This is part of 4 posts on Nice, Monaco, Carnavale and Antibes and Cannes.
- All about Nice, France is below.
- If you want to read about Carnavale... Check it out...!
- My tiny country profile of Monaco is here: Check it out...!
- Antibes and Cannes is where I fell in love with yachts. Check it out... !
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After my meltdown in Genoa, I was happy to get out of the city the next morning and start my drive down to Nice, France for a relaxing weekend with my parents. I can't think of a better way to spend Valentine's day than driving the Italian and French Riviera's, can you? And what could be better than being in Nice during Carvanale 2014?
The drive from Genoa, Italy to Nice, France is a little over 2 hours. It's a gorgeous drive on a gorgeous road which winds it's way along the gorgeous coast. Seriously, the drive is stunning. The Riviera in both Italy and France consists of a bunch of towns and cities built into the side of the mountain. It looks as if the mountains are tumbling down into the Mediterranean and at any moment, the cities and towns clinging to the side will slide down into the water. High above the waters edge built into the mountains and cliffs is the freeway...the A8/A10.
The road was cut through the mountains and hillside, so there are lots of tunnels. It twists and turns parallel to the waters edge, running into and out of the mountains. There are long stretches where you’re in a tunnel and suddenly pop out and the view of the next town built into the craggy cliff takes your breath away.
It happened too fast that I saw the sign letting me know I'd entered France and then this gorgeous sign saying I was officially in the Cote d'Azur region, which runs south from Monaco through Villefranche, Nice, Antibes, Cannes and St. Tropez.
I drove into Nice, found my hotel and parked my car in an underground garage. I know it doesn't seem blog-worthy, but I have to say something about the parking garages here. Feel free to skip this whole paragraph if you don't care, I parked next door in an underground garage. Some European garages are super advanced and have a lighting system for open spots. So as you're driving into the deck, a sign says "5 open spots on Level A, 230 open spots on Level B." There are lights mounted on the ceiling above each spot, either green or red, so as you drive through the garage, a simple glance down the row tells you if there is an open spot there or not. As you drive into the spot, the light above it turns red and the sign changes from "5 open spaces on Level A" to "4 open spaces on Level A." You guys! No more driving down rows aimlessly! I really love smart design, so this impressed me. I hope the USA adopts this technology at some point!
We stayed in the Mercure Nice Marche aux Fleurs. The hotel is located on the popular street and promenade, the Quais Etas-Unis...at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea.
The rooms are tiny - my parents (first) room didn't have enough space to walk around the bed without crawling over the bed. Our showers were so tiny you almost touched the ceiling. I'm only 5'7"!
But the bed was comfortable and when I arrived on Friday, there was this bag of chocolates and a little note wishing me a Happy Valentines Day. Awww...hotel! Thanks!
I ate the chocolate, threw my bags in my tiny room and immediately headed across the street to enjoy the last moments of a gorgeous afternoon.
Now, this is my first time in Nice and I had no idea that the beaches here are not sand, but rocks! Did you know that about Nice? I'm not sure why this is the case. I'm sure a geologist or scientist reading this knows the answer (tell me in the comments!) but I have no clue. It sure makes for a memorable beach photo or two.
And an extreme closeup for perspective on the rocks. How do people lay on this beach?
That night, I found a little American restaurant and had a BLT for dinner. An American B.L.T. OMG, it was delicious! The best part was the license plate theme of the place. Of course, I had to find Georgia and Michigan. I tried to get a photo with California and New York as well, but they were up at the ceiling.
I went back to the hotel and went to bed at about the same time my parents plan was landing from Vicenza.
Saturday, we had breakfast at the hotel (nothing special...why can't Europeans learn to cook eggs properly?). We were all set to leave the hotel when my dad got locked in the bathroom when the handle fell off the door. The lights were off, with the light switch outside of the bathroom. My mom and I almost peed our pants laughing as he shouted for help. Of course, we eventually helped him, but we laughed first.
After freeing him, we spent the day walking around the flower market district behind our hotel and exploring the areas set up for Carnavale. The market is an open air market of stalls selling produce, flowers, gifts, baked items, soaps and candles. I bought some gifts for friends back home, we strolled and ate and marveled at some of the produce. Have you ever seen a red pepper as big as your head before?
We drove up the coast a bit - not quite to Monaco - and admired the view. As we drove, my dad kept saying to my mom "why did we wait so long to come here? It's amazing!" I think he seriously loved it!
We were shocked when we saw that between the towns were just huge areas of rock. The rock actually came out over the road - sort of a strange feeling to drive under massive boulder walls. But, I guess we know why they didn't build anything there!
We headed back to Nice and had an awesome dinner at a place called Frogs behind our hotel. the atmosphere was quiet, dark and had lights twinkling on the ceiling. The salmon was to die for and my mom had the best risotto of her life there.
We were in Nice during Carnavale, so after dinner we watched the parade going by. See more about that on my Carnavale post - link at the top!
Just one last little bit of Nice. Overlooking our area of Nice is a tall hill that's lit up at night, with a gorgeous waterfall. After wondering what was up there, on Sunday night after we came back from Monaco, we decided to explore. We found a tall staircase, trudged up (my mom begrudgingly!) and found ourselves on Castle Hill.
The views of the city were fantastic. I wish we'd have had to to come back and stroll around the cemetery during the day. But the view of the twinkling lights of the city was wonderful.
In the end, I think my Dad said it best. Why did I wait so long to come here? Nice (and the entire French Riviera) is an absolutely amazing, beautiful place.
We stayed in the Mercure Nice Marche aux Fleurs. The hotel is located on the popular street and promenade, the Quais Etas-Unis...at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea.
Looking north towards Monaco...
And an extreme closeup for perspective on the rocks. How do people lay on this beach?
I stayed long enough to watch the sun slip down into the Mediterranean, though sadly, my camera battery did not make it the entire time. Maybe it's good, because I put down the camera and just enjoyed it.
I went back to the hotel and went to bed at about the same time my parents plan was landing from Vicenza.
************
Saturday, we had breakfast at the hotel (nothing special...why can't Europeans learn to cook eggs properly?). We were all set to leave the hotel when my dad got locked in the bathroom when the handle fell off the door. The lights were off, with the light switch outside of the bathroom. My mom and I almost peed our pants laughing as he shouted for help. Of course, we eventually helped him, but we laughed first.
After freeing him, we spent the day walking around the flower market district behind our hotel and exploring the areas set up for Carnavale. The market is an open air market of stalls selling produce, flowers, gifts, baked items, soaps and candles. I bought some gifts for friends back home, we strolled and ate and marveled at some of the produce. Have you ever seen a red pepper as big as your head before?
We drove up the coast a bit - not quite to Monaco - and admired the view. As we drove, my dad kept saying to my mom "why did we wait so long to come here? It's amazing!" I think he seriously loved it!
We were shocked when we saw that between the towns were just huge areas of rock. The rock actually came out over the road - sort of a strange feeling to drive under massive boulder walls. But, I guess we know why they didn't build anything there!
My parents
We headed back to Nice and had an awesome dinner at a place called Frogs behind our hotel. the atmosphere was quiet, dark and had lights twinkling on the ceiling. The salmon was to die for and my mom had the best risotto of her life there.
We were in Nice during Carnavale, so after dinner we watched the parade going by. See more about that on my Carnavale post - link at the top!
Just one last little bit of Nice. Overlooking our area of Nice is a tall hill that's lit up at night, with a gorgeous waterfall. After wondering what was up there, on Sunday night after we came back from Monaco, we decided to explore. We found a tall staircase, trudged up (my mom begrudgingly!) and found ourselves on Castle Hill.
The views of the city were fantastic. I wish we'd have had to to come back and stroll around the cemetery during the day. But the view of the twinkling lights of the city was wonderful.
In the end, I think my Dad said it best. Why did I wait so long to come here? Nice (and the entire French Riviera) is an absolutely amazing, beautiful place.
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