Bonjour friends! I thought I’d take a break today from the travel posts and share a quick summery drink recipe with you and an update on where things are at on my European adventure! While I won’t be enjoying summer on my patio this year, I do have a lot of fun things in store and you can sip of this delicious Refreshing Citrus Sangria while reading all about my travel adventures!
I’m very sad to say that this is my last week in the French Riviera. We arrived back in September and instantly fell more in love with this area. After 2 months away during December and January we decided to come back for 2 months in March and April and then finally enjoying the month of May here as well. It is really bittersweet to leave because we feel like Villefranche-sur-Mer has a little place in our heart and we are vowing to return someday. We’ve met quite a few of the locals throughout our stay, have gotten to know a lot of the dogs fairly well and will miss our morning strolls along the water. It’s always hard to say goodbye so I’m just going to say, ‘Until next time….’
We have a very busy couple of months ahead of us with some things we had been holding out on until the summer months. Our next stop will be a few nights in the beautiful Loire Valley region to visit some amazing castles, beautiful gardens and of course, wineries. From there we will be heading to Omaha Beach for the 75th anniversary of D-Day and then off to see the Palace of Versailles. And then, something I’ve been waiting 9 months for, we will finally make it to Paris.
This will be my third time visiting Paris and while there are many mixed opinions on this city I can’t resist the beauty of the city and amazing history. I’m looking forward to picnics by the Eiffel Tower, saying ‘hello’ to the Mona Lisa and shopping along the Champs-Élysées. Following our staying Paris we will be heading to Épernay for a couple of nights to visit some of the beautiful champagne houses that call this city home. Visiting the champagne region was another one of the things that I really want to do on our adventure and I’m excited to finally make it to that area and will certainly be sharing more with you soon.
After all of this jumping around we will be settling in for one-month in the town of Colmar. Colmar is along the German border so there is a lot of German influence here, down to the adorable architecture. Colmar is located in the Alsace region of France which was the inspiration for Beauty and the Beast! I full intend to visit the 2 villages to see for myself! We will be staying here for 1 month, which will be a nice way to slow our pace a bit before completing the final leg of our adventure.
Whew, I feel like I need a glass of sangria after sharing all of that! I hope that you enjoy the start of your summer as I enjoy the start of mine! Cheers!
- 1 large naval orange, sliced
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 2 limes, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup citrus vodka
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 2 bottles of dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay)
- Combine all ingredients in a larger pitcher and give a good stir.
- Refrigerate sangria for 4 hours before serving.
- Pour sangria into glasses over ice and garnish with additional mint or citrus peels if desired.
Look at that blue water! The French riviera is high on my list of places to go. Thanks for the cocktail recipe. As soon as the weather here in The Netherlands starts feeling like summer I’ll have to make it.
You will love the Loire valley. I hiked through the Loire valley a few years ago, 50 KM from Tours to Chenonceaux with a two day stopover in Amboise. Everywhere you look were vineyards, cute little country houses and, of course, the river. I couldn’t enjoy the wine aspect of it because it was so hot and dry that drinking alcohol would have been dangerous so hopefully I can return for a road trip some time!
Colmar is also one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to. I went around Christmas time and it was pure magic. My boyfriend and I combined Aslace with the Mosel and Saar regions in Germany as part of a road trip. You can also find some excellent reds in the area around Baden Baden and the Black Forest as well as some adorable little villages.
Again, thanks for the recipe and happy travels!
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I’ll have to look into Mosel and Saar!