Contributor blog post by Jemma: Lolo has adapted completely to Toronto’s time zone. Which would be brilliant news, except that she is still waking up in Antibes. Theoretically, my pre-teen could obliterate all jet lag as we close up our Côte d’Azur home, Bellevue, and leave this beloved region for more …

It is a time of anniversaries. World War I’s centennial commemorations have dotted the globe. Canada celebrated its 150th. Even Lolo’s summer camp in the woods of Ontario proudly handed out t-shirts with “100” on them. World War II anniversaries cannot yet claim three digits. Partly because of the war’s …

Sainte-Agnès, France is a perched medieval village, 10 kilometers inland from Menton, in the southeastern corner of the Cote d’Azur.  This rocky outcrop gracefully dangles at an altitude of 800 meters above the sea. Since 1997, this medieval village has been classified as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de …

I have the incredible luxury of spending time in France every summer. Starting in 2000, when my daughter was still in junior high, my husband and I made it our priority to travel to France every year (rather than remodel the kitchen or build a new deck). We loved Paris, …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: Last week in Cannes I stumbled on the most stunning sight: Starbucks. Right there on Rue Jean Jaurès, the street extending along Cannes’ revamped train station. The vision was stunning in its most rudimentary sense: I was stunned. True, a few Starbucks already scatter around …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: When you live somewhere, you are privy to local tips and things that you learn about your home town or region that tourists perhaps don’t see or aren’t aware of. Yes, TripAdvisor and tourist offices can be great sources of information but if you …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: Philippe, Lolo and I are driving into nearby Cannes one afternoon, chatting away about something or other, when the insistent voice of Waze breaks in. “Wait!” I say. “What did she just say?” We pipe down inside the car, a bubble of calm amid the …

There is nothing more fun than discovering a new local expert who likes to share their “insider’s knowledge.” We recently connected with The Monaco Reporter. Celina Lafuente de Lavotha is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina known for Tango, Football, Polo, excellent meat and warm hospitality, and very proud of having recently …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: N’inquiétez-vous pas, the young man at Nice’s Côte d’Azur airport said. He didn’t need to see Yoko’s papers. Never mind that eight people, a veterinary clinic and a Canadian federal agency had united in preparing the dog’s papers for her entry into France. Our French …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Hosted at Vieux Port in Cannes, this summer families can enjoy free events that demonstrate the old tradition of provençale joutes. Cannes : History of the Joutes Provençales Joutes provençales originate from the Egyptian era; fishermen from the French Riviera originally set up a …