The alleys of Eze are a delight

Exceptional Eze

Rick and I took our daughters to the French Riviera on a cruise, and as we all sat in a cafe in Villefranche sur Mer on the Mediterranean coast, a patron beside us noted that up on the hill above the towns was a spectacular village called Eze. We all sighed as she regaled us with its charm and beauty. We vowed to return and see this glorious town. And we did. A few years later, all four of us returned to Nice before our transatlantic cruise to Brazil. And we visited this charming mountaintop village overlooking the Sea.

Here is a spectacular day trip from Nice:

What you want to do is to go to Eze sur Mer with Bus #112 Monte Carlo or Bus #82 Plateau de la Justice. Look at lignesdazur.com/en for schedules.

Originally, one could get on these two busses from the main bus station, but with construction, both buses leave 2 blocks inland from the Port at the Max Barel bus stop.  If you are coming from downtown, take bus 9 or 10 to the Port, or take the tramway to Garibaldi, or you could even stay on the tram a few more stops to the Vauban tram stop, then walk around the small parking lot and go through the archway to the bus station and look for the bus #82 or #112. Take the earliest bus you can so you have the day for Eze and Monaco. It’s only 1.5 euros each way.

If you catch the bus at the Max Barel stop, you wait by a wonderful bakery where we devoured several of their chocolate croissants. And, maybe, the best croissants of the trip! Wrangle your way to the front of the line. It was crowded when we went, but you have to sit on the RIGHT side of the bus. The views over the Sea as you passed these glorious flowering bougainvillea on the narrow Corniche highway had us squealing with delight as we attempted to take numerous photos. Three coastal roads are carved into this dramatic cliff terrain from Nice to Menton, and you get to ride on one up to Eze.

 

When you arrive in the square in Eze, look across the street for the paved street up to the actual medieval walled city of Eze. We popped into the Parfumerie Fragonard just to the left before walking up to this exquisite village. We stopped in every alley to take the perfect photo on the cloudless blue sky day. It was just so scenic! Eze cast an extraordinary spell on us as we wandered through the time-stained stone houses huddled together on the cliff.

Our favorite spot is Chateau Chevre D’Or. Ducking through a low stone door, we entered this courtyard of this medieval castle where we stood with mouths agape. Sipping on cappuccinos and a French speculoos biscuit, we could not tear ourselves away from the scene overlooking the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat jutting into the Mediterranean.

 

When you can tear yourself away from the village, walk back down the paved road to the sign for “Nietsche’s Footpath”. This is the path that the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, walked everyday when he was staying in Eze. It is a roots and rocks trail, but you descend down with the same scenic views of the Sea.

At the highway, you can wait for a bus to take you to Monaco (they are coming from Nice). Or, you can walk into the train station and catch the train into Monte Carlo.

The hanging baskets bursting with color line all of the streets and the yachts are a treat to yearn after. It’s people watching at its finest. Walk into the Casino for the panache and get your passport stamped at the tourist office just north of the casino.

Catch the bus #100 back to Nice, which leaves every 15 minutes until 8pm. Go back up to the Tourist Office/Casino bus stop and cross the street and go a half block to the left; this is the Casino bus stop going in the other direction (towards Nice), and this is where you catch the bus. Or take the train back to Nice for an evening stroll along the Passagietta.