Antibes to Sainte-Maxime

We spent the day along the coast with several short stops to provide walking breaks.  West from Antibes is Cannes so for the third time we drove that waterfront with yachts and beaches on the sea side and ornate hotels and upscale shops on our right.  We did stop briefly and walked by numerous horse vans which had transported entries for next weekend's races.

Corniche de l'Esterel

Next stop and walk was at Thoule-sur--Mer with its nearly-empty sand beach (compared to the very crowded pebble beach at Nice) and harbor.  A pleasant low-key alternative to larger resort cities. The coast road west of Thoule is called the Corniche de l'Esterel and was the most stunning ride today, with red rocky outcroppings, clear blue water, and cliffs rising behind.  No beaches here, just great scenery.

We pulled into Saint-Raphael and neighboring Frejus to find a lunch spot, ending up in the harbor at Frejus and returning to Saint-Raphael for another pleasant stroll on the seaside promenade and to the Cathedral which we were unable to enter due to a children's pageant taking place in front.

our evening ride

We moved on to Sainte-Maxime and secured housing and a brief rest (this was not a particularly strenuous day but we have missed our afternoon naps, so took advantage of an early stop).  But at 6:30 we headed out again for a two hour loop into the mountains northwest of the coast.  The hills are dotted with live oak and pine trees, a rare vineyard or olive orchard or house.  There was little traffic on the narrow roads and the loop provided a fine ending to the day.