villefranche sur mer with kids-what to see, what can we do without
Feb 11th, 2004, 04:22 PM
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villefranche sur mer with kids-what to see, what can we do without
We will be in Villefranche sur mer for 6 days in May with two daughters aged 16 and 12. What should we see and what can we do without. We'll have a rental car. We don't want to rush around trying to see everything nor do we want to take really long car trips, i.e. over a couple of hours. Dad and daughters have limited appreciation for art and churches. Glitz averse. Would prefer just to see some of the area and experience the culture. Some of the possibilities: Monaco, Roya Valley, Tourettes sur loup, Eze, St. Paul de Vence, Grand Canyon du Verdun, Menton, somewhere in Italy on the Coast, Nice, Antibes Juan le Pins, St. Tropez, Cannes,Somewhere in the Alps, Saorge.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Feb 11th, 2004, 08:54 PM
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Monaco is not for the glitz averse! Eze, St. Paul de Vence, Grand Canyon du Verdun, Menton would all fit into what you seem to like.
Antibes has a lovely old town and the coastline is beautiful there. Great photo op, especially behind the Picasso museum. Juan le Pins has a lovely sand beach but the town isn't very attractive.
You might enjoy Grasse. It's very hilly, not quite the Alps though. There are perfume factory tours and the girls could "invent" their own personal perfume. It's fun if they like that sort of thing.
If you're nature lovers, you might enjoy touring the Parc Mercantour. It is fabulously beautiful . . . a French national park. That is definitely in the Alps and looks like it. The Valley of Miracles is particularly spectacular. There's a little lake and the view is to die for. There are hiking trails all over the park too.
Enjoy your trip.
Antibes has a lovely old town and the coastline is beautiful there. Great photo op, especially behind the Picasso museum. Juan le Pins has a lovely sand beach but the town isn't very attractive.
You might enjoy Grasse. It's very hilly, not quite the Alps though. There are perfume factory tours and the girls could "invent" their own personal perfume. It's fun if they like that sort of thing.
If you're nature lovers, you might enjoy touring the Parc Mercantour. It is fabulously beautiful . . . a French national park. That is definitely in the Alps and looks like it. The Valley of Miracles is particularly spectacular. There's a little lake and the view is to die for. There are hiking trails all over the park too.
Enjoy your trip.
Feb 12th, 2004, 01:50 PM
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By all means spend half a day in Vieux Nice: great people-watching, not to mention nice cafés and shops. Also, visit the open-air market at the Cours Saléya. Antibes is also fine for just wandering; looking at the sumptuous yachts in the harbor is fun. For something different, go to Biot and watch the glass-blowers at work in the large studio. You might also enjoy the small museum with beautiful pieces of art glass.
Feb 13th, 2004, 03:04 AM
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We spent a week in that area in January with our three teens. There is a pathway around Cap Ferrat with beautiful ocean views and fresh air. Many locals of all ages walk there daily. We also enjoyed the open air market each morning in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer.
Feb 13th, 2004, 04:11 AM
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beaux
You are not far away from some italian towns such as San Remo and Ventimiglia, I remember a really nice street market in San Remo on Sundays. And having luch or dinner in Itlay is something different.
Monaco`s Oceanographic museum and botanical gardens are a good teenage visit, plus the castle and the elegant hotels place du casino.
Grasse and the perfum business, visit of and old factory is interesting.
On the wild side I fully agree on hte visit to Parc Mercantour and if you are lucky see some wolfs.
Dinning in the Vieux nice.
St paul de Vence
Biot and the glass
Plenty of this to do...
You are not far away from some italian towns such as San Remo and Ventimiglia, I remember a really nice street market in San Remo on Sundays. And having luch or dinner in Itlay is something different.
Monaco`s Oceanographic museum and botanical gardens are a good teenage visit, plus the castle and the elegant hotels place du casino.
Grasse and the perfum business, visit of and old factory is interesting.
On the wild side I fully agree on hte visit to Parc Mercantour and if you are lucky see some wolfs.
Dinning in the Vieux nice.
St paul de Vence
Biot and the glass
Plenty of this to do...
Feb 13th, 2004, 04:23 AM
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The Rothschild villa Ephrussi in Cap Ferrat has magnificent gardens & is very close.
Going to Monaco by train there are great views. The train runs along the coast & you're looking down onto villas & the water. The Oceanographic museum there might interest Dad & while you may be glitz averse, the place is something to see once IMO.
While I agree Juan les Pins is not especially attractive, if the girls are into shopping, they may find some fun things in the boutiques there. The beach in J-l-P is terrific!
There's a Galleries Lafayette in Nice.
The way you worded the art comment, I gather maybe you <i>do</i> have interest. This trip might be a way to get the girls interested. There's a reason so many artists lived & live there. If you're looking for a real splurge, consider going to La Colombe D'Or in St Paul de Vence for lunch or dinner. Many artists paid them in paintings over the years so their art collection is quite something.
Going to Monaco by train there are great views. The train runs along the coast & you're looking down onto villas & the water. The Oceanographic museum there might interest Dad & while you may be glitz averse, the place is something to see once IMO.
While I agree Juan les Pins is not especially attractive, if the girls are into shopping, they may find some fun things in the boutiques there. The beach in J-l-P is terrific!
There's a Galleries Lafayette in Nice.
The way you worded the art comment, I gather maybe you <i>do</i> have interest. This trip might be a way to get the girls interested. There's a reason so many artists lived & live there. If you're looking for a real splurge, consider going to La Colombe D'Or in St Paul de Vence for lunch or dinner. Many artists paid them in paintings over the years so their art collection is quite something.
Feb 14th, 2004, 05:56 AM
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Agree with the other postings. Eze is a definite. They will love it. It's spectacular.
Nice has a fun nightlife including street performers near the Place Messena, near restuarants.
Cannes is fun, especially thinking about the stars that visit for the film festival. Walking along the beach and just people watching is terrific.
St. Tropez has great beaches. The style is certainly European. It is about a two hour drive from Nice if you stay on the coastal roads. It is a beautiful drive.
Nice has a fun nightlife including street performers near the Place Messena, near restuarants.
Cannes is fun, especially thinking about the stars that visit for the film festival. Walking along the beach and just people watching is terrific.
St. Tropez has great beaches. The style is certainly European. It is about a two hour drive from Nice if you stay on the coastal roads. It is a beautiful drive.
