Day 23 - There's a train which runs three times per day from Nice to the medieval town of Tende, in Alpes-Maritimes part of France. It is in the newest part of France following a referendum in 1947 after Italy was forced to cede land after WWII. The town is old but the area contains petroglyphs that are the work of Mediterranean Bronze Age peoples.
Our two-and-a-half-hour train trip was an amazing adventure through at least 80 tunnels, the longest of which was six kilometers! I guess it's easier to go through a mountain than over it. Our train departed from the station promptly at 9:08. We didn't expect a free French / English commentary on the route that explained the various towns and highlights along the journey.
When we got out in Tende, the weather felt great. The forecast showed the temperatures the same as along the coast. Although quite a number of tourists got off at the final stop with us, they disappeared. We felt as though we were exploring the old section of town completely on our own.
First, we headed up walkways, alleys, and tiny streets.
It didn't take long to get to the cemetery. I don't know why dead people need a view but it was a splendid one. I understand that people are simply dying to get in. The breeze felt warm. We could see the famous church called the Collegiale Notre-Dame-De-L'Assomption.
So, we headed down through the maze of streets and stairs to the church. The exterior was such a colorful contrast to the rather earthy town. The inside had many paintings and an amazing blue ceiling. It was quiet and felt sacred (but cold). I have to admit that the way people lived hundreds of years ago can surely rival a modern, automobile-centered life. I loved visiting this place.
We knew we had about three hours but by this time, we had just a bit more than one hour remaining. So, we went to find something to eat and found a bakery that sold fresh sandwiches and included a drink and dessert. We sat on a patio in the center of the most modern part of the city and saw only two or three people and a few cars every half hour. The birds were the noisiest thing around.
There is a famous museum because of the ancient finds in the area. It was under reconstruction but a pleasant way to spend a half hour of remaining time. One section showed a lot of mining information as humans have been extracting metals from this area for eons.
We made our way to the train station a few minutes before our 2:38 pm return departure.
The trip back was pleasant and as we sat on the opposite side of the train, we saw different scenery. A lot of people visit the many towns along the route. We arrived back at the station in Nice at 4:50 pm. We returned happy but tired.