What to see in Èze, an enchanting medieval village.
A little historical note.
The village of Èze Village , located between Nice and Menton, is a charming village as well as one of the smallest on the French Riviera.
Extending over a steep territory that connects it to the sea, it is considered one of the most beautiful and romantic villages in France, with its flower-filled passages and medieval streets that host artists' studios, art galleries, restaurants and picturesque souvenir shops.
With just over 3,000 inhabitants, it is a small but very popular village in high season, famous throughout the world. Many famous figures, including Mr. Walt Disney, spent their holidays there; it also seems that Nietzsche had the inspiration for some parts of his “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” here.
Like the rest of the coast of the Maritime Alps, the municipality of Èze has been occupied since ancient times; its local tradition made it a Phoenician foundation, a Mycenaean palace or a Ligurian oppidum dating back to the early Iron Age . The oldest traces of occupation date back to the 1st century BC, but the strongest period of activity lies between the era of Augustus and that of the Flavians.
Between the 13th and 14th centuries it was under the dominion of the counts of Provence, although it retained a certain autonomy. After the high-medieval period of Èze belonging to Provence, the town passed to the County of Savoy in 1388, and from that historical moment the destiny of the Duchy of Savoy will follow.
Èze suffered the offensive of the Ottoman fleet of Suleiman the Magnificent, an ally of France, in the mid-1500s and during the 17th and 17th centuries, when it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Piedmont, the village was occupied and sacked numerous times by the army French.
The municipality remained, together with the entire county of Nice, involved in the vicissitudes of the County and the Duchy of Savoy. Only after the Congress of Vienna, it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Piedmont. In 1860 it was annexed by France.
What to see in Èze Village
The village of Èze Village has characteristic streets, narrow and full of flowers, which wind through the historic center and lead to the top of the promontory on which it is perched. The stone houses and the colorful ones, the art ateliers and the artisan shops do nothing but fuel the dream atmosphere that you breathe when visiting this small village.
Church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Èze
In 17th century neoclassical style with a central rose window and Greek columns with Corinthian capitals, the Church is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and has been listed among the historical monuments of France since 1984.
It was built on a previous structure by an Italian architect, Antonio Spinelli , at the behest of the Duke of Savoy Carlo Emanuele III. Its tower, which features a beautiful clock, was built in the 19th century and destroyed numerous times. The dial, in a bright blue, recalls the color of the Virgin Mary.
The exotic garden of Èze
One of the most famous attractions in Eze village is certainly its wonderful exotic garden.
The Jardin Exotique d'Eze was built after the end of the Second World War on the ruins of an ancient medieval fort, at over 400 meters above sea level, overlooking the sea.
The breathtaking visit route allows you to see dozens and dozens of cacti and succulents from all over the world and culminates in one of the most beautiful panoramic points of the French Riviera:
from there you can see the towns of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cap-Ferrat, Villefranche-sur-mer and Nice.
The Jardin extends into three different sections:
the southern side with plants coming mainly from Latin America and Africa, the northern side which is home to Mediterranean and subtropical plants, and a zen space with fountains and deckchairs to enjoy the view and tranquility of this little corner of botanical paradise.
Fragonard, the worker and perfumery
In 1968, the Fragonard factory-laboratory, one of the oldest perfumeries in Grasse , was inaugurated in Èze. Here you can follow an interesting free visit where the secrets of manufacturing Fragonard products, made by hand, will be revealed.
Particularly interesting, among all the steps of perfume manufacturing, is the technique of distillation using stills, with which the prestigious essence of iris is created, which is imported from Italy.
During the visit you can also observe the different design phases that lead to the creation of a new perfume; in this regard, it should be noted that workshops are also organized within the structure where it is possible to create your own personal fragrance.
Nietzsche's path 
It would seem that the famous German philosopher in the 19th century found inspiration right near Èze beach for one of his most famous works. For this reason, to explore the nature reminiscent of the village, we recommend following the Chemin de Nietzche .
This 2 km hiking trail with an altitude difference of 400 meters connects Èze-Village to Èze-sur-Mer. The route takes approximately 45 minutes for the descent, the ascent takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Revère Fort
The Revere Fort, a military structure built between 1882 and 1885, extends above the village of Èze, in the Grande Corniche Park in the Alpes-Maritimes. The fort is located 696 meters above sea level and dominates a ridge along the coast from Italy to the Esterel Massif. Until 1886 it was also known as Forte Anselmo
Part of a set of semi-underground fortifications built up until the start of the First World War, it was conceived as an integral part of the Séré de Rivières System .
During World War II, the Vichy government transferred Allied prisoners there, mostly English pilots. After the Second World War the fort was decommissioned and closed to the public.
Astrorama
The Astrorama is an entertainment venue dedicated to scientific mediation in the fields of astronomy and space, located in Fort de la Revère at 650 m above sea level, in the municipality of La Trinité . Created in 1987 by Jean-Louis Heudier, it is managed by the PARSEC Association, present on the site since 2007.
The place also houses a small museum dedicated to astronomy and space.
Thanks to its privileged position, it allows good quality astronomical observations, thanks to high-performance instruments made available to visitors. Everyone can discover astronomy, use glasses and telescopes, follow planetarium shows, receive satellite images, meet presenters and astronomers, participating in the dissemination of this scientific discipline.
Some useful links
Information and visits Church of Our Lady of the Assumption: http://www.eze-tourisme.com/en/decouvrir…se…/271-eglise.html
Book your visit to the Exotic Garden : https://www.jardinexotique-eze.fr/
Fragonard website: https://usines-parfum.fragonard.com/usines/lusine-laboratoire-eze/