"Summer in November" in the South of France ☀️
The South of France is often described as a jewel on the Mediterranean coast, with its incredibly clear blue beaches, ancient villages perched on mountain tops, endless lavender fields, and bustling harbors filled with hundreds of colorful boats.
While Europe shivers in the cold winter, France's Côte d'Azur feels like a warm little flame because the temperature here is always pleasant, with nearly 300 days of sunshine each year. So this past November, as winter began its approach with days of gloomy rain, I – refusing to accept reality and stubbornly clinging to summer – decided to spend a week there, working from home while exploring the area. (Not great for my wallet 😂 but fantastic for my mental health, as I woke up to the sea every morning and watched the fiery sunset every evening 🌅). And whether I was lucky or the area is just blessed, every day of my week was filled with brilliant sunshine, clear blue skies, and temperatures above 20 degrees. I didn't want to leave! 🥹🥹
🚃 Getting Around:
If you're starting from Paris, you can take a 6-hour train to Nice, the capital of the Côte d'Azur region. Alternatively, Nice has one of France's largest international airports if you prefer to fly. Public transportation is another huge plus here, with a comprehensive system of trains, trams, and buses for easy travel between towns. This time, I chose to rent a car for more flexibility, but four years ago, when I first visited as a student, I relied entirely on public transport and couldn't fault it. It was punctual and had frequent services throughout the day. You can buy 1-day, 3-day, or 1-week tickets as needed.
🏨 Accommodation:
I rented a beautiful Airbnb right in the center of Cannes (the city famous for its film festival, about 30 minutes' drive from Nice). The apartment had a full kitchen, so I could happily go to the nearby seafood market every day to buy fresh ingredients – a luxury in Germany, as my city isn't near the sea. My tip for booking accommodation is simple: open a map, mark all the places you plan to visit, then search for apartments near those areas on Airbnb or Booking.com. Rooms with high ratings are a bonus. If you're using public transport, prioritize booking rooms near the train station for easy daily travel.
📍 Key Destinations in the South of France:
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Nice: The South of France is famous for its emerald beaches, and it would be remiss not to mention the pebble beach in Nice. The old town in Nice is also very pretty, and you can climb "Colline du Chateau" for a classic view of Nice's long coastline.
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Monaco: One of the smallest (and most supercar-filled 😂) countries in the world, nestled within France. Be prepared to be dazzled by the supercars, the harbors full of luxury yachts, and the famous casino =))
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Cannes: A symbol of glitz and glamour, renowned for the annual Cannes Film Festival. My childhood impression was the jade green sea of Cannes when watching Mr. Bean's Holiday, and I never thought I'd get to see it. Remember to climb "Place de la Castre" for a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
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Villefranche-sur-Mer: One of the prettiest towns, where all the houses are painted in lovely shades of orange and yellow.
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Antibes: Another incredibly picturesque town (how can anywhere in this area not be beautiful?), with a huge white Ferris wheel and the "Bay of Antibes Billionaires" beach that went viral on TikTok. Unfortunately, the hiking trail to that beach was temporarily closed for maintenance when I visited 🥲
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Èze: A village perched at 427 meters with views of the Mediterranean Sea, featuring ancient architecture with small houses close together, stone walls, and rusty iron lanterns. This village is so beautiful that I thought I was in a fairy tale the first time I visited, stopping every few steps to take eighty photos 🤣
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Calanques: Majestic limestone cliffs next to narrow sea inlets. Hike through these mountain gorges by the sea and you'll be amazed at how incredibly vast and beautiful nature can be 🌊
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Saint-Paul-de-Vence: A small village built on top of an elliptical hill, famous for its many art galleries and studios.
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Menton: Located on the French-Italian border, known as the "Lemon Town" because of its vast lemon groves; lemon-themed souvenirs are sold everywhere 🍋🍋
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Provence: A lavender paradise with fields stretching as far as the eye can see 🪻
📌 Some Tips for Visiting the South of France:
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France has quite a few toll roads. You have to stop and swipe your card to pay frequently. Coming from Germany, where we don't have these fees, it was a bit of a surprise. Renting a car gives you flexibility, but besides gas and rental costs, the toll fees add up, so consider using public transport.
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If you want to see the vibrant purple lavender fields, book your accommodation early (as it's high season in summer, rooms fill up quickly and prices increase). The peak bloom time varies slightly each year but usually falls around late June to early July. The last time I went, it was early July, and the flowers weren't fully in bloom yet (sad!), but the following year, they were harvesting the flowers by early July.
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When on the Côte d'Azur, don't forget to eat gelato!! Although you're in France, the location is very close to the Italian border, and I find the gelato here is amazing. My favorite spot is Nivà Gelateria, right in the center of Cannes' old town 🍦
Writing this makes me miss the South of France so much, the scent of the sea in the air and the evenings chasing the sunset after work 🌅 As always, I've rambled on for a while, but if you want to read more about the Côte d'Azur, check out the captions of each photo hihi. Or connect with me on Instagram and TikTok, I love sharing stories about my travels with everyone 🌼 I'm also a travel planner, so message me if you don't have much experience traveling in Europe and would like a detailed, custom-designed itinerary based on your preferences and needs 💛💛
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