Provence, France
Claviers + Nice, Aug 18 – 28 2023
Claviers, the closest village in Provence to the villa we rented, shot in the morning
The fountain at the villa my husband’s family shared in rural Provence
Street corner representative of Claviers
Cats really ran Claviers
Beautifully weathered sign posted on a neighboring villa
Cat beating the heat by an open window in Claviers
One of the countless butterflies we shared the villa with
Public water fixture in Claviers
Spotted butterfly, spotting delicious flowers
Church in Callas village
A white-tailed bumble bee, bumbling around
Hand painted signage in Draguinan
Beautiful gate in one of the small villages we visited
Blue and orange butterfly enjoying one of the many flowers around the villa
One of the interesting decorations scattered around our villa
A moth joining the butterflies and bees in the villa’s gardens
Rows of grapes growing at Whispering Angel
A hummingbird moth, a name that makes perfect sense looking at it
Casks where wine is stored at Whispering Angel
Grapes hanging at the Whispering Angel winery
Industrial winery equipment
Delicious pastries, of which we ate many
Weathered signage in Claviers
Top-down view of the French sweets we enjoyed
Downtown Draguinan
One of the many frogs hiding in the villa’s well
Wide view of the lake where we spent many hours kayaking and paddle-boarding
A white koi in the fountain at the villa
Butterflies enjoying the end of lavender season at the villa
Frog’s hiding in the villa’s old well
Small orange butterfly on a dandelion at the villa
Small business in Callas
Black and blue bee in the villa’s pollinator garden
One of the many pollinators outside our villa
The Stone of the Fairy (Provencal dolmen) outside Draguignan
Umbrellas making maximal usage of available beach space
Nice’s beachfront
View from the Hotel Royale
Characteristic colorful blinds on an apartment building in Nice
Clock tower shot from Castle Hill Park
Gothic Arch in Castle Hill Park in Nice
The back of Saint Reparata Cathedral in Nice
View of Nice from Castle Hill Park
View of Nice from Castle Hill Park
Nice’s Notre Dame
Notary sign in Old Nice
Another notary sign in Old Nice
Happy satyr in Old Nice
Happy looking horse from Nice’s Carousel 1900
Camel giving side-eye to a tiger on Nice’s Carousel 1900
Pig from Nice’s Carousel 1900
One of a series of public installations by Richard Orlinksi across Nice
Detail of the Apollo statue in Nice
One of a series of public installations by Richard Orlinksi across Nice
Musée Matisse, Henri Matisse’s paints and easel
Sculpture of Bacchus in the Villa Masséna Musée
The lounge at the Villa Masséna Musée
Napoleon I’s death mask at the Villa Masséna Musée
A very good dog in a painting on view at the Villa Masséna Musée
Signage from historic Nice banning nude beach going and requiring beachfront business owners to have a boat
Dizzyingly beautiful staircase at the Villa Masséna Musée
Vintage ads for La Côte d'Azure at the Villa Masséna Musée
Beautiful deco metalwork around a door flanked by café umbrellas in one of Nice’s signature brights colors
Beachy scarves on sale in one of Nice’s tourtist traps
A not-very-convincing but still beautifully lettered motel sign
The end