Eze has a dreamy location, perched high on a mountaintop, halfway between Nice and Monaco. The outskirts of the town offer seemingly endless views of the French Riviera, while the stone streets take visitors through the enchantment of the medieval era. Eze is one of the unknown gems of the Cote d’Azur, with its crumbling 16th archways, quirky art galleries, botanical gardens packed with sculptures and cacti, and finds an excellent balance between tourist infrastructure and rustic untouched charm.
The vistas are legendary, and it’s said that Walt Disney spent a lot of time in the town. Accessed via a very steep scenic road, Eze offers uninterrupted over the Mediterranean and the forested mountains of the Coast. Jardin Botanique d’Eze has exotic plants and the most famous panoramas. The labyrinthine medieval streets have been left in a redolent stage of semi-ruin, which has led some to call it a “museum village”. Dating to 1306, Chapelle de la Sainte Croix is the oldest and most visited building in the town, although the experience here is less about ticking off sights and more about soaking up the atmosphere. Various cafes grace the cobblestone, and it’s easy to wile away an afternoon on the town square.
Eze is only a 30-minute journey from Nice and those taking public transport don’t need to worry about finding one of the town’s limited parking spaces, as two bus routes travel between Eze and Nice. Monaco is less than 10 kilometres away while Nice Airport can be reached in 15 minutes by car. The entrance to historical Eze is just a short walk from the bus stop and once inside the maze, the only way to travel is on foot. Often it’s best not to take a map as the most captivating side streets are those that are stumbled upon.
A commune has existed on this mountain for 4,000 years, with the current architecture dating from the 14th to 17th centuries. Throughout this period, the border of Monaco started at Eze.