I’ve been to France a few times, to Paris, a few towns on the north coast on school exchange trips and also to the Alps in the winter for a snow holiday. But so far I’ve never managed to make it to the south of France, home of beautiful beaches, stunning landscapes and the gorgeous blue seas- all things that I adore. I though’t I’d share the things we’d do and a few areas in the South of France we’d love to rent a villa in.
So, first on the list of things to experience has to be the beaches! Coco beach, near to Nice is a quieter and more secluded beach than many of the typical beaches along the coast of France. It’s not got a lot in the way of amenities but I really love a quieter beach so we can make our peace with no cafes or gift shops! Of course we could stroll along the Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes for a more authentic but very upmarket seafront experience!
Another thing I would love to do is stroll around the ancient town of Avignon, which was was the head of Christendom, with a vast palace that the Pope used to live in, which stands right in the centre of the town. I love a holiday with a bit of history, and this town sounds right up my street being a world heritage site. There is an annual festival attracting hundreds of thousands of people who come together to celebrate the arts.
I would love to experience Monaco too, I think just people watching with a cool drink would be a lovely way to spend the day, but there is also the vast Oceanographic Museum, which I know the kids would completely love. There’s also the Jardin Exotique de Monaco, which sits on the cliff side and is full of tropical plants and blossoming flowers. A boat trip along the coast would also be out of this world, gazing at all the huge yachts and dreaming of being on one!
Choosing where to stay in the South of France is tricky, as there are so many area different areas, each with their own character and experiences. Through browsing the Clickstay website for exclusive villas I’ve shortlisted two that I think would be the perfect place to base ourselves. The first (pictured above) is in Eze, which is between Nice and Monaco, and also close enough to the Italian border that you could easily do a day trip into the neighbouring country. It sleeps up to thirteen people, so taking friends would be amazing, and with two pools, a gym room and a whirlpool there is plenty to do! The other property that caught my eye was much further along the coast, in Capendu; almost at the border with Spain, and is an more traditional style accommodation nestled at the foot of mount Alariac, with the city of Carcassone and its impressive fortress not far away.
So if you’ve been to the South of France I’d love to your recommendations of what to see and areas you enjoyed staying in!