Fun in Firenze – The French Riviera

 

By: Michelle Campbell

I used to be among the large group of oblivious travelers that never knew of Eze village or the town of Antibes, the hidden gems within the French Riviera. That all changed when I hopped on the Bus2Alps tour bus going from Florence to the south of France. Known for taking students to new and exciting locations, the company really out did themselves in the French Riviera by taking us down the unbeaten path to the glorious areas of Eze and Antibes.

The village of Eze is a quant array of medieval structures and fantastic ocean views that also happened to be the home of one of the world’s best perfumeries, Perfume Factory Fragonard. All the girls on the trip went crazy when we discovered Bus2Alps had set up a private walking tour and gifts at the perfumery for our group.

By the end of the tour, my nose was tingling from all the different scents that were uniquely crafted within the facility. The experience was nothing short of pure French elegance.

Our guides brought us to another great attraction in Eze, the Jardin d’Eze, a local exotic garden featuring over 400 species of plants and the most breathtaking views on the Cote d’Azur. The combination of nature and scenery was the perfect release from our busy city life in Florence. A sense of tranquility consumed the area, making any visitor to the beautiful garden magically at piece.

Antibes proved to be quite different than the small village of Eze, but no less exciting. Known for the array of yachts lined along the harbor and the remote beaches, we could all see why the famous Picasso would want to call the seaside town home.

Whether is was spending the afternoon gawking at the mega yachts in envy, or exploring the outdoor market, there was something for everyone to do. Our guides let us know that getting a fresh, homemade creep should be on the top of our list once we built up an appetite from sightseeing. We were all reluctant to leave when it was time to load the bus back to Florence. Our French weekend getaway had been amazing.

Eze and Antibes are definitely a must see for anyone planning to travel the southern region of France. So the next time you want to see something other than the Eiffel tower, check out the spectacular views of Eze or walk along the beaches of Antibes. Thanks to my tour guides from Bus2Alps, I was able to experience these out of the ordinary places. I hope to revisit them in the future, that’s for sure!

Michelle Campbell is a student at Florida State University, and a Spring 2012 alumni of the Florida State in Florence program. Michelle will be reliving her individual travels and group travels with Bus2alps during her four months studying abroad. You can read more at her blog, http://shellinfirenze.tumblr.com/.

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