Cap d'Ail - Mala Beach Coastal Trail

One of my favorite things to do in the South of France is to go for long walks or hikes, especially along one of the many seaside trails, and if it ends up taking me to a beach or two, all the better.

Cap d’Ail near Monaco is one of the best places for just such a trail walk, it is also one of the most calming and beautiful places in the French Riviera.  And here you have a couple of options, you can head towards Plage Mala (beach) while taking in all the amazing scenery along the way, and then, if you felt like it, you could follow back along the same Mala coastal footpath (Le Sentier du Littoral) and walk into the Principality of Monaco in no time at all.

This is also one of the easiest seaside trails to navigate; the only area that requires a bit more attention is when you are on the last leg towards Mala Beach itself.  The end trail section there is snuggled tightly against exquisite estates with plenty of stairs, literally on the edge of the sea, and it is also has some of the most breathtaking scenery.

With any walk like this I wouldn’t recommend wearing flip flops, but some good athletic footwear and don’t forget your sunscreen and water as there are no shops close by to pick up such supplies.

Arriving to Cap d’Ail by train (the last stop before Monaco coming from the direction of Nice) seems to be the most convenient way to travel as finding a parking spot can take forever, especially during high season.

Stepping off the train, you will notice Cap d’Ail is a very quiet, almost heavenly location.   Make your way behind the train station and turn left to exit the grounds.

You will notice immediately on your left hand side, a sign near some stairs posting the direction towards the trail, just head down the stairs, through the tunnel and go towards the sea.

The tunnel may look dodgy but is very safe and for my first visit at least, provided a sense of adventure to see what is on the other side of this very serene area.

Once on the other side of the tunnel, you will not be able to miss the footpath along the sea.  To head towards Plage Mala, go left towards Restaurant La Pinede and take the public trail down towards the foot path and stay on your right hand side walking west towards the direction of Nice, this will take you to Plage Mala in about 20 minutes to half an hour, depending on how fast you walk.  The only thing that might slow you down is stopping to take pictures along the way.

If you wanted to go towards Monaco, then once down the walkway from the restaurant, just turn left and it is at minimum, an hour’s walk away but given the beautiful surroundings, it certainly doesn’t feel like it.

In either direction you are going to see some interesting vegetation, alongside some wonderfully manicured estates, you will also notice how the rock formations have changed because of the constant pounding of the waves.

It should also be noted that if it is a very windy and/or a stormy day, the trail will likely be closed off to the public because the waves tend to crash over the concrete footpath.

But back to Plage Mala for a moment, the beach itself is of good size, clean and surrounded by more of that crystal clear Mediterranean blue water.  And although this isn’t technically a gay beach, it is certainly gay friendly.  I don’t know of any places to hook up with anyone around there, but there are some very short off trails along the whole beach area.

All I know is that every time I have made my way to the beach, within minutes you get that feeling you are being checked out.  The last time I went there to swim and tan, I easily spotted a couple of guys who kept looking my way and the next thing I know we were chatting one another up and made plans to hit a couple of nightclubs in Nice later that night.

So at least the beach isn’t cliquey and people seem to be very friendly with each other.  It’s an absolutely stunning location with majestic villas perched precariously on the edges of cliffs overlooking the sea, who couldn’t be anything but happy being there?

On the Mala footpath, people seem to take their time, enjoying their walk or jog, and nodding a pleasant “Bonjour!” as they pass you by.  There are even a few beach side restaurants at Mala Beach itself and near the train station at the sea for you to take a break and get something to eat and drink.  It’s also just as easy to bring a picnic lunch and find a spot along the coastal footpath to take in the afternoon sun and relax.

If you are deciding to continue on to Monaco, it will be obvious to know when you are almost there as you will start to see some of the luxury condominium blocks in Fontvieille in the distance and shortly you will arrive at Plage Marquet just a few blocks west of the border with Monaco at Fontvielle, which gives you another great little beach to check out after your walk.

Personally, I find Cap d’Ail and Plage Mala lovely places to visit any time of year!

Le Code

Want to live out your deepest, darkest fantasies?  Then head to Le Code Private Hard Club Extreme in Nice.  No joke.  Le Code is a straight up, no bullshit, hard core, sex club.  But if you are new at all this, don’t let that scare you off from going.

Although Le Code can’t really be considered (by North American standards) a bathhouse, it is a true sex club, and a refreshing, upfront, no attitude one at that.  Very cool.

In operation for over a year now, Le Code can be found very close to Garibaldi Square and Le Petit Marais district of Nice at: 4 rue Papon.

It’s very easy to find and it’ll be obvious you are there when you see the signage and discreet inner entrance.  Just press the buzzer next to the door to gain entry and once inside, pay the admission where you will then be buzzed through a second set of doors to the front lounge and front desk area.

Once you are in the front lounge, a young, hot attendant will direct you next to the front desk area where he will pass you a plastic type crate through a square hole in the wall about waist level height and it’s here you can disrobe as much or as little as you want to put inside the crate.

For Naked Hard Night, or any theme night, it’s a good idea to follow with what is going on, but there also seems to be no pressure if you don’t feel completely at ease with being totally nude or haven’t brought along your best fetish gear.  Once all your belongings are in the crate, the attendant will give you your wristband marked with your crate number on it, and then the place is yours to explore.

My first experience with Le Code happened to be on their Naked Hard Night, for some reason I didn’t expect to see men nude as soon as I was buzzed into the front lounge area, but it was nice to see everyone in their comfort zone about it all.

I think part of the adventure of a place like this is not being 100% sure of your surroundings which then tends to lead to more exploring.  So now without giving everything away let me just say that although Le Code is not grand in size, it can contain a myriad of action over the main ground level floor, then take the spiral staircase down the to the lower level where it seems most of the fast and feisty sex can be found in the prison cell area, sling rooms and other kinky spots.

As in any good club of this type, there is still a sense of safety and cleanliness throughout, its the clientele's mannerisms here that are taken up a notch or two.  And unlike many regular bathhouses, you won’t find the men at Le Code endlessly parading around hallways hoping for Mr. Perfect to come along, or having loud group gossip sessions in some corner.  That being said, no still means no.

Management of Le Code seem to have the patrons in mind, by keeping their club in decent shape, providing information on safe sex practices, along with condoms and lube that can be found throughout the space.  Information about upcoming events and such are constantly being updated on their website, Facebook page and on Twitter.

The charge to gain entry to Le Code is very economical, with free entry given to many if you are under a certain age and on certain times of the month.  The crowd is very diverse and those with all types of fetishes will easily fit into this environment, I’ve seen the pretty boys hooking up with the bad boys along with every other age, shape and size of a man in Le Code.  For some reason here, there doesn’t seem to be a down time, the place always seems to be active.

At Le Code there are ever changing nightly events to suit everyone’s need and desires, here you could easily surprise yourself and discover something you perhaps never knew you could ever get into.

From the first minute I met the staff at Le Code, I found them to be really on top of their jobs and incredibly helpful, especially if it’s your first time at the establishment.  I think its a good sign in a club like this if the customers feel at ease chatting away with the staff as they work behind the front counter.

Le Code is open seven days a week, check out the website for hours:

Le Code

Being such a unique space and with such a definite following,  I can see Le Code being a part of the community for some time to come.

Photos courtesy of Le Code

Hotel Splendid - Cannes

An obvious distinguished landmark in Cannes, and a beautiful looking one at that, the Hotel Splendid has captured many a heart.

This soothing white, 4-star hotel with its gracious touches of curves, wrought iron and light awnings give a feeling of romance, and once inside you’ll find there is a warmth and character that can be hard to try to emulate in the newer and more modern hotels of today.

The choice to stay here was not planned; in fact I was out at a friend’s birthday dinner party in Le Suquet.  After the dinner and then drinks at a couple of local bars, Hotel Splendid seemed to be beckoning me to book a room.

It was very late when I checked in and I did have to be up early to leave Cannes the next day so I did not have a chance to see everything the hotel has to offer, but being very happy with what I did experience, I think it is worth a mention and of course a stay.

Sitting at the foot of the port and across from the Palais des Festivals, Hotel Splendid is conveniently located…to everything.  The address of the hotel is: 4 rue Felix Faure.

You will be surrounded by a vast amount of fabulous restaurants to choose from, along with shopping to suit every taste and budget.  Need to catch a bus or a train?  It’s all within walking distance.

Being late, and since I didn’t book a room ahead of time, the front desk receptionist was gracious and able to give me a great classic double room.  I found that not only is the outside of the hotel enticing, the interiors are elegant with a touch of old world charm and certainly not ostentatious.

My room was the perfect size with high ceilings, plenty of closet space and very comfortable with a large, fully stocked bathroom.  For some reason in Europe I have this thing for checking out the size of the bathtub compared to a North American size, and the one in my hotel room was of normal North American size.

And even though I had to get up early, my sleep in what seemed to be a very soundproof room was one of the best I’ve had in such a cozy double bed.

Hotel Splendid Cannes

Hotel Splendid has been a part of Cannes wonderfully long history since 1871, something of which I love.  I’m glad I finally had the opportunity to stay at this hotel, if you get the chance and need a place to stay in Cannes, book yourself a room at Hotel Splendid.

The New Cancan

It’s been awhile since I have been to a nightclub where there is such a diverse group of people in attendance, but it seems I had found just that the night I went out with a group of friends to The New Cancan nightclub in Marseille.

Heading inside the club, I just expected it to be like any other nightclub around, and to an extent it is, I have just never seen so many cool groups of people of every background all having a great time.

It was a pleasant surprise, it was like anything goes.

There was the go-go boys, punks, fashionista crowd, leather groups, hip-hop, rockabilly, and drag queens… a total scene!  With people of all ages, looks and desires, that just means more choice and there was certainly no lack of it here.  It really confirmed it for me that Marseille really is a true melting pot of cultures.

The New Cancan is a large club, in fact it takes up three street addresses, 3, 5 & 7 of rue Sénac.  It has a roomy entrance and coat check area that then leads you up a few stairs to the main bar, lounge and dance floor location.

The staff is cute as hell, the service is quick and the drinks seemed to be of average price.  The DJ spinning the night we went was playing fantastic music, total pumping beats, and the dance floor was packed the whole time we were at the club.

There is something else interesting about The New Cancan this club, in the lower level is a dark room play area that is nothing but huge.  My only caution is to be careful when first entering the area as when I mention it is a dark room, it is pitch black dark.

One way to find it is to head down the stairs between the main bar and the coat check area, and at the bottom of the stairs you will see the men’s bathroom entrance but instead of turning right in there, head towards the darkness, and really take your time finding your way around.  Your eyes will eventually adjust to the surroundings.

There is an exit at the other end of this blackout area that leads you up the spiral staircase to the smoking room section that is back on the main floor of the club found close to the lounge area.  For safety reasons, women aren’t allowed in this part of the club.

The New Cancan discothèque is very easy to find, just follow the main avenue of La Canebière in the direction away from the main port area and on your right you will find the nightclub at: 7, rue Sénac de Meilhan:

They are closed Monday to Wednesday but otherwise the hours of operation are as follows:

Thursday 11:30pm – 5:00am
Friday 11:30pm - 6:00am
Saturday 11:30pm - 7:00am
Sunday 11:30pm - 5:00am

If you are in Marseille, make a night of it and head to The New Cancan, with a variety of events going on, you are certainly going to find plenty to like about this nightclub.

Le Métropole Bar- Brasserie

One evening after having a delicious meal with friends, we were in the main port area of Marseille when it was suggested we all head to Le Métropole which is known as a very gay-friendly bar/brasserie to have some drinks.  Not being one to say no to a social gathering, I happily went along with everyone else.
 

As soon as we turned the corner on to Place Gabriel Péri, you could tell this was the spot to be, Le Métropole Bar – Brasserie had all the makings of a ‘before’ club event judging by the beautiful and stylish crowd that was in attendance.

In fact there was a special club event happening there that night, The Glam Sound Party, and let me tell you, I am still trying to hunt down the DJ’s podcast from that night, the music that was played totally set the tone for the whole evening.

People were gathered outside, either sitting at tables or even standing and chatting with friends.  Inside the party continued on;  men, women, gay, straight, bisexual…no one cared, everyone mingled around, and some were even dancing at the back near the bar.

Le Métropole to me felt decent in size and has a very modern look in its overall design; it also seems to fit in well in this, one of the main shopping and hotel areas of the city.

I loved the mood of the place, I found the people to be very friendly, smiling and quickly introducing themselves to one another.  Le Métropole was busy, the staff was totally running off their feet, drinks were reasonably priced and they take their time mixing them, they weren’t just throwing these drinks together, each one seemed treated like a work of art with garnishes, etc.

It was such a good time that we almost lost track of time as we were there that long and still had other clubs we wanted to check out that night.
Le Métropole Bar- Brasserie is located steps from the port at: 2, Place Gabriel Péri

I understand they are open Monday – Saturday, from 7:00am onwards.  My only regret is that I did not have enough time on this trip to try one of Le Métropole’s meals but from the reviews I hear from friends, they tell me that the food is nothing but fresh and the portions are of good value for the money.
I know I will be back.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Art Fotograf
Thank you: The Glam Sound Party

LGP Marseille

Personally I had never gone to a LGBT community center growing up and in fact I do not recall where one had been around at the time so I never really knew what to expect from such a place.

It’s only been in the past couple of years I have started to check out various community centers where ever I might be traveling, just to get an idea on how they work, meet the people involved and find out more about what information they might be providing.
Late one afternoon when our group in Marseille was making our way out to dinner, one of our wonderful hosts took us for a walk from our hotel through the neighborhood to see where the LGP Marseille community center is located and once there we would get to see where all the action for EuroPride 2013 and everything else takes place.

Approaching the outside of the center, I felt a connection immediately, I was struck by its clean, crisp design and once we stepped inside, I felt instantly comfortable with my first thought being how they have found a real treasure of a space here.

LGBT community centers are great for meeting new people, especially if you have just arrived to the community, you can get all kinds of information on anything from AIDS prevention to where the hottest nightclubs are in town, but what I like best is that there are safe, laid back places to socialize.  And LGP Marseille is right up there with the best of them.

LGP Marseille is located close to the port and within a very mixed cultural community that I found to be funky and fun.  One of the other guests asked our hosts how the area has responded to them moving in, we were told that they were very much welcomed, because with the other minority groups around, everyone seems to understand where one another is coming from.

If I were living in Marseille, or making my first visit to the city and wanted to find out more on what to see and do, this would and will continue to be one of my first stops every time.
The hours of operation are: Monday to Friday, 10am-12pm and 2pm-6pm You will find LGP Marseille located at: 11, rue Moustier

LGP Marseille did not disappoint, the center provides a wealth of information and you will never meet a greater group of people.

EuroPride 2013 Marseille

Start making your travel plans now, because EuroPride 2013 next July 10 - 20th in Marseille is going to be nothing less than spectacular!

During the extended weekend I spent as one of the guests of LGP Marseille, the large amount of information we received throughout our time was meticulous and done with care and full consideration for those planning to attend EuroPride 2013 and if it is any indication of what is to come, then this is going to be one massive event!

After many years of going to various Pride events I have always heard the word “inclusive” being used, then when the time comes, there is always a margin of people who tend to be priced out of the celebrations in some capacity.

This doesn’t seem to be the case for Marseille’s EuroPride 2013.  Taking in account the current world economic climate, various hotels, restaurants, shops and travel agencies have all come together to offer special price packages to suit everyone’s budget so that no one misses out on any of the festivities.  This time I believe everyone will be able to join in the fun and everyone will benefit.

Keeping EuroPride 2013 affordable is the main objective.

LGP Marseille is planning for ten days (eleven nights) of huge parties (presented by: Delice Dream, Beardrop, Rainbow Power, Matinee Group, etc.).  There will also be the EuroPride Parade, approximately fifteen conferences, various workshops, many free events and sports activities held not in one particular area of the city but throughout the city so that you are able to discover the different facets of Marseille itself.

Some of the EuroPride 2013 locations to check out are:

EuroPride Park: Cultural and military area in Friche de la Belle de Mai, where there will be expositions, military stands, conferences, debates, cinema projection, theatre, etc.

EuroPride Club: Docks des Suds, 11 parties with the biggest European parties combined in the same place.  For more details go to: Club EuroPride

EuroPride Beach: For the first time in EuroPride history there is going to be a beach completely dedicated to the festival, expect all types of beach and water games events to take place!

What I was particularly intrigued about was the main system that is going to be used for purchases for EuroPride 2013, the Tick’N Pay electronic wristband system.
 
I think the Tick’N Pay system will be groundbreaking in many ways and for following EuroPride’s to come.

Don’t you hate it when you go to a big event and you spend what seems to be half of your night waiting in line to purchase drink tickets, then having to get into another line to get your drink?  And if you’re like me, you end up going home with a bunch of unused drink tickets and left feeling like you’ve just wasted a bunch of money.

Well the Tick’N Pay system is a safe and secure chip wristband electronic wallet system that you will be able to get through the EuroPride 2013 website.  With your wristband you are given a personal pin code (like a bank card) in which you will be able to purchase not only drinks at a participating bar, club or event but also for the basics like public transportation, items at participating shops, restaurants, hotels and even your overall travel. 

The amount you deposit online into your wristband will be the amount you can use so that you control your spending and are able to recharge anytime, another good thing…you will not incur any credit card fees to do so.

Your credit card can be secured through your participating hotel during the trip so there is no need to carry cash to the beach or late at night going from party to party.  At the end of your visit, any amount that has not been used on your wristband goes directly back to you.  Another bonus arranged with EuroPride 2013 in Marseille is when you purchase 100 euros; you get 110 euros to spend.

There are benefits to everyone involved, you for your budget, safety and security, benefits for the participating businesses involved (in which over 100 have registered so far) and benefits for EuroPride 2013 itself in being able to use this system to get statistical information, accounting will be easier, faster and more accurate, and less volunteers are needed to control the entries and the cash in this very safe and secured cash management system.

If you would like more information on EuroPride 2013, please click on the links below:

EuroPride 2013 Marseille

LGP Marseille

NeoSphere Travel

MP2013

What could be better than spending EuroPride 2013 Marseille in the Mediterranean?  With all the hard work and efforts being put into place, something tells me that these ten days in Marseille are going to be nothing less than powerful and life changing events.