French Riviera trip – Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

on the way to Cap Ferrat

boats at Cap Ferrat

For a taste of the opulent, and to see how the wealthy socialites of yesteryear (and today) lived, look no further than exploring the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, located on the absolutely stunning Cap Ferrat. Located pretty much central between Nice and Monaco, the beautiful cape is home to some of the regions most exclusive homes. There are many belle epoque homes in this area, and one that can be visited is the villa that Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild had built.

I had heard of this villa while researching our trip, and I loved how it looked, so I managed to con my husband and daughter to come along. I really did not think they would be keen, and beforehand I made them both promise to just shut their mouths and let me enjoy it. I even offered to go on my own and they could go down the beach, but they came along and they were blown away. My husband absolutely loved it, and was eagerly listening to the audioguide about the life of Beatrice and her villa. I was quite shocked really! Maybe he has a cultural bone in his body after all!! Even Miss A enjoyed it – the gardens are absolutely breath taking as they are, but every 20 minutes the fountains put on a show and “dance” to a classical music piece. This had Miss A mesmerised every 20 minutes. lol.

front of the villa

just a view from the garden…

views

the rose garden

Our first part of the ‘tour’ (which you follow by the map given) was of the exterior and the gardens. As you follow the marked out path you pass through 9 themed gardens – the sevres garden, the spanish garden, the french, the florentine, the stone garden, the japanese, the provencal, the exotic (more cactuses lol) and the rose garden. Each is unique and transports you to like you are actually there in that location. The views as well are amazing… oh my the views! Cap Ferrat is really lush and green, and obviously being a cape, surrounded by the beautiful sea.

the villa

villa

dancing fountains

We absolutely loved the exterior gardens, and spent quite a while walking through. We were the first to enter at 10am, so we had the gardens all to ourselves! From the gardens we then went inside and took a tour of the villa, but that is for another post…..

french riviera beauty!

look at some of the neighbouring villas! wow!

Tips:

• entry is a relatively steep 14 euro per adult. children under 7 are free. pricy, but I think worth it.
• in winter it is only opened from 2pm to 6pm. summer it opens earlier at 10am. check their website at http://www.villa-ephrussi.com for more info.
• from Monaco we caught bus 100 to Pont St Jean. From there you can walk but we took another bus, number 81 which drops you off right at the door of the villa.

Advertisements

French Riviera trip – Nice and Cannes

A day to explore Nice was on the agenda, so off we went, this time by train from Monaco station. The train ride was quick, efficient and relatively cheap, as the helpful ticket man behind the counter gave us an all day pass at 5 euro each, which we didn’t know about. The day was off to a good start!

Once arriving at Nice train station we walked out and were a bit shocked by the grimy seedy look of the city. I guess all areas around city train stations are usually dodgy affairs, but the one in Nice is particularly unpleasant to the eye! I didn’t remember it being so bad back in 2002, but alot of time had passed since my youthful sorjourn (and I guess when you are younger you dont notice things like this!)

Place Massena

Place Massena

Once we took a quick left we got to the main shopping street and things looked better. Further on we got to the beautiful Place Massena, which I definitely remembered from 16 years ago! Nearby the square we saw water jets shooting up, so miss A wanted to check them out. It’s here we discovered an awesome park full of climbing frames and water fountains, so we sat here in the heat for a good while and let miss A blow off some steam.
After our play break, we went on to the old town, the original heart of the city. Here we had a great time exploring alleys, seeing little baroque churches, savoring some delicious ice cream (you must try Fenocchio’s!) and doing a spot of window shopping. We then went towards the Bellanda tower, and to the eastern edge of the main beach which is up high and offers a sweeping view over the Promenade des Anglais, one of Nice’s most recognisable photo stops. The view over the beach and the famous belle epoque architecure is definitely worth it.

Miss A playing

old town

cathedral

the famous beach views

From here we had a lazy lunch at a restaurant on the Cours Saleya, which is a large street one street back from the beach and is packed with a variety of restaurants. We took our chances at Le Safari and were pleased – I had the best pizza I’ve ever had in possibly the whole of europe ( a big call i know!) and husband had a local specialty pasta dish which he said was awesome. We needed a long lunch break because by now it was stinking hot and we had walked alot. Miss A was getting a bit grumpy too so we knew a long stop with icy cold drinks was needed.

After lunch we took our time walking back to the train station. Another stop at the playground to please miss A and by now in our exhaustion we jumped on a tram to take us the 1km up the avenue Jean Medecin to get back to the train station. We were going to call it a day, but it was still relatively early, and we got a second wind, so on to Cannes we went.

At Cannes we just strolled along, seeing where we would end up. Luckily for miss A (and for us!) there was a little fun fair with a few rides and games, so we indulged her a few rides on the mini rollercoaster. This kept her happy enough while we sat and watched the interesting characters along the Croisette promenade and beachfront. It was cool to see where they host the famous film festival, which you see on tv every year. Nearby the Palais des Festivals building there is a little playground, so while husband stayed behind with Miss A I took the hard slog up the hillside into the old town to see the church and medieval laneways. After the old town in Nice the one in Cannes is not so appealing and does not offer as much, so after a short walk I made my way back down and we made the train journey back to our base in Monaco.

Miss A living her dream

Cannes beach

fancy shops on Croisette

medieval old town

French Riviera trip – Eze

For the quintessential French Riviera experience, complete with sweeping Med views, charming medieval villages and beautiful winding country roads, a visit to the village of Eze is a must! It was many years ago on a travel website that I first learnt about this place, and the photos I saw captured my heart and made me put Eze on my wishlist. Many years later and the chance presented itself, and the dream of many years ago was finally realised. Even luckier for me was that I got to share my dream with my family.

small alleys

Eze is a small village located on a rocky outcrop some 429 metres above sea level. Founded in the 12th century this village has seen its fair share of offensives, from Saracens, to the French and even the Ottoman. It’s location high on a rocky mount was obviously very good for protection and security. Today the chance to get a glimpse of this old village and its history is a very special thing indeed. Take the time to explore the village. This is free, and well worth exploring and getting lost amongst the tight alleyways and paths.

As you continue to climb through the narrow streets you end up at the entrance to the exotic gardens. This has an entry fee of 6 Euro, which sounds a bit steep, but is a MUST to experience the grand finale of this charming village. Located high on top of the old ruins of the circular fortress that once dominated the village, the exotic garden was designed in 1949 and houses many succulents and cactus. (The french seemed to have an obsession with exotic succulent gardens since we also visited them in Monaco and Cap Ferrat!) Anyway the views over the Mediterranean are amazing, made even more resplendent by the beautiful sculptures in the gardens, known as ‘goddesses’ or ‘graces’ and created by sculptor Jean-Phillip Richard. These really give the gardens a magical feel.

those views!

a goddess overlooks the Med

sublime

cactus kingdom

After exploring the gardens, you wind back down through the village lanes once again. This is a good chance to walk past the east side of the mount, to see the 1772 Church of St Notre Dame de l’Assomption and the small old cemetary behind it. All in all this charming village exceeded my expectations and then some. It really is as picturesque and magical as the photos show. Yes, it is very touristic, and I can only imagine how bad it is in peak season (we went in september) but with some careful planning you can avoid the cruise day trippers and have a relatively peaceful time. Add this to your itinerary if you are ever in the area!

follow the Nietzsche path back to the beach

Some tips:-From Monaco or Nice you can catch the train to Eze sur Mer and take a 45 minute hike up the Nietzsche trail to the village. This is ok if you are super fit or advenurous, but remember you’ll still have the walk around the village to do and it could be tiring!

-We took bus 100 from Monaco (our base) and got off at the stop called Gianton, then took bus 83 up the beautiful winding road to the village of Eze. This was quite easy as buses have an electronic sign on board which tells you the next stop ahead. It’s also super cheap at 1.5 Euro each. We did the same back a few hours later.

-As always, if you want less crowds, get there early!!! We got there at 9am and it was quiet. We were some of the first to get into the exotic gardens and have easy access to the views. By the time we were done 2 hours later the stampeding hordes of day trippers were huffing their way up the hill.

– It’s very exposed up the top, and it can get quite warm walking up to the top. Be sure to pack suncream and a hat, and plenty of water. Once inside the exotic garden there was nowhere to buy water.

French Riviera trip – Oceanographic Museum

A must do when visiting Monaco, especially with a child in tow, would have to be to visit the famous Musee Oceanographique de Monaco. This museum is absolutely fantastic, and will keep your child (big or small!) entertained for a few good hours.

After entering the museum the first port of call would have to be the Aquarium. Now, compared to other aquariums I’ve been to here In Australia this one doesn’t have the “wow” factor of a huge underwater walk through aquarium, or like our one here in Perth we have a ‘conveyor belt’ that takes you around a loop and as you look up the sharks and rays are swimming above your head. This museum doesn’t have that, but what it does have that our one in Perth or Sydney doesn’t have is the variety of species. I couldn’t believe just how much this one had!!! We saw fish we had only ever seen in books and documentaries. It was amazing to see a piranha for real, and to see other super rare species that you only read about in books   

Piranha

After the aquarium we went to the history part of the museum, which was just as amazing. It was so cool to see the numerous skeletal remains of animals, and also the huge variety of stuffed animals on display. A real educational experience for the kids and adults alike. They also had an amazing light show every hour, where lasers lit up the skeletons hanging from the ceiling. In the other hall opposite they had maritime research history which was really fascinating too. Old maritime instruments, remnants of arctic expeditions and that sort of stuff.

Once we had explored the inside we took a lift to the very top to take in the views of Monaco and the sea from the roof. It was here that we made the discovery of an awesome playground, which is a relatively new addition to the museum. Most people missed this, as its behind the toilet blocks and is not well sign posted. But once on the roof, if you walk around behind the toilet block, you’ll come across a turtle sanctuary and an amazing rooftop playground for the kids. My girl had a blast climbing up onto the replica whale skeleton.

Which famous explorers have sat in this room?

Overall this museum is a must  if you are ever in Monaco. Even if you don’t have kids you will find the huge array of living animals amazing, as well as the various specimens from past scientific expeditions. Anyone with an interest in the olden days of maritime exploration or science would love this. It is well worth its kind of hefty price tag of 14 euros for adults and 7 euros for kids age 4-12. It sounds steep but you get to see a lot for that price and I think its worth it.

French Riviera trip – Monaco

Monaco needs no introduction. I am also sure Monaco does not need another blog post written about it. The world knows that Monaco is the home of the rich and glamorous, that it hosts one of the best grand prix races of the season, that you can see fancy mega yachts that the average person can’t even imagine could be so amazing. Monaco is all that, and for the average tourist who spends half a day there on a bus tour, or comes off a cruise for a 3 hour tour, that is what they will see – the harbour full of superyachts, the old town with the royal palace, and perhaps a check in at the casino. But stay a few days and there are little pockets of the ‘average’. Go to the same restaurant a few times out of the main harbour area and you’ll meet waiters that will remember you from the day before and find you a table even though its packed with locals. Walk from Cap d’Ail and you’ll pass the hospital, the car dealerships, the mechanics, the every day mundane businesses that every city needs, even one that is all glitz like Monaco. There is even the good old shopping mall of Fontvielle, complete with McDonalds for those that need it.

We were most fortunate to be staying a week just outside of Monaco in Cap d’Ail. For us it meant that we could take our time with Monaco. We ended up going into the city nearly every day. It was nice to go early before the heat to explore the old town and its palace and narrow streets. After a day exploring Nice we went back to Monaco for dinner and take a stroll around the harbour at night. On the day that was looking a bit sketchy weatherwise we went to the aquarium. Don’t forget the exotic garden at the very top of Monaco either – its views are outstanding!

Basically, give Monaco more time than the 3 hour rush off a cruise ship if you can. It isnt all the rush and glitz of a big city. Take the time to explore the local market at Place d’Armes, enjoy a coffee nearby with the locals, stroll the streets and enjoy the spectacle of the rich and famous with their little poodle dogs decked out in Louis Vuitton.

The royal palace

Port de Fontveille

Exotic Garden views

Palace and old town from the exotic gardens

Monaco’s beautiful train station

Every yacht needs a basketball ring!

Opera house at night

You aren’t a tourist until you’ve paid 20 euros for an icecream sundae at the Café de Paris overlooking the casino!

French Riviera trip – Cap d’Ail

It was 16 years ago when I was on one of those ’10 countries in 7 days bus tours’ that I first visited the French Riviera. I remember spending all of 2 or so hours in Monaco, in awe of the view from the quick stop the bus made so we could take some snaps and then continue on our way. We also spent 2 days in Nice, with one day pretty much being wasted lazing around on the beach catching up on sleep. I never thought I would ever get back, but 16 years later and the chance presented itself in a way I could never have imagined.

Fast forward 16 years and Mr R’s brother got a research position in Monaco’s prestigious Hydrography Institute. He was to be based in Monaco for 2 years, and he invited us to come and stay should we ever be in the area. He didn’t need to ask twice! lol. So off we went to Nice. After 11 hours to Dubai than a further 7 to Nice we arrived in his apartment in Cap d’Ail and got to see a most magnificent view! Yep, the long trip was worth it!

Our base for 7 days was in Cap d’Ail, the French town bordering closest to Monaco. Mr A’s apartment was a 300 metre stroll to the “border”, so we were pretty much in Monaco anyway. His apartment also had a bus stop in front where the 100 bus would stop. This amazing bus service will take you all along the Cote d’Azur, from Nice port, through Monaco, all the way to Menton on the Italian border. All for the princely sum of 1.5 Euro! Cap d’Ail was a fantastic base to explore from – we had the beach in front of us that seemingly locals only visited, and it is relatively cheaper to stay here then in many of the French Riviera’s more famous locations.

cap D’ail harbour, Monaco starts at the big building on the left

morning view

One thing I discovered through my brother in law, and is well worth the trek, is the chance to explore the Mala Beach coastal path. This path starts at the Plage Marquet (the closest French beach west of Monaco) and winds along the coast for 3.5km to the magnificent Plage Mala. Along the way you will pass beautiful rocky outcrops, hidden coves and beautifully decorated ornate villas from the Belle Epoque era. Also along the way are small plaques which tell you about the marine life and vegetation that can be found in the area, and on the walls of some of the villas there are info plaques on who built it or lived there. Sadly these are all in French, and my French is pretty rubbish, but it was easy enough to get the gist of the info. (especially with google translate lol).

Anyway after slogging along the path for an hour in the baking heat (be warned the path is quite exposed to the sun so bring plenty of water) you’ll end up at the magical Mala beach. I’m sure this beach would be quite busy in summer, but in mid September it was relatively quiet with local families and oldies enjoying the weekday. The cove is magnificent, with high cliffs nearby jutting out of the sea. The water was crystal clear too. From here I could have either asked a local for directions to the cap d’Ail train station (which apparently is 10 minutes from Plage Mala) but instead of catching the train the one stop back to Monaco I took the same path back so I could get to Plage Marquet where I had left husband to watch after Little Miss A, who was happily using the time to splash at the beach. (hubby was happy to watch her too instead of taking a hike with me!!!) Overall a 7km walk, a good day of exercise and an enjoyable way to explore a bit of the coastline.

I thoroughly recommend a stop in cap d’Ail if you have time on the French Riviera. While there is obviously not as much to see here (in terms of monuments or historical buildings – its not a Nice or Eze) you will still enjoy it if you like the belle epoque era, if you like the seaside, or if you would prefer a quieter experience without the hordes of tourists. Cap d’Ail is definitely a ‘local feel’ of the French Riviera.

very generous times for the walk!

the path

locals enjoying a small cove

there are little side paths from the main path if you want to explore the villas further

plage de la mala

I wish I had a boat moored here!

Donnelly River getaway

Well I have just returned from a few weeks in the gloriously sunny French Riviera and the equally warm and sunny Madrid, but before I get to those posts I need to touch on my weekend away with the girls to the sunny but bloody freezing cold southwest corner of Western Australia!

Our annual girls weekend away with our little hiking loving group resulted in us staying at Donnelly River, about a 3 hour drive south of Perth. This small village was a former timber mill town, but today the old workers huts have been transformed into little chalets that can be booked for holidays. Donnelly River really is in the middle of nowhere, with barely any phone reception and no TV’s in the cottages it made for a peaceful and relaxing weekend away. The little settlement is also the midway point of the 1000km long Bibbulmun Track. For those hiking end to end this means that when you hit Donnelly River you are at the halfway point. It must be a welcome relief to see the small site, to be able to buy some “real” food and coffee at the one and only general store, and you can hire a chalet and have a real hot shower for the first time in days! For us, the chalet was a perfect base to do day walks from. We headed off on a 15km walk, admiring this section of the Bibbulman track for its outstanding forest and natural scenery. Compared to the northern part of the track near Perth, that we usually frequent, this more southern part had some HUGE trees and a lot more vegetation of a natural state. Even though it was a cold cold day (it hit 1 degree celcius that morning), it was perfect walking weather and very pleasant.

After a long days walk nothing beat going back to the chalet, lighting the fire and having a hot cup of tea on the porch, watching the local wildlife wander around from hut to hut looking for food. That’s right – the animals of the town are so tame that you will have kangaroos and emus wondering up to you and checking you out without a care in the world. It really is a unique and beautiful place, and one I would like to go back to with my own family in the future whenever we need a “time out” from the rat race that is city life!