The French Riviera-Côte d'Azur stretches along the Mediterranean at the foot of the last outcrop of the Alpine chain. Thanks to its southern situation, the proximity of the sea, the full southern exposure and, above all, to the screen of high mountains which protect it from the cold continental winds, it enjoys an exceptionally high winter temperature. Its privileged position means that the slopes are covered with tropical vegetation: orange and aloe, cactus and eucalyptous, rose-laurel, bougainvillea and mimosa. In under two hours you can travel from the palms and lemon trees of the coast to the nearby Alpine peak for coolness in the summer and snowsports in winter. With such a number of attractive features combined with the variety and quality of entertainment and the multitude of hotels and villas, it is no wonder that it attracts visitors from all over both in summer-time and wintertime.

A few kilometers back from the shore is a less publicized side of the Riviera - a world of romantic hill towns and perched villages balanced on craggy peaks. Worn stone stairs and cobbled byways lead through modest hamlets crowding around ancient chateaux. Clusters of narrow-fronted houses, Roman ruins, modern museums and perfume centers cling to steep hillsides.
Within sight of the sea are towns such as Eze, Vence, Grasse and St. Paul which are known to sophisticated travelers. Here, one sees olive groves and pine woods stretching for miles down to the shore. Perfumed foothills are carpeted with flowers in the luminous light that inspired generations of painters from Renoir to Matisse, Picasso, and the Fauves. Now a gentle, subtle resort-life flowers here in soft air and sun above the Mediterranean, and modern art museums flourish.

For many others, today's shoreline Riviera offers all the grandeur of old: casinos, splendid hotels, villas to be rented by the week, month or season.

As long as anyone can remember, this French seaside Riviera was Europe's classic resort. Graced by palms, sub-tropical flowers, the well-named Azure Coast ranked for over a century as the preferred playground for those willing to settle for nothing less than first class.
With the sheltering Alps as backdrop, calm blue Mediterranean at the door-step, France's glamorous southern coast was winter rendez-vous for an affluent elite who came to casinos, gala villa soirees and enjoyed the good life for the select few. Only in comparatively recent times did the Riviera add the swinging summer scene - where the Bikini got its start and a whole new leisure life-style evolved. Mid-July to early September makes the high season, when film stars come for their quota of sun and sports from golf to race-track.

But now another distinctive pace and view is just minutes above Antibes, Cannes, Villefranche, Menton and Nice. Here's a refreshing life close to the countryside among relaxed hill-folks in touch with a very private, contemporary setting. It's seclusion with a view, and just a quick turn in the road from the city-scene. Hillside holidays along the Côte d'Azur mean a distinguished inn that may range from the opulence of the half-hidden Chateau St. Martin to Le Cagnard in Haut-de-Cagnes, plus numerous small hotels and inns. The scene centers on family-run bistros, village life on the square, artisan craft studios, gallery vernissages, hiking, or simply lolling on a slope, perhaps on a picnic. Here is lively France, even on a budget!. In fact, by looking to lesser-known aspects of the region, and coming here before the summer season, a visitor can, for all practical purposes, discover a totally different French Riviera. Take handsome corniches and byways to art towns. Visit perfume factories and their field of blossoms. Savor unexpected small museum-gems. Stay in hide-away country inns. Dine on spicy bouillabaisse fish stew, rotisserie lamb, country style chicken.

It's easy to get around the Riviera with its compact variety of sights, good trains, luxury bus services, and mini-car rentals. Even in Nice, just a few blocks from the Promenade des Anglais is the colorful "old town" with open-air market for picnic shoppers, and quarter restaurants with hearty Niçoise fare at down-to-earth prices that are as striking as the venerable setting.

Visitor's plans can be expanded to include a number of half and full-day tours or to make use of a relatively inexpensive car rental with unlimited mileage. Discover the hill towns - Vence, where steep, narrow streets lead to views of a countryside rampant with pines, cypress and olive trees. Vence's best known feature: the magnificent chapel conceived and decorated by Henri Matisse. St. Paul - enclosed within perfectly preserved 16th century ramparts, where threads of cobblestone passageways wind to fountains, ancient churches. The nearby Maeght Foundation displays one of Europe's greatest collections of modern art. Other outstanding museums at Menton, Nice, Haut-de-Cagnes, Antibes (mainly Picasso), Biot (Fernand Léger), Grasse, St. Tropez, and the Picasso-inspired pottery at Vallauris.
Highest of the high, dramatically perched like an eagle's nest on a rocky pinnacle, medieval Eze affords astonishing views of Riviera and the sea. It is crowned with one of the world's most remarkable cactus gardens. Winding byways lead to craft shops and art galleries. West of Nice, Cagnes is divided into a lower and upper town. At sea level, a venerable fishing port; at Haut-de-Cagnes a cypress covered hill is dominated by medieval castle, now a museum of contemporary art. The 17th and 18th century stone homes look out on a landscape of orange groves and fields carnations that stretch down to the sea. The great Renoir spent the last decade of his life here, considering this the closest one could come to heaven on earth. The painter's home has been turned into a museum, open to the public, in a setting of 3 century-old olive trees.

Principaute de Monaco

The Principality of Monaco is comprised of three main parts : Monaco (the Rock and Prince's Palace), La Condamine (a bustling shopping area at the foot of the Rock) and Monte-Carlo, the central area around the Casino with the classiest hotels.

An independent sovereign state located between the foot of the Southern Alps and the Mediterranean, the Principality of Monaco borders on several French villages: La Turbie, and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. At the foot of the southern Alps, in the far south-eastern corner of France, bordering the Mediterranean sea, the Principality of Monaco benefits from an exceptionally mild climate which makes it a particularly sought-after destination. Its climate is extraordinarily mild due to the combined influences of the Alps and the Mediterranean, thus making Monaco a place where one can make the most of sea and mountains.

A focal point on the Riviera, the Principality of Monaco benefits from the proximity of Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport which offers daily flights to Europe's capital cities and, of course, to other continents. Monaco is also connected to a particularly efficient motorway network.
Constant exposure to the international community, modernity, and sheer determination have all contributed to the Principality's ability to develop and ensure its independence. The very origins of the Principality illustrate this; over seven centuries the Princes of Monaco have transformed what was once barren land and arid rock into an economic success story.

History, here like anywhere else, is very much part of the future. Monaco's history started in 1297 when François Grimaldi liberated Monaco; thus began the reign of the Grimaldi dynasty. In ancient history, the Rock of Monaco was a shelter for primitive populations. history of Monaco itself really started in the 13th Century. On 10th June 1215, the Genoan family of the Gibelins laid the first stone of the castle, which is still today the Prince's Palace. To attract new inhabitants, the initial masters of the Rock offered advantageous conditions to newcomers : territorial concessions, tax exemption. For 700 years, the history of Monaco has been linked to that of the Grimaldi Dynasty which has celebrated in 1997, the anniversary of its accession to the Principality of Monaco.

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat

One of the pearls of the Riviera, such is Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. This elegant seaside resort, equipped with a marina, is renowed in the whole world for its wonderful peninsula which can be discovered thanks to many pedestrian paths. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its sumptuous gardens are registered also in this decoration enchantor. The museum is surrounded by seven splendid decorated gardens of basins, cascades and patio which you will be able to discover each day of the year.

Art lovers will be delighted to explore the surprising Ephrussi de Rothschild villa, set in the heart of extraordinary gardens (formal French gardens, Spanish, Italian, Stone, Japanese and Tropical gardens...). The Italian style villa was built in 1934 and overlooks the sea. The house has an unusually diverse collection of art: Medieval, Renaissance, Flemish tapestries, many 17th century items, porcelain from Vincennes and Saxony, Chinese works of art.
During the "Belle Époque" the Cape Ferrat was already the vacation resort of the world elite: the great names of this world came there, in winter period, to profit from its climate and the quality of life. Built by Baronne de Rothschild at the, the "Villa" is one of most beautiful of the Riviera. With its prestigious gardens whose exceptional rosery, it dominates the Mediterranean on all sides: on a side roads of Villefranche and other the bay of Beaulieu.
It was not until the 19th century that Saint Jean Cap Ferrat became a holiday resort. It used to be a small fishing harbour until two rich bankers decided to build their luxurious homes there. In fact Saint Jean Cap Ferrat is the peninsula of the celebrities: Empereurs, Kings, Princes, Chefs of State, Ministres, Acteurs, Chanteurs, Ecrivains, Peintres or Businessmen, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat was always the privileged place of large of this world. Far from crowd and spangles, the peninsula offer the feelings of healthy life and the value of the authenticity in a place with the moderate climate where nature is respected.

It is the western zone of the peninsula which gave its reputation of "billionaires" to the Cape-Ferrat. Let us go on together a journey among these great names which pressed the Cape-Ferrat. Jean Cocteau was certainly one of the hosts most remarkable that accomodated Saint Jean Cap Ferrat during ten years. He will be high besides with the row of citizen of honor of the commune as a resident. Another villa which was also the property of the King Léopold II of Belgium belongs from now on to the Marnier-Lapostole family which manufactures and markets celebrates it liquor "Large-Marnier". One can discover there one of the most beautiful exotic gardens of the Riviera as well as a significant vegetable gasoline collection. It is besides here that the plants are cultivated which use the manufacture of famous liquor.

A famous spot of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat is the semaphore, built in 1862 by decision of Napoleon III who wanted to equip the French littoral with a semaphoric chain. The goal was to ensure a monitoring of navigation, to transmit messages to the ships, to organize the helps in the event of maritime disasters, to take part in the first maritime meteorological observations.

Villefranche sur Mer

The Bay of Villefranche stretches from Cap Ferrat to Mount Boron, one of the most beautiful bays in the world. Founded at the start of the 14th century, Villefranche was entrusted with many trade contracts. Villefranche citadel, built at the end of the 16th century, was occupied by the army from then until 1965. The town council became the new owner of the citadel and restored it in 1981. It now houses the town hall and the conference centre.

The Old Town of Villefranche is the perfect place to relax and it has succeeded in preserving its antique charm: colourful houses, narrow streets and steep staircases leading down to the harbour. Picturesque footpaths lead up to Mount Boron with fantastic views along the way. Villefranche-sur-mer and its medieval citadel rise around one of the world's most beautiful bay. Cocteau's favourite place, it is now a heaven for fishermen's boats, cruises and conventions on the french riviera.

Villefranche sur Mer is situated near Nice and Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, right in the heart of the most beautiful and rich part of the Côte d'Azur. It's here that the most splendid properties are hidden away, and where the world's millionaires love to spend their holidays.Whether it's summer or winter, Villefranche is a stunning place. Its superb harbour is known to be one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. Over-looking the hills and luxurious residences, Villefranche is one of the most exclusive spots on the cote d'Azur.

The port, the citadelle, the old town, and the gentle curve of the coast all contribute to the beauty of the village which dates back to 130 BC. With its colourful fishing boats and nets, the port is both a base for fishermen and tourists, offering numerous cruises in the summer. You can wander along the fishing wharves, bordered by restaurants and their terraces. If you continue until the end you will arrive at the lengthy Villefranche beach which is pleasant from the very first days of summer.

Nice

The prize at the heart of an eternal struggle between France and Italy, Nice only became part of France in 1860. Its history, however, goes back to the dawn of time. The excavations of Terra Amata prove that the region was inhabited in prehistoric times, though it was the Greeks who really laid the foundations of the town they called "Nikaia".
A little later on, as everywhere else in the Mediterranean, the Romans took over, preferring to develop the neighbourhood of Cemenelum (today known as Cimiez) rather than the seafront which proved too hard to defend. The fall of the Roman Empire was followed by several centuries of invasions by the Barbarians, Saracens and pirates, which made Nice terribly afraid of anyone and anything that arrived from the sea. In the 11th century, Nice was attached to the County of Provence, itself annexed in the 14th century to the Kingdom of Savoy. This meant that Nice remained Italian for a full five centuries, until the Treaty of Turin was signed by Napoleon III and Victor Emmanuel II. Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, and all of Europe's aristocrats at the time, came for regular stays in the region. It was then that Nice took off, already basing its development on tourism and the brand new railway that connected it to the rest of France as early as 1862.

Nice is very proud of its turbulent past; it preserves its heritage and its language - the nissart -, it asserts its culinary art and celebrates the traditional feasts, such as Carnival, Battles of flowers, the Cougourdons feast, the May feast, the renewal of vows, the Vineyard feast, the Saint Peter's feast or the Saint Jean feast. The traditional element which is the most federative of the local population, is the Nissart, still very used and learnt by the young people. It is a complete tongue; vocabulary, grammar and syntax are structuring it. This dialect, originated in the Langue d'oc, kept away from the French and Italian influences is looked upon as very conservative. To speak the Nissart in festive time is not only a custom but a reflex.

While Nice and its famous Promenade des Anglais bordering the Bay of Angels is well-known to visitors from all the world, the capital of the Côte offers many other attractions, often less familiar, yet full of warmth and charm. The picturesque Old Town with its lively streets and Provençal market is set between the Port on one side and the "Baie des Anges" (Bay of Angels) on the other. Brimming with color, the Old Town has a very Italian atmosphere ; here one easily recalls that Nice belonged to Italy for many long centuries.The seafront, dotted with proud façades and palatial hotels, stretches out for almost 8 km along the Promenade des Anglais and its vast beach of rounded pebbles.

As soon as you leave the seafront to climb one of Nice's hills (the "Jardin du Château" or Castle Gardens above the Port, Mont-Boron surveying the Cap de Nice, or the neighbourhood known as Cimiez), you come across beautiful views in which the light changes frequently depending on the time of day. Lastly, Place Massena and the neighbouring streets comprise the main shopping area in Nice. The climatic conditions - mild winter and hot summer - and the beauty of the surroundings are giving some clues about the way inhabitants of the Mediterranean shores are living. One does not live locked at home but rather outside : the narrow streets of the Old-Nice, the quarters' squares, the public gardens are displaying the various aspects of the conviviality of Nice, which is an art of living.

Summer evenings are the occasion to breathe some fresh air on the doorstep chatting with one's neighbours. In winter, people are gathering together to benefit from the Sun. Crafts are strongly related to local produce. Olive wood is needed for the fabrication of kitchen plates and ustensils. Olives, olive oil, carnations, candied fruits, spices and aromatic plants are ranking among the local specialities from Nice. They have become quite famous and are much exported but are still produced by a craft industry which maintains this traditional know-how alive. Local gastronomy has developed around these traditional smells and tastes, fruits, vegetables, fishes and herbs. The Bellet wine is very much sought after by amateurs. It is coming from the oldest type of wine in the world. The fruit and vegetable markets, the flower and fish ones, the second-hand and ancient books, cards and craft products markets are an evident sign of the dynamic activity generated by the authentic produce of the region of Nice.

Antibes Juan les Pins

Founded by the Greeks under the name of Antipolis, Antibes went on to enjoy rapid development and prosperity under Roman rule. Getting well into its stride, the town continued to develop without any hitches throughout the Middle Ages, with on-going consolidation of its fortifications, then with Vauban's construction of the Fort Carré.
The old town, the ramparts, Fort Carré and archeological sites are the living testimony to these eras. To walk around Antibes is to recall the rich days of the past. The archeological finds, including a Romans mosaic which was discovered only recently in the old town, have been grouped together and are displayed at the Bastion Saint André Museum.
Built between the bays of St. Roch and La Salis, Antibes is a resort town that is also one of Europe's great flower producing centers. The avenue de Verdun along the sea offers a great view of Nice and the alps. The old town, gently lulled between sky and sea, is a labyrinth of narrow allies and pleasant streets in the warm honey-colored stone used to build most of its historic monuments. Further west, Antibes stretches out towards Cap d'Antibes with its beaches of pale beige sand interspersed by rocky outcrops. You can drive along the road that takes you nearly all around Cap d'Antibes as far as Juan-les-Pins.
Old Antibes is a traditional Mediterranean Sea port, with its Provençal market, narrow shopping streets and medieval castle, which in 1949 became the first museum in the world devoted to the works of Picasso. There are plenty of little streets for exploring, restaurants of all types and prices, and lots of shops, from authentic little hardware and general-stores to tourist gift shops.

Known as the coolest bathing resort on the Côte d'Azur, Juan-les-Pins is famous for its lively nightlife and for its connections with the world of jazz, in fact several streets and squares have been named after famous jazz musicians. The town is prolonged by the Pinède (pine-grove), long sandy beaches and the Promenade du Soleil, almost as popular as the Croisette. Every year, many de-luxe hotels and residences near the Palais des Congrès play host to congresses and international events.

Cannes

Situated on the shores of La Napoule bay, Cannes is a glittering city with lots of old world charm. Cannes is world renowned for its International Film Festival and the legendary boulevard, La Croisette. To find the grandest hotels, the best restaurants and the most fabulous designer shops, look no further than La Croisette. During the 20s and 30s, Cannes was the playground of the rich and famous as well as the art crowd. F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda lived nearby during that time while the famous expatriate wrote about their Jazz Age lifestyle in several of his stories and books. Cannes is now one of the leading convention and exhibition destinations in Europe.

For a long, long time, Cannes was just a small fishing village huddled around Mont Chevalier, the hill now called Le Suquet, hardly the target of any particular strategic ploys. At the time of the French Revolution, it was still a small, quiet township. Cannes owes its prestige to Lord Brougham, an Englishman who had to spend a few days in this tranquil spot back in 1834.
Enchanted by its charm and natural beauty, he returned the following years, accompanied by ever-growing numbers of aristocratic friends. Thus it was that Cannes came into fashion, and since became one of the most highly sought-after places in the world, that extends along its world-famous Croisette flanked by palm-trees and sandy beaches. If Nice and Monaco were always looked upon as luxury resorts, Cannes was not to be outdone and unfurls its splendor in a more serene atmosphere.

At the heart of the town, overlooking the sea, between old Cannes and the promenade of "La Croisette", sits the "Palais des Festivals et des Congrès", trodden by so many international movie-stars. It's a stone's throw from most of the hotels, shops and lively streets of Cannes and is one of the few conference centres in the world of the size from which you can walk back to your hotel while enjoying the view of the bay. Just for the experience, climb the hill of Le Suquet offering a panoramic view of the entire town. Downtown, stroll around the port and admire the splendid de-luxe yachts or wander through the streets behind the Croisette, such as the very elegant Rue d'Antibes with its many high-class boutiques. At the end of the Croisette, discover the Port Canto harbour equipped with modern infrastructures suitable for seafaring tourists.

The harbour is surrounded by very pleasant gardens and children's' playgrounds. Take the Rue Meynadier, a colourful, typical pedestrian street linking the modern town centre to the old town of Le Suquet. It used to be the main street in Cannes but is now home to numerous boutiques selling clothes and groceries.

Îles de Lérins

At only 15 minutes of boat from the fashionable Cannes, the Îles de Lérins, rich of forests of eucalyptuses and of Allepo pines and scattered from small chapels, are characterized by one completely various style of life. The two islands, separated only from one tightened arm of sea, were a time the religious centers more important than all southern France.
The archipelago has the two main islands of Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat and the two micro-islands of Tradelière and St-Féréol. The islands are pedestrian-only, no motor vehicles are allowed. Ile Sainte-Marguerite is the larger and nearer island. The island is covered by a lovely forest of Allepo pine and eucalyptus, with wide paths criss-crossing the length and breadth. The port area, where the ferry lands, has cafés and restaurants, and it's a short walk to the Fort Royal where you can see the now-bare little cell where the Man in the Iron Mask was incarcerated (the famous film has been realized here).

Ile Saint-Honorat is the smaller, further, island, an additional 15 minutes by boat from the ferry landing of Sainte-Marguerite. Although small, the walks are still nice, and there's the Cisterian abbey to visit, which includes a gift shop of locally produced products.

Between the islands is a shallow, protected passage, the "Plateau du Mileu", a popular anchor point for the pleasure boats of the region. During the summer you can just about walk across from island to island over the closely packed nautical adventurers. During the summer, a sound-and-light show presents the history of the islands, and the after-dark boat trip is part of the show.

Saint Raphael

The numerous antique wrecks loaded with amphorae discovered off Saint Raphael's coast reveal an intense and prosperous maritime activity during the Roman era. During Caesar's reign, "Forum Julii" (Fréjus) was one of Mare Nostrum's biggest ports. Saint Raphael, then called "Epulias" or "Feasts", became a thriving resort coveted by rich Romans, who built many beautiful houses there facing the sea.
After the fall of the Roman Empire came the era of bloody invasions by barbaric hordes. The town was pillaged constantly and the Estérel Hills became a sanctuary for local inhabitants. The monk Saint Honorat, searching for a place of meditation, lived as a hermit in the hills before founding an abbey on Lérins Island. The Archangel Raphael, who is represented on the town's coat of arms along with a young boy named Tobit, is at the origin of the town's name. Legend tells that thanks to Raphael, young Tobie was able to save his father from blindness.

In the early 19th century the village still had its traditional layout, with two distinct quarters - the "Village" and the "Marine". Nobody could have guessed the extraordinary touristic turn the town would later take. In fact, with the coming of the fashionable "Summer Season" in the twenties, Saint Raphael blossomed definitively into today's prestigious and animated holiday destination. The reputation of Saint-Raphaël is owed largely to the many famous artists, writers and musicians who came to stay here.
Saint Raphael's main buildings and streets (Casino, Promenade des Bains, Notre Dame de la Victoire Church) were built at that time. Many superb Palladian-style villas also appeared, often designed by the town architect Pierre Aublé. Within fifteen years, Saint-Raphael had successfully completed its transformation.

With five different harbors, Saint Raphael sailing resort is the ideal place for boating enthusiasts. Along its 42km. of coastline you can discover sandy beaches, creeks, and inlets, all carved out of the famous red rock ot the Esterel Mountains. Saint Raphael is also the city ot Var where tourism and business are one. You will be able to discover traditional festivities in every season. There are joust tournaments, celebrations of St. Baume and St. Pierre, Mimosa Week, Jazz festivals, and other typical Saint Raphael entertainments.

Saint Tropez

Tres Chic in the 50s, Saint-Tropez is still home to arts lovers. It may be a little less highbrow this time around, but it is still very popular with tourists because it continues to be a beautiful place to visit, although the jetset and the in-crowd have long since left it behind. Set on the lovely blue water of the Bay of Saint-Tropez, this modern version of a medieval town is most popular for the line of yachts along the quai, and the facing line of terrace cafés, divided by a parade of strolling tourists and slow cruising expensive cars. Behind the cafés, the small streets and old buildings are picturesque, but they're more popular for the multitude of shops and restaurants than historical significance. There are endless possibilities for buying gifts or items of proof that "you've been here". Movie stars and other famous pretty people do pass through, 'though not so frequently as yesteryear. The most famous, of course, are insconced in the fabulous private estates set along the coast, protected from the curious eyes of all but those with the means to rent helicopters and light aircraft.

The beaches of St Tropez are mostly away from the center, and require transportation. A few beaches are located nearby to the west of the town, within reasonable walking distance. East of the town, the Plage des Graniers is in a little cove past the cemetery, a long walk or a short drive away. Further east, out the route des Salins, is the Plage des Cannebiers. Cape Beaches. Out on the cape east of St Tropez are the beaches Plage de la Moutte and Plage des Salins. Pampelonne-Ramatuelle Beaches. The most serious collection of beaches are along the Baie de Pampelonne, south of St Tropez and east of Ramatuelle. The hills a bit away from St Tropez are fine, but the area immediately surrounding the town is pretty grim, and not pretty, especially in the summertime. The roads are lined with billboards, garish commerce and neon signs.