The French Riviera

Nice – Nice was the home-base of our French Riviera adventures. It is actually the fifth-largest city in France, which is hard to imagine unless you climb up onto the Chȃteau Hill and get a good look at the city, beaches, and promenade from above.

Ironically, here is where we spent our beach-time. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the Atlantic.

Hmmm….I thought I came to France?

Nice is famous for its stone beaches. I’m not going to lie- they look ok from afar, but they are super painful and HOT! We brought chairs, thank goodness, but even walking into the water was excruciating. Laughing at other peoples’ attempts to gracefully enter and exit the water became our favorite beach pastime. When you are in the same room with us, ask to see the “Nice Walk”. Joe does it best!

Cannes – Cannes is actually where Europe’s “upper crust” used to come to sunbathe. They believed that lying on Cannes’ sand beaches (instead of Nice’s rocky shore) would cure their ailments.

Then, of course, is the Palais des Festivals – home of the Cannes Film Festival! Here is the auditorium and the stairs of the stars!

Antibes – Nice and Cannes have the notoriety, but Antibes is where the rich really come to play, and also where Picasso once lived.

Cap d’Antibes

Vauban’s Fort Carré used to guard the important medieval port, but now stands watch over hundreds of sailboats and yachts.

The port has an impressive line-up of some of the world’s largest/most expensive yachts, called Mega Yachts. We did a little Google-ing whilst ogling and “Anastasia” on the far left is priced at a cool 75 Million Euro.