Travel Journal 1 | Fall Break in the French Riviera

Studying in France has been incredibly busy, lively, and rewarding, just in these past three weeks. I know the blog posts have slowed down a lot, but I hope to post travel journals semi-regularly during my time here. Everything is stunning and I feel so inspired. I wish I could share it all.

For my first independent travel break, I ventured down south to the Riviera to see Nice and Monaco. Planning the first trip was a bit overwhelming and stressful, but absolutely worth it and I feel a lot more comfortable navigating train schedules (online and off).

The moment I decided to study in France, I knew I’d have to spend at least a few days in Southern France. When I was 14, I spent a few days in the Southern Alps, but this time I definitely wanted to float in the Mediterranean Sea. Perhaps growing up on Lake Michigan has given me an affinity for large bodies of water. And beaches. Any beach feels like home.

Time seems to move slower in France, especially in Nice. I know a lot of the people are tourists, like me, but there seems to be the mentality that a holiday in Nice is a holiday free of stress, lines, and hectic travel. The travel was a bit crazy; we took a night train there and back that was a little less than comfortable. But being in Nice was almost therapeutic. With the bright blue skies and even bluer sea, everything is somehow vibrant and calm at the same time.

Monaco was ridiculously beautiful as well. I definitely felt a different vibe from it, and as a tourist, it was difficult for me to feel as relaxed there as I did in Nice. Every street, store, and restaurant seemed so glamorous, and I was very aware of my not-so glamorous self. But there is still a carefree spirit that made me more at ease.

I said goodbye to Nice with sadness in my heart and salt in my hair. We spent a casual Sunday in Paris before returning home to Pontlevoy, stopping by the Eiffel Tower before grabbing sushi and sitting down with some homework.

I find Paris simultaneously enthusiastic and refined, and I’m excited to go back for the first week of October. Everywhere I go, I feel incredibly inspired, however, there is something about Paris. It has the… “je ne sais quoi.”

During Fall Break, my dad told me that his mother, my Nana, had only a day or two left. We weren’t expecting her death to come so soon, and she passed peacefully the day I returned to Pontlevoy. It was difficult knowing my Nana was dying as I was trying to enjoy Paris; I felt very guilty and longed for home. However, my grandmother always said how proud she was of me for traveling, going to school, and, in general, exploring the world and myself. I feel the only way to honor her life is to live mine fully and enthusiastically.

So for now, goodbye Riviera, Paris, and Nana. I’ll see you all soon.

xx. Diana