By the time we woke the girls had left for their respective jobs - they both leave around 7 am and we heard them but elected to go back to sleep to "stay out of their way"- ha ha. Finally woke again around 9 am. Packed, stripped our bed, cleaned up the kitchen for them and said a fond fairwell to St. Mandrier.
We drove up the Cote d'Azur past incredible gated drives that led to fabulous homes down on the edge of the coast. There's some money here - even more so as we head towards Cannes and St. Tropez. Had a great time just pulling over and looking over walls and vistas. Just before Cannes we head north - west into the Maritimes Alpes.
We had our sights set on Grasse as it is the famous perfume capital of France and Deb wanted to visit only one - the manufactuerer Fragonard (thanks Patty for reminding me with your note while we were here!. Pictured Grasse as a small Provence village surrounded by lavender fields and small shops, but noooo it was packed with tour buses and tourists everywhere. So we high-tailed it in and out of Grasse - having visited Fragonard and their wonderful shop - the credit card got a work out that's for sure...very beautiful scents, soaps, etc.
Afterwards we tried to find out way out of Grasse up towards Gourdon a very small village "perche" that we wanted to see. Somehow we got lost heading the wrong way out of Grasse and couldn't find our way right. So stopped at a tourist information office in some town and some poor tourist info lady set us straight. But we hit traffic, a police action, and everyone in the area leaving work at the same time.
So, now on the right route, after driving a bit longer we decided to stop at a roadside hotel in a small village, which turned out to be a Michelin starred restaurant and served "only local organic food". Had a great dinner and slept well.
