N BANDOL THE mistral blew with a sengeance bow’ing the cypress and churning the azurc waters of the tiny bay into foam But by sunrise the winds had sub- sidcd, leaving behind skies swept clean of clouds and a warm day ty typical of the

Côte d Azur Autumn in the south of France is a qiet time The tourists are gone the restaurants and hotels are large!)’ empty Roads too are devoid of the summer traffic that hinders tiave! through the French Riviera In the fall it s possible to hopscotch aross a sizable segment of Provence with ease

And so e did Led by our guide and host R&T European Editor Paul Frere we threc Americans anda trio of Teutonic tourers blazLd a trail through Provence that took us from Nice to Bandol and back by way ot Toulon Gonfaron la Garde Freinet Cogolin and Saint Tropez - with Circuit Paul Ricard (near Bandol) thrown in for