flygirl

Good morning

I am contemplating heading back to France, this time heading south.

I'll have time to putter around a bit and was thinking of looking into some sort of planned/organized outing such as, for example, a cooking class, or a "watercolor painting class", or even hiking/horseback riding for a day, for example. I know I can go hiking solo but sometimes it's nice to be part of an organized outing.

I am most likely going to be staying in or near Cassis/Marseille, maybe as far north as Aix. I'm also contemplating Nice/nearby. I'll have a car and would be leaving from St. Remy on my way south.

I realize this is a wide swath, but if anyone reading this happens to have seen things that caught their eye regarding where to look this sort of thing up, or have done something similar, I'm all ears.

Thanks!

Fodorite018

A few years ago we did a food tour in Nice and it was very good.

flygirl

yeah! Something like that would be really cool. I'll have to poke around to see who offers those sorts of things.

gooster

In Nice, Rosa Jackson offers both a food tour and a cooking class. I also see on my FB expat group a lady offering painting lessons in the open air. There are several others food tours and cooking classes, although not all are in English (there is a very unique residential one off near Grasse, at Julia Child's former home). I'm certain you'll find others in your primary cities.

Fodorite018

flygirl, this is who we used.

https://www.foodtoursofnice.com

dfrostnh

I have a ten day watercolor vacation planned at Le Vieux Couvent ? Art retreat in the south west of France

mornings will be spent exploring the area with a small group. Afternoons are optional watercolor classes in the studio.

flygirl

Thank you for the tips and links!

aliced

From Cassis harbor, do take a boat ride through the adjacent calanques. They are an amazing sight for small fish, and the beautiful beaches of some are very tempting. Not sure if you could go in one boat, and arrange for pick up later. There is hiking along the top of them, which we did not have time to do. It is a beautiful tiny seaside village, east of Marseilles. When you're around Nice, be sure to get up to the Maeght Fondation up in St. Paul de Vence, or stay at the gem Hotel Les Vergers de St Paul. For a treat, take in all the art collected at La Colombe D'or while having lunch there. Vallaluris is known as the city of clay going back to Roman times but more recently Picasso whose works are at the Chateau there, it is known to be a site for craftspeople and artists. Once in Nice, don't miss the Chagall and Matisse museums, and if you can, spend a night or so at La Perouse.

aliced

And while there are no cooking classes there, the Auguste Escoffier Fondation is a small museum and just south of St. Paul de Vence in the village of Villaneuve-Loubet. From what I read, amongst his collected 1500 recipes there makes Julia Childs cooking sound like fast-food!

flygirl

Thank you!

I have been to Cassis before and yes the boat ride was lovely. I will look into whether drop off and pick up are possible.

I am contemplating STAYING in Saint Paul de Vence, now, instead of Nice - and make Nice a day-visit instead of a base.

If anyone happens to be reading this - I really enjoyed my time in Cassis. I will likely stay there again. If I were to consider another coastal base (which is also close to good hiking), though, what would be a good second choice? Or is Cassis the best base (versus, say, La Ciotat for example)?

aliced

Back atcha, Flygirl, we are going to France in Sept/Oct, and after Paris thinking of TGV to Nice. Tentatively scheduled at old fave La Perouse, but is there enough to see/do at St Paul de Vence for more than a day, as we will not have a car? France-fave Stu Dudley recommends 3 nts there or in Nice. Originally thinking spending first full day in Old Nice, going up to Chagall Musee, going round 'the corner' into Villefranche and then taking train/bus/taxi to StPdeV for Maeght, Colombe d'Or lunch and back to Nice whenever. Absolutely not renting car this time.