French Riviera: The Three Corniches

Two days on the three corniche roads that terrace the coast between Nice and Monaco, each at its own altitude. The route starts in Nice, from the Promenade des Anglais to Castle Hill, drops to Villefranche-sur-Mer and its deep natural harbour where Cocteau decorated the Saint-Pierre chapel, climbs to Eze, a hilltop village whose exotic garden gives a full 360-degree panorama, passes La Turbie and the Trophy of Augustus, then reaches Monaco, its Rock and its oceanographic museum. This is one of the finest stretches of road on the Mediterranean. The Grande Corniche is the highest and least busy, the Basse Corniche the most congested in summer. Drive early for the light and for parking, which is scarce and expensive in both Eze and Monaco.