Scenes from a French Scavenger Hunt

Getting instructions for the scavenger hunt

Bonjour, reader! I am currently studying abroad in the French Riviera, in a town named Antibes. It's the perfect seaside town, and it is full of colorful buildings, old sea walls, palm trees, and winding streets. During my first week here, my school organized a scavenger hunt for us to learn more about life in France and getting around Antibes.

We got started on our way! We headed to the Marche Provencal, a huge open-air market that is Antibes almost every morning. Farmers, bakers, and artisans from the area set up tables and sell their freshest goods. You can buy flowers, honey, vegetables, handmade wooden goods, and socca (a crepe-like snack made of chickpeas and served with pepper).

Vegetables at the Marche Provencal

After the market, we hit the streets. The streets in Antibes can be wide with huge sidewalks, or the tiniest alleys that you are so sure no car could fit down until you see it with your own eyes. French drivers can be crazy, but they know what they're doing.

My favorite thing about walking around Antibes is how beautiful every thing is. It almost doesn't feel real when I pass the pretty painted shutters on apartment windows, or when I spy someone's dog up on their balcony among the green potted plants. No matter which direction you look, you will see something that brings a smile to your face.

Spotted: the cutest dog on his balcony

Yes, walking around Old Town Antibes and down all the maze-like streets can be confusing and my group got turned around a lot on our scavenger hunt, but don't let it intimidate you; within a month, we all knew our way around like pros. It's not a very large city, which is great because once you know your way around, it can really feel like a home. It all takes practice, and the practice never feels like hard work in a beautiful town like this.

The best walks though, in my opinion, are walks by the water. The old sea wall that used to protect Antibes from attack back in the day have paths and sidewalks on the top, so you can get great views of the Mediterranean Sea from up above. When my scavenger hunt group was walking up here, we could see waves crashing on the rocks, the many beaches that we could go explore later, and stunning views of the town.

Sea wall of Old Antibes

After a long morning of market-strolling, seaside wanderings, and navigating the cobblestone streets of our new home, we were ready for a picnic. We took our market findings the the yacht harbor (the biggest one in Europe!) and ate lunch together. Picnics outside are part of every day life here in Antibes, and between that, the gorgeous views of the sea, and a bunch of new friends, I can see myself really being at home here.

Zoey Bloom is the Spring 2015 CEA MOJO Photographer in the French Riviera. She is currently a sophomore at Belmont University.