Our time in Nice has come to an end

10 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by johnyouden in Europe, France, Nice

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Nice Pano 1 After six years of living in Nice for close to six months of each year, our time is coming to an end. We’ve very much enjoyed the Cote d’Azur, and are not ruling out that we could be back sometime down the line as Nice just has so much to offer. The weather may be the best in Europe. The location, just next to Italy, with the Med in front and the foothills of the French Alps behind, is exceptional. There’s Old Town, the port, and amazing markets such as Saleya. Restaurants are wonderful and plentiful. The transportation system with the buses and trams works very well. The airport has more connections to the outside world, (136 direct-by-air destinations, at usually great rates, to places throughout Europe and elsewhere), except for perhaps Paris. The promenade is superb, as is the Pavillon park that runs through the middle of the city.

Most of our outdoor activities have involved walks, hikes, and biking. We’ve walked most of the coastal “sentier” trails along the Cote d’Azure, which I covered here and here and here. Once we had done those we started hiking up into the hills, which I covered here and here and here. When we were done with that we started biking, first along the coast and then up into the hills, which I covered here and here and here and here . And there are just so many great hilltop villages to visit, such as St. Paul de Vence, Gourdon, Eze, St. Agnes and so many more. In the winter (when we were in Europe) we went skiing in Auron or Valberg. Although we’ve done a lot, we’ve really just barely touched upon all that there is to do in and around Nice.

As our time was coming to an end, we had just started traveling outside of the Cote d’Azur by car, into Italy and Provence, short trips that that only took a few hours, and which I covered here and here and here and here.

We’ll miss our daily swims in the Med from late spring until early fall. Will definitely miss the fresh food markets and the many wonderful events held annually, such as the Nice Jazz Festival, Monaco Boat Show or Grand Prix.

But there’s a lot going on in Lisbon and we look forward to discovering all there is to do there. More of that to come…

Drone-Filmed Bike Ride to Forte Revere

21 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by johnyouden in Europe, France, Nice

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Cap Ferrat, Drone, Eze, Great Bike Rides, La Turbie, Monaco, Nice, Villefranche

This past winter I bought a drone (Mavic Pro) so I could update the aerial images we have on our MLS real estate website back in Mexico. On our return to Europe I brought the drone with me as I really wanted to film one of my favorite bike rides and take advantage of the “tracking” the drone can do. By that I mean you can launch the drone, select a target on the screen, (in this case, me on a bike), and it will follow you.

It can get complicated as I ended up being the producer, director, camera man and actor in this short film. After many takes, many false attempts, many days where filming was called off because of bad weather, I finally managed to shoot all the shots I wanted and then spent some time putting it all together in iMovie. Not the greatest program for working with film, but then I’m not the greatest film producer either. It does enough to get the job done and not get me in trouble.

There are so many great bike rides around Nice. Some I enjoy on my road bike, but this particular trip involves both on and off-road, so my Moustache Dimanche electric-assist was definitely the best call.

UPDATE:

I few people have asked how I used the drone to make this video.

Except for the first and last shots, (someone else did those for me. The drone could’ve done it but I refrain from flying it in the city), otherwise every other shot was done by the drone. For some shots, I put the drone in the air, set it at an angle of view that I like, start filming, then put the remote down and get on my bike and drive through the scene. I then return, stop filming, bring the drone back and move on to the next shoot.

When the drone follows me, this is called “active tracking”. To set this up I “show” the drone where I am on my iPhone by circling myself so it identifies me as the “target” to track. And then it does just that. There are different modes to tracking:

It follows behind me
It follows beside me
It follows me but makes circles around me as I move
The drone stays still but follows me wherever I go

It can get complicated and time consuming as I have to launch the drone, target myself, ride the bike, etc. Sometimes it loses me, for instance if a tree of object comes between us. As I ride I’ve learned to listen for the whirl of the blades to know if it is following me or not.

The results, the programming DJI have done for the drone for tracking, is very fluid and smooth. It would be hard for a person to follow me that well, without jerking.

I made multiple trips up the mountain to film this. It takes over an hour to get there and the first two times I arrived just as clouds rolled in and I couldn’t film. When I could film I’d make 6-8 shots, but usually only one or two would be usable. Also, with each day of filming I got better. So at the end I was having more success getting good shots and the ones I wanted.

My next video will be paddle boarding in the Algarve of Portugal. Little more difficult as I’m on water and have to land and take off from my paddle board. Have to launch and catch from my hand. Tricky…

Bike Ride to Mt. Chauve

07 Monday May 2018

Posted by johnyouden in Cote d'Azur, France, Nice

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Biking, Falicon, Great Bike Rides, Mont Chauve

View from the village park at Falicon

Spring has definitely arrived in the Cote d’Azur and I’m making the most of it by getting out and biking before the weather gets too hot. I’ve been revisiting my favorite rides and discovering some new ones. This past week I made my way to Mont Chauve, a mountaintop behind Nice and near the small hilltop village of Falicon.

Getting there means heading north straight up from Nice, through the upscale neighborhood of Cimiez, (which is the hill right behind downtown Nice), then passing through the even-a-little-more upscale Rimiez, and eventually to Falicon. Easiest route is to take Blvd. de Cimiez and then Ave. de Rimiez, which takes you to the top of Rimiez and eventually to the right-side turn-off to Falicon, on the Route de l’Aire Saint Michel (the hotel Auberge de St. Michel is situated on the corner).

Route de l’Aire Saint Michel winds its way to Falicon, perched on a small hill that looks out towards Nice and the backside of Rimiez. There’s a viewpoint on the top with a bench that circles a tree and offers plenty of shade – a great place for lunch if you’ve brought one. The views look back to Mont Boron, the port, and old town Nice.

To get to Mont Chauve you have to return back along Route de l’Aire Saint Michel for a bit, and then take a left turn on Route de Mont Chauve.

It’s a climb. There are 13 switch backs as the road narrows to a single lane and makes it way up the mountain. At every turn there’s a viewpoint, which continue to get better the higher you climb. You’ll have to pass by a closed gate to get all the way to the top, as it is closed to cars – just hikers and bikers. Unfortunately it wasn’t the best day as it was partially overcast, but that kept the weather cool.

View from the top of Mont Chauve

From the top you can see nearly all of Nice, westward to Antibes and the Esterel mountain range south of Cannes.

Bike Trip to Valberg

05 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by johnyouden in Cote d'Azur, Europe, France, Nice

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Great Bike Rides, Great Villages, Valberg

This is the third day of a long weekend of biking and boarding along the Cote d’Azur. The other day activities are mentioned here.

I knew at the beginning of this trip that I was perhaps taking on more than I could manage, but rationalized it by saying I’d start low and slow and work my way up, I knew that if it became too much of a climb, I could just turn around and glide back to where I started.

So my game plan was to follow, upriver, the Var (D6202) until I reached the Daluis Valley road (D902). From there I’d follow the valley, again, uphill, to Guillaume. From Guillaume I knew from a previous visit by car, that there is a steep, narrow road (D28) that leads up to the ski resort area of Valberg. This stretch of road would be my biggest challenge. And if Varberg was the summit, which I hoped, then it would all be downhill from there.

I parked the car at Touet-Sur-Var and then headed west, passed the medieval town of Entrevaux before turning north up into the valley of Daluis.

Entrevaux with its citadel on the hillside behind

Entrevaux is very much what comes to mind when one thinks of a river-based medieval town, with a long draw bridge and vaulted gate situated between two towers. Early history set the beginning of the town around the 10th century, but most of the serious work on the town was done in the 17th century. There’s also citadel perched high on the hillside behind the completely walled-in town. And inside the town the streets (more like passageways) are dark and narrow, with the buildings seemingly leaning in on one another, closing in the sky above. But today they are lined with brightly colored shops, restaurants and bars, making it all quite pleasant.

The bridge and vaulted gate and two towers, one of which was the town prison

If you are feeling adventurous, one can climb the hill to the citadel, which was constructed in the 17th century and last used during WWII to hold German prisoners. the walk takes about 20 minutes and offers some great picture taking opportunities. Continue reading →

Back to the Cote d’Azur…

06 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by johnyouden in Cote d'Azur, Europe, France, Italy, Nice

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Auron, Ventimiglia

After an amazing winter season in Mexico, (one of the best weather seasons we can remember), we are back in the south of France and quickly acquainting ourselves with the venues and activities we most enjoy here.

For me it means getting back into biking, with trips to places like La Turbie, Roquebrune (which I’ve previously written about so won’t mention anymore about them), the Monte Carlo golf club up and above Monaco, and a new trip to La Revere.

Ride up to Eze on the “Moyenne Corniche” overlooking Villefranche

I wanted to check out the golf club to perhaps get in a game or two this year. The rates are reasonable, course is short though, but the views are amazing. It sits on top of the mountain behind Monaco. La Revere is an old fort on top of the mountain behind Eze. There are viewpoints, nature walks and picnic tables, all overlooking the Cote d’Azur coastline.

Eze to the lower left, Cap Ferat peninsula behind it, Villefranche (with cruise ship anchored) to the right and the Nice Airport upper right.

We also arrived back to discover there is still snow on the hills behind Nice, and that there would be a fresh dump of now on a Sunday and into the night. So we drove up Sunday afternoon to Auron, had a wonderful dinner at El White restaurant, stayed the night at the Hôtel l’Ecureuil, and got up early the next morning to blue skies, six inches of fresh powder snow, and hardly anyone on the hill. As we waited for the lift to open, the only other people we saw were those that worked on the hill. We managed to do a few runs before we even saw any other skiers, and certainly never had to wait in line at the lifts. It was a great day. We skied for a few hours, had a coffee break at our favorite restaurant on the hill, Sauma Longue, and then returned a few hours later for lunch.

Village of Auron

The ski area offers 135 kms of ski runs with 43 routes: 8 blacks, 16 reds, 16 blues, 3 greens. There’s 16 skilifts: 3 cable cars, 9 chairlifts, 3 draglifts, 1 tear-lift.

That evening we went out for dinner in the village to the restaurant El White. We all had steak frites, washed down with a lovely Provence wine from Chateau Roubine. Highly recommended. Food is fantastic, as is the decor… we’ll be back…

We drove back on late Monday afternoon, quite exhausted, had a good night’s sleep and then got up and drove to Ventimigila in Italy for some shopping and lunch. We stocked up on aged balsamic vinegar, olive oil, limoncello, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. For lunch we left Ventimiglia and visited our favorite place in the area, L’Osteria di Caterina located in the main plaza of the old town of Dolceaqua. Great food at great prices.

Village of Dolceaqua with the castle in behind

Now it’s time to back our bags for a couple of weeks in Portugal…

Bike Ride to Peille

26 Wednesday Oct 2016

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Great Bike Rides, Great Villages, Peille

Medieval village of Peille

Chateau Grimaldi near Cagnes sur Mer

I’ve been enjoying getting out by bike and exploring some of the small villages up behind Nice. Last week was west to Cagnes sur Mer, and over the weekend I went north up to Peille.

Peille, within the Alpes Maritimes department, is a small medieval village in a very scenic setting high in the mountains at over 600 metres altitude. The location is rather remote but worth the visit. And with fall upon us, the leaves were changing color creating a beautiful backdrop of yellow, reds and greens in the hills and along the road to Peille. I’d say it is one of the most attractive villages in the region, with medieval houses huddled together on a steeply sloping hillside and surrounded by forested hills. It hasn’t become overly touristy like other villages such as Eze, and reminds me a lot, actually, of Dolce Acqua next door in Italy.

Peille is still entered through a medieval gateway, as it has been for at least 500 years. And it’s a pleasure to explore its steep and narrow streets, many arched so the homes on either side do not cave into one another, with plenty of vaulted passageways, much of which is said to date back to the 12th century.

The views from the village across the countryside are also exceptional, and looking to the west you can still see the Mediterranean as the shoreline stretches towards Cannes. The ride back down to Nice was fantastic with plenty of hairpin along the way.

Cote d’Azur Hike: Tete de Chien

18 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by johnyouden in Cote d'Azur, Europe, France, Nice

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Great Hikes, Great Walks, Monaco, Tete de Chien

This hike starts off in Cap d’Ail and heads straight up the hill and mountainside to the “Tete de Chien”, the massive rock that sits above and behind Monaco and Cap d’Ail. Easy to get to with the #100 bus. This is one, though, that I recommend using your smart phone with Maps as the path can be difficult to find at times, and they do show well on both Google and Apple Maps.

Monaco Coast and Tete de Chien in the distance

The path goes up one side providing western views all the way, while coming down it is on the eastern side overlooking Monaco, Menton and Italy. And when you get to the top you can take in an amazing panoramic view where you see Italy, Menton, Monaco, Cap d’Ail, Beaulieu, Cap Ferrat, Nice and even Antibes, on a clear day. It is a big of a challenging hike, allow 3-4 hours to complete it. And for the lazy one’s you can drive to the Chien along the upper corniche road.

Tete de Chien, Cote d’Azur

Paddle Boarding to Monaco

22 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by johnyouden in Europe, France, Nice

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Cap D'Ail, Cote d'Azur, Monaco, Paddleboarding, SUP

Helicopter base, me just off of it…

It was the 21st of November but the weather was still warm and beautiful, so we loaded up a friend’s car and headed for Cap D’Ail to do some paddling. We parked at the train station, which is right beside the coastal “sentier” walk into Monaco. This is one of our favorite walks in the area. I blew up the paddle board and started towards Monaco while Flo followed along by the coastal path.

Hardly any wind made for easy progress, just over an hour to get to Monaco. Helicopters were flying in and out steadily (I don’t know how people live here with all the noise). Went around the breakwater of the Monaca marina but didn’t want to go any farther in as there were too many boats coming in and out. So I took a couple of pictures and then headed back.

A very picturesque coastline that, except for Monaco, has not been overly built. Still green areas and parks and the coastline of rugged rock makes it all the more interesting.

My return to Cap d’Ail

Oceanographic Museum

Leaving Cap D’Ail

Getting SUP ready

Great Beaches around Nice

21 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by johnyouden in France, Nice

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Cap D'Ail, Eze, Great Beaches, Nice, Paloma

La Reserve Maya from the water

La Reserve Maya – Cap d’Ail

Wonderful beach club in a very protected cove. Hard to get to, many come by boat. The best way to arrive is by train. Get off at the Cap d’Ail stop, walk under the tracks and turn right and follow the path for about 5-10 minutes. If you come by bus it is a long walk down (and even longer walking up). Not much parking if you bring a car. Great beach for lounging and swimming. Great restaurant and bar.

Paloma Beach – Cap Ferrat

Summer season

This is probably our favorite beach club, and perhaps favorite beach. Doesn’t seem to get really over-crowded as Cap Ferrat is a little out of the way. Restaurant is only open during the summer, so otherwise pack a lunch or eat before or after in the port down next door of St. Jean. Our favorite dish is the Loup (fish) for two. It is quite well protected from the wind and has great views looking back at Eze on the hillside. There are usually some very nice mega-yachts moored in front as well. You can get there by car (best way) or the #81 bus which stops in St. Jean and you just have to walk about 10 minutes to get to it. You may want to do a Cap Ferrat hike beforehand, you’ll enjoy the swim that much more.

Eze Beach

A couple of restaurants on this beach that actually is right across from Paloma Beach on the main shoreline (Cap Ferrat is nearly an island). Best way to get here is by train, as there’s a stop right at it and it’s an easy walk down to the water. Not a deep beach, but good for swimming. Bono lives just down the beach from here.

Villefranche

There are two beaches in Villefranche to enjoy, one in town and the other in the port. The one in the port can be seen in the photo above to the left. It is usually frequented mostly by locals so not as busy as the one in town. The beach is similar to that of Nice, it is made up of pebbles, where the one in Nice Centre is more of a sandy beach. In the port there’s a great restaurant that serves mostly locals and has good prices; La Baleine Joyeuse.

Nice Centre beach can get crowded as it is so close to town and a train stop. There’s a snack stand that sells stuff like hamburgers, hotdogs and ice cream (and some cocktails), or you may prefer to visit one of the restaurants next door in Villefranche. Long walk down from the bus stop, lots of parking if you take a car.

Plage de Passable

This is the second public beach on Cap Ferrat, on the opposite side of Paloma Beach. If you look closely at the panoramic above, just to the left of center, you’ll see a beach on the other side, on the peninsula of Cap Ferrat. That’s Plage de Passable. You get off the #81 bus at the Rothschild Mansion garden museum and walk down. There’s a beach club open during the summer, quite a bit of room and good for swimming as it is quite protected.

Castel – Nice Promenade

Nice Promenade des Anglais

This is the beach club that is at the far westerly end of the Nice beach, where the water tends to be a little more protected, at least during an easterly wind. We’ve tried a number of the beach clubs along here and like this one the best. But it isn’t open all year round. I know, it can’t be seen in this photo (it would be in the lower left corner), but next time I’m there I’ll get a new photo.

Plateau de Cavillore Hike at Gourdon, France

12 Sunday Oct 2014

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Gourdon, Great Hikes, Nice

On top of the bluff view

We’ve covered most of the coastal walks around Nice, and now have begun to search out hikes that are in the hills behind Cote d’Azur. Our first was behind the hilltop town of Gourdon, where there’s a bluff that overlooks the town and provides a very panoramic view of the coast and Mediterranean.

The name of the trail (you can see if snaking up in the photo above to the left) is the Plateau de Cavillore and it is accessible right from the parking lot below the entrance to Gourdon. Cross the street and look for the sign a little ways up highway RD12, about 50 meters. Continue to follow the signs and look for the yellow markings that mark the trail. It takes about an hour to get to the top and the hike up is about 300 meters in elevation and three kilometers in distance. It is marked as a “medium” level hike.

Looking down at Gourdon

On your return be sure to have lunch at the Taverne Provencale, which is in Gourdon and has wonderful panoramic views from most tables. Walk right through Gourdon’s main street to the end to get to it. Our favorite meal is the Salade Chèvre Chaud (Hot goat cheese salad), which is the best we’ve ever had; very unique and their house specialty.

Chèvre Chaud Salad at Taverne Provencale

To get to Gourdon, take the A8 out of Nice, over the bridge and the exit for La Colle sur Loup. From there take the D6, following the signs marked for Gourdon. You may want to take the other route back, which passes through Grasse. The drive both ways is a great one, especially in the fall when the leaves are turning color.