Honfleur: The Old Port

The French port of Honfleur is located on the coast of Normandy where the Seine River flows into the English Channel. Samuel de Champlain set sail from the port to New France (now Canada) and founded the city of Quebec. Centuries later, Honfleur became the "birthplace of Impressionism" when artists like Eugène Boudin and Claude Monet set up their easels outdoors to paint the picturesque town.

The Old Port of Honfleur, France

Travel Theme: Land Meets Water

Some of the most spectacular locations on earth are found in that ever-shifting zone where land and water meet. And a rugged coastline certainly adds to the drama. When I see this photo of St. Peter Church in Portovenere I can still feel the tour boat heaving beneath me.

Portovenere, Italy

Resort Towns of the Italian Riviera

Spring is just around the corner but the lingering snow has me reminiscing about hot days on the sunny Mediterranean. I love the French Riviera and you needn’t be wealthy to enjoy its delights. (Read my posts on Villefranche-sur-Mer to find out why.) Last summer we visited two resorts on the Italian Riviera, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino.

Riviera Poster

Cinque Terre: the Five Lands

On the rugged northwest coast of Italy there are five small fishing villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare. I love saying the names out loud – it makes me feel like I can speak Italian. (I really can’t.) Together these villages are known as the Cinque Terre, the Five Lands. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was once accessible only by sea and untouched by the modern world. Today the villages welcome visitors but retain their old world charm.

Porto Venere and the Gulf of Poets

A few years ago I fell in love with Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Cote d’Azur. Nothing can match the beautiful scenery and casual ambience of a small seaside town. Now I’ve lost my heart to the charming village of Porto Venere on the Ligurian coast of Italy. This stretch of coastline is known as the Riviera di Levante, the coast of the rising sun.

Porto Venere on the Italian Riviera

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat

Cap Ferrat – the name conjures visions of million dollar villas hidden behind massive security gates. In the 1800s, the peninsula was a popular spot for wealthy families in Nice to come for a picnic.  In the 1950s, celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton discovered the town of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. Today the village is a quiet side trip on France's Côte d'Azur.

Evening in Villefranche-sur-Mer

French Riviera towns such as Cannes and Monte Carlo are known for their glitz and glamour but an evening in the town of Villefranche-sur-Mer is delightfully laid-back. And as the sun begins to set and the air cools down, the visitor's thoughts ultimately turn to dinner.

Quai Amiral Courbet, Villefranche-sur-Mer

Villefranche-sur-Mer

A charming Old Town and magnificent views of the Mediterranean Sea make Villefranche-sur-Mer, once a sleepy fishing village, my favourite destination along the scenic Côte d'Azur.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

Monte Carlo

St. Remy de Provence, July 2012 - We boarded our motor coach this morning at 9:00 a.m. and reunited with our cruise director to say farewell to Provence. We were about to embark on the final leg of our journey with Avalon Waterways enroute to the French Riviera and the tiny principality of Monaco.

A couple of hours later, Mont St. Victoire rose in the distance as we approached the city of Aix-en Provence for a mid-day lunch stop.

Mont St. Victoire