It was just the right anti-dote to a good 15 days of hard work — when along with being invited as jury member at the Cannes Advertising Awards — Roshan Abbas and his wife Shaheen took in the sights at the South of France. And it was everything they thought it would be. “You look at a postcard and here we were living in one!” he recalls.
Cannes calling
The bustling beach-side city of Cannes was the first stop. “The folk here go off for the summer and give out their
villas on rent. We found a beautiful place, a nice change to the hotels we normally frequent,” says Shaheen. While he had his conferences in the day, evenings were more leisurely. “Almost all of Cannes parties at night and the city completely lights up, it’s lovely,” adds Roshan.
Next stop: St Tropez
They made a day trip to St Tropez. “And we kicked ourselves for doing so,” admits Roshan. “I wish we spent more time here. It was like walking into an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and
Famous.” Shaheen agrees. “The sheer indulgence hits you — there are lovely eateries, luxe yachts along the quay, artists in residence and more. We dined at several places. What’s really nice is that no one gives you any sales spiel in the shops. There’s an unhurriedness to life here — it goes at its own pace,” she states.
What’s nice about Nice
The capital of the Riviera had them savour several things. “First, the beach,” says Shaheen. “The coastline’s gorgeous and you can watch time slip by as you sip on a juice by the beach.” Apart from the art deco facades, they loved their visit to the Cours Saleya Flower Market. “It had everything from flowers, art
and antiques to spices and perfumes. I picked up a few Moroccan spices for the tabbouleh that I make back home,” says Roshan. They then made a day trip to Eze, a hilly medieval village on the Cote D’Azur. “With its cobblestone alleys and pathways, it was like Eze was hewn into the cliff side. We walked to the top and got clicking.” They also drove around Monte Carlo for a day.
A trip back to Southern France is certainly on the cards. “You really get to appreciate the finer things in life. It’s a small dream to buy a yacht here,” ends Roshan.
