South of France | Imamother

intrigued

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 6:45 am

What city is the best to visit? We are looking at Nice or Marseilles. Are there any other ones? We want a place that has more Kosher Variety and somewhere where we can rent an apartment preferably from a Jew so it's Kosher.

What is there to do in these cities besides relaxing and the beach? We want to stay somewhere where it's easy to walk to places but don't mind travelling for the bigger trips.

Are there any cities that are near the mountains? If so is it easy to find Kosher there?

Please share all your knowledge. Thanks! Tongue Out

1387

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 8:10 am

B"H
I've been to Alpe d'Huez. It is not far from Grenoble. every year, there is a group from Paris who travels to a spot in the alps. Some years they go to Alpe D'huez. When they come, they have a Kosher store, Minyan (definitely on shabbos) & I think they have Hashgacha for some of the breads in the local bakery. Basically, you're in the alps & the view is breathtaking. You could hike or go up to Pic Blanc where you could have a snowball fight in the summer, there is alpine sliding & an open air market friday mornings.

intrigued

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 8:30 am

1387 wrote:

Sounds really nice but I think we will pass that for now as I am looking more for a place where there are lots of restaurants and it doesn't sound so relaxing and baby friendly. I wouldn't mind to be near the mountains just for the view but not literally on them! Very Happy

hannah95

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 11:23 am

Nice, Juan les Pins and Cannes have a very large jewish community during the summer. Not a very religious one though, but shomer enough that you'll find a good selection of restaurants, butchers, supermarkets. We also use the rabbinate list for some products (you have the same system in England I think). If you rent near the sea, it will be CROWDED from 8 in the morning to midnight, and you will get a lot of noise from the street and cars.You might want to check something a little off the the seaside, or in the beautiful 'arrière pays', 10 or 15 km away from the sea. The prices will be cheaper too. I think there are some kosher hotels on the riviera this year, you might want to check into that.

shoshina

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 11:26 am

DH and I honeymooned in Nice and I have been begging to go back ever since. People are extremely friendly, the food is EXCELLENT, the beach is beautiful (smooth rocks, not sand, so it felt like you were getting a massage every time you spread out on your towel) and the shopping was divine. Also took a day trip in Monaco which was great.

The ONLY thing I will point out, if you're going with children, is that there is a lot of non-tsnius beachwear in Nice...my DH of about 14 days at that point saw a LOT of naked tops.

intrigued

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 11:27 am

hannah95 wrote:

Oh we have quiet a high standard for cooked food. Are there Glatt restaurants in these areas? Alos I wasn't thinking of the crowds, I would really rather a place that is to the quiet side but near the beach. Does taht exist? We are not looking to spend alot so we are looking to find an apartment rather than a hotel also.

intrigued

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 11:29 am

shoshina wrote:

That really sounds beautiful and what we are looking for. What was the standard of Kashrus? Thanks for pointing out the Tzniyus issue. We only have a baby but we are really not into that scene. I wouldn't even go into the water. I am just looking for a nice area to walk and relax in. If you walked down were there quieter areas where it was more tzniyus or no? Whats in Monaco and how far is it? We are not planning on using a car is the public transport easy?

shoshina

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 11:47 am

We did not have a car, getting to Monaco is a quick train ride on the high speed train, just get off at the Monaco station and you can walk around the entire city really easily (look at the giant luxury yachts they're so big!) Getting from Cote d'Azur airport was a quick bus ride (harder with luggage but not terrible)

We really wandered a lot, in the back streets the tsnius is, while definitely not what you see in say BP, I think better than in a lot of the US (unless you see American tourists, ironically) a lot of long floaty skirts and small tee shirts on the women, long pants on the men. It's very chic actually I bought some nice tsnius clothing there. For Kashrus we did a lot of fresh vegetables at the open air market, but also a good couple of restaurants that were Glatt Kosher and did Shabbos catering. It was Chez something but that does not narrow it down-- I'll ask DH

intrigued

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 11:57 am

shoshina wrote:

We aren't planning to go for Shabbos. But is there a bakery and Grocery stores for breakfast and lunch?

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Jun 02 2011, 12:58 pm

Nice, Monaco, Canne. To be honest, I don't see a sense of going to Marseille. It's an industrial port with lots of refinerie around, the area near the Old City is rather run-down. And sorry, you're very unlikely to find somewhere quiet AND near the beach in the peak summer season. Tzniut-wise I don't think it's any worse or better than Hyde Park in summer sunday afternoons. If possible I would avoid Juy/Aug and instead go in June or Sept.

As for things to see/visit, there's a lovely Chagall museum in Nice, Picasso museum near Antibes. Rothschild villa with an amazing garden near Monaco. Don't forget to visit Grasse (famous for perfume, lavendar). Nice beaches--promnade--is nice for walking toward the end of the day, but you're probably better off finding a villa with own swimming pool if possible. Canne beaches are mostly private (and a good rip-off). St. Tropez has better beaches though it's going to be very untzniut. There's a bus service from the airport to Nice or Cannes. Between Nice and Cannes there's a good train services. Outside of this there are bus services but it can be infrequent you're better with a car to visit outside of these. Canne is small to explore on foot (though mind you it does get hot in the middle of the day).

Nice has probably the most kosher amenities, butchers, a few kosher grocery stores/bakery, restaurants (meaty, pizza, sushi takeaway) . Canne also has a meaty and a pizza. Why don't you look up mangercacher.com. Local restaurants are certified by local rabbis. Don't think it's mehadlin but the meat can be chalek beit yosef.

intrigued

Fri, Jun 03 2011, 5:31 am

Thanks Mrs Bissli. We are looking into staying in Nice. A villa with a swimming pool sounds great but we will no way be able to afford that. We are looking into an apartment and we found some that are quite good pricing and with baby facilities.

The problem is we only are able to go in mid August so it will be really packed! We will have to make do with that. Someone told me it is near Italy. Do you know what city that is and is it worth visiting?

Mrs Bissli

Fri, Jun 03 2011, 6:41 am

Yes, French Riviera is next to (guess what?) Italian Riviera! I haven't done it myself but I believe there are train connection out of Nice. San Remo would be the closest main city coming from Nice, though Genoa (aka home of the pesto sauce) is the main centre. Italian Riviera major attractions would be Cinque Terre further east of Genoa. They are actually collection of several rustic villages with amazing views overlooking the sea, BUT it's steep-hilly with many stairs so definitely not pram-friendly.

If you are renting a car, you can probably drive up to Turin (aka home of Fiat, contemporary museum and hazelnut praline/chocolate). I used to know someone from there--sounded like they have one of the oldest jewish community.

Sounds like fun--enjoy the Riviera summer!

ocean blue

Sun, Jun 05 2011, 10:26 pm

Oh this is making me sooooo nostalgic. I was born in Nice. It is so beautiful, but as someone mentioned the level of pritzus is quite unbelievable in the summer, and not only on the beach. There are a lot of beautiful places to see around, a short train ride away like Beaulieu, which has a beautiful walk by the sea, with no beach or Villefranche, if you walk past the beach, you could find a quieter spot to swim. And of course Monaco. Also, the sea is so calm and the water warm. We used to go to the beach at night for a swim and a bbq.
For accomodations and kosher food, Nice is your best bet. Marseille has a larger and frumer jewish community but is not as nice. Enjoy!

Ruchel

Fri, Aug 12 2011, 11:02 am

Yes there is weekly minian (very common in OOT Europe) in Monaco at the shul. You may have a hard time finding food unless you don't keep CY and can go by the French kosher list. You have to ask. Monaco is crazy expensive. Price wise you're better off living in Beausoleil - but you have to check where the shul is, for shabbes.