Eze, Monaco, and Nice
Friday, September 27
One of the best parts of time in Nice back in 1985 was having a car and being able to just pick up and go whenever we wanted to. After all, Provence is a beautiful place, and we wanted to see more than just Nice. We visited Grasse, Biot, St. Paul de Vence, Entrevaux, and several others. By far, the place we visited most often was Eze, not only because it was close, but also because it lies between Nice and Monaco. My organ lessons were in the Cathedral in Monaco, and from time to time we made a point to stop in Eze just to enjoy its singular location and beauty. And maybe to shop a little.
There’s one little thing you should know about Eze and the other villages I just listed: they’re usually referred to in English as “perched villages,” and the name has nothing to do with fish. They are each perched atop a hill, and often it’s quite a high, steep hill, and they all have very narrow streets that are accessible to pedestrians or perhaps the occasional donkey, but definitely not to automobiles. Everywhere you turn, you have to go uphill to get somewhere else. But every one of these places has a charm and beauty you won’t find anywhere else. Just check out the photos!
Jan had arranged a half-day trip for us, so we were picked up at the hotel and, with the addition of one more person, our small group of six people headed out for a the drive to Eze and Monaco. The day wasn’t clear, but a little fog didn’t dampen our enjoyment. Our driver/guide was wonderful, with a great personality and an amazing ability to fill us in on everything from the history of the region to what amounted to local gossip about billionaires and their coastal homes. It was no surprise later in the day to discover he day job was in education. His students must really enjoy his classes. The sixth member of our group, Tony, was far from shy, and altogether we thoroughly enjoyed the constant conversation.
We stopped to look over the precipice at Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cap Ferrat for a little more orientation and a photo-op before we got back in the van and sped along the Corniche for Eze. Judy and I had wondered if the cristallerie we remembered was still there, and we were delighted to find it not only in the same place but also open for business, even early in the mornings. As you might expect, prices were considerably steeper than they were in 1985, so this time we didn’t buy any cut crystal stemware, but Judy did get a nice necklace.
Our next stop was a new place to us: a branch of Parfumerie Fragonard, based in Grasse. Remembering our previous experience in Grasse, Judy and Tori decided not to risk the aggravation of so many concentrated scents, so they enjoyed a little time at a café while Mark, KC and I took the tour. The facility is in the “new” town of Eze, below the old village, and it provided a good look at the process of making perfumed soap. Most of what we saw was static exhibits, but there was one machine actually run by a real human. All it did was stamp shapes (ducks, flowers, etc.) out of soap blanks that were made at the factory in Grasse. The fun part was seeing stacks of yellow duck soaps that looked a lot like Peeps!.The visit ended with the inevitable stop in the in-house shop, and KC was able to contribute to the local economy before we left.
After Eze the next stop was the Parking du Chemin des Pecheurs in Monaco, a well-remembered spot from years ago. We took the elevator to a level I didn’t remember at all, then an escalator to the surface, where everything looked familiar. I guess places like the Oceanographic Institute, the gardens, and the homes and public buildings of the world’s smallest principality don’t change very often. A walk up the hill took us to the Cathedral, and yet another change that really shocked me: the organ I remember so well was gone, replaced by what looked like a glowing blue juke box from the 1950s. As it turns out, it’s the second rebuild of the 1975 Boisseau organ, this one by the Belgian builder André Thomas, completed in 2010.
We did much more than just walk around, of course — we ate a hot dog! KC and Tori remembered eating those wonderful creations made with more than a little mustard poured into a hole made in a fresh baguette, followed by what looked like a longer than usual frankfurter. We each had one, enjoying the memory and eventually loading back into the van to drive across the harbor, full of yachts for a show that weekend, to take a look at the world-famous Casino. We didn’t go in, simply because we wouldn’t have been allowed past the lobby, if we got that far, but KC enjoyed taking photographs of the logos on all the cars parked in front. Not a Ford or Chevy in the lot!
The afternoon saw us moving in different directions. Judy held down the fort at the hotel, perhaps spending a little time at a small table in front of the little shop next to the hotel. In turn we all joined her there, just to unwind a little, you understand. And maybe refresh ourselves with a libation straight from the cooler.
Mark and I loaded up laundry, and armed with a map marked for us by the hotel desk clerk, we set off on foot in search of a lavissage automatique. According to a web site we eventually checked for more detailed directions, we found the “scruffiest” of the three such establishments in the Old Town. We weren’t the only tourists using the machines, but tourists were also not the only customers. We took turns exploring the neighborhood a bit, discovering we were just off the Place Rosetti and the Cathedral Réparate. We can always find a church with an organ.
While Mark and I were performing the domestic duties and Judy was acting as information central for the family, Tori and KC headed for the beach. Their memories were of the pebble beach at the far end of the city, about as far as the beach extends toward the airport. They weren’t disappointed to find the same thing here at this end. KC decided that her goal of going topless on the French Riviera wasn’t a good one after all, but at least they both got to experience the fun of really chilly Mediterranean surf again.
Once again, we headed out for the old town in search of dinner, this time trying slightly lighter fare, just to preserve our waistlines. A plus this time was some live entertainment, provided first by one guitarist, then a second, then the two together. Very pleasant way to end another busy and enjoyable day. After another memorable meal, we turned in for the night. Our trip down memory lane was to come to an end the next day as we headed off for Barcelona, the first trip to Spain for all five of us.