Tracey’s Tastes: France & Italy Series

Sun, Sea & Sips in the Cote d’Azur: A French Riviera Travel Diary

There’s something cinematic about the French Riviera – pastel villages, sparkling water, and Rose on repeat. From Villefrache-sur-Mer to Eze to Monaco, this leg of our trip was all about visiting close friends, sea breezes (not the drink!), shopping and french fries.

It all started as a good idea: a sister trip to visit our honorary “French sister,” whom you’ll get to know as Titi Belle. She lives in Villefranche-sur-Mer, a charming seaside village tucked between Nice and Monaco. My nephew was graduating high school and planned to take an old-school backpacking trip across Europe with two of his friends before college. Brave, right? Especially these days. Our plan was to join him for the first leg of his trip, then send him off while we continued our own adventure.

We booked early. The itinerary? Villefranche-sur-Mer → Cinque Terre → Florence. Twelve days in total. A long time to leave my sweet fur baby, but after losing my mom recently, I knew this sister time could be just the kind of healing I needed. Titi Belle would plan the French portion, my sister took on Cinque Terre, and I was in charge of Florence.

We flew out mid-July (my least favorite time for international travel thanks to the heat and crowds, but it worked with my sister’s school schedule and my nephew’s timeline). I avoided Atlanta and Charlotte due to typical summer weather chaos and chose Philadelphia instead. Of course, the week before my flight, Philly was flooding.

My first flight was delayed, but I had enough layover time to breathe easy. Once I got to Philly, my international flight was delayed… and delayed… and delayed. I skipped dinner, saving my appetite for airplane wine, a movie, and some sleep. But by 10:00 p.m., the flight was canceled. Our luggage disappeared into a warehouse, and we were herded to the Clarion Hotel with a $12 meal voucher. The restaurant? Closed. The bar? Closed. The chef had hurt his hand. I bought two bottles of water, a bag of chips, and some peanut butter crackers from the lobby shop and trudged to my room, thankful not to be sleeping in the terminal.

The next morning, back to the airport we went. It was only 11:00 a.m., but our flight wouldn’t leave until 9:00 p.m. While killing time in the new Admirals Club, I met some lovely fellow travelers—one of the joys of travel, honestly. We shared stories, snacks, and commiserated over our wine-less night. Eventually, we learned our original plane had been struck by lightning on its way from Zurich. Yep, grounded. But finally, at 9:00 p.m., we were airborne. Nice, France—here I come!

Landing in Nice after 35 years felt surreal. The airport hadn’t changed much. Customs went smoothly, and soon I was in a cab headed to Villefranche-Sur-Mer, following the seaside route through Riquier and past Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The traffic gave me time to soak in the scenery and finally… exhale.

At Titi Belle’s house, I was welcomed with warm croissants (raspberry and chocolate!) and strong French coffee.

Then my sister ( who had arrived the day before me) hit me with the news: our VRBO rental was a nightmare. Filthy kitchen, grimy bathroom, no A/C or fans—in July! Oh dear. We hustled to town and landed at the Hotel Le Versailles. The incredibly kind staff found us two rooms with terraces and sea views. I had a bed for the next couple of days and air conditioning. Titi Belle handled the VRBO mess with finesse, calling customer service in French. Thankfully my sister had snapped pics of the filthy apartment so we had proof of conditions. Note to all, ALWAYS take photos. VRBO refunded all but one night—kudos to them!

It was time for exploring!

Day One: Monaco & La Turbie

We kicked off with a half-day in Monaco. It was glitzy, touristy, and entertaining—especially for my nephew, who loved the flashy cars outside Hotel de Paris. I hadn’t been since the late ’80s, but some favorites were still there: Jimmy’s nightclub, the Casino de Monte-Carlo, and Tip Top for late-night pasta after dancing at Jimmy’s.

After roaming around taking in the sites and doing a little window shopping we stopped for a quick cocktail (rosé for me, French-style margaritas for my sisters). Fuel for a little hike in La Turbie with stunning views of Monaco and Eze. We saw people picnicking along the way with wine and cheese sitting on blankets enjoying the evening and the view. We dined @NonnaFrancescatrattoriaenoteca, a charming village spot where we devoured burrata pizza and chèvre salad. Jet lag or not, it was chef’s kiss.

Day Two: Exploring Èze Titi Belle drove us to Èze, a tiny medieval cliffside village with jaw-dropping Mediterranean views. Eza was first populated in 200 BC. We wandered through stone alleys filled with boutiques and cafes. We visited the 14th-century Chapelle de la Sainte Croix and peeked at the Chateau d’Èze, a hotel once visited by Walt Disney himself. The beautiful hotel serves lunch and dinner, but reservations are a must as is a dress code. My sister and I happened upon a cool candy store that looked like it was in a cave. They were selling nougat, marzipan and quince cheese in enormous chunks and in so many flavors. After a taste test we said absolutely yes we need to take some home with us. We were instructed to indicate with our fingers how much we wanted the clerk to cut. We went with 1-2″. I got Caramel nougat and pistachio marzipan. At checkout the clerk weighed the candy and the price was $90! So were my sisters. $180 for nougat and marzipan?! The clerk did mention as we were leaving that the candy would be fresh for one year. Well thank heavens for that! After some serious candy sticker shock, we cooled our wallets and souls with Aperol Spritzes and a delicious burrata and pancetta salad—and, of course, French fries.

We were fortunate to be in France during Bastille Day. We watched fireworks in the village, followed by a gelato (Nutella, naturally). Titi Belle’s 14-year-old talked us into going to an outdoor dance-a-thon held in the Citadelle Saint-Elme, a 16th-century fortress. Picture families from age 4 to 94 dancing to the Spice Girls and forming a quadrille line under the stars. It was magic.

Day Three: Villefranche-sur-Mer + Bastille Day: We spent our day exploring Villefranche-sur-Mer. It’s postcard-perfect, but be warned: it’s hilly! Our step counters worked overtime. We swam in the Mediterranean, navigating down rocky beaches and old cement piers to the water. Afterward, we collapsed at the hotel pool with an Aperol Spritz in hand.

This was to be our final night, so it was girls’ night only. Titi Belle made reservations at a waterfront restaurant, @loubantryrestaurant, and Titi Bell and I feasted on large buckets of mussels and—of course—French fries! My sister had a beautiful vegetarian platter that was huge! And of course, French fries! It was a bittersweet reunion of the three girls, one that we will always remember.