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 …

I was so impressed by the doors and windows of Antibes I couldn’t wait to show you! While organising photos from my recent trip to Antibes, I was so excited I just HAD to show you the photos of just the doors and windows. What a picturesque place! …Continue reading …

Last summer was the first time I visited Antibes. Afterwards I realized how much I love the place and I started scheming how to return. Thanks to author-friend Patricia Sands, I had the perfect excuse. She invited me to come back to play! …Continue reading here for details on Deborah’s excursion …

The thrill of discovering new villages with the expectation that the next one will be more charming than the last is why my early trips to France entailed a five-page list of villages in alphabetical order to see. The sight of this list would often make my husband’s face turn …