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Cap d’Ail: The Riviera’s Cheaper Destination

Posted February 27th, 2009 by Antonia Malchik

Along the beach in Cap d'Ail, Cote d'Azur, France

Cap d'Ail, Cote d'Azur, France

The new issue of Perceptive Travel editor Tim Leffel’s book The World’s Cheapest Destinations has just landed in my mailbox, and in devouring it eagerly (and looking forward to reviewing it next week) I’ve been reminded of some trips to supposedly pricey areas that turned out to be, if not dirt-cheap, at least surprisingly less expensive than budgeted for.

One of those trips was to a friend’s wedding in the little town of Cap d’Ail on the Cote d’Azur in France. Almost any town in France is worth seeing, and eating in, but Cap d’Ail has the distinct and unexpected advantange of being exactly one kilometer from Monaco, and a short drive from Nice.

Both Monaco and Nice are destinations bursting with tourists, things to do and see, and people with a lot of cash. Cap d’Ail, with a population barely over 4500, provides a base for seeing its more famous neighbors without emptying your wallet.

It might be the beach access that reduces costs. Getting down to the beach (which is rather small but hugs a bay of heart-stopping clear blue water) involves a 20- to 30-minute walk down steep streets and seemingly neverending winding stairs. Plenty of visitors to Monaco, who can access the beach simply by strolling out of a hotel, simply wouldn’t have the stamina or knee stability for what is, frankly, a pretty serious aerobic exercise.

Personally, I loved it. Once you’re on the beach you can stay most of the day, following shade or sun as you prefer, lunching on seafood and fresh salad at one of the excellent restaurants right at your back. Or, to feel posh and say you’ve been, you can stroll along the oceanfront path to eat in Monaco. A kilometer of walking along a rocky and sometimes slippery passage, where you’re bound to get splashed by waves, can go a long way to making you feel superior to the over-rich and over-fed visitors of the French Riviera.

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This entry was posted on Friday, February 27th, 2009 at 11:59 am and is filed under Antonia projects, Europe travel, food & drink. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

3 Responses to “Cap d’Ail: The Riviera’s Cheaper Destination”

  1. jean Says:
    February 28th, 2009 at 7:29 am

    Some “luxury” places can also have a way of budget traveling. Like traveling with a private guide can be worth the extra expense. People can enjoy a place in many different ways. :)

  2. Wilmington Hotels Says:
    March 4th, 2009 at 8:20 am

    Sounds like an awesome spot. I am getting jealous the more I read about it. Being that close to Monaco and Nice while being able to get hotels at a much smaller price has to be a huge advantage and is well worth staying there instead IMO. Plus I prefer smaller places with less people anyway.

  3. Antonia Malchik Says:
    March 4th, 2009 at 12:47 pm

    You both make good points. A private guide wasn’t needed here (aside from side tours with cab drivers!), but our hotel in Cap d’Ail was certainly very cheap. Nothing luxurious by any means, but clean and pleasant with a nice courtyard for drinking a little evening wine with friends. I believe it was called Hotel Normandy:

    http://www.hotel-normandy-cap-ail.cote.azur.fr/page_en_1.html

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