Sampling the French Riviera

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What a beautiful day – just right for the seaside so it was off to Monaco, Nice and wherever the fancy took us. We decided to take the train today so we wouldn’t have the hassles of parking. The train from Grasse reaches the coast at Cannes and then follows it to the Italian border. We bought our Isabelle ticket at the Senior’s rate of 12€ which enabled us to get on and off the train at as many stops as we wanted. Our first stop was Monaco – a 90 minute journey, then we thought we would work our way back to Grasse.
What a wonderful sight as we emerged from the hills at Cannes to see the picture postcard scene of blue Mediterranean, cruise ships and super yachts. With seaside views all the way in the comfort of an upstairs window seat the time went very quickly. Entering Nice we noticed the contrast of the magnificent hotels and apartments with what we assumed was a family of squatters in tiny tents set up in a disused service station yard. Two little boys were running around the rough ground, but no sign of adults. A sad sight.
The train stopped briefly at Villefranche-sur-Mer. What a spot! A small beach at the head of a bay with the usual array of yachts and a cruise ship anchored for the day. Along the waterfront was a line of colourful buildings and pavement cafes. This was going to be a stop off on the way back.
Arriving in Monaco is like being on the underground, except the station is a huge cavern with several platforms designed for very long trains. Deciding which exit to take was difficult but the travelators make the walking much easier. Once on the streets of Monaco it was clear we were in the city of rich and famous by the many exclusive shops, the array of luxury cars and the line up of super yachts in the distance. We hadn’t had breakfast before we left Grasse so we took a deep breath and looked for a suitable cafe. What a surprise to find a sandwich board offering juice+pain+coffee for 2€. Who are we to turn down that sort of bargain?
We walked along the waterfront as our first destination and soon we were walking amongst piles of Armco, stacks of safety tyres, and dismantled scaffolding as workmen were busy disassembly the equipment from the Monaco Grand Prix held two weeks previously.
The super yachts looked amazing from a distance but up close the sight was staggering. Crewmen were busy cleaning, polishing the upper works, and checking the numerous inflatables and jet skis stowed in the stern hold. Everything a person could need on a day out at sea was on show. The Crown Prince must have a great view from his palace on the hill. Walking further round the waterfront we arrived at the Casino. We tried a bit of celebrity watching but it must have been too early in the day or they were already inside doing some big spending. The line up of shiny black Rolls Royces and Bentleys was unreal. This was no place for a slightly grubby Peugeot so just as well we had left it back in Grasse. With temperatures hovering around the high 20’s or low 30’s we felt we had experienced enough of Monaco so it was time for another train trip.
Villefranche-sur-Mer had appealed to us as a lunchtime stop. The atmosphere was just great and not too crowded at the cafe we had chosen. Where the cruise ship passengers were we are not sure, perhaps spending their euros in the town centre round the headland. We were so taken by the area that if tomorrow is sunny and warm we might stop for a swim on our way to Italy.
Our next train stop was Nice. The station is some distance from the waterfront and we were starting to feel the effects of an early start and a hot day. We took a wander into the nearby shopping area and enjoyed a delicious ice cream before heading back to the station and returning to Grasse and our hotel.
Our day at the beach was memorable for the sights and experience of being in a place we see featuring on the movies. We could just imagine James Bond arriving at the Casino in his Aston Martin or the racing drivers speeding around the streets. The part of Nice we saw was a little disappointing. The pavement was in the process of being replaced and the beggars were ever present.
Tomorrow we leave France but will return in mid-August. The past two weeks have been amazing – vive La France!

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