Antibes in June

What is it that draws us again and again to this part of the French Riviera? We fantasize about setting down roots here, living out our retirement years immersed in the dreamworld of the South of France. I first visited this area twenty years ago when I backpacked around Europe. I chose Nice as a destination because my South African friend Venita lived there at the time. Venita, unfortunately, had been away in South Africa the week I'd arrived. But, thoughtful, sweet person that she is, she had arranged for her friends, all graduate students at the University of Nice, to look after me. In those four days, with Sandrine and Jean Francois as my guides, I wandered through the vibrant streets of Nice in a state of dazed stupor. I hadn't prepared myself for the Riviera's magic. How could I not have realized that this had been the home of Matisse and Chagall and F. Scott Fitzgerald? Famous places like Monaco and Cannes were here. Ever since that trip, the Cote d'Azur has been like a magnet to me. Naturally, Daryl has fallen under its spell too.

Typically we book a vacation rental somewhere close to Nice/Antibes for a week and spend each day exploring a different part of the area. Relatives usually stay with us and our days tend to be absurdly busy. So many exquisite towns, such a lot of breathtaking countryside, and of course lots of beaches, hikes, museums, the list goes on and on. When the week is over we heave regretful sighs, wishing we'd had more time to just hang out and soak up the beauty around us. So this time we decided to spend two weeks here, basing ourselves in Antibes.

On the last day of school - June 7 - I jetted across the Atlantic and arrived at the Nice Airport in the middle of the night. Daryl, who had arrived earlier in the day, was there to pick me up and take me to our accommodation. We stayed at Villa Maye, midway between Cap d'Antibes and Le Vieil Antibes (the old town). The owners live on the ground level and rent out the very tastefully decorated upstairs. We had spacious rooms, a well equipped kitchen, and a fantastic terrace for outdoor dining. The beach was a five minute walk from here.

Plage Salis was the closest beach to us. To reach the center of Antibes we walked along this beach and  up the ramparts. The views from here are fantastic. We could see the snowcapped Alps in the distance. Expensive yachts bob on the water and the old fort squats over at the other end like a giant punctuation mark.

In our first week we were surprised at the very mild temperatures. It was the second week of June and in the past we've always found the daytime temperatures a tad too high. The cooler days were perfect for walks down and around the cap and for exploring the town.

Troy and Jon were with us during our first week in Antibes. This was our opportunity to spend quality time together.

Our typical day went something like this:
Coffee and croissant on the terrace (Daryl nipped out to the bakery every morning); then a morning hike - mainly around the cap; back home for lunch - fruit, baguette, cheese; siesta; afternoon stroll or drive to some nearby attraction; back home for aperitifs with olives; long dinner which was, of course, accompanied by good French wine.

Trail along Cap d'Antibes

Exploring the cap was a highlight of that first week. Around the tip of the peninsula the coast is very rugged. A well defined trail, paved much of the way, makes it really easy to enjoy this most stunning part of Antibes. As you walk around you are treated to different views. The water changes from green to turquoise to blue. There are many hidden coves along the steep cliffs. Far away from traffic and modern sounds you hear just the lapping of the waves and rustling of leaves.

Jardin Thuret

On the way to the cap from Villa Maye there is a botanical garden called Jardin Thuret. This place was set up as an experiment to grow exotic trees. We strolled through these peaceful gardens and saw enormous cycads and eucalyptus. Walking along these roads on the cap you see some impressive estates. We were reminded of the homes in Montecito, with similar landscaping. Purple and red bougainvillea draped walls and other familiar Mediterranean vegetation grew in the pampered gardens.

In the early evening we sat in the garden sipping rosé. If the owners were around they would strike up a conversation with us in their limited English. They had lived abroad in various African and Latin American countries for many years and had lots of interesting stories to share.

We made meals in the spacious, modern kitchen with produce acquired at Antibes's famous bountiful market. White asparagus was still in season so it featured in quite a few meals. We splurged on some good red wines and a couple bottles of champagne since we were in a celebratory mood. I bought a selection of cheeses (mainly chèvre) and olives from the market. Crusty baguette was always on hand to sop up the sauces on our plates. Great food, divine wine, animated conversation, and the opera Simon Bocanegra in the background made these evenings quite special. Of course, sitting out in the terrace, the sun lingering until 9:00, and the temperature just perfect helped with the sought after ambience.

Fondation Maeght in St. Paul de Vence

We drove into St. Paul de Vence one afternoon to visit the Fondation Maeght. This village, like pretty much all Provencal villages, sits atop a hill and looks stunning as you approach it. The central cathedral sticks out from the middle and the rest of the medieval buildings huddle around the main square. Inside the walls the cobbled streets are pedestrianized. From here there are jaw dropping views of the Mediterranean.

St. Paul de Vence

The Fondation Maeght is a modern art museum just outside the village of St.Paul de Vence.

We enjoyed strolling through the gardens, marveling at the enormous Miro sculptures. The front garden displays Giacometti sculptures and primes you for the modern art inside the building designed by a Catalan architect (Josep Lluis Sert). There are works by Bonnard, Chagall, and Braque, as well as exhibitions of contemporary artists. We were a bit disappointed because a lot of the permanent displays had been put away to make room for some contemporary American artist that we didn't care for.
Still, we enjoyed our visit and it made going up to St. Paul de Vence a lot more meaningful.

Another excursion we went on was a drive to the Grand Canyon du Verdon.

Grand Canyon du Verdon

We drove inland via Grasse (famous for perfumes) through mountainous landscape and pastoral countryside to the Grand Canyon du Verdon. Along the way we stopped at a goat farm to buy cheese for a picnic lunch. We felt like travelers rather than tourists when we followed the hand made sign pointing the way to "Fromage". We followed a narrow, rutted road and came to an old stone farmhouse. A herd of goats were resting in a corral. A few ducks clucked at us and a shaggy dog barked in annoyance. The baldheaded farmer appeared and escorted us to a small refrigerated room where he kept his home-made cheeses. When we pointed to the two we wanted he insisted we taste them first. He flashed a bright smile at our expressions and carefully wrapped up our purchases - a fresh, creamy one and an aged, crumbly one. We also bought a dozen eggs. I mean who can resist fresh eggs? Back in the car we continued on our route, eyes peeled for the perfect picnic spot. This appeared pretty soon.

As if on cue we spotted an old stone bridge, with a gentle stream flowing underneath. It came complete with a parking spot, lots of pretty trees, and not a human around. Could we ask for anything more picturesque? We had brought baguette and fruit with us, so the chèvre balanced out our meal.

Back on the road after lunch we started to see glimpses of the gorge.

We stopped at the many viewpoints to take in the beauty and capture the magic on film.



This stunning gorge, about 700 meters deep, has steep limestone cliffs and the river down below is turquoise.

We went to the restaurant at the "balcony" and sat on the terrace. Over refreshingly chilled beer we took in the incredible beauty of the French Grand Canyon.

We spent a most enjoyable afternoon/evening in what I think is the most romantic town in the world: Villefranche sur mer. This tiny medieval hamlet is just a joy to stroll through. Much of it is perched on cliffs with the Mediterranean just down below. Orange and pink pastel hotels and restaurants line the waterfront. Bright bougainvillea spills down the banks and small boats anchored at the little harbor add to the charm.

After a stroll along the ramparts and under the medieval arches and through the town we sat beside the water and enjoyed aperitifs. Later we dined at one of the waterfront restaurants, seated at a table right at the water's edge. It was pure magic. As usual the temperature was perfect. Troy, Jon, Daryl, and I enjoyed a pasta dinner and chilled wine in this unforgettable setting. The food wasn't anything special, but the experience certainly was.

The week came to an end too quickly and Troy and Jon returned to England.