Provence and the Cote d’Azur
August found us back in the States for a bit. We docked Arcadia in a marina in northern Italy and flew home for a planned break from sailing. We were anxious to see loved ones and to spend some time on land since the Atlantic crossing will otherwise keep us afloat until December! It was great to be home for a bit.
I returned to Europe (a week ahead of Neil) to spend a week in southern France with my mom and my dear friend, Chrys. Mom loves travel, and I was so pleased to be able to take her on an adventure. We stayed in two towns and explored a good swath of Provence by car. Our first destination was L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a small town with a big name in the countryside. The town is crisscrossed by streams with huge waterwheels dotting its historic district. Our villa’s back deck abutted a pretty stream populated by ducks and felt more storybook than real. We took a day-trip to Avignon to see the Palace of the Popes but were more charmed by a little Corsican restaurant where we ate the most incredible chestnut cake. After visiting a couple hilltop medieval villages, we made our way to Antibes for a few days on the coast. A surprisingly fun field trip from Antibes was a visit to Grasse, the perfume capital of France, where we toured a perfume factory and posed for photos on cobblestone streets, canopied by pink umbrellas.
Much too soon, it was time for Chrys and Karen to return to the States. Neil met me in Nice and we traveled by train to Italy where Arcadia was waiting. When we got back to the boat, we found her flanked by two huge super yachts, but she was holding her own. We set sail westward, back toward France (but this time by sea). En route, we anchored in the Italian coastal towns of Imperia, Alassio, and Ventimiglia where we found many Europeans enjoying the last weeks of summer. We also managed a day trip to Genoa for a bit of history and culture.
After sailing into France, the first city we anchored in was Menton. We both fell in love with it. The village has colorful architecture, pretty gardens, and a huge daily provençal market. Neil felt like he died and went to cheese heaven. We liked Menton so much that we remained anchored in place for a few extra days. From the town, we also took a train to Monaco and we hiked 1400 feet to the clifftop village of Eze, France.
As much as we loved the Menton area we were anxious to reach Nice to pick up our next guests: Becky and David (Sarah’s sister and her husband). Becky recently overcame a medical condition that gave us all a scare, so our time together was a joyous celebration. We had high hopes for the visit and it did not disappoint! For the entire visit, we were treated to gorgeous weather, tranquil anchorages, and fun times ashore. Together, we thoroughly explored the region of the Côte D’azure between Nice and Toulon. Our stops included coastal towns Antibes, San Tropez, and Le Lavandou. In Antibes we walked the ramparts, wandered the narrow alleys and admired the walled city. In beautiful San Tropez we enjoyed a delicious meal in the historic district, and gawked at the fancy people. Le Lavandou was a pretty little town where we celebrated our health in style at a Michelin star restaurant. We also explored two islands. The first was Saint Honarat (south of Cannes) which is home to vineyards and a monetary. The second island was Porquerolles which provided us with great hiking and a fun afternoon of wine tasting in yet another vineyard.
Once we reached Toulon we said adeau to Becky and David, and prepared for the arrival of friends, Lisa and Rob Monsees. Our marina was actually in a little town at the tip of a peninsula outside of Toulon, connected to the city by water-taxi. Unfortunately, Lisa and Rob‘s arrival coincided with a turn in the weather. So we weren’t able to sail as much as planned, but we did take them out for a day-sale, which was fun. We all made the best of a few land-based days by renting a car and visiting towns in the region, such as Aix-in-Provence and the medieval hilltop town of Le Castellet. Many tasty meals were enjoyed together; a favorite was the local specialty, savory buckwheat crepes, which we enjoyed in a Le Castellet cafe.
As September come to a close, we prepared to pick up the pace. Slower travel had allowed us to savor the south of France, and we were grateful. However, the next phase of our adventure was to be much more effortful so that we could reach Gibraltar and begin preparations for the big Atlantic crossing
