Fall Travels--Part 1: Nice & Antibes

Nice, as seen from Mount Boron

 Whew! We’re back now, back home in Montpellier after almost three weeks on the road. I expect this tale will take more than one blog… so let’s get started. 

The plan was to start in Nice, a French city on the Italian border, where our friends Mark and Mary had been for almost a month. After visiting with them we’d drive to northern Italy, stopping in Bologna before spending a few days in Venice. Then back west through the Po River valley, visiting cities along the way and ending in Turin. We’d finish with a drive through the Alps on our way back to Montpellier.

 And that’s just what we did! 

 

         Nice

We’d first come here some 20 years ago, at the end of a six-week trip (during which we were obsessed with canal boats and the French canal system). Nice was not so pleasant, as I recall—hot and crowded in June, and old and tired. This time, though, we got an entirely different picture. 

Our apartment in Nice

Great produce market, right out the window!

We found the city beautiful, filled with interesting buildings, lively and engaging. And, then there were the blue blue waters of the Côte d’Azure! 

Some classic buildings in Nice; that's our front window just above the pizza shop on the upper left.

The drive in was a bit unpleasant, through kilometer after kilometer of high-rise apartment buildings, followed by endless construction through the city. But once we stashed the car at the parking garage we were enchanted by the beauty of the area. And our apartment was great; classic Nice.

Yes, blue blue waters, and rocky shores. If someone says the beach in Nice rocks, this is what they mean!

Love the earth, sky, and sea tones the Nice!

On this leg of the trip we were with our friend and frequent traveling companion Kate. We all got settled in the apartment, and were off through the city to meet up with our other friends, Mary and Mark.

 

Together again, in Nice. We're always happy to see Mark and Mary--Mark's long arm makes for great selfies...

Nighttime in the old city.

The five of us spent the next few days exploring the city, with M&M showing us all they’d learned about restaurants and places to go. One whole day was occupied in getting up (via bus) to Mount Boron—a huge park on the eastern edge of the city—and hiking back down through Villefranche-sur-Mer, a cute town surrounding the bay just to the east. The long, downhill hike and lunch under the trees was a satisfying respite from the city. After our explorations of Villefranche we were ready for a long apéro, sitting in a café and chatting while watching the sunlight glinting on the water. Afterwards, it was a quick train ride back to Nice, and our apartment near the train station.

Villefranche, seen from Mount Boron.

 

The bell tower of Villefranche...

...and the bay that really gives life to the town.

Relaxing after our long hike.

Soon enough it was time for us to move on; M&M, though, would be staying a bit longer in Nice. The farewells were not without a touch of sadness: Mary and Mark had their travel plans, and we had ours; our paths will certainly cross, but it will likely be a goodly while before we met up again.

 

Sunset over Nice

         Antibes

Kate had a hankering to see Antibes, a small town just to the west, so we loaded up the car and made the half-hour drive. While our thoughts were trending towards our Italy trip, Paula and I did spend a day in Antibes with Kate. It’s a sweet little place, a beach town with its own long history, although these days it’s known as yet another destination on the fabulous Côte d’Azure.

 

View from the old walls of Antibes; Nice in the distance.

The market in Antibes.

Spices at the Antibes market.

We explored the small town, and found a market impressive both for its size and the quality of its produce and prepared products. Kate had plans to explore more of this coast on her own, but Paula and I were eager to get on to Italy. We parted company, Paula and I heading for Italy, knowing we’d all be back in Montpellier soon.

A romantic evening in Antibes (thanks for the photo, Kate!)

                     Next up: Italy! Bologna, and eventually, Venice.