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CÔTE D'AZUR
That first glimpse of the Mediterranean is always magical. Who could resist dipping a toe in its sparkling blue waters, which lend their name to this dramatic stretch of coastline?
Renowned for its beauty and climate, the Côte d'Azur has inspired many artists and its popularity with the British has grown ever since Queen Victoria patronised its shores in the 19th century. Then, most of the coastal communities would have been engaged in fishing. Today many are bristling with yachts and reputations as celebrity playgrounds. The largest is Nice, whose beaches, climate, atmosphere and transport links attract visitors year-round. Exclusive villas nestle in seclusion on the Cap d'Antibes, Cap Ferrat and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin headlands, while just up the coast lies tiny Monaco. Surveying this scene are the attractive hill villages of Èze, Haut-de-Cagnes, St-Paul-de-Vence and Biot. Inland, Grasse perfume capital of the world sits in its own sea of lavender fields. Below Nice lies star-studded Cannes with its chic coast-line. Beyond, the `corniche' coast road winds around coves formed by the rocky, red Massif de l'Esterel. Here lie Agay, elegant St Raphael, Frejus on the Argens estuary and, inland near Fayence, delightful Bargemon. Across the estuary St Aygulf, Les Issambres, Ste Maxime and Port Grimaud sit at the foot of the Massif des Maures and its charming hill villages Plan-de-la-Tour and La Garde-Freinet. These highlands hug the Golfe de St Tropez, its golden beaches and racy resort. Offshore lies lovely Porquerolles, largest of the Îles d'Hyères, accessible by boat from resorts like Cavalaire-sur-Mer, Le Lavandou and Hyères.
main pic Menton
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