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The gravel beach on the French Riviera – the turquoise waters off the coast of Nice -
Off to the Mediterranean! Gare de Lyon train station in Paris -
View from Trey's seat on his way to Marseille -
Trey's view from his lodgings in Parish. Bye, bye rainy weather! -
Arrival in Nice - a view of the Nice train station exterior
Fifth in a series
In addition to the eccentric Oh-La-La Hotel I described in my last installment about Paris, I was also fond of the tiny Airbnb studio apartment that I had booked for one night.
It was tucked under the mansard roof on the 6th floor of a classic Paris walkup (no elevator) apartment building. Walking up five very tall flights of stairs was no fun. However, the one and only window (a large one) in my tiny Airbnb provided an excellent view of a beautiful, peaceful park located across the street, Square du Temple - Elie Wiesel. It is also known as Temple Square. I found myself lingering at the window, peering down with contentment and serenity at the park and the lovely old buildings in the neighborhood.
Despite all that Paris had to offer, I was ready to leave. Paris, and most of Europe it seemed, had begun experiencing cloudy weather and rain. And more rain was forecast. An exception to the overcast weather might be found at the French Riviera, my research revealed. Craving some sunshine, I packed my bags and made my way to Gare de Lyon, the Paris train station for trains to Southern France, including the Mediterranean Coast of France.
The trip to the coast was quick thanks to another very fast train. My first destination was Marseille, the port city on the Mediterranean coast of France. The drive in an automobile from Paris down to Marseille takes about eight hours. However, the fast train made the trip in about three and a half hours. Other than sunshine, I had no special reason for visiting Marseille. It just seemed like a good place to stop.
In Marseille, I started out on a mostly-downhill, 30-minute walk from the train station down to the port on the coastline. However, after about 15 minutes, I changed my mind about Marseille. I sensed an unfriendly vibe from the locals; people didn’t appear happy and the streets and sidewalks didn’t seem to be clean. Alarmed, I quickly summoned an Uber, was taken back to the train station, and was soon back aboard a train traveling westward along the Mediterranean coast to Nice, France.
I had been studying maps and hotels on the train ride down from Paris, and Nice appeared to be a vibrant, upbeat destination. (That the movie 'To Catch a Thief,' was filmed in Nice and Cannes, France, also influenced my choosing Nice as a destination).
The train arrived after dark and I set out on foot for my hotel. It was an easy, pleasant journey through town. The streets were bustling with people window shopping and others laughing and talking while dining outside at cafes along the way. I picked up some takeout food because I was ready to eat a quick bite in my room and turn in.
I had selected and booked my Nice hotel while researching on the train ride down from Paris. My hotel for the evening was the Best Western Plus - Hotel Massena, Nice. (58 Rue Gioffredo). It was a neat and tidy hotel with a comfortable bed and very good breakfast buffet. It may have been an American brand, but it seemed a safe, last-minute selection for the evening. The hotel staff was very accommodating and friendly.
The next morning after several cups of coffee, and a couple of trips through the buffet line, I proceeded down to the Mediterranean Sea. It was a short walk from the hotel. I was wearing my sunglasses during my walk to the sea but after walking about two minutes, I was shocked by the intensity of the sunlight. The sun’s intensity in Nice that morning was reminiscent of my standing on the mountaintop at Vail, Colorado, on a sunny morning after fresh snow had fallen the evening before. I had succeeded in leaving gloomy, overcast weather behind.
After walking a few more minutes, I reached the Mediterranean and found a beautiful beach, but instead of sand, it was gravel. The sea was a stunningly beautiful combination of turquoise and dark blue. The sky was clear and light blue without a cloud in sight. Looking west, I noticed buildings lined along the seashore, backed up to verdant hillsides. Although I have seen the Mediterranean Sea once before, near Tel Aviv, Israel, I don't recall ever seeing such a beautiful combination of turquoise and blue as I did that morning at Nice.
Next time: Spending time in both Nice and Cannes, France. Cannes and Nice are French Riviera neighbors, but are very different.
Back to the series Beyond Bunches Bend
