Well… (to draw out the suspense a bit more!), I got caught in the one-day train strike the day I was to leave Annecy. I had my tickets booked, but one leg of the trip was not going to be operational. With that leg in the middle of my trip, the whole trip was thus off. So, I decided to rent a car to drive from Annecy to Nice Airport, where I would then catch a bus or taxi to get to Vence. I chose a route through the French Alps, rather than using the autoroutes, which would have been much faster and easier driving (but boring). I passed through villages perched on hillsides, rocky gorges, high cliffs, rushing rivers, and eventually, nine hours later (which included stops for lunch and a coffee break), I arrived at Nice Airport. From there, I could not face the bus. I was so beat, a half-hour taxi ride seemed the only option.
If you are not on a major highway, the roads are very narrow, sometimes going down to one lane. You have to be aware that this might happen and be prepared to stop to let the other car go through, or, if you are there first, to go through quickly. Driving in general is a nerve-wracking experience for someone not from here. I found I needed to be on my guard, truly super-aware, at all times. Next time, I would probably take advantage, at least part of the way, of the fast autoroutes!
Since coming back from Annecy a week ago, I have spent some time in Villefranche-sur-Mer (VF), Nice, and my (temporary) home base, Vence.
I looked at real estate in VF and saw one lovely property, in particular, with spectacular views. VF is an absolutely charming town, with the feel of a village. In the end, though, the property and the city seemed too isolating. It is about a 7-minute train ride to Nice; do I want to hop on a train every time I want to meet a friend for coffee or drinks in Nice (because very few people I know, at least, live in VF)? I crossed VF off my list.
One of the days I spent in Nice, I played Pickleball, with the same group that I met a few weeks ago. As you may have gathered, it’s not that easy to find this sport in France, so I grab onto it when I can. I met a couple at this session of Pickleball (she’s American, he’s English), who just bought a place on the Promenade des Anglais (THE address in Nice). They love living there, and plan to be in Nice at their condo forever. Several other people I’ve met recently also swear by Nice, calling it a delightful city, filled with energy and activity, and safe for women. A friend (another retired American woman), took me around Nice one day this week, showing me that there existed specific, charming, neighborhoods, and that it is not one huge, amorphous city. I think it was this last tour that clinched it for me.
Soooo…I’ve been resisting Nice, as I did not think I wanted to live in a city. However, I really like what a city has to offer, particularly this one! So, I am going to choose Nice as my home base. There is quite an ex-pat community there, not that I want to spend all my time with ex-pats, but…there is a certain comfort in having people, nearby, who speak your language and understand your culture, especially at the beginning of a new life in France.
I find myself excited at the prospect of looking for a place there. I know that common sense would dictate that I rent for a year. However, it is actually quite difficult to rent in France, and much easier to buy. Besides, I cannot really see the downside to buying something. If I buy in a great neighborhood, and decorate it well, I find it hard to imagine it would not sell easily in the future, if it came to that. At the moment, for example, I know there is extremely limited inventory. Whether that will change, no one can say. But, I am ready to have a home again, a place I can call my own. I move from Vence to Nice, to a new Airbnb, on October 15. And then, the search for my new home can begin!
Only a few pics this time…next post, I’ll be in Nice, and will thus have plenty of new material. Stay tuned!
