The French Alps

From Lyon, we drove through the French Alps to the French Riviera. A dramatic, beautiful drive. The French Alps and also the French Riviera are in the Provence–Alpes–Cote d’Azur region of France. Provence is an area roughly from the left bank of the Rhone River in the Alps in the west and to the Italian border in the east. Cities in Provence include Avigon, Arles, Cannes, Sain–Tropez, Antibes, Grasse, and Marsaille among many other. The Cote d’Azur is the French Riviera, which is considered to be part of Provence. So, technically, we were driving through Provence on our way to the French Riviera.

The French Alps

We passed a number of small villages in the foothills of the French Alps.

French Alps Town

We also drove through some towns in the French Alps’ foothills.

Sisteron

We stopped for lunch in the medieval town of Sisteron which has been inhabited for 4,000 years.

Sisteron

Sisteron is located under Baume Rock and on the River Durance.

Sisteron

On a square in Sisteron are, to the right, a medieval fortification tower, and on the left, the 12th–century Sisteron Cathedral (Church of the Notre–Dame– des Pommiers). It is now a national monument.

Sisteron

Up on top of a hill is the Citadelle de Sisteron built in the 11th century and remodeled in the 13th, 16th, and 19th centuries. The citadel houses a museum devoted to Napoleon

Lunch

I and several of my tour mates went into the “Artisan Boulanger” to get sandwiches. I bought my usual ham and cheese on a baguette, but all the tables in front of the boulangerie were filled after I got my sandwich and so were the tables next door to it. So I sat down to eat at the next set of tables in front of a cafe only serving drinks. I was told to move as I hadn’t ordered anything from them. I asked if I did order a drink, a cappuccino, could I stay seated. The waiter said yes. At another town, I bought a sandwich and a drink at a boulangerie that didn’t have any seating. I asked at a place that just sold drinks if I could eat there if I ordered a cappuccino and they said yes as well. Something to know about eating in France. Also, if you need to use a rest room at a restaurant, you also may need to buy at least something to drink.

Sisteron

Sisteron was an interesting town to walk around and colorful with the knobs on the posts on the rails and on the sidewalk covered in red, orange, green, and yellow plastic, probably left over from a festival and perhaps waiting for another festival. The stores were closed as it was Pentecost, a national holiday in France.

I have put my photos of the French Alps and Sisteron on a slideshow. Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/french–alps–sisteron/
(Slide Shows, Western Europe, France–2, “French Alps, Sisteron”).

On the Road

From Sisteron, we drove to Grasse on the French Riviera. Photo: landscape seen on our way.

Fragonard Parfumerie, Grasse

We are now in Grasse that is located on a hill on the French Riviera (the Cote d’Azur). Grasse is the center of the French perfume industry and also the world’s capital of perfume. Originally, leather was made here and the smell was awful. So flowers were planted to combat the smell. Then, perfume was made from the flowers to add to the leather so the leather wouldn’t smell. A perfume industry was started. We visited the Fragonard Parfumerie which opened in 1926 and is one of the three oldest parfumeries in Grasse.

Fragonard Parfumerie

At Fragonard, you could take a whiff of various scents.

Fragonard Parfumerie

We had a tour of the Fragonard perfume factory. Perfume is a mixture of scents, essential oils either natural or synthetic, water, and alcohol. Perfume is produced, first, by extraction of the oil from plants, then by blending––creating a scent when mixed with alcohol and water, and, next, by aging––usually for several months. The ratio of alcohol and water to the scent is the difference between perfume (more scent) and eau de toilette (less scent). You can ask to create your own scent here and at some other perfume factories.

Fragonard Parfumerie

Some of the perfume items for sale at the Fragonard store. You dip one of the sticks into a perfume and then smell the stick.

Cannes

We drove from Grasse to Cannes on our way to Juan–les–Pins, where we would spend the night. Photo: a roundabout in Cannes that will put you on the Promenade de Croisette that borders the Mediterranean Sea.

Cannes

I spent much time in Cannes over 50 years ago and this is more or less how I remember much of the Promenade de Croisette.

Cannes

The Majestic Hotel was here, built 1926, but I do not remember all the designer stores out in front which start around here.

Cannes

I also don’t remember any modern buildings along the Croisette. I remember the Croisette as being “low key elegant” with many sidewalk cafes to people–watch at. I think the modern buildings between the old buildings has ruined the once pretty look of Cannes and the Croisette.

Cannes

Another modern building placed without taste next to the old elegant Carlton Hotel, built 1911. I went back to Cannes the next day to find the “old Cannes” (photos will be on France 2018, Day 11). We drove from Cannes to Juan–les–Pins.

I put my photos of Grasse and Cannes on a slideshow: Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/grasse–cannes/ (Slide Shows, Western Europe, France–2, “Grasse; Cannes).