Is the South of France the ultimate paradise? A year abroad unveiling the French lifestyle

So the short answer? Yes. I had the privilege of spending my year abroad in a small, sunny town called Pézenas, in the L’Hérault region of France on the Mediterranean Coast. And although it’s only an hour and a half or so from the UK by plane, it could not be more different. The weather, the markets, the pace of life, the architecture, and of course the language, are all vastly different. English is spoken here, but less so the further you get from the big cities, so I could finally put all of those years studying French to good use. 

During my first couple of weeks there, I was introduced to ‘le Poulain’: the totem animal for Pézenas; a huge blue horse lovingly recreated in papier maché by one of the town’s resident creatives: Gérard Garcia. ‘Le Poulain’ is brought out for each of the many festivals and parades the town partakes in, and is carried by 6 or so people hidden underneath its frame. It’s an incredible sight. This is especially true on Mardi Gras, aka Pancake Day, where everybody parades through the streets of the old town, covering everyone and everything in a delightful mix of flour, shaving cream, ketchup and raw egg, (it’s fun, I promise). The cleanup afterwards takes days! And so, although the winding streets in the old town can appear deceptively quiet, there is always something going on, from the vibrant weekly market to the bi-annual antiques fair, or a visit from le Poulain.

As welcomed as I felt in Pézenas, in order to experience more of the French lifestyle, I started going on solo trips. I began by visiting Avignon, home to the enormous ‘Pope’s Palace’ and aptly named ‘Bridge of Avignon’, and, while extremely cold in the middle of January, this historic city holds many secrets worth discovering. For me, number one is the incredible hot chocolate served at La Pâtisserie Vernet. Very cosy. Nevertheless, I’ve promised you a taste of the French lifestyle, and what better example than the beautiful coastal city of Nice during its annual Carnival. The main streets are closed for the numerous parading floats, acrobats, ballerinas on stilts and even a brass band on bicycles, all throwing bright yellow mimosa flowers to the crowds. This part of the carnival is known as the ‘Batailles de fleurs’, literally the ‘Battle of Flowers’, which could not be more appropriate, given the enthusiasm and sheer preparation displayed. 

But my favourite place in the whole world, (except for maybe the Caffé Nero at Laidlaw when a deadline is coming up) is the historic village of Èze-sur-mer. Perched on the side of a mountain,1400ft above sea-level, hides a gem. It’s just a 15-minute train ride from Nice, and, alongside Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Tropez and Menton to name a few, makes up the famous French Riviera. However, if you do visit Èze, take the 20-minute bus to the top, and don’t make the same mistake as I did and tackle the hour-long hike Nietzsche supposedly took every day for a year to get there. At least not in a jumper in 25ºC weather, and with only half a bottle of water. My own fault. Nevertheless, I am still fuming about finding out about the bus only after I reached the top. Maybe I had to earn the view. As you can see, Èze is absolutely worth the struggle. My only suggestion is to avoid it during tourist season, and instead visit between February and April, while still enjoying the good weather. In my humble opinion, Èze is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It really is paradise, and I highly recommend you visit!  

However, if paradise means something a little different to you, the final point on our little tour of the South is Toulouse, aka la Ville Rose or the Pink City. A little further inland than other cities, such as Aix-en-Provence or Carcassonne, the city gets its nickname from its terracotta-bricked buildings that have been around for many centuries. Surprisingly though, Toulouse is also well-known for its ventures into space-travel and research. A great day out is Cité de L’espace, a space centre that showcases satellites, meteors, and a planetarium. It’s even home to a true-to-size replica of the Ariane 5 Rocket, first launched in 1996 from French Guiana. The whole centre is interactive, and you can experience being in a Mars Rover, trying ‘space food’ and even Moon gravity. However, my favourite part was clicking through the photos taken by the James Webb telescope on one of the centre’s huge screens. Incredible. 

All of this to say, the South of France is a very special place indeed, from Nice’s sandy beaches to the picturesque views of Èze, and of course the extraordinary town of Pézenas that became my home for nine months. If you ever get the opportunity to visit even one of the many beautiful towns and cities on the French Mediterranean Coast, I urge you to take it. Paradise awaits! À la prochaine !

Words by Aeryn Pettifor