Europe 2026 Part III (France and Italy)
Still full of the Megavalanche vibe from the day before, we started our descent through the Alps and the lovely French countryside. The vegetation gradually changed from the mosses and lichens on the barren rocks of the high mountains, to the lush green deciduous trees in the valleys, all the way to the Mediterranean olive trees and cypress of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. We stopped a few times on the way to take pictures and buy fresh fruits and vegetables from the impromptu roadside markets. We aimed for yet another famous lake and valley in a place called Verdon Gorge. Rarely have I seen this shade of emerald-green in the water, apparently caused by a combination of microscopic algae, minerals in the water and limestone in the riverbed. I wanted us to rent a boat and row on the river, just as many other people were doing, but the weather was simply unbearably hot. When we eventually reached the sea at Cap d'Antibes, it was already getting dark. Our apartment was right above ...
