Once again we drove  towards the turquoise coast of the French Riviera. On a little peninsula sticking out of the coast near Nice, France is the little town of St. Jean Cap Ferrat. The jewel of this seaside town is the Ville Ephrussi de Rothschild. Built by Beatrice Ephrussi-Rothschild in 1906 . It is the epitome of Italian Rococo Riviera architecture. The two-story house of was built of pink marble, white marble, and trimmed in gold. It sits beautifully nestled on the point of the peninsula with views of the sea on three sides. The 9 Jardins, or gardens, are registered with the National French Botanical Society. Each of the nine gardens had a theme, ranging from Japanese, exotic tropical, to classical French. Our family enjoys strolling through gardens and these selections of gardens were some of the most exquisite and magical we’ve ever seen.  Hidden grottos, nooks with stone staircases, benches for siting and gazing, wild overgrown bamboo like forests, and two classical rose gardens met our eyes at every turn. Not to mention the stunning views of the harbor and ships bobbing up and down like little white toy boats on the turquoise sparkling waters.!

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Inside the home was equally impressive. The square patio, which was really an indoor reception room, was the beginning point of our audio tour.  Beatrice Rothschild was the daughter of the famous banker Alfonso Rothschild. She married an Ephrussi banking heir, but was later separated and then widowed after 20 years. She was a classy, delightful, eccentric who collected fine are and furnishings including many that belonged to King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

She loved animals and had dogs, gazelles, and a pet mongoose and monkey.  Her dog even had a wedding ceremony! The various rooms were appointed in classical 18^th century French feminine style. The entire estate was a joy to visit!

Mid-afternoon and we drove 25 minutes to old town Nice, parked and walked a bit to a lovely café. It was a perfect summer day to sit outside in the shade drinking a glass of Rosé wine as a cool refreshing breeze gently blew across our faces.

We then meandered around old town to shop, eat gelato, and take in the Mediterranean stucco architecture buildings painted in warm orange, creams, with pops of blue, green, and reds. We even rested a bit inside St. Rita’s Church after walking along a portion of the Promenade de Anglais, the boardwalk along the rocky, pebbly beaches. The Friday night life was getting into full swing as we passed through the outdoor market where I Purchase a pretty lavender/olive themed tablecloth.

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On the way back to the farmhouse, the sat nav took us along country roads, instead of the motorway. It was a lovely way to end our time in the Provence de cote-Azur region of France!