Montpellier: A Sunny Gem in Southern France

In mid-April, we took a two-week transatlantic cruise from Port Everglades, Florida, to Barcelona, Spain. Since we'd already explored Barcelona on a previous trip—and hotel prices were especially high—we decided to skip the city and head straight to southern France by bus.

We'd always wanted to visit Provence, so this was the perfect opportunity to explore its charming villages, medieval architecture, and beautiful countryside. Our cruise had ended, but a new adventure was just beginning.

Our first stop was Montpellier, a city we'd never even heard of before planning this trip. It turned out to be a wonderful surprise! Montpellier is a vibrant university town and home to the oldest medical school in France. Who knew?

The medieval-looking medical school

We found the people to be especially friendly. My husband, who studied French from first grade, was a bit rusty after not speaking it for years. As we puzzled over Montpellier's tram routes, a kind local came over and pointed us in the right direction.

Colorful trams

One of Montpellier's top attractions is the Jardin des Plantes, the city's botanical garden. We took the tram there, only to discover it didn't open until noon. While waiting, we wandered around and stumbled upon the University of Montpellier's Faculty of Medicine.

Narrow, winding streets led us to Place de la Canourgue, where we stopped for coffee.  

coffee break at a cafe in Place de la Canourgue

From there, we walked to the Arc de Triomphe. A flea market had been in full swing earlier that morning and was just packing up as we arrived.

Arc de Triomphe

Aqueduc Saint-Clément

The aqueduct—an engineering marvel that continues to amaze us.

Promenade du Peyrou

Place de la Comédie, Montpellier's main square, was quiet when we arrived. Since it was Sunday, most shops were closed, though the restaurants were open. Later in the day, the square came alive as a group gathered to dance to lively Latin music.

Place de la Comédie

Les Halles Laissac, a covered market filled with local food vendors, was open, so we stopped in to pick up a few snacks. One surprise was meeting a young woman selling nuts and dried fruit who spoke Chinese!

Chatted with this young lady in Chinese

Outside, we admired some interesting architecture, including a colorful mural on the building across the street.

We strolled along the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle and enjoyed a crêpe from one of the many vendors along the promenade.

Yummy crepe

Pretty pigeon house.

We ended the day where we started—the garden. We loved Montpellier and would happily return for a longer stay. Stay tuned—Avignon is next!

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Transatlantic cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida to Barcelona, Spain

In late April, we set sail on a two-week transatlantic cruise aboard the MSC Grandiosa, sailing from Port Everglades, Florida, to Barcelona, Spain. Along the way, we stopped at Miami, St. Maarten, and Funchal on the beautiful island of Madeira before crossing the Atlantic to Europe.

MSC Grandiosa

 sunset at St Maarten

This was our first time crossing the Atlantic by sea and our first cruise with MSC. We didn't know it at the time, but apparently this is one of the biggest ships when it launched in 2019. It can accommodate a maximum of 6,334 guests, although we heard there were only about 4,000 passengers on this sailing. The elegant atrium hosted live musicians throughout the day, while the spectacular LED dome ceiling stretching over the indoor promenade made it the ship's hub of activity. Lined with restaurants, bars, cafés, and boutiques, the promenade was a lively place to stroll at any time of day.

We splurged on a balcony cabin, which was perfect for enjoying the fresh air and endless ocean views. The only downside was the constant salt spray, which meant wiping down the chairs and railing before relaxing outside.

We crossed the Strait of Gibraltar at night. Aside from the lights along the shoreline, there wasn't much to see, but it was still exciting knowing we were sailing between Europe and Africa.

our cabin and balcony view of Funchal

MSC has Italian roots, and often times we had trouble understanding the captain and other announcements over the PA. Check-in was slow, and disembarking in Barcelona was even slower. 

On the plus side, the buffet was excellent, featuring Mediterranean dishes and an impressive selection of fresh tropical fruits, including kiwi, papaya, mango, pineapple, watermelon, guava, and even dragon fruit.

Excellent Pizza!

papaya, fig, dragon fruit

Delicious prime rib

The dining room meals were hit or miss, although the service was consistently impeccable. We chose the early 5:30 p.m. seating, which suited our schedule but often meant missing the sunset and the chance to watch the ship sail away from the ports we had just explored.

Since we'd explored Miami extensively by boat years ago, we decided to stay on the ship rather than head into the city. With most passengers ashore, we planned to relax by the pool and hot tub, only to find the entire area closed for cleaning and maintenance. So much for a quiet pool day!

This was our second visit to St. Maarten, and its beautiful beaches were just as stunning as we remembered.

Madeira was the biggest surprise of the trip. We had no idea how large and beautiful the island was. Funchal's colorful murals adorned the narrow cobblestone streets and alleyways, giving every corner of the city its own unique character.

Colorful murals lined Funchal's narrow cobblestone streets.

Interesting fruit

Perched high above Funchal is the Church of Our Lady of Monte, one of Madeira's most famous landmarks. We took the cable car to the top, enjoying spectacular views of the city along the way.

See the MSC Grandiosa?

Church of Our Lady of Monte

inside the church

The entertainment was a mixed bag. The dance performances were outstanding, while the singing was only average. The Flamenco show and the sand art performance were definite standouts. After the first few days, reservations were required for the theater shows, which caused some confusion among guests. 

Unlike many cruise ships, the MSC Grandiosa has limited open deck space beyond the pools and hot tubs, which were almost always packed. Since we're from Florida, we didn’t mind skipping the sun. Instead, we walked laps around the ship each morning, joined a few Zumba sessions and dance lessons, and I also enjoyed playing ping pong with some very talented players - until my back decided it had had enough, forcing me to quit. ☹️

One of the highlights of the cruise was meeting so many wonderful people of all ages. It was a small-world experience—we met people who lived in the same community as a friend of ours and another who grew up in our old neighborhood. Looking at you, Misty and Christine! 😊

Another fun story came from the ping pong table. One gentleman told us he had met another player on a previous cruise, and by pure coincidence, they both ended up on this sailing without planning it. What a small world!

After six consecutive days at sea with no land in sight, we were more than ready to get off the ship. That says a lot coming from someone who lived on a boat for 25 years!

Have you ever taken a transatlantic cruise? We'd love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Some related links:
Foods of Portugal
Barcelona Reflections
Smelling the roses in Miami
Top 5 things to do in Miami
How to avoid gaining weight while on a cruise

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Tour of Monet's House and Garden in Giverny, France

I’m so grateful we visited France in early May. It’s hard to imagine navigating the massive crowds and long lines at the country's most popular attractions in the intense heat Paris has been enduring this week.

Summer heat in Florida is expected, but temperatures nearing 100°F are far more unusual in France, where air conditioning is not nearly as common there—only about one in four homes is equipped with it—making extreme heat much more challenging.

The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre even closed early for three straight days because of the extreme temperatures. Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate that we were able to experience France in the beauty and comfort of spring.

The Louvre

the closest we got to Eiffel Tower (as seen from Galeries Lafayette)

The Galeries Lafayette Dome. The crowd was unbelievable!

Coffee break at the historic Samaritaine department store

Watching the world go by at Tuileries Garden  

Savoring Angelina's famous Mont Blanc pastries.

Thank goodness the lines to Notre Dame moved quickly!

beautiful Notre Dame

lighting a candle

We began our trip in southern France, exploring the charming cities of Montpellier, Avignon, and Grenoble—each deserving its own blog post. Cold, rainy weather canceled both a tour and a train, but Plan B worked out rather well thanks to France's efficient transportation system. We refused to let the weather dampen our spirits. 😊

By mid-May, we arrived in Paris, where the weather remained cool, gray, and unpredictable. Since our main goal was to spend time with our cousins who live nearby, we weren't in a rush to check off tourist attractions.

stairway to Le Train Bleu, the legendary restaurant at Gare de Lyon

When they suggested a day trip to Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, about 90 minutes northwest of Paris, I was all in. I'd wanted to visit on our previous trip. Assuming the gloomy weather would keep the crowds away, we skipped buying tickets in advance—a decision we quickly regretted.

We arrived 15 minutes before the ticket booth opened and found ourselves at the end of a very long line. As the wait stretched on, our patience wore thin, and more than once we considered giving up. Thankfully, our cousins persuaded us to stick it out—we had come all that way, after all.

This was one third of the line, and it moved at snail pace

Irises

Poppies

Three hours later, we finally reached the ticket window. 

The entrance to the ticket booth, after lining up for 3 hours!

Just as we stepped into Monet's gardens, it started to rain—hard. We, along with hundreds of other visitors, made a mad dash back to the gift shop for shelter. Thankfully, it was spacious enough to accommodate the crowd. Browsing the beautiful books, art prints, and unique souvenirs kept us happily occupied until the rain finally let up.

About thirty minutes later, the rain eased, and the sun actually appeared. Almost instantly, the gardens seemed to come alive with color. The flowers glistened with raindrops, and the fresh scent of spring filled the air. 

Iris

Peonies

Monet's house

Geraniums

looking at the garden from the house

Strolling through the gardens, it was easy to understand how this peaceful setting inspired so many of Claude Monet's most celebrated paintings. Vibrant flower beds, winding paths, and the iconic Japanese bridge arching over the water lily pond made us feel as though we had stepped into one of his masterpieces.

Monet created more than 250 Water Lilies paintings inspired by the ponds and gardens surrounding his home. Despite the three-hour wait and the crowds, stepping into the landscape that inspired those masterpieces was truly magical.

Would you have waited three hours to experience Monet's gardens?

If you'd like to learn more about Monet's home and gardens, here are some interesting articles:

The Last Living Monet

5 Fascinating Facts about Monet's Water Lilies

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