A typical Christmas on the French Riviera: the village of Lucéram and its 450 nativity crèches

25 Dec
One of the best places to enjoy Xmas on the Riviera - the medieval village of Lucéram

One of the best places to enjoy Xmas on the Riviera – the medieval village of Lucéram

I’ll be brutally honest… Ever since my first Xmas here in 1985, I’ve always found that the festive end of the year season was best spent away from the glitz and glamour of the Riviera: having grown up in Britain, the blue skies, mild temperatures and ersatz festive atmosphere don’t really work for me. At this time of the year, I much prefer bitingly cold weather, grey skies, mince pies, proper decorations on Oxford Street, Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, Christmas crackers and the Queen’s Speech on TV – it’s lucky I don’t live in Australia!

However, the Riviera does at least make an effort to get into the atmosphere and this year was no exception, despite some particularly mild weather, with an average of 15°C on the coastline this week. Place Massena in Nice hosts a large Christmas market with the now ubiquitous giant ferris wheel as does the harbour of Monaco, and the Casino Square in Monte-Carlo is always decorated in a grandiose fashion.

But if you happen to be in the area over Christmas and to really experience some true atmosphere, I would advise to go slightly off the beaten track and to pay a visit the small village of Lucéram, only 30 minutes drive north of Nice in the Paillon valley. I’d heard about this village since my hotel days but had never had the opportunity to go, which is why I decided to sacrifice the traditional Christmas morning lie-in and to head up there pretty early whilst the streets in Monaco were still deserted.

The medieval village of Lucéram, perched on its Baus

The medieval village of Lucéram, perched on its Baus

So what’s so special about Lucéram? Basically, it’s become traditional for the inhabitants of this tiny medieval village to decorate the whole place in December with over 450 crèches (nativity scenes). This isn’t a traditional initiative passed down along the centuries, as it was only launched in 1998, but it seems to have caught on very quickly and the whole place is teaming with visitors during the festive season.

One of the beautioful crèches in Lucéram

One of the beautiful crèches in Lucéram

It was really worth the short drive up into the hills – a map is provided at the car park indicating where all the crèches are located, both in the lower village and the upper village, on the other side of the main road, very practical for visitors to find their way around quickly.

The map provided by the local tourist board, making it very easy for visitors to find their way around

The map provided by the local tourist board, making it very easy for visitors to find their way around

The atmosphere, even on a deserted Xmas morning, was pretty magical and what makes the place so special is the creativity of the locals – there are nativity scenes in every nook and crannie of the village, some in the village bread oven, others in the numerous public laundry troughs, in the tunnels, in the medieval towers and even in the letter boxes! Some are animated by the wind, others have music and one of the even has live guinea pigs.

Tha large crèche at the foot of the old village, I was surprised to discover the cat was real!

Tha large crèche at the foot of the old village… I was surprised to discover the cat was real!

The crèche trail will enable you to see all the major sights of the village, which isn’t an uninteresting place to visit even at other times of the year – as with all the medieval villages in the region, it is built on a strategically located mountain outcrop called the Baus with good visibility of possible invaders from the valley, with watch towers, a now-ruined castle called the Iera and a baroque church with a painting by the famous 15th century Niçois artist Louis Bréa. Half way up the older section of town, climbing up from the only restaurant and bar, you’ll get to the Crèche Museum, which will explain the history of the place. It’s worth getting all the way to the top, as you’ll have a fabulous view both from the Iera over the north of the valley (heading inland) and from the esplanade of the church facing south towards the lower village, the sea and Nice.

Voew from the Iera castle north towards Peira Cava

View from the Iera castle north towards Peira Cava

View south down the Paillon valley towards Nice and the Mediterranean, just 25 kms south

View south down the Paillon valley towards Nice and the Mediterranean, just 25 kms south

You can find plenty more photos of the different crèches and of the village on the Facebook page of the French Riviera Blog.

All the crèches are original and have their charm, but my personal favourites were the huge crèche inside the bread oven in the lower town and the beautiful little niche with the music and live guinea pigs next to it (number 1 on the map above), the floating crèche in the laundry trough (top left corner of the map “Le Terron porte Nord-Ouest” and the beautiful large 15th century style figures draped in white robes in the tunnel beneath “La Faissetta” (number 7 on the map).

The floating crèche in the laundry trough near the Iera castle tower at the top of the village

The floating crèche in the laundry trough near the Iera castle tower at the top of the village

The Nativity scene played out inside the village bread oven!

The Nativity scene played out inside the village bread oven!

Basically, my advice is just to go in there, explore, keep your eyes open for hidden delights and enjoy!

There's something beautiful wherever you look in Lucéram!

There’s something beautiful wherever you look in Lucéram!

On the way back, you can stop for a few minutes in the larger village of l’Escarène: not much to see there but you can get some beautiful shots of the Paillon and the road viaduct from the old bridge and wander around some picturesque streets of the village just by the river.

The view from the Old Bridge of l'Escarène south down the Paillon valley

The view from the Old Bridge of l’Escarène south down the Paillon valley

Practical information

How to get to Lucéram: take your own car or rent one, it will save you a lot of grief anywhere in the hinterlands, and besides it’s only a 30 minute hop from central Nice or 45 minutes from Monaco. Just head up the Paillon river valley road (make sure your car doors are properly locked when heading through the somewhat dodgy north-eastern suburbs of Nice, especially Pasteur, l’Ariane and la Trinité), then north past the picturesque village of l’Escarène and in another five minutes you’ll be in Lucéram. The road is pretty wide and not very difficult to navigate except for 4 hairpin bends that you’ll encounter before arriving in l’Escarène.

Route map to get to Lucéram from Nice

Route map to get to Lucéram from Nice

If you really do need to take public transport, you can take bus lines 340 and 360 from central Nice, the timetables are here but the routes are very infrequent especially on Sundays and public holidays

When to go? The crèche trail is open every year from the start of December until early January. You can find all the practical information on the village website, in French only. There are special events on certain days but make sure you plan ahead as the place tends to be packed. Incidentally, the reason I decided to go there on Christmas morning was precisely to avoid the crowds of visitors and to be able to find a parking space within walking distance, which is what I’d advise you to do if you don’t fancy being trampled on by herds of elderly French tourists arriving in coaches, though the crèches are no doubt magical at night.

Where to eat? There is only one restaurant/bar in the village on the main road at the bottom of the village, called la Boccafina. It didn’t seem bad at all by the looks of the menu or the website but I didn’t have the inclination to have any lunch there after a large Christmas dinner the night before. If you do have any feedback about it, please let me know. I also checked out l’Escarène which only had one restaurant/bar which was shut and didn’t seem anything to write home about.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the readers of the French Riviera Blog from all over the world a very merry Xmas and a Happy New Year, thanks to you all for your encouragement and support!

Inland to the Mercantour National Park: visit of the Vésubie valley and the Alpha Loup Wolf Park

4 Nov

The countryside behind Nice is a world full of hidden treasures, especially for nature lovers: these include hiking trails, beautiful villages, mountain peaks, pristine streams, wild mountain animals and great restaurants full of natural products. I recently decided to combine most of these on a day trip into the beautiful Vésubie valley, the main aim being to head to the Boréon lake to visit the Alpha Loup wolf park, where wild wolf packs are kept in their natural habitat at an altitude of 1500m.

The Vésubie river is a tributary of the Var, which means that access is easiest through the road heading inland behind Nice airport along the Var valley: the road eventually gets smaller and windier as it passes through the beautiful Vésubie river gorges. The first main village encountered, always nice for a coffee, is Lantosque, which provides a beautiful panorama over the valley, with the opportunity to buy some of the local vegetables and other products, like honey or some local spirits.

After this, the road climbs into the Mercantour National Park, through Saint Martin Vésubie, the largest town in the area, which has a pleasant old section with small picturesque streets and a fast-flowing torrent running through it (though not as charming as Lantosque).

Stop over for a coffee on the way up in the picturesque village of Saint Martin Vésubie

The road then follows a series of hairpin bends providing breathtaking views over the green valley towards the coast and passing by a stunning waterfall, the Cascade de Boréon, before passing by the Boréon lake and getting to the Alpha Wolf Park, all within a little bit over an hour’s drive from Nice.

The beautiful Boréon waterfall on the road up, just before arriving at the Alpha Wolf Park

The Alpha Park was opened in 2005 after the natural return of wolves into the Mercantour from Italy, with the idea being to keep them under control but in their natural habitat, mainly to protect the wolves from retaliation from angry farmers wishing to defend their herds of sheep.

The entrance to the Apha Wolf Park in the Boréon lake area

After accessing the entrance to the modern and warmly-decorated welcome centre, the rather steep entrance price of 12 euros (a bit less if booked in advance on the internet) gives you entry to the park which is extremely well-organised into several sections and is quite compact so easy to walk around. The first part, after a short walk through a forest trail punctuated by lovely views and wooden sculptures of wolves to get you into the mood, is the Time of Mankind (le Temps des Hommes).

The walk between the main entrance complex and the Temps des Hommes section through a beautiful forest trail

This area simulates the lives of the tough-as-nails shepherds up in the mountains with their sheep and goats and has some moderately interesting (and actually rather depressing from my urban-dwelling perspective) films about how the wolves make the shepherds’ lives considerably harder and their livestock’s lives considerably shorter.

Much more interesting is the next area of the park, the Time of the Wolves (le Temps des Loups), where you finally get to see some of our furry canine friends. The wolves have organised themselves into three packs of different origins (the two Italian wolves, the Erps pack and the Pelago pack) who don’t mingle and who have their territories in different parts of the park. The feeding time is all pot luck and depends on the keepers who change the time every day so that they don’t get too complacent.

Two hungry Italian wolves waiting for their meal

I was lucky enough to witness two feeding sessions (the wolves were very visible from behind a glass panel), with plenty of very interesting explanations from the rangers about the animals’ way of life and their extremely hierarchical social system. This was very visible when the wolves were served massive slabs of beef and whole chickens (already dead, supermarket types so no excessive gore!) – the most senior members of the pack went first, whilst the others patiently awaited their turn. You can see full videos of the feeding time on the following links, both for the Italian wolves and the Erps pack.

Wolves from the largest Pelago pack, relaxing after their bone-crunching meal!

Wolves from the Erps pack lining up patiently for lunch – taken from very close range but behind a glass screen!

After visiting the three packs (by then you’ll be able to note how different-looking they all are), there are obviously gift shops and plenty of snack bars to spend your money on your new-found passion for all things wolf-related. There is also a friendly children’s farms which is uiseful for kids to stroke some friendlier animals like goats, rabbits and sheep. By the time you have finished a complete visit of the park (plan around 3 hours), you will be quite hungry so will be needing somewhere decent to eat…

A very pleasant surprise for lunch was the restaurant L’O à la Bouche, which is located in the entrance complex of the park just above the ticket office. For 25 euros, we had an excellent three-course menu with very good quality traditional French food in a warm, modern and pleasant mountain-like atmosphere decorated in light coloured wood: the dishes included pressed foie gras with ox tongue and chutney, an excellent chicken supreme with porcini mushroom sauce (not generally my favourite but this was really succulent and flavoursome) and a fabulous dessert with stewed cherries and gingerbread ice cream.

The quaint surroundings of the O à la Bouche restaurant

Delicious chicken fillet with porcini mushroom sauce and gratin at O à la Bouche, simple and effective!

A la carte specialities include mountain favourites like cheese fondues and seem great value, so I can definitely recommend this address – if you like fish, you can even catch your own trout in the pond outside and then get it cooked by the chef, at least you’ll be sure that it’s fresh.

An important word of advice is that the restaurant is outside of the actual checkpoint of the Alpha Loup park so you cannot just go out for lunch and then re-enter the park. I would therefore advise you to get to the park early (it opens at 10am), buy the tickets, book a table at the restaurant for 1pm then work up an appetite visiting the park before being rewarded with an excellent lunch and heading back down to the coastline, perhaps stopping for a stroll by the Boréon lake or coffee in Saint Martin Vésubie or Lantosque on the way back!

The beautiful Boréon Lake at an altitude of 1500m at the northern end of the Vésubie valley

It’s a great day out to see something a bit different from the coastline, to get a bit closer to nature and to breathe some fresh mountain air, so I would definitely recommend this to anyone with a bit more time. If you want to see more pictures of this excellent day out, I have posted plenty of them on the French Riviera Blog Facebook page.

Practical information:

  • Getting there: cars are pretty much the only option as with most places in the hinterlands. The Alpha Loup park is located around 70 km north of Nice and allow around 90 minutes to get there, the recommended route being up through the Var valley behind the airport (route D6202), then up the Vésubie valley (route D2565), the park is just after the Boréon lake.

  • When to visit? The park is open most of the year but opening hours are more limited in the winter, check the online calendar on their website to see the precise opening dates. The best time would obviously be in the summer but the spring is also interesting as that’s when you can see some wolf cubs. Bear in mind also that the summer is also the most crowded period. As I mentioned above, I’d advise to arrive as early as possible (the park opens at 10am) and then to have lunch after the visit. The park is at an altitude of 1500m so dress adequately as it can get quite chilly, especially in spring or autumn.

Restaurant review: Restaurant d’Angleterre, Nice

14 Oct

Restaurant d’Angleterre, unbeatable value for money for traditional French food in central Nice

For the first individual restaurant review on the blog, what better choice than one of my favourites in Nice for traditional French cuisine, the Restaurant d’Angleterre. This small, family-run place is absolutely unbeatable in terms of value for money, quality of food and service and when I was running my hotel, just a few minutes away, this is where I sent my clients who asked for a good recommendation – none of them never came back disappointed.

Located on rue d’Angleterre, close to avenue Jean Médecin and to the train station, behind Notre Dame Basilica, the neighbourhood is very uninspiring and rather grotty but don’t let that dissuade you.

The entry-level menu of 16.50€ is already great value with three very filling courses that change every day. On a recent visit, this involved delicious salmon ravioli, followed by duck breast with mushroom and redcurrant sauce then a mango and strawberry pastry, there are in general 12 different dishes that you can choose from. There are also some excellent menus at 26.50€ and 31€, including foie gras, south-western salads (involving plenty of duck) and other delicious French specialities. Naturally, all the classics, like steak tartare, are executed to perfection.

Starter of a warm goat cheese salad on toast, a French classic

Main course duck breast done just right with mushroom and redcurrant sauce, part of the 16.50€ three-course menu, great flavour and unbeatable value!

The decor is pretty unassuming but the place is full of locals and is run by a charming family: incidentally, the Tripadvisor reviews of the place don’t lie (apart from the person who was complaining that the portions were too big, which is true, but hardly something that warrants complaints). In any case, as I mentioned, one of the best addresses in Nice and strongly recommended so do not hesitate.

This restaurant ticks all the boxes for a quality meal on the Riviera: minimal investment in decor, family-run and full of locals, all recipes for a good address!

Restaurant d’Angleterre, 25 rue d’Angleterre, Nice, 0033 4 93 88 64 49. Closed on Sunday evenings and Mondays, annual holidays mid-November to mid-December.

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Gorbio and Sainte-Agnès: the perched villages in the mountains behind Menton

19 Aug

Europe’s highest coastal village, beautiful Sainte-Agnès at an altitude of 800 metres, dominating the Mediterranean Sea

The further east you head along the coast of the Riviera towards Italy, the more spectacular the scenery becomes, especially once you hit the beautiful border town of Menton. The mountains just blend in with the Mediterranean Sea and the hills behind the town contain some spectacular treasures, in particular the gorgeous medieval villages of Gorbia and Sainte Agnes. Both of these are easily accessible from Menton, Monaco or Nice but a car is more than advisable to enjoy the scenery with maximum freedom – and I’d definitely advise you to visit them in this order. Also, both villages are ideal to be visited all year round as they are rarely snowed in during the winter and they offer a cooler alternative to the coastline in the summer, although some restaurants may be shut out of season.

Gorbio

The quaint village of Gorbio, viewed from one of the hiking trails heading west towards Monaco

Gorbio is located on a rocky outcrop at an altitude of 354 metres in the Rail valley, more or less behind the town of Roquebrune Cap Martin, and just east of Monaco, tucked away behind one of the viaducts of the A8 motorway. The road up there from the coast is pretty windy and hard work for somewhere so close to the sea (20 minutes but only about 3 kilometres as the crow flies) but this small village is worth a visit to see how people used to live (and still do live) in some pretty medieval conditions and it’s just a nice place to wander around.

Despite its geographical location, the village of Gorbio is culturally closer to Nice, especially when it comes to the local dialect, than the other nearby settlements like Menton or Sainte-Agnès, which are culturally closer to Monaco and Italy. It remained part of the County of Nice for several centuries, notably as part of the Savoy kingdom, until it was reattached to France in 1860 along with the rest of the area.

Once you’ve finally made your way up there, the entrance to the village is on the main square, the Place de la République, which is a pretty pleasant place for people watching, dominated by a large elm tree which is almost 300 years old, and the location of one decent restaurant and one exceptional one (see restaurant guide below).

Place de la République, the main square in Gorbio

Like all the local medieval villages, the core is full of winding alleyways, dark staircases, quaint little flowerpots and doorways, a baroque church, stone arches, and the intimate town hall dealing with the affairs of this commune of just 1200 people where everybody knows each other.

The picturesque alleyways of the medieval village of Gorbio

So it’s a very pleasant place to wander around for about half an hour: at the tip, the large castle is that of the Counts Alziari de Malaussena (those who will have lived in the region long enough will notice how recurrent some names are) and there is also the Lascaris tower, which has a very nice shaded garden with olive trees at its foot for those who want to have a picnic.

Gorbio is also a very convenient place to start off on hikes around the area as the mountain peaks surrounding the village are at an altitude of over 1000m; plenty of interesting itineraries can be found on the excellent Randoxygène website. I also once used it as the halfway point of a nice 4 hour loop from the beach of Roquebrune via Roquebrune Village, which is worth doing as the climb isn’t very steep.

The peaks behind Gorbio, an ideal place to go hiking

Sainte-Agnès

The perched village of Sainte-Agnès, 800m above sea level

Once you’ve taken a look around Gorbio, get ready to get your mind blown away by Sainte-Agnes, which has a well-deserved reputation of being the highest coastal village in Europe, perched on a cliff overlooking Menton and the Mediterranean Sea at an altitude of 800m.

In addition to the standard medieval history shared with the rest of the surrounding villages, Sainte Agnès is notable for its strategic location, which was highlighted by the building in 1932 of the pretty imposing concrete bunker, the Fort de Sainte Agnès, a military fortification which marked the southernmost point of the Maginot Line used (not to much avail) to defend France during the Second World War against the opposing Italian forces located just a few kilometres away. The village is therefore frequently visited by military history buffs and the fort is worth checking out for anyone with a passion for artillery and gun turrets (I’m afraid it’s not my case so I haven’t visited it).

The concrete bulk of the Fort de Sainte-Agnès, built in 1932 to defend the place against the Axis forces.

I would advise to park at the north car park towards the back of the village. You can work your way through the alleyways and little staircases of the old streets, which are a bit airier than those in Gorbio, given that the buildings aren’t as high (at least that’s the impression that you get wandering through), past all the restaurants and cafés.

The beautiful paved streets of Sainte-Agnès

Then head towards the sea and the Fort de Sainte-Agnes: once you’ve got past the bunker and the south car park, you will be able to take advantage of the absolutely splendid panorama from the viewing terrace just behind, which makes the whole trip to the village worthwhile.

The view stretches from the Italian border to the east to Cap Martin to the west, with the towns of Menton and Roquebrune/Carnolès just by the sea in front. There’s also a great view over the surrounding peaks which reach up to 1200m at the border between Italy and France just above the village of Castellar – to the west, the impressive peaks of Mont Agel and Mont Gros block the view towards Monaco.

The view south from Sainte-Agnès, with Menton on the left and Cap Martin on the right

The view eastwards towards the French Italian border and the village of Castellar just beneath the mountain

This view really explains why the region is called the Maritime Alps, with the mountains dropping straight into the sea. The panorama is only slightly spoiled by the A8 motorway viaducts cutting through the hills underneath but to be honest, where else could they have put the motorway? These considerations shouldn’t get in the way of economic development – after all, it is the main transport route between Italy and Spain so rather essential to keep the region prosperous.

Once you’ve finished enjoying the amazing view, if you stroll back north, there’s a small pathway heading up to the ruins of the castle.

Worth the climb… Sainte-Agnès castle, nice view and gardens

Honestly, it’s worth it as there’s a lovely garden on top with some nice ruins and a great view, despite the best efforts of the very talkative “park ranger” who will encourage you to make a “voluntary donation” for the upkeep of the place.

A rare view of Sainte-Agnès taken from the castle

Given that it’s well-maintained, it’s just about worth donating a couple of pieces of shrapnel. Anyway, after a big lunch, a small uphill walk can’t do any harm!

Where to eat

Both villages, in addition to being extremely picturesque, have some truly memorable places to eat without breaking the bank.

In Gorbio, head straight for Restaurant Beau Séjour, which is the classier of the two restaurants on the main square.

Restaurant Beau Séjour, on the main square of Gorbio

This traditional family-run place, which was opened in 1924, is a favourite for locals and its reputation is well-deserved. The inside is beautiful (it looks like an interior decoration catalogue, rightly so as it’s especially designed and furnished by the owner’s wife) and the food served with wonderfully friendly service from the owners: menus start at 27€ with some excellent regional dishes. The presentation of the dishes shows great creativity with the use of slate plates and local flowers which add a touch of colour. The view from the back looking down the Vallée du Rail is also stunning.

The beautiful interior of the Beau Séjour in Gorbio, with top notch service

Lovely presentation efforts for the dishes at the Beau Séjour, a real bonus!

Just bear in mind that the restaurant is only open from April until late September, so it’s best to book in advance to avoid heading all the way to Gorbio for nothing!

The restaurant bar opposite, Les Terrasses, whilst lacking the charm and refinement of the Beau Séjour, isn’t a bad place either for a quick, filling and slightly more reasonable meal or a quick pastis aperitif on the village square to optimise the Provencal experience.

In Sainte Agnès, there are several interesting places but my personal favourite is the Restaurant Saint-Yves which also provides accommodation for those who wish to stay overnight in the village.

The excellent Saint-Yves restaurant in Sainte-Agnès

Located on the main street heading north to south, it’s a typical family-run place with friendly service and a very reasonable local menu starting at 16€ for 4 courses, including some excellent rabbit or wild boar stew and trout with almonds.

Rabbit stew with herbs at the Saint Yves, one of the specialities along with other game dishes

The homemade tarts for dessert are also to die for. Make sure you book or come early in order to get a place on the wonderful terrace at the back, which has a sweeping view towards the east and the coastline not so far in the distance – in the winter, there’s also a lovely wood-fired chimney to enjoy.

The view south down the valley from the terrace of the Saint-Yves towards the coastline, a great place to have lunch!

Another attractive looking option is the Righi restaurant which is at the southern tip of the village, close to the panoramic view over the coastline and the fort. I haven’t tried it yet but it doesn’t seem too bad, especially judging by the positive Tripadvisor reviews – if anyone has some feedback on this or any other restaurants I mentioned, please feel free to share it.

All these places, like plenty in the hinterland villages, have in common the fact that they are run and managed with dedication by their owners, who are often either in the kitchens or in the dining room in charge of the service. This confirms my number one restaurant rule of thumb for the Riviera (and also elsewhere in the world): head for places which seem as authentic and traditionally-run as possible, you are less likely to end up being ripped-off in a tourist trap and highly likely to enjoy a wonderful culinary experience.

Special treat for hikers

For those wishing to hike between the villages, there’s a great loop that can be done between the two villages, just follow the Circuit de Bausson itinerary on the consistently excellent (even though it’s only in French) Randoxygène website. Park your car in Gorbio, walk up to Sainte-Agnès for lunch (500m climb, it takes about 2 hours) then saunter back down to Gorbio. The scenery is amazing – walking through the scrub and the mountains, you tend to forget how close you are to the sea and the views over Sainte Agnès on the final approach are stunning, so I highly recommend this itinerary. Just make sure you have proper hiking boots, plenty of water, a charged mobile phone and avoid the walk during the summer months (from mid-May to mid-September) as it can get very hot on the side of the mountain.

Getting there

The actual locations of Gorbio and Sainte-Agnès – really close to the sea, despite the feeling of remoteness.

As I mentioned, for all hinterland villages, a car is more or less essential as it provides much more flexibility and saves both time and planning. However, it is also possible, but more tedious, to get to both villages by public transport.

Gorbio

By car: by far the easiest and recommended option. head to the Point de l’Union roundabout at the border between the towns of Menton and Roquebrune Cap-Martin then take the small road winding north in the direction of Gorbio crossing between the motorway viaduct, allow about 20 minutes.

By bus

Menton bus line no. 7 runs a bus service more or less every hour (less frequent on Sundays) from Menton railway station to Gorbio, timetables are available on this link. Allow about 30 minutes to get there.

Sainte Agnès

By car

-          Coming from Nice or Italy on the A8 motorway (it might be an eyesore from the top but it’s convenient to get from A to B quickly!), just get off at the Menton exit then follow straight afterwards the signposts towards Sainte-Agnès, allow about 20 minutes up a bendy but not too difficult road.

-          Coming from Menton, it’s a 20 minute uphill drive from sea level to 800m, heading north up the Borrigo valley. Again, the road has a lot of hairpin bends but not too difficult a drive as long as you’re not excessively scared of heights (then again, it’s not the scariest road on the coastline).

By bus

Menton bus line no. 10 runs only three buses a day between Menton railway station and Sainte Agnès, see the timetables on this link. Allow about 30 minutes to get there.

The perfume industry on the French Riviera and visit of Parfumerie Galimard in Eze Village

5 Aug

Image

The Riviera’s world-famous perfume industry attracts visitors from all over the globe – I recently learned a lot more about it, thanks to a visit to the Parfumerie Galimard in Eze, here’s some of the information I gleaned.

The perfume industry on the French Riviera dates from the 18th century, when Grasse, an inland town in the western part of the Alpes-Maritimes, became known as the perfume capital of the world. This was due to the splendid micro-climate that encouraged the culture of the flowers and aromatic plants like lavender and jasmine, among others, enabling the creation of top quality perfumes.

Nowadays, the industry is still thriving, and is a great draw for visitors to the Riviera – for example, there are almost 14.000 hectares of aromatic plants in the region. The main perfume producers, Galimard, Fragonard and Molinard, have large plants in Grasse which organise tours, giving the expression “smelling like a perfume factory” a new meaning when the tourists emerge from there! Another interesting and slightly more accessible centre for those based on the coastline and interested in perfume is Eze Village, already covered in a separate article.

I recently had the opportunity to explore this first hand when I visited the Galimard perfumery in Eze and created my own perfume, whilst having all the different steps explained to me by one of the master-perfumers.

Different notes of the perfume I was creating in three levels

I was brought to a room dedicated to the creation of perfumes and sat behind a desk with hundreds of small bottled full of extremely concentrated essential oils arranged in three rows. Each row corresponded to different notes: first, the base notes at the bottom, then the middle notes and finally the top notes, which provide the first impression when the fragrance is applied. After two hours of patiently sniffing and blending the various concoctions in three different steps thanks to the assistance of the master perfumer who guided my choices according to my preferences, I ended up being presented with my own nice-smelling personalised bottle of perfume and certificate.

Legend of the different types of scents

Legend of the different types of scents

Perfume

The final outcome after my 2 hours of hard work!

So it’s a very instructive experience which I would heartily recommend to anyone interested in doing anything a bit different on the Riviera. The package I took was the “Blissful Initiation” package lasting just over two hours, book in advance at +33 4 93 41 10 70. The Galimard perfumery is located at the foot of Eze Village, just across from the main car park. Free guided tours of the site are also available.

The Italian hinterlands: Dolceacqua and the villages of the Nervia Valley

14 Apr

The villages of Pigna and Castelvittorio in the beautiful Nervia valley, a short hop from the French Riviera and a great culture shock!

An effortless excursion through the Nervia valley in Italy to the villages of Dolceacqua, Rocchetta Nervina, Isolabona, Apricale, Pigna and Castelvittorio, as well as some recommended restaurants.

Just across the border into Italy, the valley of the Nervia river (more colloquially known as “Valnervia”) is located just behind the eastern sections of Ventimiglia and is one of my favourite coastal valleys of the Riviera, with a winning combination of beautiful scenery, picturesque medieval villages and great Ligurian food at reasonable prices, all within only about 40 minutes drive from Monaco or an hour from Nice!

I would definitely recommend following this itinerary by car, as it affords far more flexibility than public transport, which is slow and tedious due to the very infrequent and unreliable bus lines, so you won’t really optimise your trip. Besides, the roads are well-paved, without too many bends and therefore easy to drive down since the valley is at a pretty low altitude, unlike most of its French counterparts. Also, the villages are a short hop from one another, around 10-15 minutes drive, so you can see everything easily within a day, or else just take your pick depending on what you fancy from the descriptions below.

After heading up from the eastern part of Ventimiglia into the hills through the flower-growing and rather unattractive industrial town of Camporosso, the valley narrows down and the scenery become greener, and within a few minutes, you’ll be in Dolceacqua.

Dolceacqua

The Doria castle and the Ponte Romano of Dolceacqua

The largest village in the valley, Dolceacqua is also the first you will see and is one of the most spectacular, with the very impressive ruins of the Doria castle perched high on top of the hill on the eastern bank of the Nervia. The village is divided into two sections: Terra, which is the oldest section on the eastern bank directly beneath the castle, and Borgo which is the more “modern” part of town on the opposite bank of the Nervia (“modern” means there’s a supermarket and shops but apart from that, both sides are pretty ancient). Both sides are connected by the Ponte Romano, a beautiful 15th century humpback bridge made of bricks: the view of the bridge and the Castle above it was immortalised by Monet in one of his late 19th century paintings.

Claude Monet’s 1884 vision of Dolceacqua, pretty accurate!

Just get lost in the small streets and staircases of Terra, which are full of art galleries, local olive oil and wine shops and are absolutely magical at night when the whole place is lit up. It’s quite a steep climb up to the castle ruins, so wouldn’t really advise bothering, especially in the heat of the summer – the castle is nicer from a distance rather than viewed from the inside. Then head off across the Ponte Romano to Borgo, which has a nice square with frequent markets and plenty of good places to eat (see the end of this article for recommendations).

View over Borgo and the Ponte Romano by night, the banks of the Nervia are a lovely place for an after-dinner scroll!

Every summer (generally the Saturday after 15 August), there is an excellent fireworks and sound and light show which is well worth it due to the spectacular backdrop of the bridge and the castle, despite the village being absolutely packed out so come early!

Rocchetta Nervina

The unspoilt village of Rocchetta Nervina

Heading up the valley a few minutes north of Dolceacqua, you can do a slight detour and turn left off the main road towards the village of Rocchetta Nervina, about 5 minutes drive along a narrow but relatively easy road. This small village isn’t the most spectacular of the valley, but is extremely quaint, quiet and is located in a beautiful natural setting on the meanders of the river, with some canyoning possibilities if you are after some outdoor activities.

One of the green streets of Rocchetta Nervina

The countryside just outside Rocchetta Nervina

There are a couple of small restaurants on the square at the entrance of the village and plenty of medieval streets lined with potted plants to just wander around, so it’s a nice place for a quick wander around.

Isolabona   

Back onto the main road and heading up the Nervia Valley, it’s just under 10 minutes to the next village, Isolabona which is thus named because part of it is located on a small island in the middle of the Nervia.

Isolabona, located on a small island on the Nervia river

It’s worth stopping over for a walk around the village, which is pretty colourful and well-maintained, with the traditional olive oil and wine shops, a few beautiful squares (notably Piazza Piccola and Piazza Grande) and churches and another ruined castle built by the Dorias on top of a hill, though much less impressive than the huge one in Dolceacqua. Also the location is stunning, surrounded by the green hills of the valley and the luxuriant vegetation.

The heart of Isolabona

Apricale 

From the centre of Isolabona, turn off the main road into the Merdanzo valley and take a small detour to the perched village of Apricale, which is a short 5 minute drive away and well worth it – for most visitors, it’s the most beautiful village in the valley, though I personally prefer the slightly livelier and more accessible Dolceacqua.

Apricale, one of the main attractions of Val Nervia, just off the main valley

The setting is pretty stunning, perched a bit like Rocchetta Nervina on a rocky spur and it’s a very nice place to wander around, even though by now you’ll be pretty familiar with the layout of all the villages so they’ll all start to look the same! Of note is the large main square and the coloured facade of the 1863 town hall with its beautiful pink frescoes, in contrast with some of the stark brick facades of the other streets. The square is dominated by the 11th century Castello della Lucertola which saw the domination of the village switch between the Dorias, the Savoy royal family and other local families. Apricale is also full of small shops, some small hotels and very typical restaurants (generally more upmarket than in the other villages), so is quite a nice base if you want to stay overnight, especially in the summer months.

Pigna and Castelvittorio 

The stretch of the valley north of Isolabona on the way to Pigna is probably the most beautiful, with incredibly lush vegetation and the craggy summits of the Alps looming in the distance, making a great contrast between the palm trees and the rocky terrain just behind. Just the scenery makes the short trip up to the next villages worthwhile, even though the villages themselves are nothing too exceptional.

Castelvittorio viewed from Pigna

The village of Pigna is located on the side of a hill, Lord of the Rings style: getting up to the village from the main road is a bit of a climb and not really worth it as there’s not much to see up there apart from a large church and some typical medieval streets which are a bit more run down than the other villages (not that many restaurants either).

One of the typical streets of Pigna

One advantage once you’ve climbed your way up is the great view over the valley, especially north towards the rival village of Castelvittorio, only about 2 kilometres away as the crow flies – you can even hear the church bells from there.

The village is most famous for its nearby thermal baths, the Terme di Pigna, which are located in a rather uninspiring modern high-rise building just down the road (probably the only modern building in the whole valley north of Dolceacqua). If you want to relax, you can get a day pass for the use of the swimming pools, jacuzzi and sauna at a reasonable rate and there are also hotel rooms there, though the accommodation is rather overpriced according to most online reviews. Something else the village is famous for is its white beans, which are grown nearby and which you can find in the local game stews.

You can also head off to the nearby village of Castelvittorio, perched high in the green hills, which pretty much marks the end of the Nervia valley. The village is best viewed from afar in Pigna as the place itself is quite run-down, especially compared to the villages further south, though there are still some pretty streets, a nice square and some pretty good local restaurants (which I still need to try).

You can really tell that this is the final frontier before the southern Alps, as the Nervia valley ends just to the north and the atmosphere of the village is quite a bit colder than the other places. Also, despite them being close by, historically Castelvittorio spent quite a long time under the administration of Piemonte, whereas the neighbouring village of Pigna was under Genovese administration.

Once you’re done with the northernmost villages, it’s only a short drive back to the coastline in Ventimiglia (around 35 minutes) and then you can take the motorway or the coastal road back to the French Riviera.

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY?   

It would be a crime to travel to Val Nervia and not to taste any of the delicious regional specialities, which are very different from what can be found in France or even on the Italian coastline: the hearty specialities of the valley involve game (wild boar, deer, rabbit), roast meat including goat, lamb, cold meats, wild mushrooms, white Pigna beans and the local freshly-pressed olive oil, all washed down with the local Rossese di Dolceacqua red wine. Try out some of the very filling and reasonably-priced Italian set menus including hot and cold starters, pasta, meat and dessert.

A typical cold meat starter at the Lago Bin hotel: note the wild boar ham stuffed with porcini mushrooms, delicious!

Some of the typical Rossese di Dolceacqua wines from Val Nervia

A word of advice though if you take this kind of menu: go easy on the pasta dish as otherwise you won’t be able to eat the meat or the dessert, which would be a shame. Most restaurants in Italy add a cover charge of around 2 to 3 € per person depending on the level of the restaurant, technically to cover the price of the bread sticks and other stuff provided on the table but mainly a trumped-up tip – up to you to decide if the service is good enough to deserve an additional tip afterwards (if they are friendly, which is generally the case in the Nervia Valley and outside of the main tourist spots in Liguria, I tend to add another 10% to the bill, which is more than enough in Italy).

Dolceacqua

-          The Pizzeria Il Borgo located on the main square in Borgo (across the river from the Castle) is open both for lunch and dinner serves excellent pizzas and other local dishes at prices impossible to find on the French side of the border.

-          La Rampa, located on the main square is famous for having some of the best pizzas in Italy. It’s open only at night and doesn’t take reservations, so you need to turn up at 7pm when it opens or risk waiting a bit. However, when I went there, I was slightly disappointed by the pizzas which whilst being pretty good, weren’t as exceptional as the hype suggested.

Eating out in Dolceacqua at night, here locals from the valley having pizza at La Rampa

-          There are two traditional “agriturismi” on the opposite side of the river in the Terra part of the village beneath the castle and lost in the small streets behind the large church which I’ve never tried but which have a great reputation amongst the locals: U Fundu and I Gumbi da U Zena (the latter is only open from Thursdays to Sundays). Both have typical gastronomic menus at between 20€ and 30€ and have their own olive oils, so well worth trying – I’ll definitely stop by to review them on my next trip to the valley.

Rocchetta Nervina

-          On the road to Rocchetta, about 1 km before the medieval village, you cannot miss the Lago Bin Hotel and restaurant, which is a pretty comfortable resort with a swimming pool that I like to visit to take a quick weekend break in the spring or the autumn. Prices are reasonable in basic 3-star rooms which are nothing special but afford a nice place to sleep overlooking the valley and the possibility of waking up, enjoying a great view from your balcony and having breakfast in the peaceful valley is absolutely priceless. Watch out for special off-season deals on their website. The restaurant, without being exceptional, is pretty decent too, with good quality and very filling local fare and a reasonable wine list. Just be aware that the decoration of stuffed animals can be rather jarring at the dinner table, as are the crowds of locals indulging in wedding parties on weekends with some very cheesy live music.

Breakfast al fresco at the Lago Bin Hotel in Rocchetta Nervina, great to breathe some fresh air in the morning!

Apricale

-          La Favorita, located on the left of the main road just before arriving in the centre of the village (about 500m before the entrance), has great roast and grilled meat.

-          La Capanna da Baci’ is another more upmarket place in the village just underneath the main square that has an excellent reputation with the locals who live in the valley. It also has some rooms for people wanting to spend the night on the spot.

-          If you want to spend the night in the village, check out the Apricus Locanda guesthouse which has a limited amount of pretty traditional and renovated rooms, though not particularly cheap (around 100€ per night). I’m mainly recommending it because it has some very good reviews and standards of family-run places of this type are generally pretty high in the region. For those staying in Apricale, be aware that the  whole village is pedestrian, so if you have luggage, you’ll need to park at the foot of the village, then drag your cases uphill.

Isolabona

-          There’s nowhere decent that I know of in the centre of the village, but if you carry on about a kilometre north towards Pigna, I can definitely recommend the U Cian agriturismo (on the left hand side of the main road, watch out for the signs), which has a very refined and reasonably priced gastronomic menu that, although filling, puts quality before quantity. The setting is also very traditional, with great views over the valley.

Serving the delicious pasta course in copper bowls at U Cian

Pigna and Castelvittorio

-          There is a great family-owned place where I once had lunch at the bottom of the village (opposite a pretty ancient petrol station which seems to come straight out of the Sicily section of the Godfather film) – unfortunately I can’t remember the name but there’s a great view over Castelvittorio and the aforementioned petrol station.

View over Castelvittorio from the excellent but un-named restaurant in Pigna, this should help you track it down!

The food was really excellent, with a delicious goat stew simmered with some Pigna beans at a very reasonable price. Next time I head up there, I’ll take note of the name but if you know it in the meantime, please let me know! Apparently there are also a couple of good restaurants up in Castelvittorio which have great reviews, but I haven’t had the opportunity to try them yet, so if you know of any, please feel free to comment below.

GETTING THERE

-          By car: By far the recommended option, from Nice or Monaco just take the A8 motorway across the Italian border and exit in Ventimiglia. From there, cross the city centre (avoid Friday mornings due to the market-related traffic) and once you’ve crossed over the railway tracks at the eastern end, head inland towards Dolceacqua. The road is very well-signposted so you can’t miss it.

How to get to Val Nervia by car from the Riviera, it’s not far at all!

-          By public transport: not recommended unless you’re going to a specific spot in the valley (for example staying in a guesthouse in Dolceacqua or Apricale). In that case, take a train to Ventimiglia station then a bus to Dolceacqua and the other villages – you can find the timetables here. Just make sure you’re not in a hurry…

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A walking tour around the Old Town of Nice and restaurant guide

24 Mar

Global view of Old Nice from the Bellanda Tower on Castle Hill, you can see Cours Saleya on the left, running parallel to the waterfront

The Old Town of Nice (or Vieux Nice as the locals call it) is one of the city’s main attractions and a must-see for any visitor… Not particularly because of a huge amount of unmissable historical sites, but because it is a hive of activity, buzzing both day and night, which is ideal to wander around, to get lost in and to get a drink or a good traditional meal whilst enjoying the unmistakable baroque Mediterranean vibe. So here’s a quick walking tour to make sure you don’t miss any of the nicest parts, even though I’d advise the most adventurous to just get lost in the meander of streets and follow your instincts to make the most of the place – after all, it’s too small to get really lost and the sea is never too far away!

The triangle-shaped Old Town is surrounded by the Paillon river valley to the north (the river is buried underground but on top the local authorities are currently planting a very attractive new garden called the “coulee verte” which will be ready by 2013), by the Castle Hill to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, just across the Quai des Etats Unis.

-          Starting from Place Massena, just take the pleasant rue St François de Paule, which is lined with some classy shops with the beautiful Belle Epoque Opera of Nice on the right.

The picturesque rue St François de Paule, linking Place Massena to Cours Saleya

One of my favourite shops in Old Nice in terms of decoration, the wonderful Auer chocolate and sweet shop on rue St François de Paule, dating from 1820 when Napoleon was still alive: the inside is still decorated in pure 19th century style.

Just after the opera on the left, you will get a glimpse of the large Palace Square (referring to the rather bulky and unattractive Palace of Justice/law courts) which has some terraces but isn’t the most pleasant part of the Old Town to stop over in, so just keep going straight down the road until you hit the pedestrian area where the street becomes the “Cours Saleya”.

-          The Cours Saleya (or “Corso” in the local Nissart dialect – all the streets names in the Old Town are both in French and Nissart), running parallel to the sea, is one of the liveliest streets of Old Nice.

The Cours Saleya looking eastwards towards the Castle Hill

In the morning, the central part of the street becomes a market: mainly for flowers but also for jumble sales or fruits and vegetables depending on the days. The strip is also lined with plenty of restaurants which are reasonably priced but varying in quality, so be wary, though the appeal of people-watching and soaking in the incomparable Mediterranean atmosphere can just about justify paying slightly more than elsewhere for a coffee or a quick meal. It’s also a great place to grab a portion of socca at Chez Theresa (see below in the food section) if she’s around.

-          Once you get to the end of the Cours Saleya, you can either turn right and head towards the waterfront and enjoy some sumptuous views over the whole Baie des Anges from the Castle Hill, or else carry on the tour of the Old Town and go left. Running parallel to Cours Saleya is the rue de la Préfecture which heads back towards Place du Palais and comes to life in the early evenings at around 5 or 6pm, which is aperitif time in Nice. The street is lined with bars (mainly English-style pubs or more upmarket lounges) and some pretty decent restaurants.

-          North of the rue de la Préfecture, towards the top end of the triangle, the streets get narrower as cars are banned and this is the ideal place to just wander around the area up to Place Garibaldi to the north.

The narrow alleyways with great natural ventilation north of rue de la Préfecture

This area is full of bars and restaurants, especially the southern end, around Place Rossetti, which is another of the nerve centres of the Old Town and an ideal place to just sit down and have a drink on a terrace, under the shade of the beautiful baroque Cathédrale Sainte Réparate, built in the late 17th century.

The baroque Cathédrale Ste Réparate on Place Rossetti

Place Rossetti, a perfect place to chill-out with a coffee and an ice cream

It is also a perfect place to have an ice cream at the famous Fenocchio parlour, see the description below. You’ll note that Old Nice is very cool, even in the heat of the summer – this is because of the shade and the very ingenious natural ventilation system devised by the locals when they designed the houses and alleyways hundreds of years ago.

-          As you head north of Place Rossetti, towards Place Garibaldi, the roads get slightly less lively and a bit more downmarket (plenty of kebab and fast food shops) but there are a few excellent restaurants.

The quieter alleways between Place Rossetti and Place Garibaldi

Also, make sure you visit the fish market (marché aux poissons) that is open every morning except Mondays until about 1.30pm on Place Saint François. Just bear in mind when walking round Old Nice that it’s not just a tourist area but also a prime residential neighbourhood – plenty of expats and locals live there due to its central location, mainly the younger ones given that most buildings are 4 or 5 stories high and don’t have lifts. This explains why there are plenty of grocery stores and regular shops catering for the locals, especially in this part of the neighbourhood.

A beautiful old bakery in Old Nice with wood-fired oven

-          Once you’ve reached Place Garibaldi (recently renovated in honour of the Italian freedom fighter), you can either walk towards the port, 5 minutes away, or head up the Castle Hill for some stunning views over Old Nice and the rest of the city and region – for more tips on how to enjoy your stay in the city, see my article Nice in a nutshell. For those leaving Nice by train, take the tram back towards avenue Jean Medecin and the railway station and for those taking the interurban buses, just saunter down Boulevard Jean Jaurès to the bus stop to head towards Monaco or Cannes.

Where and what to eat and drink?

-          A trip to Old Nice cannot be complete without sampling the main local dish, socca. This is a delicious pancake made of chick pea flour, water and olive oil and baked on a very wide cast iron pan – you can also find it on the Italian side of the border where it is known as farinata.

A typical plate of socca being prepared and cut up after baking (photo courtesy of http://www.annmah.net)

Portions generally tend to be reasonably priced: the big pancake is cut up into little strips and covered in black pepper, then eaten with the fingers (careful, the strips can be very hot if they are served straight out of the oven, as they should be). If you want to find out more about this delicious speciality, the New York Times ran an interesting article with an easy recipe (as long as you have easy access to chick pea flour) a few years ago.  Amongst the best places to sample it is Lou Pilha Leva, located on a small square at 10 rue du Collet, not too far from Place Rossetti (I just noticed it had rotten reviews on Tripadvisor, but I personally like it so I’ll stand by my selection – if you try it out and disagree, please let me know!).

Eating socca al fresco at Lou Pilha Leva

The place is pretty rustic, as you eat on benches outdoors, but the socca is very good and reasonably priced at 2.80€ a portion so ideal for a quick snack lunch whilst exploring the Old Town – they also serve some more elaborate typical dishes like petits farcis niçois (vegetables, generally onions, tomatoes and courgettes stuffed with meat) and pasta with daube (beef stewed in red wine with mushrooms) sauce. There is also another place recommended for its socca called Chez Theresa on the Cours Saleya. I’ve never tried eating there but this video will give you a good idea of the atmosphere on the Cours Saleya in summer!

-          If you want to stick to typical Niçois cuisine but with a sit-down meal, there is a multitude of places to choose from in Old Nice. My general rule of thumb would be to try to get a glimpse of the waiters and the chefs: the older they are, generally the better the food is – normally because the business is family owned and run. The same applies to the decoration – the good addresses don’t need fancy furniture to attract clients as long the food is good – and whether the place is packed with older locals or just tourists! My personal favourite for the moment is L’Escalinada, located slightly off the beaten track near Place Garibaldi at 22 rue Pairolière, with great specialities in a friendly atmosphere, you can find the whole menu on their website. Also highly recommended for their great value for money and typical dishes are Chez Acchiardo (38, rue Droite), Restaurant da Gesu (1, Place du Jésus), le Bistro d’Antoine (27, rue de la Préfecture) and la Merenda (rue Raoul Bosio).

-          A decent place I recently tried, if you want something a bit different from Niçois cuisine, is La Villa (14, rue de l’Abbaye), which specialises in Corsican dishes. I stumbled on this restaurant by accident a few months ago and had a truly excellent meal at a reasonable price, so I can definitely recommend it.

-          No trip to Old Nice would be complete without a visit to the famous Fenocchio ice cream parlour located on Place Rossetti. There is always a big queue due to the quality of its Italian style ice cream and the huge selection of flavours, including some rather exotic ones that you can’t really find elsewhere, like tomato and basil, violets or chilli. But the traditional flavours are just as good! There is also another shop at 6, rue de la Poissonnerie, close to the eastern end of Cours Saleya but note that they only open from March to November.

The delicious Fenocchio ice cream parlour on Place Rossetti

-          Finally, if you want to get a drink, there are plenty of English or Irish style pubs and more continental lounge bars in the Old Town, most offering happy hour prices around aperitif time (generally from 5/6pm to 8pm) – most of these are located on Cours Saleya or rue de la Préfecture, but there are also quite a few in the streets around Place Rossetti. Just be wary late at night as there tend to be more and more fights around closing time on weekends, especially in summer (at around 2 or 3am) and generally avoid the darker streets of the Old Town, even though Nice at night is no dodgier than other any large French city.

If you find any other good addresses in Old Nice, I’ll be happy to test them out – please let me know in the comments section below. Same applies if you have any feedback on the places I recommended, I’d love to hear from you.

Getting there

  • From the Nice Ville train station: either walk about 20 minutes down avenue Jean Medecin through Place Massena or else take a short tram ride (1€)
  • From the bus stops, arriving from Cannes (to the west) or Menton/Monaco (to the east): until the completion of the new bus station in 2016, most buses will terminate. near avenue Felix Faure: just cross over the large esplanade and you’ll be in the Old Town, you can’t really miss the spires of the churches when you get off the bus!

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