Antibes, France
le 1-31 mai
What better way to distance myself from the stress of selling my San Diego condo than spending four weeks in the south of France while I let my very capable and devoted realtor handle all the details of the sale. I will admit that being far away did not lessen my emotional ups and downs very much, but at least I could drink Rose Provencal wine and eat crottin de chèvre with French baguettes during those anxious days of waiting and negotiating. Although I spent my first two years of college in Paris (many lifetimes ago) and have traveled extensively throughout France, I hadn’t spent much time on the Riviera nor would I have thought of going to Antibes were it not for a conversation I had on an airplane a couple of years ago when the gentleman sitting next to me told me all about this gem on the Mediterranean.
View from my apartment
Located between Cannes and Nice and a convenient stop on both the train and bus lines, Antibes will dazzle you with its views of the sea and charm you with its Old Town, considered by some to be the “cultural heart” of the Cote d’Azur. Its Port Vauban is home to some of the world’s largest and most expensive yachts and I took great delight in my frequent walks along the quays, although I never did get a chance to actually get on board…alas…
On the northern lip of the Port is a fortress, built in the 1600’s, as part of a defensive plan for Antibes…the Fort Carre still stands proudly overlooking the city, 26 meters above the sea
The Fort Carre
I arrived in France just a few days before the start of the Cannes Film Festival and, no, I didn’t see any movie stars, but I did get to stand in front of the red carpet where cinema’s greats walked and had their pictures taken.
And then there was Nice with its splendid coastline of beaches, glamorous boulevards, and very grand plazas beckoning one and all to drink, eat, and shop (in any order!)
Monaco is close by and I was definitely a tourist here visiting the palace and then then taking a tour that traveled up and down the meandering streets. I didn't see any of the Grimaldi family, but the preparations for the annual Grand Prix were well underway.
Eze, a magical hilltop town with its cobbled streets and stunning views of the Mediterranean, is just the perfect spot to visit when one wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of Cannes and Nice. A short train trip there from Antibes and then a bus ride going up…and up…and I was transported back in time. A visit to the Exotic Garden of Eze took me even higher up and I will admit that my fear of heights kicked in just a bit, but the array of shrubs, succulents, and statuary was well worth it.
My walk along an idyllic 4 mile long peninsula, the turquoise Mediterranean on one side, masses of pine trees framing the luxurious estates within on the other, and everywhere wild green shrubs and masses of flowers and I was at the Cap d’Antibes whose famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc hotel is home to the rich and famous at any time of the year.
Between Antibes and Nice and high in the hills lies the medieval village of Biot. Originally settled by the Romans in 154 BC, it's another one of those out-of-the way places whose cobble-stoned streets and views of the Mediterranean will only enchant. I spent a lovely half day there exploring, walking, shopping for my new home, and dining "al fresco."
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