When my daughter asked me to join her in the South of France, I was thrilled at the opportunity for a girls’ trip to the beautiful European coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. Since she had already traveled extensively in Europe and attended school for a year in Switzerland, I let her take the lead on planning our adventure. I could already smell the croissants.

With a little input from my husband, we decided that staying in one spot and taking a train to a new destination each day would be the simplest way to visit our desired cities without having to transport luggage every few days.

We settled on Maison Azure, a 17th-century home converted into an Airbnb, nestled in the hillside village of Cagnes-sur-Mer. We were excited to stay in a lovely and expansive (yet affordable) authentic French home.

We prepared our outfits for the Côte d’Azur region and packed our suitcases in the days leading up to our departure, convinced we had remembered everything we could need for our ten-day vacation.

Chloe had booked a croissant-making class in Antibes, a ferry to Saint-Marguerite Island from Cannes, and a dinner reservation in Nice.

We were on our way to having the mother/ daughter trip of a lifetime!

And then…we weren’t.

Upon arrival at our local airport, we learned our flight had been delayed, then delayed again, and then cancelled. Disappointment set in as the earliest flight out would be the next day. Our plans were going awry.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

I called my husband, who headed back to the airport, picked us up, and took us home. To say we were deflated was an understatement. Our croissant-making class was not going to happen, and it was becoming clear that flying into Nice wasn’t happening either.

We had to pivot. Paris then became our destination, and the South of France would have to wait another day!

Our Pivot to Paris

I was hopeful we would get some sleep as we boarded our red-eye flight from Charlotte to Paris. My hopes diminished as I realized we were seated right next to the bathroom. I knew a huge airplane loaded with people meant multiple potty breaks, slamming bathroom doors, and little shut-eye.

Even with earplugs, my oh-so-close-to-being-asleep moments were continually interrupted by the loud suction flush of the airplane toilet.

Oh Lord, I prayed. Even if we don’t sleep tonight, please give us a great day in Paris tomorrow.

We arrived in the city of lights on two hours of sleep, and I determined I would never take a red-eye flight again.

But God can give strength and joy when we need it most, and that’s what He did.

Paris was lovely, and we enjoyed the grounds of the Luxembourg Gardens after lunch at a charming Parisian café. A catnap at our hotel was necessary before heading to see the Eiffel Tower, taking 500 pictures, then boarding a boat tour on the Seine River.

Back in our room that night, we collapsed on the bed, and Chloe received more exasperating news on her phone. Our flight from Paris to Nice the next morning had been cancelled. Because I was beyond exhausted and not the best travel assistant, she called her dad the expert planner, and I fell fast asleep.

I shot up when the alarm went off at 5:30 am and asked my tour guide daughter what we were doing. She groggily said that Dad had bought us train tickets from Paris to Lyon, then to Marseilles, and finally to Nice. We had another full day of travel ahead, so we threw our clothes on, grabbed an Uber outside of our hotel, and headed to the train station.

Finding Our Way to the French Riviera

The espresso and pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) on our train never tasted so good!

We were happy to be heading south and hopeful we were getting back on track with our original travel plans, although we had lost a couple of days on the coast of France.

Smoothly, we sailed through the countryside, switching trains in Lyon and feeling the temperatures rise as the day went on. We finally realized the AC was not working on this 4-hour train ride to Marseille, and discomfort set in. Thankfully, we each had rechargeable handheld fans, and this was the time to use them!

Maison Azure

We arrived in Nice around 8 pm that night and took an Uber to our Airbnb. We rolled our suitcases up and down the cobblestone streets to Maison Azure, a stone building with bright blue shutters. Upon entering, it was a little damp and musty, and once again, no AC.

But we knew this! Many homes in Europe do not have air conditioning, and we resolved that this was part of our journey. A little discomfort, but a ton of wonderful new experiences and memories would be made!

Delayed One More Day

I went to bed feeling a sore throat coming on, but praying I was wrong. With little sleep and treacherous travel days, it’s no wonder I woke up on July 4^th sick.

Ugh. Lord, why is this trip not going as planned? Please heal me quickly so I can enjoy this precious time with my daughter and see your beautiful creation. You’ve given us this opportunity. Please bless and multiply the time that has been lost.

I continued to ponder the verse, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

I slept most of the day while Chloe explored our little village, bought groceries, and went to the pharmacy to purchase something to help my throat.  During our trip, I was grateful for my daughter’s willing attitude to do anything necessary in the moment.

My Moms in Prayer warriors and bible study ladies were praying for healing, and by the next morning, I was ready to get out and see some sights.

Calamities and Côte d’ Azure

Our first day trip was to Nice, a quick 15-minute train ride from our little town. We shopped, ate, and explored the lovely seaside city, marveling at the architecture and chic vibe of the many cafes and restaurants lining the streets. We had a delicious dinner on the beach at Bocca Mar and headed home to steamy but charming, Maison Azure.

We couldn’t seem to get the warm water to work in the shower, but that was fine because after a day of dripping sweat, you wanted a cold shower anyway. What you don’t want is what happened next.

As Chloe turned on the shower, the shower head flew off and cracked from the high water pressure, soaking her while still fully clothed in her sundress. This ultimately required a visit from the nearby real estate agent to fix the problem the next morning.

C’est la vie. We had to laugh. Nothing was going smoothly on our trip except the gliding train through the French countryside, and even that was hot and sweaty!

We continued to pray for God’s favor to be upon us and good health to remain as we made the most of our last four days together.

Faithfully, He answered. We visited Antibes, a resort town with glorious views, luxury yachts, and shops lining cobblestone streets. Longing for air conditioning, we made our way to the Picasso Museum to take a break from the heat and view the Spanish artist’s sculptures and paintings.

The following days included a trip to Cannes and a ferry ride to St. Marguerite Island, to visit Fort Royal, where the Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned. It was fascinating! We walked across the island and swam in the Mediterranean Sea along a rugged, rocky beach. This was a special and memorable day for us.

The crowds were increasing the last two days, and we boarded standing-room only trains for our next adventures.

Monaco, a sovereign microstate between France and Italy, was exquisite with Prince Ranier’s extensive car collection, the Monte Carlo Casino, and hillside villas with impeccable views of the Mediterranean.

We wrapped up our trip with a visit to the mountain village of Eze, sitting 1,400 feet above sea level, with a stunning panorama of the coast and the Jardin Exotique d’Eze, a garden collection of cacti and succulents.

We took a million pictures.

Reality hit as our mother/daughter tour de France was coming to an end. We enjoyed time on the lovely terrace of our villa, before heading inside to pack up our suitcases, take inventory of our souvenirs, and get ready for bed.

I headed downstairs to turn off the lights and rinse a few dishes before turning in for the night. Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

As I turned the water on in the kitchen sink, the whole faucet flew off and a huge hydrant of water cascaded up with power like Niagara Falls. I screamed in utter disbelief at what was happening. (I’m not embarrassed to say that I’m ill-equipped to handle such a moment without my husband there to help.)

Chloe ran downstairs as the water poured forth, drenching us and the kitchen. She managed to get the faucet back on the gushing water, and I held it down while she called our host and turned off the main water outside the gate of our villa.

It was 10:30 pm, as we searched for towels to sop up the mess before the water ruined the Persian rugs and beautiful dining table and chairs. This final catastrophe, the night before leaving, had us soaked and stressed. What a way to wrap up our girls’ adventure to the French Riviera.

Au Revoir

We were ready to say au revoir to Maison Azure, but not to each other.

We woke the next morning, packed up our last-minute belongings, and rolled our suitcases down the cobblestone streets. While enjoying double espressos and almond croissants, we laughed at the erratic nature of our trip together.

I squeezed my girl tightly as we said goodbye and parted ways so she could stay longer to travel. We had made our plans, but the Lord mapped out something entirely unexpected and unpredictable, forging memories in France we will never forget.