Beautiful day driving in the Riviera, April 18

Today, we drove on all three of the Corniches between Beaulieu sur Mer and Monaco.

We started on the Middle Corniche driving to Eze Le Village, perched on a mountain top with amazing views.  The place was inhabited as far back as to the Phoenicians. It was Roman and also under the Moors for 80 years.  Louis XVII destroyed the walls in the War of Spanish Succession.  It was in the Duchy of Savoy and did not become French until 1860 when the town unanimously voted to join France.  Today, it is one of the most visited medieval villages in France and we were happy to be here off season as we were able to have a stroll in weather that got into the low 80's.  The oldest building, 1306, was a little chapel.

We then climbed, by car, to the Upper Corniche where we stopped in La Turbie.  It is at the highest point of the old Roman road into Gaul.  Augustus Caesar had a monument built to commemorate subduing the Ligurians in 6 BCE which still stands.  The road was an amazing feat.  We walked around the medieval, narrow streets and then ate at La Terrasse, recommended by Rick Steves.  We chatted with one of the owners who really appreciates Rick Steves and what he has done for business.  He considers him a friend.  At any rate, in our first meal out since arriving here, we had the plat du jour, which was a couscous dish with turnips, pork, chicken and sausage...not even close to vegetarian!


Then, we took the hairpin turn road down to the Lower Corniche, the road where Princess Grace Kelly died in 1982, stopping along the way at what looked like an old Roman amphitheater to take photos looking down toward Cap Ferrat and Monaco below.

We drove through Monaco and back to Beaulieu sur Mer.