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EXCURSIONS
One of the best attributes of this Club Med are the excursions available to guests. Being in the south of France, there's so much to see and do and Club Med Opio takes full advantage of this. They offer a wide range of nearby day trips, all about a 30-minute drive away. You can visit Grasse, the perfume capital of the world (33 euros), Saint Paul (41 euros), Antibes, Cannes and Nice. I'm not including all the prices because they vary but the ones that do include transportation, tour leaders and any entrance fees.

DINNER IN MOUGINS
One night, I had dinner in the charming hillside village of Mougins, which is famous for its food. It's a 15-minute drive and we ate at a lovely place called Place des Patriots (Here’s their business card). This quaint, three-floor eatery with two balconies offers the most incredible vistas of the nearby valleys. To give you an idea of the menu, I started off with cold cantaloupe soup with mint, then a salad with baby artichoke hearts and olives followed by thyme sorbet to clean the palate. I know it may sound somewhat unappetizing, but I'm glad I tried it. It was actually quite tasty. The main dish options are either a local white fish or chicken and one of the best desserts ever; a shortbread cookie with strawberries and star fruit, accompanied by sorbet and topped with pistachio whipped cream.

TAXIS
Plenty of taxis are available from Club Med but you have to order them in advance; wait time is usually 30 minutes. There are flat rates so find out first from the hotel what the rate should be, then confirm again with the driver once you get in. When I was headed to La Jarrerie restaurant for lunch, I checked with the hotel staff to find out how much I should expect to pay. They told me 25 euros, but when I got in the taxi, the driver quoted me a fare of 30 euros. When I said that I was told the fare should be 25 euros, he relented and said okay. A little bit of negotiating saved me 5 euros and when you're traveling, these expenses can add up. La Jarrerie restaurant (Here’s a scan of their business card) has a beautiful interior but the outside patio is nothing special. The food is good and the service is excellent.

GOURDON
One day, we made the 20-minute drive to Gourdon. Talk about incredible views! The views along the drive up to the top of this mountain are jaw dropping but just wait until you get there and walk along the narrow, cobblestone streets. Gourdon is known as the Balcony of the French Riviera. On a clear day you can see Cannes, the Lérins Islands, the Cape of Antibes, Mandelieu and the Esterel Massif. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in Gourdon, and unfortunately, there are plenty of tourists, too. Our mission wasn't to shop but to begin begin a two-hour hike down the mountain . WHAT?! That's what I said when I saw the steep drop. But the hike in the Gorges du Loup was nothing too advanced for a novice like me. The narrow, rocky path was tricky at first but then it became mostly flat and the views were fantastic. Part of the hike was spent walking along a path originally used for mules bearing packages and the fun part was going through dark tunnels that were carved out for Gourdon's water pipeline.

SAINT PAUL
My final excursion was a 30-minute drive to Saint Paul. This is France's second most visited village, after Mont Saint-Michel. It's supposedly one of the most beautiful villages in Provence, and many famous artists, painters, writers and poets were inspired by its beauty, quality of life and exceptional light. Some, like Picasso and Braque, took up residence here and Marc Chagall is buried in the town cemetery. I would have really enjoyed this village if it weren't a tourist trap but it is. Next time, I need to go back early in the morning before everyone else arrives. The best part besides getting a hot chocolate and banana crepe was grabbing a cold drink at an outdoor café at the base of the village and watching the locals play petanque on the clay courts.

BASTILLE DAY
I was fortunate enough to spend Bastille Day (France's Independence Day, July 14) in Cannes. I will write about Cannes in detail when I go back there later this summer but if you plan to visit before August 24, be sure not to miss the Festival D'Art Pyrotechnique. It's Cannes' weekly fireworks competition, which takes place every summer off La Croisette. Every Saturday from now until August 24, this competition will feature the works of some of the world's best pyro-technicians. The show begins at 10 pm and there's no admission fee. I recommend eating on the beach. I ate at the Plage Du Festival (reservations are a must) and dinner cost 65 euros for a prix fixe menu including appetizer, entree and dessert. Sitting at the table next to us were the judges of the competition and this illustrious group was comprised of famous French actors and artists. July 14 was the official kickoff of the show and was produced by a Canadian company. In my opinion, they were the best fireworks I'd ever seen and my American friends agreed. But I got talking to one of the judges who said that this was one of the worst shows and that they were actually embarrassed! I was totally shocked. If that was the worst fireworks show, I can't imagine what the best is like. For more info log to Festival-Pyrotechnique-Cannes.com.

WORTH MENTIONING
I didn't have time to go into Club Med's conference center, but a lot of companies host their corporate meetings here. Rooms don't have irons but they do have them in the washing room where machines are available for a fee. If you don't want to do your own laundry, then you can pay to have it done. The Orange Network, found throughout France, provides wireless Internet for reasonable rates. What's cool is that you can just buy a certain amount of time, log on and off when you wish and it's good for 30 days. 1 hour costs 4.50 euros, 3 hours for 10 euros, 10 hours for 15 euros and 30 hours for 50 euros.

OVERALL
I really had a great trip to Club Med Opio and Provence. As usual, there's so much to do and not enough time. What I liked the most about this Club Med were the rich culture and stunning surroundings. The staff wasn't as friendly as they were at the Club Med Cancun and if you want a drink, you have to go to the bar ... they don't come to you. But then again, this is France. No offense but the French aren't exactly known for being overly warm but they are cordial. You can't beat the setting. I could never get sick of the spectacular views and the refreshing fragrance of jasmine and lavender in the air. Rates per person for 7 nights (land only) begin at $1,068 USD. When you factor in the cost of food, activities and rooms, it's a great deal. Club Med Opio, Domaine de la Tour, Telephone: (33) 4 93 09 71 00.

VIDEO
Here's a short Johnny Jet video of my trip to Club Med Opio. It's also on YouTube, so it only takes a few seconds to load (though the quality is not as crisp). We also have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on their servers.

NEXT WEEK
Next week we jump on a new European low-fare carrier and travel to one of the world's best-loved countries. Plus, we’ll pay a visit to my grandparents' homeland. Ciao!

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Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet

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All information presented here is accurate at the time of publication but prices, dates and other details are all subject to change. Please confirm all information before making any travel arrangements.

Note: This trip was sponsored by Club Med.



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