We began our long anticipated summer vacation with a trip to  the south of France, flying overnight from Beirut to Nice, via Paris. From Nice we rented a car and headed down the southern coast of France. Our first stop was a mountain village overlooking Cannes, Mougins. Take a tour of this lovely spot . . .[To see a larger version of any picture, simply double-click on the image]

We spent our first night at an Inn by the name of Les Muscadins, described by the guidebook as "the last word in rest and relaxation." They weren't exaggerating. After recovering from our travel weariness, we explored the city and then returned to dine on a meal that could only be made in Provence--risotto, salmon ravioli in lobster sauce, grilled chicken with vegetables, white rabbit meat with gnocchi, and the desert of champions, creme brulee.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Located on a mountain top, the Inn overlooks an outdoor restaurant across the road. In the distance are the mountains. To the right, obscured by the palm tree, is Cannes and the Cote d'Azur. We were a bit surprised to find palm trees at this elevation!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Walking up the hill from our hotel, here is a the entrance to Mougins, a picturesque city whose famous (and infamous) residents include chef Roger Verge, and the ex-Haitain dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier. This photo was taken around 2:00 in the afternoon where everyone takes a break, on the stoop of the house or in the local cafe.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Here is the town center, replete with fountain. The village winds around in a series of circular streets to the middle of the village, with each row of buildings serving as a rampart, protecting the center of the village. The road to the right leads to the commercial center of the town, a place filled with shops and sidewalk cafes.

This view, taken further down the street described above, shows the entryway to the local musem to the left, and the first of many sidewalk cafe/restaraunts that are interspersed with shops.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

As you wind toward the center of the village, the circular streets become primarily residential. The narrow, quiet streets are a study in architecture and landscaping, with a profusion of floral colors and no two sets of doors and windows quite the same. All in all, a postcard setting for the visitor!