In the South of France with Frances

You've seen friend and content creator for Mirth, Frances Powless, all over our stories, and you might be wondering who this chic American-girl-living-in-France is. A native Houstonian, Frances and her husband, Neilson, and daughter, Charlotte, live in Nice, France where we got to visit them for some spring content.

We spent a morning with Frances in her neighborhood in Old Town Nice (with Baby Charlotte in tow) and asked if she’d share a bit about her life abroad and a few favorite spots. We always love an insider’s guide.
Enjoy!

Katie

What brought you to Nice?
My husband, Neilson, and I moved here two years ago for his job as a professional cyclist. We're originally from Texas and California, but before Nice, we lived in Girona, Spain. We love the culture here, and especially the location. Neilson can be in the mountains on his bike in 10 minutes and I can be on the beach with our daughter Charlotte in 5 minutes.

Favorite part of French culture?
French people have the stereotype of being cold, but I find that the longer you know the vendors and support them, the more lovely they are. I find it très charmant that you know your local butcher by name, and the caviste (very important term to know for finding the right wine at your local wine cave**) wants to help you find the perfect wine to pair with whatever is on the menu for dinner.

Highs and lows of living abroad:
Being far from family-especially as we raise our little one. But we love the lifestyle she's getting to be raised in-spending lots of time outside in the sunshine, walking to get our groceries, and exposure to such a different lifestyle than we were raised in.

What did you do with the mirth team?
I had the absolute pleasure of hosting Katie for a spring mini-shoot in our little french home! We met in the old town of Nice and I took her around the markets for a taste of Nice.

We strolled through the Cours Saleya, a market famous for their flowers and fresh produce with a view of the sea. We stopped at my favorite flower stand, Mège père et fils, and had a chat with Mandy and Clément about the luxurious mimosas that fill the streets with their beautiful scent at this time of year.

Then, we meandered through the old town, passing the handwoven basket shop and some niçoise specialty shops. As it started to drizzle outside, we cozied up in marinette for a very french long lunch. I always admire Europeans' ability to take a long lunch with wine and coffee, without ever feeling rushed to get back to the workday. We tried their decadent tarte au citron and skillet cookie topped with an outrageous amount of chantilly. And took some chouquettes for the road.

Advice for someone visiting Nice?
Learn to say please and thank you in French, take long lunches and never say no to a nutella crêpe.