France as well as each city we visited:
Sweet:
– The colour! The pastels everywhere were so romantic.
– The French people! They get such a bad rap among other Europeans but Haley and I found it so refreshing how many French people engaged us in conversation despite their limited handle on English.
– A lot of museums were free or had discounts for students!
– One we got to the cities, it was very easy to travel everywhere by foot.
Salty:
– In many museums, public transit, signs, etc. everything was written in French.
– The French we encountered spoke English much less fluently than I thought they would. They try so hard anyway though that I loved them all the more for it.
– A local baker told us that the area was famous for having 300 days of sun each year but we got a fair share of the rainy days (thunderstorms and downpours!) during our stay
Overall impression: Nice
– The pastels!!!The intricate balconies!!! I basically walked around with my jaw open and my head staring up at the buildings around me
– Very slow-paced even though it was the biggest city we visited (besides Cannes)
– Love love loved the MOMAC museum – especially the current exhibitions!
Overall impression: Antibes
– Felt like walking into a fairy tale (the old town) or a Fitzgerald novel (because, duh)
– The locals were so fantastic!
– The yachts though…one was so large we thought it was a building at first
– Looking out over the ocean and seeing a mountain skyline breathed life back into me
Overall impression: Avignon
– This felt like the oldest city out of all the ones we visited
– The Papal Palace reminded me of my childhood vision of what a palace should be
– Everything was very concentrated around the palace but it was so interesting to learn about how Avignon evolved through the Great Schism, the Revolution and other historical events (awesome for history buffs like moi)
Itinerary:
- Nice
Old Town
Promenade des Anglais – originally built for the wealthy English
Place Masséna – main city square
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Marche Aux Fleurs Cours Saleya – flower & artist market
St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral – Russian cathedral
Avenue Jean Médecin – main shopping street
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MOMAC – Museum of Modern Art and Contemporary Art
Basilique Notre Dame – cathedral
Musée Matisse + Roman Ruins
- Antibes
Vieille Ville – Old Town
Waterfront, Port – essentially luxury-yacht-central
Le Nomade – really cool sculpture on waterfront
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Marche Provencal – local farmer’s market
Picasso Museum – incredible collection donated by Picasso and his family
Cannes – as in the film festival; day trip with dinner on the beach - Avignon
Old town
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Palais des Papes – palace for French popes during Great Schism
Jardin du Rocher des Domes – palace gardens
Pont Saint-Benezet (Pont d’Avignon) – famous bridge featured in French nursery rhyme
Notre Dame des Doms d’Avignon – Avignon cathedral, adjacent to palace
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Avignon Les Halles – local market