Tuesday 28 February 2017

Falling In Love With The French Riviera


Part 1 


If you've never been to the French Riviera, you've definitely heard of it!
With the famous festivals including Lions & Film, giving it a celebrity status, it's no wonder its a such a desired location, of course its certainly our favourite, but why?
On our latest visit to the South of France (February 2017) we explore our favourite reasons.....

Arriving 
As you descend, you can see through the windows of the plane the stunning coastline, Mediterranean waters, and the snow capped mountains of the French Alps (depending on when you travel!) and its clear you're in a place of true beauty. 


Stepping off the plane, the weather is much milder than the UK, even in February!
Driving to our destination of Cap d'Antibes, is a pleasant drive, along the A8 taking just over half an hour. 

Cap d'Antibes 

Being one of the most sought after addresses along the Riviera, the charm of Cap d'Antibes is evident from the offset, with quaint cobbled streets and beautiful scenery. 
Once we had dropped off our luggage at the our villa, we went for a stroll.... 


The old town is beautiful, with pretty houses, designer shops and a wonderful market in the centre, with a vast variety of produce ranging from fresh vegetables, flowers, meats, cheeses and spices. We didn't have much time as we had a jam packed schedule, however we did have chance to wander through the market and we were enticed by the array of colour! 




Cannes 

We continued to walk into Cannes, where our first stop was one of our our favourite chocolatiers - Juan Luc Pele. The display is so inviting you can't help but be drawn in.The smell of the sweet chocolate has your taste buds doing summer salts from the moment you walk through the door, and there is an entire wall made of chocolate which adds to the tantalization. Our treats of choice are the macarons, they are so delicious! Whatever you purchase from here, you won't be disappointed! 




After a long walk, it was time for a well deserved drink! We stopped off at 72 Croisette for a refreshing gin & tonic. It was a great location opposite the beach with a great sea view, and it turned out to be a prime spot for the sunset! 



Saint Jean Cap Ferrat 

It was a fly in visit for Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, but this is such a charming town, located on a peninsula between Nice and Monaco, & is nestled in greenery. 
It is one of the most popular locations on the French Riviera, with exclusive homes and a large yacht harbour, The village itself is quite small, but there are plenty of terrace cafes and restaurants along the port. 





One of the regions most popular attractions is the Ephrussi de Rothschild, which is a museum with extensive grounds & beautiful gardens. It is definitely worth spending a couple of hours here!   


The beaches in Cap Ferrat are ideal for relaxation, with a range of panoramic views across the bay of Beaulieu-sur-mer, Villefrance harbour and the cliffs in Eze.  


Monaco 

Monaco is well known for the Grand prix, as well as the famous Monte Carlo casino. 
It's a haven for the wealthy, and a playground for tourists! It is known to be the second smallest country in the world (Vatican City being the smallest) 


Whether or not we visited on a quiet day, but it was very peaceful, there were numerous groups of people, but it seemed calming. The buildings are all so beautiful and pristine. 


The palace is protected by guards and chains, but you have a perfect, unobscured view of the building. 


Monaco Cathedral is particularly striking, entrance is free and there are no photographs to be taken inside. It is truly stunning and so tranquil, you find yourself silently gazing upon the architecture and incredible details - a definite must visit! 


Eze

A beautiful medieval village situated in the hills, with absolutely stunning views of the coast!  
In my personal opinion, it is my absolute favourite location, and needs to be seen! 
The village is pedestrianized, so there is a car park located below it where there is also the tourist office. There are a number of paved streets to explore with plenty of picturesque buildings to be photographed! 


It really is a wonderful place that we just can't get enough of! 
To be continued....

Stay tuned for Part 2! 
  

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