Another one of Granddaddy's bucket list items has always been to see the Formula 1 Grand Prix race at Monaco. This was the year for it! He started planning a year ago. He partnered with Grand Prix Grand Tours who handled all the race tickets, hotel (Fairmont), and transportation to and from the Nice airport. Helen Grace's last exam was on Thursday, May 23, so we flew out immediately after that in order to make it to the second practice on Day 1 of practice (May 24th).
We also used it as an opportunity to visit our French family. When I was 8 years old, Nathalie joined us for a year as an exchange student from France, and our family was forever changed! Her brother Vincent came to live with us for a year when I was around 10. We've seen their family a few times since then, but it was probably 2005 when we last saw them. Nathalie lives in Menton, just past Monaco, so we visited with her and her sweet family while we were there. And Vincent lives outside Bordeaux, so he and his partner came to see us in Paris. Nathalie and Vincent are such big parts of my childhood and expanded my world view at a young age, and it felt so fulfilling to get to spend quality time with them as adults and to get to know their loved ones. We all just immediately fell in step like no time had passed!
After the Monaco experience, we traveled to Paris with my parents. Then the Moores headed to Normandy while the Toohigs went to Barcelona. I'll share each city in its own post.
Our plane from Memphis to Atlanta had some significant delays (ended up just being a pilot need), so we spent a lot of anxious hours praying we didn't miss our connecting flight to Nice. Turned out that everything worked out fine- whew!
Made it on the plane to Nice
First glimpse of French soil (for the girls)
Blade Monaco took us from the Nice airport to the Monaco heliport- the girls' first helicopter ride, and we were able to keep the secret from Cressey until we made it to the Blade desk.
Grand Prix Grand Tours had a car waiting for us at the heliport and took us to the Fairmont meeting spot. (The front of the hotel is on the race course- the "hairpin"- so we couldn't drive directly to the hotel.) We loved these custom shirts all the employees wore. They took our bags for us, and then we walked a little bit (over the track) to the back of the hotel, which was on the 7th floor. There we received our access badges that we had to wear all week to access the hotel.
Up the stairs and over the course!
From the check in desk of the hotel, you can see the course out the front doors. The doors were closed all day while the race was active and streets were closed. They would open them at night once the streets opened.
The Fairmont's Lobby Lounge was a great food option all week, and you can't beat this view! The water got more and more crowded with yachts as the week went on!
All of the car companies' trucks were lined up on the pier
Outside our room was a large communal balcony facing the water, but if you walked all the way to the east side, you could see a corner of the track! Right after the hairpin and before they went into the tunnel under the hotel
Of course, Cressey had to get in the pool immediately, and she had no clue the mayhem that was happening above her. Felt like a Vegas pool party! Can you see the mirrored bridge that crosses the pool? A drummer later came out and performed there!
A big screen was set up to show the practices that were happening on the track, but no one really seemed to notice. You can see the back of the grandstands here. You had to have a ticket to get a seat up in the stands, but if you cut between the screen and the stands, you could stand along the rooftop there and watch the hairpin below. Best "free" seats in the house!
View of the hairpin from that rooftop standing-room-along spot
HG turned 15 on the 25th, so she was surprised with balloons after we got back to the room from dinner in the Lobby Lounge on the 24th. (We did her gifts at home before we left.)
She and her daddy took a late night walk and went through the tunnel under the hotel (on the race track).
Our view from our room (Note that they do have some adjoining rooms but didn't have any available for us, so we upgraded to a suite with a pull out couch and a rollaway bed in a separate room.)
Gotta start the day with a strong breakfast!
The walk from our hotel (7th floor entrance) back "into town." The guys and HG had tickets to the race, and Cressey, Spiffer, and I spent the day with our French sister, Nathalie, and her family. We walked down to the Japanese Garden to meet her.
A beautiful building we passed along the way
ALL the steps (we had to take a roundabout route to get there because of the closed streets for the race)
As we tried to cross the street to meet Nathalie, we were stopped by police. We weren't really offered an explanation/ couldn't understand, so we tried to wait patiently. Soon, we heard roaring- and Formula 3 cars came zooming past us to start their practice! Our jaws were on the ground!
NATHALIE! It's been since 2005 since we saw her last! Hadn't changed a bit.
Quite the Formula 1 fan now
Japanese Garden was a beautiful green space in the city!
Love this face and excitement!
Nathalie, Bruno, and Lisa took us into their hometown of Menton
This is one of Nathalie and Bruno's fave weekend morning coffee spots, Cafe Sini, and it was delicious and perfectly French!
Our introduction to barbajuans, a delicious little pocket of rice and spinach
Meanwhile, HG was living her best life at the hairpin for practice!
This courtyard between Rue St Michel and Rue des Marins was dreamy!
The Penins took us on a boat ride along the coast back toward Monaco (blue line).
Menton harbor
Isn't Menton breathtaking?!
ALL THE YACHTS in Monaco harbor
Back to Menton waterfront
Can you believe this is a two laned road?
Nathalie took us to the top of the hill by the entrance of the Cemetery of the Old Chateau. After oohing and aahing at the views, we started walking downhill, wandering through the tiny streets of Old Town Menton. It was like stepping back through time to a simpler pace and place.
How cute are they? Bruno, Nathalie, and Lisa
And all of a sudden, we came out of an alley to see this STUNNING sight! The Basilique of Saint-Michel Archange rose up into the sky.
Opposite this view, you see the Chapel of the White Penitents
Over the door of the Basilica, you see this statue of St. Michel the Archange (Archangel Michael)
defeating the dragon (devil)
Cemetery of the Old Chateau (Cimetiere du Vieux Chateau) was one of Cressey and my favorite spots in Menton. Full of beautiful and touching details and amazing views.
This was our favorite tombstone- the spirit coming out of the tomb and flying toward heaven
The golden domed building behind Cressey was home to the ashes of a Russian admiral who died in Menton in the early 1900s. His ashes were removed from the mausoleum and taken back to Russia in 2005.
Cressey could have explored this place all day.
The creator of rugby, William Webb Ellis, was buried here too.
After that, we went to Nathalie's house for dinner. BEAUTIFUL views of the sea and BEAUTIFULLY landscaped by Bruno himself. Can't imagine living in this little slice of heaven!
Cressey loved the hot tub!
Bruno cooked us a delicious dinner, and we loved getting to sit around the table with their family and visit with Nathalie's mama, Francoise. Wonderful memories made with second generation friends too!
Nathalie and Bruno drove us back to Monaco that night, and then we walked our way back to the hotel. Pretty cute sight ahead of me!
Cressey got to step onto the course too! Right in front of the Fairmont
And a stunning blood moon to end the great day
It's race day!!
Cress, Spiffer, and I joined the race crew to watch the drivers' parade and the prince's lap. We got up to the roof an hour before the drivers' parade, and it took a little patience but we were able to grab a front row spot in the shade on the roof!
The drivers!
The Prince of Monaco and his son
Then we set off on more adventures with Nathalie. Today was the Rothschild Villa between Nice and Monaco. Amazing villa and gardens to explore, and Cressey could run and explore to her heart's content!
There were so many 'exotic' gardens in this part of France with HUGE succulents.
Exotic garden
Rose garden
Japanese garden
A little sweet treat overlooking the marina at Glacier du Cap in St Jean Cap Ferrat
Some school children were selling bracelets to raise money for field trips, and the Penins bought one for Cressey. So sweet!
We were supposed to meet for dinner at Bella Vita at the Monaco marina after the race, but the roads closures made it near to impossible to reach it. Granddaddy, John, and HG ate a quick bite there, and it was a must for big race fans because it's directly across from the paddocks and they watched the cars be loaded up! The rest of us ate at Trinity, an Irish pub, and thoroughly enjoyed the bar grub. The race crew met us there for after dinner drinks. We had a sweet and somewhat teary goodbye with the Penins. Hope we will see them again soon and were so appreciative of their hard work to show us all around their hometown!
On Monday, we set out to explore some other towns around Monaco. First up, Eze! Nathalie's parents had taken my parents there back in the early 2000s, but Nathalie, Vincent, and I had stayed down below at the beach (during an oil spill) so I was anxious to experience this magical little town.
Eze is home to a perfume factory, Fragonard. This fountain was filled with their bubble bath scent, and it smelled so good!
Even the trash cans in Eze were pretty.
Lunch at Le Nid D'Aigle in Eze was straight out of a dream. And right next to the line for the Le Jardin Exotique.
The exotic garden was just amazing.
HG beat us all to the tip top!
Notre Dame at Eze is under construction
Have a good look at that balcony on the left. The room with the open door. Do you see what's inside? A potty!
The potty is inside that beautiful turret- lol!
I could have stayed in Eze for hours and hours. Such a beautiful and old and magical spot. But we had to keep exploring. The girls needed to get their toes into the Mediterranean! St Jean Cap Ferrat. The water was cold and the rocks were tiny but pokey, but Cress would have gotten in with her swimsuit if I hadn't forgotten a towel.
Amu at the top of the Fairmont was a great end cap to our stay.
That sea gull was taking a nose dive!
One last swim. A lot more quiet this time!
I always held my breath as our bags were loaded into a cab- hoped they would find a way for them to fit! On to Paris!
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