The Riviera Way of Life

There are many reasons why there are more tourists visiting France than any other country in the world, but Elegant Address has come up with some of the most enticing reasons for visiting the South of France.

1. The Sunshine

Flying into Nice airport, as the wing of plan slowly dips to turn into the coastline you will glimpse at the sparkling, emerald blue water with Riviera sunshine bouncing off the surface greeting you into the glamorous Cote d’Azur. There are at least 300 marvelous days of sunshine each year so a trip, even if it’s a spontaneous last minute choice, is guaranteed sunshine.

2. The Fresh Food

The French love to eat.  It’s a crucial part of their lifestyle. Whether it’s for a celebration, a lazy afternoon or an important meeting; it is most likely these events will revolve around a meal time, involving wonderful fresh meal on the Croisette. The French very rarely have food with any additives or hidden chemicals and fat, they enjoy the freshness of handmade food and treat each meal as a masterpiece.  A must see on your trip are the local markets, full of vibrant colours from flowers, spices and handmade soaps and fresh fruit and veg. Nice market is a fantastic choice with a busy yet traditional atmosphere filled with delicious smells from the local olives, freshly baked bread and array of bright, juicy fruit.

3. Living on the Riviera

The South of France lives at a slower pace of life, they take 2 hours for lunch every day to fully enjoy their meal and running 10 minutes late for a meeting you’re on time. They like to take time to appreciate their food and would rather work longer into the evening to be able to set time aside to catch up with a friend over coffee or spend an hour on the beach. Maybe this is why French women have the longest life expectancy in all of Europe; they must be doing something right. You will feel yourself going at a slower, more relaxed pace as you take in the warm inviting sunshine as you stroll along the coastline and spending evening’s people watching in Juan Les Pins.

4. The Chic, Sophisticated Coastline

Cannes is famous for lining its golden coastline with private and exclusive beaches, restaurants and most importantly its long, pristine stretch of designer shops and boutiques. These magnificent shops are used to catering to celebrities for the Cannes Film Festival, billionaires heading to dinner on their private yachts in the harbour and fabulous locals who are up to date with the most glamourous and elegant outfits and accessories for this season. With Chanel as your corner shop it would be rude not to. In the summer La Croissette in Cannes is lined with some of the world’s most incredible, prestigious super cars outside the Carlton and famous designer boutiques for everyone to admire.

French Rivera: Celebrity houses

It’s hard for anyone to not fall in love with the FrenchRivera after a sun filled trip with beautiful white sands, busy local markets filled with fresh produce, lush vineyards and stunning sights and views. The South of France has been a fashionable and celebrity filled destination for decades as either a luxurious holiday with friends and family in privacy or to mingle with fellow celebrities at the Cannes Film Festival. Luxury rentals and holidays evolved into investing millions into incredible properties after celebrities got a taste for the wonderful Riviera lifestyle and culture.

Angelina and Brad Pitt, one of the world’s most famous couples have been regular visitors of the Cote d’Azur for the past 7 years and who last week got married in a small, intimate,  family focused ceremony in the chapel of their home; the Chateau Miraval. They initially leased the Chateau Miraval in 2007, whilst expecting their twins Knox and Vivienne and were became instantly hooked. During their lease the following year the couple purchased this incredible traditional estate which includes its own vineyard, a lake, 13 varieties of olives, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, two gyms and a large banqueting room.

Brad and Angelina are not the only ones who are enjoyed renting this property. The chateau also has a state of the art recording studio that has seen the likes of The Cure, Pink Floyd , ACDC and Sting, just to name a few. The most famous recording at the chateau was the huge, worldwide hit of ;The Wall’ by Pink Floyd. 

The incredibly famous, Pirates of the Caribbean actor, Johnny Depp, fell in love with the French Riviera during the filming of ‘The Ninth Gate’ in 1998. Mr.Depp and his former wife Vanessa Paradis, a French born singer, bought a £1 Million property in a small village, Plan De La Tour, just 30 minutes from St.Tropez, which has a number of stunning properties and beautiful local markets and surroundings as well as most importantly being a little retreat with population of only 2000. The property has 3 bedrooms, a private pool and a garden for the children to play but Johnny Depp also reportedly bought a nearby vineyard to celebrate one of Vanessa’s albums. He describes he love of the French way of life ‘I love having a patis at the local bar and talking about whether it will rain tomorrow and not about the box office results on Monday morning.’

Bono, The lead singer of the world famous band U2 owns a fantastic, secluded villa in the seafront village of Eze-sur-mer. This great location is completely private apart for a railway to Nice running behind. The lead guitarist, ‘The Edge’, also bought a property in the same town as the both love the incredible sea views and privacy allowing them to ‘get away from it all’ with the local laidback lifestyle. Bono has often been pictured with his wife on a yacht in the local area and cruising round the coast with their close friend Penelope Cruz.

The Legendary singer, Elton John and his partner David own a breath-taking villa on the top of Mount Boron which has some of the most spectacular views in the area, overlooking all of Nice down to the coast line. Mount Boron is highly exclusive and is filled with the best in luxury properties due to its immense privacy, stunning woodlands and walks. The house has stunning gardens and interiors, all of which were designed by Elton himself and can be seen in his book 'Elton John's Flower Fantasies: An Intimate Tour of His Houses and Gardens'. He can also be spotted with enjoying the Cote d’Azur sunshine with friends such as Liz Hurley and Victoria and David Beckham on a yacht in St Tropez or Cannes.

Holiday fraud must be stopped.

It deeply saddens us to see certain companies and website being allowed to call themselves 'travel companies' giving anyone the opportunity to post any properties, unsupervised; giving false information to potential customers. These companies appear like the ideal way to book a villa with 'no contact required' and seemingly cheap prices leading to an increasing number of people taking huge risks to try and save money, consequently losing it all due to awful fraudulent situations as seen in such article below.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2738039/Holiday-villa-fraud-thats-hit-countless-British-families-You-arrive-dream-villa-owners-never-heard-sent-cash-chillingly-plausible-conman.html

We are proud of our reputation for offering every client, no matter what budget, a highly professional, personal, tailor made service ensuring the client feels confident and secure that issues like this will never happen. We understand that renting a villa is a dream holiday experience and we enjoy making your stay as special as possible.

Our consultants talk to each client directly to make sure we are able to organise the perfect holiday experience for you down to the smallest detail. We know each of our owners personally and are in regular contact to give offer our clients the very best, unrivalled service and information. We only work with owners that we have spoken to directly or have met, that are honest and have something special to offer our clients. 

We have hand picked every single property in our portfolio and we are extremely vigilant with the information and availability of each villa. We assist each client throughout the property search, the booking process, throughout and even after your stay. We have strict owner policies and contracts in place to make sure both owners and clients are safe and happy.

Please feel secure in the knowledge that we only offer the highest luxury, professional service to our highly respected clients. This is why the book with us instead of these unreliable sites.

The Changing Cote d'Azur

The South of France known as the playground of the rich and famous, is steeped in history of Roman remains and modernist works of art. Discovered in the 1900s and inhabited by artists who took inspiration from the marvellous scenery and land formation that presented them, outstanding masterpieces were created. 

Raoul Dufy, 1928

During the early 1900s prestigious properties were created such as the Eden Roc in Cap d’Antibes and the Carlton in Cannes. Luxury villas were developed displaying belle-époque elegance and the French Riviera was setting up ready for the launch of its tourism industry.

Once the artistry had been seen by the world’s most affluent, they were eager to view the pristine coast for themselves. Flocking to the shores were the Fitzgerald socialites with their extravagant expectations and lavish lifestyles the high wealth tourism industry of the South of France was born.

The French Riviera became a desirable destination a mythical paradise for only the affluent to enjoy, and with an aspirational setting comes film. The film industry heard of the wonders, the prestigious backdrop where one can view the snow-capped mountains greeting the sea from Cap d’Antibes or the untouched flora and fauna of Cap Ferrat. 

By 1946 the Cannes Film Festival arrived which brought a whole new celebrity feel to the South of France and it was around this time the coast became known as the Cote d’Azur (Golden Coast) – a timeless tourist masterpiece showcasing glamour, wealth and celebrity living. By the 1950s soon to be iconic films displaying the South of France to the world were released such as God Created Woman starring Bridgitte Bardot in St Tropez.

The iconic coastline has not changed too much in style but has remained a timeless destination of the rich and famous, yachts can be seen lining the ports and glitz and glamour can be seen by the designer apparel draped around the chic ladies.

Here at Elegant Address we are passionate about this fabulous part of the world and truly believe in the French Riviera which is expressed in our bespoke service provided by our Specialist South of France consultants. As regular visitors to the Cote d’Azur we visit our properties ensuring they meet the required standard to be displayed within our public and private portfolios. We are extremely proud of our vast property portfolio and encourage anyone with an interest in renting or buying Luxury properties in the South of France to contact us directly so we can assist you in your search for the perfect property. 

The Beaches in the South of France

The beautiful stretch of coast known as the Cote d’Azur offers tremendous picturesque views of the dazzling Mediterranean, pristine sands and the stunning backdrop of the Alpine mountain range dropping to the sea with snow-capped peaks.

Some of the most incredible beaches Europe has to offer can be found on this prestigious colourful coastline which spans from Monaco to St Tropez. 

There are several Public and Private Beaches along the coastline of the South of France and champagne showers are a regular occurrence. Here at Elegant Address we find our clients prefer to be on the private beaches which can vary in price and facilities, although they are all of a pristine quality.

Paloma Beach – CapFerrat

This is known as the most beautiful beach in Cap Ferrat, east facing it is fabulous for a morning’s sunbathing. The beach is sheltered from wind by the pines covering the hills and the cove is discreet with relatively calm waters. 

Views from Paloma Plage are stunning displaying the cliffs that rise from Beaulieu-sur-Mer Bay. The sand is made from small pebbles and measures 150m long, it is a lovely place for an early morning stroll.

Accessing the beach requires a booking during the summer months due to its high demand and wealth of guests who visit the beach regularly. Umbrellas and Lounge Chairs are available for higher from approximately 25€ pp.

Many choose to dine at the Private Beach Restaurant which is open for lunch and dinner from May-September and only lunch from Easter-September, the restaurant serves exquisite food with a splendid service. 

Passable Beach – CapFerrat

West Facing across from the Rade de Villefranche is Passable arguably the most famous beach on the peninsula. The beach was originally named Letetia beach and was created for guests at the Grand Hotel in the 20^th Century when the hotels guests chose to retreat to the Passable.

The cove is protected and offers its visitors calm waters of which to swim, with both private and public areas. The beach restaurant Passable Plage manages the beaches private section and is open March to September for lunch. 

La Croisette – Cannes

Cannes is a popular area in the South of France partly due to the Film Festival and Lions Festival during which the beaches are full with industry professionals and celebrities. La Croisette offers 7.5 km of beach split into 33 private and 13 public beaches. Private beaches here range from 20€-25€ per day all 33 of which are managed by restaurants. Most of the hotels such as the Carlton lie along this coastline and residents generally use the private beaches throughout the coastline.

Plage de la Garoupe – Cap d’Antibes

Situated on the eastern side of the peninsula in an ideal location between Juan Les Pins and Antibes, the curved white sandy beach provides 3 private beaches each provide fine cuisine, watersports and perfect relaxation areas. The beach became popular in the 1920s when Gerald and Sara Murphy presented their wealthy friends to the glamourous beach. Scenery from the pristine beach displays the town of Antibes with a montage of an Italian and alpine backdrop.

Pampelonne – St Tropez

Soaring St Tropez to fame since 1955, Pampelonne beach is a 5km stretch of beautiful golden sands lined with an array of private beaches offering wonderful beach dining and exciting nightlife with renowned club and bars such as Nikki Beach. In the summer time this is the prime place to sail your yacht, come ashore and soak up the glorious climate, enjoy delicious fresh seafood and try your hand at the spectacular water sports there are on offer.

Club 55 – St Tropez

Club 55 started life as a film crews canteen for Bridget Bardot, Club 55 soon transformed into a famous, luxury, discreet choice for high-end visitors to St Tropez. Spend a relaxing luxurious afternoon reclining on the stylish white sofas on this beautiful private beach.  Club 55 offers an incredibly professional and friendly service providing magnificent lunchtime delights and exotic cocktails at your wish on the beach and also in the world famous beach bar. On arrival you to Club 55 you will be welcomed with sandy floors, inviting you to dine on the incredible fresh seafood beneath sails strung between trees and magnificent views across the golden beach and emerald blue waters. This is a highly sought after private beach with business men, celebrities and politicians all wanting to enjoy this magnificent views and atmosphere so make sure you book in advance.

Nikki Beach – St Tropez

Nikki beach is an iconic part of St Tropez’s Pampelonne beach playing host to many of the world’s wealthiest youth the atmosphere is phenomenal. Events are held here on a regular basis attracting the most desirable of crowds, who drink champagne as if it were water.

It is important to reserve tables and loungers here during the summer months to avoid disappointment. The beach is extremely well-known having other spots in Florida, Ibiza, Morocco and many more destinations.

Elegant Address know these beaches well and can advise our clients on which spot of the FrenchRiviera is right for them due to our 10 years’ experience and the fact that we are regular visitors to the Cote d’Azur. Our passion for the area and our bespoke service allows us to locate for you a villa that meets your requirements.

Experience Shopping on the Cote d’Azur

The South of France provides many fabulous features to behold from pristine white sandy beaches and Michelin Star restaurants to interesting historical artefacts to inform and inspire, although visiting the Cote d’Azur would not be complete without experiencing the renowned shopping opportunities.

Small boutiques, chic and unique couturiers, dazzling jewellery stores and high fashion stores line the streets of Nice, Cannes and St Tropez displaying to passers-by the craft works, Provencal fabrics and renowned labels. 

When in Nice on the Rue de France adjacent to the Promenade de Anglais you can see the exquisite boutiques offering chic haute couture apparel.

As well as the phenomenal haute couture shopping experience you will find a quaint market in The Cours Saleya situated in Nice Old Town. Essences from the flowers fill the air and fresh fruit and vegetables can be purchased, surrounding the stalls are the well-known long standing colourful buildings.

Further down the coastline is Cannes with the renowned LaCroisette this is perhaps one of the most well-known shopping paths to take. The high fashion outlets of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Jean-Paul Gaultier line the street and desirable chic women catch the eye of passers by.

There are a number of streets specialising in Fine Art boutiques where some of the most famous artists began their artistic venture.

In the glamourous region of St Tropez major designer apparel stores can be found offering this season’s most sought-after lines and the signs of last season are long gone. This is the place for trendy, adventurous style for the up and coming to portray their innovation and inspire the next generation of fashion enthusiasts.

To quote Carrie Bradshaw – “Shopping is my cardio” and what better way to wind down after a hard day’s work out than to relax in a Luxury Villa sourced for you by Elegant Address – the Luxury South of France Property experts. We will ensure we find for you the perfect property to meet your requirements, so if you are searching for that phenomenal property on LaCroisette or the chic sophisticated villa in St Tropez we will locate this for you, giving you more time to work out! 

Picturesque Properties

Within our vast property portfolio are some of the most luxurious properties the French Riviera has to offer, so it will come as no surprise that many of our stunning properties are the chosen venues for media photo shoots and videos. With the backdrop providing a glamourous Cote d’Azur setting and the property portraying a lifestyle many but dream of these properties allow for a ready made studio feel. 

One such property that is regularly used for photo shoots is the beautiful VF-VFLOR with its expansive terraces offering a phenomenal sea view and marvellous location in Villefranche Sur Mer it is a truly charming luxury villa. Elegant Address are delighted to have sourced this beautiful villa for the Abbey Clancy You mag, Matalan photo shoot.

Villa CA-452 is a beautiful villa situated in the outstanding area of Villefranche. Built in 1880, it has all the beautiful Belle Epoque features of that period along with stunning panoramic sea views. This Villa was the chosen location for a Pixie Lott music video earlier this year

The following grand chateau is in exceptional condition and its 3750 sqm of landscaped gardens provide some of the most picturesque scenes. The property is highly desirable with its elegant Belle Époque style and extremely convenient location it is one of the most popular Chateau’s in the South of France. Many famous people have fell in love with this sought after property and it is a spectacular venue for photo shoots, filming etc.

Throughout our 10 years of establishment Elegant Address have provided many Luxury properties on the Cote d’Azur from interior design shoots, fashion photo shoots to the filming of popular television series and renowned movies. We have a vast portfolio of properties many of which are not presented via our website, as the UK’s largest Independent Property Search Constancy specialising in the South of France we are able to work with anyone so as to locate the perfect property matching our client’s exact requirements.