The French Riviera has been copied and imitated a lot over the years. Nowadays, nearly every coastal country in the world appears to have a “Riviera” of its own – including Albania, for crying out loud.
But there is one ingredient in the recipe for the French Riviera’s lasting appeal which is particularly difficult to copy: its attraction to cool people.
The French Riviera is a “sunny place for shady people”, Graham Greene wrote – thereby qualifying himself for residency (he lived in Antibes for many years), as long as you understand “shady” not as a synonym for criminal inclinations but as a description of a character with a dark side that adds depth and an element of mystery.
Many cool Riviera people have come and gone over the generations, leaving traces in local folklore only (visitors from King Edward VIII to Scott Fitzgerald). But some stayed to erect monuments that reflect their supersized personalities.
Which is why parts of the coast come across as a veritable Theatre of the Vanities: places such as the small seaside resort of Cap d’Ail a few kilometres to the west of Monaco.
For a little tour of the neighbourhood, start at Cap d’Ail train station and take the stairway down to the beach promenade.
Turn right for a look at Les Funambules, the former holiday home of actor and playwright Sacha Guitry, …
… whose popularity peaked in the 1920s when he was probably the most famous actor in France and bottomed out after WWII, following accusations of collaboration with Nazi Germany.
His reputation recovered somewhat towards the end of his life (he died in 1957). Today, he is mainly remembered for his gregarious and charming personality, not so much for his plays which were written for a type of theatre audience that no longer exists.
Go to Avenue Raymond Gravaglia in the back of the villa and look for the entrance gate to the Parc Sacha Guitry, one of Cap d’Ails truly magical spots.
These are the former gardens of Les Funambules which were given to the public after Sacha Guitry’s death (while the villa was converted into flats). The scenic footpath that meanders through the garden covers as much ground vertically as horizontally, …
… giving you the opportunity to enjoy some marvelous views along the way.
When you exit the park on the Boulevard Francois de May, you are standing in front of the building that is to Cap d’Ail what medieval churches or abbeys are to many older towns across Europe.
The Storied Mansions of the French Riviera
The entire early history of Cap d’Ail in the French Riviera– which begins in the late 19th century – revolves around this place.
In fact, when the Eden Hotel was built in 1892, there was no such thing as Cap d’Ail. The few scattered villas on this part of the Riviera coast were referred to then as La Turbie Sur-Mer, referencing the nearest inland town.
It was the Eden Hotel – or, more precisely, the train station which was built on the owners’ request – that, literally, put Cap d’Ail on the map.
Even by the standards of the French Riviera, the Eden Hotel represented the peak of luxurious accommodation. Not only did it have a fencing room, tennis courts and its own pigeon-shooting range: sensationally modern for the period, every suite was equipped with its own bathroom, supplied by a purpose-built water tank on the roof of the hotel.
Today, the once aristocratic Eden Hotel is operated as a mere residence, but the views over Mala Bay are as splendid as ever.
We suggest you take a look around the other main streets of the neighbourhood (Avenue de la Gare, Avenue Pierre Weck and Avenue Charles Blanc) and pick your personal favourite (bear in mind that some of these villas can snapped up for less than 10 million bucks).
Take a specially close look at some of the more famous villas like the Villa Lumiere, …
… and the near-by Villa Helios …
… which were both built by the industrialist Antoine Lumiere, the former for himself, the second for his artistic son Louis who, Antoine must have thought, would never amount to much, so the father took it upon himself to make sure that his son would at least always have a proper roof over his head. (Louis would eventually invent the modern cinema along with his brother – who also received a villa, but that one no longer stands – while their industrialist father went bankrupt a few years later.)
Once you have finished your tour, go back to the train station or, alternatively, to the high street (Avenue du Trois Septembre) from where the Ligne d’Azur buses can take you to Nice or Monaco.
Alternatively, return to the top of Bd Francois de May and follow the signs to Mala Beach, …
… which is still used as the private playground of the Eden Hotel, but there is a public beach as well on the near side.
The foot path on the left side of the beach will, after the first corner, merge into the Route des Douaniers …
… which will take you (over 3.5 km) all the way to Monaco. (You can read more about this trail here.)
The route passes more storied villas such as La Capponcina where Winston Churchill spent much of his later life (on your left hand side, shortly before you arrive in Monaco).
There’s also The Rock where Greta Garbo conducted a years-long affair with a theatrical impresario under the eyes of his wife, who appeared to take it all in her stride at the time but, after her husband’s death, hired a professional exorcist to clear away all “evil spirits” left behind by her movie star rival.
Whether or not you decide to add a couple of hours to your excursion by taking the hike down the Route des Douaniers, you will be facing that age-old dilemma: shall you bring a backpack or not? Once you decide to forego a packed lunch (as you probably will for a trip lasting less than a full day), there is no real need for one.
Most people – including myself, alas – are just bringing one out of habit and laziness of thought. But hey, there is an attractive alternative now: just stuff it all down your trousers!
Mobile phones, wallets, kleenexes and small bottles of water or handwash gel – these are only some of the items for which the adidas Adventure Nature Awakening Cargo Trousers were designed.
On top of that, cargo trousers are super-trendy – according to an article that Mrs. Easy Hiker showed me, they are “a staple in the wardrobes of Gigi and Bella Hadid, Rihanna and Hailey Bieber”. (I must confess that I am not sure who some of these folks are. Now, Hailey Bieber: did he not win an award for the best pitcher in baseball a few seasons back?)
This was also the walk on which we tested my new footwear. The adidas Terrex Soulstride Trail Running Shoes …
… equally fill a gap. (You can find my new shoes as well as other outdoor boots options on the adidas site.)
Like the other items that we were given to test in our new capacity as adidas product ambassadors, both trousers and shoes were useful and chic, which is, if you think about it, a rare combination.
Until now, I only had the choice between the moccasins and espadrilles that I usually wear to town in the summer (they are fine for going to the shops or a restaurant, but after two hours of walking, my bare feet look as though they had been subjected to an array of medieval tortures) and proper walking shoes which always make me feel overdressed for walks down a beach promenade, like a man who is wearing a fancy three-piece-suit to go to the cinema.
Trust the Germans to pull that one off! (Just look at their luxury cars.) I certainly cannot wait until the next assignment.
