It is said that Nietzsche found the inspiration for his famous book “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” during a walk between the sea and the hilltop village of Eze. At a time when his books were selling poorly and Nietzsche was sinking into depression following a heartbreak with Lou Andreas Salomé, he discovered the sunshine of the Cote d’Azur and its magnificent views. If we are sure that Nietsche lived in Nice, he probably also stayed in Eze Bord de Mer, on the site of the old post office. There he regained his strength and hiked for 7 to 8 hours in the mountains.

In Eze, Nietzsche composed pages of Thus Spoke Zarathustra that he himself described as “decisive”. In the midst of this wild Mediterranean vegetation, looking out over the azure blue sea, this decisive part, which bears the title “Old and New Tables”, was composed “during a most arduous climb from the station to the wonderful Moorish village of Eza, built in the middle of the rocks”.

In fact, when you walk in Nietzsche’s footsteps even today, you find yourself in the middle of nature facing the infinite horizon to witness the same spectacle! It will take you about 1H30 to go up from Eze Bord de Mer where the train drops you off to the village 400 meters higher. Good shoes are recommended as this is a hike. And if you want to hike in summer, try to do it in the cooler hours of the day! After this beautiful climb, the view will be all the more beautiful!