My European Adventure

Saint Raphaël is a resort coastal town with a  harbor full of yachts and beautiful Mediterranean scenery. It is much larger than Saint Maxime so the village life vibe is gone. A city vibe is present - signal lights, traffic noise, and people walking at a faster pace. The area’s surrounding views, however, are just as beautiful as the other places along the Mediterranean coastline. We were able to take a bus to a nearby town so we could explore a coastal trail (Cap Dramont Coastal Path) that would take us back to Saint Raphaël. Unfortunately, the tide prevented us in completing the hike. As we made our way to the main road to catch the bus back to Saint Raphaël, an American flag caught my attention. It was not until we approached the memorial that I noticed the French and British flags flying high, too. I had focused on the American flag; a flag I pledged allegiance to for most of my life. It was strange to realize how a symbol of our country in a foreign land could make me feel....

Highway 1 (Monterey Bay area) or La Corniche d’Or (Mediterranean highway)? Am I seriously questioning this? Yes! The coastline in this area is breathtaking! Both places capture the area’s natural features from unique vantage points which make them spectacular sights. I guess I can say one is my favorite coastal drive along the ocean and the other is my favorite coastal drive along the sea. Life is good! La Corniche d’Or is the coastal highway that follows the Massif de l’Estérel. A zoomed in view of the highway. Can you see the tunnel? These two really appreciate the beauty of the world.  Simon was an excellent guide and driver. 🥰

Gassin is a medieval village with narrow roads and old masonry. As I was strolling around admiring the views and art, I realized how quiet it was. I glanced around and noticed other tourists looking up and around like me. It was as if we were all placed there to appreciate the history and imagine Gassin with villagers going on with their daily life. I didn’t see any locals. If all the people were to get beamed up, Gassin would be a ghost town. Ah, it is Sunday!  I am pretty sure this structure was added for tourists to be tourists. So, we were.  You should focus on the structure behind us. Isn’t the masonry incredible? Gassin is surrounded by vineyards. Too bad I don’t drink wine. I do appreciate the green, lush landscape. If you look beyond the land and sea, you can see the foothills for the Alps.   I love that tree! When you are approaching the village, you see  trees like this one landscaped across the land. It seems like they are hugging the land from above....

After experiencing the tropézienne in Saint-Maxime, a visit to Saint Tropez was a must. I imagined the streets would be lined with the scrumptious dessert, la tarte tropézienne. Wa, wa, wa. 😞  Saint-Tropez is a charming village so all was not lost. Eating lunch outdoors in a narrow “street” and seeing all the people gather to enjoy each other’s company makes me smile. Nobody is in a hurry or seems stressed. It seems like everybody is on holiday.  I could see this dome from my table. The tiles reminded me of fish scales. I love how the  contrasting materials in the bell tower reflect its history.   The clock tower from the trail and one in town. At first I thought it was the same one, but now I am not sure. What do you think? Check out the plant wall! No wild turkeys here, just peacocks. Views From Our Hike Once again, a photo can’t capture the beauty of the entire area.

Ahhh, the coolness of the sea is exhilarating! Saint-Maxime makes me feel close to home. Seeing the harbor, walking along the jetty, and many small boutiques brought my two worlds together. Of course, being on the French Riviera (Côte d’Azur) has a different feel because it is Southern France; it is not as cold or windy. In fact, Simon was impressed that I was in shorts and a t-shirt when we sat outside eating dinner (approx. 9:30 pm). He and Cécile were wearing jackets and covered with a blanket. I loved walking through the city center and seeing the history, art, architecture, and groups of people sitting outdoors enjoying a meal or drink.   This tree is 1,000 years old!   Back in the day, this is where people came to do laundry. The amount of boats in the harbor was incredible.  A room with a view. There is something about looking out and feeling the quaintness of a village. Simon had to back the car up, so we could load and unload our luggage. I present to you, l...

Today we had a conversations about small towns. We mentioned to Cécile that someone in our small town had said he would like to have a store where he could buy underwear. She laughed and said, “I have never thought about that.”.  She cannot buy underwear in her village, too. Until recently, she could not get a baguette in the village. Seriously, this was a bigger problem than finding underwear! Fortunately, a nearby business decided to rectify the situation. A short walk, can get you bread and pastries at the red box. Voila!

As we stepped down onto the train’s platform, I let out a big sigh of relief. We made it. We were in France. Now, which way do we go? We looked left, we looked right, and as we looked left again I spotted two waving arms. Cécile Lou! Smiles, hugs, and kisses were shared. Cécile said, “May I help you with your stuff?” She glances at our luggage. “OMG! Is this everything? You guys are staying 6 months, right?” If only you could hear her English and French accent here. Cécile really is adorable when she speaks. She is very expressive and can have a strong emphatic tone. We had a good chuckle. It felt good to be with our French daughter again.   After a very long journey, I couldn’t wait to get to Cécile’s and sleep. Being a good French daughter, she prepared a delicious meal so we wouldn’t go to bed hungry. “You are in France, mommy, you have to have cheese.”   Mont d’or cheese is a mild, creamy cheese baked in two thin layers of wood. It was poured over boiled potatoes. The sala...