Children’s cries. The shouts of parents yelling at children who are yelling, and sometimes even the grandparents who shout at the parents who yell at the children who yell! The story is complicated, but who hasn’t experienced it? Lying peacefully on a beautiful towel all blue with palm trees and a sunset over a tropical beach, one forgets and loses oneself. The office, colleagues, the coffee machine become but vague memories, a stream of work stories turned anecdotal. Time is suspended. And it’s at the moment when one is most relaxed that little frail, harmless blonde heads disrupt these bucolic moments with tears, exclamations—in short, nothing out of the ordinary, just children living. Blaming them would be unsociable. One just wishes to be on a deserted island instead.
Being a resident of the French Riviera means living in a beautiful region, envied and attracting the curious and the envious commonly known as “Tourists”. One has to live with it.
There are solutions. The most cowardly one: to go far away to a very calm place. The mountains and small Alpine villages are sought after. A little chalet at high altitude or an apartment with a view of the peaks, and hike after hike are the ideal ingredients for Azuréan holidaymakers. The mountains are increasingly popular, yet they remain a place where tranquility reigns and the advantage in Nice is that it only takes an hour’s drive to reach the Alpine calm.
Other less affluent residents of the Riviera do not have the option to leave either because they cannot afford it or because they cannot take time off. They aspire, like everyone else and perhaps even more, to rest and tranquility. It is thus imperative to avoid “touristy spots” such as the beach on the Promenade des Anglais or on the Croisette in Cannes, the Cours Saleya after 5 PM, or even the streets of Old Nice.
Often, any good resident of the Riviera who respects himself has his personal spots where he can isolate himself. Near the center of Nice, one can find his haven of peace on the Castle Hill. As for beaches, there are little-known coves around Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat with nearby parking that are relatively inexpensive. But this should not be repeated too often. The sea is not the only source of well-being. Rivers come close. Listening to the flow of water relaxes just as much as the small Mediterranean waves.
Summer may also be an opportunity to discover or rediscover villages in the hinterland like La Bollène Vésubie, Peille, Sospel…
The Alpes-Maritimes are rich with pleasant sites where everyone can find their happiness, a simple happiness without hearing the cries of children and tourist bustle.
