Southern Girl in the South of France
Nice
The South of France was made for girls like me who enjoy being boujee in a beautiful place. Two months later, I'm still longing for the dazzling blue beach, lounging on the navy-and-white striped chairs at Ruhl Plage, sipping a liter bottle of Whispering Angel rosé, and chatting with the cute new boy I met the night before.
Four days in Nice is just enough to fall in love and long enough to leave you craving more. Every café in the heart of Old Town buzzes with French and English conversations, inviting you to enjoy a croissant while you ogle gorgeous French men and eat fruit by the sea.
This was a birthday trip for my best friend/sister, so it was naturally an extra special trip and, without a doubt, the best vacation of my life. Myself, Madison, and Evan were all delighted to spend a weekend away from our worries and drowning them in all the delicious food, views, and men that this coast has to offer.
On the first day of our trip, we awoke to a rainy morning in the heart of Old Town, Nice—a charming, buzzing, slow-paced city center with absolutely no cars allowed. I could hear the drizzle from the loft bedroom through the cracked window, with a soft breeze coming in. Our mood was so high that a little rain couldn't dampen our excitement for the weekend ahead. I flew in late Wednesday night, so Thursday through Sunday were dedicated to experiencing as much of the South of France as possible, including Nice, Eze, and Monaco.
Our morning started with a cappuccino and a croissant before heading to Château de Crémat for an early tour and wine tasting. The 20-minute Uber drive took us through the mountainous green hills, twisting and turning until we arrived at the extravagant salmon-colored estate. Upon entering the castle gates, you walk through a magnificent garden with eccentric sculptures and fountains strategically placed throughout the courtyard. The tour began at the mosaic green front doors, with interlocking Cs hoisted above by baby angel depictions on the wall. Our lovely tour guide gave us the history of the building, which I did my best to absorb through her thick French accent, so forgive me if some details are slightly twisted.
Running a bit behind on the tour, we joined a friendly family from Minnesota and admired the astonishing three-story château, recently renovated with vintage furniture from the Ritz in Paris circa the 1950s.
After the full tour of the Parisian-chic castle and some lore about Coco Chanel—allegedly, she spent considerable time at Château de Crémat while creating her brand, Chanel, and it’s rumored she may have drawn inspiration from the château for her logo. Remember the interlocking Cs above the front door? That is the château’s logo, which closely resembles the famous Chanel logo. The design is featured throughout the castle, even appearing in stained glass windows. The château was built in 1906, and Chanel’s brand followed in 1910. The interior design is essentially an ode to her, as they even recreated her suite from the Ritz Paris.
Next was the winery portion of the visit, the main reason we were there. They explained the process of making red, white, and rosé wines, but I don’t recall much due to the accent and anticipation. We tasted six different wines: two whites, two rosés, and two reds. We befriended the kind Minnesotan family, who even bought us a bottle of wine to share while we laughed and discussed our experiences as Americans abroad.
Next, we went to Ruhl Plage, a beach club and restaurant on the water, for some much-needed nourishment after our breakfast of wine. I ordered the poke bowl with the freshest ingredients: tuna, mango, cucumber, carrots, pomegranates, red cabbage, and avocado over sushi rice.
After lunch, we headed back to the Airbnb to get ready for dinner and grab a drink at the famous Le Negresco five-star hotel. The impeccable architecture of this grand hotel epitomizes Nice itself, with every detail meticulously crafted. Upon entering, we were directed to the bar—a dark, mid-century modern room filled with old portraits and an old school vintage vibe, contrasting the dazzling white extravagance of the lobby.
Truthfully, the service here was pitiful. We found the hostess to be condescending and to look down on guests. The drinks were delicious, as they should be, considering they cost an average of about 30 euros per cocktail.
We left Le Negresco for our dinner reservation at Le Plongeoir, another classic Nice tourist destination that some may know as the diving board restaurant. Located on quite literally an old diving board, the building is perched atop a rock with views of the Mediterranean waves crashing all around you. Our reservation at sunset was the perfect time to watch the orangey hues go down over the deep turquoise waters.
Some may say the food is overrated, but I found it delicious, though I’ve had better. The price and quality of the meal were worth it, and I would definitely recommend it for the ambiance.
You must make your reservation months in advance because as I'm sure you can guess, it is a very popular destination.
After the best birthday dinner I think Madison has ever had, we had to continue the celebrations in town. We headed to our place for a quick outfit change to some clothes and shoes more suitable for the dancing that was about to ensue.
If you’ve read my blogs before you may be able to predict what happens next. At Wayne’s bar in Old Town I met my latest vacation boyfriend, a brown-haired, blue eyed Belgian sweetheart finishing his master’s degree in Nice. I really did not want to have another vacation boyfriend. As a sociable, outgoing girl, I unintentionally find myself really good at flirting.
This bar is filled with Americans and English speakers as it's dubbed the “American bar.” We drank Long Island Iced Teas all weekend on the French Riviera in true American style.
He also bought me his signature drink, a ‘Baco’—Bacardi and cola. This fueled the rest of our evening together, with his friends and mine roaming the city until the late hours of the morning, running around to find the best clubs so we never had to stop dancing.
The next morning, hungover and possibly still drunk from the previous night’s festivities, we had originally planned to rent a car and drive to Monaco. Due to the state of our minds and bodies, we decided to postpone that trip until the following day and opted for a beach day instead.
We visited the farmer’s market in the town square, where dozens of vendors sold fresh strawberries, cherries, pineapples, apricots, watermelons—any fruit you could think of. We bought a basket of fruit from friendly French farmers and walked a few minutes to the beach to sit and watch the aquamarine waters shimmer in the morning sun. This was one of those moments when you’re intoxicated by the present moment, appreciating sitting in the sun, eating fresh fruit in the South of France with your best friend.
My new love interest joined us as we returned to the beach club, where I once again ordered the best poke bowl ever and a magnum bottle of Whispering Angel rosé.
I absolutely knew I had to jump in the water, even though the early May water temperatures would leave me with goosebumps. I had no fear knowing my rosé would warm me right back up.
The sun shone down on the most perfect 67 degree day with not a cloud in the sky and the perfect cool breeze to dry you enough on your way out of the water, but not freeze you.
The beautiful blue-green water, bouncing sunlight off its surface, is so clear you can see your toes as if they were reflections in glass. All beauty is pain when you step on the beach and find the “sand” is made up entirely of rocks that gouge your feet the entire walk down to the heavenly yet treacherous sea. The waves may knock you onto the harsh rocks below and make you realize the glittering blue is better admired from a distance.
We ate, drank, and tanned in the sun until we were giddy and the sunset kicked us out of the establishment. That and a couple of broken wine glasses, we knew it was time to go.
After shutting down the beach club, we set out on a mission to find croissants. Most pastry shops close mid-morning to mid-afternoon, so our search at 7 p.m. took about 45 minutes scouring the city on foot. With a box of pain au chocolat in hand, we decided it was time for a nap and then awoke around 10 p.m. to scavenge the city for dinner. We ended up at a random Italian restaurant around the corner, recommended by my love interest’s Italian roommates as the closest thing to authentic Italian pizza in Nice. I ordered a pizza because, as you may remember, I only eat gluten in France. It’s a bit strange, but it works for me!
We discovered that the south of France doesn’t follow the Madrid dining schedule of 10-11 p.m. We had an average meal and finished the evening with a few more Long Island Iced Teas before taking it easy for our Monaco exploration the following day.
Eze
The following morning we lazily awoke, after learning that exploring the entirety of Monaco only takes a couple of hours. We decided to uber there instead of renting a car, with one stop along the way in Eze.
Eze is a beautiful village hidden in the mountains, with all its structures appearing as if they were built into the rock, reminiscent of medieval times. The winding and often confusing cobblestone paths lead you up the hills into the village. We got lost on our way to lunch, as Google Maps is not fully updated on all the “roads” here. Growing hangry and frustrated during our 40-minute journey, we started to bicker until we stumbled upon Château Eza. We unknowingly discovered one of the nicest establishments in the village, an exclusive château known for its celebrity guests, such as Serena Williams and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Entering the small, dark doorway of the restaurant, the staff led us out onto the terrace, where we were blinded by the bright blue sea below. This outdoor dining area offers nearly 360-degree views of the ocean. Seated under an umbrella for shade, we enjoyed Hugo Spritz, my new favorite drink with St. Germain Elderflower liqueur instead of the traditional Aperol. The view was breathtaking.
The Côte d'Azur is the quintessential daydream escape for those imagining the perfect European life. The glittering water and fresh smoked salmon with a summer cocktail make you forget your worries, at least for the duration of the vacation. We even swore there was a celebrity at the table next to us, but we couldn’t be sure.
After a delectable lunch, which was the highlight of our village prance, we shopped in the local stores and bought some cheesy knickknacks. We then continued our journey to Monaco, the most lavish country in all of Europe. Ubers are illegal in Monaco, so while you can take one there, you must use a taxi or the train for the return trip.
Monaco
When we arrived in Monte Carlo, the capital of Monaco, we walked to the center where the famous casino is located. The city is extremely small, with everything within a 10-minute walk. With the same gorgeous views of the sea, we strolled past Hermes, Goyard, Valentino, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Celine, until we reached the square with Casino Monte Carlo, Café de Paris, and Hotel de Paris.
Our first stop was the casino, but unfortunately, I did not have my passport with me, so I was unable to enter. I tried to negotiate with the front desk woman, as I did have my Spanish ID card, but they run a tight ship. We decided to go for a drink at Café de Paris and sit on their large terrace to people-watch. The people walking about Monaco were dripped down in designer clothing—some flaunting labels to show off their wealth, and others wearing understated luxury that only those in the same tax bracket would truly recognize, worth what most people’s rent costs for six months. Not to mention the cars parked outside Casino Monte Carlo. We had a perfect view from our table at Café de Paris of the Rolls-Royces, Bugattis, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc.
We then walked to a lookout spot to admire the superyachts in the harbor and watch boats passing by, imagining the patrons on board and trying to guess what they must do for a living. It’s amazing how niche industries can generate enough wealth to pass on that much generational wealth. We continued our walk to the F1 race track. The Monaco Grand Prix was a couple of weeks after our visit, so we got to stroll along the track and see the grandstands all set up for the exciting race we were about to miss. After buying some more souvenirs, we headed to the train station to return to Nice. It was a silent train ride, as we took in all the opulence and wealth, transitioning back to real life.
Returning to Nice again for one last meal before my 6 am departure back to Madrid, we went to a traditional French restaurant. La Femme du Boulanger was a 10 minute walk from our airbnb. The small local restaurant was very casual and we sat outside and ordered a bottle of red wine and classic french entrees. I ordered the duck with a cherry sauce over top with a serving of vegetables and smashed truffle potatoes that were to die for. This meal was easily the best authentic French we’ve ever had and the best meal of the trip.
We returned for an early last night at the Airbnb, and I woke at 3:30 a.m. to make sure I was packed and wouldn’t miss my flight to Madrid. You might recall I mentioned that I did not have my passport with me. I didn’t just mean at the casino in Monaco; I meant for the entire trip.
I was under the impression that, since I have my Spanish residency card, it would be sufficient for all travel within the EU. France is a different country, but within the EU, the laws seem to be open to interpretation, making travel within all EU countries very easy. The Iberia worker checking me in did not agree. He told me I was not allowed on the flight without a passport.
Oh, and a key piece of information: I didn’t have my passport not because I’m an idiot, but because I lost it. Which might make me an idiot, but I had just sent off my emergency passport in the mail to renew and receive a new one from the U.S. Embassy. I honestly thought nothing of it because I still had my Spanish ID card, assuming that would work for all EU travel, as no one had a problem when I was boarding the plane to France four days prior.
The unsympathetic French airline worker aggressively told me to step out of line and there was no way I was boarding the flight. I stood there pleading and uncontrollably crying begging him to help me and I must have finally broken through his cold heart. After finally understanding that I live in Madrid and that I’m not just some dumb American (arguably I am sometimes) who didn’t think she needed her passport, I showed him a photocopy of my passport that was lost and he allowed me on the plane with a scolding.
As lovely as it would have been to stay in the daydream of Nice for the foreseeable future, I have never been more grateful to be let on a plane in my life. My heart longs to return to the glittering warmth of the Côte d’Azur; I must return when my pockets are full again and armed with my U.S. passport.
Some of you may be wondering about the sweetheart I met. Well, in a funny twist of events, I had left my favorite pair of earrings in his possession. On my last night in Nice, he was in Monaco, and I couldn’t handle the idea of clubbing 40 minutes away where Uber is illegal before a 6am flight, so I canceled seeing him. I thought all hope was lost for retrieving my earrings, but his flight back to Brussels and my friend's flight back to Madrid happened to be at the same time. Unplanned, they ran into each other in the airport security line, and he returned the earrings to my friends, who brought them home to me. The kind gesture and gentlemanly behavior all weekend had me wondering if maybe this vacation boyfriend could leave the vacation after all…