My husband and I honeymooned in the village of Eze along the French Riviera and returned 15 years later with our daughters to show them the village that we loved so much.
In 1995, my husband and I spent a week of our honeymoon in Eze-le-Village which is a medieval village located along the French Riviera about 15 or 20 kilometres from Nice. The village is perched on a cliff top about 427 metres above sea level which affords magnificent views over the Mediterranean. The village is accessible only to pedestrians and there are numerous charming boutiques just waiting to be discovered while strolling the narrow, sloping pathways.
Eze was a perfect home base for the week that we spent exploring the French Riviera and, even though it was late March/early April, the sun shone brilliantly every day and there was a hint of the summer to come in the air.
We stayed at the the beautiful Relais & Châteaux property Château de la Chèvre d’Or which has 30 rooms and 7 suites and sits perched on the side of the cliff overlooking the Bay of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat and which has a gourmet restaurant that boasts 2 Michelin stars. Our room had a lovely terrace where we could sit and soak up the sun and the view of the sparkling waters of the sea. The château was by far one of the most luxurious and memorable hotels that we have ever stayed at (although my old scanned photos don’t do it justice).
Courtyard at Château de la Chèvre d’Or
View of the Mediterranean from our terrace in Eze
Fountain in Eze
A little more than 15 years later we returned to the south of France with our daughters and spent two wonderful weeks renting a villa in Provence. One of the day trips that we made while there was to Eze so that Katie and Emma could see where we had stayed on our honeymoon. The village was much busier in August than it had been in early April, however, it is definitely still one of the most beautiful places that I have ever visited. We enjoyed wandering the still familiar streets, browsing the shops and showing the girls the château.
Arriving in Eze
Enjoying the beautiful village of Eze
A beautiful place for some posing
With my husband outside the Château de la Chèvre d’Or
Playing in a fountain
Katie and Emma enjoying our walk in Eze
Resting in the shade
Katie and Emma – Eze
Enjoying the view from Eze
Leaving Eze (note the baguette that was ever present on our trip to France)
We only had a few hours to spend in Eze since it was such a long drive from where we were staying in Gordes but it was definitely worth it to reminisce about our honeymoon trip and show our daughters the charming village that we loved so much.
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Muza-chan
Very beautiful place to visit 🙂
Misty
Awww! I love that you were able to return to your honeymoon spot! We’re really fortunate here…My husband and I honeymooned in Germany. Imagine our delight when we found out we were moving here! Now, we’re only an hour away from Trier, the first city we visited in Germany, and one of my favorites. It’s so special to be able to go there on our anniversary, and go back to the same restaurant we ate at back in 2005.
Lisa Goodmurphy
That’s such a great story, Misty! Did you ever imagine while you were honeymooning in Germany that you would one day be living there? Going back to the same restaurant is such a special way to celebrate your anniversary!
Cathy Sweeney
I’m in love with Eze just from looking at your photos. What a wonderful place to honeymoon and so nice to go back with your girls.
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista
These were great pictures! Looks like you have a budding model there 🙂
Eze looks like a place I would love.
Leigh
The kids look like they were having fun and I bet the walk down memory lane was memorable for everyone.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Cathy – Eze is exactly the kind of European village that I love!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Debbie – Emma loves to have a camera pointed at her!
Lisa Goodmurphy
The walk down memory lane was well worth the 2.5 hours of driving in each direction from where we were staying in Provence – I wouldn’t have missed being able to go back for anything!
Andi at The Particular Traveler
What a lovely place for a honeymoon, and so nice that you could take your adorable girls back there to see it. I’ve always wanted to visit the French Riviera, and your photos make me want to go even more!
Sabrina
What a beautiful view from that hotel terrace. Looks like a cute little town. Love the baguette in the picture 🙂
Steve
Very appreciative of the fact that you all took the time to pose for pictures this time. It does look like a great place to spend some time. I love the fact that Katie has a baguette handy in the last picture. Now THAT’S enjoying the Parisian lifestyle.
Mary @ The World Is A Book
I love looking through your beautiful family pictures especially at such a charming and gorgeous place. What a romantic haven for a honeymoon and such a treat to take the girls to somewhere that meant a lot. We honeymooned in Australia and New Zealand and would love to go back and take the kids soon. I hadn’t heard of Eze until your posts =)
walkingon travelsw
Seriously, your daughters dress way cuter than I do when they travel. Not fair 😉 I never made it to Eze when I was traveling through Provence. Only got to be in Nice for a few hours. You have certainly added it to my list though. Thanks for a little arm chair travel tonight lady!
Jessica
I definitely want to take my kids to the place where we honeymooned! Great pics, especially of the girls together.
Dick Jordan
I’m jealous, so jealous! (My only solace: We’re finally having great spring-make that “Seattle Summer”-weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area).
Lisa Wood
How gorgeous that you were able to return to Eze where you had your honeymoon, and show your daughter the plaace you stayed at! What a fantastic little place – loved the idea of sharing your honeymoon location with your two daughters!
Laurel
Wow, it looks amazing. Staying in a chateau is yet another reason I need to spend more time in France.
Jenna
Looks really fun. I will take a French village and a view of the sea any day.
Becca@RWTYM?
I lov that you were able to go back – how cool is that?? I am so excited to hear that you were in Provence – I can actually say that I have been to a place that you have!!!! It was only one day in June 2007, but it was beautiful!!!!
Thank you for linking up today- hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
The French Riviera is a lovely place to visit – you should definitely go. I preferred the smaller villages to the bigger places like Nice and Cannes.
Lisa Goodmurphy
The view was spectacular! This was my first trip to Europe and I just sat on the terrace amazed by how beautiful it was!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I do show up in a photo from time to time now that the kids want to use the camera as well. Katie was carrying a baguette in a good number of the photos that we took while in Provence that summer. We were only home a few days and she desperately wanted a baguette so we went to a local bakery to get one – it just didn’t measure up!
Lisa Goodmurphy
A honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand must have been amazing – hope you get to go back soon with your kids!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Emma is a bit of a clothes horse – she wants to be an author/actor/fashion designer when she grows up! 🙂 Nice is beautiful but the small villages along the Riviera are even better – you definitely need to go back.
Lisa Goodmurphy
So where did you honeymoon, Jessica?? It’s fun to take the kids back to a place that you have good memories of. And thanks for the compliment – they won’t let me take their photo together very often anymore!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I wish I was somewhere sunny and warm like this too. We’ve had a crazy spring thus far in the Toronto area – a couple of nice days followed by a string of cool. Today is beautiful! Glad to hear that the weather is improving in San Fran too.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Lisa – it’s a beautiful spot and it was a lot of fun to go back!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Laurel, you live so close – you definitely need to spend more time in France!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I agree – there isn’t much better than a French village with a view of the sea! 🙂
Lisa Goodmurphy
You need to go back, Becca – Provence is amazing! We spent 2 weeks and LOVED it!!
Sonja
Wow, it doesn’t get more photogenic than that, does it? As a child I once visited a hilltop village above Nice that looked very similar . . . I’ll have to investigate now whether that was Eze-le-Village.
jade
I would love to visit Eze- one of the reasons I love travel blogs and sharing information is finding out about amazing new to me places. Eze fits that category, so thanks for sharing!
Nancie
What a beautiful shot. It must have been fun showing your girls where you honeymooned.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Nancie – it was a fun day with the girls!
Lisa Goodmurphy
That’s one of the reasons I love travel blogs too but my list of places that I want to visit just keeps getting longer and longer!!
Jess @UsedYorkCity
Gorgeous photos! I love a room with a view:-) And how wonderful for your daughters to be able to experience France, too!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Jess – it was a wonderful experience for the girls! And you’re right – nothing beats a room with a view!
smadar
One of the places I have great memories from. Seating on the balcony watching amazing views.
Lisa Goodmurphy
I don’t think there are many places in the world where the view is more beautiful than in Eze! 🙂
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I really like looking through your wonderful family pictures especially at such a enchanting and magnificent position. What a enchanting destination for a honeymoon vacation and such a cure to take the ladies to somewhere that intended a lot.