Antibes

The main reason we choose to come to Antibes was for some relaxing time on a sandy beach. Lee-Anne’s step-mother, Gloria, recommended Hotel Josse which is located across the street from a lovely little beach. Sadly, our first day in Antibes was cloudy and grey so we checked the forecast and decided to hit the beach on Monday and explore more of Provence on Lee-Anne’s birthday. We went to one of the oldest perfumeries in the world in Grasse. The perfumery started there originally to cover up the smell of the tanneries but continues to thrive today due to the abundance of aromatic native plants. We took the tour of the factory and received a little history lesson about all the ingredients used in perfume and how it is made. Of course we bought some pleasant smelling goodies too.


The Provence region has a lot to offer and all its sights are surprisingly close. After the perfumery we still had time left in the day so we decided to drive to the Gorges du Loup, an area a friend recommended who said it was the most romantic place she had ever visited. It was breathtaking. Tight, curvy roads and hairpin turns led us up and down the steep Gorge; passing cars was a little nerve racking since nobody stays on their side of the road. Our friend Donna was right, the Gorge is romantic, it is a beautiful backdrop for Russ’s and my love. We stopped many times and gasped at the beauty and observed how happy we are. Along the way we came across Gourdon, a medieval hilltop town, were we frantically took photos of the view and the cobblestone houses with blue shutters.


Finally our first beach day! Russ and I took advantage of a couple honeyfund gifts and rented beach chairs and ordered a bottle of rose wine severed to us while we soaked up the morning sun. Oh the decadence! These honeyfund gifts are spoiling us. ☺ Reading and resting playing in the water was just what we needed. In the afternoon, clouds rolled in and Lee-Anne got chilly so we stumbled our way back to the hotel. A nap later, we ventured out for a delicious dinner in the old town. Tomorrow the Picasso Museum then off to relaxing Iles de Porquerolles where we’ll be spending a couples on a sailboat.