FRENCH RIVIERA- 5 nights & 4 days

Day 11- 26th May 2016- Drive along the coast to the east toMENTON, MONACO, EZE
Weather: 20 C- Cludy n Sunny
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FRENCH RIVIERAOnce upon a time, everyone called this glamorous stretch of Mediterranean coast the French Riviera; then in 1888 author Stéphen Liégeard dubbed it La Côte d'Azur, (Coast of Azure) , the name stuck.

With seemingly endless sunny beaches, charming towns, glamorous yachts and celebrities galore, Cannes film festival, Monte Carlo Casinos, Monaco Grand Prix, Celebrity villas just add to the glamour. It has Mediterranean climate, with exceptionally mild winters and brilliant, hot summers, with much sunshine throughout the year. Rain falls on only about 60 days a year, and the coast rarely has snow. The favourable climate, the grandeur of the rugged coastal scenery, and the attractions of the sea have long drawn the leisured rich, especially during winter. That’s reason why this region is the most visited places in France, after Paris.
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We had planned a little relaxed day after a long drive on the previous day. Also, knowing the fact that we were at the same place for 5 nights and relatively relaxed itinerary with fewer places to see, and rest of my DW’s family joining us to celebrate her nephew’s 6th birthday made us feel like a homecoming and a break from our long holiday.We got up at 7 am. Had Upma (a precooked dehydrated snack) and coffee and left at 8.40 am. Packed some food for the drive. Our farthest destination today was Menton, the western most town on the French Riviera, via Nice. We planned to stop at the places on our way back. We filled petrol after Nice.


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Luxury sea facing apartments outside Nice
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Unique sculpture cum structures outside Nice
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Steet signs are always a part of my album. They remind me of the times I planned my route n also the times I traveled on them.
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Mountain roads enroute Menton
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The cloudy weather made our travel on the picturesque roads more pleasant. It was blessing.

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After Nice it is mountainous road with views of picturesque towns and ocean below on the right side and rocky mountain on the right side while going. There is View point on top that has parking space alongside, overlooking a resort town
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Villefrenche sur mer, which in French translates to “Freetown on the sea” The bay of Villefranche is one of the deepest natural harbours of any port in the Mediterranean Sea and provides safe anchorage for large ships from easterly winds. The town is also the winter residence for royalty and wealthy visitors.

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Spring flowers had bloomed everywhere around. It really gave us that extra feel-good factor.

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South of France is full of mountain roads and passes. We loved traveling on them in our new car.

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Saint Jean cap ferrat, Cap Ferrat was named the second most expensive residential location in the world, after Monaco. Rothschild family has a beautiful palatial villa here. Roquebrunne Cap Martin also can be seen from top.

Menton is shades of Yellow and orange, a perfect picture postcard town. More Italian than French. We really could enjoy it thoroughly as it’s quite small.
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We drove through Menton, to the cornice along the sea. Located on the stunning Côte d’Azur coastline, Menton glows with yellow lemon and pastel hues that can be seen from far away.
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We explored historic old quarter on foot, It’s a primarily pedestrian and very walkable.
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We could see the orange buildings and the church spire of the old town
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We drove down into Italy along the coastline, to the first town on the Italian Riviera, Ventimiglia, just for fun. Its a different thrill to cross country borders on foot or by car.
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We sat there and clicked some pictures. Had sandwiches that we had packed
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Ventimiglia has a Roman Amphitheatre and some Roman structures, but we didn’t go there.
We drove down into Italy along the coastline, to the first town on the Italian Riviera, Ventimiglia, just for fun. We sat there and clicked some pictures. Had sandwiches that we had packed. Ventimiglia has a Roman Amphitheatre and some Roman structures, but we didn’t go there.


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We started our journey back. Drove to Monte Carlo, Monaco known as the Principality of Monaco. It is a constitutional monarchy. Monaco is the second smallest country in the world after Vatican and the smallest member of the United Nations. Monaco is the world's most densely populated country too.

We parked the car in a parking place n walked a bit to the Casino and Opera house next to it. Saw it from outside from outside. The place oozed opulence through swanky buildings, cars, people around. The city had tall glass buildings, luxury yachts along the coastline.

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We drove on the Formula One racing track, which was a dram come true. The race had just got over and we could see the guest seating stands along the way. At Monte Carlo, while Priyanka was helping me in the navigation as Poonam slept at the back, we went just 10 meters inside a No entry on the road and took a u turn immediately. Just as we felt relieved a lady cop stopped us. We were scared. I Said Bonjour and explained her the situation. She spoke very well and told us to keep the eyes on the road, navigation is just an additional help. She smiled and left us unharmedJ. This kind of squared off our situation of unjust traffic fine. It was a pain balm for us 😊


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Our next halt was the mountain village of Eze.

We drove towards Eze on the curvy road on the mountain with coastal views on our left side all along the route. We parked in the Pay n Park parking lot at the base of the village at 12.45 pm. Went to the tourist office next to it and collected the map.

The medieval village of Eze is perched high on a hill above the French Riviera in south-east Provence from where it has lovely views along the coast and out across the Mediterranean. Eze receives less recognition than it might if there were not so many other very lovely places in the region, but in my opinion it is one of the most beautiful villages in France and an unmissable highlight of a visit to south-east France. The whole medieval village itself is entirely pedestrianized. As you climb towards the village you can see the church on the hill ahead of you, and you soon enter the narrow paved streets of the historic centre. One of first views across the coast is also to be seen from here.

There are numerous streets and alleys to explore in Eze itself, with another beautiful courtyard or picturesque house to be seen and photographed around every corner. There was a surprise around every corner.

From its hot pink bougainvillea, ivy and flowers that grow everywhere to its boutiques, art galleries and jewellery stores along the winding walkways, the perched village of Eze has retained all its natural old world rustic charm.



Most of these houses are now shops, restaurants or galleries and I suspect there is very little active population in the old village, Eze having long since been 'abandoned' to tourism.

This tendency for a whole village to become a tourist attraction has affected a few of the more popular Provence villages. Personally I think it is nicer and more authentic to see elderly locals walking the streets and hanging out their washing on the balconies but I can't blame people from wanting a bit of privacy when they sit chatting, or from staying and wanting to make money from tourism!

We climbed to a yellow church in the centre of Eze old village, had a neo-classical facade. The relatively plain exterior conceals an impressive interior where you can see several interesting decorative features including paintings and frescoes. When you get close to the top of the village you will see the entrance to the gardens in the ruins of a medieval castle. We didn’t go into the gardens which had walls with Roman ruins. The village is NOT listed among the plus beaux villages in France which includes about 170 of the most attractive villages in France, but is surely one of the prettiest. There were great views from there. We clicked numerous photos.

We loved Eze more than the swanky Monte carlo.

We walked down the winding paths to an open-air café “Pinocchio” Had Pizza, beer and potato chips. Nice ambience and good for people watching. We left at 3 pm. Poonam drove all the way back, as I had consumed beer. We reached in 1.30 hours via Nice. Shopped grocery in the nearby Intermarche store. Reached our apartment at Juan le Pins by 5 pm. We had coffee and relaxed a bit. We walked 5 minutes to my BIL’s rented apartment. Had a nice chat with the family. We were meeting after 2 years.

We walked back by 9 pm. Had Rice and dal makhani and slept by 10.45 pm.




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Entry to the Village Eze
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Entry to the Village Eze
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I'm so glad to see you back here, paragkash. You were in the middle of writing an epic trip report, thoroughly enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to reading your latest posts.

Thanks you so much dear for the kind words and encouragement. It's nice to know such kind people through this forum. I have been through an emotional roller coaster, with a happy ending. Would write about that someday.
It means a lot to me.

Day 11- 26th May 2016- (Continued)
Some quaint moments spent at Eze. A day well spent. More relaxed than some days before. We were looking forward to some more days like that this week.
The weather was perfect. Partly sunny. It did drizzle on our way back.
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View of Eze from the church
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We spent some quaint moments inside a very charming church, and also gave some rest to our legs.
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There are numerous beautiful water colour paintings. One wants to buy them all. We bought a few postcards, which I usually do. I sometimes enlarge them digitally and put the frames on the walls of my home.
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These are my best souveniers
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The charming open air cafe at the foot of Eze. I always prefer open air cafes when I am in Europe. They all are unique in their own way. People and nature watching along with wine and food, is the best part of the holiday
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We enjoyed beer and lunch at Cafe Pinocchio
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Chilled beer after a walking tour is something that words cant describe.
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I love cafes that have menu in local language. The person explains you in his own way and also gives his suggestions.
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Meeting the family is bliss. Little Hrithik and his aunt, both are delighted.
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Their smiles tell it all.

Day 12- 27th May 2016- Drive to St. Raphael, Cannes, St. Tropez
Weather: 22 C- Sunny
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We got up at 7 am. Had Eggs and tea as breakfast. Got ready and left at 8.45 am.
Our plan was to drive to Cannes, St. Raphael & St Tropez
We picked up Mummy from my BiL's apartment.
We drove 38 km to Cannes and reached in1 hour. Cannes is known for big events like the Cannes Film Festival, which brings a host of stars every May. Flower decoration and big posters were hanging on streets everywhere, as the Cannes Film festival had just ended. We drove on La Croisette and Rue d'Antibes in Cannes and could feel that glitzy, upscale, luxury life. Streets are lined with high end luxury shops, attractive boutiques, fancy hotels and Michelin-star restaurants.

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Flower decoration and big posters were hanging on streets everywhere, as the Cannes Film festival had just ended
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There were fancy hotels and Michelin-star restaurants all over the city

We proceeded towards St Raphael.
We drove through a hilly terrain through a forest to St Raphael. We parked in underground Kennedy car park near the beach. (Free for 1st 30 minutes) Walked on the beach. New hotels and apartments along the quay. We left in 1 hour.
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Walking from the parking lot to the beach
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St. Raphael has beautiful beaches and azure blue sea.
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Beautiful hotels, restaurants and private cove beaches are main attractions of the town
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Fresh Seafood
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Corniche along the sea
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Sandy beach was clean, almost deserted with no tourists at that time. It was sunny, the weather was pleasant.
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and we had some fun times on the beach
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They relaxed in shade there while both my daughters played with the waves.

We were eager to reach St Tropez, as we had read great reviews about it
We drove from St Raphael, via St Maxime to Saint Tropez that goes all along the coastline with Azure blue sea, white sandy beaches, pretty villages with Italian style country tiled roofs. This is one of the prettiest stretch of roads in the Reiviera. This 40 km stretch took 1 hour to travel. We reached St Tropez centre through the narrow streets near the quay at 12.45 pm. We parked in the Pay and Park on the east of the quay. (paid 7 E for 3 hours) The quay area is very picturesque.
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We were surprised to see a Restaurant called Gandhi. It probably served Indian food. But we were looking for local French food.
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We walked along the harbour and enjoyed the sight of the lovely fishermen’s houses on one side - now boutiques and harbour-side restaurants
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-and large, expensive yachts on the other side on the bay.
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On the wide sidewalk at the water's edge, local artists sell colourful artwork depicting scenes of Saint-Tropez. La Ponche is the historic centre of the fishing village and is the most picturesque area of Saint Tropez. Part of it has been laid out as a pedestrian zone of narrow alleyways and quaint cobblestone lanes abounding with small shops, upscale boutiques, cafés, and restaurants.

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Saint-Tropez is both the Provence and the Côte d’Azur, a dream destination where you can find the best of the traditions of Provence, as well as a relaxing and bustling chic lifestyle, typical for the Mediterranean coast.
It is one of the most glamorous places in France, with sunny weather, sandy shores, and mild Mediterranean waters. Picturesque pastel-colored houses, narrow cobblestone streets, and shady squares add to the charm. Besides the mesmerizing azure blue seas, Saint-Tropez also boasts a verdant countryside of pine trees, olive groves, cypresses, and shrub lands.
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8th-century Eglise de Notre-Dame de l'Assomption (26 Rue Gambetta). With its beautiful Italian Baroque bell tower, this church punctuates the Saint-Tropez skyline.
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The streets of the old town were shaded and cool. It was a pleasant stroll through them, watching pastel shaded buildings, boutique windows and shops.
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End of the quay has a circular tower of the castle.
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We walked along the Chemin des Graniers (path behind the Citadelle on the gulf side) for good views of the gulf on this spectacular clear day
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The sea water was crystal clear. We could see several Jellyfishes here.
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We had lunch at Victor restaurant on the Quay
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The owner Vladimir was pleasant person.
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I had a pizza and Paella, kids had prawns Paella. I didn't have beer, as I had to drive back on the mountain road.
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We ad ice cream on the quay
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We walked back to the parking lot, with wonderful images of this picture post card town.
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Saint Tropez is the perfect picture post-card village that represents the Riviera. It is touristy, but still retains the feel of a sleepy fishing village. I had fallen in love with "Santrope" If I visit again, I would surely stay at St Tropez and enjoy the sunset on the quay, sipping some wine.We drove back the same picturesque way, via St Maxim, St Raphael. On the way, while driving, I dozed for a second, I heard a car honking as my swayed slightly. We were fortunate that nothing happened. We took care that it never happened again.
We reached at 5.45 pm. It was a relaxed day which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Went to my BiL's apartment and had some good family time.
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We walked back 5 minutes to our apartment at night. I still remember the fragrance of the night blooming Jasmine along that street.
We slept at 11.30 pm

Parag, I read the text of your latest entries on my phone while we were traveling but couldn't get any sense of your photos; they were just too small. But I knew they'd be good.

Now we're home and on the desktop computer, the colors you captured blew me away. Just amazing.

I'm reading this almost exactly 10 years after the trip. If you're writing this at this moment, you have an excellent memory and your enjoyment of being in France, with your beloved family, still shines through after all these years.

Is it about time for me to wish young Hrithik a happy 16th birthday?

Yes, Exactly
You are correct.
Hrithik is a handsome young boy now. Will be graduating from the famous Eton School, UK.
He is 6'1" tall and plays excellent club cricket. Their family lives in London. These memories are precious for all of us.
Thanks for the compliments. I have all the notes written in my diary along with hand drawn maps of daily itinerary. All the moments come alive as I post them, like they happened yesterday.

Day 13- 28th May 2016, Thursday- Exploring NICE on foot
Weather: 24 C- Sunny
Nice is the only place, most people from India visit, in France, after Paris. I had heard great reviews about Nice. it is the largest and most visited resort, the capital of Cote d'Azur.
I was curious but not excited, as big cities were not on my agenda.
We had planned to explore Nice old town on foot today. Despite its size Nice is an easy city to explore, with most places of interest focused around the central area.
We got up a bit late at 8 am. Had eggs and bread and coffee as breakfast and Left at 10.15am.
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We took both the cars and drove to Nice. It took us 1 hour from Juan les Pins to reach 27km through traffic.
I had located a Pay n Park near the city centre on Rue Grimaldi. We parked cars on level – 3 below ground level.
We had a Nice Introduction Walking tour map for which we used GPSMYCITY website. Poonam took us through.
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Nice’s Old Town is where it all started. At one time this was the entire city, and that’s why so much of Nice’s history is concentrated in this small area. It's also one of the most ancient, having been founded by the Greeks, who called it "Nike," or Victory. Because of its brilliant sunshine and relaxed living, it has attracted artists and writers
Nice was not always French. It was part of the County of Nice, which was under various rulers
It's more Italian than French.

1. The 1st place we reached wasPlace Massena which is the principle square of the city of Nice, now totally pedestrianized since the arrival of the tram through the square back in about 2007. It is a stunning square, with a smooth black and white chequerboard floor, surrounded by beautiful neoclassical red ochre buildings that play host to luxury shops and cafés/restaurants. At one end of the square is the mighty Fontaine du Soleil, whilst on either side you have easy access to the peaceful parks of Miroir d'Eau and Jardin Albert 1er. It is also a stones throw from the beach. Place Masséna has always been the spot for great public events. It is used for concerts, and particularly during the summer festivals, the carnival parade in February, the military procession on 14th July, Bastille day. Before the second half of the nineteenth century, there was a bridge here that connected two smaller squares and Old Nice with the rest of the city, which were separated by the Paillon River. It often flooded the city, so a decision was made to cover over the river. Thanks to this, the Paillon river flows under the city center, and Nice has gained quite a lot of land, which now permanently connects both of its parts. It is named after André Masséna, a French military commander and one of Napoleon's marshals. He was known as "l'Enfant chéri de la Victoire" (the dear child of victory)
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1. Place Massena (Massena Square) Place Massena is the heart of the city
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Around the plaza is a series of rather curious poles with statues of sitting or kneeling men. These fabulous modern art installations were designed by a Catalan artist called Jaume Plensa and represent the seven continents throughout the world. At night, these colourful sculptures are illuminated in all their glory creating a cosy atmosphere in and around the plaza

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...390105f54f.jpgA Greek God Just Can't Get Any Respect in Nice, France

At Place Massena, there is a large fountain called the “Fontaine du Soleil”, the Apollo or Sun Fountain. There are 5 bronze sculptures in the basin and in the centre stands an impressive marble Apollo. He is 7 meters tall and weighs in at 7 tons. He is definitely the king of the square and you would think this giant would be admired and respected… but not by the Niçois.
When the Sun Fountain was unveiled in 1956, the people of Nice were not impressed. Apollo’s “job” according to mythology is to carry the sun across the sky every day and he usually does this in his chariot pulled by 4 horses. But this Apollo didn’t have a chariot and the 4 horses were on top of his head, forming a sort of crown.
The spectators claimed that he looked like an advertisement for the most popular automobile at the time, the Renault 4CV, known as the “4 horsepower”. So the magnificent Greek deity was saddled with the nickname – “the 4 horsepower statue”.
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There are 5 bronze sculptures in the basin and in the centre stands an impressive marble Apollo.
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Bronze statues in the
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2. Place Massena opens up into a park that flows through Nice, France. It is called the “Promenade du Paillon” in honour of the Paillon River which still flows beneath it.
We were treated to a “dancing waters” show with jets of water leaping into the air in time with the music. And then we walked on water. That’s right, all of us walked on water. The basin containing the “mirror of water” is only two cm (less than one inch) deep so when the jets are not in use you can walk right across – some even did this when the jets were on. It was a nice warm day, so no one minded getting wet, especially the children.
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The "arc" in Promenade du Paillon refers to the sculpture "Arc de 115,5°" by Bernar Venet, located in the Jardin Albert 1er, which is part of the Promenade du Paillon. This sculpture, a large steel arc, is representative of the Nice coastline along the Promenade des Anglais
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This was the best way to rejoice on a hot sunny day
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Replica Statue of David by Michael Angelo from Florence
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Everything in the park is designed to remind us of the river. The walkways are covered in aquatic coloured stone and there is a “plateau of mist” made by air pumps that blow tiny drops of water into the air. In the section for children, there are sea animals carved of wood for climbing, swinging, bouncing, etc. The whale, octopus, sting ray and turtle are all following the river toward the sea

It was a long but pleasant walk through the park to...
The flower market of Cours Saleya
Roaming the streets of flower market was the best part of our walking tour. It really gives you the feel of roaming on the European streets
Cours Saleya hosts four different markets. The most well known is the Marché aux Fleurs, or Flower Market, held Tuesday through Sunday. It’s actually a combination of the flower market and the fruit and vegetable market but the name, Marché aux Fleurs is commonly applied to the whole thing. The fruit and vegetable stands pack up by 1.30 in the afternoon but the flower stalls stay open until about 5.30.

Maybe the flower sellers get this special treatment because of the importance of the flower market in Nice’s history. In 1897 Nice opened the first wholesale cut flower market in the world. The growers in the hills would bring down their cut flowers every morning. After the wholesalers had made their bulk purchases, the market would be opened for individuals to buy their bouquet
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Old Nice showed strong Italian influences. For around 1100 years, it was with Italy, till its annexation by France in 1860. The city's architecture, including narrow streets and colorful yellow, maroon facades, reflects this Italian heritage, particularly the urban landscape of fortified Italian cities.

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(To be continued)

Continued...
Day 13- 28th May 2016, Thursday- Exploring NICE on foot

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Chapel of Mercy- One of the most beautiful Italian style Baroque chapels in Nice; is pretty, both outside and inside.
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Palais de Justice- Court Square boasts an impressive facade, behind which courts and tribunals sit.
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Palais de Justice stands on one of the busiest squares in Nice. It is located in the heart of the city, surrounded by numerous terraced restaurants as well as the Tour de l'Horloge, located next door.
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The big space stands out when exploring the narrow, winding streets of the Old Town. A tall clock tower and a big fountain add to the square's ambiance. Residents and tourists linger there at cafes and restaurants
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Tall pastel buildings on either side of narrow lanes create pleasantly shaded walkways in old town
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Place Rossetti is one of the loveliest and liveliest squares in Nice. With a few cafés, ice cream shops and restaurants to choose from it is busy all day long with people who come to soak up the atmosphere as much as anything else.
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It has the Baroque Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate on its western side with a lively fountain with an obelisk in the centre
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This pedestrian square in Vieux Nice is incredibly pretty; the buildings which surround it are deep red and yellow, restaurants spill out onto the square
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The Palais Lascaris is a seventeenth-century baroque-era aristocratic palace building in Vieux Nice, France.

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fresco on the ceiling

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Currently, it is a musical instrument museum. In addition to its collection of 500 historic instruments , it has frescoed ceilings, Flemish tapestry work, and gilt-frame furniture
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Continue on Rue du Collet, and you’ll come to a small plaza on your left called Place Saint Francis. There is a fish market here in the mornings till 1pm.
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Usually there are seagulls hanging around on top of the fountain to clean up any left-over scraps that might have fallen to the ground.
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It was time for some chilled beer and wine with Italian lunch
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We had lunch at a nice street side café. Did the activity that we like the most, "people watching". We finished our leisurely lunch at 3.30 pm.
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Walked back to the nearby parking lot. We came out and drove via the promenade.
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Nice attracts a lot of wealthy people to this casino.
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The Promenade des Anglais has been a Nice landmark, a popular place for a stroll with gorgeous views of the sea. The paved walkway stretches for 5 kilometers and is known by locals as "La Prom". It was paid for by wealthy British people who used to spend their winters here, away from the harsher seasonal weather in England. This fact is recognized in the promenade's name. One side is lined with big hotels such as Negresco, luxury apartment blocks, casinos and fabulous restaurants.
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Drive back home via non toll road took 40 minutes along pebbled beaches and azure coastline . We saw latest swanky high end luxury and sports cars in the Riviera everywhere, which was different from other parts of France. The whole area has a glamorous aura.
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We passed by this luxury terraced sea facing apartment every day while we were in the riviera.
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"Blockhead building”, officially it’s known as la tête carrée, or “the square head”. This building is the administrative “headquarters” for the library just next door. It has seven floors: three in the neck and four in the head. It’s claimed to be the first, habitable sculpture in the world. We went to my BiL's apartment. Had good family time over some rounds of tea. My DD slept for some time. I tried to doze off but Hrithik woke me up by giving me hugs and numerous kisses.
We had the wine that my SiL Manjira had got. Poonam got food packets from our apartment. We cooked some sumptuous food together. Had dinner and came back to our apartment at 10.30 pm. Slept by 11.30 pm. It was a day well spent.

Day 14- 29th May 2016, Friday- Antibes.. Birthday celebration- Blue sea and Sand castle
26 C Sunny
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We had almost no agenda today. Just relax, chill and celebrate Hrithik's birthday. No need to do much homework for the itinerary, no getting up n leaving early. We do need such " Do nothing" days after some days of sightseeing.Got up at 8 am. Reached BiL's apartment at 10.30. Wished Hrithik on his birthday. Poonam made my favourite dish "Pohe" (Made out of rice flakes) for breakfast. Left at 11.30 in 2 cars and drove for 10 min to nearby Antibes. Parked in a parking lot near the beach.
Parking meter was faulty and did not work. We walked on the beach and in the water. BiL, Priyanka and Hrithik made a sand castle with a moat around with great efforts so that waves could fill the moat with sea water. Rest of us relaxed on the beach. I did some long walk along the water. It was sunny with cool breeze. There were only a few families sunbathing on the clean and least crowded long beach.
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We left from the beach to the nearby Pizzeria. Poorva and Manjira had bought an Ice-cream cake in the meanwhile. Hrithik cut the cake and was extremely excited. We had chilled draught beer. We had Mushroom cheese Pizzas for lunch.

We strolled about 10 minutes to the old Antibes town just next to us, along the seafront, allowed some lovely views across the Baie des Anges and along Cap d'Antibes. .We walked on the ramparts of the walled city along the sea. Beautiful views. Slightly uphill walk to the centre. Old church, Picasso Museum.
The old town, which is very pleasant to explore, with a mass of narrow winding streets lined with pretty houses, designer shops and boutiques, and cafes and bars, and surrounded by Vauban's defensive ramparts.
There is also a very good covered market at Antibes where you can buy all manner of fresh produce as well as hand crafted artisan items. Open air café next to it on one side.
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Crystal clear water here. Azure blue sea with Luxury yachts sailing in it. We could view picturesque Antibes old town from here.
We found Antibes is one of the most attractive and interesting places to visit on this section of the coast, with all the ingredients you could hope for: an attractive sea facing side, historical buildings, an interesting old town with a traditional market, and a selection of museums and less crowded than other opulent cousins of this place on the riviera.
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https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d832af5343.jpgLucky to witness this game played in the village square by the retired oldies. Quintessential Riviera vibe. Friendly and traditional pétanque, French version of a lawn bowling game, played in parks and on sunny squares throughout Provence with the metal balls, obligatory glass of pastis in hand, pétanque aptly reflects the relaxed lifestyle of southern France. The game dates back many years – before it was called La Longue. Story of Jules, nicknamed “Lenoir”, the inventor of pétanque, dates back to more than 100 years, when the ex-champion invented this when he became almost invalid because of his arthritis.
We spent some time enjoying the atmosphere here.
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Picasso lived in the Antibes-Juan-les-Pins region for a large part of his life, and had a studio in the Grimaldi castle for a few months after the second world war
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It is the Grimaldi castle that holds one of Antibes most renowned attraction - the Picasso museum.
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There are a few sites of historical interest - the cathedral, the medieval church towers, and the 16th century fortress - fort carré - in particular, focused in the centre of Antibes near the sea.
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Some metal craft and other artifacts are sold in the covered semi-open village market, along with cheese and fruits.
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We walked back to our car and drove for about 15 minutes to my BiL's apartment. We rested and had some nice chat. Hrithik played with Priyanka and Poorva. Blowing Soap bubbles out of soap water in the balcony. Me and Poonam went to our apartment and packed our bags for the next day and carried food packets back for our dinner. We hugged Hrithik and said good bye. He will cherish this birthday, hopefully for some years. He promised Poonam to come to India 2 days before her birthday. BiL walked and bought some food from McDonalds and came by 9.45 pm. Poonam made rice till then. We opened the Champagne that we had bought from Eparney. We said good bye to my BiL & SiL and Mummy and left by 10.45 pm.
Meeting was a good break and change for us. it felt like home away from home, on our longest holiday so far.
We could absorb the relaxed vibe of the French riviera.
We slept by 11.30 pm. Which was about 1.30 hours later than what we had planned. We were planning to check out early, the next morning.