Saturday Market in Sarlat

Sarlat’s population is approximately 10,000 but in summer jumps to around 100,000.  It’s late May and today, I saw two tour buses, strategically parked for attending the weekly Saturday morning market: the main street through town becomes an avenue of vendors, as well as throughout the historic center and its side streets – a true medieval maze of sights, smells, and flavors!

Regional specialties are walnuts, foie gras, strawberries, confit de canard, and a cheese made from goat’s milk, called “cabecou.”

Walnuts

Couronne de fleurs

Nutcrackers

Paella

Incense

Incense

Food screens & dream catchers

Place de la Liberte (main square)

Rue de la Republique

Confit de canard

13 of the best hill villages near Nice

NOTE:  The “Village House for Sale” on the sidebar is located in village #7 on this list!

 

The Alpes-Maritimes department in south-east France, including the world famous Côte d’Azur, is home to several hundred medieval hill villages, fortified towns and ruined iron age camps, and many are close to Nice.  The “villages perchés” vary from little more than a pile of ruins to perfectly renovated sophisticated small towns, some are now the ancient centre of a modern town, others are gloriously isolated deep in the countryside.  Some are almost at sea level others over 1500m high in the mountains.  What they all have in common though is that they are built in strategic locations, to protect themselves from invasion, often on rocky outcrops or cliff faces; places hard to access and easy to defend. They tend to centre around a church and castle at the top with winding narrow cobbled alleyways, twisting down to the ramparts.  These lanes are sometimes covered, forming tunnels, they often turn into steps and are nearly always far too narrow for cars.  They were built for donkeys, horses and carts but nothing any bigger which makes for an interesting spectacle when a modern day resident has a large piece of furniture delivered!  (Surprisingy they are very nearly all still inhabited).

I don’t suppose I’ll ever get to all the hill villages in the area, especially when you consider there are plenty more in the neighbouring Var department and across the Italian border in Liguria, but I’ve visited plenty and love discovering new ones.  Here’s my choice of the 13 best easily reached from Nice and surrounding towns (in no particular order), with a brief description.

1.  GREOLIERES

Gréolières (not to be confused with Gréolières les Neiges, the ski resort nearby) is a small, easily accessed hill village as it isn’t too steep.  It lies dramatically on the edge of a cliff over looking the Loup river.  The drive to it and just a bit further past towards the ski area is spectacular and one of the main reasons to go.  The village, which has a handful of restaurants, is unpretentious, existing for locals rather than the tourist market    It’s extra pretty in the snow which it regularly gets during the winter.

 

2.  GOURDON

Gourdon is the real jaw dropper of the region.  It is practically carved out of the rock at 760m altitude but surprisingly within its walls it has a castle (where Queen Victoria once stayed) and a garden designed by Le Nôtre (he of Versailles fame no less).  Unfortunately the castle is no longer open to the public but a wander around the tiny village is worth it for the views alone.  Only 20 minutes from Lou Messugo I take all our visiting friends here and pose them in the same spot!  This aspect shows just how precarious its location is, over looking the Gorges du Loup.  It’s a very popular place for paragliding.

 

3.  CHÂTEAUNEUF-DE-GRASSE

The hill village part of Châteauneuf de Grasse is hidden away from the road and easily missed despite being in quite a built up area only 4 kms from the city of Grasse.  It’s a quiet residential place where you won’t find shops or cafés, just sleepy cats lazing in the sun.  Every October it holds a festival dedicated to the humble pumpkin when the place comes alive but for the rest of the year it’s wonderfully tranquil and seemingly empty.  I’ve written in more detail about the Fête de la Courge and Châteauneuf itself previously.

 

4.  LE BAR SUR LOUP

Le Bar sur Loup is one of the most picturesque and perfectly formed hill villages with a castle, keep and chapel popping out the top.  You can see them in the photo above.  Despite what many websites say about the village the tourist office is no longer in the keep but has been replaced by an excellent restaurant “le Donjon”.  Le Bar sur Loup is known for its production of bitter oranges and celebrates them with a wonderfully fragrant fair every spring at la fête de l’oranger.  A must if you are in the area at the time.

 

5.  TOURRETTES SUR LOUP

Tourrettes sur Loup is famous for its violet production, grown for the perfume industry in Grasse and for crystallised candy and like many of these hill villages it celebrates its flowers with a festival in the spring. To get to the old part of the village from the central square (unfortunately a carpark) you pass through an archway and enter the quiet alleys, where you’ll come across charming and unusual red houses amongst the stone buildings.  For the best view of the village approach from the road from Grasse (rather than Vence).

 

6.  ST PAUL DE VENCE

St Paul de Vence is probably the most well known of the Côte d’Azur hill villages owing to its association with some of the world’s greatest artists.  Over the years names such as Picasso, Chagall, Matisse and many more have either lived here or been inspired by it.  The town is the location for one of the best private modern art collections in the world, the Maeght Foundation, and nowadays is chock-a-block full of art galleries and studios.  It’s an art lovers paradise and it’s exquisitely beautiful.  The lanes are perfectly paved and every building is renovated and maintained to a high standard.  The downside to this is that it gets very crowded.  Take a look here for tips on how to avoid the crowds and more detail about the lovely St Paul de Vence.

 

7.  HAUT-DE-CAGNES

Hauts-de-Cagnes is slap bang in the middle of the conurbation of Cagnes sur Mer-Nice, is very easily reached by public transport from all over the Côte d’Azur and yet it is relatively unknown. Being in the centre of an urban area it is hard to get a good distant photo of it, with one of the best views being from the motorway!  My shot above was taken on a gloomy day where you can just about make out the mountains behind; when you notice it peeking above the busy streets of Cagnes you realise it’s begging to be explored.  There’s a quirky fact about Haut-de-Cagnes, they play square boules “pétanque carrée” on the steep streets, the balls being square so they don’t roll downhill!

 

8.  BIOT

Biot is another of the hill villages which finds itself today as the historical and tourist centre of a much bigger but otherwise rather nondescript town.  It’s small but very lively with plenty of restaurants,cafés, boutiques and art galleries.  It holds a weekly market every Tuesday morning. Biot is famous for its hand blown glass which you can see being made in a small workshop on the main street and in the biggerVerrerie de Biot just below the village on the main road to the coast.  It is also well known for its very popular annual medieval festival every April.

 

9.  MOUGINS

Mougins is located between Cannes and Grasse and rises in a spiral of streets from the plain around. Seen from above it is most unusual.  It has become known as a centre of gastronomy with many fabulous restaurants including some with Michelin stars and an annual food festival.  It is also packed full of art galleries and the home of a small but good classical art museum.  One of the most attractive aspects of Mougins village I think is the trees that grow through the restaurant terraces in the main square.

 

10.  CARROS

Carros is a surprising stunner of a hill village, one that very few visitors ever see owing to the reputation of its namesake modern town.  Modern Carros, built about 40-50 years ago is a hideous grouping of soulless apartment blocks and industrial buildings but go beyond this, a few kilometres up the hill and you’ll be well rewarded.  The views are some of my favourites of all the hill villages around, stretching up and down the Var river valley to snowy mountain peaks and the Mediterranean at Nice.  The 12th century castle at the top of the village houses a rather unlikely International Centre of Contemporary Art and there are some interesting modern sculptures juxtaposed in the ancient streets.

 

11.  PEILLON

Peillon, as you can see from the beautiful photo above, sits in splendid isolation surrounded by forested mountains and valleys and yet it is only 12 kms north of Nice.  It is tiny, peaceful, completely pedestrian and entirely empty of tourist tat and other commercial enterprises except for an unlikely secondhand clothes shop!  At the top of the village next to the church you’ll find a panoramic map pointing out the nearby peaks and distant cities.

 

12.  SAORGE

Saorge is another completely untouched, in places run down, fully authentic hill village oozing charm and character.  Looking out over the gorgeous Roya river its houses are built in about 5 layers up and up the steep mountain side meaning that the little lanes are often tunneled through the buildings.  There are bridges and secret passages everywhere, cool and calm in the summer heat.  I defy anyone not to fall in love with this gem of a perched village.

 

13.  EZE

Eze village is a superstar of hill villages and along with St Paul probably the most visited in the region.  Its proximity to both Nice and Monaco make it popular with cruise ships but this don’t let this put you off, just choose your moment to visit wisely.  Its unique attraction is its botanic garden perilously hanging off the rock.  The views from Eze, particularly from the gardens, peeping through cacti and sculptures, over the warm tiled rooftops and across to St Jean Cap Ferrat are truly splendiferous!  Within the village walls you’ll find souvenir shops, cafés and an achingly beautiful 5 star hotel that mere mortals like me can only gaze upon and dream…

 

For some 13 is unlucky so I’ve included a bonus 14th choice particularly interesting to visit at Christmas…read on…

BONUS:  LUCERAM

Lucéram is known as the Christmas village for during the month of December it comes alive with a “Circuit des Crèches“.  Literally every tiny alley, every balcony, every doorway and every nook and cranny is decorated for Christmas with ribbons, baubles, tinsel, pine cones and santons, traditional Provencal clay figurines.  The idea is to follow the circuit of Nativity creches (or cribs) around the village spotting the hidden ones and marvelling at the bigger scenes.  The photo above is of a model of the village with santons, located in a room at the entrance to the village.  Read more about this lovely tradition here.

 

My advice for visiting hill villages is to explore the back alleys, get away from the main streets and lose yourself in the myriad of twisting dark lanes.  Look out for interesting details and a sudden shaft of light. Breath in the smells of the flowers in bloom or the damp odours of hundreds of years of history.  Move away from the crowds and you’re sure to find yourself alone even in the most popular places.  If you think you can’t visit these places with kids, think again. Above all make sure you visit at least a few of these gorgeous historical places while on the French Riviera, they are such an important and lovely part of its charm.

CREDIT/SOURCE: reblogged from http://www.loumessugo.com/

10 ICONIC THINGS TO DO/SEE IN NICE

1 – Museums

Follow in the footsteps of Chagall, Matisse, Renoir, and Picasso, among many other artists, with a visit to the numerous historical and fine arts museums. Discover how the light of the French Riviera inspired and captivated artists, beautifully reflected in their works of art.

2 –Old Town

Marvel at the Apollo fountain in Place Masséna, as a starting point. Enjoy the culturally diverse food stalls & large flower market, as you stroll through the daily morning market in Cours Saleya; a flea market is held instead on Mondays for you to find just the right antique or trinket souvenir. Among the winding, medieval streets of  “Vieux Nice,” you’ll find art studios; a variety of quaint shops, cafés, & restaurants; Palais Lascaris; Sainte Reparate Cathedral, and many charming churches. Oh, and don’t forget to stop for ice cream at Fenocchio in Place Rosetti, if you can choose among the 98 flavors!

3 – Beaches & Seaside Restaurants

Nice’s beaches are iconically pebbled, with smooth stones of various patterns and shapes. Enjoy the azur, turquoise, and cobalt blues of the Mediterranean while dining al fresco. For up close and personal seaside views, lunch or dine at one of Nice’s private beach restaurants, or at one of the Promenade-lined hotel restaurants for panoramic views.

4 – Bellet Wines

The vineyards of Bellet comprise around 11 domaines, situated in the higher elevations behind Nice, and are classified as AOC (appellation d’origine controlée). Producing red, white, and rosé wines, the Bellet vineyards are iconically rich in both terroir and taste.

5 – Shopping

From the luxurious Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Hermès designer stores to Sephora, Zara, Galeries Lafayette, and Nice Etoile shopping mall (just to name a few), there is indeed something fashionable for everyone’s taste and budget. If you would like a souvenir, designed around the iconic blue chairs lining the Promenade, you can see the information HERE

6 – Chậteau Hill

Take the stairs, elevator, or the tourist train up to Castle Hill for a breathtaking, panoramic view of the city and sea. The city park divides Old Town from the Port of Nice and is a peaceful setting of nature, including a waterfall.

7 – Salade Niçoise

Nice’s iconically-named salad, delicately flavored with a vinaigrette dressing, is generally made with lettuce, red peppers, tomatoes, onions, hard-boiled egg, “les caillettes” (iconic Nice olives), tuna, and anchovies. You may see other variations of this iconic dish, with added ingredients, such as green beans and potatoes.  Nice and Lyon are two cities that have gastromically-acclaimed cuisine.

8 – Promenades

Walk, jog, bike, rollerblade, or simply stroll along the wide, seaside walkway – the “Promenade des Anglais.” Daydream while sitting on the iconic blue chairs and taking in the beautiful azure color of the sea.

Stroll through the 26-acre park, “Promenade du Paillon,” with meandering paths from the Albert 1^st garden to the Nice Theater – lots of green space, playgrounds, and fountains to enjoy.

9 – Nice Port & Place Garibaldi

The port is enjoyable, to take in during a portside stroll, with its “100 Antiquaires,” eclectic cafés, and boats and yachts of all sizes.

Nearby Place Garibaldi is known for its lovely frescoes and lively cafés, situated in the main square and along the various side streets leading to the port area.

10 – Day Trips

Traveling either east or west of Nice, from Menton to Mandelieu, you can visit many iconic, charming towns and perched villages, easily accessible by car, train, and bus, on the French Riviera.  Nice is the perfect base from which to take day trips, due to its central location and comprehensive transportation systems. The Principality of Monaco is only 20 kms. (12 miles) from Nice, with easy access via the #100 bus that stops close to the famous Monte Carlo Casino.

BIENVENUE & BON SÉJOUR !

More travel information and insider’s tips in this book – available in ebook & paperback formats on Amazon & Smashwords.

Book Trailer Video

Château de La Napoule in Mandelieu

American artist, Henry Clews, and his American wife,  Marie,  re-built the medieval fortress/chateau in the 1920’s, as it had mostly been destroyed during the French Revolution (except for an exterior wall and a portion of one of the wings).  Henry was a painter and sculptor, who abhorred the arrogant bourgeoisie (as depicted in the carved wreath of faces photo) and also  made fun of doctors for their sense of superpower and condescension.  He caricatured American critics, not appreciated by Henry, through his animal-sculpted wooden doors.

Henry had tried to follow in his father’s footsteps, by being a banker on Wall Street, but left to become an artist and follow his passion. He had ties with Rodin in Paris, which helped him connect to the Parisian art world.  Both Henry and Marie had been previously married with children; they felt passionate about each other and about art and had one son together.

What’s amazing is that after Henry’s death, Marie stayed at the château through the years of German occupation, having hidden and buried all of Henry’s art work, humbly welcoming Germans to stay at the château as a cover.  Her strength of character and passion for her husband and his works of art helped save the immense collection that is currently on display – a remarkable love story!

Located West of Cannes, this lovely and historical château is well worth a visit.

(hover over image for caption)

Château en Fête

A mid-summer, Family-Fun Festival in a medieval village on the French Riviera!  How are YOU spending your summer vacation?

Château Hotel Restaurant – Unique & Unbelievable Beauty

I recently discovered a “hidden gem”:  an amazing five-carat luxury hotel restaurant in a medieval village, with magnificent views to match.  If that’s not enough, the building dates from the 13th century and exudes history and art, keeping its heritage evident amidst the upscale decor.

I wanted to know more about this beauty and recently interviewed the General Manager, Frida, a friendly Swedish woman who first came to Nice at age 19 and was “taken with France.”  With a background in the hotel and restaurant business, in both Sweden and Nice, in an events business in the U.K., and having an International Business degree from the U.K., Frida is well equipped to run this luxury hotel and restaurant, “Château Le Cagnard.”  Now fully renovated to a high standard, the reputable hotel re-opened in October, 2012.

24/7:   Obviously history and art have a major influence on the hotel – how has this aspect been preserved during the renovation?

LC:  The hotel has been updated and refreshed to maintain its romance and charm, as well as to enhance the artistic aspects, such as the “Salle des Gardes” – the dining area where knights once dined – with its unique elephant frescoes painted in 1928 by Emile Wéry that I restored.  Instead of room numbers, our 26 suites and rooms are now named after a local artist, to add a touch of personal artistic romance with a trompe l’oeil, not to mention the 200 hand-painted roof panels in the restaurant with the ceiling that opens up to the Mediterranean sky.

24/7:   What in particular attracts your clientele to your hotel in this small, medieval village?

LC:  I think it’s the hotel’s uniqueness, attention to details,  and its charm, with an overall concept of being a great get-away, but yet centrally located to Nice.  We also have a lot of activities at the hotel: language courses, wine and champagne tastings, cooking school (all by request, for the moment) to provide guests with a chance to experience France in one location.  We are open seven days a week, all year round too.

24/7:  What nationalities have you welcomed into your hotel?

LC:  Our clientele, due to our hotel’s long established reputation, are multi-national, coming from Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, U.S., and the U.K.  Since there is a large Scandinavian sector who live in the village, they generally frequent the restaurant.

24/7:  How do you decide on special promotions and publicity campaigns?

LC:  I collaborate with the chef, Stéphane, for what would attract foreigners because we are selling a unique experience and feel for our clients, in keeping our high standards of excellence.  Yes, the three-night stay for the price of two, and market shopping with the chef with the meal then served on the terrace, has proved to be popular promotional package and is a perfect gift idea too.

24/7:  Do you distribute guest surveys?

LC:  Yes, we provide a paper format and have a reception area guest book, as well as social media sites for guests to provide comments.

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Frida then gave me a personal tour, showing me a couple rooms and suites – the overall beauty of the antique decor juxtaposing the modern amenities, with each room having a French-style trompe l’oeil wall painting left me virtually speechless (good that this part took place after the interview!)  — self explanatory when you see the below photos.

Entrance

Opened paneled roof

Dining terrace view

Chef Stephane & Manager Frida

Current price list

(All photos provided by Le Cagnard, except for the first four)

Old Nice Parking

Old Nice

With its mediéval, windy roads, Old Town in Nice is not very conducive to driving, so tourists must find nearby public parking. To help ease the parking crunch, the city is currently adding a large seafront, underground car park (about 450 spaces) next to the Promenade des Anglais, near the Opera of Vieux Nice. Construction is to take about a year and a half, with a target completion date of March, 2013.

Public parking – NICE

To discover more about Nice:

A – Z : The French Riviera

Tourist Office map

I will be continually adding and updating information & links on this page, so please check in regularly to this evolving post:

A – Antibes

B – Bus schedule information

C – Carnaval de Nice

& Cannes Film Festival (2012 video)

D – Dog-friendly; My dog loved living here, being able to go most everywhere, and especially riding on the scooter! (photo link)

E – Eze Village (not to be confused with Eze-sur-Mer)

F – Fenocchio Ice Cream – 94 flavors to choose from

G – Grand Prix of Monaco (1966 movie clip video)

H – Haut de Cagnes-sur-Mer

I – Imagine living here (video)!

J – Juan-les-Pins

K – Kite surf

L – Louis Vuitton will be launching a new perfume, in the Perfume Capital/Town of Grasse, to add to it luxury product line.

M – Monaco: The State Apartments at the Princes Palace are open for public visits from April 2nd to 30th from 10:30-18:00; May 1st to September 30th from 09:30-18:30; and October 1st to 31st from 10:00-17:30. Entry permitted up to 30 minutes before closing. Admission is €7 for adults and €3.50 for students and children aged 8-14.

N – Nice airport – useful information

O – Olives de Nice (les caillettes)

P – Paris (video link)

Q –

R – Roquebrune Cap-Martin (hang-gliding video)

S – Scams in Nice

T – Tourettes-sur-Loup

U – What makes YOU think of Provence?

V – Vence – Local Market held every Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat mornings at the Place du Grand Jardin; selling local produce, flowers, fruits, and vegetables

W – The coolest weather gadget ever!

X – Xenophobia = Cultural differences

Y – Yoga on the beach (HI Beach) is a perfect setting to get fit!

Z – Driving in Nice is a ‘Zoo‘

Emergency Phone Numbers: 112 International help / 15 SAMU Ambulance / 17 Police / CNAM French Health Service English-language service Tel: 08 20 90 42 12

Doors – an exhibit of art !

The textbook definition of a door: used to enter and exit a space and is typically a rectangular panel that swings on hinges within a rectangular door frame. OK, simple enough, but doors can be different sizes, made of various materials, such as wood and metal (or combination thereof), as well as painted individual colors – to create a personal touch, and perhaps even, to stand out from the rest.

As I was walking in a nearby village, I couldn’t help but notice the doors, which were not only personalized by choice of color and material, but also by the external hardware (nails, hinges, door knockers, and door knobs) and accessories of glass, bells, buzzers, and curtains. The doors were also in various shapes, in order to accommodate each door’s frame and stonework, exhibiting many ‘faces’: new, shiny, old, weathered, whimsical, and even chateau-like! Each door had it’s own look and personal style, and so, I tried to imagine the corresponding personalities of the inhabitants – based solely on these artfully-exhibited and individually-beautiful doors!

© 2012 twentyfourseveninfrance.com

Haut de Cagnes-sur-Mer

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This medieval village is only 7 miles west of Nice, with its history directly linked to its castle, constructed as a fortress in 1309; the castle, indeed, withstood assaults for two centuries. Around 1620, it was converted into a palatial residence (by Baron Jean-Henri Grimaldi) with its magnificent staircase, loggias, balustrades, and baroque architecture.

In 1873, the castle was purchased by a couple, who restored it; the town re-purchased the Grimaldi castle in 1937, and it was registered as an historic building in 1948. Today, the Grimaldi Castle-Museum houses various art exhibitions and welcomes visitors from all over the world. (Source: Office of Tourisme)

From Nice, you would take bus #200, 94, or 400 and get off at the main square (gare routiere), called “Square Bourdet” in Cagnes-sur-mer. Then, just a few steps away, there is a bus stop to take the free shuttle (#44), that runs every 15 minutes up to the village (Chateau stop). The streets are steep and windy, and therefore, this village is referred to as the Montmartre of the French Riviera (musical video in this link). There are also pedestrian access paths from below, if you are feeling energetic!

For the size of the village, there are quite a few restaurants. I have eaten in the main square at L’Atelier, Le Jimmy’s, and Les Baux, and (within walking distance) at Le Manoir and La Goutte d’Eau (favorite being Les Baux due to its sunny terrace, and ambiance-this restaurant will be moving to Nice in June, 2014), although all of them have good food and a friendly, village atmosphere.

This charming village is a nice day-trip getaway, without being too far away from Nice!