France

FRANCE

MAY 17 - JUNE 28 2023

It may sound like a cliché, but springtime in Paris truly is magical and an ideal time to wander around more of the country. There are places in the world where we always feel comfortable and at home. Paris, and France in general, are among those places. We don’t return as often as we’d like because we’re usually eager to explore other countries, but we can’t resist the pull to return and see more of France. When I lived and studied in Paris, I was pinching Francs (not a guy, the currency prior to the Euro), so I didn’t get to travel as much as I would have liked, and despite a few visits with Stu since then, there are still many places to discover and rediscover.

Like all great cities Paris is always evolving, so you never run out of things to do. This time we mostly wanted to catch up with a dear friend and her partner, and we added a couple of days to reacquaint ourselves with the city. I managed to find a cozy studio apartment on an interior courtyard mere blocks from where I’d lived so long ago, though it had many more conveniences than my exceptionally basic garret at the time. We were in the first arrondissement and close to the Bourse de Commerce, which houses some of François Pinault’s art collection as well as a superb restaurant, so that was one of our stops. We also took a street art tour in Belleville, which was very enlightening, filled with humor and history as well as art commentary. I particularly enjoyed this neighborhood in the 19th - 20th arrondissements, which reminded me of how the 1er used to feel with all of the small food shops, markets and cafés. We admit though that we stopped by the big mall in the 1er where the 12th C Les Halles food market had once been to pick up a couple of useful items for our road trip. Other than that and dining out we enjoyed long walks as flâneurs, a time-honored Paris tradition.

We picked up a rental car at the airport and drove up to Giverny, a short drive especially early on a Sunday morning. Our room wasn’t ready but we dropped our bags and arrived at opening time of Monet’s house and gardens, for which we’d purchased tickets online in advance. We also visited the small impressionist museum but, aside from Monet’s gorgeous gardens, it was most fun just wandering around the adorable town of Giverny and the well-tended grounds of our inn.

After an overnight in Giverny we headed to Reims for a couple of nights. We mainly wanted to see the magnificent cathedral, but it didn’t hurt to drive around the scenic landscape and sample some champagne as well.

From Reims, we drove southeast to Dijon, center of Burgundy, a region famed for mustard and exceptional wine. While the city itself is beautiful and has many worthwhile attractions, it pays to traverse La Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne. There are interesting historical sites to visit as well as the vineyards and wine estates. A wine connoisseur could easily spend a week or more here and, as you’d expect, there’s lots of delicious food to pair with those excellent Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

Lyon is reputed to be the gastronomic capital of France, spawning legendary chefs such as Paul Bocuse and Daniel Boulud. Based on our hugely enjoyable dining experiences there, we believe it fully lives up to this reputation. Three of our six favorite restaurants during the trip were here. However it is also the third largest city in France, rich in history, culture and art, so there’s more to do than eat. We spent 3 days here and felt it allowed for a good introduction, though we could have happily stayed longer. There’s a very good public transit system, but we found ourselves walking most of the time, a great way to absorb the city’s character.

Our first stop in Provence was Arles, a charming town that was founded by the Greeks and became a thriving Roman colony. Architectural remains from the Roman period include a well-preserved amphitheater (the Arena) built around 90 AD, the ruins of a theater built during the reign of Augustus in the first century, the 4th C baths of Constantine, and the Alyscamps, a necropolis. Arles is also well known as a place where Vincent Van Gogh painted several masterpieces and sadly suffered a mental breakdown. There’s a small art institute in town that bears his name though only two of his works are displayed there. We only spent one night in a cozy hotel before continuing on our way.

For the next four weeks we were based in the modest bottom floor unit of a two apartment villa in Èze Bord-de-Mer, which cascades down a hillside to the sea. The enchanting medieval village of Èze is perched on the hill above with breathtaking views of the coast. The villa was more than halfway up the hillside with a large terrace and wide-ranging sea views of our own. We dined outdoors every day.

We always had breakfast at our place and mainly cooked dinner there, though we tried several restaurants in various towns for dinner or lunch. We loved shopping for fresh produce and fish in the outdoor markets, bread at our favorite boulangerie, meat at the boucherie and chocolates at the chocolaterie. Our local markets were in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, a pretty seaside town that was a fairly easy 3.5 km/2.2 mi. one-way walk if you discount the steep uphill climb on the way back. We drove when we had a lot of groceries but walked when we were only picking up a few things. We also food shopped in Nice because we preferred the fish and produce market there, plus we enjoyed starting the day early with a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais while it was still peaceful.

During our stay we took frequent day trips to the small towns along the coast and up in the hills. Traffic wasn’t bad, however we tend to start out early in the morning, plus we were there before the busy summer season got fully underway. You can also travel by train to many of these towns, though a car offers greater flexibility. The railroad station in Èze Bord-de-Mer was just at the bottom of the hill. In addition to Èze, we most enjoyed Mougins, St. Paul de Vence, Villefranche-sur-Mer and St. Jean Cap Ferrat. Our days were a perfect mix of relaxing at the villa, cooking in, dining out and sightseeing. For the most part the museums in this area aren’t comparable to those in the cities, but we found some gems, such as the fascinating Musée d’Art Classique in Mougins. It’s a pleasant way to spend a day browsing around galleries and charming villages, sipping coffee in outdoor cafés while people-watching, and maybe even indulging in some ice cream. Though we flew directly to Paris from home, we flew back to the U.S. non-stop from Nice, so it was very convenient and efficient.

Our detailed itinerary follows with our impressions of the hotels, restaurants and attractions we visited. The driving times noted are from one city to the next between Paris and Èze, then within Provence the distances and times are from our villa in Èze-bord-de-Mer to the various towns. I did all of the trip research, planning and booking and we found Google Maps to be remarkably accurate in predicting the drive times, though we imagine that traffic may be slower in July and August. The hours for the museums, churches, etc. are based on the months of May and June when we were there. The hours may vary (sometimes substantially) by season, especially in the south.

THU - SAT MAY 18 - 20 PARIS

8 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau Rdc Fond de Cour gauche, 1er - Centrally located Airbnb, clean, comfortable and well-equipped studio with very helpful host

LE CASSENOIX – 56 rue de la Fédération 15th - We met our friends for dinner here, a casual bistro with friendly service and good food

STREET ART PARIS 62 rue Villiers de l’Isle Adam 75020 +33 6 10 48 1147 Very interesting street art tours, you can select different areas of the city to tour. We chose Belleville.

BOURSE DE COMMERCE 2 rue de Viarmes 1st Pinault Collection - We found the architecture to be more interesting than the art, but still worth a visit

LA HALLE AUX GRAINS - superb food and stunning space in the Bourse de Commerce. Reserve on-line 30 days in advance for the best seating with views. The tasting menu is a great value for the quality.

BISTROT INSTINCT 19 rue de Picardie 3rd - charming space and moderate price, but the food was disappointing, so we wouldn’t recommend it.

SUN MAY 21 GIVERNY (1h15 - approx driving time)

LE JARDIN DES PLUMES 1 rue du Milieu - A beautiful inn full of character with modern amenities steps from Monet’s house and gardens and the pretty town, which is worth exploring. Excellent restaurant in house. Both the inn and restaurant are highly recommended.

MONET’S HOUSE & GARDENS 84 rue Claude Monet. It’s very popular, so it’s best to buy timed tickets in advance. Gorgeous in springtime. 9:30 am - 6 pm

MUSÉE DES IMPRESSIONNISMES 10 - 6 It’s worth a look when in town but Monet’s house is the major draw.

MON - TUE MAY 22 - 23 REIMS (2h35)

DOMAINE LES CRAYÈRES 65 Blvd Henry Vasnier - Exceptional in every way with the price tag to go along with it. You’re served a free glass of champagne in their cozy lounge in the château while waiting for your room. Warm, top notch service, and a fabulous breakfast. Their signature renowned restaurant, Le Parc, is closed Mon - Tue, so sadly we missed it.

NOTRE-DAME de REIMS Pl. du Cardinal Luçon 7:30 am - 7:15 pm Rivals Notre-Dame de Paris, top attraction aside from the champagne houses

CHAMPAGNE PLOYEZ JACQUEMART - very good tour and tasting

EXPERIENCE TAITTINGER - It was a disappointing very touristy experience, though the champagne is excellent.

It can be difficult to arrange visits to some of the most popular or esteemed estates, so it pays to plan in advance. Billecart-Salmon was our top choice and we couldn’t arrange a tour even many months in advance.

ASSIETTE CHAMPENOISE 40 ave Paul-Vaillant-Couturier, Tinqueux - 3 Michelin star restaurant with heart-stopping prices that we didn’t think was worth the cost. To add injury to insult, I got very sick that evening after dinner. Could not recommend.

BRASSERIE LE JARDIN Les Crayères’ casual restaurant. Attractive ambiance but the food could be improved.

WED - FRI MAY 24 - 26 DIJON/BOURGOGNE (3h15)

Attractive walkable town steeped in history, gateway to Burgundy vineyards.

HÔTEL DES DUCS 5 rue Lamonnoye Apt Pommard Very reasonably priced hotel in a convenient location. We took one of the small apartments so we could do some laundry and were very pleased with the accommodations. Nice breakfast.

WED MAY 24 DIJON

LE PALAIS des DUCS et des ÉTATS de BOURGOGNE

MUSÉE des BEAUX-ARTS 9:30 - 6 Cl. Tue. Terrific museum

NOTRE DAME de DIJON (1230-50) The 11th C black Madonna is the main treasure

MAISON des CARIATIDES 28 rue Chaudronnerie - Attractive 17th C façade

THU MAY 25 LA ROUTE DES GRAND CRUS de BOURGOGNE

CHÂTEAU du CLOS de VOUGEOT rue de la Montaigne (32 min) Daily 9:30 am - 6 pm Very interesting guided or self-guided tours of the historic Château and grounds. It pays to reserve in advance since the number of visitors is limited each day.

Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune (25 min) 2 rue de l’Hotel-Dieu Daily 9 - 12:30 & 2 - 6:30 Founded in 1443 as a hospice, this beautiful property is well worth a visit as is the town of Beaune.

CHÂTEAU de POMMARD (10 mins) 15 rue Marey Monge One of the best wine estate tours we’ve ever had, the grounds are gorgeous and our guide provided very detailed information about the terroir and Burgundy wines. We booked a private tour with tasting of 6 wines, but our guide kept giving me tastes of extra bottles. Wonderful wines. We only had time to visit one winery and are glad that we chose this one.

FRI MAY 26 DIJON

All of the places we saw this day are worth visiting for their architecture and collections

HÔTEL AUBRIOT 13th C 40 rue des Forges - beautiful 13th C mansion

L’ABBAYE de ST. BENIGNE & MUSÉE ARCHÉOLOGIQUE 5 rue Docteur Maret 9:30 - 12:30 & 2-6 Cl. Tue. Especially enjoyed the 6th C crypt.

MUSÉE de la VIE BOURGUIGNONNE & MONASTÈRE des BERNARDINES 17 rue Ste.-Anne 9:30 - 12:30 & 2 - 6 Cl. Tue.

MUSÉE D’ART SACRÉE & CHAPELLE STE. ANNE

15 rue Ste. Anne 9:30 - 12:30 & 2 - 6 Cl. Tue.

ÉGLISE ST. MICHEL

MUSÉE RUDE

CIBO 24 rue Jeannin - Hip, modern restaurant in a cozy space with a locavore tasting menu. Inventive, delicious food, attentive service and good value. We sat at the chef’s bar though there are tables as well. Open Tue - Fri. Reservations required

L’OISEAU DES DUCS 3 rue Vauban Traditional style with great food. Cl Sun & Mon

L’ESSENTIEL 12 rue Audra Our favorite restaurant in Dijon, colorful funky space with excellent food and wine and terrific value Cl. Sun & Mon

SAT - MON MAY 27 - 29 LYON (2 hr)

Lyon is famous for cuisine and we hugely enjoyed every restaurant we tried, but the town is also wonderful to explore with charming neighborhoods, beautiful architecture and interesting museums

LA VILLA FLORENTINE 25 Montée St.-Barthélémy - Fabulous hotel situated near the old town. Delightful, friendly and helpful service, luxurious comfortable rooms with gorgeous river views. Excellent breakfast in a light-filled room or on the terrace

VIEUX LYON et TRABOULES (ancient passageways)

Start around Quai Fulchiron Rolland & rue des Trois Maries and wander through the narrow alleys

LA BASILIQUE NOTRE DAME de FOURVIÈRE Daily 7 am - 7 pm High on the hill, you can hike up or take the funicular, the views are extensive from there

MUSÉE D’ART SACRÉE

ROOFTOP TOUR 90 mins. Highly recommend this tour of the basilica

ANCIENT THEATER OF FOURVIÈRE 7 am - 9 pm

GALLO-ROMAN MUSEUM OF LYON-FOURVIÈRE 17 rue Cleberg Cl Mon. 10 - 6 Very interesting theater and collection of antiquities

PRESQU’ÎLE NEIGHBORHOOD fun to explore the winding streets

MUSÉE DE BEAUX-ARTS de LYON 20 place des Terreaux Cl. Tue. 10 - 6 Must see museum with many treasures

LYON CATHÉDRAL ST. JEAN BAPTISTE Pl. St. Jean 8:15 - 7 Cool astronomical clock

MUSÉE GADAGNE 1 place du petit College Cl Mon 10:30 - 6 We like puppets of all kinds, so we really enjoyed this little marionette museum near our hotel

MURAL - MUR DES CANUTS 36 Blvd des Canuts - Absolutely worth going out of your way to find this incredible trompe l’oeil mural.

MUSÉE MINIATURE ET CINÉMA 60 rue St.-Jean 10 - 7 Fun exhibits

MUSÉE D’ART CONTEMPORAIN 81 quai Charles de Gaulle Wed - Sun 11 - 6

LE NEUVIÈME ART 173 rue Cuvier Wonderful 2 Michelin star elegant dining experience, well worth the price. The chef, Christophe Roure, is charming and very talented. Cl Sun & Mon

LA SOMMELIÈRE 6 rue Mourguet Outstanding value for 1 star Michelin tasting menu. Chef husband and sommelier wife in a tiny space (only 4 - 5 tables). Book 60 days in advance. Luscious food and well chosen wine pairing. Cl Mon & Tue

AGASTACHE 13 rue Duguesclin 2 reasonably priced prix fixe menus offering excellent food and wine in a bright, modern space. Terrific service. Lunch Mon - Fri, Dinner Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri. A bit out of the way, but worth finding

TUE MAY 30 ARLES (3h10)

The main attraction is the Roman Arena (amphitheater), though there are also ruins of a smaller Roman theater and the town is quite charismatic and fun to explore.

HÔTEL SPA LE CALENDAL 5 rue Porte de Laure - Adorable small hotel with unique art in each room, very reasonably priced. Our room had a view of a 1st C Roman theater (not the larger amphitheater). Very relaxing free water spa that you can book, though massages cost extra. Decent breakfast.

ARÈNES D’ARLES Well preserved Roman amphitheater built in 90 AD 9 am - 7 pm

MUSÉE d’ARLES ANTIQUE Cl. Tue. 9:30 - 6 The museum was closed the day we visited so we cannot comment on it.

CATHÉDRALE et CLOÎTRE ST. TROPHIME Daily 9 -12, 2 - 6 Gorgeous church and cloisters. The elaborate carvings on the columns in the cloisters are exquisite.

LA GUEULE DU LOUP 39 rue des Arènes Very nice bistro serving Provençal dishes in a pretty space.

WED MAY 31 - WED JUNE 28 ÈZE-BORD-DE-MER (3 hr)

LA PAMPA 14 Avenue de la Mer Airbnb - Very responsive host. The villa had some issues but gorgeous views over the Mediterranean and it was a bargain for the area. There’s a much larger apartment above the one we booked that was better equipped.

ÈZE

One of the most enchanting towns on the Côte D’Azur, stone houses along cobblestone streets high on a hill overlooking the sea. Lots of art galleries, cafés, restaurants. Peaceful early in the morning before it’s overrun with visitors

EXOTIC GARDEN 20 rue du Château Daily 9 - 4:30 Beautiful gardens with sea views

NIETZSCHE PATH Not too difficult trail up to Èze from sea level, nice hike

NOTRE DAME DE L’ASSOMPTION 12th C Place de L’église - modest church

LA CHÈVRE D’OR rue du Barri - Exceptional restaurant with breathtaking views in a luxury hotel. Expensive but worth a splurge. Perfect wine pairing. Service was outstanding.

ANJUNA BEACH 28 Av de la Liberté Very popular casual beachside restaurant in Èze Bord-de-Mer. Way overpriced, however the food is good and it’s a lovely setting

BEAULIEU-SUR-MER (3.5 km - 7 min.)

This was the appealing market town where we did most of our food shopping. Terrific outdoor market as well as shops. We often walked there and back if we didn’t have a lot of groceries to carry.

VILLA KÉRYLOS Daily 10 - 7 Historic Greek-style villa with small art collection

PROVENÇAL MARKET Pl du General De Gaulle - Blvd Marionini Fresh fruit and vegetables. Italian food stalls on the first Sunday of the month.

MARCHÉ SUPER U 1 rue du 8 mai 1945 8:30 - 8, Sun 8:30 - 12:45 Typical supermarket

LA CAVE DE BEAULIEU 31 Bd du Maréchal Leclerc Cl Sun, 10 - 1, 3 - 7:30 Terrific wine shop with small selection, owner gives good recommendations

BOULANGERIE DE BEAULIEU 30 bd Marionini 7 - 1, 4 - 7, Sun 7 - 1 The line is always down the block, deservedly since the bread and pastries are excellent

PÂTISSERIE MESIANO 9-12:30, 3-7:15. Sun 9-1 Our favorite chocolate shop

LES HALLES de BEAULIEU 36 bd Marionini Cl Wed 8-7:30, Su 8-1 Nice gourmet market for specialty items

VERY VALENTINA Port de Plaisance - Casual harborside restaurant with tasty food. There is a whole row of restaurants along this stretch Cl Mon

LA TABLE DE LA RÉSERVE 5 Bd Gen Leclerc - Upscale restaurant in a fancy seaside hotel with very good food

VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER (7.4 km - 15 min.)

An appealing town with a long sandy beach and seaside promenade

CHAPELLE DE ST. PIERRE DES PÊCHEURS 4 Quai de L’Amiral Courbet - 16th C chapel decorated with fantastic Cocteau murals Cl Mon & Tue 9:30 - 12:30, 2 - 6.

ST.-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT (8 km - 16 min)

Attractive town with a long scenic path worth walking around

VILLA EPHRUSSI DE ROTHSCHILD 1 Av Ephrussi de Rothschild 10 - 6 Magnificent property with luxe furniture and artwork and stunning sea views

MONACO (9.5 km - 16 min. - 25 min.)

We weren’t crazy about Monaco/Monte Carlo, but we had to see it. If you like ultra rich glitz and glamor you’ll love it. Easy to walk everywhere and the palace is impressive.

PALAIS DES PRINCES DE MONACO 10 - 5:15 Definitely worth seeing

            CHANGING OF THE GUARD 11:55 am - Distinguished pageantry

ST. NICHOLAS CATHEDRAL 4 rue Col Bellando de Castro 9 - 6

CHAPEL OF MERCY (MISÉRICORDE)  Pl de la Mairie 1639 AD

CASINO DE MONTE CARLO  Visits 10 - 1 We ended up skipping the casino, because we just weren’t interested enough and we don’t gamble, though it looked very opulent from the  outside. Super expensive sports cars parked out front.

PRINCES’ CAR COLLECTION 54 rte de la Piscine 10 - 7 Fairly good collection

LES PERLES Quai Jean-Charles Rey - Our Airbnb host booked a table for lunch for us here and we’re grateful. It’s a buzzy, casual spot on the harbor with terrific seafood at a reasonable price. Our favorite place in Monaco.

NICE (11 km - 25 min)

We ended up spending quite a bit of time in Nice since it was nearby, there’s a lot to do there, and they have excellent markets, especially their fish market which was much more reasonably priced and had a better selection than those nearer to us. The beach runs for 7 km/4.3 mi., though it’s rocky and usually crowded.

COURS SALEYA - open air market Tue - Sun 6 am - 1 pm Shopped here for produce and flowers. You can also buy cheese, bread, soaps and other goods.

MARCHÉ AUX POISSONS Place St. François 6 am - 1 pm Cl Mon. Best fish market we found in the area and surprisingly inexpensive

BOUCHERIE ST. FRANÇOIS Excellent butchers adjacent to the fish market, a favorite with locals

PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS - BAIE DES ANGES - Famous 5 km/3.1 mi. seaside walkway, we enjoyed long walks along it early in the morning on our visits to town. There are loads of restaurants along here but we suspect they’re mostly tourist traps.

VILLA MASSENA 65 rue de France 10 - 6 Cl Tue. Interesting art and history museum in a lovely space

CATHÉDRALE STE RÉPARATE 3 pl. Rossetti Cl Mon. Tue - Fri 9 - 12, 2 - 6, Sat 9 - 12, 2 - 7:30, Sun 9 - 1, 3 - 6 Grand cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of Nice

ST. RITA/ANNONCIATION CHURCH 1 rue de la Poissonnerie 7 - 12, 2:30 - 6, Sun 10 - 12, 3 - 6 Ornate 17th C Baroque church

ADAM & EVE HOUSE 8 rue de la Poissonerie A house with an ornamental frieze built around 1584

MUSÉE DES BEAUX ARTS  33 ave des Baumettes 10 - 6 Cl Mon Fine collection

MUSÉE NATIONAL CHAGALL Ave Dr. Menard 10 - 6 Cl Tue. We found this museum to be a bit disappointing

MAMAC Place Yves Klein 10 - 6 Cl. Mon. We enjoyed this contemporary art collection quite a lot

L’ALCHIMIE 14 rue Maccarani Excellent small restaurant for lunch or dinner with reasonable prices and great food, though a limited menu. Reservations are necessary since it’s deservedly popular with the locals. Cl Sun & Mon

LES SENS 37 rue Pastorelli Good food but nothing special Cl Sat & Sun

FENOCCHIO  - 2 pl. Rossetti or 6 rue de la Poissonerie - 9 - midnight Good but not exceptional ice cream

MENTON (21 km, 35 min)

Seaside town close to the Italian border. Nice to spend the day wandering around but there’s nothing of special interest (except perhaps the Cocteau museum when it’s open). We expected to like it more.

MUSÉE JEAN COCTEAU The Bastion, Quai Napolean III Cl Tue. 10 - 12:30, 2 - 6 The main Cocteau museum was closed for renovations when we visited, but there’s also this small annex. It’s not worth a special visit but good to see while in town.

BASILIQUE ST. MICHEL Place de L’Eglise Mon - Fri 10 - 12, 3 - 5

PLACE DE LA CONCEPCION

JARDIN BIOVES Av. Boyer Pocket garden not worth a special visit

RUE DES LOGETTES and RUE LONGUE nice streets for a stroll

LE PETIT PORT 4 rue du Jonquier - Very good restaurant with outdoor patio. Friendly service, great food, especially grilled fish. We had a lovely lunch there.

ST. PAUL DE VENCE (31.6 km - 50 min.)

Medieval village with an old stone wall, beautiful architecture, loads of art galleries and magnificent views. We were disappointed that the Fondation Maeght was closed for renovations at the time (it has since reopened). We arrived early in the morning and enjoyed the town without crowds.

DONJON DE ST. PAUL DE VENCE 13th C Pl de la Mairie

CHAPELLE DES PÉNITENTS BLANCS - FOLON 5 pl de L’église Daily 10 - 12:30, 2 - 6 Whether you enjoy the art of Folon or not, this chapel is worth seeing. Very beautiful! We visited when it opened and had it entirely to ourselves for at least a half hour.

ST. CHARLES-ST. CLAUDE CHAPEL 139 chemin de Ste. Claire

TOURETTES SUR LOUP - we stopped briefly in this small medieval town but didn’t spend much time there.

GRASSE (65 km - 1h25)

Hellacious traffic and parking. The area is renowned for perfume production. The perfume museum is definitely interesting, but we’re not sure it’s worth the hassle to reach it.

MUSÉE INTERNATIONALE DE LA PARFUMERIE 2 Bd du Jeu de Ballon 10 - 6

VENCE (5 km - 8 min. From St. Paul)

We stopped in Vence specifically to see the Matisse chapel even though we’re only mildly interested in his work, and in the end didn’t think it was worth the detour

CHAPELLE DE LA ROSAIRE 466 av. Henri Matisse Cl Sun & Mon; Tue, Thu, Fri 10 - 11:30, 2 - 5:30, Wed, Sat 2 - 5:30

CAGNES SUR MER (25.5 km - 50 min)

There isn’t much to see in town, however we greatly enjoyed the Renoir house and museum.

MUSÉE RENOIR 19 chemin des Collettes Cl Tue. 10-1, 2 - 6 Beautiful collection

ANTIBES/VALLAURIS (34 km - 55 min.)

We spent a day touring Antibes, Cap D’Antibes, Juan-les-Pins and the Picasso museum in Vallauris and weren’t very impressed overall. Unless they’re on your bucket list, or you just want to sunbathe on the beaches, I’d skip them.

MUSÉE NATIONAL DE PICASSO Pl de la Libération Cl Tue. 10-12:15, 2 - 5 We’re big fans of Picasso but this can’t compare to the museum in Paris

CAP D’ANTIBES (5 km - 12 min. from Antibes)

SENTIER DU LITTORAL 5km free parking at Plage de la Garoupe. Easy but disappointing trail, we really expected a more scenic experience.

JUAN-LES-PINS near Antibes - not as scenic as we expected

MOUGINS (58 km - 1hr15)

Mougins turned out to be one of our favorite towns in the area. Very pretty with interesting art, an excellent small museum and a reputation for fine dining. We regret not having returned to try one of the restaurants.

MUSÉE D’ART CLASSIQUE 32 rue Commandeur 10 - 6, 10 - 8 after June 2. A true gem, worth a visit to Mougins. A small but cleverly curated private collection contrasting ancient and modern works with lots of surprises. Our favorite museum in Provence.

BIOT (44 km - 55 min)

We came specifically to see the Léger museum after visiting Mougins and it didn’t disappoint us at all. Extensive representation of his work.

MUSÉE FERNAND LÉGER 255 Chemin du Val de Pome Cl Tue. 10 - 6

CANNES (47 km - 1 hr)

We didn’t like Cannes at all. It didn’t help that there was a huge tech conference in town (all the big global firms) and they had taken over the entire beachfront with stands, etc. so you didn’t even have a view of the sea from the famous promenade, La Croisette. It was noisy and chaotic.

MUSÉE DE LA CASTRE 6 rue de la Castre Cl Mon. 10-1, 2 - 6 Decent collection but not worth a special trip

ÎLE DE SAINT-HONORAT - Abbaye de Lerins, Monastery - Nice boat ride and handsome abbey

Boat schedule: from Quai des Îles: Hourly from 9 - 4 except 1 pm

To Cannes: Hourly from 9:30 - 4:30 except 1:30 pm

ASTOUX ET BRUN 27 rue Felix Faure - Terrible tourist trap with mediocre food and you don’t even get a view of the sea to offset the disappointing cuisine and indifferent service.