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| Cassis, France |
Friday
the 6th marked the start of my two-week vacation from the Centre International des Etudes Français,
and without delay, I jumped on the train for Aix-en-Provence. On the invitation
of the fantastic Méline (who lived with my family for part of her US exchange
experience), I was to spend three nights camping, and two in her hometown.
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| The calanques |
Friday
evening, we staked our tent in Cassis, a seaside town in the south of
France. Tile roofs and beige,
gold, and rose colored houses (not to mention the sea itself), gave the town a
very Mediterranean feel. The most memorable part of the area, however, is found
just outside the city. There, the sea stretches blue-green fingers into the craggy
coastline, in formations called calanques. Despite the rough terrain, you can
meet people from age six to age 70 hiking, or alternately, rock climbing up and
down these slopes.
After
a Saturday of rambling, it was possible to sleep through almost anything. Not,
however, the tent above your head lunging free of its tethers at 3am. A wind that had been gaining strength
since the early evening had peaked at full tent-snatching, car-door-slamming
force, and (feeling a little guilty) I took one of the prime sleeping spots in
the car. I should say at this point that I owe a lot to my campmates, who would
speak in English and slow French for my benefit, created great meals (often
featuring Tomme, a formidably strong cheese), and introduced me to the
calanques, which I wouldn’t have been nearly ambitious enough to explore on my
own.
Sunday
and Monday morning were filled with the sun and the sea as well, and we left
Cassis and the calanques in the afternoon, with color on our faces and (for me,
at least) stronger legs.
Tuesday,
I got a taste of Annecy, France, a city close to the Swiss and Italian borders.
Despite the rain, it was very picturesque. The modern center and oldest parts
of the city cluster around Lake Annecy, and foothills curve around the opposite
shore. I spent a lovely afternoon walking in the narrow streets not too far
from the lakeshore, crisscrossing the canal and goggling at the countless ice
cream shops with their rainbows of flavors on display in artful swirls.
*packed, crammed-full (such as the state of the car when
loaded with all of our camping gear, and us as well)
Next stop, Paris…
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