Sue Aitken is a bit of an expert on the Provence region of France, having travelled extensively in the region over a number of years.She fell in love with Provence many years ago when she was spending a year abroad as part of her French degree. A friend invited her to join her on a visit to her brother's house in Sanary sur Mer and she was absolutely blown away by the colours and vibrancy of this small fishing port and the surrounding scenery. She returned to Sanary some time later when she was looking to buy a flat in the area – and was delighted that nothing much had changed in the intervening years. She recently set up an online shop www.boutiqueprovencale.co.uk where she features a range of products from the region, sourced from small suppliers who are passionate about what they do.
This picturesque fishing port is often overlooked by visitors to this part of Provence, but to my mind it's got far more character and is much more authentic than its more glamorous and better-known neightbour Bandol. The best time to visit Sanary is in May, June or September as it gets very busy with visiting Parisians during July and August.There are a number of beaches in the vicinity - either to the west below the road to Bandol or alternatively to the east along the road to neighbouring Six Fours.
It's simply brimming with good restaurants...Un Coin de Table on rue Siat Marcellin has quite a creative menu - kind of "French Fusion" cuisine. And around the corner, Le Cauri on rue Laget serves really tasty dishes from Africa - they do a great couscous. For delicious fish and seafood, you can't get much better than the restaurant at Hotel de la Tour, plonk on the port and a wonderfully atmospheric place for dinner. My favourite spot for people-watching is the terrace at Bar du Sport - excellent rose and delicious olives!
Sanary is wonderful for shopping - there's a variety of boutiques selling just about everything. By far my favourite is la Fee Follette on boulevard Estienne d'Orves, just across the road from the daily food market. Mathilde Chetrit, a talented artist, sells a wide range of unusual items - bags, jewellery, clothes and home accessories. She also takes commissions on mosaic items such as mirrors and tables.
Sue Aitken is the owner of Boutique Provencale which offers French Gifts and French Home Accessories.
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