Côte d´Azur (France)

//////Deciding where to go//////

I own a small house in Spain and have been there a number of times over the last few years.So I fancied a change of scenery and wanted to see some new sights and sample some new foods and culture.Searched the web for hours and finally decided to visit South France(Nice area).I wanted to go somewhere warm and sunny and somewhere really nice as a treat.I booked my flight with Easyjet for an amazing price ...
...have flown with them many times and booking is easy and fast online and you can pick what day and airport and time you want to fly.(website-www.easyjet.co.uk).


//////Start of something special//////

Our flight was an early morning one and we arrived at Nice airport about 10am.It took only one hour and 40 mins which was really nice as I hate sitting for long periods of time.We had booked carhire online and also ... more

//////Deciding where to go//////

I own a small house in Spain and have been there a number of times over the last few years.So I fancied a change of scenery and wanted to see some new sights and sample some new foods and culture.Searched the web for hours and finally decided to visit South France(Nice area).I wanted to go somewhere warm and sunny and somewhere really nice as a treat.I booked my flight with Easyjet for an amazing price of £100 return including all taxes.I picked Easyjet as I have flown with them many times and booking is easy and fast online and you can pick what day and airport and time you want to fly.(website-www.easyjet.co.uk).

//////Start of something special//////

Our flight was an early morning one and we arrived at Nice airport about 10am.It took only one hour and 40 mins which was really nice as I hate sitting for long periods of time.We had booked carhire online and also our accommodation online after extensive research as I wanted everything to be perfect.We found our car hire place easily near exit out of arrivals building.We started queuing up to get our car.We had paid fully online before going(Carhire3000-website-http://www.carhire3000.com).It cost us £180 for 11 days in total which I guess is not too bad in July and it was one of the cheapest we could find.We had to queue and queue and only one lady was processing people's bookings.It was hot and we ended up waiting 2 hours.People were getting fed up and walking off and the queue was massive.It was Saturday and I was surprised more people were not on the desk processing bookings.So if you go here and have a car hire booked.Take a bottle of water as you may have to queue a long time.Not the best start to our dream break,lol.

//////Let the good times begin//////

Finally got out hire car after a short walk around airport and was pleased with car as it was clean and almost new.We then headed for our first bed and breakfast.Took about 20 minutes from Nice airport to Eze.The drive was amazing and the scenery, well breathtaking.We were staying at a beautiful bed and breakfast about one mile from Eze village called La Bastide aux Camelias.(website-http://bastideauxcamelias.com).We decided(hubby and I ) to stay here for 6 nights and then up coast past Nice for 4 nights.This beautiful villa had 4 rooms in total and amazing gardens which looked over the mountains.Our room was the dearest(well we were treating ourselves,lol.)We had a private patio which the other 3 rooms did not have.Table and chairs overlooking a field with a friendly horse in.The owner Fred was really friendly and gave us loads of helpful tips and advice.The price of our room included breakfast everyday and the room being cleaned every day.Fresh fruit and croissants and bread and jams were delicious.We got to chat with other guests from places such as Canada and America.We enjoyed many afternoons in the beautiful pool and we also had a couple of bottles of wine from the minibar next to pool(12Euros a bottle).Our room was decorated Japanese style and was very very clean and relaxing indeed.Big walk in shower .I was really impressed.Room cost us 140 Euros a day but worth every penny.(room Yucca)

//////Seeing the sights//////

Eze Village-

Our first bed and breakfast was near this beautiful village perched on a hill.We parked in the car in the lower village which was 3 Euros for 3 hours and free at lunchtime(12.30 till 2pm).Eze had a lower village with shops and a few restaurants and then the upper village which had little narrow cobbled streets and was built during medieval times.We had a great day walking around the little cobbled streets and looking in some of the art shops and shops selling some tasteful gifts such as wine and sweets.And we had a fantastic surprise waiting at the very top of the village.There was a stunning tropical garden which had views all along the coast right towards Nice.The garden was 8 Euros for both of us and well worth it.We had fun walking around the cactuses and statues and just enjoying the views and reading the info about certain plants.I ended buying a lovely painting from an art shop on the way down which is now hung on my wall for 18 Euros.Eze village is an amazing place and very very scenic.It was like going round a maze.Each little cobbled street had a surprise.Lanterns and plants and pretty little shops.We did go back at night as it was quieter but be aware things shut at 10pm here as this village is purely for tourists and does get very busy during the summer months.

//////Monaco//////

Another day we decided to check Monaco out.Our helpful host Fred told us the best way to get there.To avoid the busy N7 road.We decided not to drive right in as it was busy and stop in the town nearby and catch the bus.The coast from Nice right to Menton has a great network of buses than run every 20 mins from 6am till 8pm .We stopped at a town called Cap D Ail and parked up.We then caught the 100 bus to Monaco.The bus was 1.40 Euros per person return.We arrived in Monaco about 10 minutes later and got off at Monaco harbour.Monaco was smaller than I expected.We walked along the seafront past all the stunning boats and through the tunnel where the Grand Prix is held.We then saw a beautiful Japanese garden which was free to enter.A relaxing getaway in a big city.Just past this garden were 3 horseshoe shaped bays full of bathers and sunworshippers.We then slowly walked back to the harbour area and decided to get a drink.We did not think we could afford to eat here as we were, well in MONACO,lol.Well we were wrong.We had a salad and a half bottle of wine and a lager and an ice-cream for 34.00 Euros at the Bar La Caravelle.Overlooking the harbour too.

After a refreshing lunch we caught a bus up the hill to the prominent looking Oceanographic museum as we were too full to walk and it was very hot too(30c).The museum is full of wonderful colourful fish and has a huge shark tank just as you enter.11Euros each to enter.We spent about one hour looking around the amazing fish tanks and saw some fish being fed.The shark tank was huge and we sat and just watched them for about 15 mins.There was a talk display thing later at this tank so we took the chance to look around while the crowds were at that.We then entered another huge room with lots of historic things in such as things from expeditions in the past.

Hubby wanted to see the Classic Car Museum so we then walked down the hill to it.It set us back 6 Euros a head and we wondered round the huge private collection of cars going back 70-80 years or more.Well worth seeing if you love cars as much as my hubby.I really liked Monaco and it was easy to get around and the shopping and eating was not at all expensive and there were loads of trendy bars and restaurants on and off the seafront .Monaco has so much to see and we saw only a small part.It was surprisingly relaxing and people were very helpful and friendly.I will go back here as it is a cool trendy place.

//////Coastline//////

All around this area the coast was amazing.Eze Sur Mer beach was not that nice as it had a train track next to it.But little further from Eze we found this beautiful place called Bealieu Sur Mer.We parked up easy as there were lot's of parking along road next to beach.This beautiful town had a wonderful long sandy beach.Trees and palms lined the beach.The town had lovely gardens and was very calm and clean and relaxing.We found you have to pay to park everywhere.2 Euros to park here for 3 hours.We had a lovely meal on the beach at Plage La Calanque Bate des Fourmis.They had this mister thing which kept diners cool.I had an amazing salad Nicose here and the ice-creams here were hip-expanding,lol.We paid about £20 for a lovely lunch including wine and coffee.We then visited this beautiful Greek villa which had been restored and saw how Greek kings and Gods lived over 2000 years ago.Then we checked the harbour area out.Really trendy area with lots of hip and happening restaurants.These restaurants were slightly more expensive than others but it was worth it just for the hip happening atmosphere and location.I was really impressed with Bealieu and will be going back.

//////Walking and sightseeing//////

I must just say this area (Nice to Monaco ) was my favourite by far.Beautiful mountains and views and walks.Not as busy as my second location.Very laid back and .Lots of nice little towns to visit and the roads and beaches were not as busy as my second place(La Colle Sur Loup).It was greener and just more pleasant.You must visit Eze and Bealieu and Monaco.Cap D Ail had an amazing beach too if you can manage the hard climb down many steps and then back up.Edmunds bar in Cap D Ail next to the car park is a must visit for it's superb salads.

//////Second Stop//////

My second place was not as nice and I was sad leaving my first location.We stayed at another bed and breakfast in a town called La Colle Sur Loup.Quite a nice little town.Villa Cedria cost 100 Euros a night and it had 3 rooms in total.We stayed in a room overlooking the pool.(room terracotta).The people were nice but not as nice as the first lot.The villa was not as nice either but it was still clean and we had our own patio but it was not quite as relaxing and private.But then we did pay 40 Euros a day less.In general it was still very nice but as the first place was really really superb this place just did not compare(http://www.villacedria.com).La Colle was the other side of Nice and this general area was allot busier.But that did have an advantage as the nightlife was better.La Colle had a handful of good places to eat which stayed open into the early hours.

//////My Views//////

As you already know I liked the first location more.But the second location had more action.We had several nice meals in La Colle and one night there was a live band on and fireworks were let off celebrating a street that had just been restored.We had a fantastic meal in La Colle at this stunning Chateau called La 541.It was like being in a movie set.Lanterns and a beautiful square where we eat the best meal in my life.Tender steak with peppercorn sauce and vodka and Citroen ice-cream.This place is why we came to France.To taste good quality tasty food.We felt like kings and queens for just one night.Steak was 16 Euros and ice cream 8 Euros and half a bottle of wine 12 Euros.It was 10 out of 10 and worth every Euro.A real treat.Amazing.Highlight of my trip.As we only had 4 days here we just chilled out and visited a couple of places.Saint Paul Du Vence was another pretty town standing on ramparts which looked down to Nice in the distance.It had 64 art galleries and lots of pretty streets and shops and places to eat.Well worth seeing in my eyes.We did drive along coast to Nice and found it too busy so turned back.Traffic was nuts.

/////Final Thoughts//////

I better finish this as you are now falling asleep or you finished reading 10 mins ago,lol.I had a wonderful time and it met my expectations.The food and wine was really tasty and when I got home food tasted boring and bland.It is worth hiring a car if you want to explore inland but if you want to just go along coast, you are better off using the great public bus service(Nice to Menton bus-100).Make sure you have plenty of loose change to pay for parking and bus fees and toll roads.I was surprised as how affordable eating and drinking and getting into museums was as I found it cheaper than at home.I actually lost weight on this trip as I done lots of walking and eat good quality healthy foods.So South France is not only for the Rich and Famous.If you want a trendy classy holiday on a budget it can be achieved.

Thanks for reading......Hope you decide to go to this wonderful location.....

Rach

 

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