A gorgeous Christmas vacation in Côte d'Azur

F&F
Jan 6, 2023
10 min read

Côte d'Azur, also known as the French Riviera, is a beautiful and popular vacation destination located in the southeast of France. It is known for its stunning Mediterranean coastline, charming seaside towns, and world-renowned cultural attractions.

During Christmas holidays of 2022, we decided to venture out to this unexplored (by us) part of France, given that the region is known for its mild Mediterranean climate, hoping to get pleasant temperatures and stock up on plenty of sunshine during the otherwise cold and dreary month of December. We were not disappointed.

Nice:

Our very first stop and our home base during our 6 day trip to the French Riviera was Nice, where we spent the first couple of days exploring all that the city had to offer. Our apartment in Nice was in a really convenient location, right on the Promenade des Anglais, with breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. It had plenty of restaurants, cafes, and boutiques within walking distance. The beach was also just steps away, making it the perfect spot for an evening stroll. Additionally, the apartment was also easily accessible by public transportation. Both the tram station and several bus stops were just a few minutes away, making it easy to explore other parts of the city. Given this convenience, we decided to postpone renting our car until we were ready to explore areas outside of Nice.

We arrived in Nice by plane from Paris in the afternoon of December 19th. After the usual apartment check-in procedures and lunch at a nearby cafe were done, we decided to go explore the city. Kids (now both are teens!) were still tired and jet-lagged, and decided to stay back home and rest. The over enthusiastic souls - me and my husband headed out on foot to check out the promenade, and the nearby city.

The walk on the promenade offered a majestic view of the sea and the city skyline on one side while the other side was lined with big hotels, luxury apartment blocks, casinos and fabulous restaurants. To add to the glamor was the line of palm trees illuminated with the white Christmas lights! During the stroll, we simply had to make random stops at a couple of cafes to try some local pastries and coffee - after all French pastries are known to be the best!

In the old city, we spent some time in the evening walking around Place Massena, a beautiful square located in the heart of Nice. As we walked around the square, we were dazzled by the charming holiday decorations that adorned the streets. There were Christmas lights strung up on the trees, festive wreaths hanging on the lampposts, and a gorgeously decorated Christmas Market taking place right in the middle.

We decided to skip the market in favor of going as a full family with the kids the following day. We picked up some food for takeout and got back to the apartment by tram, ready to call it a day.

The next day was our true exploration of Nice. Our first stop obviously was a boulangerie (bakery) for some early morning coffee. The bakery was small but packed with delicious treats. We tried a few different types of pastries, including croissants, pain au chocolat, and éclairs. Everything was fresh and delicious, baked to perfection.

We continued to venture into the old city and not before long, we were back to Place Massena, this time with the kids and during daylight. This beautiful square has a distinctive black and white tiled checkerboard floor offset by the deep red brick buildings and a large fountain, popularly known as Fontaine du Soleil at one end. Place Massena is where two of Nice’s best shopping districts meet: Avenue Jean Medecin with all high end shopping stores and Rue Massena, which is at the heart of a network of streets known as the Zone Pietonne (pedestrian zone).

We slowly made our way to Cours Saleya, a bustling market filled with stalls selling all kinds of goods, from fresh produce to flowers to handmade items. As we walked through the market, we stopped by a few stalls to try some local foods and discover unique items. Having had a late breakfast, and tidbits from the market, we were not yet hungry for lunch.

We were ready to head up to our next destination - Castle Hill, a historic hilltop park perching 92m above sea level, offering vast panoramic views over the pristine waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the colorful city of Nice. There usually is an elevator to go up, but it was not operational that day, so we ended up climbing the 400 or more steps, soaking in the magnificent views at every turn, not missing any opportunity to capture the memories in the form of photos.

Lunch was at an interesting place - George's Roll Seafood - a hole in the wall kind of sandwich store serving mouthwatering seafood sandwiches at a very reasonable price! We thoroughly enjoyed our shrimp, crawfish and crab sandwiches.

Fully satiated, we made our way to exploring the rest of Old Town Nice, where we stumbled upon the Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate de Nice, a stunning cathedral with intricate details and gorgeous stained glass windows. We spent some time touring the cathedral, admiring the beautiful architecture and learning about the history of the building.

We also spent some time exploring the narrow streets of Old Town Nice, discovering random charming boutiques and local markets. We stopped by a few local shops and boutiques, discovering unique items and souvenirs.

It was time to head over to the Christmas Market in Place Massena. Dominating the place was the fifty-meter high Ferris wheel, adorned with thirty-six cabins and gorgeous light installations, and it was absolutely impossible to resist a ride on it right away. We thoroughly enjoyed the ride, with commanding views of the line of palm trees glowing with white and yellow Christmas lights, bordering the seaside Promenade Des Anglais, and the spectacular display of sparkles, garlands, and other decor of vibrant colors below us. The market was also filled with charming stalls selling all kinds of festive items, from hand-crafted trinkets to delicious holiday food delicacies.

We had the opportunity to try some of the famous socca, a type of chickpea flatbread that is a specialty of Nice. It was delicious! Fresh churros being fried right there looked irresistible so we had to try some of those as well. They tasted heavenly, served hot and coated in sugar, with a crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior.

Dinner was at the Iberica restaurant, a small Spanish tapas bar in the old town. Food was finger licking delicious...

Menton and Lucéram

We woke up to a cloudy morning - with a forecast of some rain during the AM hours. Well, we only had a limited number of days, so we decided to stick to our plan to head out to Menton. Once the rental car got picked up, we drove straight out to Menton. Our first stop there was Marche des Halles, an indoor produce market near the waterfront in the old part of town. On the way, we passed by the gorgeous Menton Christmas market in the Jardin Biovès, with its extraordinary nativity scenes, elf workshops, Santa's train ride and some lovely holiday decorations. The storefronts along the way were also decorated with holiday themes, many of them displaying vibrant and festive window displays. Even amidst the cloudy and dreary day, the abundance of colorful lights and decorations illuminated the town with a warm glow.

Lunch again, was simply fabulous. There was this small Italian place off the main drag, called "Little Italy" serving the most delicious, mouth-watering pizza and fantastic pasta - our spaghetti with clams was just perfect! The calamari was grilled to perfection, and the seafood pasta was simply mouth-watering, with an abundance of fresh seafood. On a cold and rainy day like this, it was a great way to spend time really enjoying the food. Coffee after lunch was at Edwige coffee shop.

The rains still had not subsided as we had expected. Thankfully we had packed a couple of umbrellas this time and they were the life-savers - we started our exploration of Menton. From the main pedestrianized street, Rue Saint-Michel, we started following the steep streets with traditional Provencal townhouses lined with shops and restaurants, all adorned with the vibrant holiday décor.

The roads became quieter but were still very picturesque as we climbed towards the Basilique St Michael Archange de Menton, an imposing Provencal baroque-style building sitting on top of the hill overlooking the Old Town and the Port, visible from just about everywhere in town. The climb up the steps to get to it was well worth the effort - the views from the plaza in front out over the rooftops to the port and Italy in the distance were simply spectacular. Next to the church, the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception (also known as the Chapel of the Penitents Blancs) is also noteworthy.

We were ready to wrap up our visit to Menton and head over to our next destination, Lucéram, a beautiful fortified medieval village overlooking a verdant landscape. As we ascended higher into the hills, we passed through a layer of clouds, making it feel like we were driving through the sky. The sun also peeked through the clouds at times, making for a beautiful and dynamic landscape.

Our main attraction in Lucéram was to visit the “Circuit des Crèches" - a tradition in the village of Lucéram during the season of Christmas, where the inhabitants of the town create hundreds of nativity scenes that celebrate the birth of Christ. Lucéram's annual "Circuit des Crèches" proposes a circuit for visitors to follow, leading them through the town, down little streets, beneath low vaulted passages, through large squares, past museums, chapels, and fountains. Unfortunately by the time we reached there, and found a reasonable spot to park, it got too dark for us to enjoy any of this. Hopefully we can come back to this beautiful village some other Christmas.

Èze and Monaco

We woke up to a gorgeous sunny morning. Our destination for the day was Èze - a postcard perfect medieval village perched high on a hilltop above the Mediterranean Sea, between St Jean Cap Ferrat and Monaco. The drive from Nice to Eze was simple breathtaking. The more we moved away from Nice, closer to the mountains, we were rewarded with magnificent views of the mountains on one side and the birds eye view of the sea on the other.

Once parked in Èze, we started climbing up the cobblestone steps, past some quaint little shops, and the Tourist Information Centre. Meandering alleyways, centuries-old stone cottages, and panoramic views over towards the glittering Mediterranean Sea - it doesn’t get much more stunning than this. The panoramic views of the perched village, narrow, winding streets punctuated by small squared and vaulted passages, ancient façades, and the centuries old stonework enthralled us immediately. It felt like the place was frozen in a time-warp of the past. The shops, galleries, and workshops of local craftsmen dotted along the meandering streets were beautifully adorned.

After some random walking around, we tumbled upon a beautiful church - Eglise Notre Dame de l'Assomption. The bright yellow facade of this building proudly stood out in the backdrop of the verdant mountains. The interior decoration was resplendent, with exquisite frescoes.

At the top of the hill in Èze is Jardin Exotique d’Èze, an exotic garden created on the site of a ruined fortress, offering sweeping views plunging dramatically down to the shining Cote d’Azur and the clusters of colorful houses perched on rocky outcrops above the cliffs. We spent quite some time here admiring the impressive cacti and succulents from the Mediterranean region, Africa and the Americas, and soaking in the sweeping 360 degree views of the surrounding region.

Lunch today was on the way to Monaco, at a seaside restaurant, Naos Beach in Cap d'Ail. Again, the food and the portion sizes did not disappoint. We had a delicious meal while enjoying a fabulous view looking out to deep blue waters of the ocean.

Our last stop of the day was Monaco - the world's second smallest independent state squeezed into just two square kilometers. But what Monaco may lack in size it certainly makes up for in style. This is one of the most affluent spots in the world as well as being blessed with an abundance of nature. After the quaint little village of Eze, this was quite the contrast for us.

Backed by a dramatic cliffside, our very first stop, Monaco's waterfront La Condamine district centers around the city's largest harbor. Glamorous luxury yachts of many moneyed Monaco residents were docked here. We managed to take a short boat ride across the harbor to view these amazing vessels from up close, enjoying the upfront view of the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

We absolutely could not miss the most popular highlight of the Monaco, Monte Carlo area during Christmas - the dazzling Christmas village and market. While wandering through the seaside Esplanade Du Port Hercule, the market captivated us with its enchanting wooden chalet stalls, their glittering illuminations, and festive decorations.

We wrapped up the day with some takeout dinner at our home in Nice.

Saint Paul-de-Vence & Tourrettes-sur-Loup

Another gorgeous sunrise awaited us the next day. Today we were headed west, to the fairytale village of St Paul de Vence, clinging impressively to the mountainside somewhere between Nice and Vence. Once there, we started wandering through the main street of the village – rue Grande – which leads from the entrance at the north gate (Porte de Vence) to the end of the village, where a cemetery is located just behind the southern gate.

We did not hesitate to take random detours at will along the meandering alleyways, stopping to admire the charming little galleries, shops, restaurants, and art studios. It felt like stepping back into a historical timeline.

Circling around the medieval city, we saw the crumbling remainders of the the 16th century rampart walls, once making this town an impregnable fortress.

Lunch was at the small town of Vence, at Restaurant Des Baous. This ordinary, unassuming place had amazing quality food at a very decent price. We thoroughly enjoyed every item.

After a hearty meal, we headed over to Tourrettes sur Loup, another charming medieval village, also perched on a rocky outcrop surrounded by exotic scenery.

We randomly walked through the narrow, cobblestone, flower-lined streets down to a cliffside viewpoint to admire breath-taking views over the valley. The golden rays of the setting sun cast a magical glow on ramparts of the town and the cliffside houses. We took our time to soak in the amazing scenery at a leisurely pace.