a week in the south of france

I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t daydreaming about spending the summer months basking under the sun by the sea somewhere in Europe. When my sister introduced the idea of going for a month, I jumped on the opportunity before she even got the sentence out. We tossed around a few dates but ultimately landed on the month of September which I could not recommend more. Enjoy these next few entries of our full itinerary during our time in Europe starting in the South of France.

Day 1: Arrive in nice, check in, explore old town

Evening

We arrived in Nice around 6 pm and after navigating public transport, we made it to our airbnb in the perfect location. It had a powerful AC, a washer in unit, and was a perfect set up for the two of us. Sadly the space is no longer on airbnb but there are plenty that are similar!

After checking in and dropping our luggage, we walked down to the city center and ate at Le Bistro D Antoine. The food was good but honestly after our 16 hour travel day we would have been pleased by anything. After strolling the near vacant streets of old town, we headed back to our airbnb to catch up on some sleep.

What I Wore

DAY 2: The Hilltop Village of Eze + Eating at the famous Le Plongeoir

MORNING

We started the day with a grocery run for some fresh fruit and snacks and then made our way to the train station for our first day trip to Eze.

From the Eze train station, there is a bus that goes to the town center or you can take an hour long hike. For the bus, make sure to bring cash. Because we didn’t, we opted for uber but I highly recommend the cheap bus ticket. Once in the town center, there are perfumeries, a few places to eat and a grocery store. We ate at L'Atelier Gourmet and it was exactly what we wanted. We sat on a nearby wall and took in the views while we satisfied our hunger with delicious Caprese sandwiches.

After eating, we took the 5 minute steep hike to the Village of Eze. This was slightly confusing because we thought we were at the top but there was a small hike to get to the actual hilltop village which is not accessible by car.

Finally, we were able to purchase bus tickets with the help of some very kind strangers and took the bus down to the train and then the train back to Nice Ville.

What I wore

Evening

Had we known that Eze would be such an event, we would have planned for dinner on a different day but this dinner was a preplanned reservation so we made it work.

If you’ve seen any content online about Nice, you’ve seen Le Plongeoir. You can’t get a better dinner view and if you want the opportunity to dine over the sea, you need to make a reservation at least a month in advance.

The dinner was yummy and the wine was even better, There is a €50 minimum but our entree and drink met that minimum. We went here to celebrate my birthday and my sister graduating college so for our big milestones, I’d say this is worth the splurge!

What I wore

DAY 3: secret swim spot, Jet lag Has caught up to us

MORNING

One thing about me is that I will go through LENGTHS to find a less populated swim spot. This trip was no different. We navigated our way to Cap D’Ali on the train and started the ~15 minute walk to the swim spot that I found on maps.

To find these spots, I zoom into the coast and literally scan from top to bottom to see any people or spots where the water looks accessible. Unfortunately, maps doesn’t necessarily show the best way to get to a destination so it had us walking thorough mansion lined streets up and down hills when this spot was just down the stairs by the train stop.

Regardless, this was the most stunning swim spot and I am dreaming of the day that I’ll be able to return.

WHAT I Wore

Evening

Once we made our way back to Nice Ville, we took it easy for the rest of the night. We got a baguette and some deli meat for sandwiches at home paired with some trashy reality television. ◡̈

Day 4: Slow Mornings, Favorite Swim SPot in the SOuth of france

Morning

I think this was the first day we really started feeling like we wanted to pump the breaks. We had been going nonstop since we landed so a slow morning was just what we needed. We left home for a bakery run to Eric Kayser and gelato at Arlequin Gelati. These both became our favorites on during our time in Nice.

What I wore

Afternoon

I found another swim spot so we headed to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for the most sunning sunset location. This spot was more of a commitment but well worth the journey.

From Nice Ville, you take the train to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and then bus 15 to Ferme de May. After a 20 minute walk, you arrive at Paloma beach and then walk to the very end where you will see a small walk way that goes along the entire coast of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Along this walk, there are 100s of spots to jump in and swim. We opted for one of the first ones because the sun was setting and we didn’t want to have to walk back in the dark.

This ended up being both of our favorite moments in The South of France. This is why I love traveling. Most, if not all, of my favorite activities while traveling are completely free; jumping in the ocean, exploring a new town, people watching, all $0.

Pasta dinner at home to conclude the low budget day!

what I wore

Day 5: Early Morning Swims and our last day in Nice

Morning

We were up bright and early to catch the last sunrise of our time in Nice. Did we miss it? Yes. BUT we still made it in time to have a few hours of swimming alone in our beloved spot. We brought our books and read, snacked, swam, and soaked up our last time swimming in the French Riviera for now.

It was a bitter sweet moment because although we were ready for our next destination, this week felt like it flew by.

WHAT I WORE

Afternoon

After returning to the airbnb, we made the rest of our pasta along with the last few pieces of our bread for a yummy lunch at home and some reality tv time. ◡̈

Evening

To celebrate the amazing week we had, we got dressed in cute summer fits and strolled through Old Town and along the coast in Nice. It was the first time we actually saw the beach in Nice and it was just as beautiful and vibrant as I remembered.

We ended our night with gelato and our remanding sandwich ingredients for dinner and packed our bags for the next stop.

WHAT I WORE

This was an amazing start to our month in Europe. I highly recommend visiting in September or October to avoid crowds and save a bit of money on accommodation. The weather is still hot and the water is just as refreshing. I vlogged our whole week and left it below if you’d like be a fly on the wall of our dreamy holiday.

Thank you for being here, Ill see you in Paris.

xx devon