No country resonates with me as much as France. I started to love it as a child and had the pleasure to guide my tourist around it for years. It is truly a country with everything in it… in my opinion. You have a cold and the warm landscapes, you have mountains, a rough sea of the north, and the gentle breeze of the south. Abundant forest, gorges, valleys… The magic of colors, smells, and tastes. Of all of it, the South of France is the loveliest. Who can resist the pull of the Mediterranean Sea.

After visiting Paris – go to the South as well and fall in love with the Azure Coast.

Mediterranean blues and greens

Whenever I close my eyes and go back to that region, the first thing I see is the sea. After passing some buildings, I am finally exposed to its vastness.

Nice is the city the most visited when it comes to this part of the Coast. Firstly – the plane arrives here, so it is a good place to start. The city is quite big, it has a beautiful beach, a lot of hotels and attractions for tourists – whether to be done during the day or night.

Walking along the Promenade des Anglais already gives you a magnificent experience. It follows the sea and the beach, and for about 3-4 kilometers you can just stare. Or sit on a blue bench and stare some more. People are tanning, playing beach games. There are dozens of waters sports that you can try, including the most recent like flying with water jet packs or electric surfboards.

And the colors… they captivate you. The white yachts bring up the contrast of the blue-green water. This is where the name of this region comes from – the azure sea.

There is a hill in Nice that I strongly recommend to you. It is called the Castle Hill, although only archaeological remains can be a proof of its existence there today. Pick a sunny day, which would be perfect for bringing up the colors. You can go there on foot or with a tourist train, that starts at the Promenade.

A faster way is climbing the Bellanda Tower viewpoint (not that high, but similar experience). You won’t miss it; it is right at the end of the promenade.

Antibes

French Riviera is very popular among tourists. A lot of small fishing villages at some point in the XIX century grew up rapidly. Antibes is one of them – a village and a sea resort at the same time. It is next to Cannes and you can get there by train or car.

Many come here for its Provencal Market. Not very surprising – it is quite attractive, full of local products, and cheaper than in Nice. It doesn’t matter whether you are looking for scents of lavender, soaps from Marseille, perfumes, or things to eat – you will find them all. Maybe you will get caught up by some French delicacies – salami, cheese, marmalades, marinated olives, and peppers or… some absinthe? Maybe you will be fascinated by the local handicrafts – textile or porcelain. Maybe you are just looking for magnets… no worries, they will be there.

And if you stroll away from it all, you will even find the Antiquities Market. Shadowed by trees, in a square with a permanent sea breeze… you can either look for some treasures or just sit down in the café and enjoy the local ambiance.

Do not forget to take a walk around the Vauban Port either. The yacht there are either classic – with white sails waving at you or so modern that it seems impossible. Climb the city walls and look at it all from the height of a few meters.

Or follow it back to the “old town” while overlooking the sea. Old Antibes is built with the sandy color stone, which creates a picturesque scenery for you to enjoy. Somewhere there, between the buildings, is the Picasso Museum. The city was the artist’s favorite place and maybe, by now you already feel why. He could rest here, he found inspiration around people and places and if not there… then in the bars, over a glass of the green fairy.

Verdon Canyon

If you decide to hire a car, spend a day driving a little bit to the North. Not far after Frejus, turn right (believe it or not, but it is the opposite way than Saint Tropez).

After passing through some small villages you will start to notice how the landscape is changing. Cypress trees disappear and give way to agriculture. But not the one you think of. The road to the Regional Park of Verdon leads through the vineyards. If you feel the need to turn to see one of them, go for it. A modern building or a small palace will greet you. In the dusty basements, you will find its treasures. Grapes of the South are full of sun and they create deep, red nectar with an amazing bouquet. Their taste is heavy, carrying all the secrets that produced it. The first sip can be your greatest adventure on the journey to discover them all.

Vineyards soon change to bushes – it is a sign that you are approaching the Park. And right when you start to feel bored by the scenery, you start to notice it. The Lake of the Saint Cross (Lac Sainte Croix). Thanks to the abundance of limestone in the area it has this deep, turquoise color and it looks very inviting. There are little waves here and the various camps offer you the possibility to hire a kayak or a water bike.

Further on the road, you reach a small bridge. It is at the exact spot where the river enters the lake. Years sculpted the walls of the canyon and it is difficult to decide whether it is better to see if from a boat at the bottom or turn with the car to the road that leads over the cliffs. It will eventually lead you to Grasse – the temple of perfumes if you are wondering.

If you go left (after the bridge) you will reach a small town of Moustieres-Ste-Marie. Check out the scenic spots on your way there – great views of the lake! The village offers a good coffee and lunch break before you continue your journey. If you have some time – try the trail leading to the chapel above, on the cliffside.

A day spent at the lake will replenish you, so it can be a great 1-day trip. Think of trying the road going above the canyon – views will be great and the small villages on your way to Grass will surprise you with their beauty.

Saint Paul de Vence

I remember going there for the first time. The road was turning and twisting, according to the wishes of the slope. We were passing one town after the other. Everything looked so boring until we turned yet another corner… There, “hanging on the precipice” was a city that looked like a fortress. I saw thick, maybe high walls that kept everything safe. Or maybe not safe, but just hanging there, safe from falling.

I didn’t mind the number of tourists that greeted me. I just went with everyone from the parking lot, amazed by the beauty surrounding me. Only the residents may enter the town, and I was about to learn why. I could smell the flowers that grew at the side of the road – or maybe the ones used to make perfumes from. I passed a lovely café, situated under the shadow of an ancient tree.

There was a cannon at the entrance, confirming the military character of the place. Some answers finally… I bought lavender ice-creams and directed myself to the walls. Or rather followed the road which is on the walls. The views were so different from this perspective – just some gentle slopes going down to the azure sea. I was wondering if the canons could have reached the white galleon sails from here. Could they have protected the coastal cities from the aggression?

But still, I had the impression, that the walls are just helping the town to float above the clouds. And a modern sculpture, flying or jumping, was stating that I may be right! I started to notice the galleries around me – Saint Paul de Vence is a city of artists after all. And was one! Just imagine the potential for imagination here. Levitating rocks and buildings made of stone and plants over them…

I returned to the Earth on the local cemetery, where I met the famous Marc Chagall. His stained glass adorns many places of the French Riviera. Some small stones are adorning his grave – a thank you for his art or a wish to return to this place?

I went into the maze of the town next, losing interest in flying and wanting to explore. The narrow streets have passages between the buildings… hidden in shadows. The lanterns hanging above them must make them magical at night. The fountains have wonderfully cold, drinkable water. Maybe a polish author – W. Gombrowicz, drank from the same one – once when he lived here. Maybe he was also visiting the galleries or jewelry shops. But it is also possible that we, tourists created them. Who knows it now…

Let yourselves be taken by the ambiance and decide later.

Fruits de mer

No place exists without its food and tastes. And although I love seafood in Bretagne, I cannot resist those in the French Riviera. You can get them anywhere. Just stop while walking along the coast and pick the restaurant that you think has the nicest view.

They don’t come fresher than here, since many cities and villages are situated close to the sea. You just have to make the decision, prepare yourself to spend a bit, and sit down. Browsing through the menu, you will see clams, prawns, oysters, St Jacques, fish, and more. You can take just a dish or a 3-level platter with everything the restaurant has to offer (this one is better with a bigger company but offers you to try a bit of everything).

Going for the mussels in the white wine sauce is classic yet… the simplest dish can be the most difficult to prepare and can tell you the most about the whole place. Deciding whether that is true or not was real fun. This way I decided I hate it when they add the French fries and prefer a fresh baguette that soaks the sauce.

With a glass of white wine, some nostalgic French tune, and a tad of the atmospheric surrounding, the evening couldn’t be better.

Evening walks

Strongly connected with eating and drinking yet becoming a point of its own. Why? These strolls in the night, when the world seemed different, were precious each time.

There is something in the air of the French Riviera that makes these promenades perfect. The warm air, the breeze from the sea that brings some freshness in the night, the gentle sounds of the waves mixed with the humming of the palm trees and bushes, the scents that invite you to yet another restaurant, bright lights of the hanging lamps being like stars that fell onto the Earth. Or maybe it is about romance that you see in the movies or read about in the book – it is so easy to imagine yourself as a hero of some story.

Or maybe it is the pure pleasure that flows into your veins, with every step you take.

It is intoxicating whatever the reason.

Coastal road from Nice in the direction of Monaco

If you had doubts to rent a car, don’t. How else would you be able to experience this wondrous piece of Cote d’Azur. As with everything, the first time there happened by mistake. But was it…

Forget about fast roads that cross the area. Yes, they can take you fast from one place to the other. But you are missing so much in between. There are plenty small places you can visit on the way. Stone walls, red roofs, cypresses, hidden bays with ridiculously expensive yachts. Tiny beach here or there looks as inviting as the huge one in Nice. Ups and downs of the coast show you the power of nature, where the sea and winds exposed the bare rocks. Deep green plants are the strongest one that survive, but all of the sudden there is the beauty of flowers, palm trees, and forgotten vines.

How on earth this place was created!

Suddenly you know why so many artists fount here their inspiration. You understand the French need to live somewhere but have a retreat here.

If you continue on this road you will eventually arrive in another country. But fortunately, Monaco is on the list as well.

Monaco

This tiny land, on which royalty still rules, should be on your list if you visit the Riviera. History and casinos created a separate and a flourishing community in here.

It is the sight not to be forgotten – when you enter it and suddenly every speck of land is taken. Instead of the slope of the hill, you have terraces and layers of the buildings. Monaco is big as a city but is locked in the borders of a country. It is one of a kind.

But there are special places that beg to be visited as well – like the Japanese Gardens, also built-in layers and terraces. Walking around it is a memorable experience. The sunny slope is perfect for growing vegetation from all over the world. There is also a no better place to enjoy the views of Monaco. You can spend there a few hours relaxing and sunbathing but remember to bring some water with you. The microclimate is good for flowers, but not for us really.

Follow the Formula 1 to the port. I suppose the most expensive of anything that money can buy is there. Starting with the hills full of casinos, cars from another earth, and boats that are so slick, that they look like they can reach the speed of light.

On the other hand, there is some tradition on the other hill that flanks the port. There is the palace where Princess Grace of Monaco lived. A beautiful, pearl white cathedral holds her and her husband’s hearts. “The old town” is a mixture of small buildings full of souvenir shops, bars, and restaurants – seemingly looking like everywhere else.

Enjoy these contrasts and a moment of luxury in your life. Take a picture with Bond’s car or play in a casino. It definitely makes you feel like a million-dollar, if only for a few seconds.

Lemons of Menton

There is a city that has been forever situated at the frontier of France and Italy. It may be possible that it took everything that is best from these two places. It is a charming, coastal little town with both the spirit of Genoa and the Ligurian Coast and Monaco and the French Riviera.

It is far enough from everything that not many people visit it. But it is captivating enough, that once you are there, you don’t want to leave. Wandering along the peaceful streets with a cup of freshly prepared lemonade is just perfect. Try the coast as well, let the picturesque port views tell you why Jean Cocteau loved this town. The buildings of pastel colors steadily go down to the blue waters of the sea. A bell of the church tower sings its tune. It is so difficult to find the right spot for a picture because all of them are great.

Menton is mostly known because of its lemons. The climate here is very favorable for the lemon trees, and the city appreciates it greatly. Lemon adorns famous local porcelain. It is an addition to many dishes, being the main hero in lemonades and cakes. There are lemon sculptures and ornamentations. But the best of it all is the festival that takes place in February! Apart from the sculptures made from lemons, you have the ground covered with it and much, much more.

Add to it wonderful aromas, the feerie of colors, and a glass of… lemonade with mint leaves. Perrrfect.

Atmosphere

There is something on the French Riviera, that is difficult to describe and to grasp. I had been feeling it at first long before I started to put a finger on it. You are just so cheerful all the time and you want to smile, even when the people around you are making you regret getting up. Maybe it is the sun, or maybe it is these very same people around you – cheerful as well.

The aura of happiness is tangible. Everyone goes over their daily routine as usual. Traffic is the same as anywhere. But there is this smile, telling you that when the lunch hour comes, they will have an outdoor break. Maybe even go to the beach. And the evening will be the most precious part of their day, spent with friends or lovers over a tasty dish, a glass of wine, or a boule game.

At the same time, they are so “fiery”. Their temperament makes them argue on the street sometimes. They don’t care, how they park – the bumpers are there to be used. They got used to it. They leave their cars in the idle gear so that others can push it easily if that is the case. They scratch their cars turning the narrow corners of the southern villages. But try to scratch their car by mistake! The hell will break loose. And yet… it passes after a few minutes, people are friends again, gentle, and open and welcoming to strangers.

Notice the colors and the smells of the local markets, but even the cities! is intoxicating. And the merchants don’t even try to hassle too much. They are just friendly and easy to talk to. And the passers-by on the street do not growl at you, they smile with this special smile of the inner happiness.

Maybe it is the sun, maybe good food and drinks, maybe the lack of problems that makes people happier. It is so difficult to grasp. But then again, it is so enjoyable, to live a moment in this busy atmosphere of laziness. In a place when the sun shines on you and around you.