It’s not a coincidence that the South of France Memories Tour would visit Antibes, Aix, and Arles straight in a row. They are definitely A-list tourist spots in the south of France.
A-List Tourist Spots South of France: Antibes
You know by now that Antibes is one of my favorite places to visit on the Côte d’Azur. For the past four years, it’s been where friends and I met before the onslaught of heat and visitors in Uzès. This time, with 18 Memories Tour ladies, Antibes took on a unique flavor, thanks to the Love in Provence book series by my friend and co-leader, Patricia Sands. Here, we followed in the footsteps of Katherine and her handsome Frenchman, Philippe.
Choosing a spot for a group photo in Antibes isn’t easy when there are so many spectacular views.
A-List Tourist Spots South of France: Aix-en-Provence
“Aix” is one of Provence’s largest and most visited towns. The home of Cézanne is high on the list for tourists who want to know about the artist. Unfortunately, as we learned through our guide, Stephanie, the townspeople never appreciated Cezanne. His paintings are scarce in Aix. Nowhere else, though, can you follow in the footsteps of the artist’s youth and life.
Picasso had a special relationship with Cèzanne, although the young Picasso was an unknown artist then. Picasso studied Cèzanne’s work and considered him “the father of us all.” Today, Picasso’s work is exhibited in galleries in Aix like Musée Granet.
The Cours Mirabeau, once the site of the town’s wall, is the prominent avenue in Aix and displays the statue of René d’Anjou (1434 – 1480), king of Jerusalem, king of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Lorraine. Folklore says he was a noble character — poet, artist, musician, and importer of the muscat grape into Provence.
During our day stop in Aix, our tour was pleased to see students marching to support climate change reform. It was an impressive, peaceful demonstration.
A-List Tourist Spots South of France: Arles
Arles was the stopping place for the second half of the Memories Tour. We called the luxurious Hotel Jules César our home away from home for seven days.
A highlight of dining on the Memories Tour in Arles was our evening at the Hotel Particulier, a 5-star hotel in the heart of Arles. The home of aristocrats with its walls from the time of Roman Emperor Constantine was restored to the imaginative vision of architects for the Luma Foundation.
What’s next??? The Memories Tour 2019 heads for Occitanie — Sete, the Camargue, and Uzès!
