Next Stop, Nice

We started our Sunday morning at the local Monaco parish church for Mass.  It was a modern structure with murals of Monaco integrated with holy images of Our Lady and the saints in the sanctuary.  At noon we checked out of our hotel.  Off we went walking  towards the train station to catch the next train to Nice. 

 The parish of St Nicholas in Fontveille area of Monaco.

 The train station in Monaco is underground, or really within the hillside.

Waiting for the train in Monaco for Nice.

The train travels very close to the sea coast and occasionally goes through hillside tunnels.  The trip is not very long, maybe 30 minutes at the most.

 The train from Monaco travels along the coast line of the Mediterranean.

The central train station in Nice.

When we arrived in Nice, we walked down Avenue Jean Medicin towards our hotel.  This is a main shopping area with a public transit tram running down the middle of the street.

A public transport tram runs through central Nice to the coast.

Nice has elegant streets of stores and restaurants.

We followed our map down the Boulevard Dubouchage to Hotel Ellington.  The hotel had many pictures of Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and other familiars such as Sinatra.  The staff were very friendly, and easily conversed with us in English.  The rooms were modern, and there was a lovely internal courtyard for cocktails.

Rooms at Hotel Ellington were modern and comfortable.

 An internal courtyard at Hotel Ellington.

A nice spot for a Happy Hour Cocktail.

We dropped our bags at the hotel and headed for the Rue Massena where we found many eating options.  We settled for a bowl of French Onion Soup.  We returned often to this street during our three days in Nice for a meal.  One night, I just had to try a dish that this area is known for called bouillabaisse.  Its a Provence style fish stew.

 Rue Massena

 Now that's a good looking 'un pression' (draft beer).

 Many eating options on the Rue Massena.

 bouillabaisse or Provence fish stew

The first day in Nice ended with a good meal.  Tomorrow we head to sites to see in Nice.

Monaco

Rick Steves:  Although "independent," Monaco is run as a piece of France.  A French civil servant appointed by the French president--with the blessing of Monaco's prince--serves as state minister and manages the place.

We took a taxi from VilleFranche to Monaco.  Not a long ride, about 30 minutes.  We stayed at the Columbus-Monaco Hotel which is in the Fontvielle section of Monaco.  It was a very modern and first class place.  Every day at 11:55 am on the palace square, the changing of the guard takes place.  We checked our watches and headed walking to "the Rock".  Actually it was a 15 minute walk, but a lot of it was up hill.  But we did see the changing of the guard.

 The view from our room at the Hotel Columbus-Monaco

 The Princess Grace Rose Garden

 Morning view looking West from our hotel veranda.

 The Fontvielle area of Monaco is newly built on reclaimed land.

The Place du Palais (Palace Square) is on "the Rock".

It was only a 15 minute walk, but mostly up hill.

 Monaco viewed on the way to "the Rock".

Port Hercule- Monaco

We made it to the Palace Square in time for the changing of the guard.

The views from the Palace level are Wow!  The area is referred to as Monaco-Ville.  It had some restaurants, churches, the Cathedral of Monaco, and the Jacques Cousteau Aquarium.

The statute of a woman with a fishing net is dedicated to Prince Albert I's reign (1889-1922).  Prince Albert is (not in the can).  He's part of the Grimaldi family which captured Monaco in 1297 and is thus the longest-lasting dynasty in Europe.

 Musee de la Chapelle de la Visitation

Chapel of the Visitation

 It's a wedding at the Hotel de Ville (City Hall)

Groom and Bride exiting City Hall

 Cathedral of Monaco

 Cathedral of Monaco, rebuilt in 1878.

 Cathedral interior.

 The grave of Princess Grace......

.......and her husband, Prince Rainer.

We wanted to find some live performing art in Monaco.  We looked around town for posters announcing possibilities.  I thought I saw it.  An announcement from Le Theatre des Muses, Invitation presentation de Saison.  Mmm, that seems to say an invitation to preview the attractions coming for the new theater season.  We took a cab to the theater's address and found a delightful, small theater venue.  People were entering and so we followed.  The presentation turned out to be more of a lecture about all the plays on the menu for the coming season.  Too bad it was all in French!  Oh well, just an hour and a half of smiling like we knew what was being said.  Afterwards we took the first city bus we could grab at 11 pm.  Ouala!  a free tour  of the city at night, including the Monte-Carlo Casino.

The bus, the beach, and all that jazz

After finishing our visit to the Rothschild Mansion on CapFerrat,  we took the bus #81 back to VilleFranche-su-mer.  It was mid afternoon and we strolled around the old town.  We stopped for a snack at Le Cosmo Bistrot/Brasserie which has a great view of the harbor.  Our next goal was to do some sun bathing on the beach.  Fortunately the weather during our stay has been perfect, sunny and warm with no rain.  The beach was moderately busy and people enjoying some splashing in the Mediterranean.  I can report that the water was nice, but salty.

We took bus #81 back to VilleFranche-su-Mer.

Beaches are really small pebbles, not sand.

People splash in the water, then relax on the rocks.

Once again we took the mini bus #80 from the water front to the Hotel Fiancee du Pirates.  This time we felt like "old hands" on this conveyance.  We asked our hotel staff if there was any place to enjoy live music at supper.  My brother was expecting to find the music of Edith Piaf available everywhere.  We found that the French music scene is far more eclectic and modern.  But we were given a very good lead to go to the Restaurant Trinquette.  This restaurant is a relaxed, low-key place away from the action on the other side of the Citadel in the Old Town (Port de la Darse).  Every weekend, the Restaurant Trinquette features live music.  We enjoyed an excellent evening of a jazz quartet, flute, guitar, drums, bass.  Sorry, no Edith Piaf.  Tomorrow, we're off to Monaco!