Besides the colorfully quaint architecture, my favorite attraction was the mountain view at Lake Annecy. Swimming here under the alps felt completely, blissfully unreal. It was almost an out-of-body experience, like I was a character in a movie. We also met a young woman named Romina who’s a teacher in Switzerland! She was on vacation by herself and she made for a great swimming buddy.

For everyone who told me to travel at every possible moment in Europe, you can rest easy. By Sunday morning, I was on a train to Nice for a short getaway in the south of France. A window seat has never felt more important as we glided past countless vineyards. The views were incredible for all five hours, but especially once we reached the coast.

Please enjoy this photo through the dirty train window! If you look closely, there’s a small reflection of the mountains on the other side of the tracks.

My friends and I wasted no time finding the nearest beach after we arrived. I never thought I’d get the chance to swim in the Mediterranean Sea and it felt like a dream. The water was bright blue and the perfect temperature for swimming, unlike the Pacific Ocean (apologies to the Oregon Coast). The Mediterranean is also the saltiest body of water I’ve ever encountered. I quickly learned to keep my eyes tightly shut underwater.

I discovered something else beneath the waves: I could hear a bunch of strange crackling noises in the water. It sounded like aquatic Pop-Rocks or a freshly poured bowl of Rice Krispies. After some research, I think snapping shrimp might be the culprits of this underwater chorus! There was a surprising amount of noise above the water, too. This beach was situated right next to the airport, so we watched dozens of planes fly in over the waves. We also unknowingly arrived in Nice during the men’s Ironman World Championship. Crossing the road was its own challenge amidst hundreds of sweat-drenched (slightly miserable-looking) athletes running in the street.

Speaking of Rice Krispies, I had a pretty killer view from my balcony at the Airbnb.

There’s a strong influence of Italian culture in Nice due to its proximity to Italy, so it was easiest to find pasta and gelato for dinner. No complaints there! Afterward, we briefly explored the streets of Vieux Nice and stumbled upon the church of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur. It was both majestic and eerie in the absence of daylight.

Even though I turned down numerous suggestions to name my blog “Kera in the French Riviera” (sorry not sorry), I had to pay homage to the idea. The following day was designated for travel along the Cote d’Azur.

First, we took a bus to Villefranche-sur-Mer. The views were breathtaking and my photos will never do it justice. There’s an invisible magic in the air all along the Mediterranean. Everyone seems relaxed and unbothered, like they live in perpetual summer. I’m sure it’s different during other seasons, but summer in the French Riviera is perfect if you can tolerate the tourists.

We strolled along the streets, in and out of markets, cafés, and local shops. Eventually, we staked out a spot on the beach and cooled off in the sea. Villefranche had the clearest water I’ve ever seen. We almost decided to ditch our last destination to lounge around in Villefranche all day.

I accidentally led my friends on a mile-long “walk” up the steep, winding streets of Villefranche to get to our bus stop on time. They were not thrilled with my navigation skills and the term “hike of torture” was used once or twice. All I can say is we made it with two minutes to spare and the views were lovely.

Èze was our final destination for the day. As incredible as Villefranche was, I wish I had spent more time exploring Èze! The medieval village sits on a tall hill overlooking the Mediterranean. If you ever get the chance to visit, I highly suggest dedicating several hours to wander up the narrow streets.

We tried to find the hill’s highpoint for a panoramic view of the sea, but the countless pathways felt like a labyrinth. I learned later that you can only access the highpoint through the Jardin Exotique with paid admission. I’m not sure how I feel about gatekeeping the best views in town, but I suppose Èze has to take advantage of its tourism. If I ever get the chance to return, I’ll spend those 7 euros in a heartbeat. Here’s a small collage of some hidden gems in medieval Èze.