This
is where the azure waters and indigo sky begins; where
white-railed villas edge the great cliffs surrounding the
mountains. Evening air is scented with jasmine
and mimosa, and cactus and pines silhouette against the
golden sunsets.
You could drive
from St. Tropez to the border of Italy in three hours and be
utterly captivated by the entire Riviera, so small is this renowned
stretch of Mediterranean coast... so stunning is its beauty!
Along the way you'll undoubtedly encounter the downside:
jammed beaches and traffic gridlock. But once you dangle
your feet off the docks in a picturesque port full of
brightly painted boats, or drink a Lillet (pronounced
"le-lay") on a hilltop village
high above the coast you will very likely be seduced to stay
a while.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
The Côte d'Azur
(pronounced: la koht-dah-ZEWR),
often known in English as The French
Riviera, is the Mediterranean coastline of the south
eastern corner of France, extending from Menton near the
Italian border in the east to either Hyères
(pronounced:
"hier" ENG or "year" FR
)
or Cassis (Cas-is
or ca-SEE) in the
west. The French Riviera also contains the seaside
resorts of Cannes (kahn or can), Antibes (ahn-TEEB), Juan-les-Pins
(zwahn lay pan),
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu-sur-Mer
(bowl-you), Cap-d'Ail
(Cap Die), Fréjus
(FREE-jus or FREZ-ee),
Saint-Raphaël, and Saint-Tropez, and surrounds the
principality of Monaco, with a total population of over two
million.
.
This coastline, with its long
stretches of sandy beaches, towering mountains, and pristine
countryside make the French Riviera a popular holiday
destination for the rich and famous. This is where
riches, elegance, fame and glory are just a few of the
highlights of this holiday paradise. It began as a winter health
resort for the British upper class at the end of the 18th
century. With the arrival of the railway in the mid-19th
century, it became the playground and vacation spot of
British, Russian, and other aristocrats, such as Queen
Victoria and King Edward VII, when he was Prince of Wales.
In the summer, it also played home to many members of the
Rothschild family. In the first half of the 20th
century it was frequented by artists and writers, including
Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Edith Wharton, Somerset
Maugham and Aldous Huxley, as well as wealthy Americans and
Europeans. After World War II it became a popular tourist
destination and convention site. Many celebrities, such as
Elton John and Brigitte Bardot, have homes in the region.
Officially, the Côte d'Azur is home to 163 nationalities
with 83,962 foreign residents, although estimates of the
number of non-French nationals living in the area are often
much higher.
Its largest city is Nice,
which has a population of 347,060 (2006). The city is the
center of a communauté urbaine - Nice-Côte d'Azur -
bringing together 24 communes and over 500,000 inhabitants
THE CORNICHES (kor-NEE-shez)
The land east of Nice is nearly
vertical, with the coastline being one great cliff, terraced by
three parallel highways—the Corniche Inférieure (sometimes
called The Low, the Basse Corniche and N98), the Moyenne
(pronounced: “moi-yenne”), (Middle)
Corniche (N7), and the Grande Corniche (D2564)
Each Corniche, of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world,
offer sensational views. They run 30 plus kilometers (18.64
miles) parallel to each other from Nice east to Monaco and on to Menton on the Italian border and connecting
Villefranche-sur-Mer (veehl-FRAHNCH or Vee-la-FRAHNCH), Cap Ferrat, Beaulieu, Èze
(pronounced EASE), Cap d'Ail,
Monaco - Monte Carlo, La Turbie, Roquebrune Cap Martin and
finally Menton, an urban landscape on a steep rocky coast -
pretty unique and dramatic.
The lowest (Basse) is
the slowest, following the coast and crawling through the main
streets of resorts, including downtown Monte Carlo.
Villefranche, Cap-Ferrat, and Beaulieu are some of the towns
located along this 20-mile-long highway. The highest (Grande)
is the fastest, but its panoramic views are blocked by villas,
and there are few safe overlooks. The middle (Moyenne)
offers views down over the shoreline and villages and passes
through a few picturesque cliff-top towns, including Èze.
Looking down at The Low Cornice
Low (Basse) Corniche: The Low Corniche is the
winding seacoast road that follows the sea and strings ports, beaches, and
villages together for a ground floor view. The Basse (Low) Corniche
was built in the 1860’s (along the train route) to bring people to the Monte
Carlo casino. This coastal road (the N98) takes you past the seaside resorts
of Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat, Beaulieu, Eze-Bord-de-Mer (not to be
confused with Eze le Village located on the Middle Corniche) , Cap d'Ail,
Monaco and Cap Martin. It can get traffic-clogged during rush hours but the
route is lined with elegant 19th-century villas and gardens.
The Middle Corniche
Middle( Moyenne)
Corniche:
The Middle Corniche
is atop the cliffs that rise vertically just inside the shore line. The Moyenne (Middle) Corniche is higher, quieter and far more impressive. It
runs through Eze le Village and provides breathtaking views over the
Mediterranean with several pullover scenic view spots. Built between 1910
and 1928, the Moyenne Corniche also offers entrancing views from a road (the
N7) that is less hair-raising than the Grande Corniche. It's also more
developed and there's more traffic. The main sight to see is the medieval
hill town of Eze. For a photo opportunity, you'll want to stop at the Col de
Villefranche just before a long tunnel.
Medieval hill town of Eze just before the tunnel on
Moyenne Corniche
View from the Grand (High) Corniche
High (Grand) Corniche: The High Corniche is
further inland and higher up. The Grand Corniche caps the cliffs with
staggering views from about 1600 feet above the sea. It is actually built
atop the Via Aurelian, used by Romans to conquer the West as they marched
from Rome to the Rhone Valley and on to their outposts in Britain and
Germany. In 1806 Napoleon built the first proper road that followed this
path, but today, with breathtaking engineering and viaducts, the modern auto
route you take makes the journey relatively easy with stunningly beautiful
vistas.
The Grande Corniche rides
majestically along the crest line from Nice to west of Menton. It's
the elegant one among the three parallel sisters, the one that dominates
both the Moyenne Corniche, road right below, and the coastal Basse Corniche at
the foot of the hills. It's the most rural of the three corniches and the
most dizzying to drive.
The main town up here is
La Turbie, known for the Roman Trophée des
Alpes and for its frequent fog. The unparalleled views from the Grande
Corniche can be obscured by mist in which case you should descend to the
Moyenne Corniche.
The Trophy of the Alps, was built
by the Romans for the Emperor Augustus to celebrate his definitive victory
over the ancient tribes who populated the Alps. The monument's remains are
in the commune of La Turbie a few kilometers from the Principality of
Monaco.
The stone used to build the monument was originally
extracted from the Roman quarry located about 500 meters
away. Visitors to that site can still see the traces of
sections of carved columns in the stone.
The monument
originally served no military purpose and contained no
fortress. Between the 12th and 15th centuries,
however, the Trophy did become a fortress, with locals
building houses around its walls. In 1705, when war broke
out between Savoy and France, Louis XIV ordered the
destruction of all fortresses in the region, including this
one. The partially destroyed Trophy then became a quarry and
its stones were used, among other things, to build the
nearby church of Saint-Michel.
The monument, partially
restored by archaeologists at the beginning of the 20th
century, is 35 meters (115 ft.) high. When built, according
to the architect, the base measured 35 meters in length, the
first platform 12 meters in height, and the rotunda of 24
columns with its statue of an enthroned Augustus is 49
meters (161 ft.) high.
Trophée des Alpes and the nearby church of Saint-Michel
Alfred Hitchcock filmed parts of "To Catch a Thief" here in the fifties
and in 1982 Princess Grace met her death here in a car accident. The point
in the road at La Turbie, where Kelly lost control of her car, is said to be
the same location where she and Cary Grant picnicked in To Catch a Thief.
The winding road, substantially improved since with guardrails, is no longer
the hazard it once was.
OTHER VILLAGES TO VISIT
Although the Riviera is famous for the glamour
of Nice (nees), St. Tropez, Monaco or the
Cannes Film Festival, there are many other
less well known attractions, such as the perched villages of
Eze and Gourdon
(Gurden),
the perfumeries of Grasse
(GRAHS) and the glass
blowers of Biot
(BEE-yot) the potters in
Vallauris (valorie). The Riviera has been the
inspiration for many well-known artists such as Picasso and many of their
works are on display in local museums and art galleries.
One big problem that the Riviera faces is its
popularity. During the summer months (July/August particularly) the Riviera
is a crowded mess - particularly on the strip of land between the A8
Autoroute and the coast - and events such as the Film Festival drive up the
prices of just about everything. On the other hand even in August the lesser
known attractions such as the Gorges du Loup (deep,
narrow valley surrounded by moss covered rock cliffs near the village of
Gourdon)
and the village of Gourdon itself,
with its many unique shops, hotels, restaurants are less crowded.
See my websites
for more on these towns,
villages and places
of interest in The
French Riviera by
going to my Home
Page and clicking on
each. BUS
ROUTES - CLICK
HERE
CLIMATE The French
Riviera benefits
from a
Mediterranean-type
climate,
characterized by
exceptional
sunshine
almost 300 days a
year and mild
temperatures for
most of the year.
It rains heavily but
infrequently mostly
in March/April and
October/November. In
winter, freezing
temperatures are
rare, but sweaters
are advised.
MONEY/CURRENCY
Credit cards are accepted in many shops,
hotels and restaurants (there is usually a
minimum amount of between €7 and €15). For
cash, you will find cash-points on just
about every street corner (24 hours a day).
Bank branches, exchange bureau and some
post offices handle currency exchange
transactions and traveler's checks.
Whatever you are buying, prices are net. A
gratuity is however the custom in restaurant
and for certain specific services (taxi
cabs.)
