restaurant is always possible, but given the balmy Riviera weather, you may want to enjoy terrace dining. If staying within walking distance of the children is not an issue, there are a dozen nearby coastal towns to choose from, each one more charming and romantic than the next. The spectacular Provencal village of Grimaud is also only a taxi ride away.
If you happened to have indulged in a late night, fear not … breakfast is not from 7 to 10 a.m… it’s all day. Enjoy it on your balcony overlooking ten acres of landscaped garden, or snuggled in bed with the kids. They’ll choose from the extensive breakfast menu that includes the choice of a special children’s breakfast. Mom and Dad may enjoy eggs benedict, but the kiddies might prefer cornflakes or cocopops with a side order of natural fruit yogurt, topped off with hot chocolate or ovaltine.
As I had the luxury of experiencing Le Beauvallon first hand, along with my husband and children, I’ll have to share with you my favorite family-aspect of the trip. We were all having such a good time, I hardly noticed one detail that was pointed out to me by Leila Elling herself. “The best thing about a family vacation at Le Beauvallon,” she told me, “is that there’s no ‘kid’s club,’ which makes for very special times together.” Not one of us missed “organized” activities. We were too busy enjoying each other as a family, and as individuals, to notice.
To dampen the blow of leaving Le Beauvallon, Steve and I indulged in a sumptuous bon voyage glass of champagne. The vintage champagne at Le Beauvallon are a collection of history in a bottle. Perhaps when you come, you’ll have a bottle of Heidseick & Co. Monopole 1907 Gout Americain, recovered in 1997 from the