Hillside Villages

While we were staying in Nice, France, we decided to leave the beach behind one day to climb into the hills.

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Our first stop was in the town of Eze, often referred to as the "eagle's nest," because of its location 1400 feet above the Mediterranean Sea.

First occupied by the Romans in 2000 BC, today it is a scenic town full of picturesque passageways, shops, home and a couple of very famous hotels, the Château de la Chèvre d'or and the Château d'Eze.

How would you like making deliveries all the way to the top? In the past donkeys were the "FedEx" means of delivery, but alas today, that would probably be animal abuse, so admirable men take up the challenge.

The oldest building in the village is the Chapelle de la Sainte Croix which dates back to 1306.

After a couple of delightful hours there, we moved on to what has always been one of my favorite spots in France--the village of St. Paul de Vence.

An enchanting village that has been a favorite of artists through the years, it remains today full of charm.

I wondered if these were the same boule players I had seen at the entrance to the village ten years ago, when I was last there.

Once again, small shops

tiny alleys,

and narrow passageways awaited us at every turn.

Much of the visit was uphill.

The boys were kept occupied with Blackberries while we poked around

back alleys and little shops. Tell me please, am I the only one whose husband views as much on his Blackberry as he does the area we are touring? Am I?

Trading the view of the beach for the hillside villages of the south of France was a delightful treat. Unfortunately there was not enough time to venture far enough into the Provence area to see the gorgeous lavender fields in bloom, so I'll share this link today to Georgianna Lane for some of the most beautiful photos of lavender in bloom that I've seen all year. Enjoy!