Peillon

In the foothills of the mountains that appear, like the painted backdrop from an old film, just north-east of Nice, a perpendicular rock shoots dizzyingly up from its valley, its summit supporting the little medieval town of Peillon. From a distance it seems an impossible ascent. Pale mist swirling down from higher snow-covered mountains obscures the base of Peillon’s vertical site & not until the final switch back does a link road appear-running along a ridge of pine & olive trees into the town. There, in completed contrast to its dramatic location, is the cosy, pretty Auberge de la Madone-filled with geraniums in summer & in winter with the good smells of Christian Millo’s excellent regional cooking.