For our first full weekend in France, IAU organized a trip to the Côte d’Azur for all of us on the program. Between Saturday morning and Sunday evening, we visited Nice, Cap d’Ail, Monte Carlo, Monaco, and St. Paul de Vence. Upon our return to the ice-covered rotonde in Aix, I was shocked to remember that we had been away from Aix for less than 36 hours. The trip was so full of new things that it seemed like we had been on the coast for more like five days.
Despite the freezing weather, we had a little sun to cheer the journey and warm our frigid bodies. I thought I was going to hate traveling on a bus in such a large group, but I admit it was a good way to get acquainted with places quickly and cover a lot of ground in a short time. I certainly do not know what it would be like to live in Monaco: indeed, I don’t think I would want to: but I have an impression of it and how it differs from other coastal towns. Same with Nice, where I would like to return when the weather is warmer to explore the beach and more of the city. The buses also afforded us large views of the passing countryside and towns, and helped to orient us before we were turned loose in each city with a photocopied map and a time and place to reconvene.
In Nice a group of us wandered around a huge outdoor market a block inland from the beach with gorgeous fruits and vegetables, exotic plants, and fancy local products like candied fruit and spices before finding a cafe nearby for lunch. We sat outside under heat lamps and watched the passersby while slowly eating our meals. Then we explored the old part of the city, including one of the churches and the Palais Lascaris, which is a combination of an old home with many rooms displaying different styles of decoration through various stages of Nice’s history. It also is a museum for old and rare instruments.
That night we got dressed up to go to the Monte Carlo Casino. We mingled in our finery with fancy drinks from the bar, which was a shapely mound of blue, silver, and gold mosaic. I didn’t gamble, though some tried their luck, and the rest of us watched various Europeans lose and win hundreds of thousands of dollars. The ambiance was much quieter and subdued than I expected inside, very spread out and calm. The 100 of us sort of filled some of the spaces, but it seemed oddly empty for late on a Saturday night. The best part was the interior of the building, the decor. The bathroom was fabulously glittery and marble, as I expected, but the room with the bar and lots of small groupings of velvet settees and such was beautiful.
Monaco was stunning. I’ve never seen a cleaner city, for one thing, and the views are unbelievable. It’s so perfectly perched on these jutting mountains over the water, and the harbour is full of amazing boats. We took a walk through the jardins éxotiques next to the palace, had wonderful pizza and gelato, and gazed at ridiculous views.
Then we went to Saint Paul de Vence, this fabulously old strategic hilltop town not unlike Mont Saint Michel in its steepness and narrow streets. It’s smaller, though, and you can see the Mediterranean Sea and an ancient cemetery and all the surrounding mountains and valleys from the top. There was also a pretty church at the top of the hill, and fun little shops with exquisite table linens, local confiture, and open canvas bags of spices and tea.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable weekend. I ended up with a cold from fatigue and exposure, but it was worth it to see all of these amazing places. We had some sun to battle the freezing weather in Monaco, saw lots of ocean in Nice, many lovely little streets in St. Paul de Vence, historic architecture everywhere, and the night at the grandiose Monte Carlo Casino as the cherry on top.
There was a rumor that our next excursion just might be to the Cannes Film Festival. Now wouldn’t that be just marvelous?
