Experiencing the French Riviera after Lockdown

As you may know, I specialise in long-haul tailor-made and bespoke holidays, ones where I can really add value and provide expert guidance. I am also able to offer holidays to Europe, in particular city breaks, river cruises and family holidays. The French Riviera has got to be one of the best places to visit in the summer and I am lucky enough to have family here so get to experience the very best of what is on offer using the expert knowledge of locals. So, it’d be rude not to give you a bit of a run-down of my brief stay here… My Auntie and Uncle live in Le Cannet, a small town just north of Cannes and a beautiful, relaxed and tranquil place to enjoy a few days R&R. I only had a couple of days, but I wanted to experience what the tourist towns of Cannes and Antibes were like and how they were opening up for tourism. My relatives had told me all about how strict their lockdown had been and how they were only allowed out of their houses with written permission, but they were pleasantly surprised at how quickly things had bounced back. A few events had been cancelled, including the famous Cannes Film Festival, which is a shame of course, some museums and large hotels were not open yet but the majority of services including bars, restaurants, souvenir shops, grocery stores, beaches (of course) and public transport were all up and running. With the exception of people wearing face coverings on public transport and inside shops, almost all services seemed back to normal. Especially the restaurants, something I know that many people are concerned about. The serving staff wear face coverings yes, but this is really the only difference. The tables were not too far apart (although not too squished together) and the service is the same. I guess there was probably slightly fewer people there than you’d expect in July, but it was still bustling. The beaches were open, public toilets were available, beach bars were serving their usual cocktails and all the popular souvenir shops which line the beach road were open. I really was pleasantly surprised at how normal things appeared to be. The same applied in Antibes – we had lunch in the main old town and strolled around the narrow streets, we went to the Marina to ogle at the millionaire’s yachts and I paddled in the sea – all of the things that I would usually do on holiday. I can imagine the rules are slightly different in busier towns and cities, perhaps stricter, but from a tourist-resort point of view, I got the impression that everyone was keen to get back to the way things were before (as much as possible of course) and start to build their businesses back up again. I know some people are a little apprehensive about flying (I can understand that, especially if you are vulnerable) and about perhaps spending a lot of money on a holiday which they may not receive the same experience on, but I have to say, if you’re anything like me and desperate for a change, for the return to some sort of normality (which for me is travelling!), then just do it! Seriously, life is too short… Read my next blog for my Journey Home and UK Arrival experience…