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South of France
Blue and red parasols, sailing
ships, a light breeze and a cloudless blue sky - the Cote d'Azure,
or Azure Coast as it is literally translated, lives up to its
name. The previous day Eric and I had flown into Nice airport
in the South of France and then driven 30 minutes to the small
villa we rented in the rolling, heavily forested hills outside
of Grasse (the perfume capital of the world). Now we were luxuriating
in comfortable lounge chairs on the beaches of Juan les Pins.
Picture Cezanne's masterpiece The Bathers, which perfectly captures
the idyllic weather and leisurely ambiance on the beaches of Antibes,
Nice and Cannes.
We planned our trip to the South
of France for early September to avoid the madness of the Cannes
film festival in May, and the sweltering heat and the crowded
coastal highways that besiege vacationers in July and August.
As the high season ends, the hoards clear out and you can truly
appreciate the charm of these classy seaside resorts. After a
morning of sun bathing, we slipped into some casual clothes and
headed out for lunch - the main meal of the day. The Provence
has a heavy Mediterranean influence so be sure to dine heartily
in the early afternoon as most restaurants are closed from around
three until seven.
The local Nicois cooking is Italianate
in flavor and features delights like aioli, a yellow garlicky
sauce served over everything from raw vegetables to fish, and
ratatouille, a combination of fresh tomatoes, eggplant and squash
stewed together with green peppers, garlic and various herbs.
Also, don't miss the bouillabaisse, a magnificent fish stew. After
lunch, we drove to Cannes for some world class window shopping
and to engage in a favorite pastime in this glittering bastion
of wealth, people watching along the Blvd. de la Croisette, probably
the classiest seaside promenade in the world.
If that's not enough excitement
for you, drive along the precipitous and tortuous coastal highways
that Grace Kelly raced over in Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief to
reach the small nation of Monaco. Here we visited the famed Monte
Carlo Casino (think James Bond). This gambling resort is no Las
Vegas. Ringed by Ferrari's and Rolls Royce's, it features a Private
Salon into which only the properly clad (no shorts; jacket and
tie required for men) may enter. Also, if the shopping in Cannes
didn't exhaust you, Monaco's pricey haute couture will make you
drop (at least that's the effect it had on Eric).
For those not enthralled by world
class beaches, monstrous yachts, and movie stars, you can visit
the charming region of the Haute Provence, an area featured in
the literary classic The Three Musketeers. Envision moonlight,
lavender fields, old abbeys and intimate villages, red wine, and
fresh baguettes. By way of the Route Napoleon (which Bonaparte
followed on his way to Paris after his escape from Elba), we drove
for a little over an hour to the Verdon Gorge. Along the way,
we stopped for some fresh bread accompanied by chevre or goat's
cheese (one of the hundreds of delicious fresh cheeses to be found
in France).
The Verdon Gorge, in the heart
of Provence, is known as the Grand Canyon of Europe. It's 3000
ft. walls of chalky white limestone offer some of the best opportunities
for rock climbing and other adventure sports anywhere in the world.
While the kayaks bob and weave down the torrents far below, the
tourists creep on all fours to the canyon edge to take in the
awesome view and watch climbers ascend the sheer cliffs. Like
Yosemite Valley, the Verdon Gorge offers experienced rock climbers
a big wall experience, but without having to haul loads of gear
as you can climb in shorts and rock shoes with a minimum of equipment.
The captivating Haute Provence,
with it's blend of white limestone hills, rough stony pastures,
and charming villages proved to be the highlight - but sadly also
marked the end - of our trip. The next day, as the plane banked
away from the coastline with its piercing light, deep blue waters,
and diamond like white caps, we realized that we had only experienced
a small taste of the rich landscapes and peoples you will find
in the South of France.
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