Seeing the French Riviera in one day is impossible. However, we had one full day so we decided to see as much as possible. The day trip was really just a scratching of the surface – if even that – but it was worth it.
After walking around Genoa in the early morning, we set out for our day trip to Monaco and the French Riviera. The 2-hour drive was fairly easy until we got to the hubbub of traffic in Monte Carlo. We drove to the casino but searching for non-existent parking frazzled us too much.
Car horns beeped, motorcycles sped by us – everyone seemed to be in a hurry. I was surprised by how many skyscrapers loomed. Even though the population is only 48,000 (smaller than several US universities), it is crammed into a tiny space less than 1 square mile. We decided to leave without stopping – a decision I don’t regret.
Now for the fun part of the day! The French Riviera boasts three scenic routes from just outside Monaco to Nice. The only major difference is the elevation that you travel. Comprising the Grande Corniche (upper), the Moyenne Corniche (middle) and the Basse Corniche (lower), all three offer unsurpassed views.
Reportedly, most people take the Basse Corniche, which hugs the coastline through many resort towns. But since we wanted to visit Eze, we chose the mid-level Moyenne Corniche. The 5-mile trip took about 20 minutes as the curvy road hugged the mountainside. At Eze, we parked the car and entered the walled city.
Immediately, we felt transformed back to the 1400’s. The village path climbed up a steep hill flanked by sand-colored stone buildings topped with red-tiled roofs. Small shops, restaurants and hotels ushered us around several curves until we got near the top.
After finding an outdoor cafe for lunch, we headed to Le Jardin Exotique d’Eze (Eze Exotic Gardens) at the very top. From the highest point at over 1/4 mile above sea level, we saw the Basse Corniche next to the beach in the distance at the resort town of Eze sur Mer.
Had it not been for the French flag flying, I would have thought I was in Arizona or New Mexico. Various cacti grew along the southern side of the gardens. We sauntered along the paths while taking in the views of the Mediterranean. It was definitely worth the modest 6 Euro admission price. We learned that the village was built on top of ruins of a Medieval castle destroyed in the 1700’s.
Our next stop was St. Jean Cap-Ferrat. Known as an exclusive hideaway for celebrities, most of the homes were hidden behind large walls. However, the small peninsula features five public beaches. We parked near Paloma Beach and walked the Promenade Maurice Rouvier halfway to the town of Beaulieu sur Mer. Along the way, we passed a pink villa – La Fleur du Cap right on the water. Owned by Charlie Chaplin and later by David Niven, it appeared briefly in “The Trail of the Pink Panther.”
Bougainvillea climbed the walls of the wide promenade. A family with small children passed us – the mom carrying a picnic basket, the father in a wheelchair and two kids with sand buckets and blankets. We rounded a corner with views of nearby Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Due to time constraints, we turned around and headed back to Cap-Ferrat.
Our last stop was Nice, just another 10 kilometers away. The 30-minute drive to the city contained more mountainous terrain and idyllic scenic views.
On the Promenade des Anglais, we passed the “I Love Nice” sign erected in honor of the July 14, 2016 terror attack which killed 84 people. The wide, flat promenade spreads itself along the Mediterranean with restaurants and beautiful hotels like the Negresco on one side, and the beach on the other side, complete with palm trees.
Because this was a quick visit, we didn’t tour any museums. However, we did park our car near MOMAC – Musee d’Art Moderne and d’Art Contemperain (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art). The grounds featured large grassy areas, sculptures and an architecturally eye-catching building.
From here, we walked into the pedestrian-only Vieux Nice starting with Place Massena. The Neoclassical square once held a large casino that was torn down several decades ago. We learned that the fountain had been dismantled during the 1990’s, but restored with the original statue of Apollo. The statue (sans fig leaf) caused such an uproar at its unveiling in 1956, that it was transferred in 1979 to the Stadium Charles Ehrmann until the Sun Fountain was restored in 2011 .
The streets became narrow and old buildings abounded everywhere. We strolled by the Nice Opera and the Cathedrale Sainte Reparate.
We headed to the Place du Palais de Justice – Justice Square to find a restaurant. As we munched on hors d’oeuvres, we reflected on the day. We had seen many different things – from the crowded Monaco to the Medieval village of Eze, from the exclusive Cap-Ferrat and to the welcoming city of Nice.
It had been a great day with great weather. If I could do it again, I would skip Cap-Ferrat and try to spend more time in Nice. And next time, I’d like to get over to Cannes.
We drove the Grande Corniche back to Genoa. Built by Napoleon, it is featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “To Catch a Thief” and the James Bond movie “GoldenEye.” On this curvy road, we drove through the tiny town of La Turbie. It turns out this was near the hairpin turn that claimed the life of Monaco’s Princess Grace (and actress in To Catch a Thief) in 1983.
In the distance, we had one last glimpse of Monaco before we headed back into Italy and our hotel in Genoa.
Points to sum up: Monaco was too crowded for us and was best enjoyed in the distance from the Grande Corniche. Cap-Ferrat proved too exclusive. Although it offered nice beaches, we couldn’t see the villas because hedges and fences surrounded them. If we’d had time to tour the magnificent Rothschild villa – Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, we would have had a different impression. Eze was perfect and made the trip for us! Nice was better than I expected and I recommend spending more time here. My impressions of Monaco and Nice were backwards. I pictured Monaco as a welcoming little country and Nice as a bustling, big city with no personality. Our experience was the opposite.