Having spent a lot of childhood holidays in the South of France it was wonderful to be able to take my own children there.We flew into Nice but as we were only staying a short time decided to explore some of the places we hadn’t visited previously.

As there were 4 of us we decided on the easier option of staying in an Airbnb just North of the city:

We enjoy having the extra space and the option to make our own breakfast (a necessity when you’re gluten intolerant and are in the land of baguettes and croissants!). This apartment suited us really well (more info here) and we loved the amazing pool, games room and the views over Nice. The owners only live next door but are really welcoming – they even very kindly bought me some turmeric gluten-free bread which was delicious and there’s a small shop for all the essentials only a short walk away:

It is handy to have a car here and we were grateful to have hired a 4×4 as the roads are quite windy around Nice!

About a 30-40 minute drive from here is the stunning medieval town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

This is one of the oldest towns in the French Riviera and is a real hive of artistic creativity. Expect lots of art galleries mixed with stone alleyways and stunning views. You can understand why it’s such a tourist hotspot – try and visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds.

Stop off for a lavender ice cream or a sundowner at the Hotel Le Saint Paul and then cool off at the fountain:

Carry on walking to take in those amazing views and to see the beautiful cemetery:

And if you haven’t eaten your way around make a reservation at La Brouette for on the way back where there are gorgeous views of this incredible town from your table in the cutest rustic setting:

What are your favourite places in the South of France?

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