Greetings dear readers and friends. I hope you are all safe and well in your respective corners of the world. We’re doing fine, just hoping that things change for the better in the months to come. After a few frosty weeks in the south of France, the sun is starting to shine and life feels *almost* like normal.
Of course, we are still under various protective measures, but we’ve been able to get out a little bit more and remember why we fell in love with this beautiful region of France.
One of the top highlights of Provence is certainly the outdoor markets. We shipped out very early one Wednesday morning to attend the prettiest market in the Var department (which, if you remember, was voted the most beautiful market in all of France in 2018!) – Sanary-sur-Mer.
When you visit this vibrant outdoor market, which runs right alongside the town’s sunny port, it’s hard not to have a smile on your face. Indeed, on our visit, folks were in a great mood and we loved being out in the sunshine and checking out all the beautifully-arranged stands. The cafés are still closed, but several enterprising owners offered takeaway espressos, glasses of rosé, and even hot wine, along the sidewalk.
After a quick visit to Sanary’s public library, we sat in the sun and decided to splurge on an ice cream from a nearby kiosk – perhaps a bit crazy to dip into a scoop of vanilla in the middle of February, but hey, we’re living in crazy times, right? A little bit of indulgence did us a world of good.
We snuck in a walk along the beach – heavy jackets and all – and picked up some quiches and pastries for lunch at our favorite bakery in Sanary: La Fontaine.
It wasn’t exactly life as normal, but it came pretty close.
The sun continues to shine, and our garden is sprouting small blossoms on the trees, along with a handful of wildflowers and one rogue daffodil which made an unexpected appearance in front of our patio. Spring is coming!
Hope you’re finding joy in the small things – wishing you a lovely weekend from belle Provence.
Belle Provence Travels 
So happy that you were able to get out and enjoy the day – and the ice cream! Are you able to get a vaccine yet? I’ve had both of my shots, so I feel relieved but will continue to observe safe protocols. We still are not totally open but slowly are beginning to open-I just hope people don’t get careless again-it’s not over. Still dreaming of a return to Provence. Best to you and your family.
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So happy that you got vaccinated, Patricia, that’s great news! It’s a little slow-moving here at the moment, but crossing my fingers for the summer. Here’s to better things to come around the corner! Best wishes from Provence 🙂 Tuula
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We are so looking forward to traveling back to Provence! We miss those outdoor markets…I am originally from Cavaillon and your beautiful pictures made me very nostalgic. Thank you for sharing!!!
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Thank you for your kind comment, Lise. So cool that you’re from Cavaillon – what a lovely town. We’ve passed through there before, and of course everyone loves their delicious melons. Hope you get to come back to Provence very soon! Best wishes, Tuula
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