#FranceFriday: Never want to leave the French Riviera

Nice, FR is nice. Very nice.

Nice is the second-largest city in France's Provence region, following Marseille.

Let us relish in some gorgeous views of this beautiful city.

Your 'to-do' list in Nice should most definitely include:

• strolling the Promenade des Anglais
• enjoying the view from the local chateau
• soaking up the sun, sitting along the Mediterranean, on a pebbly beach
• tantalizing your taste buds with all the lavender and rose-flavored gelato you can manage
• enjoying the beauty of the city's (and overall region's) multitude of colorfully shuttered windows
• picking up a locally-crafted lavender product to take home with you

We left Nantes one October evening on an overnight couchette train and about 11 hours later, arrived in Nice the following morning. We left the chilly, autumnal northwest corner of France and seemingly traveled back through the season, seeing as we arrived to this...

Bienvenue! Our train has arrived

All who visit Nice simply must hike up to the top of the local chateau, located at the eastern end of the Promenade des Anglais. You will be rewarded with an outstanding view of the entire city similar to this one.

View of the Mediterranean Sea, Promenade and  Old and New town

Strolling, rollerblading and people-watching under the palm trees is made easy on the Promenade.

Promenade des Anglais

Don't forget to bring a sturdy pair of sandals when trapsing along the beach. Pebbly beaches are the norm here. I suppose this is a good way to engage the core and get an extra ab workout.

Pebbly beaches are the norm in Nice, FR

Fun Fact: Michael Jackson once stayed at Nice's Hotel Negresco, located on the Promenade des Anglais

Montpellier, FR: An aqueduct runs through it

Sunny Mediterranean Montpellier, located in southern France, is the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. 

Its 17th century Saint-Clément aqueduct spans the "Les Arceaux" (The Arches) neighborhood and it was used to direct water to the city from the Saint Clément spring located 8.6 miles away.

The aqueduct has (obviously) become a staple of the city's geography over the centuries and is an integral architectural feature in the lives of Montpellier's citizens. It is dressed up with classy lighting showing off its characteristic features, while also serving as shelter for many local pétanque playing fields.

Massive 17th century aqueduct in Montpellier lit up at night

A little beauty lighting for the aqueduct

#FranceFriday: Sète, the Venice of southern France

Bienvenue à Sète. 

It is a port and seaside community overlooking the gorgeous Mediterranean sea. It is built on and around Mont St. Clair, from which visitors can stare in awe over the amazing views of the  quaint city and seemingly never-ending sea located beneath them. 

The city's bassin de Thau, an enclosed salt-water lake, has a primary function for oyster and mussel harvesting. The city undoubtedly serves excellent seafood; pulled from the waters regularly and served on dinner tables only a few short hours later. Can it get any fresher than this?

Take in the beauty of this seaside village. Don't forget to explore and learn about Mont St. Clair at the Chapelle de la Salette while you're up there enjoying the views as well.

Sete, FR as seeing from Mont St. Clair

Fun Fact: French crooner, Georges Brassens and poet and philosopher, Paul Valéry were both born in Sète.

#FranceFriday: Bienvenue au Mont St. Michel

Tucked away in Normandy in northwest France is Mont St. Michel, the Saint-Michel monastery. Connected to the mainland via a modernized land bridge, the island on which the monastery sits is just a bit detached from the rest of society and perhaps one could say, one step closed to heaven?

Shrug. To each his own.

I see this as a natural progression and development of nature during the passing of via.

"It was at the request of the Archangel Michel « chief of the celestial militia » that Aubert, Bishop of Avranches built and consecrated a small church on the 16th October 709. In 966 a community of Benedictines settled on the rock at the request of the Duke of Normandy and the pre-Romanesque church was built before the year one thousand."- via linked visitor's site

I definitely recommend that you visit this stronghold in Breton culture, an important piece of French history.

Le Mont St Michel located in France's Normandy region.

Je pense à Paris: Gargoyle Considering Paris

Gothic Cathedral = Notre Dame de Paris.
Gargoyles = Deep thinkers of Paris.

Notre Dame: Preserving the sanctity of Paris while also pondering its many wonders?

Perhaps this particular gargoyle of Notre Dame de Paris is not only preserving the sanctity of the cathedral, but also pondering the many historical wonders of the City of Light spread out for miles upon miles beneath his feet.

Perhaps he's wishing he could fly away from his stony perch and explore his city of history, magic and dreams.

For now, he'll just have to continue to be a part of history among other relics of 12th century Gothic architecture.

I hope he's inspiring young writers who are undoubtedly sipping tiny espressos at the cafes surrounding Notre Dame and writing in moleskin journals (perhaps typing furiously on laptops?), inspired by great writers of the past such as Victor Hugo, Samuel Beckett, Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, Rimbaud, Jean-Paul Sartre and more.

Paris, je t'aime.

#FranceFriday: Disneyland! In Paris!

How does a girl celebrate her 24th birthday in December while teaching in sunny Montpellier in the south of France? By heading to Disneyland Paris of course!

I had a lovely time spending a (very) chilly day in Disneyland *in Paris* celebrating my birthday? How can this possibly be topped? Getting engaged one day atop the Eiffel Tower? ;) We shall see.

Amusez-vous bien!

Celebrating my birthday, in Disneyland, in Paris!

#FranceFriday: Neon sails. Windsurfing in Quiberon, FR

Quiberon. Northwest France. Seaside. Neon sails. Reminiscent of the 1980-90's day-glo fanny packs and hi-top Reebok sneakers, n'est pas?

I personally love the water, especially the seaside. Our trip to splash around in the Atlantic in September 2006 was a welcomed treat.

Now to regale in the joy of French neon windsurfing boards and sails.... and sexy French beach-goers, bien sur. 

Windsurfing a la plage.

Quiberon is a seaside resort town in northwestern France, in the Brittany region. It is adored by me for its sandy beaches and neon sails and windsurfing, and adored by others for its history of sardine production.

Quiberon sur la carte

This seaside town is also home to a professional Quidditch team, the Quiberon Quafflepunchers, which any Harry Potter fanatic should appreciate.

#FranceFriday: Montluçon - I found a charming old hardware store

Montluçon: A smaller French city, nestled in central France and dripping with years of prominent European history.

Below is a photo of an old hardware store located near the old heart of Montluçon. Although old and rundown, it is still beautiful with its quaint colors and vintage appeal.

Droguerie = hardware store

Up for a mini French lesson?

Droguerie (n)(fem.) = hardware store

I leave the pleasure of discovering the definition of engrais  and graines  up to you.

My tip: Check out www.wordreference.com for help.

#FranceFriday: Calm Before the Storm - Montpellier

Storms happen, even in the beautiful south of France. Montpellier's neighbor's may have to deal with Le Mistral, we, in Montpellier, at least got this beautiful colorful calm shot before the fall storms.

Calm before the storm. Montpellier, FR. Fall of 2008.

#FranceFriday: Montpellier

 

During 2008-2009, I spent eight glorious months teaching English on contract in the south of France. This gorgeous city, constantly basking in Mediterranean rays of sun, just a short jaunt from the azure waters of the Mediterranean sea was my home.

 

Here is a shot of some of the city’s beautiful 19th century architecture, in the heart of the city, at Place de la Comédie.

 

 

 

 

Paris, je t'aime: La Tour Eiffel

Paris, summer 2006.
La Tour Eiffel glitters.

Paris puts on her jewels as la Tour Eiffel glitters in the night sky

Sarah and I went to Paris in August 2006 for a week filled with Parisian discoveries. (Her first visit to the City of Light, my second.) We couldn't waste an evening sitting in our hotel room so what did we do? We walked along the Seine to admire the beauty of La Tour Eiffel twinkling in the late August night sky.