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All The Way to Nice Photo - Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, France

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It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and my girlfriend and I had nothing special to do. She had also just quit smoking and was very much afraid that this would cause her to put on some extra weight. To prevent this nightmare scenario, she had been recommending that we do more exercise. We had already tried several exercise options: playing badminton, walking along the Promenade des Anglais and cycling on velo bleu (the system of rental bicycles available in Nice). However, we were looking for a new activity that would be both good for exercise and interesting. With this in mind, we decided to take a stroll around St Jean, which was purported to be one of the most beautiful spots in one of the most beautiful...Read More

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and my girlfriend and I had nothing special to do. She had also just quit smoking and was very much afraid that this would cause her to put on some extra weight. To prevent this nightmare scenario, she had been recommending that we do more exercise. We had already tried several exercise options: playing badminton, walking along the Promenade des Anglais and cycling on velo bleu (the system of rental bicycles available in Nice). However, we were looking for a new activity that would be both good for exercise and interesting. With this in mind, we decided to take a stroll around St Jean, which was purported to be one of the most beautiful spots in one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

It certainly did not disappoint. However, it took us a little while to understand the best way to appreciate it. We arrived on the bus and got off close to the Tourist Office in the centre of the Cap. We were not 100% sure which way to go. So, we walked south down the Cap. This is, actually, not the best way to see the island. The interior is a maze of high fences and walls that keep almost everything out of sight. We followed this direction for about 20 minutes before dropping onto the path that runs just above the sea and goes around the whole peninsula. You can actually get onto this at the tourist office by making a right (going west) and dropping down towards the beach.

It is from the path by the sea that St Jean Cap Ferrat can be enjoyed the most. It teeters just a few meters from the water and provides some truly monumental views. The best of these views are on the western side of the peninsula. First, you have wonderful rocks and small inlets all lapped by the sea. Second, you can gaze across at Nice in the hazy distance admiring the yachts flitting between the two. Third, as you progress along the western edge, the town of Villefranche gently looms into view with its beautiful sea-front and imposing Citadel.

The views and sights in the previous paragraph all come when you look out to see away from the Cap. However, there are some impressive sights on the Cap itself. Not only is it covered in some beautiful vegetation, but there is plenty of architecture to admire. At the very tip of the Cap there is the lighthouse, which stares out to see with understated elegance. And, on many of the cliff tops, there are large villas that capture the architectural imagination.

To walk from the tip of Cap Ferrat back to the Tourist Office took us approximately 90 minutes. It was one of the best walks I have ever taken. There was, though, a few slight problems. First, there are no shops to buy water or drinks (an issue worth noting on a hot day). Second, there are no bathrooms. Read Less

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Saint Elme Citadel

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Attraction | "Imposing"

Protecting the Bay Photo - Saint Elme Citadel, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

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Whenever I talked to any of my colleagues or friends in Nice about Villefranche, they are all very quick to point out that the town is the home of the only sand beach in the vicinity of Nice. If the conversation goes on for any length of time they may also point out that the sea-front is a rather nice place to enjoy a cup of coffee and that there are several very nice restaurants in the town. Very few of them – scarcely anyone in fact – mentioned the town’s citadel.This, to me, seems very strange. My girlfriend and I visited the citadel on a pleasant Sunday afternoon and were very impressed. The first thing we enjoyed about the citadel was the rather blunt and impressive architecture that ...Read More

Whenever I talked to any of my colleagues or friends in Nice about Villefranche, they are all very quick to point out that the town is the home of the only sand beach in the vicinity of Nice. If the conversation goes on for any length of time they may also point out that the sea-front is a rather nice place to enjoy a cup of coffee and that there are several very nice restaurants in the town. Very few of them – scarcely anyone in fact – mentioned the town’s citadel.

This, to me, seems very strange. My girlfriend and I visited the citadel on a pleasant Sunday afternoon and were very impressed. The first thing we enjoyed about the citadel was the rather blunt and impressive architecture that had a very militaristic feel to it. The granite walls are strong and imposing. They create an impression of security and permanence. They are also in beautiful contrast to the rest of the town. The citadel is imposing and also very simple and austere whilst the town is dominated by beautiful villas and ornate architecture. The walls are grey and sombre. The town is a blend of different shades of yellow and orange.

The second very impressive part of the Citadel was the garden. Set at the bottom of the walls just a few meters above the sea is a wonderful array of flowers and palm trees. These are wonderfully peaceful and were a great place to sit and relax. I enjoyed appreciating the stark contrast of the lifeless walls and the beautiful flora.

The third impressive part of the citadel is the views that it offers. From the front gate, it is possible to look down at the town of Vilfranche taking in the dark rooftops and yellow walls that meander down to the sea-front. From the top of the citadel it is also possible to look out across the Bay of Villefranche. To the east is St Jean Cap Ferrat with its wonderful villas poking through the intense covering of trees. To the west, it is possible to look down at the expensive yachts in the marina and at the coastline bending its way to Nice.

The citadel is easy to find. It is the giant granite lump overlooking the town of Villefranche. Entry is free.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 31, 2012

Saint Elme Citadel

Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

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Enjoying Villefranche

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The Marche at Villefranche Photo - Provence, France

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This story actually begins in my office. My company was looking for a new manager to take charge of one of our offices on the Cote d’Azur. I conducted telephone interviews with a candidate in Ireland to whom we decided to offer the job. To my complete surprise, he turned it down. I was astonished. I received the call on a Friday afternoon and could not really process the information. I constantly asked myself, "How can someone turn down the chance to come and work here?"This question was put into even starker contrast when I took a short trip with my girlfriend to the small town of Villefranche sur Mer, which is located a few kilometres outside Nice. We were sat at a small cafe on the quay...Read More

This story actually begins in my office. My company was looking for a new manager to take charge of one of our offices on the Cote d’Azur. I conducted telephone interviews with a candidate in Ireland to whom we decided to offer the job. To my complete surprise, he turned it down. I was astonished. I received the call on a Friday afternoon and could not really process the information. I constantly asked myself, "How can someone turn down the chance to come and work here?"

This question was put into even starker contrast when I took a short trip with my girlfriend to the small town of Villefranche sur Mer, which is located a few kilometres outside Nice. We were sat at a small cafe on the quayside enjoying a frothy cappuccino and staring out to sea. It was a spectacular view that caused me to continue to question how anyone would turn down the chance to spend their Sundays in the manner we were.

The view was wonderful. If we looked straight out to sea, we saw the beautiful coastline and delicately crafted villas on the peninsula of St Jean cap Ferrat. As it was a pleasant spring afternoon, the trees on the Cap were a wonderfully lush green and were only broken by the sight of some of the world’s most expensive real estate poking through the foliage. There was also a very nice and rather petite sandy beach running along the base of the Cap.

Turning around and looking behind us, things were also pretty impressive. A well-known feature of the Cote d’Azur is the close proximity of mountains and sea. Nowhere is the better illustrated than in Villefranche. The mountains tower above the town and fall sharply towards the sea. As they reach Villefranche’s tiny beach, they are separated from the town and the sea by the train track. The mountains are so steep and fall so close to the sea that there is no room for the train, which, therefore, tunnels through the base of the mountain in spectacular style.

The cafes along the quayside in Villefranche are a very nice place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, or any afternoon in fact. The views are fantastic and the blue of the blue of the sea is almost hypnotic. Anyone offered the opportunity to live and work in such an area should definitely take it.
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Following Keith

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Across the Water Photo - Provence, France

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Earlier this year, I read the truly fantastic 'Life', the autobiography of Keith Richards. It was a magnificently entertaining read full of rock and roll hijinks and some wonderful sentiment. No-one could fail to find the anecdotes of the early days of the Stones anything but entertaining. However, there was one aspect of the book that hit me on a different level. This was the account of the Stones' time on the Cote d'Azur. At this point, I must confess to some musical ignorance and admit that I had no idea that the classic album Exile On Main Street was recorded at Villa Nelle Cote on St Jean Cap Ferrat.The book details - this is perhaps the wrong verb as Richards' memory is undermined so...Read More

Earlier this year, I read the truly fantastic 'Life', the autobiography of Keith Richards. It was a magnificently entertaining read full of rock and roll hijinks and some wonderful sentiment. No-one could fail to find the anecdotes of the early days of the Stones anything but entertaining. However, there was one aspect of the book that hit me on a different level. This was the account of the Stones' time on the Cote d'Azur. At this point, I must confess to some musical ignorance and admit that I had no idea that the classic album Exile On Main Street was recorded at Villa Nelle Cote on St Jean Cap Ferrat.

The book details - this is perhaps the wrong verb as Richards' memory is undermined somewhat by his excessive drug use - the period the Stones spent in France making the album whilst in the company of legendary country-rock icon Gram Parsons. There are descriptions of drug-fuelled jam sessions and jaunts around the area including boat trips to Villefranch sur Mer just along the coast. There were also, as you might expect, some run-ins with the local gendarmerie.

When my girlfriend and I took the bus to St Jean, I was very keen to soak up some of the musical history of the area. Sadly, this was not particularly easy to do. Nelle Cote is now a private residence and is not open to the public. There is not even a plaque to mark the spot. I actually found it a little disappointing that the musical significance is completely ignored and visitors can only stare at Nelle Cote from a distance. The villa is not even mentioned on any of the Cap's signs or maps.

All of this meant that my rock and roll pilgrimage was a rather tame affair. Everything was left to my imagination. I took my Kindle and read the appropriate sections of Life whilst I wandered around the Cap. This at least allowed me to imagine the Stones taking a motor launch to Villefranche after days strung out on cocaine needing a break from recording. It also allowed me to imagine Richards scooting along in a convertible only to be stopped and searched - unjustly he claims - by the local police from the adjacent town of Beausoleil.

St Jean Cap Ferrat might not quite be Graceland or Abbey Road, but it is home to rock and roll history. However, it also one of the most beautiful spots in the world, which probably compensates for the lack of direct historical sights. Read Less

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Through the Railings

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St Jean Cap Ferrat is a wonderful part of the world. It blends a magnificent coastline with some beautiful architecture. On a pleasant afternoon, there are few places that are better to visit. The majority of tourists head to the very edge of the peninsula where a footpath that is just a few metres above the sea leads all the way around the outcrop. This is by far the best way see the area as it offers a fantastci blend of natural scenery and wonderful architecture. It is, though, also possible to explore the peninsula from the inside. However, after doing just that, I would not really recommend it. The bus (number 81) from Nice to St Jean drops you at the tourist office, which is at the ...Read More

St Jean Cap Ferrat is a wonderful part of the world. It blends a magnificent coastline with some beautiful architecture. On a pleasant afternoon, there are few places that are better to visit. The majority of tourists head to the very edge of the peninsula where a footpath that is just a few metres above the sea leads all the way around the outcrop. This is by far the best way see the area as it offers a fantastci blend of natural scenery and wonderful architecture. It is, though, also possible to explore the peninsula from the inside. However, after doing just that, I would not really recommend it.

The bus (number 81) from Nice to St Jean drops you at the tourist office, which is at the top of the peninsula, close to the village of Beausoleil. We got off there and decided to head along up the hill and into the heart of the peninsula. We were entertaining notions of experiencing wonderful architecture and rubbing shoulders with a few celebrities. We knew that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had a residence somewhere on the peninsula and that there was a beautiful modern villa designed by Lord Norman Foster. I also wanted to get a good look at Villa Nelle Cote, where the Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main Street.

Sadly, none of this actually transpired. The interior proved to be massively disappointing as there was nothing to see. Everything was obscured from view by large fences and walls - it seemed the residents of St Jean valued their privacy to an alarming extent. We found ourselves constantly trying to peer over large hedges or to peek through the slats in wooden fences to see what lay beyond. This generated a couple of strange feelings. The first one, which was not entirely unpleasant, was of being a child again trying to peer into the neighbours garden. The second feeling, which I really did not care for, was of being a pauper unable to even glimpse the exquisite houses of the rich.

The one building we could view easily was the Hotel de Cap Ferrat, which sat behind a low fence and was on a slight incline. This meant it was easily visible. It was a beautiful building that was bursting with turn of the previous century style. It seemed a truly magnificent place to stay. Sadly, its beauty served only to emphasize how much was hidden from view and how frustrating the interior of Cap Ferrat is.

After taking a few snaps of the hotel, we took a small wooden path down to the sea where we would follow the path around the edge of the peninsula. This is by far the best way to see St Jean Cap Ferrat. Anyone planning a trip should eschew the interior. Read Less

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