A holiday on the Côte d’Azur.

Where else could you go to be able in winter to ski in the morning in a ski resort such as Auron, Valberg or Isola 2000, and in the afternoon go sun bathing on a beach in Nice, Cannes or Antibes ?

This area has around 300 days of sun per year and is protected from the wind by the mountain of the Esterel. There is a micro climate which helps the growth of tropical plants in Menton, Villefranche, Monaco and the possibility of admiring some fragile types of orchid in the mountainous areas.

If you are looking for the glittery towns surrounding the Mediterranean, you will love to walk around the ramparts of Antibes, or to stroll along the Croisette in Cannes where you can admire the large palaces and the International Film Festival. At the end of the 19th century, some colonies of well off English and aristocratic Russians already understood the attraction of our area and had moved in!

If you feel adventurous enough to walk the length of the promenade des Anglais in Nice, or visit Villefranche, you will see some sumptuous villas of the Belle Epoque which belonged to these people. One of the most well known was Queen Victoria for example. Famous painters like Renoir, Picasso, Matisse and Chagall have been influenced by the light and the colours of the countryside. If you take a trip inland you will discover our hilltop villages such as Gourdon, Eze, La Turbie, Cabris and Gorbio. These villages were built on elevated positions to protect the population from Saracen invasions. You will discover ramparts, castles and breathtaking sea views. You will love to discover some towns very much dedicated to art, such as St Paul de Vence or Vence, the lovely village of Mougins, capital in the area of the French gastronomy and of course Grasse, a beautiful medieval town which is the capital of the Perfume Industry.

If you are fond of nature, you could take a boat to visit the Islands of Lérins off the coast of Cannes, or walk around the park of the Esterel. On the Côte d’Azur you will appreciate all the festivities the whole year through: the Carnival of Nice, the Lemon Festival in Menton, the Film Festival in Cannes, the Jazz Festivities in Juan les Pins, the International Firework Displays in Cannes, the Jasmine Festival in Grasse ….you have a large selection of festivities to please everyone

Useful information:

Arrival Airports: Nice, Marseille. By train: from Marseille towards Mandelieu, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Menton.

What to do for children: In Biot we have a MarineLand, an Aqua Splash center, a small farm for younger children. In the International Perfumery Museum in Grasse you have activities based on the creation of perfumes. In the village of St Cezaire, you can visit underground caverns. There is a cycling area on the coast between Cagnes / Mer and Nice.

If you wish, it is possible to hire one of the many blue bicycles at numerous pick up and drop off points in Nice, and for sea lovers, we have the possibility to do a photo safari leaving from the port of Villefranche, taking in dolphins and whales. In Nice we have the Phoenix Park, a paradise of plants and animals. We have to mention as well the famous Oceanographic Museum and the extraordinary Botanic Gardens in Monaco.

For Adults: we have famous restaurants such as “La Bastide St Antoine in Grasse”, “La Mère Germaine” in Villefranche, “Le Château St Martin” in Vence. The village of Gastronomy in Mougins will be a great place to explore for those who appreciate good food. The markets are colourful in Valbonne, Antibes, Cagnes / Mer, Cannes and of course the flower Market of Nice is a must. You can bike along the sea front, do some hang gliding above the village of Gourdon, have a tour in a helicopter from Nice to Monaco or take a shuttle from Nice for example and go for the day to St Tropez.

A tip from our Area Manager Muriel: The Côte d’Azur is a paradise for everyone. If you like the night life with its lively atmosphere I would suggest exploring Juan Les pins or Cannes. If you want to relax on a beach, you have some lovely sandy beaches in Golfe Juan, Cannes, Mandelieu and Théoule. For those who prefer the authentic inland attractions, you will love to have a drink “al fresco” on a Provencal square in Vence, Valbonne, Tourettes / Loup or Grasse.

It is a really amazing area full of contrasts where you will be surprised to discover on the same day an olive mill , or a perfume factory, a glass blowing factory, and by night on a 14th of July, an exceptional fire work display followed by an outdoor dancing.

For more details on the Alpes Maritimes / Côte d’Azur:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpes-Maritimes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%B4te_d%27Azur