June 14th: Au Revoir & Ciao!

Sadly it was time to say our goodbyes this morning & head for home (or onwards to Paris for a lucky few).
Most of the group had a very early start:  up at 4:00am & departing for the airport at 4:30am!  The French air-traffic controllers strike of the last few days is over thankfully, & it was a bright morning as we prepared for our flights home.
Although I was on a different flight from everyone else the view would have been the same - taking off over the Cote d'Azur's beautiful blue waters, then turning & climbing over the Alpes-Maritimes before heading north-east over the Alps themselves.

Despite an inauspicious start with a delayed arrival for most into Rome, it has been a great tour - we've seen everything we planned to see & enjoyed superb weather throughout the trip, with just a short sprinkling of rain in Florence.

June 13th: Nice & St. Paul de Vence: NEW TEXT

Today, our last full day in Europe, was planned as a fully free day - to enjoy Nice whether relaxing on the beaches, shopping in the market, or exploring the labyrinthine streets of the Old Town.
A large part of the group got together after breakfast & we headed for nearby St. Paul de Vence, a picturesque hill town an hour's bus ride from Nice.
We beat the crowds & the beautiful walled town was as quiet as it ever is as we split into families & small groups to explore the warren of tiny streets, nowadays filled with boutiques & art galleries.

Amongst the few specific sites in St. Paul de Vence is the grave of artist Marc Chagall, the most renowned of the many artists who have found their way here over the years.

Several families enjoyed a leisurely lunch under the shade before the day's drama was provided courtesy of Kevin's finger!

Back in Nice we r'endezvoused' for our final group dinner, in the heart of the Cours Saleya's street market, giving one final opportunity for some shopping before our early departure tomorrow morning.

June 12th: So Nice in Nice: NEW PHOTOS & TEXT

Our guide this morning, for a walking tour of Nice, was Christine.
We began by strolling into the center of the Old Town, via Place Massena with its unusual art installation of men atop poles.
In the Old Town we spent lots of time visiting the morning flower, produce & herb market with its colorful stalls & beautiful (& in some cases huge!) produce.
Next we headed to the nearby waterfront to see the sweeping 7 mile view & the famous rocky beach itself.  I think lots of the group will be planning to spend some time on the beach in the next 48 hours.
At one end of the beach is a rocky headland, rising high above the city & sea & affording superb 360 degree views.  We ascended to the top of the cliffs, some by elevator & some by steps, to see the spot where the oldest settlement of Nice was founded & to enjoy the views - today we could even see snow-capped peaks in the Alps!
Later we made our way downhill & turned into the warren-like streets of the Old Town proper to explore, starting with a small but highly ornate church, then continuing to Place Garibaldi where our morning tour came to an end & we bade farewell to Christine.
The rest of the day was free, until we met this evening for dinner.  Tonight we dined at a North african restaurant, very common & popular in the south of France.  Our menu was Tunisian salad, couscous with chicken & vegetables, & mint tea.  Afterwards we made a detour on our walk home for gelato, a sweet end to another great day.

June 11th: Monaco & Nice