The
Côte d'Azur, also known in English
as the French Riviera has been as the playground of the rich
and famous since the 18th century. In addition to the glitz and the glamour it is one of the most beautiful
regions in France. This coastline has a wealth of culture and history that is so
often overshadowed by the celebrity lifestyle and opulent society that has
become synonymous with the Côte d’Azur.
Despite not
having any official borders, it is usually considered to be the coastal area that
runs from the Italian border in the east to Toulon in the west and is part of
the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region. The
area was named Stéphen Liégeard in his book La
Côte d’Azur, who adapted the name
from the department of Côte d’Or and was making reference
to the beautiful azure blue Mediterranean Sea.
The
region has extraordinarily beautiful coastline with a backdrop of beautiful
mountain ranges. It is an animated and lively region with glittering annual
events such as the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix. The Côte d’Azur is a popular yachting and cruising
area littered with impressive marinas filled with extravagant yachts.
Slightly
more low-key towns that are worth a visit are Villefranche-sur-Mer and
Roquebrune. These are beautiful communities with picturesque old towns that don’t
have the garish wealth of Cannes and St Tropez but still maintain the beauty
and luxury of the French Riviera.
Of
course, the region is not all about beautiful fishing ports and glamorous seaside
towns,
the area is famous for being a meeting place for artists, such as Matisse and Picasso and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary art in Nice is well worth a visit www.mamac-nice.org
The Côte d'Azur's fascinating history stretches from Roman rulers to the fantasy and luxury of the Belle Époque architecture to the 20th century hollywoood lifestyle. The ancient forts and
Chateaux that line the coast are breath-taking and popular tourist attractions,
such as the grandiose Palace in Monaco or the 16th Century Saint
Elme Citadel in Villefranche. For lists of the forts and castles in the Côte d’Azur visit www.frenchriviera-tourism.com
Villa Chenet Provençal style house in Frejus, with beautiul gardens and only 10km form the sea. Sleeps 6-7
Villa Les Maures Luxury villa, with sophisticated interiors , in the hills above St Tropez. Sleeps 12.
Villa Allegra Large contemporary villla in Golfe Juan, with a beautiful view over Cannes. Sleeps 14.
Villa Eze Villa in Eze-sur-Mer between Nice and Monaco, with infinity pool and only 3 minutes walk from beach. Sleeps 6.
For more information and to check out our other properties
in the Côte
d’Azur please got to our website www.southfrancevillas.com
