My South of France Itinerary

Where I am spending our vacation this summer

My husband and I are headed to the South of France this weekend. To say I am excited is an understatement. We have traveled internationally together for a considerable amount of time, including to London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Italy. Most of the places we have visited together, one of us had already visited.

We have both been to Nice but not together, and our trips were a long time ago, making this time around feel new and different. My husband wanted a beach vacation, while I was perfectly fine with a pool and exploring the Provence region.

This trip is a mixture of both, and while we had booked our flights and dates a bit in advance, our itinerary has been changing continuously over the last couple of weeks—some of the hotels we swapped around after reading the reviews or deciding to change directions.

Once I return from our trip, I will share the hotel names, links, and feedback. Additionally, I am happy to share the hotels we canceled and the reasons behind our decisions.

The South of France Summer Itinerary

Initially, we had booked five days in Nice and decided to break it up after a friend casually mentioned Saint-Paul-de-Vence. I immediately did some digging and found a hotel that looked promising. My husband and I prefer small boutique hotels vs larger chain properties. This particular hotel gets excellent reviews, and I can’t wait to check it out.

We both need to slow down a bit, and I thought this location was the perfect way to kick off the trip. I booked one dinner at the hotel and one in town. I am very much looking forward to both.

Nice is our second stop, and we swapped hotels here, too. The new hotel looks great, and they have been super helpful with restaurant recommendations. My only regret is not checking out their spa, but I have another one booked later in the trip. I found this Substack post and have been taking notes.

I believe concierges are some of the most underrated assets of a good hotel. Even in Paris, when it feels like my own city, I love striking up a conversation and sharing tips on coffee/pastry/restaurant spots. Concierges should be tipped well for their restaurant recommendations and bookings.

This trip, I have been emailing with four different hotels and concierges, which has been a wild experience. My emails are my first point of contact with the hotel in terms of communication and service, and give me an idea of what I’m in for.

We have secured beach chairs, restaurant recommendations, and bookings, which have been invaluable thanks to the hotel concierges.

Nice Day Trips

While in Nice, I have two beach clubs booked, and I have my heart set on hiking to Ville Franche-sur-Mer in the early morning. My husband is also requesting to visit Menton. This was a favorite stop for my family and me when we visited in 2019, and I would love to go again.

I'm not sure how we’ll fit it all in, along with a rooftop bar visit, but we’ll do our best.

Swapping Cannes for Grasse

Initially, we had a hotel in Cannes booked, but the reviews kept getting worse, and I didn’t love the idea of paying such a high price for a not-so-great experience. I found an alternative hotel in the region, just a quick drive from Cannes, up in the hills overlooking Grasse. This may be the hotel I am most excited to discover. The town looks very charming and sounds similar to Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

I ended up booking some spa time here and am looking forward to it. This will be a gift to myself for completing my first book deal.

Ending in Antibes

We are ending our trip in Antibes, at my husband's request. I spent a few days here back in 2018 when I attended Cannes Lions for a project. We had a hotel booked here, and I made a last-minute decision to switch again based on reviews. The new hotel is similar in price but at a different location across town.

The meal I am most excited about for the entire trip is the one on the very last day, for lunch.

I can’t wait to share more details and photos with you.

Feel free to send recommendations my way for places to eat, drink, or shop. xo

P.S. You can see an idea of what I am packing here.