The French Riviera needs no introduction. The South of France has long been one of the most popular destinations in the world, drawing visitors year after year with its golden sunshine, beautiful scenery and luxurious lifestyle. From Monaco down to St Tropez, the French Riviera coastline is made up of fashionable seaside resort towns, each more glamorous than the next. Inland, the hilltop villages overlooking the Mediterranean offer a little slice of life in Provence, surrounded by olive trees and the ubiquitous smell of lavender. From shopping to skiing, beaches to bars, the French Riviera has it all, and so much more besides.
Sitting on the border between France and Italy at the Eastern tip of the French Riviera, Monaco is the most extravagant principality in the world. Famous for its Casinos and Grand Prix, Monaco is both a modern business centre and a chic resort, the perfect combination of city life and beach action. Throw in some of the best nightlife to be found anywhere, a restaurant scene which rivals any city in the world and enough designer boutiques to keep even the most determined shopper happy, and you can see why Monaco is synonymous with the good life.
Just down the coast from Monaco, you’ll find St Jean Cap Ferrat, a former fishing village turned resort which is a world away from the busy principality. Set on a peninsula, the stunning villas and mansions of St Jean Cap Ferrat are surrounded by wild countryside and dramatic Mediterranean coastline with incredible views straight out to sea. The town may be small but the port is full of excellent restaurants, and cafés and the beaches around the peninsula are some of the quietest and prettiest on the French Riviera.
A little further down the littoral sit Antibes and neighbouring Cap d’Antibes,a small town with a big reputation. The area around Antibes has been seducing artists like for years thanks to the golden light and gorgeous scenery of the Mediterranean coastline. The town plays host to many exciting events, but life in Antibes is enjoyable round thanks to the lively restaurants, bars and pubs which line the port. With a daily market in the centre of Vieille Antibes and some very exclusive private beaches between the town and the peninsula, you’ll love this area and all it has to offer.
Antibes’ next door neighbour, is a city which needs no introduction. Famous the world over for its annual Film Festival, Cannes is perhaps the glamorous beach resort in the world. The beautiful seafront is separated from the city centre by the Boulevard de la Croisette, with its luxury boutiques and Belle Epoque palaces, while the streets of the old town lined with restaurants and shops, wind lazily down to the port. Cannes is of course not just about films, it also plays host to some top Congress events throughout the year, bringing together the movers and shakers of the business world at the Palais des Festivals by the sea. Once you’ve experienced them, it’s difficult to resist the lure of the gourmet restaurants and decadent bars which along with the high-end shops and sandy beaches make Cannes such a glittering place to live.
Leaving the coast behind, in the hills around Cannes you’ll find some of the prettiest villages on the French Riviera. The hinterland has been enchanting visitors for years with its Provençal charm. As you make your way up into the hills from the littoral, you’ll find yourself falling in love with Medieval castles, cobbled streets and tiny sunlit chapels. Life in the hinterland is laid-back and relaxed, there are traditional markets and year-round festivals to enjoy, and there’s always time for a coffee in the village square. Delicious restaurants and cosy bistros are dotted all over just waiting to be discovered for a long lunch with friends that you’ll remember for years to come. The lush green hillsides with their olive trees and fields of flowers look like they’ve come straight out of a story book, but sometimes reality beats fiction, and the French Riviera hinterland really is as beautiful as you imagine.
At the Western end of the French Riviera, you’ll find the most well-known fishing village in the world. St Tropez may once have been a sleepy little port, but these days it’s legendary for its fabulous beaches and chic summer crowd. There are miles of golden sand around St Tropez with some of the most elite beach clubs on the planet to be found on Pampelonne beach. In the town centre, go straight to the port in the heart of the village and grab one of the quayside tables for the ultimate people-watching experience. With its trendy restaurants, lively bars and epic nightlife, St Tropez is truly the ultimate summer destination on the French Riviera.