Medieval hilltop village above the sea
The beauty of Èze-Village is difficult to exaggerate. It’s a medieval settlement that looks as if it’s growing directly out of the cliff – built upon towering rocks 427 metres (1,400 feet) above the Mediterranean. The sea below is extraordinarily blue. The air above smells of lavender and warm stone.
The village itself is tiny and almost entirely given over to visitors in high season, but its elegance is not diminished by its popularity. The steep cobbled lanes are intensely atmospheric. Follow the maze of vaulted passages past carved doorways and small art galleries tucked into ancient stone rooms.
The views appear without warning, suddenly and dramatically, through gaps in the walls or at the end of a climbing alleyway. Each one is better than the last, so keep climbing towards the pinnacle. Your ultimate reward is the Jardin Exotique, a ticketed botanic garden nestled amongst the grand ruins of a medieval castle.
Friedrich Nietzsche walked the path from Nice to Èze repeatedly while writing Thus Spoke Zarathustra. That tells you something about the kind of thinking these landscapes encourage. The Nietzsche Path still winds up from the coast below – but it’s a seriously difficult route, only for very experienced and well-equipped hikers.
View French Riviera (Côte d'Azur)
