A Golden City in the South: Aix-en-Provence About 20 miles north of Marseille lies the golden city of Aix-en-Provence. (Aix is pronounced X.) No visit to Provence would be complete without coming here at least for a couple of days. That said, there’s enough to...
Villefranche-sur-Mer Villefranche-sur-Mer is one of my favorite places on the Mediterranean. It’s just two stops on the train from Nice, so it’s perfect for a day trip. All of the wonderful day trips possible from Nice are also near Villefranche. For a longer...
Amazing Eze Village...Perched over the Riviera No trip to the Nice area would be complete without visiting Eze Village, perched on the steep hillside between Monaco and St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat. It hangs over the Mediterranean like a medieval jewel, 1400 feet above sea...
Hyères, A Dream Destination If you’re looking for a dreamy destination on the Cote d’Azur, one that isn’t overrun by tourists, consider Hyères (pronounced Yaire). But it isn’t a village, either, with about 50,000 full-time inhabitants. You’ll see right away why...
The Provence Adventure (with More to Come) Though I’ve been to Provence many times, there are places I still hadn’t seen and wanted to visit. This was not only to experience them, but as research for a Provence guide I’m planning to write. Although I intended to...
5 Islands Off the French Riviera What’s as great as the French Riviera? An island that captures the same magic, but on a smaller less touristy scale. Sound good? Read on! Here are 5 islands (and peninsulas) off the southern coast of France. In French, a...
In Provence, the fairy tale is real! Provence is popular for a reason. An abundance of picturesque villages emerge from another century. Cobbled alleys, centuries-old towers, cliffside towns overlooking lush valleys of olive and cherry groves... What’s not to love?...
20 Day Trips from Nice Nice is a great city worth seeing all its own. You can spend two or more days there but it’s a better idea to keep it as your base for nearby visits to the region. There are endless jaw-droppingly beautiful destinations for you to take in, and...
Come visit three Christmas markets in different regions of France! One of the wonderful things about Christmas in Europe is Christmas Markets. France has its share! Here are three of them, Alsace (the region closest to Germany), Provence (has its own southern style),...
Discover French Beaches What comes to mind when you think of French beaches? The Riviera? D-Day Beaches in Normandy? France is surrounded on three sides by the coastline and has hundreds of beaches. Here’s a list of 15 of them by region, all around the country,...
A cheery thought as winter approaches . . . Menton, the sunniest place in France and one of the most colorful. It’s located on the southeastern edge of the French Riviera. Menton is near Nice and next to Monaco but also touches the Italian border. This medium-small...
When you think of Provence, France, you might think of lavender fields, olive groves, rocky outcrops topped with walled villages. You’re thinking of an area called the Luberon, at the foot of the Luberon mountain range. This area was put on the tourist map by Peter...