Three Weeks in Europe: Family, Tennis & Summer Balance

This summer was different. In June, my wedding in Rio took place without either of my parents present. Distance and logistics made it too complicated for them to travel, so I decided I’d come to them instead. That’s how three weeks in Europe came together: mornings with family in the South of France, afternoons balancing work on EST, and, in between, a week in Mallorca to discover something new.

We rented a house in Roquefort-les-Pins, close to my father’s home in Vence, and had my mom stay with us for the trip. That choice gave me the chance to see both of my parents daily, while also carving out new routines with Cristina.

South of France

Family

The trip quickly became about more than just my parents. My brother Chris, his wife Carine, and my nephew Édouard went out of their way to meet us often, sometimes at restaurants off their usual path. I was glad to have Fenocchio ice cream with Edouard, linking the latest generation to a family tradition that never loses its magic.

Cristina, ever the child at heart, bounded with Édouard, playing endlessly together, while I got the joy of reconnecting with my mom in the simple hours: hanging out with no plans, side-by-side watching a movie.

 

One highlight was a beautiful dinner at La Colombe d’Or in Saint-Paul-de-Vence with both my parents. We spoke about growing up in Nice and St-tropez, introducing Cristina to our anecdotes and beautiful memories.

Uncle

My uncle and Aunt played an unexpected but special role in this trip. We lunched together at Eden Roc, and had dinner at Nespo, and La Petite Maison, and gave us an incredible wedding gift. More than that, it gave me the opportunity to learn about his time as a professional tennis player. 

He told me about his time on tour, about winning the Australian Open Junior and the Paris Masters, about opponents from an era, his game style and him beating Rod Laver twice, cementing a 2 – 0 Head to Head. 

Friends 

Another gift of this trip was reconnecting with old friends.

I saw Gérard, one of my dad’s school friends, and visited Richard, who used to host me as a child, his home was like a second house growing up. I played paddle with Alain Cassini, still in phenomenal shape at 79.

But the best part was meeting up with my schoolmates. Aurélien, visiting from Japan, introduced me to his wife and kids. Romain introduced me to his son Dorian for the first time. Between Aurelien in Japan, Romain in South of France and in the middle of the United States, it is hard to imagine how life could have brought us further apart, harder still that it brought us back together at the same time under the same roof 25 years later. It was great to seed them so happy and fulfilled with their families.  

Food

Food, as always in France, was spectacular. La Petite Maison, Colombe d’Or, Safari, and of course, Fenocchio for ice cream. The bread was out of this world — addictive enough that I gained nearly 4 kilos over three weeks.

Somehow, this trip also turned into a celebration of figs: fig bread, fig desserts, fig trees everywhere. Even on the plane home, the meal came with a slice of fig. It became the unofficial mascot of the trip.

 

Hikes

Beyond food and family, nature was another unexpected highlight.

The Chemin du Riou hike took us to a river where we swam in cool, clear water. But the real gem was Le Loup, a trail Cristina discovered by chance. It offered a mix of challenge and ease, waterfalls and swimming spots, and felt like uncovering a hidden treasure.

We also wandered through Saint-Paul-de-Vence, feeding Cristina nougat, browsing art, and soaking in the atmosphere of a village we’d seen many times before but that never loses its charm.

Mallorca

From France, we flew to Mallorca, choosing to stay at Hotel Cas Cabo Nou, a boutique agroturismo retreat. It was peaceful and beautifully set, but also inconvenient: no delivery, no lunch or dinner service, and restaurants that only opened at 1 p.m. It made working afternoons especially difficult.

Still, Mallorca offered its own magic. The Cuevas del Drach were better than any caves Cristina and I had seen before. The scenery was punctuated with a classical music concert performed on boats over transparent water. We explored turquoise beaches, saw turtles on hikes, and wandered through Porto Cristo and Portocolom, which were quaint if a bit underwhelming compared to France, Italy, or Greece.

And, surprisingly, the coffee was terrible everywhere, bitter, undrinkable, a let-down in a continent where coffee usually shines.

 

Tennis

Tennis shaped much of Cristina and I’s time for ourselves, and It gave us the chance to compare three world-class academies.

Mouratoglou Academy was polished, professional, and full of energy. Cristina and I trained side by side, welcomed warmly by the staff. Our coaches, Maxime and Wallace, stood out. Not only excellent players but also outstanding coaches who communicated clearly and tailored each session. The facilities were top-tier, and everything felt effortless. 

All In Academy, tied to Tsonga and other French players, was smaller and less polished, but full of heart. The coaches stood out. Andres (ATP) and Margot (former WTA) were fantastic,  though the facilities lacked some basics like a pro shop or towels… Also being a smaller academy they also were more accommodating to the organization. They were, for example, the only ones that were able to set up sets with sparring partners.

Finally, the Nadal Academy. As a lifelong Rafa fan, my expectations were sky-high. The facilities were phenomenal, and catching a live Challenger tournament there was great. But the size of the place made it impersonal, the scheduling was rigid, and customer service was the weakest of all three. At times, it felt like being a cog in a giant system rather than a welcomed guest.

My personal highlight was definitely clocking a serve at 203 km/h at Mouratoglou and playing doubles with Cristina against Wallis and Maxime. 

Work / Life Balance

The daily rhythm was intense. Mornings with family, then rushing to tennis, grabbing a five-minute meal, and logging on to work U.S. EST hours until midnight or later.

Physical and Mental recovery was almost impossible. Even taking Fridays off backfired, cramming five days of work into four made the days a series of back to back calls. Add to that the constant socializing and family obligations, and exhaustion crept in.

Conclusion

In the end, the trip was one I am glad to have done but also glad to be going home. 

I reconnected with my brother, bonded with my nephew, asked my uncle questions I should have asked years ago, and saw childhood friends. I ate some of the best food in the world, discovered hikes I’ll want to repeat, and even found figs hiding everywhere.

It was exhausting, but it was also rich, meaningful, and unforgettable. Next time, I’ll plan for more balance. But for now, I’m grateful for three weeks that brought together family, friends, tennis, and discovery in equal measure.