Plage de Passable has been one of my favorite beach clubs since our apartment in Eze was just a twinkle in my eye! When I came to check out our pied~de~mer I stayed just across the bay from this special beach and decided to head over for a jet-lagged lounge and dinner on the beach after looking at pretty much every property in our range in the area. Now, as a “local”, I always bring guests here on their first days because it gets the latest sunset, which is the ideal cure to what ails you when you’ve jumped over a few time-zones.
It is also very protected and has a wonderful pebbly beach, making it so easy to meander in to the warm, silky, clear Mediterranean sea.
For dinner that night, over a decade ago, I had the grilled fish and the entire wait staff to myself. They had just opened for dinners and I guess word hadn’t quite spread yet. I savored my spot as the sun went down and the lights of Villefranche~sur~mer came out, the only guest on the beach. The fish is still my favorite, it’s so simple, delicious and nourishing served with local fresh vegetables.
The family that owns the “club” {beach clubs are open to the public who are willing to pay for meals and lounge chairs} are Italian and the food deliciously reflects their heritage. Mr. Splendid almost always orders the Linguine alle Vongole but on this day chose the the pasta Fruit de Mer.
If Italiano isn’t your vibe they also serve a quite bodacious cheeseburger.
Their truffle pizza is one of the best on the Côte d’ Azur.
I love to joyfully earn those calories before lunch with my favorite hike along the west side of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat which is punctuated with dramatic rock cliffs.
The trail is a mix of rough rocks and nice paved sections all with incredible views across the med, here we’re looking out towards Corsica.
Aromatic Coastal Pine and fig trees scent the trail.
The sentier leads you to the historic Phare du Cap Ferrat.
Just beyond the Phar you can steal a glimpse into the potential site of the next season of White Lotus, the Grande~Hôtel Cap Ferrat.
All along the way there are secret stairs and trails down to the water where one could take a dip if so desired. We had that desire having played quite a bit of tennis at Tennis Club Beaulieu before our hike. I love the TCB with it’s clay courts, great pros and members. But, you don’t need to be a member to play, you can book a court and pay a nominal fee.
A hike/swim is something I highly recommend, just hop in in your tennis dress or hiking clothes and you’ll feel refreshed and ready for lunch {oh, and Plage Passable will have a nice shower waiting for you!!}
For more information on this amazing little strip of the earth read some of these previous posts.
