Making Myself at Home

When I decided to go back to France solo, I opted to stay in my favorite town of Menton. Its mix of French and Italian spirit is palpable, and I remembered loving the magical cacophony of exhilarating languages. A Facebook friend had mentioned a lovely apartment in Menton’s Old Town. She warned me about the number of stairs, but also added that the view made it well worth the climbing. After reading dozens of reviews, I rented an apartment for ten nights, on Rue Longue, the oldest street in Menton. I looked forward to settling in and making myself at home.

Since I knew that I would have to navigate very old stairs, and lots of them, I left my large suitcase at home, and opted for two carry-ons instead. My host, Philippe promised to assist me with my bags when I arrived. If he hadn’t, I may have left my small pink suitcase at the mid-landing, and just got dressed every day there! I don’t think I would have made a good impression with that behavior!

I huffed and puffed, and clung to the railings as I climbed the beautiful but worn stone stairs, and then a set of narrow wooden ones. The view that awaited me rewarded me for my efforts to breathe. I was grateful, and immediately walked back down to the street, counting at least forty stairs. Descending was definitely easier than the ascending.

After walking for hours, stopping for dinner, then for ice cream at Tutti Frutti, I dragged myself up to my cozy abode, and slept soundly. Making myself at home had been successful. Day one had been perfect. https://www.instagram.com/tuttifrutti_menton/