Back to the beach

My idea of a perfect day. Colette and Romy digging their toes and little fingers in the sand. Kicking up water. Lying on the blanket facing the sun directly. Reading The New Yorker that arrived this morning. Looking out at the coastal lighthouse and then at each other, "let's go find it." In slippers (because that is what we wear to the beach). Walking a mile. Wild fun. Trail markers and giant ant hills - à la Provence. Then 'The Ants Go Marching" bordering on obsessive play back. All together. Finding wonder, the Côte d'Azur, and each other all along the way. A slight March sunburn; definitely worth it.

Plage Sainte Croix on a February day

As soon as we caught our breath home from skiing, we got in the car and headed to the beach (not quite an hour away). It was warm enough to flirt with the hem of the water and both Colette and Romy eventually ended up soaked. They spent the day echoing each other's actions across the beach. We dug an enormous tunnel and bathed in sun that felt nothing like February as we've known it.

Wednesdays

Wednesdays in France are special for children. School days are short, or there is no school at all. So, we’ve decided to use Wednesday as an exploration day. Recently, we headed to the beach. To the Côte d’Azur - la Plage de Sainte-Croix, to be precise. Locals say it is the best beach close to Aix. We agree - at least off-season, anyway. Sweet little sandy inlet - lighthouse on one side and a seaside chapel on the other. The girls spent the day covered in sand and toying with the water, never completely wet (recent mistral had sucked the warmth out the water and made it icy). It was a day without a lot of struggle or negotiating - a rare treat for me as a parent with these two at their ages. Colette did get a little saucy as we were leaving the beach, refusing to separate herself from the sand - rolling around every few feet as we made our way back to the car: “I just want to cuddle with the sand. It is so warm and comfy. I can’t leave it.”