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Cote D'azur
The Cote D'azur (The French Riviere)
Mougins
The hills behind the Cote d'Azur are the arriere-pays, or backcountry,
and the section including Mougins was an inspiration for the French
artists of the last two centuries.
Biot
For centuries, Biot has been known for its pottery made from the local
fine yellow clay; today, they're also known for a burgeoning glassmaking
industry.
Cagnes sur Mer
Cagnes-sur-Mer is a lovely medieval village convenient to Nice, Cannes,
and Monaco, and is relatively unspoiled. It was one of Renoir's favorite
places, and he lived there at Les Collettes during the end of his life,
when he painted by tying his paintbrush to his hand.
St. Paul de Vence
This companion town to Vence is, at its heart, a medieval village, standing
out on the horizon. St-Paul was an independent city-state in the Middle
Ages, but today has lost much of its prestige and is now basically a
sleepy town.
Vence
St. Paul de Vence is the full name of the city St. Paul, and the city
of Vence is about three miles away, driving through peculiar country.
Grasse
Grasse is situated fairly high in the lower Alps in a natural amphitheatre,
and is one of the best-smelling places in France. Why? It's the center
of the French perfume industry.
Grand Canyon Du Verdon
The Grand Canyon of Verdon, or Gorges du Verdon, are among the finest
canyons in Europe, and have recently yielded some particularly fine
archaeological finds from the blending of Cro-Magnon and Neandertal
man who once lived in the area.
St. Raphaël and Fréjus
Frejus has been settled for millennia, beginning as a naval base founded
by Julius Caesar called Forum Julii; Octavius once moored a hundred
galleys here.
St. Tropez
Most people have heard of the St. Tropez tan, and this little town on
the beach in the south of France lives up to its name. With public and
private beaches both nude and otherwise, St. Tropez is a relaxation
paradise.
Nice
Nice is the fifth-largest city in France, and one of the most sophisticated.
It hugs the coastline, and its elegant hotels along the Promenade des
Anglais have a perfect view of the ocean just across the street.
The Corniches
The Corniches are a three-tiered system of scenic highways between Nice
and the Italian border town of Menton.
Monaco
Monaco isn’t quite part of France, but it may as well be. It’s
a principality ruled over by a prince, and is located in the middle
of the Cote d’Azur, also called the French Riviera.
Monte-Carlo
Who does not recognize the name Monte-Carlo? It is one of the four quartiers
of Monaco, centered around a casino opened in 1861, and is known throughout
Europe and the world as the playground of the wealthy.
Menton
Of all the Cote d'Azur resort towns, Menton is the most Mediterranean
in flavor and climate. It rests right up against the Italian border,
and is protected from harsh weather by its location in the gentle curve
of the Ligurian shore.
Antibes
Antibes is across the Baie des Anges from Nice, and is the perfect place
to sail over to for lying on pristine white sand beaches.
Juan les Pins
This thoroughly modern city is the resort town mirror and foil to Antibes's
historical beauty, and is located only three miles away.
Cannes
Cannes is renowned for its springtime film festival at the Palais des
Festivals, of course, but there's more than that to this town.
La Napoule-Plage
West of Cannes, you'll find La Napoule, where a remarkable structure
rises high above the sea. A large reddish-purple chateau looms above
the blue waters of the bay.