Cap Martin and Menton

So … off to visit Cap Martin! (What does it say about this sailing trip that it’s been much more about the trip than the sailing, at least so far?)

We tend to think of Monaco as being on the border between France and Italy, but actually there is some France to the East of Monaco: Cap Martin and Menton. See the map!

I did the old “hey taxi driver, show me your town” thing, asked my driver to take me to Cap Martin, and in fact we went all the way to the Italian border. And then I had the dinner of the world at Ceto, high high up on a hill overlooking Monaco to the West, and Cap Martin to the East.

view of the hillside leaving Monaco and entering Cap Martin
what is that hideous building on the skyline?

Immediately upon leaving Monaco you enter a much prettier and less developed area, typical Cote d’Azure, hotels and beaches, but not urban sprawl.

street scene in Roquebrune heading to Cap Martin

there it is again – high on the hill – what?

posing in front of Roquebrune bayfront as seen from Cap Martin

the old town – hmm, how to get in there?

We drove back past Menton Old Town – no cars allowed – and I stopped and (after a bit of puzzlement – where is an entrance?) walked in. So cool!

on the road back and up to Cota … and what is that on the hill?

there it is – the Maybourne Hotel – and Ceto is *in* it!

My comment about the Maybourne Hotel – okay, it’s ugly, and bold, and shouldn’t be there. But at least the inside is beautiful, and when you’re inside you don’t have to look at the outside.

And the Ceto restaurant on the top floor is out-of-this-world!