Exploring Provence France Family-Style
As part of our Mediterranean cruise, and first family vacation in Europe, we were able to spend a day in southern France. So, we hired a private tour guide to take us from the port city of Marseille to the nearby town of Aix en Provence. Leaving the cruise port area often leads to a more authentic experience, so off we went into the hills of Provence. In town, the streets were bustling with an outdoor market filled with most beautiful flowers and fruits and vegetables in all colors and shapes. We strolled through the town as it settled into a Tuesday morning. Known for lavender fields throughout the area, the scent wafted alongside you and was available in every item for sale you could think of from ice cream flavors to soaps.
Nearby, we visited a musty cathedral whose soaring doors welcomed a family photo, peeked into government meeting rooms that were covered in oil paintings from floor to ceiling, and stretched out on benches inside courtyards built long ago by the very rich who didn’t want any neighbors too close to their sprawling stone houses.
Then, we were off to the countryside where the roads rose and bent with the rolling hills. Acres of orchards boasted olive trees, grapes, lemons. The air was dry and the red dirt along the high cliffs reminded me of northern Arizona as crickets sang a husky summer tune and donkeys meandered in a field.
This was a different view of France from the bustle of Paris. You’re surrounded by land versus landmarks and the homes take second place to ample fields. Time seemed more deliberate here and the landscape designed for daily living.
Both town and country in Provence are full of rich offerings for visiting families. It deserves more than a day to take it all in and is a great counterbalance to its cosmopolitan cousin in the north. Alas, we were out of time, so back to ship we headed.
France was a spectacular host for this first-time traveling family and we look forward to a future rendezvous.
About the Author:
After eight years as an executive at online travel giant Expedia, Kristin Graham set off this summer for a travel sabbatical with her family. Kristin has been telling stories since she borrowed a typewriter in elementary school. After 20 years writing for companies, she took a sabbatical from corporate life to travel with her husband and their two boys. You can follow Kristin’s adventures on her My Year of Life blog or on Twitter at @kristingraham.
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