France, France, glorious France...

France will always be one of my very favourite places in the whole wide world.

There is no better suited union that France and I. In fact, we should get married. If it were possible to marry a country, I would marry France in a heartbeat and our marriage, unlike one in two, would not end in divorce for three very simple reasons:

1. Summer is my favourite season. In a perfect world, I would follow summer all year round – from Australia to France, and back again.

The South of France offers blue skies a plenty, endless coastlines of beaches and sun, sun, glorious sun (Yet without the harsh ozone layer effect whereby you burn to a crisp).

2. Wine. Anyone who knows me will know that I am a committed lover of the vino. Be it white, rose or red, I do not discriminate. Imagine a place where you could leave your house, drive for mere minutes past gorgeous vineyards and have your choice of countless wineries. Where, after tasting the delicious produce, you can pick up a bottle for a few euro, or should your heart desire, buy it by the litre-ful.

3. Food. It is probably a good thing that I left France when I did or I may have arrived home 10 kilos heavier. The food is so ridiculously good – freshly baked bread, pastries, home-grown tomatoes, locally farmed goats cheese. Restaurants with delicious meats and seafood. One does not go hungry in France... Ever.

I arrived in Toulon, in the South of France on a Monday evening, after yet another gruelling journey involving two tubes, a train, a plane (which was delayed), a bus and another two trains, totalling 11 hours.

Nathalie and her husband Alan, kindly collected me from the train station saving me a final (and possibly fatal) bus ride.

As they had both finished work and were no doubt tired, I was expecting to go home but instead was in for a glorious welcome.

I was taken to an old town and a restaurant atop a hill, overlooking vineyards and farmland, where I ate the most delicious duck and drank some local red wine.

Afterwards, we went to a night market alongside a marina, where, though tempted by all the gorgeous handmade jewellery, soaps and crafts, I refrained from buying anything (I have a very strict baggage allowance and an even stricter budget).

Once back at the apartments where Nathalie and her family live, I was surprised to find that I had an apartment of my very own. I would have been happy with the couch, or even a spot on the floor but they assured me it would be quieter if I were to have a space of my own.

I don't think it is possible to find a family more welcoming, generous and hospitable than Nathalie's.

On my first day, whilst Nathalie was at work, her mother invited me to her apartment for lunch where she cooked spaghetti bolognese (how did she know that is my all-time favourite?) and offered to do my laundry.

I spent the day, like most days I was there, reading by the pool and swimming (it's a hard life). When I mentioned that my hair was in need of a bit of attention, I was swiftly given an appointment at her father's salon.

There was a bike, and a map left for me, should I wish to go cycling to the beach, and a plentiful supply of food.

In the mornings, I would wake to find two freshly baked chocolate croissants, vanilla yoghurt and a mug with a teabag in it, ready for my breakfast.

In the evenings, when Nathalie came home from work, she would take me to the beach, to the marina for ice cream, out for a drink, or to yet another delicious restaurant. Or we'd just get something to cook for dinner and sit outside, talking and drinking wine.

By now, I am sure you can see why I would have been happy to stay there forever and ever and ever... (if only I spoke French...)

On Saturday, up bright and early, we packed our beach things and a picnic and headed for the canyons and lakes, about 2 – 3 hours away.

If there is one thing I can say with absolute certainty, it's that I have not seen more beautiful scenery than on this trip.

Up to the top of a canyon, down to the lakes, paddle boating, and then a visit to a charming old town - all in a day's work!

Sadly (very, very sadly), I had to leave La Londe, Nathalie, and her beautiful family and board a train. But all is not lost because said train was heading to Paris! A crowd pleaser indeed.

I will admit, I was sceptical - my very affordable, budget, single room hotel was supposedly 'just minutes' from the Eiffel Tower.

It has happened on more than one occasion where I have arrived in a place only to find that my 'very central' accommodation, 'in the heart of the city' was actually miles upon miles away (in my defense, this was before Google Maps).

To my delight, the hotel was truly in the heart of Paris with the Louvre and the Notre Dame a walk in one direction and the Eiffel Tower literally around the corner.

I spent a glorious afternoon walking through Paris, taking (far too many) photos of the sights, stopping at cafes with seats on the street so you could have a glass of red and watch the world pass you by...

It was a brief affair but one to remember nonetheless, as the next day I was due to take a metro (5 stops), a bus (1 hour), a flight (delayed), a shuttle bus, and not one, but two trains to Frankfurt and then Fulda, to start the Germany part of my trip.

One must not complain however, about the long and tiresome commutes because the sights you see in between are pretty damn epic. 

From Paris, with love!

P.S For those women out there who are wondering where all the good looking men are, I have semi-good news. No, they are not all married, gay or dead.

They simply live in Paris.

Start booking your tickets ;)

P.P.S Karma does exist. Once upon a time, last October, my dear Mother and I travelled to Hawaii where I laughed hysterically when she fell out of a hammock. Fast forward to the present day and I too, upon attempting to get in, fell from grace, bruised my arm and peeled a layer of skin off.

As they say, 'Karma's a bitch!'

Over and out xo