5 Dec 2019

French Riviera: A Weird Trip To Monaco

Weird. It's the only way I can think to describe Monaco. Not unpleasant…. just weird.

We decided to head there spontaneously during our trip to Nice, France because we fancied a bit of a day trip and it was only 20 minutes away on the train. It’s famous for many reasons and, as is always the way, curiosity makes you want to go see what the fuss is about.

You know that scene in Shrek (bear with me…) when Shrek and Donkey arrive in Duloc and the whole place is like a toy town and completely deserted? That’s pretty much how we felt when we arrived in Monaco. It reminded me of Disneyland only without Micky Mouse or the sugar-high children. (It was seven euros for a can of coke so sugar was limited quite frankly.)

Monaco, the second smallest country in the world, is dramatic, astonishingly packed in and clinging on to the side of the mountains. It’s almost unnervingly clean, chocked full of designer shops, the grandest casino I’ve ever seen and the most yachts you will ever see in one small space. It’s like a toy town.

We were originally baffled by the lack of life (and the sheer amount of yachts) but as we headed around the coast and up the hill, we found signs; restaurants, shops and a market. But I still couldn’t shake the lack of… atmosphere. Vibe. Whatever you want to call it.

We climbed the steps to the palace where we got a better view of the buildings rising up into the mountains. It was impressive although not necessarily beautiful. The palace and the old town were prettier and felt slightly more real. There were at least people shopping and eating in restaurants and generally doing their thing. But after spending the previous day in Nice, it failed to wow us; we were ready to head back after just a few hours.

I’m glad we went to Monaco; it was a strangely interesting place to observe in a bemused sort of way. Not sure I get the fuss though.

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5 Dec 2019

French Riviera: A Weird Trip To Monaco

24 Nov 2019

French Riviera: Visiting Sunny Nice

Like our trip to Copenhagen last year, our trip to Nice was booked less than a month in advance on a bit of a whim. Despite my love and excitement for Autumn, a few days of sun was exactly what I needed just before those leaves truly turned at home.

If you’re avoiding the museums and art galleries (which I do on most trips, philistine that I am), the sights to see include the Promenade des Anglaise, Castle Hill Park, the Old Town, the Russian Cathedral, Fountain of the Sun and the Promenade du Paillon. We saw most of these sights in one day, just by wandering around the city in an aimless fashion. The weather was a perfect 21c and we came across everything almost by accident as we soaked in the sun and ate copious amounts of ice cream (there were so many incredible ice cream parlours).

I fell hard for Nice, completely unexpectedly. Admittedly I had no expectations which often helps, but I also found that Nice is the perfect city to go to if you just fancy a bit of sun and doing not much in particular. I liked it so much more than Paris (I’ve had some great times in Paris but I’m still not entirely sure I get what the fuss is about… soz) and I could have quite happily spent a week there just moseying about. The bright blues of the Mediterranean, the intricate French streets, the spectacular sunsets; it was all-round lovely.