There is no other road to the coast than the one through Dolceacqua, so one returns by the same way to the main road.
BORDIGHERA
is a thoroughly English resort, with several excellent hotels, a museum, a library, an English church, a tennis-club, and other opportunities of amusement, and it has also the advantage of being small, and without the towny flavour of Mentone, Monte Carlo, Nice, and Cannes. There are beautiful walks among hoary olives at a very short distance from any part of the scattered town, and there is still an old nucleus on the hill of Capo San Ampeglio, where a hermit’s cave is now converted into a tiny chapel.
The road runs through Ospedaletti, a newly built resort, to
SAN REMO
The coast becomes steeper and more impressive as one goes eastwards from Bordighera, and at San Remo the town is backed by an amphitheatre of very lofty hills. The town is busy and smart, and curiously individual in its character.
Perhaps the best way to see the place in a short time is to make for the market-place and enter the gateway that leads into the old town. The moment one begins to ascend the extremely picturesque passages and winding vicoli all one’s bearings are lost, and, as fresh openings and turnings occur every few yards, one is soon hopelessly lost. The only plan to follow is always to go upwards. This will bring one out to a flight of steps leading up to a small public garden, from which there is an enormous view, with the old roofs of the original town immediately below and the new stuccoed houses spread out on the lower ground and on the hill-slopes on either side.
Those who have time should keep along this fascinating coast, and explore those valleys which have good roads. There are a thousand delights awaiting the motorist, but there is unfortunately no space to deal with them here. [K]
SECTION XIX
AIX-EN-PROVENCE TO AVIGNON, 65¼ MILES
(105 KILOMETRES)
DISTANCES ALONG THE ROUTE