From Carcassonne, the transition into Cathar country is subtle at first. Vineyards still line the road, and villages appear familiar in scale and colour. But as we headed south, the land began to tighten. Valleys narrowed. Hills rose more abruptly. Stone replaced soil, and…
We left Combaillaux early and headed west, leaving the limestone valleys of Hérault behind. The change that followed was subtle rather than dramatic. Vineyards and low hills did not disappear, but the land began to open out, and water behaved differently. Valleys softened into…
After two days immersed in the wetlands of the Camargue, the shift inland was immediate and noticeable. We left Aigues-Mortes behind and drove north toward Combaillaux, trading open marshes and wide horizons for vineyards, low hills, and narrower roads. That evening in Combaillaux was…
After a full day exploring Arles, we left the city behind and headed south into the Camargue. Breakfast was at our accommodation, followed by the familiar routine of packing up, preparing a simple lunch, and loading a cool bag with an ice pack. By…
After a full first day arriving in Occitanie and exploring Nîmes, we woke up in Arles, ready for a slower but no less layered day. While Arles is often grouped mentally with Occitanie, it actually sits just across the regional border in Provence, and…
We had been living in Barcelona since November, and by early spring the idea of a road trip had begun to take shape. Having access to a car made it feel easy in a way it hadn’t before. We had visited Spain many times,…
Paris has always held a special place in my heart, not just for its beauty and charm, but for how much it has changed with each visit. My relationship with the city spans more than a decade, and it’s been marked by tight budgets,…
Certainly on everyone’s list is this small island in the middle of the Seine. Île de la Cité is the historic and spiritual heart of Paris, and for good reason. It’s accessible by several bridges across the Seine—something London could probably take a hint…
Paris has no shortage of extraordinary museums. The Louvre may be its most famous, but for anyone drawn to Impressionism, two museums stand apart: the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée d’Orsay. The two offer very different experiences. The Orangerie is small, quiet and…
Montmartre is one of those places that risks being reduced to a postcard: the white domes of Sacré-Cœur, artists painting in Place du Tertre, steep staircases and café terraces arranged beneath striped awnings. All of that exists, of course. Parts of Montmartre can be…