Lérins Islands (Iles de Lérins)

I love getaways, big or little getaways from it all, especially if it is to try something different.  Whether it’s for a couple of days or even just an afternoon.

For years when I had been on the beach in Cannes or even taking the train back to Nice I had always seen these islands just off the coast a short distance away.  I always wondered about them, never sure if they were inhabited or not, and I naively presumed they were part of some fishing project.  Wrong!

Turns out, when I finally starting asking friends some questions about them, I was told they are part of the Cannes commune and are called the Lérins Islands.  It is said that the presence of a settlement on the islands go back to the end of the 6th century BC!  And yes, anyone can visit them.

It just so happened when I decided to finally visit the islands that the Cannes Boat Show was taking place in the port area at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.  A friend from Montenegro was promoting his company ventures within that area, so after visiting with him and looking over all the magnificent boats throughout the port, I decided to go to the islands.

On the far southwest corner of the Cannes harbor is the ferry terminal to get to the Lérins Islands.  Make your way around the port opposite of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès along Quai St. Pierre, and at the edge of the port where the ferry terminal is located will be a large parking lot, walk through there and follow the signage to find the ticketing booth.

You just have to decide which island you would like to discover first.  There is a ferry for the Cannes-Saint Honorat Island and a separate ferry for the Cannes-Sainte Marguerite Island.  Keep in mind there is no ferry that goes between the two islands because of landing rights.  A round trip, adult ticket is about 12 euros.

It should also be noted that excursions also leave from Nice, Antibes, La Napoule and Golfe-Juan.

Transit Cote d'Azur 

The schedules for the ferry change throughout the year, but they run about every hour to every half hour from either side.  And depending on which island you were going too, it is about a 15-minute one-way trip to Sainte Marguerite Island (the bigger island) and about 30-minutes one-way to Saint Honorat Island.  Coming or going, it is such a leisurely, beautiful trip, I never felt like I was waiting forever either way.

My only serious suggestion is to make sure you do not miss the last ferry back from the islands, which, again depending on time of the year can be at 7pm.  The people working at the ferry terminals are very helpful and have plenty of information about scheduling, the islands, etc.  One thing I wasn’t told was hot the ferry captains are, totally gorgeous!  I was wondering if it was a job requirement or something?  I couldn’t stop checking them out!

One of my friends was telling me before I went on the trip how the Lérins Islands were so different from the rest of the Cote d’Azur.  How it was like a peaceful journey, a wonderful getaway.

I’ve been to islands around the world before, l listened to what I was being told but I wondered what could be so different about these islands?

Let me tell you right now, the Lérins Islands are like entering a whole other world compared to any type of city life.  Make a day of it.  Bring a camera, have a picnic! Prepare to explore but also plan to relax and take it all in.

You can feel the energy change as the ferry is heading towards the islands, passing by the massive yachts on the sea with Cannes and the stunning outlying area not far away. And even as the ferry is slowing down to dock at the pier on the islands, you will feel a calm energy enveloping you.  Life is different here.  There is no need to rush, it almost seemed like there were no rules.  The Lérins Islands are inviting and quiet, yet also interesting and itching to be explored.

My first stop was to Sainte Marguerite Island.  I was expecting to see more people around after everyone got off the ferry and made their way down the short pier, people just seemed to splinter off though, knowing exactly where they were heading.  Since I could see Fort Royal to the east as the ferry was approaching the island, I headed in that direction along one of the trails.  Fort Royal is where it is said the Man in the Iron Mask was kept for 11 years and here you can see the cell in which he was detained.

 

My initial feelings walking to Fort Royal were how charming everything seemed to be and how nice it was to be surrounded by the natural beauty of the island.  If you were hungry, there are two small restaurants and two snack bars quietly nestled in areas.
 

Approaching Fort Royal, I was taken back by how much bigger it was than I imagined, and especially for an island the size of this one, which I’m told is three kms in length and approximately 900 meters across at most points.

To get inside Fort Royal you have to pay a small fee, worth it though as it has some interesting buildings inside and provided some excellent vantage points.  I’m always up for a history lesson and was intrigued by the architecture of the fortress so I stayed for a while.

Afterwards I took the time to walk around the outside of the fortress, which again, there seemed to be no people around.  At times it was creepy and even freaky to be next to the fort’s outer grand walls surrounded by the absolute quiet of nature.

I enjoyed wandering along the many trails on the island, surrounded by Aleppo Pine-trees and exotic Eucalyptus trees.  It was lovely to have some quiet time and you didn’t feel like you would be interrupted by anything.

There are no big, real beaches surrounding the island, in areas you might be able to find very small stretches of sand here and there but it was mostly areas with flat rocks.  

I was told that there is a gay, nude beach facing Saint Honorat Island called, “Pierres Plates” or the “beach of flat stones” but I did not find it on this particular journey.  Perhaps the next time I visit.  Overall, Sainte Marguerite Island is a great place to explore and gain some time to yourself if you so desire.

Saint Honorat is the next of the Lérins Islands I got to visit.  This island is the furthest away from Cannes, and it also brings it’s own unique qualities.

 

Saint Honorat has a working Abbey on the island that has been held by the Cistercian order of Sénanque since 1869.  Here you will find there is a small gift shop where you can buy some of the local produced products on the island and they even have their own winery and restaurant!

 

I loved this whole island!  I am fascinated how some people can live their whole lives with such strict devotion.  I am told people can even come to the Abbey for week long retreats where they are not allowed everyday conveniences like television and the internet; there is also a code of silence in areas.  I can actually see myself doing a retreat at some point in my life.  It is so peaceful and beautiful on the island; the monks do an extremely good job of taking care of everything.  

You also won’t be able to miss the fortified monastery on the southern tip of the island of which you are allowed to discover throughout, I loved how it stands out, practically on the water.

So don’t do what I had done for years and just dismissed what was in the distance.  I've certainly learned my lesson and have starting asking more questions if something peaks my interest.

I’m very glad I’ve finally had the chance to take a look around the Lérins Islands off Cannes and I know these will not be the last of my visits, even if it’s just for a quick getaway.

Jazz Rock Cafe - Top 50 Event

It’s easy to assume on a Sunday night that the party is over for the weekend.  Especially when the overall mood of a Sunday in Nice is usually that of a relaxing, calm and even reflective time in the city.

But if you are still geared up and want to keep the party going from the night before, then I’d suggest you have a disco nap during the day, and then head over to the Jazz Rock Café later that night to attend the weekly TOP 50 event!
 

 

You’ll need your rest beforehand as the Top 50 party gets going at midnight and doesn’t end until the sun is practically coming up.

The Jazz Rock Café holds a myriad of events weekly catering to all sorts of crowds.  The Top 50 event held on Sunday night is very popular in the LGBT community and everyone is welcome to attend!

Finding the Jazz Rock Café could not be easier.  Located on the edge of Vieux Nice, near Le Chateau and directly across from the beach is where you will find the club at: 73 Quai des Etats-Unis.

Inside you will find the space to be a mix of everything, initially you might expect it to be a restaurant but it is more of a bar/club type setting.  Once the drinks are flowing and the music is playing, it doesn’t seem to matter, and everyone is having fun!

The crowd is very diverse, and I would say in the age range of 20-40+, everyone seems to mix well here too, it doesn’t feel ‘cliquey” in any way.

Top 50 is usually a free event to attend, unless they are raising money at the door towards a good cause for a charitable association, and even then they are only asking for a minimum donation.  Don't be cheap!

Music wise, you’ll never know what to expect since every type of genre seems to be played.  From disco to pop, some techno to house, its always great music and the dance floor is always packed.   

There is also from what I understand a lesbian night that is held once a month, usually on a Friday from 10pm until 4am.  From what I’ve heard of the events, if I were a woman, I would totally be going to those parties!  They look like so much fun!

Madmoizelles

All in all, attending the Top 50 event at the Jazz Rock Café in Nice is a fantastic way to cap off the weekend!  I hope you don’t have any pressing plans Monday!

The MAMAC

One morning I was running some errands near Place Garibaldi in Nice before going to the beach that afternoon.  While leaving one shop to go to another, I noticed it was starting to rain lightly outside.

Rain seems to be such a rare occurrence in the Cote d’Azur during the summer, and so after doing my last bit of shopping I started to head back to my hotel thinking perhaps my plans for the beach that afternoon would be ruined.

Then I realized I was outside the Musee d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain (MAMAC).

MAMAC

Many times over the years I had walked by the MAMAC in Nice and had never gone inside, which is a shame really because now when I think about it, I’ve probably missed out on some beautiful exhibitions.  Deciding there was no time better than the present, I thought I’d go inside and see what it as all about.

Situated in central Nice, the MAMAC is steps away from Place Garibaldi at the Promenade des Arts.  If you are using the tramway to get to the MAMAC, step off the tram at Garibaldi Station and walk back through the square but stay on your right walking towards the Monoprix grocery store.

Directly behind Monoprix, off Place Garibaldi is the MAMAC with its unusual architecture that is so different from the other surrounding buildings.  Just follow the street towards the center of the building, with the entrance being inside the circular structure on the main level.

The construction of the MAMAC was completed in 1990 and opened to the public.  And although I have heard there is somewhat of a love/hate relationship from people with the architectural design of this important modern and contemporary art museum and its grounds, it doesn’t seem to stop anyone from attending the museum or even taking pictures of its unique aspects.

Admission to the MAMAC is free; the helpful staff working the front desk is just interested to know where you are visiting from for their visitor’s records.  The museum is closed on Mondays but otherwise open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am-6pm.

Ahead of you now are four different levels of artwork in a variety of mediums to discover.  When I find out I have the permission to explore something, I’m all over it.  First off, you can tell art, in whichever way you wish to interpret it, is infused throughout the building.  Right from the moment you enter the MAMAC until you leave the grounds.

I loved going from one floor to another, not quite knowing what to expect around each corner.  In areas, it appears that even the natural light from the design of the building was used from varying angles to accentuate an art piece in certain locations.

There are the standard art pieces grand-fathered within the MAMAC, but there are also new exhibits from all over the world that make their way through the museum as well.  With far too many artists to list here, you will basically find something from the likes of Francis Bacon to Picasso and Andy Warhol to Yves Klein. 

Make sure you take the time to go through every floor and do not miss the rooftop garden area.  I had previously heard this could be a place for men to cruise one another, although I didn’t experience anything like that, perhaps because of the sprinkling of rain that day.

When you do arrive on the rooftop, you will be able to walk around the entire circumference of the MAMAC; here you will see some spectacular views of the city from various vantage points.

Visiting the MAMAC is a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours.  Don’t do what I did and decide to go check out the MAMAC on a rainy day, make it a part of your day.  Either way it will lift your spirits and inspire you.