Once the family time and the history lessons were over, it was time for a girls trip in another magical part of France: Côte d’Azur. Life in the south of France (I was in St. Tropez, Nice and Monaco) is the complete opposite of what I had just experienced. I swapped out homecooked meals for 500 euro lobster pasta plates, replaced walks in the garden of a medieval castle for late-night club hopping and went from buying artisanal soaps to shopping at Dior. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy both - the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo to the wholesomeness of kid-filled backyard barbecues. 

At the end of the day, it’s all about balance, isn’t it? To learn more details about my travels, keep on reading.

Thankful for: AP European History class in high school. While I had forgotten a lot of historical details i was grateful I had a solid foundation of European history - especially the medieval and renaissance periods. It helped to under stand the heavy French nationalist and catholic themes since everything was from the French point of view. All of the efforts to keep the history and traditions of France alive were not lost on me

Eating: Farm to table food. Almost everything we ate was grown in the backyard, in the garden or on the farm of the houses we stayed at. It was so incredibly fresh and delicious. And know I’m much more conscious of what I put in my body. 

Reading: For those who want to practice their french, this is a good read that my boyfriends monther gave me. It’s a story about two sisters and it resonates with me because I’m one of two sisters.