Chemin de Nietzsche, Eze, France, deux….

I feel so fortunate that one of my all time favorite ways to head for the hills is just out my back door in France. After crossing the railroad tracks, the Basse Corniche and hiking a few minutes this is the view from the trail, looking west over the Bay of Eze towards Cap Ferrat, but it gets even better.

Tropical flowers lead the way to the trail.

The Nietzsche Trail is the famous route from Eze~bord~du~Mer up to Eze Village that the German Philosopher would walk daily as he contemplated his theories, thoughts and hallucinations which inspired his writings. The official signs suggest it takes an hour to make the climb to the village, but if you’re reasonably fit you can easily make it up more quickly.

As the trail continues, the Mediterranean expands below.

A little higher up the views to the sea continue, framed by wooded canyons. This shot perfectly illustrates the unique beauty of this section of the Côte d’Azur, here the craggy and wild limestone Alps glide into the clear blue Mediterranean Sea.

Wild fig trees along the way scent the trail.

At a certain point, there is a great view of the mysterious L’isoletta. The traditional French maison is on the mainland, but the estate extends out, across a foot bridge, onto the island below, with a pool on the point and rooms built into the rockery (I’ve seen the windows when paddle boarding by). Beyond L’isoletta most mornings you can see Corsica on the horizon at sunrise.

About 2/3’s of the way up there is a path to the right that leads to a tall waterfall, a refreshing oasis when the sun is high.

Just past the waterfall, the bells in the tower of the 12th century church in Eze Village come within earshot.

It’s rocky, wild and vertical, but a sturdy pair of tennis shoes, and a hiking stick if you have one, will get you to the top without a problem.

Château de La Chévre D’Or is perched on the east side of the village

with magical tiered gardens built into the mountains looking out to the sea.

Once you reach the village you can wander around to boutiques and restaurants, or just sniff the walls of Jasmine

and enjoy the natural beauty of this high fortress.

If you continue to wind up the cobbled paths of the village, you’ll reach the Jardin Exotique~Eze where you can wander through plants, rockery and sculpture.

Click on Garden Plan for a comprehensive overview and detailed information on each species included in this botanical collection from all over the world.

Of course the views from here are even more dramatic, and on a clear day you can see the Estérel Mountains and the Bay of Saint Tropez further to the west.

After a wander in the garden it’s always nice to absorb the cool serenity of the stunning baroque style church.

When you are ready for refreshments, there are a number of restaurants in and around the village to choose from. My two favorite casual places are La Taverne and Aigles Nid . If you are in the mood for a fancier dining experience I recommend Mas Provençal, Chevre d’or or Chateau Eza.

If you’re too tired to descend the #83 bus will take you back down to the Gare de Eze.

But I love the descent, it gives you a very different perspective of this massive rock,

and the untamed beauty that this area has to offer.

Before you know it you are greeted with flowers at the base

and the Bananeraie. In the summer Plage Papaya or Anjuna are a great way to top of the hike.

Here’s a bit of news for those of you who’ve expressed interest in being our neighbors in Eze {or are now tempted}. They’re developing this gorgeous old {and seemingly abandoned} building, where they used to process the bananas that were grown in the area, into apartments. Click on Bananeraie to see details.