Bonjour from another Francophile! A guest post by Jane Dunning
I’m not sure who is most passionate about France, All Things French’s Louise or me
Guest post by Jane Dunning, author of 'Thirty-five Minutes to St Tropez' and 'Stolen Summer'.
I might win the prize for the most stays in France, at over 100, but I am older and live much nearer! Louise and I first met on Facebook a few years ago when I noticed her wonderful photos and could feel the warmth emanating from her posts. A couple of years ago, we booked into the same beautiful B&B near Carcassonne, not at the same time, of course, but it was a coincidence that we chose the same establishment from all of those out there – a sign of similar tastes, perhaps...
We’re also both mad about Villefranche-sur-Mer. I love it for its bustling quayside, the brightly coloured houses tumbling down the steep hillside into the sea, the stupendous views, and how it’s perfect for visiting tons of other places.
Celebrating the success of my first book
I’d visited a few times, but decided to celebrate the relative success of my first book, and a significant birthday, by renting an apartment overlooking the gorgeous bay, sandy beach, and stunning Cap Ferrat
It was perfect – plenty to do in the town itself but easy to get to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat – even on foot! Nice, Cannes, and Monaco are a train ride away so it’s possible to have a great holiday without a car.
When I finished my second novel, I made a list of Facebook contacts whose followers might like to read my book. All Things French came near the top as my characters live in Provence and love a touch of luxury, which is one of Louise’s philosophies, too. If you read the book, however, you’ll find that my character, Cindy, hasn’t followed Louise’s guidelines for streamlining her holiday packing!
The main characters live on a working vineyard, thirty-five minutes inland from St Tropez, in a five en suite bedroom house called Mas des Glycines
This set the scene for all the characters to be comfortably off. Others live in Monaco and on Cap d’Antibes – both expensive areas to reside
My character's grand-daughter studies in Aix-en-Provence and has a holiday job at the deluxe Hotel Hermitage in Monte Carlo, and their grandson works on a superyacht. Luxury to the extreme!
Cindy, mentioned earlier, loves remodelling property, so there’s a touch of interior design in the story along with a gorgeous classic, Italian sports car, and several pages set in luxury hotels along the coast for one reason or another!
If you’re thinking it might be for you, my friend who critiqued the story remarked, ‘I enjoyed reading it, and it made me really want to be there – despite the fact that I’m not a posh frock/expensive hotel type of person!’.
If you’d like to escape to Provence, click on the book's covers.
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Comments 2
My friend and I are interested in learning more about your 10 day trip to the South of France. You mention a seven bedroom apartment. How many bathrooms are there? Is there any pool? Also we are interested in the September 2021 trip to make sure the virus is behind us. Will pricing remain the same? If we arrive early , as we are from the USA where would you recommend we stay for a few days prior to the tour? Would we also have airport pick up if we arrive early? Your response would be greatly appreciated . Regards, Terie Leicht
Author
Thank you so much for your enquiry regarding my 2021 French Riviera 10-day Tour. I’ve been getting a few enquiries lately, so I see that we are all dreaming of travelling to beloved France as soon as is practicable. Yay!
Thank you for your questions. Firstly, I don’t have a 7-bedroom apartment, nor is there a pool. I secure beautiful, smaller apartments, from my list of favourites in the heart of Villefranche. If you are travelling with a girlfriend, I can certainly secure your *own apartment for the 2 of you. All are within walking distance to the beach.
Each apartment is different, et bien sûr, I have my favourites. It depends upon a timely booking. For September next year I have already booked a truly lovely 2-bedroom apartment with water views, and also a luxurious 3-bedroom apartment, right on the harbour. I have several bookings to confirm (ladies from this year, of course) so there will be another 2-bedroom apartment option. I only take 7 ladies, plus me. And the delightful Loïc, our handsome and irrepressible Tour Guide.
Oui, malheureusement, the price will go up next year. This year’s prices were the same as last year’s, but I cannot go on like that. Everything has changed, and next year the Tour will be priced in Euros. I can certainly stay in touch with you as I clarify what that will look like. But it will be several hundred dollars more.
There will be no extra charge for an apartment with a girlfriend, but I cannot guarantee separate bathrooms. Villefranche is very steep, so real estate comes at a price. In dollars and steps.
I look for beautiful apartments in the old town, near the harbour. Villas with pools are waaaay!! up the hillside and – trust me – you want to be down by the water. That’s where all the fun, food, shops, music, wine, and markets are. X
My dates for next year are the 17th to 27th September. I may consider June, if there’s enough interest. Quietly, I will also be launching my new Provence Tour, earlier in that month – from the 3rd to 13th September. It’s already half-promised. 3 of my ladies from last year are coming … yay!
Louise. XX