France - Cote d'Azur


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April 26th 2011
Published: May 1st 2011
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Hi all,

Monday 18th April. The long drive wasn't that bad at all. We followed the 'Route de Vins' through Provence passing by countless vineyards, driving below the Verdon hills and over the switchback roads of the Maures hills down to Port Grimaud. Arriving at this site it was clear that the Easter holidays across Europe were in full swing as the place was very busy. Locals, many Germans and some Italians filled the smart chalets and the motor-home area was also very busy. Coming out of a winter period where the kids were usually the only kids on site this place seemed packed to us.
The camp site, Prairies de la Mer has everything required and is right on the beach, it is also just a short walk into the town. Port Grimaud is a small but smart place, built from 1966 into the 1980's it's much like Empuriabrava but much nicer. It's made up of waterways around small islands with interconnecting bridges and fine restaurants line the waters edge. It is actually twinned with Venice. It is very expensive to eat and drink here but since leaving Spain we've found that to be the case in most of southern France.
We spent our first day on the beach and then walked around the town that night.

The second day (19th) we caught the sea taxi from just outside the camp site across the Gulf to St Tropez. Off the boat and onto the key side we were quickly rubbing shoulders with the sun tanned Europeans (and a few bright red Brits). For most of the afternoon we did what everyone else seemed to be doing, walking along the marina looking at all of the flash boats, we then browsed around the busy market stalls then sat in a bar and people watched under the strong sun. St Tropez is as you'd expect, full of designer shops and yachting type people, it's a proper posers paradise, but well worth a visit.

Wednesday 20th April. Off again and on the coast road heading for Antibes. The coast road on the Cote D'Azur is a great drive with some amazing panoramas. The route took us through the nice resorts of Ste Maxime and St Raphael, around some very tight roads through villages with smart cliff top villas, then down onto the main road straight through Cannes. Our first choice camp site was full! (easter hols) but the site we ended up on seemed in the end a much better place. Camping L'Eden is in Biot village just outside of Antibes. We spent the rest of the day in the pool and that night in the on-site bar.

Thursday 21st April. Sometimes in life it's who you know not what you know and that was certainly the case for us on this day. A mate of mine Dave Quest has worked on private yachts for quite a few years now running the IT systems. (When I say yachts I don't mean those small sailing yachts with sails, I mean top of the range motor yachts. For example his first yacht was on one owned by Roman Abramovich!). Dave now works on the Sarafsa owned by the King of Saudi Arabia's son, Kalhid bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and he was very kind to offer us a private tour of the yacht whilst in Cannes marina. (Dave not the prince!!)
So after a morning dip in our pool we took the train for our trip to Cannes. We spent a couple of hours wandering along the beach front
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Dan and Harry boarding on the left
where it was packed, we window shopped in D&G and Armani, looked through the windows of the parked up Ferrari's, Porsche's and Maserati's and sat watching the crowds go by until we met Dave at 5pm.
After travelling mainly around the coast we have come across lots of marinas and flash boats as you've seen from some of my blogs, but by far the biggest boat we'd seen was the Sarafsa. It was massive compared to all of the other 'big' boats in the marina.
Dave took us through every part of the yacht, from the spotless chromed engine room to the elegant private quarters, via the cinema, pool deck, dining room, the bridge, jet ski launch area, spiral staircase, lift etc. etc. it was truly amazing. Apparently costing 120 million it's not a bad boys toy to own.
The prince was obviously not on board but we met some of the crew and had a drink in the crew mess where the kids asked every question possible of poor Dave, where he'd been, who he'd seen, can you get Disney channel on that 55in telly? etc. etc. etc. It was a great experience.

Friday 22nd. We'd had a
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The boys pool side with their mates
drink and a bite to eat with Dave in Cannes after our yacht tour and we didn't get back until after midnight so after a nice lay-in we had lunch and chilled out by the pool all afternoon. I chatted to Paul and his wife Jenny who owned a static on site and had brought their kids out for the Easter hols, they gave us tips on the site and local area.

Saturday 23rd actually started very wet and it didn't really stop until mid afternoon so it gave me time to sit in the van with all my camping books and maps to plot out a detailed route for the rest of the trip. Up to this point I roughly knew where we were heading but now I'd picked out camp-sites and things to do for the next 3 months. (Only 90 odd days left!!)

Sunday. 24th We'd been invited back to the yacht later that day so morning and early afternoon we spent sometime by the pool, the boys happy playing football with the mates they'd made whilst I read my book in the sun.
Back on the train to Cannes around 3pm and back on the yacht. I sat on the deck with a Dave and some of the crew with a few beers looking out over Cannes (I'm getting into the lifestyle) whilst the boys made use of Sky TV and the internet on board. We met more crew this time and got more of an insight into life on board. After spending most of the evening on the yacht we again went into Cannes to eat before catching the last train back. Thanks Dave for your time and patience and making our visit a very special addition to our trip.

Monday. 25th It was the last day for Paul and his family before they flew back home so Dan and Harry wanted to spend the day on site and by the pool with their boys. I chatted to Paul about his and our travels and we shared many similar stories of places we'd been and should/would like to go.

Tuesday 26th After an early lunch it was back on the train but this time heading east towards our next new country, Monaco. The train journey took us along the very rugged coast line past luxurious hillside villas and houses, through chic small resorts then through the centre of the very elegant looking Nice and onto Monte Carlo.
Walking around Monte Carlo was great, we all know it has the flash buildings and the countless sports cars, it has the famous Monte Carlo casino (where Casino Royale was filmed) which I popped into to have a look around, there's also the famous Budda bar, cafe Paris and designer shops and obviously the marina to walked around, but one the best bits for me was walking around the Grand Prix circuit.
With just 4 weeks to go before the 2011 race day the riggers were busy building the stands and pit lane and erecting all of the crash barriers along the route. Just walking around town you virtually did a lap of the circuit and you could walk on the famous tarmac to get a real feel for the racing line, passed casino, around the grand hotel hairpin turn, through the tunnel and every now and again a Lamborghini or Ferrari would roar past to remind us just where we were. A great last day out on the Cote d'Azur .

We've loved our time on the Cote d'Azur, maybe it was the taste of the high life that we had or the famous places we visited or maybe our camp site which we liked a lot or the ease in which you can get around, I don't know. So with a little sadness at leaving the place it's onwards we must go.
Take care all
Neil Dan & Harry
x

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Just chilling
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Me and Harry in Cannes with Sarafsa behind in the harbour
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The grand hotel hairpin bend
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Tired legs resting by the circuit


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