The rain comes in a deluge again today and will last for at least 3 days, though I know that once it starts raining it's for at least a week. Rain on the Riviera can be impressive - heavy at times and causing flash flooding and dragging on for days. I won't feel too bad though because we have only had one period of that so far this fall and the past week has been glorious.
It was Halloween in the US. Here in France we celebrate All Saint's Day, or Toussaint. Toussaint is a public holiday and 4 day weekend. While many people travel during this period we decided to stay home - and how glad we were!
We spent two days in the mountains, and two days on the seaside.
Day 1: Picnic on the Pic des Courmettes
The Pic des Courmettes is the highest mountain closest to the sea at 700m. It's only a half hour drive to the beach and up on the plateau below the summit we felt like we were just hanging above the seashore. The land is private but there is public access and plenty of trails for walking or climbing to the top. We picnicked in one of the fields normally used by the sheep or goats we saw grazing elsewhere which made a terrific running place for the kids and gave us exceptional views of the coast and the mountains to the west.
Day 2: Paragliding in Gourdon
While on the Pic des Courmettes we could see paragliders (and one of our friends!) flying from nearby Gourdon. E had the itch and so the following day we packed a second picnic and with friends headed up to Gourdon to watch the pilots. It was a fabulous day with E flying 2.5 hours (we were long home by then). The kids loved watching all the colorful paragliders and hangliders taking off and flying so close by.
Day 3: Lunch in Juan-les-Pins
Need I say more?
Day 4: Nice
Nice was fabulous as always. We joined the families walking along the Promenade des Anglais and watched the G20 protesters warming up for their march later in the day. Like everyone else, they were enjoying the weather on the beach. We ate lunch at one the beach restaurants and enjoyed a gelato at the yummy Crema di Gelato on the square in front of the Palais du Justice.
After lunch, we visited the magnificent Carrousel Palace in the Parc Albert 1er - it is truly beautiful with magnficent horses and cars and airplanes to ride. It's a double-decker and is just glittery to see turn. At the top the panels are painted with scenes of landmarks of Nice. Most I recognized but some, I know, are of buildings that have been destroyed or demolished.
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