The South of France may be a two hour plane ride away from the UK, but it feels more like a million miles.
Although the region is famed for the celebrity elite partying on luxury yachts in St Tropez, or attending the illustrious Cannes Film Festival in May, there are some quaint towns to be found nearby.
Close by is the town of Villefranche-Sur-Mer. Although this place can be swarming with tourists from cruise ships in the summer months, for the most part this beautiful town is a hidden gem amongst the locals. With cobbled streets, quaint French buildings and the azure blue Mediterranean right in front of you, there isn't anything quite as satisfying than finding a spot at one of the street cafés and watching the world go by.
Boasting the deepest natural harbor in Europe, you can sit just inches away from the water and enjoy some of the local seafood. On this occasion I dined at La Mère Germaine; a family owned restaurant that has been in business since the 1930s. Once popular amongst the likes of Sean Connery and Sophia Loren, this is one hotspot that is worth the visit.
Given the close proximity to Italy, no trip is complete without a generous serving of world famous gelato. (Remember: the Mediterranean diet is apparently good for you!)
There is so much to see and do around these parts of Europe, but when I'm sitting by the sea with a glass of rosé wine in tow and a French accordion player nearby, there's nowhere quite as charming or picturesque as here.
"Villefranche-sur-Mer" by Artur Staszewski, used under CC BY 2.0
