We rarely have cocktails in France because nobody knows how to make them. Not so at the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo.
From Cap Ferrat we took an easy bus ride to our 25th and final destination of our personal Tour de France. The 45-minute bus ride took us east, passing through Monaco just before reaching our destination. In fact our hotel in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin was so close to Monaco that we walked into that principality one evening for dinner. I can’t recall ever walking to another country for dinner before.
This was mostly a beach stop for us. We stayed at a pretty posh resort with gorgeous views across the bay toward Monaco. That’s a nice way to end this journey. The good news is that the French Riviera is just stunningly beautiful. The water is so blue and so warm and wonderful. It’s close to heaven — but with a downside.
The view to our beach and across the bay to overbuilt crazy Monaco
Relaxing at our beach resort in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Like our last stop, things here are a little TOO upscale for our taste. There is no shortage of really fancy restaurants, but we have a much harder time finding our sweet spot — small bistros serving extraordinary food at reasonable prices. France has really spoiled us!
So one night we just embraced this gilded corner of the world and booked dinner at the very fancy restaurant at the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo, the upscale neighborhood of upscale Monaco. Our table was on a lovely terrace overlooking the Place du Casino and the famous Casino de Monte Carlo. The square was just packed with excited tourists, who seemed to just be taking in the scene of all the fancy people coming and going from this hotel and the casino.
But what really riled up the crowd was the roar of the Ferraris and Lamborghinis that would pull up. It seemed pretty silly to us to hear these cars go “VROOM VROOOOOM” as they moved at snail pace through the choked traffic. But that’s Monaco for you — 38,000 people with crazy hordes of money packed into a country of less than 1 square mile. As a result the place is so overbuilt it’s actually just kind of ugly.
Fancy dining in front of the Casino de Monte Carlo
…and the Place du Casino
So now we say goodbye to the Mediterranean and to an incredible summer journey that touched so many corners of this amazing country (France that is, not Monaco!) I feel a tinge of sadness as it comes to a close, but of course home is always nice, too.
Lunch at a well researched, lovely restaurant on the other side of Roquebrune
That little restaurant featured a bathroom with crazy animal art — and recorded animal noises!
From Roquebrune, looking east to Menton, the last city in France before the Italian border