Category: Provence

Three French Christmas Markets: A Video Journey

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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), and Paris. You’ll see some similarities and some differences. Hope you enjoy them. (These are not my own videos, but those of other travelers.) The first Christmas video is in Alsace, home of the most legendary Christmas…

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French Coastal Secrets #4: Juan-les-Pins and Antibes

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Juan-les-Pins and Antibes. Maybe you’ve heard of Juan-les-Pins…or not…but it has the charm and energy of Nice, its nearby neighbor. It even has a curved beach which hosts many hotels, quite a few of them high-rises on the waterfront. This popular beach town sits just west of Antibes, on the Cap d’Antibes, a rounded peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean, somewhere between Cannes and Nice. The towns of Juan-les-Pins and Antibes are often grouped together on brochures and websites as if…

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French Coastal Secrets #3: Cavalaire-sur-Mer

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Cavalaire-sur-Mer. Like many small beach towns on France’s southern coast, Cavalaire-sur-Mer began as a fishing village. It didn’t achieve tourist status until the 50s, but even today it’s a lesser-known treasure on the Cote d’Azur. This is a place I really liked and would love to go back. Since my first visit I have learned a lot more about things to do there! It’s not far from St. Tropez but the resemblance stops there. Cavalaire-sur-Mer is a delightfully different and…

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French Coastal Secrets #2: Sanary-sur-Mer

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Sanary-sur-Mer. Nestled between Toulon and Marseille in southern France, you’ll find another seaside treasure, Sanary-sur-Mer. If you’re making a trip to Marseille, it’s not very far to visit Sanary, La Ciotat, and Cassis. Don’t you just love these small French beach towns?! Sanary was established as a fishing village in the 16th century but really became a tourist destination around the 1980s. it’s a place to enjoy beach life on a village scale. There are small beaches, with an animated…

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French Coastal Secrets: #1 La Ciotat

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La Ciotat. Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy the Riviera without the price and snob-appeal? To taste the South of France coastline without the packed beaches, the secret is to aim smaller. The next few posts will feature French coastal towns you might not have ever heard of. You can discover many of them tucked in between renowned destinations like Nice and St. Tropez. They are hidden treasures along the French Riviera, worth a serious look if you want a…

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Marseille and Beyond

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Marseille, the third largest city in France (and its oldest city) has a sunbaked maritime atmosphere all its own. It’s true Provence with the sunny charm you’d expect. Marseille is also historic (two millennia), and it’s close by numerous interesting places you can access easily by car or train. Suggestions for a car circuit will follow. If you’re interested in an overview of the city and its history, there is a hop-on-hop-off bus available. The city has a metro system…

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