Itinerary:
The walking on this holiday will be easy walks
done at a relaxed pace.
Day 1
- Meet at Nice
Airport at 4 PM and transfer by private bus to our hotel in Menton
(about one hour). Welcome drink and briefing. Dinner
included.
Day 2 -
Menton, Cap Martin, and Monaco
This morning we become acquainted with the layout of the town: its
historic Market Hall, museums, churches, and other points of
interest -- including shops, restaurants, and cafés. Mid-morning, we
set out from Menton on foot. This leisurely-paced walk takes
us along the seafront west to Cape Martin. The path is flat, and
offers beautiful views of Monaco. This is approximately 2 ½ to
3 hours of walking, 7 km. There are a few sections with stairs but
we proceed slowly. For a sneak-peek at the scenery, check out this video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fWc3_F2f_0
From Roquebrune, a coastal
town full of Provencal character, with its old stones, red tiles and
slender cypress trees we head to Monaco. This tiny
principality which is sometimes known as a "sunny place for shady
people" is just a 5-minute train ride. Here we head up
to the Palace for a view of the port and surroundings. The Palace is
located on what is known as “la Roche”: “the Rock” where the Palace
square meets the historic quarter. There is free time to visit
the Old Town or to ride the little tourist train. This is a
30-minute circuit, with audio-guide commentary in English, allowing
visitors to discover the main sites: the elegant Casino and Hôtel de
Paris restaurant, the Cathedral where Grace Kelly wed Prince Ranier,
the Formula 1 racing circuit, and more. Marvel at the massive yachts bobbing in
the port. Admire Princess Grace's Rose Garden. And imagine James Bond heading for the Casino.
In late afternoon we head back to Menton by train (about 12
minutes). Dinner included.
Day 3 –
St. Jean Cap Ferrat
Today, we take a regional train to lovely Beaulieu-sur-Mer, with its
Belle Epoque villas. From here, we follow an easy coastal path to St
Jean Cap Ferrat, and make our way around the cape to Saint Hospice.
This site, with its protected forest, affords an “authentic”
experience of the Mediterranean: unspoiled nature at its best. This
walk lasts 3 hours (7 km) with a few up’s and down’s (+150m, -150m).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOI7s2eil3E
In the afternoon we visit the magnificent Rothschild Villa.
Designed and commissioned by Béatrice de Rothschild, this palace is
where the Baroness indulged her whims and wishes.
Touring the villa gives an insight into how the super-rich
lived during the glittering 1920’s. The villa is surrounded by nine
themed gardens including an exotic fantasy of cactus, a mysterious
stone garden, a tranquil Japanese garden and a pink garden with
hundreds of varieties of pink roses. Every twenty minutes the famous
“musical fountains” move into action accompanied by Mozart.
This site is one of the most popular
attractions on the Riviera. Return to Menton by train.
Dinner included
Day 4 – Cannes
and the Lérin Islands
Our private coach takes us to Cannes where we board a ferry to l’Isle
St Honoré. The 20-minute boat-ride provides scenic views of Cannes’
famous seafront and grand hotels. We skirt St. Honoré’s “sister”
island of Sainte Marguerite, whose dungeon housed the prisoner in
Hollywood’s adaptation of the story, “The Man in the Iron Mask”.
On l'Isle St Honore we have a 3-hour walk around the island (on
mostly flat terrain) and see the Cistercian Lérins Monastery and the
monastic vineyards. Monks settled here in the 5th
century, and the current buildings date from 1073. We picnic on
the island before the ferry-ride back to Cannes, where we stroll
along the famed “Croisette” with its chic boutiques and the
bunker-like headquarters of the world-renowned Cannes Film Festival.
You can almost picture the star-studded red carpet! Private coach
back to Menton at the end of the day. Dinner included
Day 5 –
Antibes
Private coach to Antibes. Through the pleasure port and past the
“Billionaires’ Wharf” with its splendid yachts, we enter the walled
Old City via the city gates. There is free time to discover the
historic town centre with its quaint little streets and the Picasso
Museum, housed in the Grimaldi Castle overlooking the sea. Enjoy
lunch in your choice of restaurant or pick up a selection of local
delicacies at Antibes’ traditional Provençal market. In early
afternoon we transfer by coach to the Garoupe beaches for a walk
around the Cap d' Antibes (approximately 5 km, 2 ½ hours, with
minimal differences in elevation.) Check out the following link
for a taste of this day’s walk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo1ge8NW5D4
Return to Menton by coach. Dinner included
Day 6 –
Menton and Surrounding Area
The morning is free to spend as you wish: linger over a leisurely
breakfast, visit the Cathedral, take in a museum, check out the
shops, taste a variety of products featuring Menton’s renowned
lemons. Menton’s local market features 30 vendors and is located in
the restored municipal “Hall” just steps from our hotel.
Early in the afternoon we depart by bus for the perched village of
St. Agnès, whose cathedral overlooks Menton from an elevation of
680m. We have a gentle walk in and around this charming village and
up to the castle with its views of the Alps and the Mediterranean.
Seeing the surrounding area from this vantage point, one understands
why the locals say that it is here that the Alps “plunge into the
sea”.
Day 7 – La Turbie
and Eze
We travel
a short distance by private bus to the village of La Turbie high above the
Cote d’Azur. Here we find the gigantic Trophee d’Auguste that was
erected 2000 years ago in honour of Roman Emperor Augustus.
Celebrating the unity and power of the Roman Empire, the monument
bore the names of all the Gallic peoples “subdued” in Augustus’
campaign. From La Turbie our walk is called Circuit de la Forna.
There is little ascent and lovely views and we end in the medieval
village of Eze. There is free time to explore the village before
returning to Menton. Dinner included
Day 8 – Transfer to Nice Airport after breakfast,
arriving about 10 AM. |
