Juan les Pain (Antibes)/Nice/Cap FerratMay 28, 2011
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Private Beachs @ Nice
Public Beaches @ Nice
| Let me first explain the map. Juan les Pain is not availble on this journal's maps. The neighboring town is Antibes. It is so close you can't even tell when you have left one for the other. We begin the day with a drive to Nice. As we approach the city we see the Mediterranean Sea in all of its splendor. The beaches are beautiful and beginning to fill with people, it is Saturday. Private areas are designated with umbrellas and lounges. These are owned by the hotels for the use by their guests. There are many open areas and because it is very warm. I'm certain it will be crowded today. We visited St. Nicolas Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox church as we enter Nice, it is beautiful. I've never been in a Greek Orthodox church so I don't know how different it may be, but this one is ancient, and ornate and not at all what I think of as church. No pews or seats. it is my understanding that the altar is behind one of the walls so I don't know what it looks like; no pictures can be taken so you must visit yourself to see for yourself! Old Town Nice is great. There is a fabulous market with everything you could want: vegetables, meats, seafoods, flowers, paintings, clothes, etc etc. we roamed many small walkways lined with shops and houses. We ended our tour and Jim and I headed for where else...a cafe. We love to people watch. After lunch we have a trip to the Villa Ephrusi Rothchild at Cap Ferrat. We reach Cap Ferrat by driving thru Villefranche-sur-Mer, a beautiful harbor area tucked between the mountains. Cap Ferrat is at the end of the peninsula where Ville-franche-sur Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer meet. The Rothchild family was in banking throughtout Europe. (Eventually they also got into champagne making) The Patriarch had 5 sons and he assigned each to an European economic capital. The Baroness's father was assigned to France. As she grew older they arranged a marriage for her with an older wealthy man becuase of his connections to financial markets in Russian. He was a gambler though and lost most of his money; he also gave his wife a disease which caused her to be bedridden for several years and unable to have children. They divorced, she found this peninsula, had the land blasted for building, and built this beautiful Villa. The views are spectacular from every window and the gardens and fountains are lush. In the evening we had a scenic trip along the Riviera to the Three Cornishes..the three levels of drives along the Mediterranean coastline. Each one was higher than the other and the views more spectacular and panoramic. Near the top we had dinner representing foods from the region..a great end to a busy, scenic and beautiful day. |
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