We had a fantastic guide for this busy day trip! The ship was docked in the harbor of Villefranche-sur-Merrill &we were tendered in. The first stop started was Nice with a tour of the waterfront & the a tour old Vieux Ville. One interesting fact we learned was that when the glamorous waterfront hotels were built, the best rooms looked in toward the city & not facing the water! It was market day & we visited the flower market.
Our next stop was Eze. It is a little village perched on top of a mountain that dates from Roman times. There are speculative views. No cars are allowed as the medieval lanes are very small and carved into the mount side. A 14th century gate guards the village but doesn't stop the hundreds of people that visit each day. There were beautiful flowers everywhere. You did have to be very careful because the "road" of cobblestones were steep & slippery.
I always thought Princess Grace of Monaco was enchanting & always wanted to see the little kingdom she helped preside over. We took a walking tour in both Monte Carlo & Monaco. Preparations were being made for the Gran Prix. It takes 3 months to put up the grandstands & protective railings & 15 days to take down. We saw lots of fancy cars including an old Rolls Royce Silver Cloud that did decide not to run us down.
While we saw the Grand Casino of James Bond fame, we decided to save our 10 Euros & not go in as tourists! The Casino was started in 1856 by Charles III to save himself from bankruptcy. It was so successful that by 1870 he was able to abolish taxation on his people. It is illegal for Monaco citizens to gamble. When you enter they take your passport. They will let you gamble without one but if you win, you have 6 months to show your passport to collect your winnings. So I guess the James Bond movies aren't too accurate!
We did see one mansion that a Russian Oligart put a contract on for $550,000,000 that had a 10% penalty clause....and he walked away from! Ouch!!!! It is a definitely an area for the rich & famous!!!
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