Èze, a medieval village on the French Riviera

On my first full day in Nice, it was gloomy. The skies were grey and the forecast spoke about possible showers. It was still quite warm but, with the threat of rain, it was not ideal for a beach day. So I suggested to my friend we visited Èze. In fact, not having the scorching sun out was perfect to explore a medieval town.

You can get to Èze from Nice by bus, which leaves you just at the entrance at the top of the hill, or you can also take the train. But if you take the train, it will stop at Èze-sur-Mer. This leaves you with two options to reach the medieval village – either you take the bus from the train station/call Uber/car, or you hike up the hill, which will require time, lots of water and, in my personal opinion, a lot of mental strength.

We wanted to take the bus to Èze, but when the bus came it was full and it didn’t stop. The next one was in an hour, with the same risk. So we decided to call an Uber, and got to ride to Èze on Tesla (I had never seen the interior of a Tesla and that in itself was an experience). At the end of our Èze visit, we took the bus to the train station, and from there headed back to Nice.

When you think about the French Riviera, you think about the blue Mediterranean, the sand or pebbled beaches, the seafood, and the wines. Yet, one of the most visited places on the Riviera is the village of Èze, located 400m above sea level, and where water has always been the most precious treasure precisely due to the lack of it. Whilst from the top of the hill where the village is located you have an amazing view of the bluest of the waters, the village never had a source of drinking water, and it had to be carried in buckets from an outlet at a nearby road. When you explore the village you see how hard this task must have been, it’s steep! It was only in 1930 that Samuel Barlow, an American composer, financed the construction of a fountain of water in the centre of the village. Èze has been connected to the main water supply system since 1952. It makes me thirsty just thinking about it!

The town itself is inside stone walls and everything is indeed made of stone. You enter a different time – except that it was crowded with tourists, and in every corner there was either a restaurant or a shop selling hand-made jewellery, clothing, home decor and other souvenirs. I knew I was going to like Èze simply for its medieval streets and architecture, but what really impressed me was the Jardin Exotique (Exotic Gardens).

From here, you have wonderful views of the Côte d’Azur, views that we were also privileged to see on the ride to the village. It’s mainly a garden of succulents and cacti, with some small waterfalls here and there, but what made it extra special were the sculptures of women by Jean-Philippe Richard. The entrance to the gardens costs 7 euros, and I think it’s definitely worth it, as your visit won’t be complete without those views, in my humble opinion. It’s a stunning garden, at the top of a hill, with some of the best views of the Riviera. Don’t miss it!

The day we went, the village itself was crowded, and to me, it felt a little claustrophobic. I believe it’s mostly because we didn’t go earlier in the day. Since it had been a “last minute” decision to go to the village, we probably went when everyone was there, including tour groups. So, early morning or early evening would be the ideal time to go to avoid crowds and have a more enjoyable time.

Love,

Nic