| Of the three roads that run from Nice, the Moyenne Corniche is the most photogenic, a real cliff-hanging, car-chase highway. Eleven kilometres from Nice, the medieval village of EZE winds round its conical rock just below the corniche. No other village perché is more infested with antique dealers, pseudo-artisans and other caterers to the touristic rich, and it requires a major mental feat to recall that the labyrinth of tiny vaulted passages and stairways was designed not for charm but from fear of attack. At the summit, a cactus garden, the Jardin Exotique (daily: July & Aug 9am–8pm; Sept–June 9am–noon & 2–5pm; €2.50) covers the site of the former castle. From place du Centenaire, just outside the old village, you can reach the shore through open countryside via the sentier Frédéric-Nietzsche. The philosopher is said to have conceived part of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, his shaggy dog story against believing answers to ultimate questions, on this path – which isn't quite as hard going as the book. You arrive at the Corniche Inférieure at the eastern limit of Eze-sur-Mer (coming upwards, it's signposted to La Village).
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