La Cote d'Azur or French Riviera
From Cannes to Nice going through Antibes and Menton all the way to the Italian border this area is one not only of beauty but of prestige. The coastline is spotted with turn of the century mansions and modern luxury homes.
The French Riviera along the Mediterranean coast provides its guests with fashionable elegant surroundings in an international atmosphere. Visitors can choose between the livelier towns of Nice and Cannes, home of the famous film festival, and the calmer more discreet villages of Beaulieu, Menton or Cap Ferrat. The quaint harbour fishing villages have become chic tourist destinations, now full of pleasure yachts and crowded summertime beaches.
The famous resorts of Juan-les-Pins and Cap d'Antibes attract the stylish jet set. Up in the hills are the quieter medieval villages. Eze offers magnificent panoramic views of the sea and mountains. In St. Paul-de-Vence tourists can browse through shops and galleries set on narrow winding cobblestone streets. Throughout the region are charming country homes and terraced private villas overflowing with colourful flowers.
Grasse is the perfume capital of the world. The factories invite tourists to visit and learn how French perfumes are made. The French Riviera enjoys a Mediterranean-type climate characterized by exceptional sunshine (nearly 300 days a year) and mild temperatures most of the year. Rainfall, infrequent but abundant, occurs mainly in March-April and October-November. In winter, frost is rare.
Cuisine: The Rivera shares its cuisine with Provence enjoying the same vegetable and fish dishes prepared with vivid seasonings. The most famous are bouillabaisse, a Fish soupe, anchoyade, soupe au pistou, pissaladiere, ratatouille and salade Nicoise. Anise flavoured pastis is the Rivera's favourite drink.
MAIN CITIES OF THE RIVIERA
Nice
Bracketed between flowering hills and the spectacular Baie des Anges, the capital of the French Riviera is studded with over three dozen historic monuments.
To visit: Promenade des Anglais, fine arts museum, Matisse Museum, Chagall Museum, Ruhl Casino, Parc des Miniatures.
Antibes
Its star-shaped fortress is home to a Picasso Museum.
The Vieil Antibes is the old part of the town. It is an amazing place and a lot of British relocated there. The old town is very charming and is set by the Antibes marina, the views are beautiful. Do not miss the 17th-century ramparts, 12th-century castle with a 16th century tower, old city, Archaeological Museum, Picasso Museum, beaches, Chateau Grimaldi, Marineland, Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Cannes
The elegant and cosmopolitan city which hosts the annual International Film Festival. Cannes is made up of a nondescript coastal district known as Cros-de-Cagnes, Haut-de-Cagnes, the original medieval village overlooking the town from the northwest heights, and Cagnes-sur-Mer, the town centre situated inland between the two. In Cannes the best is to enjoy the fantastic Croisette, the sandy beaches and the luxury shops of the Rue d'Antibes.
Grasse
Capital of France's fragrance and flavouring industry. Grasse is world famous for its perfume factories and you can visit them all year round. The old village of Grasse offer beautiful scenery. To visit: The cathedral and the Art and History of Provence Museum
PROVENCE & VAR
From its medieval hilltop villages, through a rich agricultural countryside of vineyards, olive groves and fields of sunflowers, to the fascinating cities of Arles and Aix en Provence, this is perhaps the most irresistible area of France.
The Provence is part of the PROVENCE-ALPES COTE D?AZUR (PACA) region. "Provence" usually refers to the coast and hinterland from the Rh?ne to the Var Rivers, while French Riviera is defined by the boundaries of the Alpes-Maritimes département, from the Var Valley to Italy. Visitors can explore ancient Roman ruins, medieval fortresses and charming hilltop provencal villages. They can hike the Grand Canyon du Verdon, ride the famous white horses in the Camargue or simply take a picnic basket for a day in the countryside.
The valleys are carpeted with lavender and the fields are filled with the sunflowers and olive trees that Van Gogh loved to paint.
France's oldest city, Marseille, is a bustling port with a lively local atmosphere.
Avignon, once the Papal residence is now a cheerful town of cafés, art galleries and fashionable shops.
Aix-en-Provence, a university town filled with students offers tree shaded streets and 17th century mansion.
The harbour town of St. Tropez is long famous for its glamour and beauty.
The former fishing village is not only the best place for the international jet set but has gained its own place in the exclusive list of sailing capitals of the world with the Rolex Challenge Med Race and Les Voiles de St Tropez competition.
