The French Riviera
The beauty of the French Riviera is something to behold.
Arriving in August, with summer at its peak, felt almost overwhelming — the air heavy with heat and humidity, the days stretching languidly before us. Learning to surrender to slower rhythms, to lazy afternoons and dinners that drifted late into warm evenings, took time.
A week spent in beautiful Antibes — or more precisely, Juan-les-Pins, nestled within its embrace — unfolded beside a glorious coastline. The Mediterranean shimmered endlessly in shades of blue, while old stone streets met modern life, a meeting of past and present that filled me with quiet excitement.
The area has much to offer - new and old.
In the Old Town of Antibes, we wandered winding laneways awash with colour and life. It’s amazing how potted plants and cascading vines can turn quiet corners into small pockets of beauty.
Our week was wonderfully full.
We spent a day at the beach, renting chairs and lingering over lunch on the sun-warmed shores of the Mediterranean. The only blemish was the chorus of nearby complaints — tourists lamenting the lack of Wi-Fi or a coffee made incorrectly. I think people seemed to forget they were in the South of France, of all places, it felt like a reminder to pause, to look up, and to truly be present.
I swam in the Mediterranean, its waters crystal clear and gently warm, an experience that felt both grounding and quietly unforgettable.
We wandered through local markets and shops, soaking in the ambience and settling into the gentle rhythm of our surroundings.
My husband tried frog’s legs for the first time — a true achievement — and along the way we discovered a wonderful restaurant, Le Perroquet, where the food was exquisite and the service just as memorable.
Antibes became our home base as we ventured out to Èze and Cannes.
Èze, a medieval hilltop village perched between Nice and Monaco, felt timeless. Its old town — a maze of stone buildings and winding cobblestone alleys — climbs steadily upward, leading at last to the Jardin Exotique, where sweeping views of the French coastline and rolling hills unfold below.
Cannes felt distinctly more cosmopolitan, polished, and expensive — and with that glamour came a noticeable price tag.
A simple lunch at a local café was astonishingly costly; a salad and a non-alcoholic drink for the two of us totaled over AUD $100. It was a sharp contrast to the slower, simpler pleasures we’d grown used to elsewhere.
Another thing that stood out was the prevalence of smoking at restaurants, even though it might be outdoors, the smell of smoke would still waft back through the indoors — a habit woven into everyday life in France, yet one I realized I could never quite grow accustomed to again.
Beyond the sights themselves, we delighted in remarkable food and unexpected moments — even feeding squirrels along the way. Sometimes, it’s the simplest pleasures that linger the longest.
Next stop: Paris. ✨
Wales in a nutshell
Planning for a UK summer has been very confusing. Luckily, I only packed summer clothes because on arrival, whilst the temperature was only 18 degrees, it was so very humid (mindful that UK homes don’t generally have air conditioning either)! Thank goodness that Phil’s mum lives in Porthcawl near the sea… that sea breeze really saved me!
On our first day, it was so hot we had to spend most of our time outdoors to enjoy the sea breeze
The first leg of our trip was spent catching up with the in-laws and Phil’s friends. We hadn’t seen his family since 2020 (since our wedding) and the extended family as far back as 2018, which was also the last time Phil saw his mates. Time has just ebbed away.
We spent around 10-11 days in Wales, mainly catching up with friends and family, but also finding time to do some local site seeing.
Pauline and Clive put on a BBQ and we got to catch up with the extended family, met Ceri’s “new” boyfriend (new to us, as we hadn’t met him yet even though they have been together for almost 2 years), and a couple of Phil’s mates. Whilst it was a lot of work for our hosts, they did an amazing job and the weather also held out with the sun smiling brightly upon us. I think all up around 30 people attended. Great day!
Photo care of Robbie.
(L-R back): Robbie, Matt, Callum, Ceri, Phil, Me
(R-L front): Pauline, Niamh, Clive
This trip was a bit different in terms of travel. We didn’t move around Wales as much as usual, choosing instead to stay local and spend more time with everyone.
One of our outings was to St Fagans National Museum. I hadn’t realised just how vast the site was—or how much walking it involved. Wandering around felt like stepping back in time, seeing how Welsh people lived through the ages. There were beautiful stone buildings, thatched roofs, rambling gardens and woodland paths. It was fascinating to see how Welsh homes and businesses have evolved over time.
Of course, no trip would be complete without a bit of drama. I somehow managed to get myself caught in a blackberry bush (clearly designed by nature purely to torment me), ended up with a thorn in my leg, and while trying to untangle my dress, Phil managed to make Niamh cry. This was neither the first nor the last time this happened on the trip. He also reduced her to tears at lunch by rather tactlessly pointing out that she needed to blow her nose. In his defence, I think it was more embarrassment than anything else—but tears were shed nonetheless.
Phil and I made a special trip to Abergavenny, home to my favourite milliner (https://alisontod.co.uk)! I’ve bought many a bobble hat from this shop over the years. At £55 they’re definitely not cheap, but I love them all the same.
While we were in Abergavenny, we also visited the Skirrid Inn. In the lead-up to our trip, I’d come across it on the Wales website and was immediately intrigued. It’s the oldest pub in Wales, dating all the way back to 1100! The door has been carbon dated to around 1,500 years old, and the original hanging beam is still in place. It’s believed that the markings on the staircase wood are rope marks from its past.
Is it strange that I touched both the door and the rope marks, hoping—just a little—to imprint a piece of myself onto history?
Some of the other things we did included a visit to Castell Coch. Although it is technically a castle, it was probably the least impressive one I’ve seen. From the outside it has a lovely, fairytale quality, but unfortunately I didn’t manage to get a photo as there was scaffolding up and work being done on the exterior.
I think part of the reason it didn’t quite wow me is that it doesn’t really feel like a castle. Compared to others, it’s relatively young. While the original structure dates back to the 11th–13th centuries, it was left in ruins and later rebuilt between 1875 and 1891. That restoration gives it a more decorative, storybook feel rather than the sense of deep history found in older Welsh castles.
We also visited a few local pubs, took Pauline and Clive out for lunch in Bath and dinner in Porthcawl; went on a double date with Ceri and Dave; and caught up with Phil’s mates individually and for brunch.
It was great to see everyone and hope that our next visit back to Wales won’t be another 6 years!