One of our main goals at Blue Beta is to remove the uncertainty that comes with booking a trip sight unseen. We know that the internet can provide both inaccurate and overwhelming amounts of information, especially when it comes to hotels and restaurants. This is why we spent a number of months in the area (well, and also to climb at amazing crags if we're being totally honest), touring hotels, eating in restaurants all around the Alpes-Maritimes, and figuring out the best ways to maximize your ability to climb, eat, sleep and repeat.
Accommodations:
We have hand-picked a range of hotels and villas to provide the best possible experience based on the make-up and size of the group. We based our selection on location, comfort, amenities, service and price. Because our groups are limited to 8 people, we have the flexibility to book our accommodation according to size and if it's mostly couples, singles, groups of friends, or strangers who are soon to be friends.
Because of this, each trip will have a custom selection of accommodations in a number of locations, chosen to give you a true taste of this region of the Côte d'Azur, including towns and villages like Villfranche-sur-Mer, Eze, and La Turbie to the east of Nice, St. Jeannet and Courmes to the north, and Antibes to the southwest.
The photos below are examples of different hotels, villas and B&B's we have selected and use for our trips. The accommodation specifics for each trip are detailed on the individual trip pages.
Hotel de La Darse/Villefranche-Sur-Mer
Eze Hermitage/Eze
Hotel Beau Site/Cap d'Antibes
La Cascade B&B/Courmes
Villa Vieil Antibes
Cuisine
Let's face it, the second thing your friends will say when you tell them you went on a climbing vacation in France will be, "And how was the food?" (The first being a jealous expletive.) And the south of France does not disappoint. With Italian, Corsican and Alpine influences, the food along the Côte d'Azur offers a fantastic mix of cultural tastes. Be prepared for fresh seafood, hand-made pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and, of course, the best bread and pastries on the planet!
We have chosen our restaurants based not only on their menus and to provide variety, but also because of their settings, service and overall quality. With open dinners in Nice and Antibes, there's opportunity to explore on your own as well, perhaps to try a regional specialty such as socca, raclette and soupe au pistou.
As you may know, there are some differences when dining out in France. Expect the waitstaff to give you your privacy and not hover or make multiple trips to your table during a meal. While those used to American restaurants may consider the service slow, the French attitude is to let customers enjoy their meal for as long as they desire with little interruption. To find out more about tipping (or lack thereof), how to order meat cooked to your liking and much more, click here.
