The Côte d'Azur
Ahh, the francophile dream of the Côte d'Azur; beautiful, bronzed bodies on pristine beaches, celebrities living the dream, sparkling yachts and lipstick red Ferraris. But, like a botox injection, looks can be deceiving.
In a nutshell, the plan was to take the Newhaven ferry to Dieppe, stopover at Champforgeuil for the night, then continue on to our base for two weeks at Lorgues in the Var region. It took three hours to get around Paris and we finally made the airbnb at 11.30pm, nearly 4 hours late. But as they say, 'it's the journey not the destination'. Really?
The drive down though was not all jams and the odd pickle. Panoramas were filled with castles, chateaus, fighter jets, birds of prey and bikers. Some were totally lawless. Only god knows how they survive. And the tolls. They are a bit like having your nipples in a vice. The further you go the more the handle turns. It hurts.
The following is a very brief account of the Côte d'Azur as seen by a couple getting greyer and creakier but still doing it. Just. To keep us going we always have our oats in the morning. Nice.
Our deepest thanks to 'the skip', my 2009 Skoda Fabia MKII 1.4 tdi with more faults than John McEnroe on a good day. It never missed a beat. Thanks, mate.
Everyone's journey is different. The following is what floated our boats (inflatable kayaks in our case) and what sank them. Nearly literally sometimes.
Whistle stop tour of:
San Remo, Italy – a quick jaunt over the border, like you do. The San Basilio, a Russian Orthodox church which wouldn't look out of place in Moscow is worth seeing but, sadly, like a lot of the world today was closed.
Monaco, Monte Carlo – one visit is enough. It was actually my second but I never learn. Traffic mayhem, cheap parking and cafés, fancy cars and people, expensive shops. The casino foyer is worth venturing into for that tiktok or Instagram photo.
Nice and Cannes – leaving 'Monty' we ventured on to Nice. Great views over city as we drove in. After nearly an hour we never reached the seafront 'strip'. So, being an impatient old git, we ignored Cannes (too much traffic) taking the hill road to the UNESCO Heritage Site of Èze.
Èze – totally rammed. Carparks over full, if that's possible. Mass tourism at its best. Shame, it sounded really interesting. One silver lining though. The elevated drive back to Lorgues blessed us with stunning views over the azure Mediterranean. Lovely.
Hilltop villages
Bargème – described as one of the most 'beautiful villages of France', Bargème with its church, castle ruin and spectacular views, certainly lives up to the hype. Even though we visited in September many of the villages were in a state of closure, Bargème being no exception. But for us, the missing hordes made it a special place for a fleeting moment. Windy though at 1097m.
Ampus – a lovely traditional commune with flower lined narrow passage ways and friendly café scene. If you're lucky you might get a game of pentanque (boules to you and me).
Aiguines – regional climbing and adventure capital of the Gorges du Verdon, Aiguines is well know for its woodworking tradition and gorgeous views of the Lac de Sainte Croix. The village is a lovely drive from the lake through the natural park. Sweet.
Glitz and glamour
St Tropez – what can I say? An hour drive took nearly three, then 1.5 hours to find a parking space. Totally ridiculous. Exhausted, a nice old French chap took pity on us and left his parking spot early. Merci monsieur. We eventually found the deserted, crumbling old town which was a relief from the mobbed waterfront. £10 a pint and £40 for what looked like dog food (steak tartar) and chips. Fancy shops everywhere reminded me of an airport duty free lounge. And not a celebrity in sight. Apart from us, obviously. Audrey Hepburn would turn in her grave.
St Raphael – busy, busy, busy. The traffic again was horrendous. We eventually found a small, quiet beach for a quick kayak which reset our senses. From St Raphael take a drive east on the D559. Views of The Cornich de l'Estérel and the Massif de l'Estérel are well worth the multitude of bikers, camper vans and impatient locals.
The great outdoors
Parc naturel régional du Verdon – being an outdoor enthusiast, I could have spent the whole two weeks exploring this natural park; it is truly stunningly beautiful. The Gorges du Verdon is spectacular. We kayaked and 'sailed' a pedalo through the gorge; an unforgettable experience. To really witness the gorge, its ridges and cliffs, we drove the 24 km Route des Crêtes. Soaring vultures and soul warming panoramas accompanied us along the way. Magnificent.
Cascades de Sillans – beautiful 42m waterfall found at the end of a very easy 800m walk. There is a dedicated carpark or you can stop in the pretty village of Sillans la Cascade a short walk away. Combine both for a lovely morning or afternoon visit.
Religious splendour
Abbaye du Thoronet – we loved the peaceful tranquility of this religious monument. A few miles from Lorgues, this splendid Cistercian abbey is one of three in Provence. Started in 1160 and completed in 1230, the abbey has superb acoustics and is well known for its musical events. Thoroughly recommended.
Church of Saint-Michel du Var – only a few metres from the monastery of Saint-Michel du Var, the church is adorned with colourful frescos featuring the Holy Trinity, crucifixion and resurrection, the Archangel Micheal and much more. The painted ceiling and walls are exceptional, made even more so by the fact the church was founded in 1987. Superb.
Chapelle Sainte-Roseline – a beautiful chapel a few miles from Les Arcs-sur-Argens. Marvel at the 16th century alterpiece and the 'modern' 1975 mosaic by Marc Chagall. More importantly, it is the resting place of Saint Roseline who died in 1329 aged 66. She is accredited with many miracles. This chapel is a must see.
Basilique Sainte Marie-Madeleine – on our return to Dieppe, we made an unplanned stop at the commune of Saint Maximin la Sainte Baume. It turned out to be one of the best unplanned moments of our travels so far. Dominating the commune is the basilica built on the tomb of Mary Magdelane by king Charles d'Anjou, in her honour. On entering you are halted in your steps by the bewildering devotion to god before you. The best we have witnessed. Marvel at the 6th century Gallo-Roman crypt, the sarcophagus of St Mary, even her skull. If you're ever in the area, this basilica is a must, must see.
Church of Saint Jacques, Dieppe – a massive Gothic pile from the 11th century. Amongst its many treasures is a frieze in the Treasure Chapel which depicts the countries discovered by Dieppe's seafarers. Interesting.
Pleasant surprise
Dieppe – to be honest I wasn't expecting much of Dieppe, our exit port back to England. But the thriving coastal town turned out to be a delight. The waterfront is busy with restaurants (I can recommend the mussels) and bars, while the historic town is a pleasant meander. The church Saint-Jacques is another wonder albeit rather dark, but it was late evening. Being an atheist I don't know why I like churches so much; it must be the architecture. We shall return, four hours is not enough. And I never even mentioned Stella getting locked in a portaloo. Funny but rather alarming!
Don't even think about it!
La passerelle Himalayene (Trans en Provence) – a ravine crossing walkway similar to those in Nepal. What a joke. Hard to find and a few metres long. Just don't bother.
The Côte d'Azur
We covered 2270 miles over the two weeks but it was worth every yard. The journey down and return were both part of the adventure. The weather was great, in the mid 20 degrees with a little rain. The locals though, who we thought were rather over-dressed, said it was the coldest September they had known for decades. Nippy.
For us the highlight was the Parc naturel régional du Verdon as we are outdoor people. The kayaking was great and the countryside sublime. We enjoyed the coastal towns but were simply too crowded for us. We didn't get squirted with water though.
The French have the café scene down to a fine art and the local produce fresh and tasty. And the wine. Three euros for a nice bordeaux. What's not to like?