South of France
TRAVEL DATE : AUGUST 2021
The French coast of the Mediterranean Sea has a lot to offer. Let me guide you through a few places that you will not regret visiting!
Let’s start this guide with two magnificent medieval towns.
Eze
The historic center of Eze is car free. Make your way up through beautiful paved streets to the Exotic Garden located at the top of the town. You will get to enjoy a view over the sea, walk through hundreds of plant varieties and appreciate the sweet music of the cicadas.
Peillon
Not as famous but still worth a detour. The narrow streets will walk you up the Saint-Sauveur Church, a perfect spot to watch the sunset. For the rest, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
Cassis
Take a seat by the marina on one of the many restaurants serving fresh fish and finish by an ice cream while walking along the stunning pastel-coloured buildings.
Cassis’ Calanques
Weather you decide to walk or take a boat tour, you have to pay a visit to Port-Miou, Port Pin and En Vau, the three famous bays with steep limestone cliffs. With good hiking shoes, you can reach the three Calanques by a 3 to 4 hour walk and swim in each of them. You can also decide to catch a boat with GIE des Bateliers Cassidiens, offering various itineraries. My favourite being “3 Calanques with swimming stop”, where you get to enter the three bays (boats are not allowed deep into the Calanques, but it is enough to see their beauty) and afterwards, get a swim in clear blue waters under Cap Canaille, the highest marine cliff of Europe.
Cap Canaille
Talking about the highest marine cliff of Europe, you should also climb it and get stunned by the view from the top. Follow the GPS to the parking by the windy roads and start the short hike on the steep red rocks leading to the top.
Camargue
Salin d’Aigues-Mortes : these salt marshes cover 8,000 acres and are composed of over 60,000 tons of salt. Go for a hike, get a sightseeing train ride or take the bike to explore these pink marshes and get a chance to encounter with 200 different species of birds.
Espiguette: don’t miss your chance to go for a beach galop along one of the widest beach of Europe and meet with the famous Camargue horses.
Grau-du-Roi: worth a visit for a nice diner by the beach, some shopping and some traditional Camargue shows at the Arenas.
Monaco
While you are in the south, you can make a detour to Monaco, famous sovereign city-state. I recommend you take a walk around the city center to enjoy the architecture, visit the Palais Princier, the Monaco Cathedrale and the Oceanographic Museum.
