The French Riviera
Villefranche is the gateway to the gorgeous French
Riviera.
We drove along the picturesque Grand Corniche, built by
Napoleon. We went to the medieval village of Eze, which
hangs on an angle above the sea. From here, the Mediterranean
was majestic and deep blue .. one of the most magnificent views
of the coast. We walked along the cobblestone streets lined
with souvenir shops and cafes.
We drove through Roquebrune Cap Martin near the Italian
boarder to Monaco. We saw the Prince's Palace, situated on
top of Monaco Rock, home of Prince Rainier III and viewed
the Changing of the Guards. The 19th century Cathedral in
neo-romanesque style is also located here and is where the
wedding of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelley were married.
The Princess is also laid to rest in the Cathedral.
The Grand Casino is an elaborate copper domed building
dating back from the late 1800's. The casino has terrific
sea views over a series of terraced gardens. Bring lots of
money if you want to seriously play here. The American
Room (casino) was crowded and very unappealing. Pat
won $500 and because she didn't have the proper
identification they would not give it to her. Yes, we did go
back with the ID they required and they finally gave her, her
winnings!!
Marseilles, France's second largest city and busiest
Mediterranean
port was founded in 600 B.C. Geographically it ranges from the
high mountains of the southern Alps to the blue waters of the
Mediterranean. It's rugged, rocky countryside is filled with
vineyards, fields of lavender and olive groves, which has inspired
the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. The beauty of the coastline
is
unforgettable! Notre Dame de la Garde, a beautiful cathedral set
high on a hill, bears resemblance to the Sacre-Coeur in Paris.
From this area you have a fantastic panoramic view of the city,
harbor and surrounding mountains.
From Marseilles, we drove along the Gineste Pass and
passed
fields of grapevines and limestone cliffs on our way to Cassis,
an old Provincial fishing port.
We walked the Promenade des Lombards along the sea
front
and small beaches dominated by a 14th century castle. We spent
a
pleasant day here soaking up the beauty of this town which has
many
cafes, restaurants (especially seafood) and shops clustered around
it's
harbor and three beaches. Taking a short drive to Cape Canaille,
Europe's highest sea cliff at 1,352 feet, afforded us a spectacular
view of the city.
I hope you enjoyed visiting France with me, as much
as I enjoyed
sharing it with you.
Au Revoir .. until
we meet again.