A Quick Guide to Côte d'Azur
By Nadja Girich on Oct 1, 2014
Côte d'Azur during the summer months is over inhabited and crowded with travelers from all over the world. No wonder, because it is one of the best vacation destinations ever - no matter where you place your sunbed, whether it is in Cannes, Nice, Villefranche or elsewhere. The whole coast is full of cosy beautiful resort towns with warm sea bays where waves are similarly tender and ready to please your body as long as you can handle it. Once you find yourself in the Côte d'Azur, the first thing to do is find the first restaurant or brasserie and have a full pot of Moules à la Marinière with a bottle of rosé. During the whole of your stay in the South of France you are not aloud to drink anything else other than chilled rosé, the variety of which will surprise you nicely with all sorts of tincture from almost red to pale pink.
Villefranche-sur-Mer
All photos courtesy of Nadja Girich
If it is your first time in Côte d'Azur, maybe it would be a good idea to land first in Nice, there you'll find plenty of sights and attractions as well as easy access to all destinations along the coast. Nice is quite comfortably situated right in the middle of the coast between Cannes and Monte Carlo. For a beginner, Nice's beautiful endless pebble beach is all you need to start with. The warmth and beauty of the French south with its cuisine and wines just covers you with the wave of hedonism and blissfulness you came in search of. The only way to survive is to refresh oneself in the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Start your day with diving and find yourself spending the entire day on the beach until sunset. In Nice when the sun is set, the beach is crowded with young people having a good time, playing guitars, drinking wine and making friends with the whole world.
Quite a lot is said about Monte Carlo but not so much about Menton. You’ll be surprised to find the beach there as beautiful as the one in Nice. Both are pebble beaches with long promenades and inviting restaurants. However, first before finding yourself with a glass of rosé in one hand and a fork in the other, go and see the museum of Jean Cocteau, who’s name, I believe, needs no further introduction. Furthermore, one full day of pleasure should definitely be devoted to the marvellous commune of Èze, where after enjoying the breathtaking views from the upper part of the village, you should also visit Èze-sur-Mer. Even if you find its beach too narrow and lacking comfort you will soon forget about this little mal-entendu once you find yourself in a perfect Anjuna restaurant, and if you are lucky you might exchange glances with a celebrity there.
One day you might wake up and decide to discover the coast, in that case you have two options: Cannes and Monte Carlo. For each option you need to have at least one day. After a while you’ll find out that the little resort towns that you drive by either by car, train or by bus also deserve your attention. After you have visited Cannes and made pictures on the film festival red carpet, you will find out that Cagnes-sur-mer is even more interesting because it has a museum of the best impressionists ever – Pierre Auguste Renoir. Another place of interest that certainly deserves attention is Juan les Pins, praised by F. S. Fitzgerald in Tender is the Night. You will immediately fall in love with this little resort town and especially with its beautiful beach with its white tender clean sand. Juan les Pins is probably the only place on the coast where you'll find hotels on the beach, which are literally on the first line, and restaurants where tables stand almost in the water. Sometimes on a wild evening, waves might even graze your feet.
Another day could easily be spent exploring Villa Ephrussi de Rotschild and its gardens at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, where you can surely get the best photographs ever. Your next stop should also include Villefranche-sur-mer where you can enjoy the rest of the day at its beautiful little port surrounded by seafood restaurants and a lovely sandy beach.
While staying at Côte d'Azur always check what concerts and festivals are taking place, you wouldn't want to miss the Festival of Fireworks in Cannes or your favorite music star in a headliner at Nice Jazz Festival.
Moules à la Marinière with rosé, Juan-les-Pins
Èze-sur-Mer, Anjuna beach
On the right Juan-les-Pins and on the left Gare de Nice (Nice railway station)
View from Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild