Èze Village: A Visitor's Guide

Èze's old village is a vertical maze of vaulted passages, flower-draped stone houses, artisan workshops and galleries, all leading upward. There are no cars — you climb on foot — and every turn frames another view or a hidden courtyard.

It is small enough to see in a couple of hours but atmospheric enough to linger, especially early or late when the day-trippers thin out.

At the very top, on the site of a ruined castle, the Jardin Exotique d'Èze plants cacti and succulents among the old walls — and delivers what many call the finest view on the Riviera, a dizzying panorama over the coast from Cap-Ferrat to Italy.

On a clear day you can see for miles along the coast and out to sea; it is the reason most visitors make the climb.

From the village, the Nietzsche Path drops steeply to Èze-sur-Mer on the shore, the trail where the philosopher is said to have conceived part of Thus Spoke Zarathustra. It is a strenuous walk down (and back up), rewarded by sea views.

At the foot of the village, the Fragonard perfume factory offers free tours of how scent is made — an easy, level stop that a chauffeur can pair with the village above.