A Few Quiet Days

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Cannes: Life of the rich . . . . . Wednesday, rode with a friend to this seaside city and walked along the promenade. St Raphael also has a promenada, as does Nice, Ventimigilia, Genoa, and Cros De Cagnes, where I resided for a month in 2007.

Let's go back together to Le Cros. This little seaside village was once the village of fishermen. Cagnes sur Mer, nearby city of 40,000 inhabitants nestles alongside Le Cros with it's old hilltop village and final home of Renoir. Guide books 'guide' you to skip Cagnes sur Mer and the nearby 'tacky' seaside village of Le Cros: too many converging roads make accessing city difficult while sights are up ahead or back toward Italy. Well doesn't this sound like a less than $$ place to check out? Perhaps not too touristy either.

Let me tell you about Cros De Cagnes, with it's MOST BEAUTIFUL AND UNCROWDED promenade. There is a colorful local church, fully restored, on the bas corniche. The best boulangerie/patisserie is a few steps away. My friend Josette informed me it was the only place to buy bread. She also walked me to her hairdresser, also the only place to get a haircut. Right on the bread, Josette, but on the haircut. . . . . . .NOT!

Central location on the 60 square meter condo. Small and comfy. Located 50 meters from the train station and about a block from the bus stop, where the TER (local) system takes you anywhere from Nice to Cannes, all for the price of a Coke. Until I visited Florence for 3 nights and met a couple from Placerville, I never spoke English. What I spoke was rudimentary French, and when new friends cared enough to help, it got significantly better. This trip was spent traveling anywhere the notion took me: northern Italy, Florence,Ventimigilia , (where I spent the night in the train station because of a weekly workers' strike) Monaco, Eze, Biot, St Paul de Vence, Gourdon, Grasse, Entreveaux via Le Chemin du Fer. But I learned little
from the local people because I couldn't tap into their more complicated thoughts and feelings.

Fayence: Non central location for the owner's huge home. Two bedrooms, three lavs, covered terrasse with plants everywhere, big screen TV, more electronic gadgets than I know how to work, hi-speed internet, and a big, black, gas stove that terrifies me. Accessbility to touring- OUCH. Charm- mais oui. But first and foremost, friends of my landlady's have reached out to me with sincerity and assistance. Also, I have joined the expat group of British women. With this treasure trove of friendship, information, and guidance, I am learning and discovering more about this area of the Var, northeast of Cannes and St Tropez.

For my last 12 days here, I will rent a small car. Until that time, buses will take me short distances. Feet will work for the hike up to Fayence and the daily walk-abouts.

All in all, each year the monthly stay re-invents itself upon arrival. This year is no exception.
What I will learn and see does not materialize until I am settled in for awhile.

I hope I have been able to explain how each travel experience develops a character of its own.

Today I took a conversational french class. 10 Euros. Such a bargain. My wonderful bottle of Rhone wine costs 2.70 Euros. But, it really isn't cheap here.