Holiday Road

So, my holiday to the South of France. What follows is a fairly short review, with only photos that are either interesting for vintage folks due to either outfits, or amusement factor.... so, if you care to, read on!

This holiday was with five of the best gals a lady could hope to know. I'd never actually been on holiday with friends before, ever. Most of the people I know have been on various girls' or lads' holidays, but I've only ever been away with family or partners. Actually, I tell a lie, I have met up with friends on holiday before, but never have I been holed up in a house with a group of friends. It could have gone horribly wrong... but in fact it was utterly perfect in every way. Amazing food, good wine, a roaring fire, long sleeps and hours and hours of side-splitting laughter made it a trip I will never forget, and just the thing to chase away the last vestiges of the black cloud that's been looming over me since last spring. About bloody time and all!

The five friends were the founding Mafia members, Lisa, Jeni, Bethan, Gemma and Naomi, whose wonderful mum owns the house in which we stayed. We had hoped for some warm spring days, much lazing, some culture (as well as all of the above), and we had an almost perfect record. The first day was mild, if cloudy; and we put on our summery clothing and wandered down to the tiny village of Valbonne, where we caused a huge stir with the locals! Perhaps because instead of being pleased to be on hols, we looked like this?

We found Jeni's lighter with its 'wah' face very amusing...

The weather from then on, sadly, was not so obliging. On the next day, we got ourselves all the way from the office de tourisme in Valbonne, to Cannes on the bus, and spent the day there. I think the tragic events in Japan had a knock-on effect on weather around the world because the winds in Cannes were absolutely insane. Jeni took a picture of me (on her blog) trying in vain the shelter by a tree, as the wind did its utmost to inflate my Revamp vintage trousers (which were of sail-like proportions, let's be honest) and try and blow me away. After a quick turn around a museum, we sheltered in a hotel bar and filled our faces with Nutella-covered waffles instead.

 More amusing things above. We're so mature.

And then it started to rain. Torrentially. A day was spent doing not a lot apart from reading and relaxing. While Jeni and I got hooked on an iPhone game called Sally's Spa, everyone buried themselves in books whilst wearing leisurewear (more on this later). And thus, the Vintage Booky Club was born. But girls can't stay indoors all day when so close to such wonderful medieval towns, so after watching the film Perfume the third night, we then took a trip to nearby Grasse, where we visited the rather smashing perfume museum. Here are some of my favourites...

I especially love the Schiaparelli Snuff' perfume bottle shaped like a pipe...

and the girls' lovely catalogue pose.

Sadly, lovely Gemma had to go home before the rest of us, so she missed the rest of the fun. We did try really hard to have no fun at all without her, but it proved too hard! We got rained in on one more day, but we spent the only truly beautiful, sunny day undertaking a secret project, which will be unveiled on here and the VM network of blogs soon...then we spent the next couple of days inpersonating elderly Russian babushkas to protect our 'dos from the drizzle, visiting the Renoir museum in nearby Cagnes sur Mer, explored the medieval hilltop fort; and then, on our final day, we went back to Grasse to visit the other museums.

'Alll yours! Babooshka, babooshka...' etc.

 But on the last night we thought it would be really, really funny to put on our matching leisurewear (which we bought especially), and take some silly photos. It was hilarious, though I suspect you probably had to be there...

Matalan's finest cherry pop art jumpsuits could never want for a better advertisement...

And finally, when the wine, bread (baskets), babooshka scarves and jumpsuit intoxication became too much, it all went rapidly downhill.

Oh, dearie me. 

Au revoir until next time! ;)

Fleur xx
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