One of the small resorts on the Cote d'Azur, the town of Eze consists of two parts that should be distinguished. They are located at some distance from each other, and therefore there are nuances in how to get to the upper or lower part, by train and bus.
The lower part is called Eze-sur-Mer, where there are private mansions, a small narrow beach and a train station. You can go down there, perhaps, once for the sake of curiosity or swimming. Because all the most interesting sights of Eze are located in its other, upper part - a mountain village located at an altitude of more than four hundred meters above sea level.
The village of Eze itself is quite beautiful and has the charm of an ancient southern settlement. Its surroundings, visible from the cliff on top of which it is located, will also provide “food” for the traveler’s eyes. Only on the territory of the exotic garden of Eza there are two observation platforms, one of which appeared quite recently. By the way, this garden is one of the main attractions of the village; a variety of cacti grow in it, including those brought from South America - miniature and giant, studded with thorns or covered with flowers during the flowering period.
The garden's cacti and palm trees surround the picturesque ruins of an ancient fortress. It is known that a settlement existed on this site back in the 6th century BC, and the construction of the first fortress was undertaken in these parts in the 1st century by the Romans. The village of Eze acquired its current appearance about ten centuries ago. Because of its narrow cobbled streets and stone houses, Eze is called a fairytale village.
The oldest building in the village is a church built at the beginning of the 13th century and known as the temple of the brotherhood of the Penitent White Sinners. Another remarkable church appeared here in the 18th century and was dedicated to the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Both parts of Ez are connected by the so-called “Nietzsche trail” - a mountain path along which the philosopher loved to walk while reflecting on his future novel “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”.
Sights of France. The fabulously beautiful village of Eze village
Like the nest of a strange bird, on a mountain ledge in the South of France is located the ancient and very beautiful village of Eze village. From here, from an altitude of 427 meters above sea level, the marvelous Mediterranean coast opens up, and on the clearest days you can even see the island of Corsica.
This wonderful and very ancient village, founded in 600 BC. Ligurian tribe, was one of the very first settlements on the Côte d'Azur of France. As befits such an ancient and beautiful place, Eze has a very rich history, it has survived many wars and battles, and has more than once been the “apple” of contention between rulers at different levels.
In the 1st century AD The Romans who came here built a fortress in the village. Perhaps this is where the name Eze comes from (from the Latin Avisium). But there is also an opinion that the name is associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis.
This fabulously beautiful village acquired the appearance that exists today around the 10th century AD. Stone houses, narrow but very picturesque stepped streets. Each house has many of its own very interesting details and features that create a unique look and feel of an old fairy tale.
The oldest building in Eze is the famous Church of Penitents of the White Brotherhood, or also called the Church of the Holy Cross (Chapelle de la Sainte Croix), built in 1304. This Brotherhood still exists today.
Until 1388, Eze was part of Provence, then it passed into the possession of the Dukes of Savoy. This small village has often been the subject of controversy. In the 16th century, the Prince of Monaco, Jean-Baptiste Grimaldi, nicknamed the Fierce, and the King of France, Francis I, fought for it. And finally, after many centuries of wars and disputes, in 1860, the Village of Eze finally passed to France.
And it is not without reason that the symbol of Eze is the Phoenix bird, and the motto “Isis Moriendo Renascor” translated means “In death I am reborn.”
One of the most significant pearls of Eze is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 18th century by the Italian architect Antonio Spinelli. An Egyptian cross is kept here and it is believed that the name of the village is associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis.
At the top of the mountain there is a wonderful Park of Exotic Plants, where hundreds of different cacti reign.
On the way to Nice, George Sand stopped in Eze, who was very impressed by the beauty and picturesqueness of this wonderful corner.
The old part of Eze is connected to the sea by a narrow path. It was here that the great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who worked here on his work “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” loved to walk daily and enjoy the beautiful landscapes. This path was called the “Nietzsche Path” (Chemin de Nietzsche).
Now it is a beautiful town, very calm and quiet. There's something special about him. The amazing fabulous beauty of the ancient streets and the uniquely beautiful natural landscape create a feeling of true paradise and allow you to plunge into history and feel the spirit of past centuries.
This video is in French, but it's worth watching.
Eze can be reached from Nice and Monaco in many ways: by car, bus, train and helicopter.
Add some sun and greenery to these short winter days? I want to tell you about one beautiful place I saw a couple of years ago on the Mediterranean coast of France. The ancient and very beautiful village of Eze is located 12 kilometers from Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
Sometimes Eze is called a town, and yes, it is a medieval town, but in reality modern world- village. Although located in a picturesque location on the French Riviera. They also make perfume there. You can look at the beautiful landscapes and find out more under the cut.
I already showed landscapes from settlement Villefranche-sur-Mer, taken on the same day on the way to Eze.
2. Map of this region with the location of Eza:
3. Actually, as part of that bus tour, we were taken along the road from Nice to Monaco to the perfumery museum-factory, as is usually the case - business on tourists, nothing personal. But first let's look at the surroundings, because it's worth it.
4. Eze is divided into two parts: the old mountain village of Eze and the seaside region of Eze-sur-Mer ("Eze on the sea"). The height difference between them is about 400 meters. The old part of Eze is connected to the sea by a narrow path along which the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who lived here for almost two decades and worked on the novel “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” loved to walk daily and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Today, the “Nietzsche Trail” (Chemin de Nietzsche) is a signposted steep mountain climb over stones and here and there along rocky steps, promising good review to beautiful landscapes. Nietzsche spent two hours a day on the descent and ascent:
5. Protected from the sea winds by the scythe of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (pictured left), Eze has maintained a favorable microclimate for lush Mediterranean vegetation.
6. The distances here on the map are small - only 6 km to Monaco, 16 km to the Italian border:
7. The road from Nice to Eze is picturesque. It goes quite high up the mountain, and below are small houses. Yachts, boats and giant liners sway on the calm surface of the sea, everything around breathes calm and tranquility. And we drive higher and higher in the mountains, contemplating the tiers of retaining walls with drainage systems. Sometimes the abyss is so close that you involuntarily recoil from the window:
8. At one time, on the way to Nice, the writer George Sand stopped in Eze, who was very impressed by the beauty and picturesqueness of this corner of France. This small village was also appreciated by the American animator Walt Disney, who vacationed here.
9. We continue to climb the mountain. Every more or less flat meter of land is used for life and work:
10. The roads are winding and sometimes a large bus cannot immediately pass a turn in one attempt. The map is not exactly this place, but it gives a general idea:
11. The pink and ocher facades of the villas, immersed in lush vegetation, among which banana trees grow, stand out against the backdrop of the sea. Wisteria, jasmine and bougainvillea emerge from under the balustrades and gates of private estates.
12. Lemon, orange and tangerine trees, on which the little Eza tangerines, famous for their unique taste, grow, give the streets a unique fragrance. In general, the feeling that you are in some bright future of humanity:
13. Population - about two and a half thousand people. Although it seems that there are more - there are so many interesting buildings here. By the way, there is one tourist attraction here next to the perfume factory - driving a Ferrari, on your own or with a driver. 15 minutes of independent taxiing in the presence of a caretaker is about 50 euros. Half an hour - 100 euros. We didn’t ride, but they say that the suspension is very stiff and a person feels every smallest pebble on the road - even though the roads are gorgeous. The seats are uncomfortable and barely adjustable. Not a Ferrari in the photo, of course:
14. My shots here are not entirely in chronological order, but rather in thematic order, so as not to get scattered throughout the story:
15. Let's return to our bus going to Eze. Here in the window there appeared a fabulous view of the ancient part of the village-town:
16. This ancient village with well-preserved medieval architecture looks like an eagle's nest looming over the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula. But, alas, this is not the place for us.
17. From here, from an altitude of about 400 meters above sea level, the picturesque Mediterranean coast opens, and on the clearest days, when there is no haze, they say you can even see the famous island of Corsica. I liked the texture of the tree bark:
18. There are two perfume factories in Eze - Fragonard and Galimard. The distance between them is about half a kilometer; at each of them tourists are welcomed, introduced to the process of composing perfume compositions and invited to visit a perfume store. A large boutique with Fragonard perfume and cosmetic products, it has existed since 1926.
19. So why "Fragonard?" In the town of Grasse in the south of France, a famous artist named Jean Honoré Fragonard was born in 1732 and lived. He was a student of the famous Jean-Baptiste Chardin, and then of Francois Boucher. After moving to Paris, Fragonard became famous for his light and playful paintings. The French Revolution, which broke out in 1789, devalued the artist’s work in the eyes of his contemporaries, along with the brilliant, pampered noble culture of the 18th century. The general public is now familiar with such paintings by Fragonard as “Swing”, “Stolen Kiss”, etc. Grateful descendants immortalized his name by naming the city boulevard after him. In one of the houses on this boulevard, in 1926, a factory was opened for the production of essential oils from rose petals. According to French traditions, the name is tied to the place - this is how the factory got its name.
20. The history of the creation of the enterprise itself is as follows. On the eve of World War I, entrepreneur Eugene Fouch was captivated by the charm of the Cote d'Azur and fell in love with the local world of fragrances. Thanks to the peculiarities of the microclimate in these places, it was possible to collect large harvests of aromatic plants. He decided to create new look perfume trade: selling it directly to customers, the number of which was constantly increasing.
The heir to the founder, Jean-François Coste expanded and modernized production. Kost was a passionate collector, thanks to him collections of paintings, costumes, costume jewelry, antique perfumes with related accessories were collected. And ancient means of production exhibited throughout the territory:
21. Now Fragonard is a company on the Mediterranean coast between Cannes and Monaco - in Grasse (historical plant) and Eze (laboratory plant). And two more perfume museums in the center of Paris - in the Napoleon III hotel on Rue Scribe and in the former theater building on Boulevard des Capucines. In Eze there are only tiny old factories left, where only soap, shampoos are produced and ready-made perfumes are bottled into small souvenir bottles. Nowadays, the factory is run by the daughters of Jean-François Costa - Françoise and Agnes, who are already the third generation of the founder's family.
22. In the premises of the museum-factory there are also unusual-looking buildings vintage devices, which were previously used to make perfume:
23. In the cabinets at the entrance there is a collection of antique bottles that were made specifically for perfumes, beautiful and rare specimens, they were sometimes decorated precious stones and paintings:
24. During the excursion they talk about the natural ingredients that are used in perfume products, as well as about ancient production technologies. The main ingredients, including lavender, jasmine and mimosa, grow in Provence, but some herbs and spices must be imported from other countries. For example, oranges and lemons come from California (USA), bergamot from Calabria (Italy), and sage and coriander from Russia:
25. With the development of laboratory technology, they learned how to make essences. Without them, a perfumer cannot take a single step: to create the desired aroma, sometimes dozens, or even hundreds of different components are required. Natural ingredients have always been the basis of perfumery, although in our technologically advanced times more and more synthetic aromatic substances are appearing.
26. Although, the decorative “organ” for composing aromas is still worthwhile (photo above left). The symbol of Ez is the Phoenix bird, and the motto “Isis Moriendo Renascor” translated means “In death I am reborn” - an alchemical transmutation, something akin to perfume witchcraft...
27. Visiting the factory only with a guide. There is no need to wait for the group, even if you come alone - the excursion will still be held, it is free. Quote from one of the visitors: “they told all sorts of interesting things: for example, that from a ton of rose petals you get only one bottle of the corresponding essence. Well, or that from a megaton of petals you get one box of cologne. In general, from a large amount of something you get a very small amount something else. That's exactly what I remember."
28. In the photo below is a worker in a soap shop. All workers work in glass-enclosed rooms to prevent interference from foreign odors. A long soap “sausage” crawls out of the blue unit, which is then molded with a special press:
29. The seams from the mold are cut off by hand from the almost finished soap, and the details are also hand-painted. It's time for us to soap up and get out of here according to the evacuation plan:
30. The factory visit does not last long, approximately 20-30 minutes. And as expected at the end of a visit, they lead you into a large hall. They will briefly share how a synthetic scent differs from a natural scent, and what is the difference between perfume and eau de toilette - the former contain 35% of oils, extracts and other natural ingredients, and the rest is alcohol and water, eau de parfum contains 10-12% of them. , and in eau de toilette no more than 6%.
31. Perfume is divided into four large categories: natural, fruity, floral and oriental. It is believed that metal gilded bottles look expensive. There are also several counters with soaps and creams for face and body.
33. This is all that was shown to us then in Eze and I really regret that they did not take it to the old part. But I will still give a short historical excursion. I had to take the photo from Wiki.
The first traces of human settlement in this area date back to the 20th-21st centuries. BC The current village, founded back in 600 BC. Ligurian tribe, is considered one of the very first relatively large settlements on the Cote d'Azur. In the 1st century AD The Romans who came here built their fortifications. Perhaps this is where the name Eze came from (from the Latin Avisium - fortress). But it is also suggested that the name Eza may be associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis (Isis), whose priests could have settled nearby, since there were colonies of the ancient Phoenicians in these parts.
The village belongs to the so-called "eagle's nests" - settlements characteristic of these places in the period after the collapse of the Roman Empire. Residents built fortified stone towns on mountain tops to protect themselves from surprise attacks by Saracen pirates. However, the first settlements appeared here long before the arrival of the Romans. On the coast and in the mountains, the Ligurians lived in these places, then the Greeks, then the Phoenicians. At a later time, this territory belonged to the Romans and Moors (for about 80 years, until they were expelled by William I of Provence in 973).
34. Here in the 13th century. The Guelphs, supporters of the Pope, arrived after the Ghibellines, the emperor’s warriors, defeated them. Here they settled and took up farming, building in the 14th century. church. It is still considered the oldest building in Eze - the Church of the Penitents of the White Brotherhood (Chapelle des Penitents Blancs) or, as it is also called, the Church of St. The Cross (Chapelle de la Sainte Croix), built in 1304. The brotherhood exists to this day. Then, in ancient times, the White Brotherhood saw the goal of their activities in helping lepers and the unfortunate, which is the goal of their activities to this day. Until 1388, Eze was part of Provence, then the possession of the Dukes of Savoy. Here you can see the ruins of the old fortress that the dukes built in Eze. It was of great strategic importance due to its proximity to Nice.
35. In the 16th century. the rights to Eze were disputed by the Prince of Monaco, Jean-Baptiste Grimaldi, nicknamed the Fierce, and the King of France, Francis I. In 1543, the troops of the Turkish invader Khairuddin Barbarossa invaded here, and in 1706, under Louis XIV, during the War of the Spanish Succession, the surrounding Eze was destroyed fortress walls. The city gate is the only surviving part of the former fortifications. Nowadays this is the only entrance to the old part of the village. The Gate of the Moors, built in the 14th century, is decorated with two watchtowers, which are now heavily tilted. The architecture of these towers is original and is of historical value, although even the doors leading to the tower only have hinges left. After centuries of wars and disputes, the village of Eze finally became part of France in 1860.
36. Its streets with vaulted houses, where there are numerous shops of artists and craftsmen, are an excellent backdrop for the historical holiday “Eze of Bygone Times”, held annually at the end of July.
The village acquired the fabulous appearance that is visible today in the Middle Ages, around the 10th century. Textured masonry of stone houses, narrow picturesque stepped streets meandering among them. Almost every house has many interesting details and features that are unlike others. But you need to be prepared for the fact that there will be a lot of steps.
37. Other attractions include the cemetery where the famous French actor Francis Blanche is buried, a small square with an Italian-style fountain from 1930. The main street in Eze is the Principale (rue Principale), reminiscent of the town’s Italian origins. The drawings on the walls of the houses on this street tell about what crafts the previous owners of these houses were engaged in and what position they occupied. Nowadays there are art galleries, exhibition halls and shops. There is also Eze Castle - a not so ancient building, it was built in 1920 by the Swedish Prince Guillaume. Until the middle of the last century, it was something of a summer residence for the Swedish royal family; until 1950, members of the royal family came here every year, and today everyone can relax in the royal apartments - in part of the castle there is a small hotel with luxurious rooms.
38. At the top of the village on the ruins of an ancient castle in 1949, the famous Exotic Garden with rare tree species was founded, where you can also see hundreds different types cacti. The main attraction of this place is a 13-meter cactus weighing a ton. Entrance to the garden is paid. In Eze there are alleys with expressive names - Cicadas, Carnations or Provence. The photo shows the terraces at the foot of Eze.
39. One of the pearls of the settlement is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 18th century. in the Baroque style by Italian architect Antonio Spinelli. An Egyptian cross is kept here and therefore there is an opinion that the name of the village is associated with the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis.
From Nice - highway A8, exit 57 - to "La Turbie", then La Turbie towards the village of Eze: RM45 (the path will go along the "Great Cornice", i.e. along the most picturesque and spectacular road). At the foot of the cliff on which the medieval village of Eze is located, there is a fairly spacious parking area.
"Three Cornices"
Between Nice and the Italian border, in addition to the A8 highway, there are three cornice roads - Grand (Grande corniche), Middle (Moyenne corniche) and Small or low (Basse corniche). Eze can be reached by car through each of them. The most best views The Cote d'Azur - from the border with Italy to, as they say, Saint-Tropez in clear weather - opens from the Grand, the highest cornice.
Between the three cornices of Eze there are several hiking trails: the “Nietzsche Path”, connecting the village of Eze (Middle Cornice) with the seashore (Eze-sur-Mer and Low Cornice); A path connecting the Low Cornice through the Middle Cornice to the Great Cornice; as well as the Path leading from the Middle to the Great Cornice. You can go along them only if you are confident in your good physical fitness. For example, the Nietzsche Trail is a very steep path to the top and in some places you literally have to climb without feeling your legs. So this is not an acquired taste.
If you are a lover of cacti, modern art and stunning views, then this is definitely the place for you.
The village of Eze Village is located on a high rocky hill, somewhere in the middle of the route between Monaco and Nice.
Russian travel agencies always take tourists past it, but rarely stop, saving time for a longer visit to Nice or the Principality of Monaco. Usually they only say as the bus rushes along the autobahn: “Turn your head right/left and look at this wonderful exotic old village.” Everyone hastily grabs their cameras, but the village... has already disappeared into the distance.
This time we were "lucky". At the foot of Eze Village there is a branch of the Galimard perfume factory, where tourists are strongly recommended to purchase perfumes, creams and soaps.
Guides usually cooperate with such companies, having a certain penny from the proceeds. Therefore, for the second we were organized a trip to a cosmetics factory, but for the first we had a tour of the village.
In fact, Eze Village is among the top most visited places in Europe. It is no coincidence that on this small piece of rock there are hotels in 5 stars and Mechelin-starred restaurants.
We begin our hike up - more than 400 meters above sea level.
At first there is an ordinary asphalt road, which suddenly ends with ancient paving stones.
The road forks. To the right - Eze Village begins. And to the left towards the sea the rocky Nietzsche path goes off.
Friedrich Nietzsche walked along this route during his stay in Eze, which gives the trail its name.
The trail connects the seaside region of Eze-sur-Mer with the historical part of Eze, located on top of a 400-meter mountain.
The trail is long, winding and incredibly rocky. I was wearing moccasins, but a hundred meters was enough for me to understand the futility of the walk. Instead of admiring the beauty of the area, I was only thinking about: “Will health insurance cover broken legs on the Nietzsche trail or will this “extreme” not be an insured event?” This is how ordinary people differ from philosophers. Nietzsche, unlike me, while walking along the paths in Eze, pondered his work “Thus Spake Zarathustra”,
We continue our hike higher and higher. We are suddenly greeted by a statue of a Kazakh warrior.
As the guide told us, some of the Kazakh businessmen are engaged in the hotel and restaurant business in this elite place. Judging by expensive cars, quite successfully.
Our goal is an exotic garden of plants, which is located at the very top of the cliff, where there once was a medieval fortress. So we go higher. We walk along narrow streets lined with uneven and already polished and slippery paving stones.
The road does not meander like serpentines, it is chaotic, winding and diverging. I wouldn’t have found the way on my own and would definitely have gotten lost even with a map. But we were led by an accompanying guide from a travel agency. A very tall young man who “grew” his legs and just walked, and we ran after him. We barely had time to capture amazing views and local exotic pictures with our camera.
He’s the one who’s waiting for us and still counting us like chickens, in case someone got lost and got lost,
On the left of the square is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in 1786 by the Italian architect Antonio Spinelli.
Along the path we meet the first of 15 statues of girls - "Goddesses of the Earth", made by the French sculptor Jean-Philippe Richard in 2004.
They are made from a mixture of bronze, crystals and earth, called “star dust” by the sculptor.
This is Marie.
The rest decorate the exotic plant garden.
I have been to various “cactus” exotic gardens in Europe. As a cactus lover who has been collecting them since school, I can safely say: “This is the most rich and incredibly diverse cactus and succulent garden.” There are not just prickly pears, golden balls and agaves here, as in many other gardens.
Moreover, almost all of them bloomed.
Eze Village
In the south of France, 12 km from Nice, is the pearl of the French Riviera - the picturesque village of Eze. Like an eagle's nest on the rocks, the village of Eze, founded in 600 BC. e. Ligurian tribes, as befits any ancient structure, has a very rich history of its existence with all kinds of events.
Before completely falling to France in 1860, the village of Eze experienced a lot of bloody battles for the right to own it! Now, the village of Eze is a cozy, fabulous place that attracts crowds of tourists! And for good reason! In fact, in every home you can find either an art gallery, a snack bar or restaurant, or a boutique hotel. Well, the view of the Cote d'Azur from the observation decks is simply breathtaking!
The oldest building in the village of Eze is the Church of the Penitents of the White Brotherhood. Its age dates back to 1306. Another attraction of the village of Eze, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, houses an Egyptian cross, allowing for the belief that the name of the village comes from the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis. On the way to Nice, George Sand often stopped in the village of Eze. The great Nietzsche and Walt Disney loved to vacation here.
