Summer Travel: The Top Medieval Hillside Villages of the French Riviera

I am a certified Francophile...and a lover of all things French...If given a choice to travel anywhere in the world I would choose another trip to that most beautiful of all countries, (well, in my humble Opinion that is)...during the late 80's and 90's and even up until 2 years ago, my hubby and I would go nearly every year planning a trip where we would fly into and out of Paris, spend a few days in that glorious city on both ends of our journey, then head out to a different part of the countryside. We would utilize their most efficient high speed train system combining that with a rental car we would pick up at the train station...these modes of transportation made it easy for us to see all the little villages, historic spots and magnificent castles of each region.

In this article I'm going to concentrate on a few of the tiny hillside villages, called the Hinterland or the Perched villages located just above the sun-drenched seaside towns of the Riviera.

Almost everyone has heard of the Riviera or the Cote de Azur and flock there by the thousands during the peak spring and summer months. The stars and the rich and famous gather there in their yachts and splendid homes, the glitterati are there to track their every move...But that's not my reason to go, no, not at all.

Yes, we enjoy spending some of our precious time exploring those beautiful coastal destinations, Monaco, Nice, Cannes, the lovely inlet of Villefranche sur Mar and all the others....One in particular, a quaint and lovely little town, which was our home base for a few weeks, called Menton...Menton was located just one mile from Italy to the east, and just over the hill from Monte Carlo. Nice was just a 20 minute drive away...yes, Menton was a perfect destination in itself and one we enjoyed so very much..

My true love are those walled villages that sit in the hills high above these famous resorts of the Cote de Azur....most go back to the middle ages, but have been historically occupied since the bronze age, even before the Greeks arrived and the Romans.... eventually the area was under the auspices of the kingdom of Monaco...in the 1860's the residents of these towns and villlages voted to become an annex of France instead of Monte Carlo...Today they are some of the most visited tourist sites in the country, with easy access from the coast by way of the Grand Corniche...these roads will take you to whereever it is you wish to go...We like to use a book of Michelin maps to find the best access roads.

Some of these villages are time capsules of the Medieval age and have been discovered over the last hundred years by writers and artists who chose these charming and out of the way places to write, paint and work on their artistic endeavors in these places that are so conducive for creativity.

So what and where are these medieval towns, those walled villages that have withstood the ravages of time, the religious wars that were fought there and now, surviving tourism, you might ask?

The first village that comes to mind, located just above Menton, though not very famous but one that exudes charm from every corner is St Agnes, a village that is still pretty much undiscovered, with its streets uncluttered by tourists. It towers high on a rocky landscape, well preserved with houses dating from the 15th century...many are restored but in keeping with French historic preferences about rebuilding, still have that medieval feeling....walking thorough the tiny alleyways, nooks and corners, you feel as if you've stepped far back in time.

Looking out from the steep rocky cliffs the panoramic views are just breathtaking...you can see the coastline from San Remo in Italy all the way west to St Tropez...look in the northerly direction and you can see the snowcapped mountains of the Alps.

But one warning...the roads leading in and out can be very hazardous as they are tiny and at the edge of a steep cliff...I had to close my eyes as my husband held his breath when a truck approached from the other direction.

Next on our agenda that day was Roquebrune, a mountain village with its famed "Chateau de Roquebrune". This village dates back to 10th century and is associated with the famous dynasty of Charlemagne....Sitting on the edge of a cliff among it's pristine and ancient beauty, it is a perfect example of a perched village....on the day we were there we heard some loud noises from below so we looked out over the rock wall of the castle and spotted cars racing in the hills preparing for the upcoming Grand Prix de Monte Carlo. What a sight that was. The next day we saw part of the race but that's another story all together

But back to the charm of Roquebrune, the streets are steep, so stairways seem to be never ending, twisting alleyways in St Agnes and in all the villages are the norm so it's a good idea to wear good walking shoes.

As in most villages there is a market, Roquebrune, is noted for it's famous flower market and what beautiful sights and scents await, it is here also that you begin your tour of the oldest Feudal castle in the country, Chateau de Roquebrune....this castle was an engineering feat that boggles the mind still today since the walls are huge, between 7 and 13 feet think, which, during its heyday, contained every form of defense system and was successful in preventing any takeover by marauding raiders or army's.... cannons, and look out points are everywhere in those massive walls...your imagination takes over as you look out at the surrounding hills and Mediterranean beyond.

In this Hinterland, there are over 50 enchanting villages perched on the hilltops, it was almost impossible to decide which one to visit the next day, but we decided to go a bit west to find one that was quite famous and well known..Eze Village

What a sight that was upon approaching, a perfect picture postcard setting...Eze, with it's quaint medieval feel, cobblestone streets and sights of the sea is one place not to be missed...as we approached my heart raced to see the sight of this most picturesque spot, standing alone in the hills, it appears, like a mirage, this village, built on a rocky spike 1300 ft above the Mediterranean...as with all these perched villages you can't help but wonder how they were built...the logistics had to almost impossible but somehow they were and are here now, a testament to the ingenuity of mankind.

Eze

Upon arrival you have to park your car and walk uphill, way uphill...finally arriving, you pass though an archway, leading you right into the heart of the village....the narrow streets and twisting steps, take you past beautifully restored house in the passageways, and, if you are lucky, you won't be shoulder to shoulder with other visitors...we arrived early in the morning so avoided many of those crowds but as the day progressed the crowds grew, so my advice would to avoid the middle of the day if you can... or stay over night in one of the two famous hotels Chateau Chevre D'Or or Chateau Eza, ...sorry to say we didn't have that particular experience since the prices were overwhelming, though we did visit both hotels and had a cool refreshing Glace' at the Chevre D'Or in order to use the opportunity to walk around the interior of the place, again astounded by the views and the paintings on the walls, given to the owners by the struggling artists over the years in exchange for their meals.

Factoid: in the past, when arriving at Chateau Eza donkeys welcomed the newly arriving quests at the base of the village carrying their luggage up the hill to their rooms...donkeys are still there but only as an attraction now

Back to our walk. Many of those restored "houses" are now boutiques and artists studios, you can purchase all sorts of wonderful things from true art to kitschy souvenirs...There are wonderful little cafes to dine in and outdoor stands to taste some of their famous foods and pastries, one I had was a lemon concoction that just melted in my mouth...

But don't despair you can get somewhat away from the crowds by walking up the hill a bit more until you find the le Jardin Exotique ...this lushly landscaped garden, consisting of rare exotic plants and a cactus garden, was developed by Louis XIV....it decorates the summit of the village and, with those incredible views of the sea, from any vantage point, it truly is magnifique!

There are more, so many more incredible villages and sights to see in these hills, I could write a book but with just these three examples I hope to have whet your appitite to expand whatever vacation you might be planning to Riviera, or the Cote de Azur, just remember to look up, go off the beaten path into the hills, the sights and tastes will be something you will remember always.

From Wikipedia:
"The hinterland is the land or district behind the borders of a coast or river. Specifically, by the doctrine of the hinterland, the word is applied to the inland region lying behind a port, claimed by the state that owns the coast. The area from which products are delivered to a port for shipping elsewhere is that port's hinterland".