Èze village

Èze is a medieval village perched on a rock above the Moyenne Corniche, more than 400 m above the Mediterranean; according to the tourist board, the view from the top reaches Saint-Tropez on a clear day. The Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs, dating from 1306, is considered the oldest building in the commune, and the church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption dates from the 18th century. At the top of the village, the Jardin Exotique has been laid out in the ruins of a medieval fortress, with cacti, agaves and aloes. Entry to the village is free.

Allow about two hours for the garden and the lanes; the garden itself takes around 30 to 40 minutes. It is best to come on a weekday morning, and in summer before 10 a.m.: by midday the main lane fills up. The Nietzsche Path drops about 400 m to the sea at Èze-sur-Mer; depending on the source it is 2 to 4 km long, and the descent takes roughly 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. The climb back up is hard going in summer heat.