A couple of years ago, we spent two weeks vacationing in France. What was so special to Tony and I about this trip was being able to take our 2 year old son, Isaiah. Let’s just say, it was a trip of a lifetime and one we will never forget!
Wheels Up!
Our flight was a 12 hour flight directly into Nice, France. We weren’t sure how Isaiah would handle such a long flight so we did our best to make it a smooth experience for us all. We departed early evening which worked well with Isaiah’s sleep schedule. Arriving 3 hours before our departure helped us have a smooth check-in process, eat and hydrate, and plenty of time for Isaiah to move his body before take off. By time we boarded he was ready for a movie, dinner, and sleep.
Overall, Isaiah did very well for his first international flight! He didn’t wake up until we landed in France. We found our flight to be comfortable and we were able to enjoy entertainment, meals, snacks, and rest for our vacation ahead.
Nice
Our home base was Nice, France which is the capital of the French Rivera or Cote d’ Azur if you prefer to fancy it up. Nice has perfect summer weather during the day and spring-like weather at night. It is filled with pleasant colorful sceneries including a pebbled beach. The days were long with sunsets starting at 9pm and the nights were as energetic and vibrant as the day. The residents were welcoming and accommodating. We found it easy to get around most places by taxi, yet, still found time to enjoy many walks.
We stayed at Raddison Blue Resort Hotel. For us, it checked off everything we needed—cozy, clean, restaurants, rooftop pool with a bar, centrally located, and walking distance from the beach.
We ate breakfast downstairs a few times which was very convenient considering we started our days early, between 7- 9am. Breakfast was buffet style with a separate a la carte menu.
We ate dinner at Calade Rooftop located on the resorts rooftop and the food was very good! The chocolate pear tart was my favorite dessert of the trip and one I plan to remake at home very soon!
Nice has A TON of restaurants so we had our fair share of being foodies! We experienced quite a diverse group of cuisines and I must say, we choose some of the tastiest restaurants in Nice. At the end of this post, I listed restaurants we dined at during our stay and some I that caught my interest. If you’re looking for a couple of brunch spots, I have a couple listed as well.
I would like to highlight my favorite restaurant in Nice, Le Plongeoir. It is a stunning restaurant with multiple seating areas, beautiful views, and hovers over the Mediterranean sea. There’s a swimming cove walking distance which is included in one of its many scenic views. I must add, the food was delicious and cocktails were pleasant! Reservations are a must!
A breakfast spot I would love to highlight is Marinette. It’s located is an alley with cute shaded tables and a menu that can satisfy any palette.
The locals were so excited to have us and made us feel at home. I’m not sure if this is a common thing across Europe but everywhere we went they LOVED on our little Isaiah and he fit right in with his confident personality! It took him no time to “oui, oui” and “bonjour” his way around as the locals encouraged speaking and learning their language (which I LOVE).
We took advantage of Old Nice’s vibrant scenery and took family pictures in its alleys, near the colorful buildings, and main centre. It turned out, some of our best pictures were captured chasing our toddler who instantly became intrigued by birds up and down Nice’s steep hilly roads. We even had a few dance sessions and lots of kisses! We also felt this was a great opportunity to remember our 4 year marriage anniversary!
We ended our photoshoot in old Nice eating a delicious breakfast at Le Kalice and our American palettes could not have been more satisfied. Highly recommend!
St. Tropez
We spent a day at Byblos Beach Club in St. Tropez. Our drive from our hotel was less than 2 hours and quite relaxing with views of the dreamy, bustling, and chic town along the Mediterranean coast. We experienced little to no traffic going but quite a bit of traffic back to Nice. The closer we reached Byblos, the more nauseous 1 of the 3 of us became. Can you guess who? Our driver was lucky Isaiah didn’t splatter his breakfast throughout his backseat. Luckily, we had bags.
Byblos was our first beach club and Isaiah’s first beach experience! We couldn’t have chosen a more perfect spot to spend the day as a family. They paired us with the kindest and most patient server. He was very attentive to Isaiah’s needs and kept him entertained, hydrated, and fed. My baby boy was living his best vacationed life! We also had the sweetest neighbors beside, behind, and in front of us. They too loved on Isaiah and made sure he had the space he needed to be a kid. There was a point where Isaiah became carried away with tossing the sand and they all were so forgiving but also encouraged him to keep having fun. It made us feel even more comfortable as first time parents traveling with their 2 year-old in a foreign country.
The beach water was cool entering but felt amazing once plunged in. We had tons of fun building sand castles and dipping in when we became too hot. Isaiah even took a nap while we were floating in the sea. The food was filling and flavorful. They had something for everyone. I loved the decor especially in the changing rooms (and yes there are bathrooms and showers). They basically have everything you would need. We will definitely be back and plan to stay a few days to explore St. Tropez.
Eze
Eze is a fairytale destination with lots of charm and panoramic views of the Mediterranean sea and mountains. Our ride to Eze was less than 30 minutes from our hotel giving enough time for our toddler to need a snack. We visited a nearby grocery store and after all the snack searching we ended up with bananas and began walking Eze’s hilly roads.
We found our way to the gates of Château Eza, a 400 year old boutique luxury hotel. From the outside, it seemed like a lavish and opulent place to stay! We continued along the cobblestone and entered Eze’s village where the most incredible cliff and beach views of the French Riviera are displayed. The village is covered in stone walls, old castle doors, cobblestone steps, and colorful florals along a winding pathway.
At the very end of the narrow winding pathway is the Le Jardin Exotique. It is an exotic moutaintop garden housing mostly succulents while overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. While the entry fee was worth capturing the picturesque views, we only visited for 10-15 mins.
Our day in Eze ended with pizza, ice cream, and refreshing beverages at La Taverne d’Antan de Eze.
Cannes
Cannes is known as the resort town of the French Riviera and for its annual film festival, Festival de Cannes. It’s a luxurious city filled with beautiful sandy beaches, patio restaurants, and high-end boutique shops. We took an hour drive to the sunny city and spent the day beach clubbing at La Plage du Festival.
We managed to step away from our cozy cabanas for a delicious lunch at the beach club’s restaurant. Local residents sat across from us and instantly fell in love with Isaiah. Before we knew it, the entire place was adoring him from a distance. Isaiah really had them in awe because he was gifted a new hat and goodies to keep him entertained by our host.
The remainder of our day was spent swimming, sunbathing, snacking, sipping French wine, and you know? Building sandcastles and snuggles with our Isaiah!
Monaco
A boat day is a must when in southern France! The beautiful coast is filled with many towns, outlandish homes, and picturesque mountain views.
So, this was the perfect opportunity for the three of us to experience our first boat ride as a family and explore more of the Mediterranean Sea. During our boat trip from The Old Port of Nice, or Port Lympia we made a brief stop in Monaco. For those wondering, Isaiah had a BLAST and did very well. He was so chill and intrigued, munched on snacks, proudly rooted for Tony as he drove the boat, and participated in many cheers with his apple juice.
However, my baby boy did become seasick causing Tony to wear my button down which was quite comical! Overall, it was a relaxing experience for us all and whimsical watching our little 2 year old soak it all in and enjoy every second of it.
Well, that’s sums up our amazing trip to the South of France! I really hope you guys enjoyed reading this and viewing the pics we so adore. If there are any questions please feel free to ask here or find me on IG and send a DM. O, wait, as promised:
Here is my curated list of restaurants in Nice, France:
- Le Plongeoir –https://www.leplongeoir.com/en/home/
- La Reserve de Nice – https://www.lareservedenice.fr/fr/restaurant.html
- La Voglia – https://www.lavoglia.com
- The Undine Meal (Brunch) – https://lapopotedondine.fr
- Le Grand Cafe de France – https://legrandcafedefrance.fr
- La Pizza Cresci – https://www.pizza-cresci-nice.com/en/
- Calade Rooftop Restaurant – https://www.calade-rooftop-restaurant.com/en/
- Di Piu – https://www.dipiu.fr
- La Ville d’Esta – https://www.villadeste-nice.com
- Babbo Mio – https://www.babbomio.com
- Emilies Cookies – http://emiliescookies.com/fr_FR/
- La Chévre d’Or https://www.chevredor.com
- Peska by La Terrasse – https://www.laterrasse-nice.com/
- Marinette – https://www.restaurantmarinette.fr
- Eric Kayser Artisan Boulanger d’Azur France https://www.maison-kayser.com/fr/boulangeries/100004009-vieux-nice.html
- Cafe Fino – http://www.cafefino.fr/?fbclid=PAAaZMueIEW4jJwR-0zht7m48auJRrHswtu3x5dsNoK-TUICegxR2fq8c_-DU_aem_AUHZV0mAKPC731YK–02cnpmxSoWwGi2s64vSAQBu3wkLyhUlkMbvXD5MezV4aOhxwc