Euro Trip 2013, Part 4: French Riviera

After a week hiking through the Alps, we were ready for some beach time. From Chamonix, we went straight to the airport in Geneva and took a quick flight over to Nice. Our plan was to spend one night in Nice, two in Monaco, and another back in Nice before heading out.

We spent some time in both Nice and Cannes, exploring each city as much as we could, but I think we really enjoyed Monaco the most. It was the prettiest of the three and was more our speed. We found a few amazing restaurants, including a tiny one run by a married couple that had an affinity for all things Japanese. And gambling in the Monte Carlo Casino was pretty slick too. 

We had a blast in the Riviera, but it was a little crowded while we were there and I was definitely ready for ten days in our next destination: Spain!

(To read Parts 1-3 of our Euro Trip 2013, click on Archive at the top of the page.)

Euro Trip 2013, Part 3: The Alps

After Geneva, we had six nights planned for the Swiss and French Alps. This was the leg of the trip that I was probably the most excited about. While Inna had never been to the Alps before, I had about ten years ago on a five-week tour across Europe with an old college buddy of mine. I couldn’t wait for what was in store!

First up was Mürren, Switzerland. A tiny mountain village nestled up above the valley town of Lauterbrunnen, Mürren was the perfect base camp for some nice hiking. 

After two nights in Mürren, we hopped on a train and made our way through the Alps over to Zermatt, one of Europe’s most famous ski resorts. During the summer, it boasts some of the continent’s best hiking trails, not to mention killer views of the stunning Matterhorn. 

From Zermatt, we headed westbound and across the border into France, where we stayed in Chamonix for two nights. Chamonix, site of the first Winter Olympics, is perhaps best known for its skiing and mountain activities, but also for being the gateway to the EU’s highest peak, Mont Blanc.

With all the hiking we did, not to mention lugging all my gear around, a week in the Alps was extremely exhausting. But it was definitely one of the most rewarding parts of our trip. I spent seven years of my life in the Rocky Mountains, and I was absolutely blow away by the beauty of the Alps. You truly feel tiny when you’re surrounded by such an epic landscape. It was quite a dramatic difference from what we were about to experience next: the French Riviera.

(To read Parts 1 & 2 of our Euro Trip 2013, click on Archive at the top of the page.)