August days in the South of France
I spent 10 days waffling around the South of France. I tried to avoid the infamous South of France locations i.e. Nice, Cannes, Saint Tropez. Instead, I explored Aix de Provence, Louramin, Gordes, Rossillion, La Coitat and Marseille.
Aix de Provence
Simply known as Aix or Provence has a very busy city center. There are two large universities in Aix serving 45k students. Meanwhile, the population of Aix is 100k. So it’s essentially a college town. But it does not give American college town vibes. The city is definitely filled with young people but it also feels like a vacation hub. It’s a shopping mecca as well. The shopping mecca aspect actually turned me off. I had associated the South of France with images of the Mediterranean Sea so I was disappointed to see a busy city center. Aix quickly redeemed itself after I ate one of the best meals I’ve ever had at Le Formal. My dinner at Le Formal awakened tastebuds I didn’t realize I had. Aix is known for Provençal cuisine which is fresh, bustling with flavor, creativity, simplicity and my god the amazing wine.
Aix creeped up more notches after my noteworthy facial at Caudalie and tours of the countryside villages.
Louramin, Gordes and Rossillion (villages)
I joined a small group tour of local villages via Trip Advisor. Specifically, Lourmarin, Gordes and Roussillon villages. All three were charming and picturesque. I’d be hard pressed to recommend one over the other. Each village had its own distinct appeal.
Driving to the villages (an hour or so from the city center) was a visual treat. We passed endless chateaus, vineyards, rolling hills, rich greenery, mountain views, blue skies, quarries and lavender plants. I felt utterly present, in the moment with each passing landscape. I also felt a strong sense of gratitude along the way.
La Coitat
It was by pure luck that I discovered La Coitat a small fishing town. I searched booking.com for a hotel near a beach and the charming Hotel Corniche Du Liouquet popped up. It was the perfect hotel to unwind. I took my first swim in the Mediterranean Sea at La Coitat and had the most sun drenched, picturesque boat ride. We were cutting waves in the sea and it was thrilling. The water was clear and blue. No picture can do it justice.
Marseille
This place is full of paradoxes. It’s the second oldest city in France. It feels overwhelming huge. Every inch of ground in this city has been built on. It feels like NYC until you walk around the blue green Mediterranean Sea that surrounds the city. Then the city feels high on a cliff and gives beach vibe but you get the sense that the locals own the beach so you watch them from afar enjoying their beach. The locals love this beach so much, you will find people swimming, lounging from 5 am to midnight.
Another tell tale sign that the locals run Marseille is the abundant street art. There’s graffiti art throughout the city. While the villages of Louramin, Gordes, and Rossillion were pristine and seemed to be run by a historical society, Marseille definitely did not give deference to an entity. The most beautiful street art I saw were in the Le Panier district. There were protest messages such as “Free Palestine” and images of brown and black people which I hadn’t seen anywhere else in the South of France. I honestly hadn’t done any research on Marseille so the landscape and bustling aspect of the place came as a surprise. Ask me in person if I’d recommend a trip to Marseille. It’s a nuanced answer.
