In the last week of my mom’s stay, we managed to cover a few more of her favorite things: a new seaside hiking trail, a picturesque hilltop village, and the expressive character of a large metropolis — France’s 2nd largest city, Marseille. The weather was still nice with highs into the low 70s (Fahrenheit), whichContinue reading “A Taste of the City”
Category Archives: provence
Hilltops and the High Life
My mother had booked her ticket a few weeks after our arrival in France and was very excited to make the trip over. She planned for an October timeframe when the weather was still quite nice (sunny with highs into the low 70s F). She flew direct into Nice which was convenient given that it’sContinue reading “Hilltops and the High Life”
Life’s a Beach and Then Another and Another
Around the Côte D’azur the saying can be quite literal. There is no shortage of wonderful beaches, islands, and inviting waters of all blue and green hues to beckon your attention. Of the places we’ve been, Le Lavandou quickly became one of our favorite beach towns. Named after the prevalent lavender in the area, LeContinue reading “Life’s a Beach and Then Another and Another”
Surf or Turf? Why Not Both
A trip to the historic town of Grimaud goes hand in hand with a visit to Port Grimaud (its “sister” town separated by a mere few miles). The difference being that Grimaud is a medieval hilltop town situated inland, while Port Grimaud as the name implies lies on the water. Before making our visit, weContinue reading “Surf or Turf? Why Not Both”
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 fromContinue reading “A Visitor Comes”
How Blue? Royal Blue, Blue Green and Sky Blue
Ever since arriving in Provence (over three weeks ago), I was eager to get out on the water or on a boat, to visit an island off the coast and to have some detachment from the mainland. The cluster of Hyères islands visible from our place only intensified this feeling. But as our local friendsContinue reading “How Blue? Royal Blue, Blue Green and Sky Blue”
When Wednesdays = No School
One of the quick adjustments to living in France is the much welcomed no school on Wednesday. Apparently this was institutionalized long ago and for us it bodes well in terms of spending more family quality time, one of the main reasons we’re here. There are ample programs to keep kids busy on this dayContinue reading “When Wednesdays = No School”
Proximity is Key: Local Discoveries (Bormes-les-Mimosas & Le Lavandou)
Bormes-Les-Mimosas One of our goals while in Provence is to explore much of our immediate surroundings, nearby towns, mediterranean islands, wineries (we do live in Côtes de Provence wine country after all), and other interesting attractions. We dedicated a half day to visiting Bormes-les-Mimosas, a medieval village set in the hills with expansive views ofContinue reading “Proximity is Key: Local Discoveries (Bormes-les-Mimosas & Le Lavandou)”
Catching up with Old Friends in Toulon
We spent our last week before getting into our new home with dear friends in Toulon. This was familiar grounds with amazing hospitality and served us well in being able to take a breather from all the moving around in the previous weeks. It was sort of a mini vacation from our vacation. We didn’tContinue reading “Catching up with Old Friends in Toulon”
Keeping up with the Romans: Exploring Provence
With two weeks into our journey, we finally made it to Provence, the region we’ll call home for the upcoming year. Still a week+ before gaining access to our house, we took this time to explore a few of Provence’s top attractions led by charming villages, ancient Roman sites, and bucolic landscapes. Some were familiarContinue reading “Keeping up with the Romans: Exploring Provence”
Our Provençal Year 