I sort of accidentally ended up in Aix-en-Provence. I’d been planning to stay in Marseille, but after meeting someone in Italy who told me Marseille wasn’t as romantic as I’d dreamed, I opted for an AirBnB in Aix-en-Provence instead. It’s a good thing, too, because I fell absolutely in love with the place. Despite a terrifying drive into the provincial town (I accidentally turned down a few winding alleys that were barely wide enough to fit a car), it ended up being the most restful leg of my trip. I spent one of my days in Provence driving out to Marseille and Cassis, and I’m absolutely planning on going back- I need time to explore the Calanques de Marseille! For now, though, here’s a taste of the south of France.

This was one of my favorite moments from my trip- I’d set out to wander the streets that morning and ended up stumbling upon a flower market in one of the squares. It was so delightfully unexpected, and just reinforced my love of traveling/wandering sans-guidebook. I never would have found this if I’d stuck to the beaten path!

I think this is my favorite image from the entire trip. This, THIS is what I love about the French- they way they enjoy life, an afternoon lunch break on the rocks of Cassis for the simple pleasure of being in the sun out on the Mediterranean? I love it so much.