The last leg of our adventure to Nice. The route is mainly on asphalt: major and minor asphalt roads and paved paths along the coast. From Menton, the stage heads towards Monaco, past harbors and beaches via nice coastal towns to the end point of this stage and the GR5 in Nice: Promenade des Anglais!
Of course, this one could not be left out. A bonus to complete the "Heerlen - Nice" journey. After we reached the coast and enjoyed this milestone with our feet in the Mediterranean Sea, we walked up 300 steps through the beautiful town of Menton with its colorful houses, churches and beautiful streets and alleys, all the way to camping St. Michel. Here, under the old olive trees overlooking the sea, our support was waiting for us: Mark's parents, this time traveling back to the Netherlands, who pampered us again. Two days later they travel on, and we still enjoy the beautiful coasts, villages and towns. We swim every day in the lovely water between the waves. What a treat...
But after a few days, things begin to itch again. After six months being on the road to Nice, this is still a place that keeps beckoning. We prepared a nice route from Menton through Monaco, following the coast as much as possible. At 35 kilometers, it's quite a long stage, so we get up before dawn. With the dawn red over the sea, we leave the campsite for the beach where we ended our previous stage. From there we walk toward Menton, where the warm light of the rising sun shines on the terra-colored houses. Menton lies against the border with Italy, making it the easternmost town on the Côte d'Azur. In Italy, this coastal strip is called the Floral Riviera. That name wouldn't be out of place here either, because it looks like spring. The flowerbeds are full of flowers. We soon walk past palms, banana trees and cacti. The slopes are full of orange, tangerine and lemon trees. Gorgeous! And SO different from anything we've seen so far. We walk past beaches: some sandy, but most beaches are pebble beaches. On the other side of the road are hotels, apartments and a casino. All beautiful old buildings, nicely decorated with Mediterranean vegetation. The coastal strip is quite busy, but fortunately after we walk out of Menton, we soon walk onto a concrete coastal path. This runs off the road and continues to follow the sea where the road bends away from here. We walk along a beautiful rocky stretch of coast with high cliffs here and there and conifers hanging over the water. On the water are a number of sailboats and a dive boat. Or rather a boat with divers. They are getting ready with bottles and diving suits to jump into the water. I'm sure it will be at least as beautiful underwater as above, because the water here is a brilliant turquoise blue and crystal clear.By now we have walked about 10 kilometers and we find a rock to take a break. What a view again of the sea and coast. In the distance we see a large city built against the foothills of the Alps, right on the water. As we continue along the narrow concrete slabs again, ascending and descending over the rocks and following the coast, we rapidly approach. The buildings get taller and taller. What structures! The city is Monaco, the second smallest country in the world after Vatican City. And they have made it an art of putting as many high-rises as possible in 2 km², making it the most densely populated country in the world. Each building looks more luxurious than the next. We walk with our mountain boots and backpack past the fanciest beaches, shopping malls and marinas with gigantic private yachts. We carefully pass one Ferrari after another Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Impressive it is, so much luxury sandwiched between mountains and sea.
Nice to see. It is clearly noticeable when we walk back into France on the other side. Here the buildings are a bit more modest and the people are a bit more "normal. But even here it is still beautifully Mediterranean and in the windows of the real estate agencies there are very few properties for which you have to pay less than 7 figures....
From here, the route runs mostly along a two-lane coastal road. The road winds along beautiful coves. Occasionally we walk through tunnels and at the villages we can get off the road for a while to walk along the beaches, quays and terraces at the harbors. It slowly gets busier again and the houses get bigger again. We pass Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. A beautiful peninsula in the blue water. Here we leave the road again to walk around Mont Boron. A hill almost 200 meters high by the sea. It is a large park with villas (including Elton John's house!) and an old fortress. On the other side, we see a mile-long coastal strip. Tall buildings, parks and a long promenade where the real final destination of our trip lies. Here on the other side of Mont Boron is Nice! By now it is after 6 p.m. and the final kilometers are in sight. We walk past old buildings on a harbor and then along the boulevard that stretches long before us. We walk among Nice residents and tourists who use the boulevard for an evening stroll, skating, running and playing music. On the beaches, people sit watching the waves and the setting sun. We continue walking until the intersection of the Promenade des Anglais with Rue Cronstadt. The end point of this last stage and the end point of the GR5 that comes from the other side. The last, 35th kilometer we almost 'float'. Here it really feels like we've reached the final destination of our journey. Even though we now arrive via the other side than expected, this is the point we have been looking forward to for so long. Here we can complete this trip. Relieved and also a little wistful, we high-5 on our achievement: today we also crossed the 2,000 kilometers!
This was it... Heerlen - Nice is complete ✔
For those who came all the way to these last words: Super thanks for your attention and your commitment and maybe until our next adventure!
