Côte d'Azur Riviera

[mdbasile]

Late April typically afternoon temps in mid 20's C and cool evenings 12-15. The water temp really affects the air temp -esp @ night. It has been a fairly cool early spring, so the water temps are pretty cool right now ...

Edited March 31, 2006 by mdbasile (log)

[CommissionerLin]

Late April typically afternoon temps in mid 20's C and cool evenings 12-15. The water temp really affects the air temp -esp @ night. It has been a fairly cool early spring, so the water temps are pretty cool right now ...

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Thanks mdbasile. Thats really helpful in terms of knowing what clothes to pack...

[IanL]

Just to add my 2 centimes-worth....

If you're stopping on St Jean then i'd definitely rank Paloma above Passable for the food - sun-wise, paloma loses the sun in the early afternoon, especially at this time of year. No worries if you're going back to your boat .

paloma beach, st jean de cap ferrat

plage de passable, st jean de cap ferrat

As far as restaurants with views and food to match - there are a few exceptions to the rule... you could try Parcours in Falicon (chef ex-Chateau de la Chevre d'Or) - tortuous drive but worthwhile for the food and view over the city (and bay) of Nice. Chateau de la Chevre d'Or itself is nowhere as good as it used to be but the food is still of the style and you will not find many other dining rooms with views like it. Be careful though that at this time of year there is still a chance of low cloud near the grand corniche so you run the risk of being sat in the clouds.

Hostellerie Jerome in la Turbie is a great 2* with a view - if you manage to get a (the) table by the window. Worth a trip even without the view.

[mdbasile]

Just to add my 2 centimes-worth....

If you're stopping on St Jean then i'd definitely rank Paloma above Passable for the food - sun-wise, paloma loses the sun in the early afternoon, especially at this time of year. No worries if you're going back to your boat  .

paloma beach, st jean de cap ferrat

plage de passable, st jean de cap ferrat

As far as restaurants with views and food to match - there are a few exceptions to the rule... you could try Parcours in Falicon (chef ex-Chateau de la Chevre d'Or) - tortuous drive but worthwhile for the food and view over the city (and bay) of Nice. Chateau de la Chevre d'Or itself is nowhere as good as it used to be but the food is still of the style and you will not find many other dining rooms with views like it. Be careful though that at this time of year there is still a chance of low cloud near the grand corniche so you run the risk of being sat in the clouds.

Hostellerie Jerome in la Turbie is a great 2* with a view - if you manage to get a (the) table by the window. Worth a trip even without the view.

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I agree 100%

BTW - where is Parcours? We are leaving for our place in St Jean tomorrow and always looking...

[IanL]

BTW - where is Parcours? We are leaving for our place in St Jean tomorrow and always looking...

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Parcours is pretty much in the center of Falicon, which is not many kilometers due north of Nice. If you take the fast road north (the D19?) from the port and keep going underneath the autoroute, then follow (bad) signs.

map

It's definitely worth a trip if there's a clear sky. The wine list is eclectic.

edit: here's the restaurant website which has proper directions.

Edited April 10, 2006 by IanL (log)

[mdbasile]

BTW - where is Parcours? We are leaving for our place in St Jean tomorrow and always looking...

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Parcours is pretty much in the center of Falicon, which is not many kilometers due north of Nice. If you take the fast road north (the D19?) from the port and keep going underneath the autoroute, then follow (bad) signs.

map

It's definitely worth a trip if there's a clear sky. The wine list is eclectic.

edit: here's the restaurant website which has proper directions.

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Thanks!! Always love hill town road trips!!

[CommissionerLin]

Just to add my 2 centimes-worth....

If you're stopping on St Jean then i'd definitely rank Paloma above Passable for the food - sun-wise, paloma loses the sun in the early afternoon, especially at this time of year. No worries if you're going back to your boat  .

Thanks Ian for the recommendations and the great pix.... Will definitely put in a stop at Paloma Beach. Sounds like a trick question but do you have any idea what the weather is usually like in the last week of April. Cheers,

[IanL]

Sounds like a trick question but do you have any idea what the weather is usually like in the last week of April.  Cheers,

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I'm in Eze at the moment and the weather is glorious. Air temp in the shade is high-teens ©, but when the sun is shining it feels much warmer. As always, there are never any guarantees that it's not raining all the time you're here!

[menton1]

I'm in Eze at the moment and the weather is glorious. Air temp in the shade is high-teens ©, but when the sun is shining it feels much warmer. As always, there are never any guarantees that it's not raining all the time you're here!

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Where have you been dining?

[mdbasile]

In St Jean and spent the day @ the MCCC for the tournament. Very nice and hot in the sun... cool in the shade.

At @ the port of St Jean @ the Skipper - very nice. Also ate at one of the little places in Villefranche... on the rue obscure... nice simple good food... can't rmember the name, but it is on the left side just at the entrance.

The rue Obscure is a street "under" the city... well sort of - hard to explain, but you'll know it when you see it.

[mdbasile]

BTW - last THursdsay - a Blue Blue day... ate @ the Palai Materlick for lunch -- reall ywas fantastic!!!!!!!!

[IanL]

Where have you been dining?

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Been a quiet trip on the eating front - here with a baby so fine dining is tricky. Lots of casual lunches with lots of rosé - Deux Freres in Roquebrune was nice - OK food, great views. Otherwise, simple lunches - African Queen in Beaulieu, Italian next to Mere Germain in Villefranche (name escapes me), Portofino in Beaulieu Harbour (v basic italian - good salads, locals favourite).

[CommissionerLin]

BTW - last THursdsay - a Blue Blue day... ate @ the Palai Materlick for lunch -- reall ywas fantastic!!!!!!!!

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Where is the Materlick? Is it in Monaco itself? My itinerary has changed a little and I may now have an extra day in Monaco. Do I need to book ahead?

[CommissionerLin]

Where have you been dining?

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Been a quiet trip on the eating front - here with a baby so fine dining is tricky. Lots of casual lunches with lots of rosé - Deux Freres in Roquebrune was nice - OK food, great views. Otherwise, simple lunches - African Queen in Beaulieu, Italian next to Mere Germain in Villefranche (name escapes me), Portofino in Beaulieu Harbour (v basic italian - good salads, locals favourite).

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Did La Mere Germaine look interesting? We have a reservation there for next Wednesday.

[mdbasile]

BTW - last THursdsay - a Blue Blue day... ate @ the Palai Materlick for lunch -- reall ywas fantastic!!!!!!!!

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Where is the Materlick? Is it in Monaco itself? My itinerary has changed a little and I may now have an extra day in Monaco. Do I need to book ahead?

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Actually it is the western part of nice-- at the edge of Mt Boron.

La Mere Germain has excellent seafood, though very expensive.

Ate the the REserve de Beaulieu last night - amazes me everytime -- personally I think it is one of the best restaruants in the world. Amazing and interesting food with great and friendly service... in an exquisite setting!!!!!!!

[menton1]

Actually it is the western part of nice-- at the edge of Mt Boron.

Sorry to disagree. The Maeterlinck is on the Eastern border of Nice, on the coast road going toward Villefranche. A spectacular setting clinging to the dunes. Never been there, but pass it all the time.

As far as Mère Germaine, I don't care for it much. All the restos on the water in VSM are very disappointing and touristy.(And overpriced) If you must be on the water, go another 10 minutes east to Beaulieu and go into the Port de Plaisance. There are a couple of adequate places there, much better than Villefranche IMHO.

[mdbasile]

Actually it is the western part of nice-- at the edge of Mt Boron.

Sorry to disagree. The Maeterlinck is on the Eastern border of Nice, on the coast road going toward Villefranche. A spectacular setting clinging to the dunes. Never been there, but pass it all the time.

As far as Mère Germaine, I don't care for it much. All the restos on the water in VSM are very disappointing and touristy.(And overpriced) If you must be on the water, go another 10 minutes east to Beaulieu and go into the Port de Plaisance. There are a couple of adequate places there, much better than Villefranche IMHO.

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yes east - sorry... Mt Boron

[Carlsbad]

From my two experiences at La Mere Germaine, if you have the daily fish specials, you will be fine. Ask the waiter what is best. A friend with us had the expensive lobster dish, and loved it. I tasted it, and I have to admit I thought it was excellent, and somewhat unusual. The service and setting were first rate IMHO. Perhaps the setting would not have the same impact on someone who is cruising around the area on a boat. Hopefully, the weather is good.

[IanL]

As far as Mère Germaine, I don't care for it much.  All the restos on the water in VSM are very disappointing and touristy.(And overpriced)

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I do agree that Mere Germaine is overpriced and touristy, but of the group of restaurants in Villefranche it is one of the better ones. There was a question mark over the future of the restaurant given some family wranglings but that seems to have been smoothed over. If you are on a boat it has the great advantage of having its own tender to taxi you to and from the restaurant (not sure if it's possible to leave your own tender on the quayside, although it probably is). Villefranche is a great harbour, but the views (and no doubt service in restaurants) can go downhill when the cruise liners get into town.

[menton1]

I do agree that Mere Germaine is overpriced and touristy, but of the group of restaurants in Villefranche it is one of the better ones. There was a question mark over the future of the restaurant given some family wranglings but that seems to have been smoothed over. If you are on a boat it has the great advantage of having its own tender to taxi you to and from the restaurant (not sure if it's possible to leave your own tender on the quayside, although it probably is). Villefranche is a great harbour, but the views (and no doubt service in restaurants) can go downhill when the cruise liners get into town.

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Yes, that's why I prefer the Port restaurants in Beaulieu. A bit less ostentatious, less touristy, right on the water, if just a bit less of a dramatic setting than in Villefranche. But with all the boats bobbing and the warm breezes blowing, it's still darn nice.

[Busboy]

Mark Bittman in the New York Times on some less expensive but -- to his palate-- quite delicious spots, including a place in much-discussed Villefranche.

[Carlsbad]

Not to beat a dead horse, but in the five days we spent mid-summer at the Hotel Welcome on the waterfront in Villefranche, the cruise ships didn't really pose a problem, especially in the evenings. We spent a lot of time on our balconies observing the village, and we watched a different cruise ship pull in every day we were there. There were crowds coming ashore during the early morning, but they were well organized, and did little to ruin the tranquility even then. Most of them seemed to leave on day tours and then return to the ships before dinner time. Of course there were tourists visiting day and night (most of them seemed to be European), but the town never seemed to be overrun.

[mdbasile]

Not to beat a dead horse, but in the five days we spent mid-summer at the Hotel Welcome on the waterfront in Villefranche, the cruise ships didn't really pose a problem, especially in the evenings.  We spent a lot of time on our balconies observing the village, and we watched a different cruise ship pull in every day we were there.  There were crowds coming ashore during the early morning, but they were well organized, and did little to ruin the tranquility even then.  Most of them seemed to leave on day tours and then return to the ships before dinner time.  Of course there were tourists visiting day and night (most of them seemed to be European), but the town never seemed to be overrun.

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I second this. We have a place in Cap Ferrat and go to Villefranche for dinner many nights - never really felt it to be overcrowded. BTW - that wine bar @ the hotel welcome is very nice indeed!!

[mdbasile]

One more plug for Hosteliere Jerome in La Turbie. A truely special country style temple of haute cusine, 2 michelin stars right on top of Monaco. The 55 Euro 'menu" must be the deal of the region....

I Highly recomend it!!

[Felice]

Has anyone mentionned Jouni, Atelier du goût in Nice on this thread yet? I glanced through and didn't see it. I know that I've read at least two articles on it recently, but can't remember where.

Jouni, Atelier du Gout