My dream of visiting France has finally come true. After LOTS and LOTS of planning, my husband and I have finally traveled to Europe in April of this year (2016). It was my first time travelling to Europe ever, and I fell in love even more with our beautiful planet! I documented pretty much everything we saw and plan to share my photos and travel tips on this blog, starting with this very first travel blog post about a gorgeous hilltop medieval village of Eze in the south of France, between Monaco and Nice.
As you can see from these pictures, Eze is famous for offering astonishing views of the Mediterranean Sea and the French Riviera, also known as Cote d’Azur:
The reason that the views are so amazing from any vantage point in Eze is because the village is located on a hilltop of a high cliff about 1,400 feet above the sea level of the Mediterranean Sea underneath it. Everywhere you are surrounded by unbelievable views:
But it’s not only the views that capture your eyes, as you’re walking the streets. The village has been built as a fortified stronghold during Medieval period, and the beautiful architecture reflects that.
The structures here are several hundred years old, and the oldest building in Eze is this beautiful chapel: Chapelle de la Sainte Croix built back in 1300’s.
Everywhere you look, the views are so different but all spectacular:
There are a couple of really nice hotels right in this hilltop village and lots of shops and galleries, all housed in medieval style buildings.
Walking the narrow streets of this town is like being transported back to the Middle Ages.
Be prepared to walk up the hill quite a lot, and then down the hill, on the way back. In this little town, you do need good walking shoes to walk these medieval pathways and steps:
The Eze village is also famous for its beautiful greenery like this cacti growing along the wall:
By the way, if you love botany, Eze has a beautiful Exotic Garden (Le Jardin exotique d’Eze) with lots of exotic cacti and other botanical species. The lovers of botany should definitely check it out.
The Eze village has 2 amazing hotels right in the village. We stayed in one of them, Chateau Eza:
This boutique hotel is a renovated 400 year old Chateau, with rooms and suites all along the hilltop. The views from the rooms are nothing short of spectacular. The hotel has a great restaurant and a beautiful deck where you can hang out, drink champagne cocktails, enjoy the views, and be very French. 🙂
Another notable hotel in Eze is Château de La Chèvre d’Or:
Château de La Chèvre d’Or is famous for its stunningly beautiful gardens with exotic animal statues. This hotel also has a bar and restaurant where you can relax and enjoy the views, while drinking French wine.
I so much enjoyed our trip to Eze. Seeing this beauty makes you realize more than ever how beautiful our planet is, how enormous are our seas and oceans (70% of Earth’s surface). Places like this remind me that I should enjoy every moment of life and creation, and not waste life on negativity, because everything around us is really nothing short of a miracle. No amount of money in the world can recreate this majestically blue water in the quantities that we have it on Earth. Makes me really appreciate our Planet and the gift of life.
My daughter and I just came back from the French Riviera last Saturday. We stayed in Nice as our home base for a week. One of the side trips we took is Eze. Yes, I agree, the views are to die for. So beautiful I wanted to stay longer.
Hi Gina! I am so jealous that you went to the French Riviera this October! It must’ve been SO beautiful there in the Fall. I imagine yellow and red leaves? Not so many crowds? I want to go back there so badly! 🙂
Wow your photos looks gorgeous. I will be visiting the French Riviera thIs July. Now I will have to stop in Eze. Can I take a day trip there?
Yes, you can definitely take a day trip there from the French Riviera. Monaco was just a short drive away from Eze, and it took about 30 minutes to drive by car from Eze to Nice, France. What a beautiful area! 🙂
breathtaking! I am planning a trip to Nice next May 1. is it easy to get from Nice to Eze?
Yes, it’s very easy to get from Nice to Eze – I think it was only about 30 minutes by car. You can see Nice and the road to Nice from the top of Eze. 🙂
Majestically spectacular, indeed! You look fabulous “being French” soaking in the beauty surrounding you and enjoying all life has to offer, my sweet friend. Oui? 😉 Thank you for sharing this incredible photo essay with us! xo
OmG – what incredibly beautiful photographs of one of the first places in France I visited with friends 🙂 when I was in my very early twenty’s! That view – I have never forgotten it, but as one of your friends said above, I too had ‘forgotten’ how very narrow and steep the streets are in Eze – or is it because one is a bit older now and sadly, I do not think I could quite manage them today as I did then. But then …..so what!!! My happy memory lingers on. Carina
What magnificent photography! You truly have a gift! Eze is such a special place…we remember it well and thank you for allowing us to relive it!
Fabulous photos! I was in Eze and spent the night in a lovely hotel with one of these amazing views! Thanks for bringing back great memories.
Stunningly beautiful. I had no idea just how quaint and captivating the streets are up close. Breath taking.
Your pics are beautiful and took me back in time to when I visited there. Definitely the most amazing and exquisite place I ever traveled. Thx for sharing.
STUNNING! I am so incredibly jealous! 😛