Èze, France

Eze was the last major stop on our honeymoon trip in 2012. We would still spend a night in each of London and Paris, but those were pit stops more than anything else. I chose Eze by default, the hotel we were staying at – Chateau Eza – being the main attraction. The Chateau is generally considered to be one of the best hotels in Europe, not just for its appointments but because of its stunning location on the hilltop of Eze village and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. We were excited to end the major part of our trip with this stay – and to explore the nearby cities of Monaco and Nice while we were there.

View of the Mediterranean from Eze Jardin Exotique.

The trip from Venice to Eze was mostly cloudy, but it was fun to drive through Italy and follow the terrain down from the Alps to the sea. Cities and towns passed on the way included surburbs of Milan, Turin, San Remo and Monaco. On arrival in Eze, we realized that valet parking was at the bottom of the hill. We had a scenic, if long, walk up to the hotel and were rewarded with a beautiful hotel room and fantastic views of sunset on the Mediterranean. To make things even more exciting, the Chateau had complimentary snacks and champagne waiting for us on the dining room terrace.

Walking through Eze village to the hotel.

Dusk in Eze – view from the room terrace.

Sipping bubbly – fantastic welcome to Eze.

The next morning, we had breakfast at the local creperie halfway down the hill in the village. The weather was sunny and lovely, and would remain so for the rest of our trip. Following breakfast, we walked throughout the village. Amazingly, the hotel rooms are integrated into the village, and it’s not uncommon to see tourists walking outside the stone facade of your room. Eze was established in 2000 BC and the oldest building – the Chapelle de la Sainte Croix – was erected in 1306. The village contains several local art galleries, craft stores (like the lace store the Beach Snob loved – I had to pry her out of there) and even high-end perfume boutiques like Fragonard and Galimard.

View from the creperie (Part 1)

The Beach Snob taking in the view from breakfast.

View from the Creperie (Part 2).

The lace shop.

Chapelle de la Sainte Croix, est. 1306.

We also visited the Eze Jardin Exotique (Exotic Garden) which is right at the top of the hill in Eze. The Beach Snob was quite taken by the several sculptures by Jean-Philippe Richard found in the garden.

Eze Jardin Exotique.

View from the jardin…

Jean-Philippe Richard sculptures.

In the evening, we had a lovely eight-course dinner at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Chateau Eza, which will be the subject of a post by the Beach Snob, and enjoyed the views of the super yachts in the harbor.

Ready for an eight-course dinner…

On the second full day, we drove to Nice and Monaco. Both will be the subject of future posts, but this was our view from the hotel room that morning.

On the third and final full day in the Riviera, we relaxed in the village as there were still areas we had not explored. The Beach Snob visited the Fragonard factory which is at the bottom of the village. Being a Chemical Engineer, she was quite taken by their process and took a few pictures. I focused on taking pictures of the church which forms the scenic backdrop of Eze and tasting some of the local delicacies at the farmer’s market.

Inside the Chapelle de la Sainte Croix

We loved the buildings in Eze village.

View of Eze village from the Monaco-Nice road. The yellow building is the church.

Fragonard factory (1)

Fragonard factory (2)

Fragonard factory (3)

Altogether, we had a lovely time in Eze. The village, gardens, restaurant and galleries were all top notch, especially in such a relatively hidden location. It’s only a short drive from both Monaco and Nice (it’s roughly halfway in between both). Coupled with the 5-star Chateau Eza, this is a place that we plan on returning to several times in the future. It was the perfect way to end the road trip portion of our wonderful honeymoon adventure.