Cote d’Azur (French Riviera)
Starting at Marseille on the eastern part of the south coast you know right away that you are in a busy city. However, its very attractive vieux port docked by hundreds of pleasure boats and lined with attractive boutiques and seafood restaurants and cafes, makes you soon forget about all that. It is a vibrant city, filled with a cosmopolitan group of people and nightlife to suit all tastes. Further east, passing through the resort of Cassis which is more of a local getaway, you arrive at a stretch of coastline between Hyeres and St-Raphael-Frejus. It has medieval hilltop villages looking over lots of scented Mediterranean vegetation, purple cliffs and secluded islands; Hyeres for instance does not rely on the tourist trade as much as some other resorts and hence has orchards and vineyards spread across the area.
St Tropez is within this stretch but is very different as it has become known as the rich man’s playground with multi-million pound boats docked in its harbour. It is within the vieux port that the attraction of the place becomes apparent with its glitzy bars and restaurants filled with fashion boutiques and lively people. For a quieter if less glamorous stay but more spacious beach then St-Maxime is a better bet- especially for families.
Further on down the coast lies the lively and highly developed towns of Frejus and St Raphael offering all types of water sports and night activities. The busy film and festival orientated resort of Cannes marks the beginning of the French Riviera swiftly followed by the highly exclusive resort of Antibes (Cap d’Antibes) housing 16th Century chateau Grimaldi and a bustling coastal market. This resort backs onto another popular resort, Juan les Pins, which attracts a younger group of holiday makers.
Nice, the capital of the Riviera, although very built up is still delightful and remains one of the most fashionable resorts in Europe. Shadowed by mountains, it has a pleasant beach and a pretty medieval old town with Italianate facades, good restaurants and some exuberant residences. Exclusivity, gambling and good nightlife characterise the independent principality that is Monaco further eastwards on the Italian border with incredibly expensive properties.
Inland there are even more great places to explore which reflect the more cultural side of the region; an area known as Provence. Fortified towns guard its borders, protecting the many often medieval villages that sit on the hill tops. Provence has so many attractions whether it be visiting the, artistic and cultural cities of Aix-en-Provence and Avignon or exploring the vineyards towards the Rhone valley.
The Roman influence to the region is distinctive and clearly visible in the cities of Orange, Vaison la Romaine and Arles; the latter having a Roman arena hosting Bull-fighting during the summer. The great city of the popes, otherwise known as Avignon has an impressive amount of monuments and churches and hosts many festivals during the summer months. South of Avignon the splendidly beautiful 12th century town of Aix-en-Provence is found lined with outdoor cafes, restaurants and bars filled with youthful residents.
However, if it’s an escape from town life you’re after then a trip west to the Camargue region is well worth it. White Camargue horses and bulls roam this national park amongst other interesting wildlife such as the flamingos and wild boars.
The whole region is rich in colourful market towns, medieval villages and old chateaux providing plenty of areas to explore.
Leapfrog have up to 200,000 properties available all over France including a large selection in the Cote d’Azur (French Riviera) region, use the enquiry form to tell us your specific requirements, regions, and types of properties you are looking for.
