We spent the morning on a private tour to Monaco with 2 other couples. It was not an included Viking tour but one recommended by Bart, the Viking concierge. We were glad we took his advice. We had originally planned on taking the local bus since Monaco is a fairly short ride away. Our tour with Jean-Marc was so much more. Our 1st stop was at a panoramic view of the rocky coast. The next stop was at the old medieval town of Eze. It was built on a high peak along the coast to protect the inhabitants for coastal raiders and barbarians. It was nothing but narrow stairways and paths and was well worth the stop. Next it was to Monaco/Monte Carlo. Monaco is the name of the entire principality (all 2 square kilometers of it) and is also the name of the old town. The new town where the casino is located is Monte Carlo. We stopped for pictures but did not go in. It cost 10 Euro just to go in and no shorts allowed. Jean-Marc then took us on the route of the Monte Carlo Grand Prix. Somehow the VW van did not make it as fast as a Formula One racer. Next was the Royal Palace where we made it just in time for the changing of the guards. Finally we went into the Cathedral where Princess Grace and Prince Rainier are buried before heading back to Nice.

We rested for a while and then headed out for another excellent and inexpensive lunch/dinner. It got very warm so we are now back in the hotel waiting for evening where we plan to head out for our last night in France.