Summer is approaching, which means vacation season is right around the corner. During our 10 months in Lyon we've done a few day trips and even some weekend getaways, so I thought it would be fun to write some travel blogs. For the next few posts I'll share some photos and insider tips for trips on a budget in case you find yourself on the way to France this summer.
By far our best travel experience so far has been to the city of NICE in the heart of the French Riviera. Colorful, cool, and casual, Nice offers hidden delights around every corner.
My birthday is in mid-April, and to celebrate that event (plus Greg's birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, our next anniversary, etc.) we booked a spontaneous weekend getaway. Some friends of ours own a studio apartment just two blocks from the beach, and they very generously offered us a special birthday price. Our biggest expense was the train trip from Lyon to Nice. There's really no cheap way to get to Nice, unless you book way in advance, which we weren't able to do. Even driving is expensive with outrageous tolls and high gas prices. However, the train ride became part of the adventure of the trip. It's a beautiful and relaxing way to travel. The route goes through Marseilles, then hugs the Côte d'Azur coastline, stopping briefly in little towns like Saint Raphael, Cannes, and Antibes.
 |
View from the train ride.
To me, it looked like the Garden of the Gods was taken from Colorado and plopped into the Mediterranean Sea! |
The beach in Nice, and indeed in most of the French Riviera, is rocky. But the stones are smooth and strangely comfortable to lie upon. I've heard that in the summertime, vacant spots are hard to come by, but in April the beaches were relatively empty. We took a picnic to the beach and had plenty of space to ourselves. We were blessed with mild weather: although it was way too cold to swim (some people braved it anyway), it was quite pleasant for sitting outside.
 |
| The view from our picnic spot |
On Saturday evening we took a 6-minute train ride to the nearby village of Villefranche-Sur-Mer. I first learned about this town on an episode of my favorite language-learning podcast, "Coffee Break French." It's a picturesque and charming spot worth visiting. We had an aperitif at the
Bar à Vins while overlooking a cove dotted with colorful sailboats, then we headed up the hill to find a place to have dinner. We stumbled by pure luck upon a quaint pizzeria called
Le Serre with absolutely delicious food and friendly service.
 |
| Villefranche-Sur-Mer |
 |
| Colorful cafes and apartments along the narrow streets of Villefranche-Sur-Mer |
 |
| At the Bar a Vins |
On Sunday, we visited the famous Nice Marché and drooled over the fresh fruits and vegetables. Our appetites stimulated, we found our way to another great restaurant with inexpensive lunch options: a Lebanese place called DiYar. One of the greatest things about eating in Nice (and many other French towns) is dining outdoors. Even the narrowest streets have enough space for a seat or two, and the larger squares are filled with rows and rows of tables.
 |
| A typical square in Nice with plenty of outdoor seating |
 |
| Don't miss the fresh market in Nice! |
All in all, our brief stay in Nice was magical. I understand now why people flock there from all over the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment