I've been daydreaming again... about sun-filled days and blue skies, warm air and bare shoulders. Winters in Europe can be long, dark and cold (or rainy), especially in Luxembourg. Days can go by without a glimpse of blue sky or a snippet of sunshine. Don't get me wrong -- it's a wonderful life. But somewhere in February each year, I find my mind wandering towards thoughts of the south.
The south of France to be exact. Dry arid landscapes filled with olive trees and lavender fields, sunflowers and crumbling farmsteads. Since moving across the Atlantic several years ago, my family and I have discovered many wonderful corners of southern Europe in our annual search for the sun. The Costa Blanca in Spain is beautiful, and southwestern Portugal is breathtaking. Italy is lovely as well (and the food incredible), but it's the south of France that stole our hearts so many years ago.
"Why France?" you might ask. "Where else?" I would counter. The south of France has an indescribable allure, a magical play of light and shadows that makes the landscape glow with rosy warmth. Charming hilltop villages, dusty old roads that wind into nowhere, vibrant local markets bursting with fresh produce, artisanal cheeses and colorful flowers. Flea markets that bring me to my knees (and empty my wallet). And everywhere -- everywhere -- incredible old houses with french doors opened wide to boxwood allées, lace curtains trailing in the wind, pea gravel terraces and marble-topped tables, wrought-iron urns spilling over with flowers, ancient olive groves and lines of espaliered trees marching into the distance.
It's a place one can lose one's heart to, a place where I have lost (and found) myself time and again, a place to which I escape in daydreams whenever the realities of life require a mental break. Here, let me share it with you. Let me try to capture the magic and beauty and grace of this beautiful land in a handful of photographs and a few meager words. Come with me, escape for a moment, and lose yourself in dreams of the south of France. I promise, you'll fall in love, too.
"Tell me again, why the south of France?" you ask. Just take a peek and you'll see...
The sunshine...
The houses...
The villages...
The flowers...
The olive groves...
The markets...
The food...
The miles of pebble beach and clear blue of the ocean...
Tell me, where do your daydreams take you?
As always, Laura
The south of France to be exact. Dry arid landscapes filled with olive trees and lavender fields, sunflowers and crumbling farmsteads. Since moving across the Atlantic several years ago, my family and I have discovered many wonderful corners of southern Europe in our annual search for the sun. The Costa Blanca in Spain is beautiful, and southwestern Portugal is breathtaking. Italy is lovely as well (and the food incredible), but it's the south of France that stole our hearts so many years ago.
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