Venice in France? Storming the castle and Gnocchi.

All in one day? You betcha! We woke to construction noise from the room below us thanks to a burst pipe. The water being shut off was a nice touch. Vowing to have a great day still, we ventured West along the coast in our unstoppable Renault Twingo. Our first stop was in Port Grimaud. It’s a tiny village built unto the water along the southern coast of France across from Saint Tropez. It’s very touristy, but beautiful. Boats sail in from the sea and dock amongst the pastel colored buildings. Cafe’s and restaurants are numerous, but appeared a little pricey due to their location. There is free access to the top of the local church and you are rewarded with stunning views of the port after a steep spiraling stair climb.

We then drove to the actual village of Grimaud, on top of which sits a ruined castle. We had access to every part of the castle and enjoyed panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and coast. The village which surrounds castle is very charming and is well tended by the residents. Minus the cars parked along the streets, it really felt like you were walking

in a medieval village.

Our day continued with a drive to the town hill town of Bormes, accessed by narrow winding roads. Spring was in bloom and we drove past countless vineyards and incredible vistas of the countryside during our drive. The day ended much as the previous one. A delicious meal and a bottle of wine. The amazing staff at the Best Western Montfleuri in Saint Maxime recommended “Maison Bleue”, which makes fresh pasta and Mediterranean seafood dishes. I had Gnocchi with a fresh basil infused red sauce and Janelle had “Loup”, which was a very delicious fish cooked to perfection! I helped finish the wine after my beer…yawn!

The posts will be more sporadic over the next few weeks due to limited internet access. We hope to have a Photo Gallery link on the home page soon!

– John