Paris, Cannes and Grasse - a journey for Autumn
Travelling with a friend, we start in Paris, and end in Cannes. A 6-night cultural and olfactory journey for early autumn.
Itinerary At A Glance
6 night independent itinerary for Paris and Cannes, based on flying from Leeds, in September with a train journey between French locations
Highlights include a perfume-making course in Grasse with a visit to the flower garden of the International Perfume Museum, tour of Cannes with a screenwriter, picnic and snorkelling on the Lérins islands, and dinner at glamorous La Petite Maison overlooking the Bay of Cannes.
Based on a two friends travelling, with a focus on leisurely outdoor and cultural activities, interspersed with time to just relax and soak up the atmosphere
Why here?
Grasse is widely known as the world capital of perfumery, but its story begins with leather. In the 16th century, local tanners began scenting their goods to mask the strong smell of treated hides. This sparked a transformation: the hills around Grasse were soon planted with jasmine and roses, feeding the stills of the region’s earliest perfumers.
Today, Grasse remains a working centre of fragrance. Chanel still cultivates the rare Rose de Mai here for its iconic No. 5. Dior’s François Demachy established Les Fontaines Parfumées, a laboratory dedicated to scent innovation. And heritage houses like Galimard, Fragonard, and Molinard continue to produce perfumes using traditional methods.
Inspiration for my itinerary began with a hands-on perfume-making session in Grasse, guided by an expert. But rather than stay in the city, we’re basing ourselves in Cannes — a short drive away — to enjoy the chic energy of this cinematic town while dipping into the craft and culture of the region. Fate intervened with work commitments in Paris, so we tacked on a short trip to the capital and took the opportunity to try the double-decker TGV train between Paris and Cannes.
WHEN
September
We found it to be warm, pleasant, sunny.
LIGHT
Moderate daylight.
Sunrise: 06:56am - 07:27am
Sunset: 08:04pm - 07:09pm
12-13 hours of daylight
TRAVEL MEANS
Flight, Train, Car hire
Fly Leeds into Paris
Train Paris to Cannes
Car hire in Cannes
Fly Nice to Leeds
SCHEDULE
Day 1 - Paris
Fly in the afternoon, arrive and settle in
Dinner & Drinks: Brasserie Bellanger - a wonderful French Bistro
Day 2 - Paris
Exhibition: Azzedine Alaïa, Of Sculpted Silence
Dinner & Drinks: L’Aller Retour, Marais - traditional French bistro for steak frites
Day 3 - Travel to Cannes
Train journey: Depart Paris in the morning on a fast non-stop train to Cannes (roughly 5 hours)
Dinner: at home
Day 4 - Cannes
Lunch: took a long (slightly boozy!) lunch at Le Roof
Island afternoon: Took the water taxi to the Lérins island, Sainte-Marguerite. We walked the 7.4km coastal route, done in about 2h.
Alternative ideas: Get up early, pack a picnic and snorkelling gear, and head to Sainte Marguerite in the morning to also visit the Musée du Masque de Fer et du Fort Royal and snorkel the Underwater Ecomuseum by British sculptor, Jason deCaires Taylor. Have a picnic lunch in a well-chosen spot.
Dinner: at home
Day 5 - Cannes
City tour with a screenwriter: Booked this cinema-focused tour for a guided insight into how Cannes became such a juggernaut in the film industry.
Alternative ideas: Visit Le marché Forville (The Forville Market) to collect breakfast supplies and try a socca for sustenance.
Relax: spent the rest of the afternoon chilling out
Aperitif: Apéritif hours—l’heure de l’apéro—are usually 6pm to 8pm and a cherished part of the French day, not to mention an ideal pre-dinner ritual. The Dandy Club is my pick.
Dinner: at Aux Bons Enfants, relaxed bistro in its fourth generation of ownership - delightful. Advance booking essential (like many restaurants, note closed on a Sunday and Monday) and cash only.
Day 6 - Cannes & Grasse
Market-day Breakfast: Drove to Saint-Paul-de-Vence (50 mins driving, 28km) for a wander around
Day in Grasse for perfumery-making workshop: Drove to Grasse (40 mins driving, 22km) for a private Haute-Couture perfume creation workshop at Studio des Fragrances Galimard (2 hours, advance booking essential). FAN-FLIPPING-TASTIC. Worth every penny.
Alternative ideas: On the way back to Cannes, stop at Jardin du Musée International de la Parfumerie for a tour of the perfume gardens organised by olfactory note and current exhibition ‘Vibrations du vivant’ by glass artist, Antoine Pierini.
Dinner: Dressed up for a sunset dinner at LA PETITE MAISON, part of the legedary Palm Beach complex on La Croisette, hotspot for the glamour crowd since its construction in 1928, and with a panoramic view from Cap d'Antibes back to the Lérins Islands. Very, very glamourous.
Day 7 - Cannes, Travel home
Travel home: Fly from Nice back to Leeds
Ideas for another visit
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Maison Carla Rosa- boutique hotel in the style of a Californian villa split into luxurious apartments
Villa des Parfums - for a bigger groupes here
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IN OR NEAR CANNES
As an alternative to Sainte-Marguerite, visit Saint-Honorat, which has been inhabited by Cistercian Monks since the 5th century (410 CE). Walks, swimming and panoramic views are all on the agenda. Have a picnic lunch in a well-chosen spot. The monks have also produce liqueurs (La Lérina) olive oil and lavender. All for sale in the Lérins Abbey shop.
Book a Wine-And-Vine day with the monks on St Honarat, to learn about their wine production on the island (first Friday of each month only)
Rent a solar boat (no license necessary) for a morning or afternoon to visit the Bay of Cannes
Head out to The Estérel Massif (west of Cannes) for walking, mountain biking or trekking
Relax, swim, enjoy a picnic or do some kayaking at Lac de Saint-Cassien
IN PARIS
For a Friday in Paris, book a Guided Tour with Textile Tours of Paris. Led by a couture embroiderer around the haberdasheries of Paris, telling the fascinating story of how Paris became the capital of luxury textiles and fashion.
IN OR NEAR GRASSE
Two-part guided tour themed around one perfume flower, led by a gardener and a perfumer, at the Jardins du Musee International du Parfum (once per month between April and October, Saturdays at 10am)
Visit Grasse in May, for the annual ExpoRose Festival to celebrate the rich history of perfume and local floral agriculture. Roses garland the streets of Grasse creating a stage and inspiration for dance, theatre, music, exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, screenings, concerts and artistic performances at every street corner.
Course at Grasse Institute of Perfumery, to take the perfume-learning even further
Once-per-week guided visits at Domain de Manon, flower-growers and cultivators whose produce is exclusively destined for use in Christian Dior perfumes. Offered during the appropriate harvest season for each flower (rose in May, jasmine and tuberose in August, September and October)
Fragonard factory, for insight into the process of making both the raw materials and the perfumes
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Aperitifs at Le Roof, rooftop bar at 5 star hotel, Five Seas
Cabaret Dinner: at Medusa Cannes - built in the 1930’s, this cabaret restaurant was revived in 2018, offering dining and performance in one experience
Other French Inspirations
Alnmouth, Northumberland Coast - a weekend in late Summer
My travel journal for a short, late summer break in Alnmouth. Sand and castles.
Itinerary At A Glance
2 day independent itinerary for Alnmouth and surrounds, based on driving from Leeds, in early September
Highlights include morning beach walk, hike around Bamburgh Castle and fish lunch at The Potted Lobster
Based on a group travelling, with a focus on leisurely outdoor and cultural activities, interspersed with time to just relax and soak up the atmosphere
Why here?
Alnmouth caught my eye as a quiet corner of Northumberland — easy to reach from Yorkshire, yet far enough to feel like an escape. It’s known for its sweeping beaches and dramatic skies, but the cold North Sea keeps the crowds away, making it feel like a secret.
I’d heard about a standout fish restaurant in Bamburgh (The Potted Lobster), which tipped the balance in favour of this stretch of coast. The idea was set: build an itinerary around seasonal eating, coastal walking, and the kind of scenery that lingers.
Honest verdict
Does it live up to hype or expectations?
I would say it exceeded our expectations in every way. What a gorgeous weekend.
Firstly, the quality of the beaches is just outstanding. Wide, golden powdery sand, and quiet. They are such sterling examples, it’s hard to believe how quiet they are. We personally enjoy beaches for the views (rather than the swimming orthe sunbathing), and these beaches are made for walks and running, and took our breath away as we happened upon one during a coastal walk.
Secondly, there is so much preserved history here. The villages along the coast are out of the way of heavy traffic, so they benefit from not being a throughway to anywhere else - you have to be going there to stumble upon one of these villages. This remoteness has probably protected them from rampant overtouristing or modernisation. Alnmouth was like walking back in time; an idyllic little high street full of character and clearly recently rejuvenated to make the most of its historic charms for the modern traveller.
From start to finish, thoroughly recommended.
Does the itinerary work for the trip?
Absolutely.
2 nights in Alnmouth felt correct for us, perhaps up to 3 nights would work. The charms of this massive county are rather spread out, from the AONB coastline in the east, to Kielder Water and Dark Sky Park in the middle, to Hadrian’s Wall on the northern border, but this, in fact, makes it an ideal place for short 2-night trips to sample a little of Northumberland each and every time.
We travelled as a family group, and had just enough going on to give structure to the trip without overwhelming us. Perhaps better would have been to do a group activity on the Saturday afternoon, with dinner at The Potted Lobster rather than lunch.
Would I make another visit?
I would certainly visit Northumberland again, though would focus on another area.
WHEN
Early September
The start of the shoulder season. Best time for sunsets.
We experienced a hot tail to summer, with 27C sunny. Expect anything from hot to cool and rainy.
LIGHT
Moderate daylight
Sunrise: 06:12am
Sunset: 19:59pm
14 hours of daylight
TRAVEL MEANS
Car
Drive from Leeds takes about 2.5 hours
ACCOMMODATION
The Whittling House, Pub with Rooms
situated on a gorgeous little street running down to the beach
luxury and modern
well suited for a couple
slightly tricky parking
excellent on-site restaurant
a touch noisy due to it being a pub
SCHEDULE
Day 1 - Friday
Drive in the evening, arrive and settle in at The Whittling House, Alnmouth
Dinner: at the Whittling House
Day 2 - Saturday
Lunch: The Potted Lobster, Bamburgh. Top notch fish restaurant
Hike: Walking loop around Bamburgh Castle & town, 14km
Dinner: The Joiners Arms
Day 3 - Sunday
Morning beach walk: there is a gorgeous stretch of golden sandy beach right at the bottom of the high street in Alnmouth. Late summer sees a hazy and fresh start to the morning, perfect for a morning beach stroll
Drive home
Back-up plans for rainy days
Visit inside of Bamburgh Castle - still fully functioning and one of the most imposing castles on the British Isles
Other Short UK Itineraries
Stopover in Denver: a plan for 24 hours
My itinerary for a 24 hour stop in Denver.
Why stopover in Denver?
Denver is the principal city of Colorado state, between mountain ranges and prairie flatlands, known as the ‘Mile High’ city, and famed for its perpetually sunny climate. It’s roughly central if moving north to south in the USA, and about one third the ways in if moving west to east, so an ideal stop point for a road trip, or a schedule of flights.
Colorado’s varied topography and picturesque peaks and valleys makes it perfectly suited for outdoor pursuits regardless of the temperature; people come here to raft, fish, ski, mountain bike, horseride, run and hike year-round. That same topography makes for a marvellous road trip through the state if you aren’t the adventuring kind.
A stop off here promises craft beer
Itinerary At A Glance
1 day itinerary for Denver, Colorado in the central Southwest of the USA, packing in art, city tour and comedy show
WHEN
June, July, August or September
Pikes Peak Hill Climb is typically on annually in June, so coordinate a visit to be able to attend this event
ACCOMMODATION
The Westin, Denver International Airport
Since this is for a layover stop, avoid the hassle of driving into the city by staying close to the airport and use the airport train to travel into the city.
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
Clyfford Still, PH-1186, 1955
Courtesy of Clyfford Still Museum
Morning Scoot Tour: Book a 2 hr moped tour of the city. Alernatively, rent a scooter via the Lyft and Lime apps
Lunch: On Wednesday or Thursday, Civic Center Eats, rallys together the city’s food trucks and live music (spring through to autumn).
Art: Visit the Clyfford Still Art Museum - this artist bequeathed his work to any American city willing to house, display and care for it in its entirety. 20 American cities contended for the privilege; Denver won.
Wander: Confluence Park offers riverside walks
Dinner & Evening Comedy: Dinner on Larimer Square, for a view of the founding street of Denver and book a show at Comedy Works to round off the evening
Other Road Trip Itineraries
Turin and Monferrato, Piedmont - a twin-centre autumnal trip
An autumn itinerary with Arbarth factory tours, martinis, and day rides in the Monferrato hills.
Itinerary At A Glance
Twin-centre independent itinerary for Piedmont; 3 nights in Turin, 7 nights in the Monferrato Hills in Alessandria province.
Based on travelling in late summer or early autumn, flying in and out of Milan from Leeds with a hop in Amsterdam.
Highlights include a tour of the Abarth Factory, a cocktail experience at the home of Martini, indulging in the famed white truffle, staying in a high-spec design accommodation, day bike tours around the rolling green hills of the Monferrato, and an exciting gourmet experience at one of the regions many Michelin-starred restaurants.
Based on a couple travelling, with a focus on leisurely cultural activities and biking, interspersed with time to just relax and soak up the atmosphere.
Why here?
Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is in the north-western corner of Italy and both the Italian and French name for the region roughly translates as ‘foot of the mountain’ which is very apt, as the region’s physical background and border along its western edge, is the Alps.
Piedmont is known for its lakes, hills, rivers and its food: white truffle, gianduja, Gavi, Barolo, and Asti. It’s also well set up for independent cycling, with mapped routes for everything from road touring to proper downhill trail centres.
This itinerary started with a visit to the Fiat Lingotto Factory and the Abarth Works Museum in Turin (my boyfriend’s a serious petrolhead). Turin itself has a reputation for royalty, industry, and grand café culture. It was the first capital of unified Italy, home to the kings of Savoy, Fiat, and Juventus. We’re expecting a quietly confident city with boulevards, motorsport, and a splash of Martini — vermouth was invented here.
Rather than heading to the lakes, we’re staying rural in the Monferrato Hills near Casale Monferrato. The accommodation felt fresher, better value, and less over-touristed. This part of the trip is for relaxing and cycling through vineyard country.
WHEN
Early Autumn - either September or October.
A little unexpectedly, October is actually high season in the Monferrato-Langhe due to the harvest and the importance of gastrotourism to this area.
It is a relatively wet place all year round so I’ll be expecting mixed weather. Averages indicate that it is at its driest in the Winter.
TRAVEL MEANS
Flights into Turin are possible, though I found them much more expensive than flights into Milan, which is just a 2hr drive from Turin. Flight options are either of the below:
KLM, from Leeds into Milan, with a 2hr change in Amsterdam
Easyjet, from Manchester direct into Milan
I will hire a car for the entirety of the trip, and a bike for the second part of the trip in the Monferrato Hills
ACCOMMODATION
Turin
I found lots and lots of ‘oldy worldy’ accommodation in Turin, which isn’t really my bag, but something else I noticed in abundant availability were modern conversions of big old industrial spaces. These would be my pick in priority order:
Edit Lofts - this is a former Fiat factory made into funky loft apartments. They also have a restaurant on site recommended by the Michelin Green Travel Guide. Only downside is that it is a 40 minute walk from the centre
Funky loft space smack-bang in the centre
Modern, minimalist and space-maximising design loft a little outside of the historical centre
Monferrato Hills in Alessandria/Asti province
I found many many beautiful places to stay in this whole region, but once I found this Glass House in Terruggia, about 6km from the small historical river city of Casale Monferrato, I knew we had to stay here. The rest of my trip is designed around staying here
SCHEDULE
Turin - Day 1 to 3
Take a guided tour of the Abarth Factory Workshop
Visit the FCA Heritage Hub which opens soon in the Fiat Mirafiori industrial complex, with an exhibition of Fiat, Abarth, Lancia and Alfa Romeo
Go have a look around La Venaria Reale, one of Turin’s famous Savoy residences and one that stood out to me
Visit Castello di Rivoli contemporary art museum
Have coffee and cake at Caffe Mulassano - a grand and traditional cafe
Do as the locals do, with a pre-dinner aperitif and snack at La Drogheria in Piazza Vittorio square.
I’d book into any one of these restaurant recommendations from the Michelin Green Travel Guide
Take an an aperitivo ‘crawl’ in San Salvario - Enò | Via Galliari, 1, Affine | Via Belfiore, 16, Gorilla | Via Galliari, 20, Crumb | Piazza Madama Cristina, 2, Eria San Salvario | Via S. Pio V, 11, La Cuite | Via Baretti, 11
Take a 40 min drive outside the centre to get to know more about vermouth and Martini on this Ultimate Martini Experience at Casa Martini, the historical home of the well-known alcohol producer
Day 4 - driving between Turin & Casale Monferrato
About 75-100km (depending on the route), 1 hr 15 mins driving
Monferrato hills in Alessandria/Asti province - Day 4 to 10
The majority of our time will be spent on the bike, and the following routes and destinations strike my fancy:
Take this circular route from Casale Monferrato to Valenza, the famed City of Gold, which boasts the highest concentration of gold and artisan jewellery businesses in the country - I think we’ll pay a visit to the Museo del Gioello (jewellery museum) while we’re there too (65km route - an all day excursion. Start point is 25 min bike ride from Terruggia)
Take this route or this route for a tour around the Infernot Hills and a stop in Treville for a view of the Alps. (25km route - about 2-3 hours. Start point is 25 min bike ride from Terruggia)
Take this short multi-looping route in and around San Salvatore Monferrato (25km route - about 2-3 hours. Start point is 1 hour bike ride from Terruggia)
Cycle this loop in the lands of San Giovanni Bosco (62km route - an all day excursion)
Drive or bike out to Asti (4 hr bike ride round trip from Terruggia) just for a little wander around the city and a sip of the famous sparkling wine Asti Spumante
Cycle out to the walled medieval miniature city of Moncalvo (2.5 hr round trip from Terruggia) to walk the ramparts, visit the Marc Chagall paintings held in the Civic Museum of Moncalvo and have dinner at sunset
Drive or bike out to Montegrosso d’Asti (4-5 hour round trip from Terruggia)
For a wide variety of cycle routes across the whole of Piedmont that can be downloaded as GPX files, I found PiemontEscape to be superb
Book for dinner at Il Cavallo Scosso in Asti - a young and modern restaurant as recommended by the Michelin Green Guide
Faletto 1881 - a modern restaurant in a farmhouse-come-hotel-and-venue just outside of Casale Monferrato
Accademia Ristorante in Casale Monferrato - local and seasonal Piemontese cuisine, as recommended by the Michelin Green Guide
FOOD AND DRINK - SPECIALITIES & CUSTOMS
Piedmont is extraordinarily rich in food and drink both grown and invented here:
drinks wise, there is Barolo and Gavi wine, bicerin (a coffee mixed with cream), and vermouth.
pasta-wise, there is agnolotti, plin and tajerin.
cheese-wise, there is stracchino (creamy, soft white cheese), toma (a light, semi-hard cow’s milk cheese), robiola (delicate and sweet, often preserved in oil), raschera (made with a combination of cow, goat and sheep’s milk coming from the high pastures of the Monferrato).
other food items include gianduja (chocolate-hazelnut spread), truffles (most famous ones come from Alba), bagna cauda, bonèt pudding, baci di dama, Savoy biscuits, grissini breadsticks and panna cotta.
Traditionally, aperitivo is meant to whet the appetite before dinner and is accompanied by a variety of appetizers (stuzzichini) such as cold cuts, cheeses, salads, olives, bite-sized pizzas and other savouries. However, such is the popularity of this time honoured tradition, a new concept of apericena has been introduced in recent years that closes the gap between aperitivo and dinner and acts as a less formal alternative to eating out in a restaurant. Now, sumptuous buffet tables in bars and cafes all over Turin groan with a mix of the traditional bites plus pasta and rice dishes, grilled and freshly chopped vegetables, couscous and quinoa salads, cakes and more. The buffets usually start at around 7pm and can go on until 9pm/10pm
Tastes of Italy
