In the French Riviera the options are endless, no matter where your actual port of call is. You can choose to explore the port in which you land, or to take an excursion into the countryside. You will not be disappointed with the lush scenery dotted with quaint villages and all things French.
We were lucky, or unlucky depending on how you look at it, when we landed in the port of Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival. I though I would have the chance to snap pictures of all my favourite celebrities. I was wrong. Without a pass tourists cannot get anywhere near the theater or the surrounding events as they were shielded from the public and heavily guarded. My disappointment was short-lived however because we were in the French Riviera and many other travel opportunities await.
We chose to take an excursion to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, one of the oldest medieval towns in the French Riviera. The bus took us up through the mountainous regions, through quaint little villages and pass breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Within the first twenty minutes I knew that no matter where were stopped, the ride itself was worth the price of admission.
As it turned out our first stop was the Fragonard factory in the town of Grasse, near Nice, one of three major manufacturers of perfume in France. Although this was one of those required retail stops in some excursions that most of us just find annoying, I must admit I found this tour interesting. Discovering how perfume is created, how the scents are harvested from the flora and fauna around the world and then layered upon each other like notes in a symphony was fascinating. To own a bottle of real French perfume seems decadent, but I bought one anyways.
From there we continued inland and up mountains to the medieval town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. A short hike from our bus stop took us to the walled old town, a labyrinth of winding streets, carved stones steps and beautiful architecture. The town square featured a fountain that still bubbled with potable water and air scented with wild rosemary. Colourful flowers and wines grew up the sides of the stone buildings. A church, started in the 12th century was at the highest point and at the lowest, a beautiful cemetery best known as the final resting place of the modernist painter Marc Chagall.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence was a popular haven for artists in the 20th century, from Chagall and Matisse to DH Lawrence and Renoit and time spent there helps you to understand why creativity abounds. Our pictures tell the rest of the story.
There are plenty of art galleries to explore, shops that offer delightful souvenirs and restaurants and cafes to tempt you. Our visit was part of a half day ship excursion but I could have spent more time exploring this quaint medieval village.