Yes folks, I’m officially on holiday. Though many of you will probably think I’m on holiday all year round (quite understandable), for me it’s rather special as this will be my first “real” holiday in six years! To mark this momentous occasion I’ve painted my toenails red and shall be wearing shorts all through the month of August. Divine. And of course, I shall be taking my holidays where I went for my honeymoon (yes, I’m an old bride) as it’s simply gorgeous - the French Riviera.

What’s more, I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way - 35,000,000 tourists visiting this region (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur) every year must think so too looking at recent statistics.  And PACA doesn’t just attract tourists - students too are lured here. Astonishingly it is the third largest student community in France with six universities, some fifteen engineering schools, 10,000 researchers and 150,000 students while a further 185,000 young people pursue their education in 177 state secondary schools and 93 private secondary schools and 35,000 young people are enrolled in apprenticeship training centres. Sun, sea and scolarships eh?

But the Cote d’Azur is aiming still for higher stakes as it looks towards becoming France’s European Capital of Culture in 2013. This is a much-prized award and it only has two years to put together an original and creative plan to beat the competition. AMB Cote d’Azur may be just a tiny speck in the great scope of things but it gets my vote.

And those of you wondering where I’m going for my hols - why, my own back garden of course in Chateauneuf-de-Grasse; I might be on holiday but there’s a new website to get up and running!