Eze, France

Eze is a medieval village perched like an eagles nest on a narrow rocky peak overlooking the Mediterranean sea. The ancient fortified village is still crowned with the ruins of its 12th-century fortified castle (torn down in 1706), sitting on a narrow rocky peak. The castle grounds host the well-known Jardin Exotique, and from the top (429 m) you'll have an good view of the coast (it will cost you, though).
The village forms a circular pattern around the base of the castle. The old buildings and narrow streets are very well restored, with high stone walls and narrow roadways of red-brick centered stone. The narrow roads wend their way upward to the well sign-posted Jardin Exotique Panorama. When you finally arrive at the top, you'll find the way to the Jardin, and the panoramic view, blocked by a 12 F admission cost, a detail that wasn't mentioned earlier and lower.
Any sense of this ancient village's medieval past is, however, offset by the multitude of souvenir shops and streets full of tourists. On a Friday in March, the narrow streets already had a fair number of tourists, admittedly including ourselves. Eze is a pretty village, but it's not at all off the beaten path. The two-level square clock tower on the church is lovely [photo-5]. There are pretty little shaded squares, and the view out over the valley as you're walking up is very nice. Along the way we found a stand selling herbs that was picturesque and smelled great. There are also some terrace cafés at the top and some high-class hotel restaurants in the old village. Eze village sits beside the very busy Moyenne Corniche (RN7), the main road (along with the Basse Corniche and Grande Corniche) between Nice and Monaco-Menton. The Moyenne Corniche is usually very crowded, and in the summer extremely crowded, so plan an early start. At the road junction you can park in the lot for 5 F and hour. The public toilets near the parking lot cost 2 F, but they are large and clean. The area near the road and parking lot is where you'll find cafés, restaurants, shops, verrerie (glass blowing). The ancient village is contrasted by the residential Eze-sur-Mer, a seaside "town" between Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Cap d'Ail. Eze-sur-Mer has beaches, water sports, cafés, restaurants and hotels. And a train station.

 

Perfume

Two Grasse parfumeries are represented in Eze village, Galimard with a shop and Fragonard with shop as well as a factory you can visit. Both parfumeries offer a 10% discount if you have the Eze map, free from the Office de Tourisme located at the corner of the parking lot