The Azur Coast - France's south coast Paradise
The Cote d'Azur, or the French Riviera, is the beautiful stretch of coastline in the southeastern corner of France. The nickname of the Azur Coast was coined by the famous poet Stéphen Liégeard, who entitled his 1887 book La Cote d'Azur. It's now known as the ultimate holiday destination, offering white sandy beaches, a warm climate as well as world class shopping and dining scenes. But what else is there to know about this stunning coastline?
The seaside resorts are well known and well loved, from Menton, to the East of Monaco, to St Tropez where Brigitte Bardot famously settled in the 1950's, changing the ambience of this former fishing village, although is must be said that it still retains most of its charms. The coast has many cities and towns and many boat marinas that house some of the largest craft in France. In the warmer seasons, this Mediterranean coast is usually full of boats moving from one marina to another, exploring new restaurants, discovering different islands and beaches, fishing, swimming, diving and canoeing.
120kms of coastline and 40kms of beaches
From vast stretches of white sandy beaches to private, pebbled coves, the expansive coastline of the Cote d'Azur is iconically beautiful, making it perfect for a city-beach holiday. Many of the older towns are still to be visited within the centre of the expanded newer suburbs.
Nice - the golden centre of the Azur Coast
The old city of Nice has a medieval feel with its narrow cobblestone streets, houses of different colours in the typical Provence style, street markets, artisan shops, restaurants, cafes and the old port (Vieux Port) that has such a long history. Nice was established by the Greeks, as were many of the old towns and cities along the south coast. You could take a walking tour of the old town and discover more about the history of Nice.
Nice Carnival
Nice also has the premier international Carnival in France, the most important winter event on the Azur Coast. Two weeks of day and night events, with international artists, musicians, dancing and fun, this event starts at the Promenade d'Anglais and extends beyond the open air theatre,Theatre de Verdure, to the rue Alberti. Definitely worth planning your visit around the mid-February to early March event.
Monaco is the second smallest country in the world
Home to the infamous Monaco Grand Prix, this Principality is also the second smallest "country" in the world after the Vatican in Rome. Founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century, it went through many changes during medieval years, finally in 1621 seeing the first Monaco "Prince". Monaco residents, approximately 39,000 of them (2024), have enjoyed a tax-free lifestyle since the 1870s. The work force is larger than this as many employees come from the French regions around the Principality of Monaco.
Citizens of Monaco Are Forbidden To Enter Monte Carlo Casino gambling areas
One of the grandest buildings in France, this iconic Casino also houses an enormous theatre. But did you know that the citizens of Monaco are forbidden to enter the gambling areas unless they work there? The Casino is the financial pinnacle of Monaco's revenues. The 2 square metres of land mass that makes up the area of Monaco is insufficient to build manufacturing or agriculture of any significance. The Casino, famous Cafe de Paris and many of the large seafront hotels are owned by the Royal Grimaldi family in its company Societe des Bains de Mer (SBM).
The waterfront Grimaldi castle can be visited on certain days, and the Royal Yacht can often be seen in the marina close by. Probably the most well-known event in Monaco is the Formula One Grand Prix that takes place through the heart of the streets each year in late May or early June.
Cannes Film Festival
The most prestigious film festival in the world is hosted every year in Cannes for two weeks in May. Founded in 1946, the invitation-only Cannes Film Festival is held annually in the Palais des Fetivals et des Congres. With around 5000 films from around the world being assessed in different categories, the coveted awards are the "Palme d'Or" for the winning film and the "Grand Prix" for the runner-up. Visiiting Cannes during the Festival period can be challenging to find accommodation, but if you book early at one of the 5* or 6* hotels, you will be likely to bump into some of the celebrity figures that are drawn here to walk along the red carpet. Did you know that 2kms of red carpet is used for the festival and is changed 40 times over 12 days?
Capital of the perfume industry
Grasse is a commune in the French Riviera Hinterland. Situated on a hill around 350m above sea level, Grasse is also a world leader in the production of natural fragrances for the perfume industry and of flavourings for food manufacturers. In past years, fields of roses, jasmine lavender and other flowers perfumed the air in spring and early summer, as well as bitter orange blossom. Other fragrant components are brought from different regions to aid in the distillation of perfumes. Today, manufacturers of the perfumes offer classes in making your own perfumes, and the museums are a great place to learn more about the process of distillation of essential oils. The old town centre offers narrow streets, houses painted in Provencal pale yellow and pink, an old cathedral, artisan shops, antique dealers, clothing stores, local shops offering traditional items and places for food and drinks.
Discover the Cote D'Azur yourself, book a Tour of French Riviera online or enquire on the home page