01/10/2002: Two days
on the French Riviera
Blue sea, transparent waters, rocky
beaches and beautiful people. If you are picturing the south of France, you got
it right! The beaches on the Mediterranean Sea, in the region of Cote d'Azur,
stand out because of their glamour and natural beauty. The area is also known as
the French Riviera. The most beautiful beaches in this region are Nice, Cannes
and the Principality of Monaco. I visited two of them and I could feel a good
deal of the "climate" in the region. Nice:
a magazine cover After five busy days in Madrid and
Barcelona, nothing better than a good day of rest in Nice, the biggest seaside
resort on the French Riviera. With approximately 350 thousand inhabitants, Nice
has the second busiest airport in France. It is expectable, since the city is
the most affordable one among the beaches in Cote d'Azur and has good links to
all the others. On the other hand, it's the least glamorous one, but still chic.
For whoever wants to check out the region's beauty, it would be advisable to
look for lodging in Nice and walk through the nearby beaches during the day. Lots of hotels, shops and restaurants.
Nice's city centre is rather busy, and it is not going to make you bored. The
city also features good museums and churches, but, still, the beach is its
ultimate attraction. Nice's beach landscape seems to be
specially designed for a tourism magazine cover. The water couldn't be bluer,
and the rocky geography penetrating the sea makes up a typical Mediterranean
picture. Instead of sand, small stones… At the beach, a great deal of
beautiful people, most of them tourists, from Europe and also from other
continents. The sea is of a very clear blue tone. The
water is warm and has no waves, perfect for whoever enjoy swimming, but not
suitable if you want to go surfing or do any other extreme water sport. Along
the shore, the sailing boats are also part of the view. Nice is an old city and,
therefore, has a historical neighbourhood, with old houses and narrow streets
where cars do not go. Nowadays, the region is full of small restaurants and
shops that give it a charming touch. Besides being more affordable than their neighbour cities, Nice is still expensive to our standards, especially in the city centre. At the avenue that goes along the beach, walking and spotting the beautifully designed buildings and the rocks outlining the sea is still the best thing to do. Pictures: - People at the beach: 1 - View of the beach: 1 - Panoramic view of the spa: 1 Principality
of Monaco: Luxury and grace If I could describe Monaco with two words,
they would be luxury and grace. Grace at the beaches, in the houses, in the
people. Luxury driving the Ferraris, BMWs and Ducattis and, of course, at the
famous Monte Carlo Casino. You get the first glimpse of the
Principality of Monaco at the train station, very well lit and with a granite
floor. Leave the station and the Monaco of the movies and magazines shows up.
Dark blue sea, yachts at the pier, modern and trendy houses. It does not look
like Europe, but like another world. If Nice looks like a magazine cover,
Monaco is the perfect scenery for a car advertisement. That was the place where
I saw most Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Maseratis, as well super-power
Ducatti and Ninja motorcycles. The noise of the engines is already part of the
sound of the city. And, most surprising, women drive most cars. At the pier, a
yacht calls our attention. It looks more like a ship, a helicopter on it. Now
you can wonder how big the yacht is… The rich feel at home at the Monte Carlo
Casino. Millionaires are often seen leaving the luxury cars and entering the
casino. How much they spend over a night? It's difficult to imagine, but,
wherever a two-room flat is worth € 4 million, there's a great sum of money at
stake. Because I was wearing shorts, I couldn't even get inside the entrance
hall… But that's ok. The casino was not what mattered the most for me. My
attention was directed to the beach. Small, with transparent waters and
agreeable weather, Monaco beach looks like a movie set. Distant mountains,
trendy buildings and hotels, calm and clean water. It's wonderful to swim with
the fish in that transparent sea. Although the whole principality is on the
Mediterranean, the beach is not more than 200-metre long. With those calm waters,
nautical sports are the best option. Sailing boats, launches and a lot of jet
skis adorn the water. But Monaco is not all about luxury and
beaches, although it is a tax haven… The principality's Royal House, the House
of Grimaldi, is also worth a visit. The building, at the top of a hill, does not
live up to the expectations, but provides a beautiful view. Monaco is a small place. It has around 25
thousand inhabitants, in 1,95 square metres, what does not lessen its importance.
Tourism and leisure propel its economy, with its apex during the Formula 1 race.
I just couldn't leave out mentioning how interesting it is to walk along the
streets that make up the circuit. Passing by the pier, going down the slopes,
crossing the tunnel many and many times, the circuit must not be easy for the
drivers. The streets are narrow, and there are lots of slopes and turns. Formula 1 stands out so much in Monaco that our beloved Ayrton Senna used to be known as the Prince of Monaco. Nowadays, Barrichello owns a house in the principality, as well as many foreign artists and famous people do. It couldn't be otherwise, since Monaco associates glamour, wealth and beautiful natural resources. Pictures: - Casino Monte Carlo: 1 - Advertisement of a flat: 1
- Castle of Monaco: 1 - View of the principality: 1 - Buildings: 1
- Beach: 1 Translated by Traduzca |
