The day before New Year's Eve my host family and I packed up the car and drove to their apartment in Fréjus on the Côte d'Azur. There was no need for me to listen to my iPod to occupy myself on the three and a half hour drive because of the beautiful scenery that we passed. I'm used to small trips from my house in the suburbs of Minneapolis to my grandparents house 3 hours away in northern Minnesota but the scenery stays pretty much the same, on this roadtrip however, every hour we spent in the car the landscape would change, I had no idea such drastic differences in landscape could exist in such short distances. When we arrived in Fréjus my host family said "It's still there, it didn't move!" and it took me a while to realise they were talking about the sea! After we got to the apartment everyone unloaded the car, had a little snack and then we drove to Saint-Raphaël which is right next to Fréjus to walk along the coast.
On the coast of Saint-Raphaël with the mountians of Agay in the background.
The ocean! The rocks and dirt are all red because the area is around an ancient volcano.
More incredible scenery.
Agay.
My host family and Vidocq.
Maneuvering the rocks.
My host mom, Sarah and me.
Taking photos.
New Year's Eve we started our day with a trip to the bakery and then a walk along the beach.
Starting my seashell collection.
The port of Saint-Raphaël.
Every town in France is lit up with tons of lights for Christmas and since Saint-Raphaël is a tourist town, they went all out and put up a giant Santa.
Sarah and me walking on the boardwalk.
Near the boardwalk there was a Christmas market and at the end there was a sort of "Winter Wonderland" with a nativity scene, a polar bear, Santa's workshop, a yeti and a lot of Christmas trees with fake snow. I really like this photo because you've got palm trees and christmas trees right next to eachother.
The nativity scene.
Notre Dame de la Victoire in Saint-Raphaël.
My host mom, Sarah, Vidocq and me looking at the amazing desserts.
You would look too, wouldn't you?
Sarah and me getting dinner ready.
For New Year's Eve dinner we had salmon and ham with cheese, foie gras, bread with a salmon spread, coquilles St. Jacques, baguette, cheese and yogurt. The photo above is of my coquilles st. Jacques and rice.
That morning when we went to the bakery, we all picked out three little desserts to eat with dinner.
Here are the ones I chose; a mille-feuille, a hérisson (which in French means hedgehog) and a sort of raspberry tart.
Enjoying our meal and the TV.
After we had finished eating we waited until it was around eleven to walk to Saint-Raphaël to see a fireworks show.
Christmas palm tree.
Sailboat decoration on the John F Kennedy roundabout.
Sarah and me in front of the port. Can you spot Santa?
A few of the buildings next to the port had lights shining on them, with images that varied from everything from pictures of old buildings of Saint-Raphaël to colorful flowers.
Taking photos!
A close up of the huge Santa.
Santa's reflection.
Alex trying his luck at the casino.
Everyone watching the fireworks show.
Happy New Year!
After everyone counted down from 10 and we rang in the New Year, everyone cheered and then we did the bise and wished everyone meilleurs voeux, and bonne année et bonne santé, which translates to best wishes, and good year and good health.
New Year's day we went out to eat, walked on the beach and benifited from our last full day in Fréjus.
Le Jardin de l'Arena, the restaurant that we ate at.
The menu.
A donut, foie gras, mango and Caramel.
Lobster with fennel in a bisque sauce with sweet spices and coconut milk.
A filet mignon with some "forgotten vegetables" and truffles in a civet sauce.
Roquefort cheese in between spice cake and an endive salad with nuts.
Chocolate spring roll, pina colada pudding and an orange caramel cake.
After our two and a half hour meal we went to the apartment to digest and then went on a nice long walk on the beach and around town.
Happy 2012!
Touching the ocean.
