Stepping into a Medieval Village in Eze • The Petite Wanderess

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A short train ride from Nice, then a short bus-ride with the most breathtaking views and twists and turns up roads, we arrived at Eze Village, perched on rock some 1,400 ft above sea level, overlooking the French Mediterranean.
Once occupied by Romans, Moors and later on, French troops and Turkish ones, Eze was designated as part of France in April 1860. Eze Village is a charm to discover, with its well-restored old buildings and narrow streets. Sloping paths, cobblestoned grounds, archways, bougainvillea flowers growing on stone walls, little shops, art galleries, and resorts, we didn’t really have a route to follow, but all was good. During winter, there are little crowds and the chills of the sea-breeze from the Mediterranean will turn one’s fingers cold.

I am sure Eze Village will look exceptionally splendid during summer.

While exploring, I realized something odd, and I’m going to be the one to say it out right here:

Eze Village looked like it was built for short people!

I’m 5ft tall/short and the gates seemed to be built to accommodate my height. Look.
I fit right in.

There are a few hotel resorts at Eze Village, among which is Château de la Chèvre d’Or. The luxurious hotel has 30-odd rooms and suites scattered over the village.

Eze Village, Nice — left: another hotel, Chateau Eza Hotel

I’m not sure why, but I kept thinking Shrek or Princess Fiona is gonna pop up around the corner.

Getting to Eze

Take a train from Nice to Eze-sur-Mer. From the station, look for the bus-stop and take bus 83 (1.50€ one-way), which will stop outside Eze Village. The winding journey will be 11km. I took this photo outside Eze Village. From the charts, my friend Mich was able to interpret that there’s no bus service between 12.25pm and 14.10pm, which was why the bus-stop was empty and no buses came. *Note: There are no buses from evening and cabs will cost you at least 30€ down to Eze-sur-Mer train station.

If you feel exceptionally fit, you can take the Nietszche trail (2.5km) to/from Eze Village from/to Eze-sur-Mer. I read reviews that the views are stunning, but it’s not an easy trek. Wear sensible shoes!