Planning a trip to Menton or Antibes, Provence

[Pauline]

In one of the reviews for another Antibes Rentals apartment they mention the car park they liked best.

"We had a car during our vacation, although you can easily see the area without a car. We parked in the brand new city parking garage--Pré-aux Pecheurs at the Port Vauban harbor. It was the most well-designed parking garage we have ever seen...very unlike most small French garages. Sorry to rave about a parking garage, but this one was exceptional."

We will try that lot. We had a bad experience in an underground parking lot in Vence a few years ago. It was market day and there was no parking. Steve was driving and we went down and down - no spaces. Low ceiling, narrow lane, narrow parking spots. I had a minor freakout and wanted to get out of the car park. Steve managed to turn around and we started going up in those endless tight circles. One turn was really tight and he asked me to check my side and I thought it was okay, or maybe I didn't care and wanted to just get out of there, and said okay, but it wasn't and we scratched the car along the side. Do you remember that @Chris ? We were on our way to see you in Lourmarin. I hate underground parking lots.

We didn't have to pay anything because the car was already scratched on that side - the benefit of getting damaged cars. But Steve has never really trusted my parking judgement since.

 

[Pauline]

... When doing this, we liked to pick up sandwiches from La Ferme au Foie Gras (with a window open to the sidewalk for takeaway orders)--- menu.

I bet you don't know that I am a long time vegetarian! No interest in Foie Gras, but lots of interest in Italian restaurants. I think the apartment agency has a restaurant list too. I am looking forward to being near the market. We end up cooking most of our meals when we travel.

I have been reading about the hiking up in the hills above the coast and I think much of it is too hard for us. The book that you (@Cameron ) recommended is not in stock now, so I got another and all the hikes are long with big climbs. We only need a few hikes during our 10 days and I will find some easier ones where we can drive out to see a village and do an easier walk. We will also do some walks along the coast.

I got the Sunflower Guide that @Marta mentioned. I think it has some easier hikes.

 

[Cameron]

Plenty of vegetarian choices in Antibes. I seldom eat meat and I'm allergic to seafood/fish.

 

[Marta]

I also visited the village of Biot which is near by. You can get there by bus from Antibes. It was fun to walk around and very charming. Good informal restaurants in the main square. I loved finding the markings on the buildings. There is a museum dedicated to Fernand Leger but it was closed when I visited - and it is a ways out of town so it didn't work for me via public transportation.

 

[Matthew Altieri]

I have been thrashing about trying to plan a trip for Steve's big birthday in late October. We will leave mid October for two weeks somewhere special.

I want to go to Italy (a week in Amalfi to do the hikes we didn't get to in May and a week in Spoleto where we were last September), but Steve probably wants to go to France and we haven't been there since - - - I can't remember! Last year or the year before.

We have never been to Menton. I remember Marta from ST posting about her trip there years ago and it sounded very nice. We could spend two weeks there and do day trips into Italy (San Remo!) and into the mountains (Eze, Vence, north of Menton). Maybe do some hiking in the mountain towns above Menton.

The Easy Hiker website has several posts about Menton.

My theory is that we might get good weather even in late October. It would not be as crowded as high season. No cruise ships come to Menton. It is close to Italy so I could get my Italy fix but Steve could speak French. We have been to Nice and were in Monaco 25 years ago (did not like it - too built up), but have never been to this area.

Any advice? Recommendations for other places to consider? Good vacation rentals in Menton?

Pauline,

I work and operate tours along the Amalfi coast, if your looking for accommodation that is ideal for the Hikes in and around the Amalfi coast I would recommend: Colle dell'ara (BnB) (Located at the start of the Path of the Gods, near Nocelle) They also offer guided trekking, foraging and cooking classes above Positano.

For France you can check out Gastro-Travel: Travel experiences that are tailored for foodies in France and Italy http://thinklocalfood.wixsite.com/gastrotravel

Hope this helps!

 

[Pauline]

We went to the gardens at Hansbury and up to the little town of Apicale. Mostly we drove although I have hiked a little in the area - mostly more around the little town of Peillon.

I am going through this thread making my plan for our 10 nights in Antibes. We leave in two weeks. We are renting a car for 4 days.

@Marta, I found the town of Apricale above Ventimiglia (Italy). Why did you visit that town? Is there something there that I would love to see? I have made note of the gardens - Giardini Botanici Hanbury.

You also mention Peillon in the mountains between Nice and Menton. It looks like it is way up there. Again, what took you to that town? Would I like it?

Roughly I think we will do these day trips with the car:
1. Drive west towards Frejus. Draguignan. Cistercian Abbey - Thoronet.
2. Vence, St Paul du Vence, Mougins and other towns in that area above Antibes.
3. Drive east to Menton, maybe into Italy. Towns above Menton, Eze.
4. Explore the coast west of Antibes.

And day trips from Antibes by train:
Saint Tropez
Cannes
Villfranche-sur-Mer and walk on Cap Ferrat

I will work in short walks ( 1 - 2 hours) on our driving days. After we wore ourselves out in Switzerland last month, and realized we are not in good enough shape to do long uphill walks, we are not as obsessed with long walks on this trip.

 

[Cameron]

One thing... There's no train to Saint Tropez. You'd have to drive.

 

[Pauline]

Thanks @Cameron ! I probably would have figured that out on the day we were planning to go there! We will go there when we have the car.

 

[Cameron]

I don't know if they serve vegan, but I recommend La Place de Mougins, on the square in Old Town Mougins,for dining. I think they serve lunch...not sure.

 

[Pauline]

What a lot of great info in this thread! I went through it all again, cut and pasted notes, and am looking forward to being in Antibes in just over a week. A big storm is happening this week - but the forecast for the end of next week says sunny and 70F which would be perfect.

 

[Pauline]

I have been reading about Biot (recommended above by @Marta ) and thought it might be a good place to visit and go for a walk, but the website says the park is closed until November 17. I couldn't understand why a park would be closed, but came upon this article about the severe flooding in the park a year ago. It seems like Biot was hit hard by the flooding.

BBC News - French Riviera floods: Death toll rises to 19, 5 October 2015

 

[artnbarb]

I carefully read through this thread again and am working my way through the links for hiking and @Cameron 's blog. Thanks for all this info. I had a brief moment of "I can't do the Cote d'Azur because there is too much traffic and it is too populated (and they make perfume there and I hate perfume)" and looked at vacation rentals in Uzes and Vaison-la-Romaine, then I came to my senses and realized that Antibes is the perfect destination for this trip and Steve agrees.

I will post my short list of vacation rentals this week and get this booked! I think we will do two weeks in Antibes with a car for one week (maybe in the middle of the time).

Thanks for all your help and patience with me.

I read this post and saw myself, obsessing over every detail - it made me laugh and it made me feel better!

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

Too funny Pauline. That's exactly what I do. Obsess over all the details. You can only imagine what that's been like planning for two and a half months away.

 

[Pauline]

Of course I obsess over details! Don't we all? Otherwise we wouldn't bother with travel forums.

When we lived in the US we did a few 2 - 3 month trips to Europe and I always started the trip exhausted from planning and worrying! Travel planning is a lot of work!