"It's Only A Ramp. It's An Easy Walk"...

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  Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azu, France
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

It's another 7.00am start today, with a half hour walk to a station to catch the "Chemin de Fer de Provence" up the Var River valley north of Nice. It's a small train like a V-Line Sprinter... Just 2 connected carriages, four trips a day, some local commuters but mainly tourists.

"Tell me about your uncle's family history here" I ask Liz, thinking we are going to visit some ancestral base.

"Oh no ancestors!" she replies. "He used to own a house here that I always wanted to visit."

A HOUSE! We have come all this way to see an ex-holiday house?!!!

But this is of course, not your standard Dromana shack.

Entrevaux is a mediæval fortified village with 10-11th century roots, most notably a wall, gatehouses, drawbridges and a 17th century citadel guarding the place from 156m above the town. It also has history dating back over 2000 years and sits above the Var River which flows with the milky blue coloring of water originating in the Alps higher above.

A stroll around the old town pinpoints the house in question. We also find the obligatory cathedral, museum, bar and bakery. A ham and cheese baguette for lunch is crunchy and delicious.

Then the question is raised about climbing to the citadel at the top of the village. WAY UP above.

Serious climbing.

"It's not stairs, only a ramp." says the lady in the Tourist information Office.
"It's easy walking. Only 30 minutes..."

So with much doubt as to that assessment, I pay my 3€ and follow Liz out. And up. And it takes ALL of the 30 minutes with much stopping to admire and photograph the scenery on my part.

And it can't be denied... stunning scenery it is. Up and down the valley, over the mediæval town below, across to craggy mountain ridges and up to the citadel which is finely placed to defend the town.

The walk down is easier, the icecream is even better and the 90 minute return train trip makes for perfect snoozing time!

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Entrevaux, NW of Nice	Mountain scenery	Entrance to old town-towers either side of bridge.	Streets in the old town
View upstream to Entrevaux	Going up! View over the old town	View down the valley	Liz in Entrevaux
Old and new Entrevaux from above	From the citadel.. Made it!	Sharp, craggy mountains	Village with citadel above
Touët-sur-Var... another village downstream	Today's stony face - quite a chirpy one!	Entrevaux houses	Second of three drawbridges securing the town

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