Monaco is not in the French dèpartement of Alpes-Maritime, but is a small (3/4 square mile) principality of its own. Our visit there began in the area of the Cousteau aquarium.

The water color was spectacular.

Nearby was an excellent botanical garden.

      

The Prince's Palace where Prince Albert lives, protected by the Palace guards.

An official building on the opposite side of the square.

A statue of Francois Grimaldi, a renegade Italian dressed as a monk, who captured Monaco in 1297 and began the dynasty that still rules the principality.

A panoramic view of the harbor of Monaco.

In the palace square, a memorial to Prince Albert I and some Louis XIV cannonballs.

The Palace of Justice.

The Cathedral where Princess Grace and Prince Ranier are buried.

One last view of Eze on the way back to Nice.

We had a pleasant evening in Nice with another dinner of Boeuf en Daub and prepared for our travel the next day to Aix-en-Provence.