MY TRIP TO THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
i got back from my trip last week and have been gathering the photos to share because i TRULY loved the south of france and highly recommend you go there! i went with 6 other friends and 4 little kiddos. we used raileurope to take the train from paris to avignon (takes about 3 hours) and then rented a car and drove an hour to gordes. i had never been to the south of france, so it was a wonderful new experience.
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everything looked like a storybook. driving around in the area (you must rent a car!) taking in the rolling green hills, vines growing up all of the villas, the lavender fields…it’s like a dream. we all rented one large villa that had 6 bedrooms and ended up only being about $75 a night per person, which i thought was such a great deal for this lovely spot. (you can rent it here)
the house was better then most airbnb spots because it was so fully stocked and really felt like a home. we ended up spending most of our time there because there was a pool, BBQ, and tons of space to spread out. we enjoyed just going out and getting food from the markets and making big meals at home. those family meals were my favorite part actually. delicious wine, tons of bread, cheeses, fresh vegetables…i loved it.
the pool was definitely the perfect hang out spot for all of us. the kids loved waking up and jumping in the water in the mornings. the adults would enjoy a little rose and snacks and occasionally jump off the diving board.
our villa was about 10 minutes from gordes. i remember driving up and seeing all of those houses and buildings covering that giant hill…what a sight to see. we had lunch in town and wandered around admiring the quaint alleys and epic views. and had some sorbet while we were at it.
another favorite moment was the bonnieux market on friday morning. it wasn’t massive or overwhelming. it had just the right amount of vendors. all the fruits, cheeses, olives, and wines we got were so delicious. i definitely gained a few pounds on this trip after eating about 49 salami sandwiches and cheese for every meal. but, it was worth it.
after the market, we went to château de lacoste to walk the cobblestone streets, see the beautiful SCAD campus, and marquis de sade‘s castle. it’s not everyday you get to wander around a castle. i loved the sculptures at the top…
a few of us drove to marseille for the evening to enjoy a dinner with some of elizabeth’s old friends…it was a nice change of scenery. they took us to dinner at la passarelle. it had a great outdoor atmosphere, and wonderful food. it was one of those 3 hour, memorable meals with a lot of laughter.
we also took an hour drive to chateau la coste, which is one of the coolest museums i’ve seen. wine tasting, walks through the vineyards, and looking at art. do you see those huge prism / quartz sculptures? to see that in the middle of nature was pretty awesome.
mostly, we just spent time together. catching up on life. taking it easy. lounging in the grass. afternoon naps. staying up too late drinking and laughing. reading books to the little ones and playing catch in the yard. dressing up in hats and taking pictures. drinking coffee and enjoying the quiet views. a trip to remember, that’s for sure! now back to the grind…
