Our first "home base" was in Aix en Provence. It couldn't have been more perfect...the location was right in the middle of downtown but in a quiet little plaza with a fountain, a lovely cafe, and a view of the beautiful Aix architecture. We didn't bring toys for Xander but he made due...car keys and plastic kitchen items kept him busy.
He enjoyed watching the city from our second floor terrace.
And after he went to bed Arthur and I would sit on the third floor terrace and enjoy the flavors of Provence!
Since we don't have a bathtub at home I always try to book a place with one when we travel because Xander LOVES baths! And when baby is happy, EVERYONE is happy!
On our way to our second "homebase" in Gattieres (in the mountains north of Nice) we stopped at a restaurant on the beach. We were hoping for a warm breezy day...but it was a cool gale-force wind day! So we were thankful for the outdoor patio with a windbreak...luckily the views were still stunning!
Now here is where things start to get fuzzy...Arthur and I both caught some kind of stomach bug. His lasted an evening. Mine unfortunately lasted 4 days. I haven't been that sick in a LONG TIME. Not to be a whiny baby but we're talking fever, chills, aches...it was just not fun! While I tried to make the most of our last few days in France I was really feeling rotten. And, since I'm was the primary picture taker we didn't get as many pictures from here on out. At least Arthur and Xander got to do some Dad/Son bonding time while I was out of commission.
And if you're feeling a little jealous about our fabulous French holiday let me help you out a bit here. Let's get REALLY real. We arrived in Gattieres and, in theory, this place should have been awesome. We had a private villa with a view of the city and the ocean in the distance. There was a beautiful sparkling blue pool right outside our doorstep. The garden was full of flowers and fruit trees...we were told we could pick an orange right of the tree and eat it!
The reality was that it looked like someone had been living there about 30 mins prior to our arrival...specifically the owner's girlfriend (?) She was an artist with a particular affinity for painting nudes, which was obvious by the 25+ large nude paintings around the villa. There was also a rather enormous dog who, by her own admission, had been filthying up the sofa for a few years (she did her best to vacuum up the dog hair...) There was no central heating and I was waking up feverish every night shaking uncontrollably. And those oranges...UGH! Super bitter! Maybe it was the fact that I spent almost 4 full days in bed there but the villa in Gattieres will go down as the WORST place we've ever stayed while on holiday.
Our holiday ended on a really positive note though! Arthur and I agreed that our favorite stop on the entire trip was in Saint-Jeannet. We intentionally chose not to take pictures while we were there because they just wouldn't have done it justice. Saint-Jeannet is whats called a "village-perchés" meaning a "perched village". It was literally built into the rocks of a mountain, at the foothills of the French Alps. The streets were cobblestone lined, narrow, and obviously built in the days before cars. The medieval architecture and beautiful fountains around every corner made us feel like we were in a fairy tale!
While in Saint-Jeannet we had lunch...well, Arthur did. I stuck to bread unfortunately. According to Arthur and Xander it was the best meal we had while in France. After eating we wandered around the village, marveling that real people actually still lived there. Xander even picked up not one but TWO gorgeous little French girls. We told him he'd have to come back in about 17 years and look those little ladies up!
While in Saint-Jeannet we had lunch...well, Arthur did. I stuck to bread unfortunately. According to Arthur and Xander it was the best meal we had while in France. After eating we wandered around the village, marveling that real people actually still lived there. Xander even picked up not one but TWO gorgeous little French girls. We told him he'd have to come back in about 17 years and look those little ladies up!
Despite everything, the Provence region in France was one of my favorite vacations to date. We came home with a great deal of wine, chocolates, cookies, spices, sausages, and great memories. Now if only I could have purchased some fine French art...maybe a nude? Dang it...how did I let that chance slip away!?
