Eze village is a medieval tiny spot on the top of the rocky hill in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and for sure is one of the most beautiful places in French Riviera.

Thousands of people travel to Eze to enjoy marvelous views opening from the top of the village.

Eze sur la mer looks like the eagles nest in shape. Located on the top of the hill and overlooking the Mediterranean sea, Eze village is one of the most popular spots in French Riviera.

Tourists travel to Eze to find out more the history of this place, visit unique art galleries and shops, climb the top of the hill in the Exotique garden and just feel the atmosphere of this amazing place.

Years ago Eze village was a fortified town. You need to go up the hill and visit Eze Jardin Exotique to enjoy the stunning views opening in front of you. The highest spot is 429 meters, but you will easily get there by walking.

What to do in Eze village, France

Eze sur la mer reminds a place from a fairy tail – narrow medieval streets of the old town, plenty of colorful shops and art galleries, souvenir shops, and restaurants.

Even though Eze village is small in size, you can plan a day trip there.

You can plan a full day trip to feel the atmosphere of Eze sur la mer, – walk around, visit Jardin Exotique, or they call it sometimes Jardin d’Èze, do shopping and order lunch or dinner in one of famous local restaurants.

Visit Gift and Specialty Shops of Eze sur le Mer village 

Eze village is a perfect place to buy exclusive and interesting souvenirs.

You will find numerous small shops offering souvenirs and presents for any occasion.

Hand made items and beautifully painted pictures, sculptures and various art pieces are widely presented in Eze village shops.

For sure, you will find a gift for your beloved one or your friends.

The price range is also different and will fit any budget.

You can also find plenty of crafts made of wood, glass and iron.

Small and original crafts would be the best gift you can bring from Eze, France.

In case you are willing to buy French perfumes, plan a visit to Fragonard – a famous perfumery which is situated in Eze le village.

Perfumes have been produced in Fragonard since 1926 and in order to learn more about perfumery production you can take a guided tour.

Also, visitors can buy embroidered linens, soap, glassware and many other gifts and souvenirs in Fragonard shop.

In the center of Eze village you will find art galleries and shops offering:

• decorations;
• minerals;
• old postcards;
• jewelry;
• porcelains;
• accessories;
• sweets, nougat and palines;
• soaps;
• aromatics;
• species;
• toys;
• music boxes;
• original crafts;

The whole village of Eze sur la Mer is like an art gallery, where the streets are decorated with paintings and other pieces of art.

Is Eze worth visiting?

Eze sur la Mer is must see place in the South of France. The beautiful views of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat commune, the Mediterranean sea, Eze village itself and French Riviera will convince you again, Eze is worth visiting.

Picturesque landscapes attract thousands of tourists every year.

Tourism is the main source of income here, that’s why you will find number of things to do in Eze village easily.

Even though this is a tiny village among numerous attractions on the Mediterranean coast, it remains one of the top popular places.

Eze village is always overcrowded in summer, during high tourist season in French Riviera.

There is the old part of the village and the residential part, called Eze sur la Mer.

You will find here various sports entertainments, cafes, restaurants, hotels and beaches.

Eze le village has its own train station.

If you are traveling by car, you can leave your car at the parking lot of Eze sur la Mer, which is at the road junction and at the entrance to the old village.

Also, you can have great lunch time or dinner in one of the numerous cafes and restaurants.

If you are going to travel to Eze village during summer, keep in mind that the roads tend to be a bit overcrowded and you can spend hours in traffic jam.

From Eze village you can easily reach Nice, Menton or Monaco.

Eze sur la Mer is an amazing place, it is different from any other villages you may see on the coast of the Mediterranean sea.

The shores and the beaches of Eze sur la Mer are hidden in the forests of pine trees and all the villas still preserve the charm of the “Belle Époque” style.

You can enter the village only by feet.

The streets of Eze sur la Mer are worth walking around, visit museums and take photos of the local architecture.

The old part of Eze sur la Mer is located on the top of the hill.

The only entrance to Eze village is through the Gates built in XIV century.

You will be inspired by this tiny village when walking in the narrow streets and among the old stone houses.

In spite of being a small village Eze sur la Mer offers number of tourists’ attractions.

One of such attractions is the Church built in XVII century.

The contrast of styles makes the church special. There is an Egyptian Cross kept in the church.

The oldest building of Eze le village relates to 1306 and this is the St Cross Church (Chapelle de la Sainte Croix).

The Ancient Chateau Eza Castle

Chateau Eza was founded about 400 years ago.

It acquired the name thanks to the visit of William the Ist Father. In several years he bought it and called Chateau Eza, which by 1976 was known as “The Prince of Sweden’s Castle”.

He adored France region and liked Eze because it was such a peaceful spot.

In Eze village he prepared several works. He went back to Sweden in 1953.

For a few years the castle did not belong to anybody and its fate was rather unclear.

Fortunately during the period of 1976-1980 it was purchased by a diplomat from Genes, Andre Rochat.

He owned Eza Castle till 1993. During these years Andre Rochat invested a lot of funds in order to restore and renovate the Chateau.

Today Chateau Eza is a part of the hotel and one of the most visited places in French Riviera.

In 1994 Chateau Eza was purchased by M. Terry Gilles. Since then a lot of improvements have been made and the hotel is considered to be one of the luxury places in the South of France.

Chateau Eza is a 5 star hotel, known for the Gourmet restaurant and is one of the most tranquil and romantic places.

The Exotic Garden in Eze sur la Mer

Eze sur la Mer is famous for the Exotic Garden, founded in 1949 by J. Gastou.

The garden is located on the height of 429 meters from the sea level.

It has remnants of the fortress, reassembled in 1706 according to the order of Ludovik XIV.

You will enjoy the views of the Esterel Mountains, Saint Tropez and the French Riviera coast.

The Exotic Garden in Eze village is the location of rare species from all over the world in the Southern part of the garden.

The Northern part of the Exotic garden of Eze village consists of cascades, shelters plants from Mediterranean region mainly.

All of the paths of the garden are marked with the information plates, where the visitors can read about the history of this place and learn more from the past of this marvelous place.

Awesome views are opening from the park of exotic plants, beautifully located on the top of the hill.

Hundreds of cactuses brought from the Southern part of America grow in the Jardin Exotique of Eze sur la Mer.

The garden is an open air area and you can see the seacoast from the garden.

The recent cost of the entrance ticket was 6 EUR.

There is a narrow road connecting Eze sur la Mer with the sea and you can take a walk if your schedule permits.

Open hours of the Exotic Garden in Eze

Open daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm during January, February, March, November, December.

Open hours during April, May, June, October are from 9:00am to 6.30pm.

In July, August and September the Exotic Garden in Eze le village is open from 9:00am to 7.30pm.

There is Parfumerie Fragonard – L’Usine laboratoire where you can buy perfumes produced locally.

The address is:

7 avenue du Jardin Exotique, 06360 Eze, France

Eze village was the inspiration place for Nietzsche, where he wrote the main part of “Also Sprach Zarathustra”.

It is stated that in the mornings Nietzsche was climbing a hill for a new portion of inspiration for his novel.

The official website of the Exotic Garden of Eze village is: www.jardinexotique-eze.fr

How to get to Eze village?

You can travel to Eze village by car, by bus or by train.

In most cases tourists travel to Eze from Nice by bus.

In order to travel from Nice to Eze you can take bus#82 but please double check this information, since bus routes may change because of the road works, etc.

When you travel to Eze by bus you will b able to enjoy stunning sea views and beautiful communes of Cote d’Azure.

The bus stop is at the entrance to the village.

Do not worry if you don’t speak French and do not know the route.

The buses are equipped with the monitors, showing the route of the bus from Nice to Eze, where you will be able to see the name of each stop. Also, every bus stop is announced.

In case you will be going from Grande Corniche you would need to take bus line 116 Nice Vauban-Peille.

If you are travelling via Moyenne Cornice – take bus line 112: Nice – Vauban – Beausoleil.

Where to Stay in When You Visit Eze?

When you visit Eze village, there are number of accommodation options ranging from luxury hotels to budget-friendly vacation rentals.

If you’re looking for a luxurious experience, the Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo is a great choice, offering beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of the French Riviera.

For a more budget-friendly option, check out the family-run La Maison de l’Eze, located just a short walk from the beach.

If you’re traveling with a group, you could opt for one of the many vacation rentals in the area, such as the Villa Eze, which has a fully equipped kitchen and a private pool.

No matter what type of accommodation you choose, you’re sure to have a wonderful stay in Eze!

Going to other places near Eze sur la Mer

You can enjoy more beautiful places near Eze village, which are also worth visiting.

For example, Beaulieu sur Mer is reachable by bus 83. You will find bus stop for #83 at the very foot of the village. The final stop of bus 83 is in Beaulieu.

Another interesting place near Eze village is Villefranche sur Mer.

This is where famous villa de Rothschild is located. From Beaulieu sur Mer take bus #82 to get to le Cap Ferrat.

From the history of Eze village

The first records about Eze are dated as of 2000BC.

It was a commune, located at Mount Bastide. For a number of times this area was occupied by Romans, Turkish troops.

For centuries the name of the village was changed, it was called Isia, Isie, Esa and finally Eze.

In 1388 Eze village was under the governance of the House of Savoy and since then was called Eze le village.

Because of the convenient close location to the city of Nice they built a fortified town.

For hundreds of years Eze was invaded.

In 1860 Eze village was proclaimed a part of France, which was based on the decision of the citizens of the village.

These days Eze sur la Mer is a commune, of about 300 people.

In spite of such a small number of inhabitants Eze village issues its own newspaper, which is called “Vuesd’Eze”.

The citizens of Eze sur Mer organize various festivals, cultural and historical holidays to attract more tourists.

We hope you will also find your own inspiration when you will travel to Eze village, send us your feedback and feel free to share your experience about Eze sur la Mer.

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