MONACO NEIGHBOURHOOD
plant outshines the less colourful agaves
and succulents. Locals look after the plants,
caringly placing sunbeds on one of the gar-
den’s terraces. A tired traveller can thus re-
lax and admire the mountain slopes that
he has just conquered. This park of unique
exotic plants was laid in 1949. Originally it
was named the Exotic Garden of Monaco. In
the winter of 2003, the municipality of Eze
completely renovated the place to “breathe
new life into it”. Since then it has become
the «Garden of Eze». The garden is also
known for its sculptures — elegant female
figures that have become symbols of Eze.
You can enjoy a beautiful panorama of
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the coast from
here. One of the observation platforms even
reveals to the curious outlines of Corsica.
Sightseeing
T
he oldest building in Eze is the
Church of the White Penitents or
the Church of the Holy Cross, built
in 1306. Back in time, the White Brother-
hood was helping the unfortunate and the
lepers. The Brotherhood actually still exists
nowadays. Small and unpretentious from
the outside and incredibly atmospheric
inside, the church attracts visitors for its
two relics: an ancient Catalan crucifix with
a smiling Christ and the statue of the Vir-
gin Mary with her baby.
The architectural style of the church sug-
gests Genovese influence as the town once
belonged to the Republic of Genoa.
The main square is home to another unu-
sual 18th century building — the Church of
the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Notre Dame de l’Assomption). According to
an old legend, the Phoenicians built a tem-
ple in this place to honour the goddess Isis;
the church still holds the Egyptian cross. In
1974, the French comedian Francis Blanche
was buried here. The inscription on his grave
says: «Let me sleep, I was created for it» (Lais-
sez-moi dormir, j’etais fait pour ça).
The ancient Chateau of Eze (Château Eza) is
located in the very heart of the stone city.
It was built four centuries ago in the old
part of the village. Until 1983, it bore the
name «Castle of the Swedish Prince». From
1920, and for the next 30 years, it was the
residence of his Royal Highness, the Swed-
ish Prince Guillaume. As a writer, he cre-
ated most of his works within the walls of
this building. After a thorough restoration
in the second half of the 20th century, the
castle passed into the ownership of a Swiss,
Andre Rocha.
Nowadays, Château Eza, with its old stone
walls bearing a rich history, is a five-star ho-
tel. Its restaurant was awarded a Michelin
star and is rightly believed to be the gastro-
nomic pearl of the town. Although it does
not have a particularly exotic menu (its chef
Axel Wagner prefers traditional dishes), real
For gourmets
T
he hotel «Chèvre d’Or» has a two-
Michelin-star restaurant and at-
tracts world-class celebrities with
The medieval town still remembers one of its most
extraordinary and famous inhabitants, the German
philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who came to the
south of France to cheer himself up.
gourmets who are accustomed to good cui-
sine come here every year. The hotel has
12 rooms and suites, each decorated in a
unique style recreating the atmosphere of
an ancient castle.
In addition to the Eze Castle, the scenic
mountain road of the Moyenne Corniche
also hides another attraction — the Chateau
of the Golden Goat (Château de la Chèvre
d’Or) that belonged to a Yugoslav violinist
Zlatko Balokovic back in the early 20th cen-
tury. Robert Wolff, who bought the building
in 1953, transformed the castle into a restau-
Scenic route — moyenne corniche
96 / Hello Monaco – Winter 2018
rant. Over three years, the establishment
gained international fame thanks to the ar-
rival of Walt Disney. The hotel turned out to
be the 6th stage on the so-called «Road of
Happiness» (La Route du Bonheur) created
by Marcel Tiloy in 1954.
In 1960, following the initiative of the South
African Consul of Monaco, Bruno Ingold,
«Chèvre d’Or» officially became a hotel.
Its 18 rooms are booked annually by
princes and princesses, politicians and
actors. The hotel currently has 38 rooms
and suites, eight of them bearing the
names of famous Eze residents (Cocteau,
Nietzsche and others).
its Mediterranean cuisine. Fabrice Wühlen,
who lived in Morocco for several years, is
currently the chef of the establishment.
Unsurprisingly, the menu has Moroccan
notes that only give it more credit.
The hard-to -reach village of Eze is a
landmark in itself. Those who love wan-
dering through the cobweb of narrow
streets will be greeted by lovely handi-
craft shops, French souvenirs and per-
fume boutiques.
Another good restaurant to visit is the
«Mas Provençal». You will find some quite
conflicting reviews on the Internet. Some
customers are delighted with its interior
and the menu. Some complain that due
to its increased popularity and the num-
ber of visitors, the place now resembles
more of a bistro than an exquisite restau-
rant where many celebrities, an Ameri-
can President George Bush among others,
used to dine. Tastes differ, however, as the
saying goes. One thing is sure. You have
never seen a restaurant with such an inte-
rior. Saying that the restaurant is decorat-
ed with flowers, is the least thing one can
say. It just drowns in flowers and vines!
Try its risotto or lamb and you won’t re-
gret it! In any case, if you have time, do
book a table at «Mas Provençal» and draw
your own conclusions.