Southern FRANCE & the RIVIERA

The train from Barcelona to the border was basically a normal intercity train, like you might get to Newcastle, comfortable but full of regular travellers. We had to change trains at the border & when we got off we found literally, just a platform & after crossing the lines we bought our french tickets at the office (they cannot sell the french half of the trip from Barcelona, which seems a bit ridiculous to me but what the heck it added to the adventure). Tickets in hand we boarded a much classier train that was waiting at the other platform (across the border so to speak). With the Schengen States now, there is no longer any need for border guards so there was none of that we just had to walk over & get on the train.



Grant & our luggage waiting at the border crossing to board our French train

It was a wonderful journey, firstly over the farmlands & slopes areas of Spain then into the Pyrenees, more & more as we moved into France. There was plenty of snow on the mountain tops & even a light dusting in some of the valleys. It may have fallen overnight but in the spots where the sun had already hit for the day, it had melted. Still it was pretty to see & I am sure we will get our share of snow on this trip as time goes on.

Snow-capped Pyrenees peaks from the train window

We arrived at Toulouse station about 5pm, found our hotel & then with map & restaurant information from the desk staff at the hotel we headed off for a walk & a meal as the evening closed in. It gets dark pretty early these days & light pretty late so our sightseeing time is more restricted. Despite it being a little fresh it was a glorious evening & there were literally thousands of people on the streets, Christmas shopping, dining, chatting all that sort of stuff, even though it was mid-week. We had a lovely meal, saw plenty of fabulous Christmas lights on shops etc but it was a little disappointing that the city lights had not yet been turned on. Maybe they have some sort of ceremony & big event associated with the 'Switching on of the lights', it will be just our luck that it is the night we leave for Lyon.

The main road near our apartment, just as night was falling

With only the one day & a cold one at that, we decided to go to the Archeological Museum. It had received rave reviews on the net & offered an audio tour in English. We have been to only a couple, the last really good one being in Split, Croatia but this one really specialised in marble sculptures. Amazing! That is all I can say, we have never seen anything like these beautiful works of art & some of them are the only one in existence. The audio guide was wonderful & we learnt a lot about the history of the area but also about scultpure of the era & how it was used to create 'god-like' leaders & to glorify mythological heros etc. This three storey building, which had once been a hospital, took us half a day to have a good look round, then off into the old city.

The Canal de Midi, which runs through Toulouse, widens out to allow
boats to pass each other or dock

The church dedicated to St Raymond, the
man who started the hospital, now the
museum.  Tower looks like the tower of Pisa?



An iconic marble sculpture, 2000 yrs old

We wandered the passageways, the wide avenues with their fountains & trees, spent an hour at the Christmas Markets which were set up in the main square & window shopped at all the great little specialty stores that you find in cities. I could easily have spent the rest of our holiday savings but managed to contain myself to just a couple of small items.

The main city square, magnificent buildings surround the plaza
with its Christmas Market

Early start again the next morning as we had to be on the TVG (France's fast train system) at 07:49, fortunately the train station is just across the road from our hotel, not fortunate, actually good planning if I do say so myself. This was the first use of our new Eurail Pass & we travelled first class. It is only a four hour trip to Lyon but most enjoyable. The lady at the ticket office suggested this train would suit us as it is direct & we wouldn't have to worry about changing trains, one option for this trip had four changes, not a good one for a tourist.



Lyon Main Railway Station, had a big plaza out the front too

We arrived at Lyon about noon giving us the whole afternoon & all the next day to have a look round. To get our bearings we walked into the city centre, across one bridge, along the riverside esplanade then back over another bridge, passed the children's carnival & back home via a supermarket since we had rented an apartment here so that we could prepare our own food. It is really getting cold in the evenings now & we were chilled right through & had aching feet by the time we staggered home. It may not sound like much of a day but we must have walked about eight kilometres & then I had to cook dinner.

Bit cold as we stood on Pont Layfette over the River Rhone



Statue of Louis XIV with the huge ferris wheel in the background, this
is Place Bellecour in the centre of the city 

That first night I did a bit of net research & decided what we wanted to see & do in Lyon. The day loomed cold & damp so the Hop on-hop off bus looked inviting, we did the full trip round the city, over the two rivers the Rhone & the Saone, up to the magnificent hilltop Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere, round the old city (most of the streets are too narrow for buses but you can get a pretty good look at the buildings, cafes, walkways etc from the top deck of the bus), we also saw the plaza where they guillotined people during the French Revolution, some absolutely amazing trompe l'oeil art works on the sides of four storey buildings & there were several really gorgeous statues/fountains.



Trompe l'oeil library with over 500 books on the end of a baroque building.
The first book printed in French was done here in Lyon
so it has a large 'book suburb'

Once the trip finished its hour long circuit we stayed on & re-did the first section of it back up to the Basilica. We got off here so as to enjoy the wonderful views from the top of the hill, savoured a hot coffee & a piece of quiche then we walked down through the rose gardens that cover the hillside. It was a very steep walk & I felt sorry for those who had chosen to walk up!



Panorama of Lyon from the Basilica



That is the staircase on the left, leading to the old city area famous for its
silk makers, mulberry trees & silkmakets

Then down a massive flight of stairs through the old silk weaving district of the city with its covered walkways (built so the rolls of silk fabric wouldn't get wet in the rain as they were taken from weaver to shop etc) & ended up at the Musee of Miniatures et Decors de Cinema.



Prosthetics used in the movie the Mummy

This museum was amazing, it included lots of costumes, sets, diaramas, storyboards, props, prosthetics etc from movies as well as the rooms full of miniatures. It was four storeys with two large rooms on each level, a very old building with well worn limestone stairs between floors & covered walkways along the outside between the rooms. We saw Harrison Ford's actual sweat on the headband of the hat he wore in Indiana Jones movies, maybe I exaggerate but his hat & whip were there, as was Arnold's weapon out of Preditor & cases just full of wonderful things. One thing we found amazing were the plaster casts of half a dozen stars that were used when making prosthetic faces for them for movies. It was so easy to tell who they were but you also got the chance to study their faces without any colour or hair. 

Did you recognise Angelina Jolie?

We walked the three metro stations home to a quiet evening in front of the french TV shows....haha. Train off really early the next day, so up at 5, out of the apartment by 6 & on the train by 6.30am.



The main city square in Nice, surrounded by magnificent buildings

After our lunchtime arrival in Nice, we settled into our hotel room, just 100 metres from the station & we had to walk past the tourist information office to get there, so how perfect was that? Then it was off into town, for one euro we caught the tram along the main pedestrian strip & into the old city. We had a bit of lunch (gee, food is expensive here) then boarded the small tourist train that runs round the main sights of the city, including up to the top of the hill where the old castle & fortress used to stand, only a few ruins now though, for some panoramic views. Very nice Nice!



Nice from the top of the old fortress site, wonderful panorama

As all these cities do, there were basilicas, massive gorgeous old baroque buildings, cute little artisan stores & azure ocean views. Nice even has a lovely stretch of golden sand which has taken a beating recently with storms but looked pretty good considering. 

Nice had a wonderful lights display, three trees like this with light shows
coordinated to music - fantastic

After we got off the train we walked to the antique markets, it was quite late for a market & many stalls had already shut up shop or were packing up but still the array was mind-boggling. More silverware, crockery, jewellery & fur coats than I have ever seen. A stroll along the seafront promenade then into the main city plaza for a look at the Christmas lights, the open air skating rink & the christmas market. Such a wonderful display but one that is only really possible in the colder places, it was dark by 6pm so there were lots of grandparents showing the little ones the lights.

Monaco marina & looking towards Monte Carlo

Monaco was our destination the next morning, for only 12 Euro for the two of us return, we were able to travel by train along the coast to the next country! We liked Monaco very much, very clean, very pretty, massive boats in the harbour, money oozing out of every building & the luxury items in the shops were to die for. We bought a day pass for the city buses as Monaco is built completely on the side of a cliff & to walk around the whole place you would have to be a mountain goat. First stop was up near the Palaise de Princes to watch the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace & to eat our lunch as we enjoyed the view from the park outside the palace.

 

Changing of the Guards at the Princes Palace

After a pleasant stroll though the laneways of the old city near the castle we went to St Devotes to see the church where Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier were married. Inside they were setting up some antique Christmas scene displays of candles, carvings, porcelains etc that were being unpacked from wooden boxes, they appeared to be a collection of some sort that is just brought out for Christmas, they hadn't finished but it was looking good. Back the rest of the way on foot to the bus stop & the trip along the harbour to the Monte Carlo district which is of course famous for its magnificent casino & hotels. 

The altar where Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier
were married



Monte Carlo Casino, view of the ocean side of the building, taken from the
promenade & gardens

This area was just glorious, magnificent buildings with magnificent views of the sea, some of the best kept parks & garden areas we have seen, masses of Christmas decorations, trees, lights, balls, etc & a collection of cars parked out the front that made Grant drool! Naturally there was plenty of souvenier stuff for the Monaco Grand Prix & our map showed the route which we walked part of, finding the finish line marked on the roadway. There is actually no beach just a huge marina full of very expensive boats, more drooling involved here!



Cannes coastline

Cannes, next day's train journey, we weren't so keen on Cannes. Lovely beach strip, beautiful hotels, wonderful theatre where they host the Cannes Film Festival, more Ferraris per square mile than we could count, absolutely amazing shops for the rich & famous but, well just but. It did have the feel that big things happen here but it was pretty flat & uninspiring.  

View of Cannes from the old fortress site on top of the only hill in town

We went up to the top of the hill to the old castle ruins to enjoy the view, the castle & fortifications had been dismantled 500 years ago so there wasn't much to see but the view was lovely. There were some Christmas lights & a carnival with icerink which was a converted swimming pool on the foreshore. It just didn't have the community feel of Nice & Monaco.



Fabulous 'film industry' based artwork on the side of a building

That is it for France, I won't say forever but that may well be the case, off to Italy next....