Until I came to live on the French Riviera, the month of January was the gloomiest of the whole year for me. The weather was the main depressing culprit with endless grey skies and cold miserable days. But since living here, my word - January is beautiful. The skies are at their most fantastic with a clarity and a blue rarely seen during the summer months. Orange and lemon trees are laden with fruit while elsewhere Bougainvillea and Bird of Paradise are in bloom. Mimosa trees are just starting to come into flower and soon the air will be heavy with their scent and the surrounding countryside a wave of golden yellow.
January and February are busy months here with carnivals and a variety of festivals to please everyone. March and April tend to be quieter months before May kicks in with Cannes and Monaco grabbing the spotlight. Then it's summer and before you know it, September and October have eased gently in. Yet still the days are warm and inviting. By November thoughts turn slowly to Christmas and once again up come the wonderful Christmas lights as villages make ready for the festive season once more.
While I am fully aware of the difficult financial situation our little world finds itself in, and that thousands are without employment and struggling to make ends meet, it would be a shame to let the magic of France and the French Riviera slip through your fingers. This region is beautiful all year round and while many think of July and August as the only time to visit it - perhaps now would be the perfect time to discover the Riviera during the early or latter part of the year. If flying is not possible, then why not take the train and enjoy watching the changing French scenery as you head down to the South of France. There are still so many French doors to be opened by you and exciting discoveries still to be made. And, if you can't visit our region this year, I hope that AMB Cote d'Azur will keep you replenished until better days come along.
