If you are up for a bit of a scenic adventure while taking in the surrounding nature, may we suggest Eze Village and the Nietzsche Trail.
Located just a few minutes west of the Principality of Monaco is the historic village of Eze perched 1401 feet above sea level. People first set foot on Eze Village in the 19-20th centuries B.C. In later years, the land was owned by the Moors and Romans. By 1383, Eze itself was controlled by the Savoy dynasty that secured it's position with new fortifications. Only in 1860 did Eze officially become a part of France by a unanimous decision by the locals. Today the area is known for it's glorious villas, astounding panoramic sea views, top gourmet restaurants, soap, perfume and artists.
The best way to start your day of adventure is to really have no plan at all. Eze Village is very welcoming and it's winding, narrow cobbled pedestrian streets offer a surprise around each turn.
Here you will discover the cutest little jewelry, clothing and art shops along with restaurants offering amazing views that will bring delight not only to your taste buds but include memories to last a lifetime.
The paths in the village all seemed to lead to the Jardin d'Eze otherwise known as the “exotic garden”. Here you pay a small fee and are let into the garden that also has a smattering of graceful sculptures that appear to be guarding the ruins of the former castle and yet they also help showcase some of the most spectacular views you will ever see in your life.
Here you can literally spend hours taking in all the scenery and magnificent surroundings as it is such an extraordinary place.
You can literally see all the way past Cannes, some days I’m told you can see out to Corsica and to the east the rock called “the Dog’s Head” on the edge of the Principality of Monaco. Below you can see parts of Nice and the airport, Villefranche-sur-Mer and the whole of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat with the luxurious yachts on the sea and of course Eze-sur-Mer.
This is also a great vantage point to see the rest of the village and Eze Bridge below which also has its own fabled story to tell and of which can be seen in the Alfred Hitchcock movie, To Catch A Thief.
Now its time to hike down the Nietzsche Trail, the sign for the start of the trail is posted at the foot of the village and can be easily found. With this type of terrain in the region, it is always a good idea to bring bottled water and to wear proper footwear plus plan for at least an hour hike down...depending on how fast you go.
The path winds down the side of the mountain giving you some amazing views along the way from a variety of points, the trail is clearly marked and there are even small stripes of paint that indicate it is the main trail.
Like the Eze Village, here you will come across pleasant surprises around every corner.
The terrain changes from smooth, sandy and solid, to rocky with some sections having man-made steps. In all a very pleasurable hike, a great way to clear your head and be inspired.
You’ll know you are nearing the bottom when you start to see some of the homes in Eze-sur-Mer and the trail turns to street pavement. It would be hard for anyone to get lost on this trail and especially near the bottom as that is when you start to see more trail signage and it all basically leads you back to the train station where if you wanted, you can make your way through the train tunnel and go for a swim in the sea to cool down.
If you only have a short amount of time to spend in the French Riviera, make sure this one of the places on your list to visit. The Eze commune is something to tell others at home about and pictures here do not do justice to the experience.