Eze, France; How to plan a memorable visit
Early morning sunshine on the hilltop village of Eze, France. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
Eze is a stunning, hilltop medieval village located 1,400 feet above the French Mediterranean. It’s very close to Nice and Monaco.
Its location, so close to other French Riveria attractions, makes it a perfect day trip.
Since Debbie and I were in Eze for our anniversary we splurged on an overnight at the 5-star Château de la Chèvre d'or. While pricey it provided us with lifelong memories.
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Not only were we treated like royalty but it seemed like we were staying at a private residence with the amazing views all to ourselves.
But perhaps the most memorable part was wandering in the village after dark and having it literally to ourselves.
Before we go any further I have to give you my number 1 bit of advice for a day trip - Arrive In Eze Early
Arrive by 9 am, at the latest, 8 am would be even better.
By mid-day, the quaint stone streets can resemble something more like Disney than a medieval village.
You can see everything there is to see in Eze in the morning, get an early lunch, and leave as the crowds swell.
I hate waking up early on vacation but please get to Eze early, you will be rewarded.
At 7:30am the streets of Eze are empty. By 8:30am visitors start arriving and by 10am the streets are crowded. Best advice for visiting Eze - Arrive as early as possible, hopefully by 9am.
How to get to Eze
Driving to Eze
Wow, what a drive it is from Nice to Eze.
The drive theoretically only takes about 30 minutes but there are many places to stop along the Moyenne Corniche, so you’ll want to pull over for breathtaking panoramic views of the Mediterranean. It’s one of the few times you’ll wish the drive took longer.
In past years the major drawback of driving to Eze was the severe shortage of parking. Luckily an underground parking garage has just opened which should ease the shortage.
Here’s a link to the Général De Gaulle parking lot on Google Maps.
Bus to Eze
The bus is a quick and inexpensive way to get to Eze.
There are two bus routes from Nice to Eze, the number 112 and the number 82. Double-check the schedules if you are traveling on a Sunday.
The Eze bus and parking shuttle stop can get busy by mid afternoon.
Train to Eze
I would not recommend this route since the train leaves you in Èze-Sur-Mer, the seaside town located below the cliffside town of Eze.
One possible way to use the train is to take a bus or car to Eze and then walk down the rugged Nietzsche Trail. While beautiful, be warned that this is a serious hike.
Many serious hikers take the train so they can hike up this trail but unless you are a serious hiker you should probably pass on this idea.
Guided Tour
One of the great things about the French Riveria is how close the attractions are. If you’d rather let someone else handle the logistics you can see much of the area in one day with a guided tour.
Here is one highly-rated tour that visits Eze, Monte Carlo and Monaco in one day.
Click here for more information .
If you are interested in how I took these photos in nearly complete darkness check out our post: Photo Gallery: Eze, France photographed at night
What to see in Eze
The spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea from the Exotic Garden of Eze. Don’t forget to walk the path that leads to the “back” of the garden. This is a photo of the path as you come back around to the front or main section of the garden. The rear area features a small waterfall and is less busy than the main area. We sat in the shade by the small waterfall and had a wonderful quiet break.
The Exotic Garden of Eze
The Exotic Garden of Eze is a must-see for all visitors. It opens at 9 am and I’d suggest seeing it at that time then making your way back downhill and explore the rest of Eze.
The garden is located on the site of a medieval fortress and offers striking views from the Massif de l'Esterel mountain range to the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
It offers one of the most classic views of the French Mediterranean.
You can see succulent plants from all over the world. There are two main sections of plants, the south side features plants from desert regions while the north side displays Mediterranean species.
Admission is 8 Euro for adults and 4 Euro for teens and free for kids under 12 years old. There is a manned ticket booth at the entrance to the garden and there is an automated ticket machine on the right-hand side of the street leading to the main village, across from the restaurants.
The Notre-Dame-de l'Assumption church
The Notre Dame de l'Assumption is an 18th-century church built on the foundation of a 12th-century building.
The church has a striking yellow exterior and ornate interior. It’s a quick but pretty stop.
Tour the Fragonard Perfume Factory
The free tour includes a visit to the cosmetics laboratory where Fragonard’s skin care products are made.
The large building is located along the main road from Nice and outside the main medieval village.
Free tours take place throughout the day and they only take reservations for large groups.
Visitors walk through the colorful streets of Eze, France.
Stroll the Streets of Èze
Wandering through the narrow cobblestone streets is a highlight of a visit to Eze. There are many art galleries and clothing shops to browse in. Take your time and wander, you really can’t get lost.
Have lunch or dinner at Hôtel Château de La Chèvre d’Or
Having a drink or a meal at Château de La Chèvre d’Or is a memorable event.
Occasionally a splurge is worth it. I believe that lunch or dinner at Château de La Chèvre d’Or is one of those occasions. While the hotel is home to a two-Michelin-star restaurant we ate at the slightly more affordable Les Remparts restaurant.
The food and service are fantastic but the real star is the view. While Eze is a cliffside village there are only a few spots to enjoy the view. One spot is The Exotic Garden and another is Château de La Chèvre d’Or.
There are much more inexpensive Eze restaurants, particularly if you walk downhill closer to the parking deck. But if you want a fantastic meal and feel like you are a jet-setting movie star for an hour or so then a meal at Hôtel Château de La Chèvre d’Or is the right spot.
Pro tip - Make a reservation well ahead of time at any of the popular Eze restaurants
As we walked to our room after dinner at Château de La Chèvre d’Or we were treated to a fireworks show off the coast of nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. An amazing ending to a wonderful stay in Eze.
We had a highly memorable visit to Eze, an experience with lifelong memories. While we’d highly recommend saving up for a one-night stay at Hôtel Château de La Chèvre d’Or or Château Eze I realize the price tag is a bit crazy.
If you aren’t staying overnight I’d repeat my recommendation of arriving early in the morning, enjoying an early lunch then head on to your next adventure by early afternoon.
This was the view from our hotel window of a spectacular Eze sunrise. Debbie woke me up and the room was aglow in orange.
This post was researched and written by John of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here
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