Doug and Kerry Hudson in France

We were so desperate to get out of Italy that we took the radical decision to abandon our plans to visit Pisa, Genoa and the Riviera di Levante, and just get the hell out of there! We can’t remember exactly what pushed us over the edge – probably yet another sleepless night in a noisy and overcrowded campsite – but we do remember the thrill of leaving it all behind, and driving towards the shining hope of France!

We arrived in the Cote d'Azur eight hours later, very tired but elated at being so blissfully free of Italians. We spent the majority of the next three weeks there, just relaxing by the pool or on the beach. Once we had re-charged our batteries sufficiently, we toured the local area, taking in Nice, Cannes and Monaco.

After spending nearly three weeks there, we had to move on or we would be late for our ferry! We headed west to the Dordogne region, where we enjoyed delicious pate and cheese from the local markets. We also explored the legacy of prehistoric man in the area, including the incredible Lascaux caves.

We moved on from there up to the Loire Valley, famous for chateaux, wine and the influence of Leonardo da Vinci.

We finished with three days in Paris as the climax to our stay in France and also in Europe. The following day we left France for England. A week later we would be on a plane flying out to a new continent and a new set of adventures in Africa!

World Trip >> Europe >> France

Last updated: Sunday August 27, 2006