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Saturday, June 4, 2011

Glitz and Glamour - Monte Carlo, Monaco and Cannes, France

We'll be on the home stretch now, snaking our way back to homebase in Bournemouth, UK. It will be a big week for us, essentially crossing France in a series of big rides with a couple of rest days. Our first stop is Cannes.

Where we are staying

Parc des Monges (Campsite)
How long? 3 nights
How much? €17 per night (2 adults, small tent, 1 motorbike)
Check in? Not specified, but we will be arriving around 4pm from Figline Valdarno via Monaco
Check out? Not specified. We have a 6.5 hour ride ahead of us to Avallon and we want to get there by 1pm to see Guedelon, so we will probably leave around 5am (!)
Why we chose it? The main attraction was location - only 10km from Cannes and 40min from Nice - perfect for exploring! The campsite is in a village up in the hills, it's beautiful.

What we want to see

Monaco

On the way, we'll stop in Monaco. If we get there in time, I'd love to see the Changing of the Guards at Palais du Prince, at 11.55am. Otherwise we will just be exploring, although I'd love to go to Musee Oceanographique de Monaco - one of the worlds best aquariums for €11 each.

Nice

Vieux Nice - The beautiful old 18th century side of town

Parc du Chateau - I need to go here, it has ridiculously awesome views and gardens

Musee d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain - home of Andy Warhol's Campbells Soup can.
€4 Admission

The beach! There are free sections and pay-to-use sections with loungers, so we'll have to make sure we find the right one!
€11 Admission

Lou Pilha Leva restaurant - Meals from €3? I'm there!

Pasta Basta eatery - Meals here are around €6.80, but they had me at the name Pasta Basta.

Cours Saleya Market - Apparently better than any market in France? I'll be the judge of that. Fruit, Veges, Meats and Cheeses most of the time, Antiques and Bric a Brac on Mondays.

Cannes

The campsite sounds amazing just on it's own! We have 2 days here - one for Nice, one for Cannes, and I kind of just want to explore and relax on our day in Cannes.


What we are expecting

Expense. Everyone says it's ridiculously expensive so we'll probably bring some food with us from Italy. Other than that, I'm expecting white sandy beaches but not spectacular beaches. I'm expecting to enjoy Vieux Nice the most, including Parc du Chateau. I'm expecting a place that doesn't live up to it's reputation - despite the glamour of the French Riviera and the Cannes Film Festival.