Chronicle #23: The Imperfect Suitcase

There are two kinds of travelers.

Those who make Excel lists.
And those who sit on their suitcase to close it.

At La Jabotte, we recognize them instantly.

The first ones arrive organized, reassured, almost strategic.

The others arrive laughing, slightly overwhelmed, with a charger forgotten somewhere between the kitchen and the bedroom.

And guess what?
It’s often the imperfect suitcases that lead to the most beautiful stays.

A suitcase that is too perfect leaves no room for surprise.

Forget a sweater, and you buy a scarf at the Antibes market.
Bring too few books, and you swap one on a quiet shelf.
Pack three unnecessary pairs of shoes but not the right one… you walk barefoot in the garden.

Problem solved.

Sixty meters from the sea, you quickly learn something:
you don’t need that much.

A swimsuit.
A pair of shorts.
A book.
And the desire to slow down.

The rest becomes optional.

We sometimes see guests open their suitcase on the first evening with a slightly worried look.

Two days later, it stays closed.

Flip-flops live outside.
Beach towels dry in the sun.
The bathrobe waits for the morning.

And everything unnecessary… simply rests.

Traveling light is not only about weight.

It’s a way of saying:
“I’m here to experience something. Not to control everything.”

The French Riviera resets your priorities without making a sound.

And then there are the regulars.

The ones who arrive with an almost empty suitcase…
but a carefully packed bag full of treats for Tya and Yin.

Dog biscuits perfectly wrapped.
Little feline delicacies in their own pouch.

They sometimes forget a charger.
A belt.
A brush.

But never the treats.

And honestly, we find that very reassuring.

So if, while reading this, you’re thinking about that “just in case” pair of trousers you never wear…

Leave it behind.

The imperfect suitcase will suit you perfectly.

Here, nobody judges forgotten items.
We lend, we share, we improvise.

It’s almost our specialty.

— Nathalie and Pierre

About La Jabotte

La Jabotte is a small boutique hotel hidden just 60 meters from the sea.
A secret garden, a peaceful atmosphere, and a slower rhythm — a place where evenings feel softer, quieter, and a little outside of time.