Eze is located between Nice and Monaco. It is a 1000+ years old village on a high cliff (1,401 feet above sea level). Looks like we will have some uphill walking/climbing today.
We rent a car and drive from Toulon and it takes about 2 hours. We arrive almost around noon. The tourist information office is excellent providing assistance in many languages, maps and time tables of the buses and trains. Hence, we book a walking tour from the tourist information center. I’d suggest that you arrive early because you cannot drive up with your own car and parking in the tourist parking lot is limited. It takes us quite a while to find the parking space.
Lunch at Le Pinocchio
We have lunch at “Le Pinocchio” at the base of the old village. Afterwards we take a leisurely climb up the winding street to the old village.
Upon entering I feel transported back to the Medieval period while walking up the uneven stone streets through narrow passages. Beautiful old town hanging on a cliff side overlooking the Mediterranean Sea with fabulous views.
The village is very well preserved and chic. It’s full of winding medieval cobblestone streets with quaint little shops and cafes. Many of the old residences have been converted into jewelry shops, art galleries, souvenir shops, and boutiques.
Church of the Penitents of the White Brotherhood
The construction of the chapel dates from the year 1306.
The garden has an interesting collection of exotic cactus. Quite a climb but worth it for the views. Go there and be wowed!
Panoramic view over the coast!
A breathtaking view!
Located at the foot of the Village. The inside is an explosion of Baroque colors and dramatic design.
Toulon is located in the southern of France between Marseille and Nice. It is not a major tourist destination like other cities in France. We are visiting Toulon mostly because our friend’s mother-in-law lives here and she is on a vacation to somewhere else. We are lucky to stay at her place and have our friend Zoe tour us around Toulon.
Typical french market with huge selection of fruits, cheese, vegetables, and various merchandise. It’s the heart of the old town near the harbor. The market stretches for many blocks. We bought some food and went home made our own lunch. Closed around 1pm.
Breakfast at La Cade
Our friend Zoe said she must get the baked chickpea pancake each time she visits Toulon. It tastes really good and unique!
Lunch
We bought fruits, olives, cheeses, veggies, meats, and breads from the market. Made ourselves a great meal!
Fun gondola ride to the top of Mt. Faron. You will need to take the bus to the lift. We purchased the ticket at the tourism office near the Cours Lafayette market. The top of Mt. Faron is a pleasant stroll for an hour or so.
The Rade de Toulon is the largest French naval port in the south of France and the Mediterranean. If you want to get on the water there are various tourist boat tours. We took the boat to Porquerolles. It’s very enjoyable!
Porquerolles is the largest and most westerly of the 3 islands in the Îles d’Hyères. Day trip to Porquerolles was a lot of fun. Rent a bike when you arrive. It’s the best way to visit different beaches, shores and vineyards.
Lunch at Il Pescatore
Dinner at La Flambee
Dinner at Au Point Gorumand
We visited Lille for the Christmas Market. The atmosphere was really festive with an illuminated Ferris wheel and enormous Christmas tree. Great to walk round with a warm glass of mulled wine or hot apple cider.
Lunch at A l’Huîtrière
Paul
The stock exchange is a striking building in the center of Lille. Inside courtyard was a small antiques fair used by traders selling second hand books, antiques, and records.
Always fun checking out the cool modern art in a new town. The museum is big and inviting. Plenty of space to walk round. The exhibits are so varied, that there’s something for everyone.
It is a commemorative monument for the victories of Louis XVI. It served as the town gates as well as an Arc de Triomphe.
Dinner at La Menara
Pierre Hermé| 2012
Lunch at Le Procope | 2012
Lunch at L’entracte Opera | 2012
Dinner at Zoe’s | 2003
Dinner at Zoe’s | 2012
This chapel is designed by Le Corbusier and completed in 1954. It must have been the most amazing modern building in those days. This place has a calm and timeless atmosphere. Not crowded, allow time to thoroughly explore it.
Photos cannot supply the perspective that actually being there in person presents. See the dim and how’s the light shining through the different sized, colored, and shaped windows.
Dinner at Au Bureau
The citadel is very large, though much of it has been destroyed during the war. The huge lion was created to mark the city’s brave fight during the German siege under the French-Prussian war.
From the platform there is a brilliant view over the city and the landscape. Worth the walk to the very top to see the perspective of the town.
We spent several hours at this museum. The car collection is huge and really impressive. The exhibition focus on European cars, especially Bugatti and a host of early French manufacturers. A superb history of the car, well presented from the very earliest days to latest technology.
Mulhouse was nearly totally destroyed during War World II so therefore it has been rebuilt. We stopped by the old town after visited the automobile museum. There happened to be a summer concert and it was a lot of fun. Great to have a beer and watch the world go by!
The pink city hall and the cathedral are the main attractions at the main square.
The river flowing through gives it a very slight resemblance to Venice. We enjoyed our day trip to Colmar, especially the 30 minutes boat ride on the canal. The first part of the trip takes you out of little Venice and upstream for a little way. The water is so clear, you can see fish inside!
Colmar is one of several beautiful old Alsace towns. An interesting combination of German and French influences. Wonderful cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, canals and the flower-decked bridges. We took the little train for a mini tour of Colmar.
I always like strolling around local food markets to see what local products are being sold. Here you find the local cheeses, wines and sausages. Nice place to grab a snack and look around.
Lovely cathedral in the heart of old Colmar. A wonderful place to sit for a while and take in the beautiful architecture and windows.
Lunch at Cave Wolfberger
It’s wonderful to spend a few hours or an entire day in this quaint medieval Alsacian villages. In the late afternoon we pulled into Kayserberg. Fantastic place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere.
Emperor Constantin fountain
Historical little church in the middle of the old Kaysersberg. Inside you can see a combinations of Romanesque and Gothic, the atmosphere was very calm.
Dinner at Inca
