A Visitor Comes

We’ve been settling into our new place for about 3 weeks and were super excited for the arrival of our first visitor (from back home). Tata Vanessa (aunt to the girls), is visiting us and is partaking in our day to day (from dining al fresco on the terrace to picking up the girls from school). The girls are so excited for her to be here and Brigitte and I are happy to share our Provençal experience with her as well. The weather is still great for the beach which can make one’s visit that much more enjoyable, and may have played a part in influencing her impromptu trip.

For visitors staying with us (as we are learning), dipping their toes into some of our favorite attractions comes with the package. As such, walking the sentier littoral (coastal seaside hike we’re totally obsessed with), is a must do. It is as much an indoctrination to a Côté D’Azur visit as is drinking the local Côté de Provence AOC wines. And so we’re helping Vanessa check off as many of those boxes as possible.

The nearby town of Hyères (full name Hyères les Palmiers), also factored into things to see and we spent an afternoon strolling its old town. Interestingly, Hyères is the oldest resort town on the French Riviera (although the historic old town is nowhere near the beach — it’s inland set on a hilltop), and also one of the driest places in France with an average of only 55 days of rain per year. It dates back to the 10th century (when the name Hyères was mentioned), and stands defined by the Saint Bernard castle as its most prominent point. The old town’s narrow streets are very walkable and the hike up to the castle pays off with expansive views of the town below, the Mediterranean Sea, and the islands of Hyères.

With several more days to go in Vanessa’s stay, we look forward to having much more to do and see.