Hello hello again!

We’ve just returned from two fabulous weeks in the south of France and a sailing cruise to Corsica — and oh, what a trip!

October turned out to be the perfect time to go ☀️ — warm sunny days in the mid-70s, the Mediterranean still invitingly swimmable and fewer crowds (though we still had to book restaurants and tours in advance).

The first five days we stayed in the Nice area.

Here, we balanced our love of old-town wandering with plenty of coastal walks — because for us, the perfect day means a seaside hike, a refreshing dip at a hidden beach cove and a leisurely dinner with wine.🍷

(And in France, of course, the food and wine were irresistible — we feasted on mussels, duck breast and escargots to our hearts’ content!)

Villefranche-sur-Mer

Flying into Nice, we took a short taxi ride to Villefranche-sur-Mer.

A little jewel of a village, it makes a wonderful base for exploring the French Riviera — its train station sits right at the edge of the Old Town, with easy train access to Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Cap Ferrat, Eze, Monte Carlo and beyond.

Yet Villefranche is also one of those places that makes you slow down, breathe deeply and just be.

Hugging a sparkling bay, its Old Town is a tangle of pastel-painted houses, cobbled lanes and waterfront cafés perfect for lingering over a glass of rosé.

Everything’s walkable — the town’s two beaches (one sandy, one pebbled), boutiques, restaurants and cafés — though expect lots of stone steps when exploring the upper quarters.

🏨 There are no large luxury resorts here, just small 3- and 4-star family-run hotels.

We stayed at the 3-star Hotel Le Provençal, a quirky but impeccably run pink confection perched just above the Old Town.

Rooms are simple yet spotless (and as it wasn’t busy, we were upgraded to one with OMG sea views).

Breakfast in the courtyard garden was delightful — you boil your own eggs in a little contraption we’d never seen before and squeeze your own fresh OJ (with the help of a juicer). And we had to keep a watchful eye on the pigeons keen on stealing the croissants from our table!

🏨 Other charming hotels in Villefranche:

Hotel De La Darse: Less expensive than Hotel Le Provencal, it’s recently been renovated and overlooks the small port/marina area. We took a look at some rooms here, and while not fancy, the superior sea-view rooms with large terraces offer great value.
Welcome Hotel: This 4-star hotel with 35 rooms is pricier, but it’s right on the waterfront in the heart of the village.

After sleeping in late, our first day was all about soaking it in — wandering the twisting streets, swimming at the sandy beach and enjoying dinner at La Belle Etoile (one of Villefranche’s best restaurants).

The next day, we set off for Cap Ferrat, just a few minutes away — though we learned the hard way that an Uber beats waiting for the train to get there!

We planned to hike the full Sentier du Littoral (coastal walk) around the peninsula but ran out of time and only walked part of it. But even that section was magical — rocky coves, hidden inlets, stately villas and endless views of the glittering Mediterranean.

After that, we checked into Nice for three nights — with an all-day wine tasting tour and an Antibes day trip on the agenda. We’ll spill all the details in our next newsletter!

A Fave Travel Product!

You’ve probably heard us rave about compression packing cubes before — and with good reason!

We traveled carry-on only during our 2-week trip to the south of France, and we’re convinced that these packing cubes by TRIPPED made it possible!

They’re sturdy yet ultra-light, and the clever double-zipper system squeezes out the air so you can pack more without the bulk. They also come in several colors — aqua, white, dark green, navy, and this pretty peach set we used.

We absolutely love them!

Buy these packing cubes here!