Provençal Roadside

We were sad to leave the coast, but Provence’s interior roads offered a few treasures. I felt like I was in a science-fiction movie when I saw these fascinating rock formations lining the highway. While standing in one spot by the side of the road, I saw these two churches.

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Antibes, France

Antibes is another seaside town that started off as a fishing and trading center, only to turn into a resort area in the 19th century when wealthy Europeans began building summer homes. 16th-century ramparts surround the town. We caught the Marché Provençal on place Masséna in the old town. Among the slew of artists and…

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Bandol, France

We like Bandol wines, so when we saw the sign by the side of the road, we had one of those “Really?! Really?!” moments. Alas, we did not have time to visit any wineries, but instead wandered through the very miniscule village, along the beaches and the harbor. The colorful seaside homes and crowded harbor…

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Hyères, France

This is the Côte d’Azur’s first resort town. The old town sits atop a hillside, about four km from the sea. The town is very compact with lots of narrow streets and old houses painted in typical Provençal pastels with contrasting doors and shutters. Famous residents included Robert Louis Stevenson, who lived at the Grand…