Fascinating World
In France, Amidst
Stunning Landscapes
and Castles with Isabella Galeotti
by Maria Teresa De Donato
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Dearest friends,
For our Fascinating World column, today I
would like to introduce you to this captivating journey through France,
undertaken by my friend and fellow author, Isabella Galeotti, and her husband.
It was a road trip taken by this extraordinary couple from July 1st to July
17th, 1998—a journey covering 4,828 kilometers.
I would, therefore, like to extend a warm welcome to Isabella, and I invite you
all to join us on the upcoming journeys that—thanks to her—we will be taking
together.
MTDD: Hello, Isabella, and thank you for accepting my
invitation. It is a pleasure to have you as my guest.
IG: Thank you, Maria Teresa, for the invitation. The pleasure is
entirely mine.
MTDD: Isabella, having gotten to know you some time
ago, I am well aware of your love for France—as well as for the French
language—and your desire to use it as much as possible. Consequently, I wasn't surprised
at all when I saw that, for your very first itinerary, you chose one set in
this beautiful country.
Would you like to tell us about this trip you took with your husband?
IG: With pleasure. It was July 1st, 1998: the
highway awaited us. We set off from Genoa by car and continued toward Savona,
driving along the entire Corniche road all the way to Menton,
France. It is always a thrill to cross from one country into another without
having to show any identification documents. After a simple dinner at a French
pizzeria, we set out to find a campsite. It was my very first time camping. We
managed to find a spot at the Camping de la Lune in Èze. We had barely finished
pitching our tent when a terrible thunderstorm broke out. I felt as though
water was seeping in from everywhere! For my "baptism" into the world
of camping, it certainly wasn't a bad start.
MTDD: Admittedly, being in a tent during a
thunderstorm isn't exactly ideal, but judging by your enthusiasm, I gather the
experience was positive nonetheless—or am I mistaken?
IG: No, you’re not mistaken at all. We certainly would have preferred
good weather, but the trip went well just the same.
MTDD: What did you do the following day?
IG: The next morning, we packed up camp and headed down into the city, Monte
Carlo. We began our tour of the area with a stroll through the magnificent
gardens, where we waited to watch the Changing of the Guard—a truly
evocative ceremony. We lingered for another ten minutes or so in the hope of
seeing a prince or princess emerge, though that didn't happen.
MTDD: What made you think you might catch a
glimpse of them?
IG: Well, I had read that you can sometimes cross
paths with them simply by taking a walk around the city—which is exactly what
we did—but we didn't see a trace of them.
MTDD: Seeing them—even from a distance—would
certainly have been a memorable highlight, something to truly treasure among
your memories.
What else did you visit in Monaco?
IG: From there, we continued on to the Cathedral—Notre-Dame-Immaculée—where,
at the far end behind the altar, lies the tomb of Grace Kelly. One
interesting detail we discovered is that Grace Kelly actually had a middle
name: Patrizia. To wrap up our visit to the Principality, we went to the Oceanographic
Museum of Monaco. It was a unique experience. Truly unforgettable.
MTDD: As a city-state, the Principality of Monaco
isn't particularly large; however, beyond its extraordinary geographical
location and its stunning panoramic views of the French Riviera, it
certainly offers a wealth of tourist attractions. I’m delighted that you and
your husband had the opportunity to see and appreciate them.
IG: Yes, Maria Teresa, I couldn't agree with you more.
MTDD: Where did you go after leaving Monaco?
IG: After bidding farewell to Monaco, we
continued—still traveling along the corniche—until we reached Nice,
where we stopped for a meal at one of the eateries situated along the Promenade
des Anglais. Afterward, we took a stroll, if only to be able to say,
"We did it, too!" We then opted for a campsite within the city limits
to ensure a bit more comfort. We ultimately settled on the Hippodrome
campsite. After being woken up by the heat, I consulted our itinerary; our
next destination was the Camargue—a wild, wetland region in the south of
France, located within the Rhône River delta—which many have described
as a true paradise. Continuing our journey via the highway and having cleared
the tunnel, we finally arrived at the Route des Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer—the
road that would lead us to the eponymous little village where the world seems
to end.
MTDD: Very interesting, Isabella. Do you have any
advice for anyone who wants to follow the same itinerary you and your husband
took?
IG: Sure. Based on our
experience, I can offer a word of caution to our readers—or at least to those
who might not be aware of this, and assuming things haven't changed in the
meantime: if you travel along the route we took, you are bound to encounter a
great many caravans of travelers. This occurs every year in late
May—specifically on the 24th and 25th—during the celebrations for Saint
Sarah (the patron saint of the Roma people) and for Saints Jacob and
Salome, held in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Millions of Roma people
participate in this event, and—despite prohibitions issued by various
municipalities—they gather to celebrate it together, nonetheless. Even though
my husband and I visited the area in early July, we found that a great many
Roma people were still lingering on the roads throughout the Camargue.
MTDD: Isabella, we want to emphasize that we are
providing this information to our readers and potential travelers solely to
alert them that, should they choose to follow your itinerary, they might
encounter religious, traditional, or cultural events. Such events often entail
crowded conditions, resulting in traffic congestion and, consequently,
potential travel delays.
IG: Indeed, Maria Teresa. That was, in fact, precisely our reason for
sharing this information with our readers.
MTDD: Very good. Let’s continue, then, with your
journey...
IG: After that, we drove for many kilometers along the D570, passing
between salt flats and farms where Camargue horses—tethered to fences and ready
for their rides—stood waiting. Eventually, we arrived in town. It was a lovely
place, characterized by low-slung white houses with sky-blue shutters. The sun
was blinding, and the humid heat forced us to crank up the car's air
conditioning. Once we had settled into our campsite—Camping le Clos du Rhône
(also located in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer)—we decided to stay for a few days to
truly soak up the town's atmosphere... and, unfortunately, to contend with its
mosquitoes as well. The following day, we took a short cruise along the Petit
Rhône aboard the Tiki III. The excursion was delightful; along the
riverbanks, herdsmen demonstrated their work while bulls pawed the ground right
before our eyes. Naturally, even back then, the place was touristy to the
core—yet charming, nonetheless. The next morning, we woke up in misery,
tormented by the buzzing and bites of those wretched, bloodsucking little
creatures. It was shaping up to be another sweltering day. We then set out to
visit the Camargue History Museum. We walked for kilometers on end
through the middle of nowhere—out of one field and into another. It was a route
featuring a series of footbridges that allowed us to admire the local wildlife
and the beautiful rural landscapes.
MTDD: Do you have any tips for anyone looking to try
their hand at this type of excursion?
IG: Certainly. I would recommend this kind of excursion in these
locations only to those who handle the heat well, as the entire route is
exposed to the sun.
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MTDD: A very useful tip, indeed. Once you left
this area, where did you head next?
IG: After leaving behind
the scorching climate of the Camargue—with all its charm, its vast plains, its
salt flats, and its roads devoid of utility poles—we set our sights on Aigues-Mortes,
a fortified citadel nestled within the marshes. Legend has it that the town’s
name is derived from this very setting.
We stopped for the night in Castries. The crickets chirped incessantly
throughout the night. There is one particular detail I’d like to share: it is
said that a female cricket can determine a male’s size simply by listening to
the volume of his chirp.
MTDD: Truly fascinating. What did you do the next
morning?
IG: After having breakfast, we set off again, continuing toward Nîmes
and its gardens—the Fountains. A wonderful place. Then we reached Avignon
and its Palace of the Popes. Another stunning spot, and incredibly
well-organized. We decided to go visit the Lavender Museum in Coustellet.
Fascinating! A particularly interesting aspect is that, during the museum tour,
the guide first explains the difference between true lavender and
"false" lavender; then, using videos and specially constructed
exhibits, they demonstrate the process of extracting the liquid essence. At the
end of the tour, there was the usual boutique—cozy, incredibly fragrant, and
filled with shades of lilac. In short, the credit card got quite a workout!
We spent the night in Villes-sur-Auzon, at a municipal campsite; it was
small—with only a few tents—but clean and quite centrally located. The camping
lifestyle makes it easy to make friends. We were camped next to a couple; it
was nearly lunchtime, and we were in the middle of pitching our tent. Once we finished,
we felt a bit worn out—and even though our spot was shaded, the heat was
intense. The couple in the caravan next door, seeing how exhausted we looked,
invited us over for an aperitif. They were absolutely lovely. They were French.
For dinner, we decided to have pizza and stopped at a place called Le Don
Camillo.
MTDD: One aspect of traveling that I find
particularly touching is that we often have truly interesting encounters.
Perhaps, precisely because once we’re on vacation, people are usually more
relaxed. Hence, it’s easier to find an atmosphere of hospitality and solidarity,
and when that happens, we can only feel grateful and rejoice wholeheartedly.
IG: I couldn’t agree with you more, Maria Teresa. These are
unforgettable experiences to be treasured.
MTDD: What did you do the following morning?
IG: We packed up our tent once again and continued
on—first toward Sault, and then toward the Gorges de la Nesque.
The road was winding, and there were certainly moments that tested our fear of
heights. Fortunately, viewing points had been built to admire the sheer
drop-offs—small tunnels that, with their gaping mouths, seemed ready to swallow
us whole. The interiors were rocky and dripping with water. We couldn't quite
make out their unique features, however, as our attention had to remain focused
on driving and navigating the curves that followed one right after another.
We made a leisurely descent to Sénanque, and—luckily—we still found
fields of lavender in bloom. As we traveled along the road, we spotted carts at
the intersections adorned with tulle, ribbons, straw, and lavender—some loose,
others bundled into small tufts tied with various materials—immaculate little
sachets that were simply irresistible. Some young women were dressed in
traditional local costumes. We were surrounded by purple fields. Meanwhile, the
sky had grown a little overcast, and our only hope was that it wouldn't rain.
We wandered amidst these wonders, switched off the engine, and stepped out of
our car.
MTDD: Would you like to describe to us what you
saw—and, above all, the feelings you experienced?
IG: With pleasure. Our eyes lost themselves in the intense lilac—almost
blue—hues; amid the buzzing of bees and the chirping of cicadas, we searched
for the perfect angle to capture the perfect photograph. We wanted it—at all
costs—to be as beautiful and evocative as that fairytale landscape itself.
MTDD: What did you do after losing yourselves in the
splendor of that panorama?
IG: We continued along the only road leading downward. Our eyes could
perceive no boundaries... Our gaze drifted across that immense expanse until,
finally, the Abbey came into view.
As soon as we arrived, we immediately began taking
photographs right there at the edges of the fields. Due to the crowds present,
we had to wait a moment to get that classic shot. Our visit inside the cloister
was wonderful. Finally, we found the little shop where the friars sell
everything they produce. We then resumed our wanderings through France. Our
next stop was Orange. Meanwhile, the weather was taking a turn for the
worse. We stopped there for the night. In the morning, we rose early, as our
next destination was Bourges. In addition to the majestic Cathedral of
Saint-Étienne—whose sheer presence dwarfs everything else—there are also
some delightful gardens: the Jardin de l'Archevêché. Essentially, after
exiting and walking around to the back of the cathedral, we entered this
garden; there, while savoring the scent of the roses, one can admire not only
the imposing cathedral itself—its flying buttresses—but also the absolute
tranquility of the setting. After that, Orléans awaited us.
We arrived in Orléans in the late afternoon, looked for a campsite, and settled
on the municipal one. The constant flow of tourists had left it chaotic and
somewhat disorderly, but since we were only staying for one night, it didn't
really matter.
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MTDD: Did you manage to visit the Châteaux of the
Loire Valley?
IG: Absolutely! We finally managed to visit those
castles we’d been dreaming of for so long! We started with the Château de
Chambord. I won't reveal anything you haven't already read elsewhere. In
the early afternoon, we headed toward Blois, and then on to Chaumont-sur-Loire.
The immense grounds of the Château de Chenonceau are also well worth a
visit—for me, it was the best of all the ones we saw; it felt like stepping
into a fairytale. We stayed overnight right there—not inside the castle itself,
of course, but at one of the many campsites nearby. The next day, we continued
our journey to visit Amboise, which welcomed us with its own magnificent
château—a place that even bears traces of Italian influence, specifically that
of Leonardo da Vinci. We stayed until evening; it was a truly marvelous
sight. We also visited the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau—a Renaissance-style
gem—which marked the conclusion of our castle tour. We also made a point of
visiting Villandry—not so much for the château itself, but for its
gardens and vegetable plots: a truly evocative scene unlike anything I had ever
witnessed. I was absolutely dazzled. It was a perfectly curated palette of
colors.
MTDD: Isabella, if you had to sum it up, what memories
and feelings did you bring home with you from this trip?
IG: We left all that opulence and grandeur behind us and hit the highway
once again—taking the Autoroute de l'Océane—heading toward the ocean,
and toward tranquility. There seemed to be more Italians in the Loire Valley
than in the entire rest of France combined! We arrived in Saint-Nazaire—or
rather, a small village nearby—and stopped for a couple of days to catch our
breath and gather our thoughts: our vacation had come to an end, and we needed
to start planning our journey back home.
MTDD: Thank you, Isabella, for sharing this
fascinating journey through France with us. It will be a true pleasure to have
you as my guest again and to share more adventures from around the world with
our readers.
IG: Thank you, Maria Teresa, for inviting me. I would be delighted to
continue contributing to your column in the near future. Thanks also to all the
friends who have followed along.
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