French Riviera write up
Discussion
Posted here a few months ago with various requests for help on French Riv and thought I'd have a write up about the trip we had Friday to Tuesday this week.
(Images are thumbnails)
Day 1
In amongst the 10192 stag, hen, golfers going to Portugal, old dears having a golfers widow holiday...the list goes on with what was departing Gatwick on the Friday morning for long weekends! Unfortunately we had a bunch of drips on a stag behind us f'ing and blinding, it wasn't an issue as my son was on his first flight and taking it all in elsewhere but for god sakes what is it with these idiots.
Flight was delayed for 30 mins due to "ATC issues"...not quite sure what this was about but the pilot said over the tannoy the cockpit would be open and so in the Boy and me went! Fantastic stuff.
|https://thumbsnap.com/QTCEL9GU[/url]
We arrived in Nice airport that seems to had been mostly the same as the last time I arrived ten years ago ok. Outside the weather splendid and off we departed to get the rental car picked up (see other post in Plod and Law section on how this ended) once collected we was off down to Cannes to the rental we had.
Arrival in cannes was ok, never realised there would be so many tolls between nice and Cannes but hey ho when its quick and efficient to get from town to town it's stomachable.
I rented an AirBnB on the Plague du Midi which was fantastics on the balcony overlooking the beach, out for some dinner and then a walk about before beddy byes and drinky time for the first night.
[url]
Day 2
Other half had her birthday and I wake up early with little man naturally also awake as well in his new room so up we get, I was on the balcony sipping coffee to be met with the dreaded noise we all dread of the vomit drop....not good, so plans mostly scuppered until he was taking down fluids and had something to eat.
Food outlets in Cannes were fantastic, most of France is tbf but there is just something about Pattiseries at the moment, Paris last year was the same.
We decided to have a small drive to get son to sleep so had a poodle over to Theoule to see over the bay...this was the first time I'd realised the snow on the Alps was visible...draw dropping (more alps prn to follow)!
Little man was slightly better, so we had a walk about in Cannes. Last time I was in Cannes ten years ago the place was a bit drab but they really have done a lot of work on the place, the front near the Palais de Festival has been I think flattened and made into a parade area with LOTS of bars and restaurants.
Rather than eat in Cannes I went for a drive, landing in Juan-Les-Pins on the front,
Price wise I didn't think over the holiday that a lot of the restaurants were that bad, main meal for two and drinks 50-70 Euro and good service/food. Drinks were silly prices so not much of that consumed tbh.
Day Three
Monaco!!!
We set off early-ish for the day, plan was to goto the Aquarium and give our son some time to run about, drive from Nice onwards up the back on the A8 past the Nice Football stadium, through the tunnels that we were just amazed with engineering wise was spectacular, through La Turbie...TRES BON.
We parked outside the border near the Stade de Louis and walked in, I wasn't sure about Driving in Monaco with Hire car insurance challenges.
Walking from the stadium through to the zoo, through the business district like a US Downtown business district, up the outside escalators...yes this was a different place!
Walking up the half a mile with a buggy was fun....but the views up the top, oh my, I never realised this would be like this for views, it was amazing to see the clouds up there, no filters applied!
The aquarium was fun, the missus went a bit white when she realised she was standing on this
It was the view of the drop down where it overhangs outside!
Now for the best bit....F1's in town did you know
Did some googling on who owned the boats in the pic today, Spanish guy who owns Zara and then the Sunglasses Hut owner....just shows you what can be made in the rag trade!
After a full on morning walking up to the aquarium that had some brilliant tanks if ever interested, lunch and a walk around the pit lane in the sun, Master FSD was becoming rather tired so we decided to have a slow walk and move on and hit the road. I missed walking over to Monte Carlo but knew we'd be back another time.
Road back of course on the A8 back towards Nice was double spectacular I went up into La Turbie to see if Eze was an option so we drove on for a bit. Below pic was a pic I randomly took on the plane on the way up, and didn't even realise I'd got the road section in from the Nice FC stadium!
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/i5aiE1pr[/url
Day Four
Last full day and after a spot of breakfast on a windy balcony we decided to drive back up to Eze and try and get into the but this time via the backroad through the middle of Nice. Nice was rather busy but never busy enough to ruin the day, a trip up the back of Nice on the "middle road" between A8 and the coast and this was drivers heaven, I had issues keeping an eye on the road in front of me!
Eze was yet again packed at 10am, no spots but we decided to drive up to a Park and ride they do 2.5km away......driving up this road and missing the turn off for this said car park meant we got side tracked by the Park opposite rather than P&R, not sure Eze was worth the aggro seeing people walking down from this P&R as well due to full on buses.
A stop on the corner to see Monaco FC's La Turbie training Ground, what a view for a useless football club to train in!
url]![](https://thumbsnap.com/t/2GF81s11.jpg[/img]|https://thumbsnap.com/2GF81s11[/url] <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/1CsJjFFF" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/t/1CsJjFFF.jpg)
An afternoon on the beach in front of the apartment in the sunshine and that was it for the day other than a drive up to Mandelieu in Cannes for more mountain views after our dinner!
Last Day
With check out at Ten I decided we'd goto Antibes for a couple of hours for a spot of lunch before the flight, more Yachts and some last hours of sunshine.
Antibes was another place that sucked us in even in two odd hours of visiting. The market was on on Vauban so a good chance for last minute souvenirs and to feel like Rick Stein walking through
And that was it for the holiday, Nice airport was very efficient except the car hire horrors but I won't dwell on this.
Despite most the family throwing up, people everywhere even for April whole place was just fantastic if you like a drive about, beaches, people watching. Cost wise I didn't think it was too bad, everything felt just so accommodating to tourism, even down to the little Cafes on Cannes promenade.
We shall be back for sure based on the ease of the journey time, options available to stay, eating, views I've missed. I felt like a complete donkey looking at google maps the last few days and seeing what we'd driven past/missed!
We discussed driving down next time which when living on the South coast might be a big push with a toddler and would need the minimum of two weeks.
I may do some analysis on this to see the price difference against aggro factor.
Hopefully this wasn't too boring a write up and of use to someone looking at a similar trip.
(Images are thumbnails)
Day 1
In amongst the 10192 stag, hen, golfers going to Portugal, old dears having a golfers widow holiday...the list goes on with what was departing Gatwick on the Friday morning for long weekends! Unfortunately we had a bunch of drips on a stag behind us f'ing and blinding, it wasn't an issue as my son was on his first flight and taking it all in elsewhere but for god sakes what is it with these idiots.
Flight was delayed for 30 mins due to "ATC issues"...not quite sure what this was about but the pilot said over the tannoy the cockpit would be open and so in the Boy and me went! Fantastic stuff.
|https://thumbsnap.com/QTCEL9GU[/url]We arrived in Nice airport that seems to had been mostly the same as the last time I arrived ten years ago ok. Outside the weather splendid and off we departed to get the rental car picked up (see other post in Plod and Law section on how this ended) once collected we was off down to Cannes to the rental we had.
Arrival in cannes was ok, never realised there would be so many tolls between nice and Cannes but hey ho when its quick and efficient to get from town to town it's stomachable.
I rented an AirBnB on the Plague du Midi which was fantastics on the balcony overlooking the beach, out for some dinner and then a walk about before beddy byes and drinky time for the first night.
[url]Day 2
Other half had her birthday and I wake up early with little man naturally also awake as well in his new room so up we get, I was on the balcony sipping coffee to be met with the dreaded noise we all dread of the vomit drop....not good, so plans mostly scuppered until he was taking down fluids and had something to eat.
Food outlets in Cannes were fantastic, most of France is tbf but there is just something about Pattiseries at the moment, Paris last year was the same.
We decided to have a small drive to get son to sleep so had a poodle over to Theoule to see over the bay...this was the first time I'd realised the snow on the Alps was visible...draw dropping (more alps prn to follow)!
Little man was slightly better, so we had a walk about in Cannes. Last time I was in Cannes ten years ago the place was a bit drab but they really have done a lot of work on the place, the front near the Palais de Festival has been I think flattened and made into a parade area with LOTS of bars and restaurants.
Rather than eat in Cannes I went for a drive, landing in Juan-Les-Pins on the front,
Price wise I didn't think over the holiday that a lot of the restaurants were that bad, main meal for two and drinks 50-70 Euro and good service/food. Drinks were silly prices so not much of that consumed tbh.
Day Three
Monaco!!!
We set off early-ish for the day, plan was to goto the Aquarium and give our son some time to run about, drive from Nice onwards up the back on the A8 past the Nice Football stadium, through the tunnels that we were just amazed with engineering wise was spectacular, through La Turbie...TRES BON.
We parked outside the border near the Stade de Louis and walked in, I wasn't sure about Driving in Monaco with Hire car insurance challenges.
Walking from the stadium through to the zoo, through the business district like a US Downtown business district, up the outside escalators...yes this was a different place!
Walking up the half a mile with a buggy was fun....but the views up the top, oh my, I never realised this would be like this for views, it was amazing to see the clouds up there, no filters applied!
The aquarium was fun, the missus went a bit white when she realised she was standing on this
It was the view of the drop down where it overhangs outside!
Now for the best bit....F1's in town did you know
Did some googling on who owned the boats in the pic today, Spanish guy who owns Zara and then the Sunglasses Hut owner....just shows you what can be made in the rag trade!
After a full on morning walking up to the aquarium that had some brilliant tanks if ever interested, lunch and a walk around the pit lane in the sun, Master FSD was becoming rather tired so we decided to have a slow walk and move on and hit the road. I missed walking over to Monte Carlo but knew we'd be back another time.
Road back of course on the A8 back towards Nice was double spectacular I went up into La Turbie to see if Eze was an option so we drove on for a bit. Below pic was a pic I randomly took on the plane on the way up, and didn't even realise I'd got the road section in from the Nice FC stadium!
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/i5aiE1pr[/urlDay Four
Last full day and after a spot of breakfast on a windy balcony we decided to drive back up to Eze and try and get into the but this time via the backroad through the middle of Nice. Nice was rather busy but never busy enough to ruin the day, a trip up the back of Nice on the "middle road" between A8 and the coast and this was drivers heaven, I had issues keeping an eye on the road in front of me!
Eze was yet again packed at 10am, no spots but we decided to drive up to a Park and ride they do 2.5km away......driving up this road and missing the turn off for this said car park meant we got side tracked by the Park opposite rather than P&R, not sure Eze was worth the aggro seeing people walking down from this P&R as well due to full on buses.
A stop on the corner to see Monaco FC's La Turbie training Ground, what a view for a useless football club to train in!
url]
An afternoon on the beach in front of the apartment in the sunshine and that was it for the day other than a drive up to Mandelieu in Cannes for more mountain views after our dinner!
Last Day
With check out at Ten I decided we'd goto Antibes for a couple of hours for a spot of lunch before the flight, more Yachts and some last hours of sunshine.
Antibes was another place that sucked us in even in two odd hours of visiting. The market was on on Vauban so a good chance for last minute souvenirs and to feel like Rick Stein walking through
And that was it for the holiday, Nice airport was very efficient except the car hire horrors but I won't dwell on this.
Despite most the family throwing up, people everywhere even for April whole place was just fantastic if you like a drive about, beaches, people watching. Cost wise I didn't think it was too bad, everything felt just so accommodating to tourism, even down to the little Cafes on Cannes promenade.
We shall be back for sure based on the ease of the journey time, options available to stay, eating, views I've missed. I felt like a complete donkey looking at google maps the last few days and seeing what we'd driven past/missed!
We discussed driving down next time which when living on the South coast might be a big push with a toddler and would need the minimum of two weeks.
I may do some analysis on this to see the price difference against aggro factor.
Hopefully this wasn't too boring a write up and of use to someone looking at a similar trip.
Edited by fourstardan on Thursday 27th April 10:01
Really enjoyed reading that, thanks for taking the time.
It is a long drive with a little one, and if you just blast down it is a missed opportunity in some ways.
I was 6 when my Dad first drove us down to near Grasse for our hols. Had 2 nightstops on the way and actually enjoyed the journey. Doing the Route Napoleon for the first time is still memorable, stopping for a cheesey baguette and an hour's swim in the Gorge du Verdon etc
The other option is to take the ferry to Bilbao or Santander, (24-32 hours) around 9 hours driving to Cannes, versus 14 (?) from Calais. Cost is around a Grand with a cabin, fun way to travel, more interesting drive at the other end. Channel tunnel + extra fuel and tolls will bite into some of that Ferry cost to Spain too.
Happy travels, however they happen.
It is a long drive with a little one, and if you just blast down it is a missed opportunity in some ways.
I was 6 when my Dad first drove us down to near Grasse for our hols. Had 2 nightstops on the way and actually enjoyed the journey. Doing the Route Napoleon for the first time is still memorable, stopping for a cheesey baguette and an hour's swim in the Gorge du Verdon etc
The other option is to take the ferry to Bilbao or Santander, (24-32 hours) around 9 hours driving to Cannes, versus 14 (?) from Calais. Cost is around a Grand with a cabin, fun way to travel, more interesting drive at the other end. Channel tunnel + extra fuel and tolls will bite into some of that Ferry cost to Spain too.
Happy travels, however they happen.
M11rph said:
Really enjoyed reading that, thanks for taking the time.
It is a long drive with a little one, and if you just blast down it is a missed opportunity in some ways.
I was 6 when my Dad first drove us down to near Grasse for our hols. Had 2 nightstops on the way and actually enjoyed the journey. Doing the Route Napoleon for the first time is still memorable, stopping for a cheesey baguette and an hour's swim in the Gorge du Verdon etc
The other option is to take the ferry to Bilbao or Santander, (24-32 hours) around 9 hours driving to Cannes, versus 14 (?) from Calais. Cost is around a Grand with a cabin, fun way to travel, more interesting drive at the other end. Channel tunnel + extra fuel and tolls will bite into some of that Ferry cost to Spain too.
Happy travels, however they happen.
We discussed the driving option, it's just too far to me and also probably much more expensive when you factor in ferry, petrol, potential speeding fines, nails in tyres I could go on! It is a long drive with a little one, and if you just blast down it is a missed opportunity in some ways.
I was 6 when my Dad first drove us down to near Grasse for our hols. Had 2 nightstops on the way and actually enjoyed the journey. Doing the Route Napoleon for the first time is still memorable, stopping for a cheesey baguette and an hour's swim in the Gorge du Verdon etc
The other option is to take the ferry to Bilbao or Santander, (24-32 hours) around 9 hours driving to Cannes, versus 14 (?) from Calais. Cost is around a Grand with a cabin, fun way to travel, more interesting drive at the other end. Channel tunnel + extra fuel and tolls will bite into some of that Ferry cost to Spain too.
Happy travels, however they happen.
But....you'd see mostly all of France....so maybe better as a holiday for when we retire and I've got something sportier to thrash through the tunnels
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