Why confine your family holiday to just one destination? ARLENE HARRISfound that visiting two very different places – the French Riviera and Cern in Switzerland – made her trip feel a lot longer
DUBBED THE PLAYGROUND of the rich and famous, the French Riviera is synonymous with wealth, style and panache. So what on earth was I thinking when I booked our family holiday there last month?
True, the flights I had booked from Dublin to Nice in January were great value – but they were only one way: in a moment of madness, I had decided it would be nice for us (two adults and three children) to take the train from Cannes to Geneva and visit my father-in-law, a retired nuclear physicist who had worked at the now world famous Cern for almost two decades.
Cautious friends warned that it would cost a fortune. But, never one to back down from a challenge (particularly one involving travel), I put my researcher’s hat on and, ignoring the obvious tourist hotels, tried to find out where the natives stayed and how they would get around this beautiful part of the world.
With my outward flights booked, I shopped around and found good value return seats from Switzerland – then spent a little time both online and on the phone organising the best fare from Cannes to Geneva on the TGV. And, my proudest moment, I ignored the offers of car hire, taxi and even coaches from Nice airport and discovered that, if we were prepared to spend an extra half hour traversing the Cote d’Azur, my entire family could get from Nice to Cannes for €5.
I was on a roll.
Next up was accommodation. Is it possible to stay in one of the world’s most stylish cities without resorting to sleeping bags on the beach? (Not that such a thing would ever be tolerated in Cannes of course).
Again, it is amazing what a bit of perseverance can turn up. After a little detective work, I found Residéal Premium, a reasonably priced apartment block situated a stone’s throw from La Croisette (the central promenade in Cannes). It slept six (at a squeeze), and had a private pool and a gated garden area.
It all seemed perfect and we were ready to go.
After the rain and cold of Ireland, it seemed almost magical to arrive in the south of France in just over two hours. The sky was cornflower blue, the temperature was in the low 30s and the city was vibrant.
The first sight to greet us when we stepped off the bus from Nice was an immaculately dressed young man on a scooter with a small dog on his lap. The driver was wearing stylish shades while his canine companion sported a pink helmet and swimming goggles. It summed up everything this city stands for: OTT fashion, swaggering confidence and a touch of eccentricity.
Having located our apartment block – right behind the infamous Carlton Intercontinental, we decamped and set about the serious business of finding food and exploring the town.
Along the main strip, the number of super-cars was staggering. For my motor-mad eldest son, the abundance of Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Ferraris and, to his jaw-dropping delight, an Aston Martin One-77 (one of only 77 ever made), proved he had landed in car heaven.
For the other two, the glistening yachts in the marina and more importantly for my youngest, the frequency of ice-cream vendors, meant we couldn’t have chosen a better destination.
But we had yet to find out if we would be living on baguettes and water for the week as there was no way our budget would stretch to the water-front restaurants.
We were pleasantly surprised by an abundance of reasonably-priced eateries in the streets parallel to the promenade which were a hive of nocturnal activity – from jazz bands to singers and even acrobats, our nights out would be punctuated by impromptu cabaret.
Continuing our run of good luck, the sun shone brightly every day. But rather than sticking to the beach and hotel pool, we made a point of exploring the local area – which included the beautiful old town and a fantastically interesting museum of prehistoric artefacts.
Our biggest feat was a hike up to La Croix des Gardes, an hour-long haul through the increasingly hilly streets (at one point, the slope is a gradient of about 1 in 5) for what seemed like an endless distance, but was in fact 3km.
At the top of the town, the leafy nature reserve was a welcome break from the dusty streets and the children were proud as punch to have made it to the huge steel cross which overlooked the glistening water of the bay below.
Ever on the lookout for interesting vehicles (see above), one morning we took the train to Monaco to visit Prince Albert’s automobile collection. The journey took about an hour and was an absolute delight – snaking along the picturesque coastline and stopping at quaint sounding towns (including Juan-les-Pins) along the way.
During my backpacking days, I had ‘done’ the French Riviera, but had forgotten how utterly beautiful it was – with boats bobbing about the glistening sea and pine groves sloping down to the shore. I was mesmerised by the scenery.
Monaco itself is vibrant, bustling and has more character than Cannes. First port of call was the L’Exposition de la Collection de Voitures Anciennes de SAS le Prince de Monaco, where more than 100 royal vehicles belonging to different monarchs over the past century are on display.
The boys were not disappointed.
A visit to the palace was obviously a must, so we climbed the steep hill to the cliff-top overlooking the town. This walk was also arduous but well worth it as the view was breathtaking.
First we visited the Museé Océanographique, which housed an impressive aquarium and a superb collection of unusual artwork – the eerie bronze skeletons and the head made out of frozen blood were of particular interest to my three sons.
After a couple of citrons pressés on the rooftop cafe, we headed over to the palace for an audio tour of Prince Albert’s abode, then lunch in a rustic cafe and it was time to go back to Cannes.
A week after we arrived in the south of France, we boarded the TGV for a five-and-a-half hour journey to Geneva to stay with my father-in-law, who lives 20 minutes from the Swiss capital in a town called Divonne-les-Bains.
For almost two decades he worked as a nuclear physicist in the Cern laboratory (which made headlines recently after the elusive Higgs boson was discovered). For our visit, he had planned a trip to the interactive museum attached to the laboratory.
Just outside Geneva, Cern is most easily reached by car but there is a bus stop directly outside and public transport and taxis run there from the city centre.
Our first port of call was the Universe of Particles – a globe-shaped building which houses a selection of projects including the first server for the World Wide Web, displayed along with the initial proposal from its creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee and a handwritten note claiming it to be “vague but interesting”.
Every 15 minutes, the lights are dimmed and the globe transforms into a light show as digital imagery brings the mysteries of the universe – of time, vacuum and antimatter – to life.
Brains bursting with information overload, we headed across the road to the main building. This part of the exhibition is very hands-on and the children were delighted to have the opportunity to discover cosmic rays, antiprotons, quarks and gluons through multimedia exhibits, machines, games and experiments – there is even a model of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
While I will never give a lecture on particle physics, after a couple of hours at the Cern visitor centre, I am definitely more au fait with the work being carried out there and my boys were so enthused that one of them might even follow in their grandad’s footsteps.
Geneva itself is a beautiful city – overlooking Lake Geneva (or Lac Léman as those over the French border like to call it). It is busy and cosmopolitan and the spray from the iconic Jet d’Eau can be felt at various locations along the promenade.
Although Geneva is best known for its commercial and retail industries, the colourful sailboats, busking musicians and hordes of tourists at the lakeshore lend a holiday feel to this thriving city.
But Switzerland is very pricey, so we were lucky to be staying over the border in France where restaurants, bars and general supplies are a lot cheaper (although still more expensive than on the Riviera).
Divonne-les-Bains, a combination of a stereotypical French village and a busy international town, is nestled between the Alps and the Jura Mountains and the snow-capped image of Mont Blanc can be seen from every corner.
But despite its sleepy appearance, there is plenty to do. An Olympic-size swimming pool complete with waterslides and diving boards is open to the public and a man-made beach along the lake comes boasts Total-Wipeout-type water challenges. There are also a number of woodland walks for anyone looking for a more leisurely pace.
We stayed a week on the Franco-Swiss border – playing in the water, exploring the neighbouring villages, soaking up the sun and practising our language skills. It was bliss.
Two weeks after leaving Dublin, we headed for Geneva airport to catch our flight home. Because we visited two very different destinations, it felt like we had been away for a lot longer – and I think this is the key to making the most out of our annual fortnight away. Because if our summer weather is anything to go by, we are going to need all the diversion we can get.
Cannes and Cern How to . . .
GET THERE
Ryanair fly Dublin to Nice from €49pp. Geneva to Dublin with Aer Lingus costs from €70pp. Cannes to Geneva on TVG costs from €35pp. See ryanair.com, aerlingus.com, tvg-europe.com
CERN VISITOR CENTRE
1211 Geneve 23, Tel: 0044-22767 6111 Cern can be reached by bus or car. The number 56 bus goes directly to a stop outside the laboratory from both the airport and the main train station. The Microcosm exhibition is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday between 9am and 5pm. The Globe Exhibition is open from Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm. Both exhibitions are free of charge. See cern.ch
WHERE TO EAT
La Villa du Lac, 93 Chemin de Chatelard, 01220, Divonne-Les-Bains Tel: 0033-450-209000. This restaurant is attached to the hotel of the same name and while the interior dining area is functional and comfortable, the outside terrace, opening on to parklands and overlooking the lake, offers more ambience on a summer’s evening and for children, it’s the perfect spot for little legs to stretch between courses. There is a children’s menu which consists of main course, drink and ice-cream for €9, a three-course set menu from €20 and there is also an a la carte version for anyone wishing to push the boat out.
Au Riche Lieu 66 Rue Meynadier, Cannes tel: 0034-933 99875. Away from the glamour of la Croisette, there is an abundance of restaurants to choose from catering for every taste and pocket. This cosy French/Italian bistro is just one of the many eateries with outside tables which are the perfect spot to enjoy the nightly street cabaret.
There is a selection of meat and fish dishes on offer as well as good value pizza and pasta options for children (or adults in need of a bit of comfort food). The three-course menu ranges from €17 to €20 and pizzas start from €9.
Cafeteria de Jardin Botanique, Jardin Botanique, Geneva. Geneva is a bustling, thriving city with plenty to offer sightseers, shoppers and families. But when the sights and sounds of the main fray get too much, the botanical gardens (Jardin Botanique) are a great place to escape for an hour.
This café is the perfect location for lunch – with beautiful, peaceful surroundings, friendly staff and a good value menu offering pasta, pizzas or salad between €9 and €20.