This week has been busy for me as I organized and cleaned my house in preparation for Thanksgiving guests. My wonderful trip to France in September and the charming hilltop towns immediately came to me as I began to imagine.

I went there in the early autumn while it was still warm. I spent a few days in Nice before venturing out on a few day trips, two of which included stops at hilltop towns that many of you suggested. Ze was my first stop (en route to Monaco), and what a breathtaking view you’ll see along the way. I came here as part of a small group tour where we just stopped to look around.

Ze was utterly endearing, just as so many had predicted. It had a stunning church and, from a botanical garden on top, the most breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. It’s very adorable how vines are sprouting on top of centuries-old walls everywhere you look. I couldn’t help but hum the line, “Little town, it’s a tranquil village, every day, like the one before,” from Beauty and the Beast.

One advantage of going on this trip alone was that I could take my time and stroll the winding streets, pausing for coffee, popping into shops, ducking into alleys, and stopping to shoot pictures or videos along the route.

I adored the color of the church in Ze, which had a somewhat more yellow tone than my residence back in California.
It was so much fun to stroll the uneven cobblestone streets and scale slopes to the summit to take in the breathtaking vistas.

Similar to St. Paul de Vence, which is situated on top of a hill and has winding cobblestone alleys enclosed by walls. It was bigger, and taking in everything took several hours. The most charming aspect is that these hilltop settlements are like grownup mazes, which makes them a lot of fun to explore because you never know what to find around each new corner.

I recorded a brief movie of my strolls through these towns; join me for the next two and a half minutes as we meander the streets!

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