On the border of both Monaco and Italy, sitting at the foothills of the French Alpes and between the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, lies Nice. This beautiful city is the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes and a long-time escape for the elite of Europe making it the picturesque destination of the French Rivera. One reason why the rich and famous flock here is because the weather is always wonderful. There are hot, dry, and sunny summers, and the winters are mild, with temperatures rarely changing more than 10 degrees in one day.
Nice
From the red roofs to the promenade along the bays, there is so much to do and see as you explore the city. The beaches are some of the most stunning in the French Riviera, and there are squares to enjoy the splendid weather. One of the highlights aside from the beaches and beautiful squares, there are three corniches, which mean cliff roads that wind through the mountains between Nice and Monaco. These roads are known for their stunning views and heart-pounding journeys.
Basse Corniche
This route leads to the beautiful city of Menton. Along the way, you will venture past the famous port cities of Eze, Staint-John Cap Ferrat, Villefranche-Sur-Mer, and Cap Martain. But more than these port cities, you will find beautiful villas from the 19th century. This road may get congested due to its popularity and rush hours within the ports. This is one of the least popular routes along the coast, but you will have some stunning views.
Moyenne Corniche
As the middle road between Basse and Grande, Moyenne Corniche was built between 1900 and 1928. The views are just as stunning on the middle road. The route takes you along the towns up in the mountains as you drive through Eze, Beausoleil, and Col de Villefranche. This road is not nearly as treacherous as the other roads, but there are numerous accidents on this road due to tourists looking at the views rather than the roads. This road tops at about 1,200 feet, but the views are just as stunning as if they were from the mountain tops.
Grande Corniche
This road was built by Napoleon I and is the highest of the three roads wrapping up more the 1,500 feet. As the most dangerous of all the roads, this road is not to be trifled with. Not only are the roads winding up mountains, but they can also be narrow, sometimes with visibility limited by fog and clouds. For those brave enough to drive it, the Grande Corniche is one of the best ways to see the Cote d’Azur in its’ most natural nature, but drivers beware, it is best to do when the skies are clear. This road is used in commercials due to the breathing views of the coastline.
These roads are stunning and are a great way to see the south of France. Schedule a consultation to see which road is right for you and all of the amazing things to do between Nice and Menton.
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