Summer Vacation Heroes: South of France
We are officially back from our trip to the South of France. It was a fun adventure that took us through some familiar cities and a few new towns to discover. I can’t wait to do it again and explore more. We were in the middle of a heat wave, and while I was traveling throughout the week, there were definitely some items I packed that were true summer vacation heroes of the trip. Let’s jump in! I would love to know what you have been using and loving on repeat this summer in the comments.
Summer Vacation Heroes: the South of France
Sunglasses.
An easy one and so important. Sunscreen for your eyes, especially in the strong sun. I packed these from Warby Parker and ended up buying this pair from Izipizi in Nice.
Splendid Shorts
These shorts were worn repeatedly, especially in the heat, and the drawstring waist made them easy and comfortable. REBECCA20 gets you 20% off. I own them in size small and need to order more colors.
On Sneakers
We ended up walking and hiking a lot! I bought a new pair of On sneakers for the trip and they worked out so well. I wore them on the plane as they were my largest shoe and took up the most space. The cobblestones are rough after a while. I regret not packing Birkenstocks, as they were the most popular footwear among tourists and locals.
Paper Fan
While you may never think of this if you are used to air-conditioned summers, a paper fan should be on your radar. The hotel gave us one on the hottest day, and I saw just about every French person carrying theirs around and using them non-stop. They were the accessory of the summer, and I found this cute one for under $10 at H&M that is worth adding to your list if you plan to travel to the South of France in the heat. Stores and hotels were selling them for a significantly higher price.
J.Crew Linen Pants
Before I left for our trip, I found my white pair of linen pants from J.Crew and added them to my suitcase. The linen pants came in handy so much, and I wore them all the time. They made the perfect travel pants, too, when we were moving from town to town and spending time in the car. I own them in size small and just added the pink to my collection. The yellow paired so perfectly with the scarf, hat, and green Sézane top.
Evolve Together Deodorant
I have been using natural deodorant for years now and I am always testing out new brands. Evolvetogether is a new one on my radar and their scents and packaging are just too good not to share. I have been using the Taoromina scent and I have the Monaco one that smells like roses up next in my rotation. *These were gifted by the brand but I plan on purchasing on my own for restocks.
While you may not think of it, this came in handy multiple times. I kept it in my straw bag throughout the day and after a swim I would reapply the same as sunscreen. As I mentioned, the heat wave was no joke and this was refreshing.
Bluetooth Speaker
My husband packs a Bluetooth speaker in his suitcase (he has extra room) and I love it! We play music when we are on our balcony or hanging out before dinner. Jazz or his South of France Spotify playlist was what we listened to the most.
Madewell Bucket Hat
I bought this Madewell bucket hat and felt it was the perfect summer accessory for our South of France trip months in advance. It worked out really well as it shaded my face way more than a traditional baseball hat. Intially, I carried it through the airport with me so it wouldn’t get crushed but it packs up well too. My husband and I did have a fun morning in Nice where we both picked up new hats as souvenirs from the trip. Clearly, you can see a theme of sun protection for me throughout this post.
Cuyana Mini Paloma Bag
Also wearing the Me+Em dress that I wore multiple times in the South of France.
This Cuyana bag was something I was eyeing for a few weeks and purchased before the trip. I wanted a small zippered bag for the evening that was easy to pack. It literally folded down to almost nothing. I carried it in the evenings with my camera and 35 mm lens just in case I wanted to capture something that caught my eye on the way to dinner. My husband also loved it because he could swap his sunglasses for his glasses later in the evening.
Cadence Capsules and Parcel
I have been a huge fan of Cadence capsules and now got my husband hooked on them. He is always stealing them from me so I got him his own set. You can customize the top of the lids to reflect what is inside or put a name or word on top. We also have the parcels that are TSA friendly and come in multiple sizes.
The Cadence pill container fits right in my Cuyana small zippered bag. I keep all my essentials in the zippered tote like hand sanitizer, creams, and tissues. For traveling, sleep Melatonin gummies and my Zyrtec are essentials and I need to have access to them while flying.
You can see my travel diaries to the South of France in this post. We started in Saint-Paul-de-Vence and headed to Nice after.
*This post includes affiliate links. I make a small commission off of items purchased from my links. Merci!
Bonjour, I’m Rebecca!
I’m a photographer, blogger, croissant-lover, and world traveler. I hope that Everyday Parisian inspires you by bringing a bit of France into your daily life and helps you plan the best trip to Paris with personalized recommendations for places to stay, explore, and eat.
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Such vicarious pleasure reading about your travels!
So glad you enjoyed yourself in the South of France. I should perhaps have warned you the heat can be absolutely ferocious at that time of year, and that only the lightest of clothes should be packed! Sorry you didn’t make it to Aix-en- Provence. perhaps another year? It is truly glorious and worth going off season when it is not so busy. Their lavender items are beautiful as a memento if you like things like that…
Can you say where the striped shirt dress is from please. Such a great piece.
yes! It is from ME+EM! It should be in my what I packed for the South of France post here: https://everydayparisian.com/what-i-am-packing-for-the-south-of-france/