Auberge des Baous

We chose to stay at the Auberge des Baous so that our son, who is studying A level French, could be immersed in the language for a few days. And our choice did not disappoint us.

From the moment we arrived, Benoit and Corinne did everything possible to make us feel at home and to ensure that we had an enjoyable stay. Delicious and innovative meals, together with homemade titbits and aperitifs prepared by Corinne, gave us the chance to relax and chat (in French) to the other guests. Benoit’s enthusiasm for the village where he grew up, and for the surrounding countryside, shone through in all the places we visited together.

Their relaxed and friendly style made us feel more like old friends rather than paying guests. They were patient while we struggled to remember our vocabulary and grammar, correcting us politely and with good humour, and took the trouble to make sure we understood what was being said in reply!

Our early morning flight got us to Nice airport by 9.30am. Benoit picked us up and, after a welcome cup of coffee and some delicious home-made biscuits, we were ready for our tour of St Jeannet. We then hit the trail up to the top of the Baou where there were beautiful views over the valley towards Nice and the sea. Our hard work was rewarded with a leisurely picnic of delicious cheeses, rillettes and ham, washed down with a bottle of the local wine. By this time, our early start had caught up with us and we headed back to the Auberge for a little snooze before it was time for dinner.

The second day Benoit had arranged a trek into the hills in the Mercantour National Park. It was hard work but the stunning views and delicious picnic in the warm spring sunshine made it all worth while.

Our third day was spent driving along the Gorges du Loup, visiting a couple of the “villages perchées”, then up onto the Plateau de Caussols. A visit to a maker of essential oils and a hand-made sweet factory gave us an idea of the many types of small-scale industry which operate in the area.

Armed with tourist information and recommendations of what else to see, we spent a couple of extra days on our own, returning in the evening to sample more of Corinne’s cuisine … and to practice more French!

The whole trip was well worth-while, giving us a chance to immerse ourselves completely in French life for a few days. It was a pity it could not have been longer!