The French Riviera is beautiful because many of the most beautiful places are located very close to each other. Traveling by train from Nice towards Monaco, you can get off at almost every stop and explore the stunning places. After resting and admiring the beauty of the town of Villefranche-sur-mer, we went on. We got on the train again towards Italy and after one stop got off at the Eze station. Here, on a high mountain, is one of the oldest villages in the region. But first I had to get to her.
The so-called "Nietzsche Trail" leads from the station to Eze. The famous philosopher loved to go down to the sea along this road and admire the stunning views of the coast. However, we had to climb this path. This is not an easy task, especially in hot weather. At first it seemed to me that literally around the next bend was the village we needed.
After about 15 minutes I was already pretty tired and decided to ask the people walking towards me if it would take me long to get up. I expected to hear that I had no more five minutes left. What was my surprise when I was told that it was still about 40 minutes before the end of the journey. But there was nothing to do, since we had begun to climb, we had to continue. As a result, we completed the Nietzsche Path in about an hour and a half. We went upstairs so tired and worn out that there was no time for sightseeing.
Naturally, at first we decided to relax a bit in a cafe and gain strength. Eze is full of lovely restaurants serving traditional Mediterranean food. Prices for them, as elsewhere on the Cote d'Azur, are quite high. Moreover, Eze is very popular with tourists.
This village was founded before our era and at various times belonged to the Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans and Moors. The name of the town is also associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis. In the XIV century ze became part of the County of Savoy. In a village located on a hill from which opens excellent overview terrain, fortifications were built. Later, the fortress was destroyed by the French king Louis XIV. Only fragments of the fortress walls and the gate through which you can get to the Old Town have survived to this day. In 1860 Eze, together with neighboring settlements, passed to France.
Since the 19th century, when the Cote d'Azur became a popular and very lively resort, Eze has become an open-air museum of medieval life.
The fact is that small stone houses have been preserved in their original form since the Middle Ages. Now the authorities are carefully monitoring the maintenance of the uniqueness of the village. The center of the town is completely pedestrianized, since it is unrealistic for a car to drive along some lanes, they are very narrow. Many spaces have been converted into private art galleries and gift shops. In addition, in the very center of the town there is a paid exotic garden in which a wide variety of cacti are grown.
From the Middle Ages, the chapel of the Penitent Sinners of the White Brotherhood has survived, the purpose of which was to help the sick, especially the lepers. Inside you can see the crucifixion with a smiling Christ.
And on a small square near the Old Town, the later Church of the Assumption of the Virgin has been preserved. According to legend, the ancient temple of Isis stood in its place. At the end of the 18th century, an orange Baroque building appeared, which can be seen today. A part of the Egyptian cross is kept inside the cathedral.
There is an excellent observation deck next to the temple.
In addition, outside the walls of the Old Town, you can visit the museums at the Fragonard and Galimard perfume factories. At certain times, the groups are shown how the factory works, what equipment is used for the production of perfumes. At the end of the tour, you can visit a shop that sells local products. In addition to perfumes, there are also various scented oils, shower gels and soaps.
Now the life of the village is completely subordinated to tourists. And once at the very beginning of the development of the resort, Eze was not only stunningly beautiful, but also a secluded place.
The great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche lived here for almost twenty years, who wrote the famous work "As Zarathustra Spoke" in Eze.
I was fascinated by the beauty of the village and George Sand when she stopped here on the way to Nice. Now, in my opinion, the charm of this place is spoiled by huge crowds of people who do not always fit within the walls of the Old City.
When it was time to head back, we started looking for a bus stop. Because I didn't even want to think about the fact that I would also have to go back down the Nietzsche trail and then go to Nice by train. It turned out that buses run with great interruptions, and the bus to Nice arrived about an hour later, when a lot of people had already gathered at the bus stop, returning to their hotels after visiting Eze. I had to go in a packed car, however, the stunning views of the coast, which opened from the windows of the bus, brightened the road a little.
In general, I think, in order not to spoil the impression of a cute medieval village, you need to come here early and by bus, and after exploring the Old Town you can walk along the Nietzsche trail down to the Azure Sea.
Add some sun and greenery on these short winter days? I want to tell you about one beautiful place I saw a couple of years ago on the Mediterranean coast of France. The old and very beautiful Eze village is located 12 kilometers from Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
Sometimes Eze is called a town, and yes, it is a medieval town, but in reality modern world- village. Although located in a picturesque location on the French Riviera. They also make perfume there. You can look at the beautiful landscapes and learn more under the cut.
I already once showed in LJ landscapes from the village of Villefranche-sur-mer, taken on the same day on the way to Eze.
2. Map of this region with the location of Eze:
3. Actually, as part of that bus tour, we were brought on the way from Nice to Monaco to a perfume factory-museum, as it usually happens - business on tourists, nothing personal. But first, let's take a look at the surroundings, for it's worth it.
4. Eze is divided into two parts: the old mountain village of Eze and the seaside region of Eze-sur-Mer ("Eze by the sea"). The difference in height between them is about 400 meters. The old part of Eze is connected with the sea by a narrow path along which the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche loved to walk every day and enjoy the beautiful landscapes, who lived here for almost two decades and worked on the novel Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Today, the Chemin de Nietzsche (Nietzsche Trail) is a steep mountain ascent marked good overview to beautiful landscapes. Nietzsche spent two hours a day on descent and ascent:
5. Protected from the winds of the sea by the Spit Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (pictured left), Eze has retained a favorable microclimate for lush Mediterranean vegetation.
6. Distances here on the map are small - only 6 km to Monaco, to the Italian border - 16:
7. The road from Nice to Eze is picturesque. She goes quite high up the mountain, and below there are small houses. On the calm surface of the sea yachts, boats and giant liners sway, everything around breathes calmness and tranquility. And we go higher and higher in the mountains, contemplating the tiers of retaining walls with drainage systems. Sometimes the abyss is so close that you involuntarily recoil from the window:
8. At one time, on the way to Nice, it was in Eze that the writer Georges Sand stayed, who was very impressed with the beauty and picturesqueness of this corner of France. This small village was also appreciated by the American cartoonist Walt Disney who had a rest here.
9. We continue to climb the mountain. Each more or less flat meter of land is used for life and work:
10. Roads are winding and sometimes a big bus just can't make a turn in one try. The map is not exactly this place, but the general idea is:
11. The pink and ocher facades of the villas, surrounded by lush vegetation and banana trees, stand out against the sea. Wisterias, jasmine, and bougainvillea make their way from under the balustrades and gates of private estates.
12. Lemon, orange and tangerine trees, on which the small Eza tangerines, famous for their unique taste, grow, give the streets a unique fragrance. In general, the feeling that you are in some bright future of humanity:
13. Population - about two and a half thousand people. Although it seems that there are more - there are so many interesting buildings here. By the way, here next to the perfume factory there is one tourist attraction - driving a Ferrari, alone or with a chauffeur. 15 minutes of self-taxiing in the presence of a caretaker, something in the region of 50 euros. Half an hour - 100 euros. We didn’t ride, but they say that the suspension is very stiff and a person can feel every smallest pebble on the road - even though the roads are gorgeous. The seats are uncomfortable and hardly adjustable. The photo is not a Ferrari, of course:
14. My shots here are not entirely in chronological order, rather in thematic, so as not to be scattered in the course of the story:
15. Back to our bus going to Eze. Here in the window appeared a fabulous view of the old part of the village-town:
16. This ancient village with well-preserved medieval architecture looks like an eagle's nest overhanging the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. But we, alas, are not here.
17. From here, from an altitude of about 400 meters above sea level, the picturesque Mediterranean coast opens up, and on the clearest days, when there is no haze, they say, you can even see the famous island of Corsica. I liked the texture of the tree bark:
18. There are two perfume factories in Eze - Fragonard and Galimard. The distance between them is about half a kilometer, each of them welcomes tourists, introduces them to the process of composing perfume compositions and invites them to visit a perfume store. A large boutique with perfumery and cosmetic products of the Fragonard brand, has existed since 1926.
19. So why Fragonard? In the town of Grasse in the south of France, he was born in 1732 and lived by a famous artist named Jean Honore Fragonard. He was a student of the famous Jean-Baptiste Chardin, and then Francois Boucher. Having moved to Paris, Fragonard became famous for his light and playful paintings. The French Revolution that broke out in 1789 devalued the artist's work in the eyes of his contemporaries, along with the brilliant, pampered noble culture of the 18th century. The general public is now aware of such canvases by Fragonard as "The Swing", "The Secret Kiss" and others. Grateful descendants immortalized his name, calling him the city boulevard after him. In one of the houses on this boulevard, a factory for the production of essential oils from rose petals was opened in 1926. According to French traditions, the name is tied to the place - this is how the factory got its name.
20. The history of the creation of the enterprise itself is as follows. On the eve of World War I, entrepreneur Eugene Fooch was captivated by the charm of the Cote d'Azur and fell in love with the local world of fragrances. Due to the peculiarities of the microclimate in these places, it was possible to collect large yields of aromatic plants. He decided to create a new kind of perfume trade: to sell it directly to an ever-increasing number of customers.
The heir to the founder, Jean-François Costa, expanded and modernized the production. Kost was an avid collector, thanks to him collections of paintings, costumes, jewelry, antique perfumes with accompanying accessories were collected. And antique means of production on display throughout the grounds:
21. Fragonard is now located on the Mediterranean coast between Cannes and Monaco, in Grasse (historic plant) and Eze (laboratory plant). And two more perfumery museums in the center of Paris - in the Napoleon III Hotel on the Rue Scribe and the former theater building on Boulevard des Capucines. In Eze, only tiny old factories remain, where only soap, shampoos and the bottling of ready-made perfumes in small souvenir bottles are produced. Today the factory is run by Jean-François Costa's daughters, Françoise and Agnes, who are already the third generation of the founder's family.
22. In the premises of the museum-factory there are also an unusual type of ancient apparatus, which were used earlier for the manufacture of perfumes:
23. In the closets at the entrance, a collection of antique bottles, which were made especially for perfumes, are displayed beautiful and rare specimens, they were sometimes decorated precious stones and paintings:
24. During the excursion, they talk about natural ingredients that are used in perfumery products, as well as about ancient production technologies. The main ingredients, including lavender, jasmine and mimosa, grow in Provence, but some herbs and spices need to be imported from other countries. For example, oranges and lemons come from California (USA), bergamot from Calabria (Italy), and sage and coriander from Russia:
25. With the development of laboratory technology, they learned how to make essences. Without them, a perfumer cannot take a single step: to create the desired scent, sometimes dozens or even hundreds of various components are required. Natural ingredients have always been the basis of perfumery, although in our technically advanced time, more and more synthetic aromatic substances appear.
26. Although, the decorative "organ" for composing fragrances is still worth it (photo on the left above). Eze's symbol is the Phoenix bird, and the motto “Isis Moriendo Renascor” means “In death I am reborn” - alchemical transmutation, somewhat akin to perfume witchcraft ...
27. Visiting the factory only with a guide. There is no need to wait for the group, even if you come alone - the excursion will still be held, it is free. Quote from one of the visitors: "They told all sorts of interesting things: for example, that from a ton of rose petals only one bottle of the corresponding essence is obtained. Well, or that from a megaton of petals one box of cologne is obtained. In general, from a large number something turns out to be a very small amount of something else. That's exactly what I remember. "
28. In the photo below - a worker in a soap shop. All employees work in rooms fenced with glass so that foreign odors do not interfere. A long soapy "sausage" crawls out of the blue aggregate, which is then molded with a special press:
29. From almost finished soap, the seams are manually cut from the mold, and the details are also manually painted. It's time for us to soap and wash away from here according to the evacuation plan:
30. The visit to the factory does not last long, about 20-30 minutes. And as it should be at the end of the visit, they lead to the large hall. They will briefly share how a synthetic smell differs from a natural smell, and what is the difference between perfume and eau de toilette - in the former, the content of oils, extracts and other natural components is 35%, and the rest is alcohol and water, perfume water contains them by 10-12% , and in eau de toilette no more than 6%.
31. Perfumes are divided into four broad categories: natural, fruity, floral and oriental. Gold plated metal bottles are believed to look expensive. There are also several counters with soaps and creams for face and body.
33. This is all that was shown to us then in Eze and I am very sorry that they did not bring it to the old part. But small historical excursion I will give you all the same. The photo had to be taken from Vicki.
The first traces of human settlement in this area date back to the XX-XXI centuries. BC. The current village, founded back in 600 BC. a tribe of Ligurs, is considered one of the very first relatively large settlements on the Cote d'Azur. In the 1st century A.D. the Romans who came here built their fortifications. Perhaps this is where the name Eze comes from (from the Latin Avisium - fortress). But it is also assumed that the name Eza may be associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis (Isis), whose priests could have settled nearby, since there were colonies of ancient Phoenicians in these parts.
The village belongs to the so-called. "eagles' nests" - settlements characteristic of these places in the period after the collapse of the Roman Empire. Residents built fortified stone towns on the mountain tops to protect themselves from sudden attacks by Saracen pirates. However, the first settlements appeared here long before the arrival of the Romans. On the coast and in the mountains, the Ligurians lived in these places, then the Greeks, then the Phoenicians. At a later time, this territory belonged to the Romans and Moors (about 80 years, until in 973 they were expelled by Guillaume I of Provence).
34. Here in the XIII century. the Guelphs, adherents of the Pope, arrived after the victory over them by the Ghibellines, the emperor's warriors. Here they settled and engaged in agriculture, building in the XIV century. church. It is still considered the oldest building in Eze - the Church of the Penitent Sinners of the White Brotherhood (Chapelle des Penitents Blancs), or as it is also called - the Church of St. Cross (Chapelle de la Sainte Croix), built in 1304, the Brotherhood exists to this day. Then, in ancient times, the White Brotherhood saw the goal of its activity in helping the lepers and the unfortunate, which is the goal of their activity to this day. Until 1388 Eze was part of Provence, then the possession of the Dukes of Savoy. Here you can see the ruins old fortress which the dukes built in Eze. It was of great strategic importance due to its proximity to Nice.
35. In the XVI century. the rights to Eze were disputed by the Prince of Monaco Jean-Baptiste Grimaldi, nicknamed the Ferocious, and the King of France Francis I. In 1543, the troops of the Turkish invader Hayruddin Barbarossa invaded here, and in 1706 under Louis XIV during the War of Spanish Succession, the surrounding Eze were destroyed fortress walls. The city gates are the only surviving part of the former fortifications. Today it is the only entrance to the old part of the village. The Moors Gate, built in the 14th century, is decorated with two watchtowers, which are now heavily tilted. The architecture of these towers is original and of historical value, although only hinges remain from the doors leading to the tower. After centuries of war and controversy, the village of Eze finally became part of France in 1860.
36. Its streets with vaulted houses, where numerous shops of artists and craftsmen meet, are the perfect backdrop for the historical festival "Eze of the old days", which takes place annually at the end of July.
The village acquired the fabulous appearance that is visible today in the Middle Ages, around the 10th century. Textured masonry of stone houses, narrow picturesque stepped streets, meandering among them. Almost every home has many interesting details and features not similar to others. But you need to be prepared for the fact that there will be many steps.
37. Other attractions include the cemetery where the famous French actor Francis Blanche is buried, a small square with a 1930 Italian-style fountain. the main street in Eze - Principale (rue Principale), recalls the Italian origin of the town. Drawings on the walls of houses on this street tell about the crafts of the former owners of these houses and what position they occupied. Today there are art galleries, exhibition halls and shops. There is also the Eze castle - not so old building, it was built in 1920 by the Swedish prince Guillaume. Until the middle of the last century, it was something of a summer residence for the Swedish royal family, until 1950 members of the royal family came here annually, and today everyone can relax in the royal apartments - in the part of the castle there is a small hotel with luxurious rooms.
38. At the top of the village, on the ruins of an ancient castle in 1949, the famous Exotic Garden with rare species of trees was founded, there you can also see hundreds of different types cacti. The most important attraction of this place is a 13-meter cactus weighing a ton. The entrance to the garden is paid. In Eze there are alleys with expressive names - Cicad, Carnation or Provence. In the photo - the terraces at the foot of Eze.
39. One of the gems of the settlement is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 18th century. in the Baroque style by the Italian architect Antonio Spinelli. An Egyptian cross is kept here and therefore there is an opinion that the name of the village is associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis.
From Nice - highway A8, exit 57 - onto La Turbie, then La Turbie in the direction of the village of Eze: RM45 (the way will go along the “Big Cornice”, that is, along the most picturesque and spectacular road). At the foot of the cliff, on which the medieval village of Eze is located, there is a fairly spacious parking lot.
"Three cornices"
Between Nice and the Italian border, apart from the A8 highway, there are three cornice roads - Large (Grande corniche), Medium (Moyenne corniche) and Small, or low (Basse corniche). Eze can be reached by car on each of them. The best views of the Côte d'Azur - from the border with Italy to, it is said, Saint-Tropez in clear weather - are from the Big, the highest cornice.
There are several hiking trails between the three cornices of Eze: the "Nietzsche Trail", which connects the village of Eze (Middle Cornice) with the seashore (Eze-sur-mer and Low Cornice); The path connecting the Low cornice through the Middle with the Big cornice; as well as the Trail leading from the Middle to the Big Cornice. You can go along them only if you are confident in your good physical fitness... For example, the Nietzsche Trail is a very steep path up and in some places you have to literally climb without feeling your legs. So this is an amateur's pleasure.
Eze Village is located between Nice and the Principality of Monaco.
It is located 400 m above sea level.
The medieval village is like an anthill. Its narrow, shady streets wind around the hill.
This is an exclusively tourist destination. There are numerous souvenir shops, perfume boutiques "and", famous and hotels in old chateau.
The village is very green, decorative flowering front gardens are broken around, plants twine around houses and hang from ancient walls. Lanterns and signs are made in the style of the Middle Ages.
In order to take a look at everything slowly, it is better to choose a cool sunny day.
They liked to relax in Eze-Village: Nietzsche (here he wrote "Thus Spoke Zarathustra"), Walt Disney, members of the royal family of Sweden - until 1950 they owned "Château Eza", which now houses a fashionable hotel with a restaurant.
The village of Eze has become a tourist attraction relatively recently.
Here's what she looked like in 1928:
"Eze is a small, closely cobbled together on the top of a cliff, almost one with it, a primitive gray town. The town is dead - there are almost no inhabitants in it. But the son of the Swedish king, who studies literature, lives in one of the impregnable houses on stilts hanging over the cliff. , and an American eccentric who put a museum door in the finest carving in the rough stone walls of a Provencal house.
We went upstairs - how far you can see the sea from there! "(G. Kuznetsova. Grasse Diary)
EZ ATTRACTIONS:
Of interest are not only the charming village streets, but also the towers of the old fortifications, and the ruins of the castle on the top of the hill, from where panoramic view on the sea all the way to Saint Tropez.
It can be accessed through the Jardin botanique d "Èze, a garden of exotic plants, mainly cacti, but also agave and scarlet. The garden is decorated with female statues by the modern sculptor Jean-Philippe Richard. Each sculpture has its own. name: Barbara, Celine, Charlotte, Chloe, Margot, Melisand, Marina, Isabeau, Matilda, Rose, Anais ...
Opening hours:
January, February, March and October, November, December from 9:00 to 16:30
April, May, June from 9:00 to 18:30
July, August, September from 9:00 to 19:30
Entrance:
adults 6 euros, children under 12 years old - free, group rate 2.50 euros (guided group from 12 people)
The oldest building in Eze-Village is the Church of the Holy Cross (Chapelle de la Sainte Croix), built in 1306 in the neoclassical style. It can be called the dominant of the village, because its bell tower cannot be overlooked.
Another attraction of Eze is the Nietzsche Trail. It is a mountain hiking trail, quite steep, connecting Eze-sur-Mer ("lower" Eze) and Eze-Village.
HOW TO GET TO EZ:
From NICE to Eze by bus 82 "Nice - Plateau de la Justice":
Mon-Sat 6:30, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00,
13:30, 14:00, 15:00, 16:10, 17:10, 18:30, 19:10
Sun and holidays 8:30, 9:45, 10:30, 11:00, 11:45, 12:15,
14:35, 15:30, 16:05, 17:00, 17:35, 18:30, 19:20
Back from Eze Village to Nice:
Mon-Sat 7:12, 8:15, 9:02, 10:00, 10:47, 12:10, 12:47,
14:17, 15:25, 15:52, 17:30, 18:07, 19:07, 19:40, 19:57
Sun and holidays 9:07 am, 10:22 am, 11:12 am, 11:42 pm, 12:27 pm,
12:57, 15:17, 16:12, 16:47, 17:42, 18:37, 19:27, 20:02
Bus 82 leaves Nice from the Nice-Vauban stop. Stop at Eze - "Eze Village".
The journey takes approximately 40 minutes. The bus goes along the mountain road (Moyenne Corniche). Stop in the village just behind the bridge.
bus 82.
Bus 112 "Nice - Eze Village - Monaco" follows the same route.
From Nice-Vauban:
Mon-Sat 7:00, 9:00, 11:00, 14:00, 16:10, 18:30
From "Eze Village":
Mon-Sat 8:15, 10:10, 12:10, 15:25, 17:30, 19:40
There is no bus service on Sundays and holidays.
Route and the most recent timetable for the 112 bus.
If you come to the "lower" Eze (Eze-sur-Mer, Eze-sur-Mer or Eze Bord de Mer) on or (Nice - Monaco) and want to hike up to Eze-Village, then take bus 83.
From the stop at the train station "Gare SNCF Eze":
9:59, 11:04, 12:09, 13:54, 14:54, 16:04, 17:14, 18:19
The bus goes back to the sea from "Eze Village":
9:25, 10:30, 11:35, 12:40, 14:25, 15:30, 16:40, 17:50
The bus runs every day. Travel time is 15 - 20 minutes.
Route and latest schedule
- a picturesque town on, in the vicinity from the side. Eze is essentially two settlements in one: it stretches from the seaside town with the name Eze-sur-Mer up the hill with a medieval village Eze-le-Village offering breathtaking panoramic views of the French Riviera. It is these beautiful views that have made Eze so popular with tourists. Chosen by princes and writers, Eze has retained the charm and romance of typical southern French villages surrounded by medieval walls. Today Eze is one of the most popular cities.
Walt Disney, the famous American cartoonist, spent significant time in Eze.
The village's motto is the phrase Isis moriendo renascor(which means "In death I am reborn"), and its emblem is a phoenix perched on a bone.
Èze is one of 16 villages in the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur department, which forms part of Route des Villages Perchés ("Road mountain villages"). Other villages along this route are Aspremont, Carros, Castagniers, Coaraze, Colomars, Duranus, Falicon, La Gaude, Lantosque, Levens, La Roquette-sur-Var, Saint-Blaise, Saint-Jeannet, Tourrette-Levens and Utelle.
Eze weather:
Get to Eze:
The easiest way to get to Eze is by bus from, or Villefranche. Bus company - www.lignesdazur.com. The lower part of the city (Eze-sur-Mer) can be reached by direct and (departure 2 r / hour, travel time 15 and 8 minutes, ticket 2.8 € and 2.0 €, respectively). The road is almost 1 hour, the ticket is 8.70 €. it will be cheaper (1.5 €), but longer (from 30 minutes). But you can drive right up to the upper part of the city (Eze Village).
bus 82 along the Vauban - Plateau de la Justice route. Bus schedule:
- towards Vauban
- towards Plateau de la Justice.
bus 83 along the Plage / Beaulieu - Eze Village - Plateau de la Justice route. Bus schedule:
- towards Plage / Beaulieu
- towards Plateau de la Justice.
On the north side, where the waterfalls and caves are located, is a Mediterranean garden with plants from the Provencal guarrigue. It is a great place to relax and meditate, and the fountains provide a cool place to cool off the summer heat.
Free admission. Open daily.
Eze coast (Eze-sur-Mer)
It is a Mediterranean resort located at the lower corniche with pleasant beaches shaded by cedars. This residential area with lush Mediterranean vegetation is characterized by a unique microclimate.
Saint-Laurent d'Eze: For a long time, they were engaged in the cultivation of flowers, although since then only a few greenhouses have survived. Worth a visit: Saint Laurent Chapel, built at the beginning of the 17th century.
Eze attractions:
Historical sights and medieval buildings are to be found in the mountainous part of Eze, in the Eze-le-Village. Of course, the best way to walk is on foot. The streets are pretty steep, so don't forget about comfortable shoes and sun protection.
Numbers on the map indicate:
9 - "Nietzsche's Trail"
Walking along it, the philosopher wrote his work "Thus Spoke Zarathustra."
10 - Poterne double gates
The gate, dating from the 14th century, is the only one leading to the city. A 16th century cannon defends the first, outer part gate. The buttresses illustrate the fortifications of the castle if you follow the old circular path, which can be reached by a staircase located just outside the second gate. Eze was part of Provence until 1388 when it became part of the Duchy of Savoy. In 1543, the city suffered from an attack by the Turks in alliance with the French king Francis I. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Eze came under attack and was captured by the French several times.
17 - Residence of the Riquier family from Nice
They were some of the first aristocrats in Eze, and the village itself was their oldest possession outside Nice. They owned Eze from the 13th to the 16th centuries. In 1930, the last owner of the residence built an Italian fountain here. For a long time, the water in the fountain depended on the city's reservoirs. Only in 1952 the house was equipped with running water.
Like a strange bird's nest on a mountain ledge in the South of France, there is an ancient and beautiful village Eze(Eze village). From here, from a height of 427 meters above sea level, the marvelous Mediterranean coast opens up to the view, and on the clearest days you can even see the island of Corsica.
This wonderful and very ancient village was founded in 600 BC. the Ligur tribe, was one of the very first settlements in French Riviera France. As befits such an ancient and beautiful place, Eze a very rich history, it has gone through many wars and battles, more than once it was the "apple" of discord among rulers of different levels.
In the 1st century A.D. The Romans who came here built a fortress in the village. Perhaps hence the name Eze(from Latin Avisium). But there is also an opinion that the name is associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis.
The appearance that exists today, this fabulous beautiful village acquired around the 10th century A.D. Stone houses, narrow but very picturesque stepped streets. Each house has many of its own very interesting details and features that create a unique look and the feeling of an old fairy tale.
Oldest building Eze- the famous Church of the Penitent Sinners of the White Brotherhood or else it is called the Church of the Holy Cross ( Chapelle de la Sainte croix), built in 1304.
Until 1388, Eze was part of Provence, then passed into the possession of the Dukes of Savoy. This little village has often been the subject of controversy. In the 16th century, the prince of Monaco, Jean-Baptiste Grimaldi, nicknamed the Ferocious, and the king of France, Francis I, fought for it. Finally, after many centuries of wars and disputes in 1860, the village of Eze finally passed to France.
And it is not without reason that the Phoenix bird is the symbol of Eze, and the motto “Isis Moriendo Renascor” means “In death I am reborn”.
One of the most significant gems of Eze is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 18th century by the Italian architect Antonio Spinelli. An Egyptian cross is kept here and there is an opinion that the name of the village is associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis.
At the top of the mountain there is a wonderful Park of Exotic Plants, where hundreds of different cacti dominate.
On the way to Nice, Georges Sand stopped in Eze, who was very impressed with the beauty and picturesqueness of this wonderful corner.
The old part of Eze is connected to the sea by a narrow path. It was along it that the great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who worked here on his work "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", loved to walk every day and enjoy the beautiful landscapes. This path was named the "Nietzsche Trail" (Chemin de Nietzsche).
Now it is the most beautiful town, very calm and quiet. There is something special about him. The amazing fabulous beauty of the ancient streets and the uniquely beautiful natural landscape create the feeling of a true paradise and allow you to plunge into history, feel the spirit of the past centuries.
