French Riviera cities. Cote d'Azur is the perfect place to relax

Which is comfortably located between the Italian Riviera and the principality of Monaco. Menton is a unique old center, endless green gardens, incredible beaches, a colorful, fascinating, cosmopolitan city.

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The beaches of Menton are deservedly considered one of the best on the coast; they delight their guests with their cleanliness, safe coastline, developed infrastructure and soft sand (although pebble beaches can also be found).

However, coming to Menton and spending all the days on the beach would be an unforgivable mistake. You should definitely look into the Old Town, stroll along its narrow cobbled streets and squares, see the Saint-Michel Cathedral, look into the Carnole Palace, which is also the Museum of Fine Arts, and visit the Jean Cocteau Museum. You can have a great time and take a break from the bustle of the city in the parks and gardens of Menton, and they also deserve the title of works of art and are a must-see for travelers. Parc du Pian, Gardens de Colombières, Villa Maria Serena garden and Val Rame botanical garden - amazing placeswhere you can spend a pleasant evening admiring the scenery. By the way, beautiful panoramas also open up in the Old Port of the city - take a look there!

On the way from Menton to Nice, one cannot fail to notice the amazing village of Eze. It is not at all big, but so picturesque that it conquers from the first meeting - with its green mountains, red roofs, old stone houses and cobbled streets, as well as a luxurious Exotic Garden located at the top.

Accommodation cost: 3 * - from € 82, 4 * - from € 145.

Nice

Nice is one of the most famous resorts of the Cote d'Azur, which is preferred by a very wealthy public, because not everyone can have rest here. Nice is a mix of good beaches and chic hotels, expensive villas and fashionable boutiques, an amazing Old Center and a vibrant nightlife. It is not for nothing that she acquired the unspoken status of the capital of the French Riviera.

Most of the beaches are paid, the entrance to them costs from € 12-15 and more, but we still recommend visiting them, since the municipal ones are rather dirty and unkempt. Paid beach areas are equipped with all the necessary infrastructure, coastline - safe, water and sand - clean. If you are only aiming at relaxing by the sea, then it makes sense to go out of town, to the beaches of the nearest provinces, which are not inferior to the beaches of Nice, and some are superior.

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Yes, as we said, Nice is not a cheap place. Therefore, budget tourists and young people prefer to stay in the central part of the city. And they are doing the right thing, because here it is not only more accessible, but many times more interesting. The old town with its small streets, old cathedrals, churches, Town Halls and squares, as well as museums is perfect place for walks and pleasant, romantic pastime. We should also talk about museums separately, because for art lovers Nice is just paradise. Visit the Chagall Museum and the Matisse Museum, and the Fine Arts Museum, where you can see works by Degas, Renoir and Monet. You can also find many interesting paintings and sculptures in the Massena Palace or the Lascari Palace, the Valroze Castle, and it is just worth stopping by to admire their beauty.

Not far from Nice is Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat - one of the most tranquil corners of the coast among the pine groves. Glory was brought to him not only by the unique nature and picturesque bays, but also by two famous villas: Villa Leopold, which is recognized as the most expensive in the world and is considered a real work of art, as well as the villa of Baroness Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild, which is today a large unique museum with a rich a collection of works of French art from different eras.

Accommodation cost: 3 * - from € 90, 5 * - from € 347.

Antibes

Between the two main resorts of the coast - Nice and Cannes, the picturesque town of the same name is located on Cape Antibes. It is interesting first of all to lovers of yachting, because here is the largest yacht port of the entire French Riviera. And you can not only admire the large and original yachts, but also ride them.

It also attracts young people, because, firstly, it is a more accessible resort than the "star" Nice and Cannes, and secondly, it is famous for its rich and stormy nightlife, and its dance clubs, bars, discos are ready to entertain young hearts until the morning.

Sight hunters go straight to the Old Town with its museums, chapels, squares, cathedrals, fountains and monuments. Lovers active rest - to the beaches where diving, water skiing, seaplanes, paragliding and other water activities are at their disposal.

Antibes is one of the few cities on the Côte d'Azur that is suitable for families with children. The Maryland Marine Water Park with a huge pool and daily marine shows, located near the town of Luna Park, as well as the Valley of the Butterflies will make your little ones' vacation unforgettable.

If you do not want to sit still, then the second stop can be the resort of Juan-les-Pins, which can be found in the Gulf of Golfe-Juan. Wide clean beaches, many good restaurants with exquisite French cuisine, small islands and bays, and, of course, pine groves - all this is Juan-les-Pins. Music lovers should definitely drop in here in mid-July, when one of the most popular jazz festivals in Europe is thundering in the city.

Accommodation cost: 3 * - from € 75, 4 * - from € 172.

Cannes is a city that does not require a special introduction, and all thanks to the legendary film festival, which made this place on the Cote d'Azur a cult one. But in addition to the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals and the famous Croisette, it has something else to offer its guests.

Main cultural Center the city - the Suquet quarter, leading to the slope of the same name, where the Fortress Museum is located, located in an old castle. On the territory of the museum there is an old tower, the chapel of St. Anne, and all this is surrounded by an amazing garden.

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In the sea "opposite" is the real pearl of the region - the Lerins Islands. Two of them - Saint-Fereol and Tradelier - are not inhabited, but Saint-Marguerite and Saint-Honoré are worth a look. Sainte-Marguerite is famous for its Royal Fort and the prison of the times of Louis XIV, where the legendary prisoner of the Iron Mask once served his sentence. Saint-Honoré is an amazing green island, overlooking the Lerins Abbey, on the territory of which one of the oldest monasteries in Europe used to be, and today it is a unique church complex surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Budget tourists who count on Cannes beach vacation, it is better to choose another place on the coast. The municipal beaches of Cannes will not please you with either cleanliness or tranquility, in the warm season there is nowhere for an apple to fall, and the entrance to the paid beaches will cost from € 20-25 and more. But at the same time, there is a chance that your favorite actor or actress will sunbathe on the next lounger.

Accommodation cost: 3 * - from € 80, 5 * - from € 480.

Not so long ago, Saint-Tropez was a calm, quiet resort, where famous actors, directors, writers, artists preferred to relax from the hustle and bustle, and then exalted it in their creations. Today, it is one of the most popular corners of the coast, where young, rich and famous people love to make noise in luxurious villas or in famous nightclubs.

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The landscapes of Saint-Tropez will seem "familiar" to all moviegoers, because it was against their background that the stories of the famous characters Brigitte Bardot, Louis de Funes, Pierre Richard and many other actors unfolded. Pine groves, sandy beaches, picturesque embankments and the Old Town cannot leave you indifferent, and it is unforgivable not to capture them.

Secular people will love their vacation in Saint-Tropez: dining in expensive restaurants and shopping in fashionable boutiques, walking along the promenade and relaxing on the famous Pampelonne beach, parties on yachts and in nightclubs - everything here is really like in the movies.

Saint-Tropez is hardly suitable for families with children, there is practically no entertainment here. Curious tourists will only be interested in the Musée de l'Annonciade with an impressive collection of works by Matisse, Signac, Bonnard Picabia and other famous artists, as well as the Butterfly House with a large collection of exotic moths from around the world. But gastro-tourists have a lot of space here: there are a lot of high-level restaurants in the city, including those marked with Michelin stars.

Accommodation cost: 3 * - from € 115, 5 * - from € 273.

Toulon

On the road from Nice to Marseille, one cannot fail to notice amazing city Toulon, notable for the second largest port on the coast, as well as interesting sightseeing spots. And if you get tired of lying on the beach, it is worth stopping by.

Toulon is famous for its old center (several streets that have survived since the time of King Louis XIV), as well as picturesque squares and incredible fountains. Algiers and Lafayette will be an excellent place for walking, and a rich evening program can be found in the bustling Harbor or Porto, where life is "in full swing" day and night and where it is nice to look into some coastal bar and relax with a couple of glasses.

Lovers of architecture should see the Clock Tower and the Opera building, and in order to admire the panorama of the entire city and the coast, you need to climb Mount Faron, you can do it both on foot and on the funicular.

For a beach holiday, Toulon is not the best option, its coastal zones are somewhat inferior to neighboring resorts in terms of cleanliness and infrastructure. For a good beach holiday, it is better to go to the outskirts of the city - to the beaches of Cap Brune and Anse Mango, famous for their calm and secluded atmosphere, or to the neighboring small towns and villages.

Not far from Toulon is the small town of Hyères - a small resort famous for its old fortress, ancient churches and cathedrals, and is also considered one of the centers of water sports on the coast. There are dive schools, sailing schools, yacht centers and many other interesting places for outdoor enthusiasts.

Accommodation cost: 3 * - from € 70, 5 * - from € 458.

Marseilles

Our route ends with Marseille - perhaps the largest and noisiest city on the French Riviera. It is a large port and industrial center of France, a cosmopolitan, colorful city, with an abundance of attractions, many museums, cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, but at the same time with good beaches and an excellent coastline. Just an ideal place for everyone who wants to combine beach and active holidays.

Perhaps the three main symbols are the unique Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde, the Cathedral of Marseille and the Old Port. They are the first thing to see on arrival in the city. And then you should go to the Longchamp Palace, which is not only a masterpiece of architecture, but also a museum of natural history and fine arts. He also has an observatory, a zoological garden, and a park with fountains.

The beaches of Marseille are very diverse, and everyone can find a place that is comfortable for themselves. Some of the most popular beaches are Prado, Borely and Bonvin. They are clean, well-groomed, with a safe coastline, with a gentle entrance to the water, and therefore are suitable for families with children. And Uvon Beach will delight surfers with high waves and strong winds.

If, after the bustling Marseille, you want peace and quiet, the picturesque town of Martigues, enchanting with its Old Center, port and promenade, would be an ideal place. The city cannot boast of an abundance of tourists, but this is only its plus, since no one disturb the peace of the tourists by the sea, in the gardens or along the shores of Lake Etan de Berr.

Accommodation cost: 3 * - from € 53, 5 * - from € 350.

The French also rest in Cannes and Nice and in other popular resorts of the Cote d'Azur, just pay less attention to the articles where they write about the fabulous prices for accommodation, meals and everything else. Such prices can only be during world famous film festivals, and the rest of the time you can find many options for how to save money.

First of all, pay attention to the flight. Tickets need to be bought in advance and pay attention to low-cost airlines, with which it will be much cheaper to get to the desired destination. The ideal time for planning a vacation: at least 3-4 months, and even better six months. In France, in general, there are a huge number of different fares, but if you buy a ticket 2-3 months before the flight, then the savings can reach three to four times.

Don't assume that house prices are so high that your monthly salary is enough for just a few days of living. This is not true. And you shouldn't even look for hostels on the Cote d'Azur. I have nothing against hostels, but unlike hostels in other countries, French ones do not differ in neatness and cleanliness, and you will feel, to put it mildly, uncomfortable there. Do not be afraid to look for options in hotels, as many of them regularly hold various promotions, during which the cost of living is reduced by two or three times. And even without discounts, in the same Nice you can find an option with accommodation in the range of 80-100 euros per day. And this is a hotel that is located as close as possible to the sea, and if you look far from the coast, you can find options in the range of 30-50 euros per room per day. And the best option is to go on vacation with friends or relatives. Then it is profitable to rent an apartment with all the amenities. There are many offers for villas, but this is a more expensive option. Each apartment is equipped with a full kitchen with everything you need, and this, in turn, will significantly save on food.

Just like in any other country (not necessarily a resort one), the cheapest way to eat is to buy food in a supermarket or market. Moreover, in the supermarket you can not only vegetables, fruits, sausages, etc., but also ready-made meals, which will be ten times cheaper than a cafe. The most economical tourists always and everywhere take a boiler with them and even at the hotel in the hotel they can prepare a hot dish for themselves. If you don't want to bother buying groceries and preparing food, then it is most profitable to eat in Arab cafes that can be found everywhere in France. Lunch for one person will cost around 5-10 euros, which is not such a large amount even by Russian standards. And the most important thing is that they cook deliciously there and keep it clean. You can also go to a restaurant, just not the one that is located in the center of the tourist area, but somewhere on the outskirts. When you go to a restaurant, the most important thing is to pay attention to the fact that there are many locals, then the prices there are reasonable. Dinner in such a restaurant will cost from 15 euros per person.

Wealthy tourists travel by their own luxury cars or, in extreme cases, by taxi. But do not forget that everywhere there is public transport, which is represented by trains and buses. Depending on where you need to go, you can choose the most suitable mode of transport. Prices are low, one might even say minimal.

There is such a statement that all beaches on the Cote d'Azur are paid, but it only partially corresponds to reality. In France, there are laws according to which you cannot take money for rest on sand or pebbles. Therefore, cunning entrepreneurs are trying to make money by renting umbrellas and sun loungers, and this is not much, not a little, but somewhere around 20 euros per day, or about 12-14 euros for half a day. Yes, you can go to such a beach with your trestle bed and settle down between the sun loungers, but it will look, at least, strange. But not many people know that even the most luxurious beaches have a small free area, to which any vacationer can come and arrange a vacation there. Also, on the Cote d'Azur, there are municipal beaches everywhere that do not have any service, but you do not have to pay money to enter. One of the best such beaches is located in the vicinity of Nice and is called Plage des Marinieres.

What kind of rest can be without entertainment. In this regard, students and young people under 25 will greatly benefit, for them there are always some discounts, and sometimes they can reach 50 percent. Basically, we are talking about entering clubs, museums and discos. In order not to overpay and not fall for the bait of unscrupulous tour operators, immediately after arrival, go to the city tourist office, where you will be provided with complete and specific information about holidays, attractions, entertainment and free Wi-Fi zones.

That is why you should not give up a trip to Nice or Cannes, you can have an inexpensive vacation there, you just need to know when to go and plan your vacation in advance.

Cannes is the city of the famous film festival, magnificent sandy beaches, wealthy tourists, luxury hotels and fantastic views of the bay from the Suquet hill.

There are thirteen free beaches in the city, but for the entrance to the best beaches (Ondin, Festival) with a high level of service, you will have to pay from 20 to 30 euros. However, the quality of water and sand on paid and free patches of the coastline practically does not differ, and if you are not too concerned about the service, then why pay more?

Also in Cannes there are two "half-paid" beaches, located under municipal government... These are Zamenhof and Mase. The entrance to them is free, but you will have to pay 2-6 euros for sun loungers, sun loungers, umbrellas.

Saint Tropez

Saint-Tropez is well known to our compatriots since the "restricted to travel" times in the film And God Created a Woman with the star blonde Brigitte Bardot and films about the gendarme starring the famous French actor Louis de Funes. The picturesque Provencal resort town is famous for its pine forests, luxurious villas of celebrities, sandy beaches (in particular the legendary beach de Pampelonne), stylish restaurants and clubs.

Other resorts of the French Riviera

Antibes, Menton, Juan-les-Pins, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Often, the independent dwarf state of Monaco is also ranked among the Cote d "Azur resorts.

Resorts are expensive and cheap

Cote d'Azur - the most expensive resort area in France. The most expensive travels are considered to be Nice and Cannes (especially during the famous film festival). But despite the well-established stereotypes, you can find more or less budget hotels and entertainment in almost every corner of the French Riviera.

How long is the beach season on Cote d "Azur

The high season on the Côte d'Azur lasts from mid-May to late October, but not all tourists go to the southern coast of France to swim - in May the water is still cool, and at sunset of autumn it is already cool. For many visitors to the country, beach holidays are less important than restaurants, nightclubs, discos, casinos and other entertainment, which are usually not cheap.

Air services: charter and regular flights

The main airport Cote d "Azur - Nice - Côte d'Azur. From here every 20 minutes a helicopter flies to Monaco and it is easy to get by air to Marseille. A significant part of the" summer "tourists get to the Mediterranean coast through Paris, from where they go 3-4 times a day TGV trains, reaching the main resorts of the Cote d'Azur in 5-6 hours.

Aeroflot planes fly from Moscow to Nice 8 times a week, and 4 times a week fly from Moscow (Sheremetyevo) to Marseille Air France... Travel time is 3.5-4 hours.

From June to October, many charter aircraft fly to Nice (in particular, VIM-Avia from Moscow, all year round, and S7 from St. Petersburg), much less charter flights are received by Marseille airport. Some vacationers fly by charters to Genoa, Italy, from where the eastern part of the French Riviera is just a stone's throw away.

The most famous region of France is the Cote d'Azur. Amazing nature, ideal climate, luxurious hotels, excellent cuisine, and, of course, the warm sea helped to make the Cote d'Azur a favorite vacation spot among famous and wealthy people.
Cote d'Azur. Nice

French Riviera, get to the French Riviera

Cote d'Azur is the southeastern part of the French coast, which stretches from the city of Toulon to the very border with Italy. The Cote d'Azur is part of the French - Italian Riviera, so you can often find the second name French Riviera. The Principality of Monaco is also located on the Cote d'Azur. Getting to the Cote d'Azur will not be difficult. Trains run from to major resorts several times a day. Also on the coast is the international airport in Nice.

Cote d'Azur. Antibes

A bit of history

Traces of the first settlers in the area were found in the Terra Amata cave, near Nice. Fragments of bones and tools were found here, which were dated to 400 thousand years BC. This is the oldest evidence of human habitation in Western Europe. The Côte d'Azur gained its popularity as a vacation spot in 1834, when an English lord stayed in Cannes. He liked this place so much that soon all representatives of the aristocracy began to rest here. The Cote d'Azur got its name from the now little-known poet and writer Stéphane Liéjard, who in 1870 published a novel called Cote d'Azur. This name came to his mind when he saw the beauty of the bay of the city of Hyères.
Cote d'Azur. Menton

Cote d'Azur coast

The Cote d'Azur is the coastline from the Italian border to the city of Toulon. Many nevertheless argue where the French Riviera ends and the most western cities, except for Toulon, are called Cassis or Hyères. The length of the Cote d'Azur is more than 300 kilometers of coastline, which is indented by bays. Along the coast there are mountains reaching up to 3143 meters above sea level, in the east and north are the Alps, in the west is Saint-Baume, the central part is Mavrov and Esterel. It is this arrangement of the mountains that created the favorable climate of this area - warm winters and hot summers. French Riviera gets 300 sunny days a year.

Cote d'Azur. Monaco

Cote d'Azur resorts

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Highlights

From the very beginning, the French Riviera was treated kindly by the attention of the European beau monde, which for life secured it the title of the most pretentious and expensive vacation spot in the entire Mediterranean. Cult filmmakers, media personalities of all levels of fame, carefree billionaires - this is the main audience that has flooded the glamorous beaches of Nice, Cannes and Saint-Tropez. However, the average tourist on the Cote d'Azur also does not refuse, tempting him with a pleasant Mediterranean climate, a fun get-together and Provencal cuisine.

People come here to take spicy photos of celebrities hiding behind dark lenses of glasses, empty bank accounts and taste southern wines. Sometimes the listed pleasures are diluted with a traditional cultural program and the development of the snow-covered slopes of the Maritime Alps. But most often a vacation on the Cote d'Azur takes place in the style of a protracted marathon, whose participants randomly move between beaches, casinos and nightclubs, looking into a hotel room only to take a nap for a couple of hours and gain strength for the further race for entertainment.

History of the French Riviera

Even in prehistoric times, the southeast coast modern France was not empty. The first to develop these lands were the Cro-Magnons, who were replaced by the tribes of Ligurs, Phocians and Celts. However, in 123 BC. e. the barbarians had to make room for themselves, since the territory of the Mediterranean was crushed by the Roman Empire. In general, Roman patronage had a beneficial effect on the development of the southern region of the future French state. It was during this period that Cannes was founded here, and the first road network was designed, which is still in use today.

The French Riviera owes its miraculous transformation into a major resort to the English Lord Henry Brohem, who in 1834 accidentally stopped in Cannes and was pleasantly struck by the extraordinary mildness of the local climate. By the way, until the middle of the 19th century, only British subjects rested on the Cote d'Azur, choosing Hyères as their residence. Well, since pretty soon the town ceased to accommodate the elite, hungry for idle entertainment, such previously inconspicuous places as Nice and Menton took up the baton. But the main tourist flow rushed to the Cote d'Azur after the region acquired its own railway, connecting Nice with Paris. As a result, by the end of the 19th century, the resort experienced a real invasion of the Russian elite, including representatives of the Romanov dynasty.

Best time to travel

Cote d'Azur is a region that always has sunny days and warm weather for vacationers. The most fashionable resort in Europe is famous for its mild Mediterranean climate, with long hot summers and short warm winters. As for swimming, the period from May to September is considered the optimal time for this, although the main influx of holidaymakers is observed at the height of the velvet season, which begins here in July and ends in August.

Summer on the Cote d'Azur is sultry, but not sizzling, with an average mark of + 26 ° C. In July, local thermometers often freeze at +35 ° C, but due to low air humidity, such temperatures are surprisingly easily tolerated. With the beginning of autumn, the flea market on the Mediterranean coast is gradually thinning, so until September only tourists stay here who do not like the heat, but plan to splash a little in the already cooling sea.

By the end of October, the local beaches are completely calm, and strong, but short-term showers begin to visit the resort. In total, there are at least 300 sunny days for the entire year here, of which a decent part falls in the winter months. Snow in this part of the country is an exceptional phenomenon, and the air temperature, even in January, rarely drops below + 10 ° C. True, the local winter has its own "wormhole": from December to February, the resort is under the influence of the mistral - a penetrating north windwith destructive power.

Main resort destinations

If we measure the size of the resort in administrative units, then we can say that the French Riviera settled on the territory of the cultural and historical region of Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur. More precisely, on the lands of such departments as the Alpes-Maritimes, Var and partly Bouches-du-Rhône.

The status of the most tourist-oriented part of the resort remains with the Alpes-Maritimes, which include Nice and Cannes - glamorous classics of southern France. In addition, Monaco with its pretentious casinos and Formula 1 races is just a stone's throw from here. Less gloss and more silence in mountain villages and communes like Sospel, Gourdon, Tenda and Saorge, which were once preferred by French bohemians. At various times, Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse and Raoul Dufy climbed the rocky slopes of the Maritime Alps in search of a suitable nature. And the great rebel Modigliani, always traveling penniless, even introduced a new currency here - his own sketches, which he used to pay with the owners of local hotels.

Var is already a typical Provence with its lavender fields, vineyards and excellent cuisine. To feel the atmosphere of this department, it is enough to settle in any of the local villages. For example, in Le Lavandou, where, according to reviews, the most picturesque beaches. Or Bormes-les-Mimosas, with its toy houses and an abundance of mimosa trees. Travelers who are indifferent to regularity and pastoral landscapes should better go to Toulon or Saint-Tropez, which is completely buried in European celebrities.

In Bouches-du-Rhône, Marseille, the largest port in the Mediterranean, a city with a windy character, endless change of moods and an extensive museum heritage, pulls the blanket over itself. Holiday-makers who yearn for a quiet and peaceful rest have their favorites here too. Most often these are cozy communes like Sainte-Marie-de-la-Mer with beaches undisturbed by civilization and a slow pace of life. You can hide from the tiresome bustle of Marseilles in the calanques of Cassis.

Attractions and interesting places of the resort

The sights of the French Riviera are a topic for serious exploration, which is unlikely to be able to fit into one vacation. However, this is the main idea of \u200b\u200bthe resort: to turn your head and make you come back again.

The classic must-see of the Côte d'Azur is the Monte Carlo casino, the Palais des Festivals (Cannes), the Croisette and the Promenade des Anglais, as well as the Negresco hotel. There are enough visitors at the Gran Jas cemetery in Cannes. Among the memorial steles of the necropolis, one can find the graves of Prosper Mérimée, the Faberge jeweler, as well as the tombs of our noble compatriots, who, even after death, could not part with their beloved resort. In Monte Carlo, the Japanese Garden stands out. The landscape park consists entirely of green spaces taken out from the Land of the Rising Sun, which is already a sufficient reason to visit it.

You can get a portion of aesthetic pleasure while walking peacefully through the historic center of Nice, where every building is either an example of classicism or a pure Renaissance. The modern face of the city is also capable of surprising, which is confirmed by the building of the library of Louis Nycera, repeating the contours of a human head half hidden under a giant cube. Well, it is most convenient to admire the panorama of the resort itself from the height of the Roman Hill (at the same time, you can take a couple of selfies against the background of ancient ruins).

The region's cultural past is worth looking for in Nice's museums. For example, Rodin's "Bronze Age" and the exquisite pastorals of Fragonard became part of the Museum of Fine Arts. Marc Chagall also inherited in the funniest city of the resort. The leader of the world avant-garde has a separate museum here. Henri Matisse was also not deprived of attention: the entire mansion, in which the artist once lived, has now been turned into his own gallery, where little-known masterpieces of the master are exhibited, including collages "drawn with scissors".

But European bohemia is not the only one alive. If you take a ride to other places of the Cote d'Azur, it turns out that quiet villages and small communes were in no less demand among the ministers of art. For example, Cezanne, Braque and Chagall preferred Saint-Paul-de-Vence, which eventually evolved into the main art gallery of the region. By the way, Chagall's grave is also located here. In Le Cannet, Renoir, Bonnard and Lebasque were "pulled back", while the author of the scandalous "Scream" Edvard Munch had more respect for Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. You can see the works of Picasso and Modigliani in the Grimaldi castle (Antibes), where the "father of Cubism" lived for more than six months. But Claude Monet could not decide on his favorite resort, so in different seasons the painter was brought to Bordinières, then to Villefranche, then to Juan-les-Pins, and this, not counting Cannes and Saint-Tropez.

If you are tired of excursions to mainstream destinations, you can look for quieter routes. For example, visit the main perfumery "factories" of the country - the communes of Eze and Gourdon. The latter is famous not only for its lavender fields, but also for a real medieval castle, as well as a meeting place for Hollywood star Grace Kelly and the Prince of Monaco. Relatively calm in Vallauris - cozy city, almost merged with neighboring Antibes, whose main specialization is the production of ceramics. You can breathe fresh air saturated with the scent of eucalyptus on the Lérins Islands (Cannes region). It is recommended to look here for everyone who is interested in ancient monasteries and sea fortresses. For example, on the island of Saint-Honoré, the monastic abode deserves special attention, and on the island of Saint Margaret - an abandoned fort, in which, during the time of Louis XIV, a mysterious prisoner, nicknamed the Iron Mask, was hidden.

Try to destroy the myth that a vacation on the Riviera is a compulsory reclining on the beach, spending money in a casino and swimming in the sea a hundred times a day and take a ride deep into the Maritime Alps. In particular, lovers of medieval architecture will have something to look at in Sospel. In Mougins, first of all, the old part of the city is interesting, as well as numerous gourmet restaurants. At various times, Christian Dior, Pablo Picasso and Francis Picabia have appeared on the list of the most honored guests of this place.

Transport

Most of the resort towns are connected by rail, so that by train you can get to almost any part of the Côte d'Azur. There are three types of rail transport between settlements: TGV (electric train that runs between the resort area and other cities in France), Corrail (high-speed train) and TER (trains that operate only in high season). Tickets for them can be bought at railway ticket offices or vending machines. If you have chosen a city that the trains have not yet reached, then in 99 cases out of 100 some OUIBUS bus route goes there. For your information: all buses are the property of the railway company, so you can order a ticket on the official SNCF website: http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers. The most expensive and at the same time comfortable option is to call a taxi. On average, for a short trip between the two settlements of the French Riviera, you have to shell out about 100 EUR.

Public transport of the Côte d'Azur is represented by buses (the most common type), trams (quite rare) and the metro (only in Marseille). As for pedestrians, they are quite comfortable at the resort, since the architectural sights of each city of the Riviera are located within its own historic center... Accordingly, they are easy to get around on foot, saving on the purchase of a travel card.

Local rental offices will provide adherents of an active lifestyle with a bicycle, since there are plenty of bike paths in the region, not to mention the rental centers themselves. In Nice alone, the number of bike stations is approaching two hundred. If you plan to go out of line settlement, it is wiser to rent a "mountain", which will allow you to overcome the steep paths and unchanging dirt road, typical for the "grape" part of the region.

The resort's water transport is not only geared towards premium card holders, so if you can't afford a major yacht, take a look at the local ferries. For example, from Nice you can use them to sail to neighboring Corsica or Sardinia, taking your personal vehicles with you. On average, the journey by ferry to the same Corsica takes from 6 to 8 hours.In Saint-Tropez, Nice, Cannes, Monaco and Saint-Raphael, you can take a ride on a sea taxi, of which there are two varieties: an elite one - for moneybags and a public one - for the average health resort traveler.

Car rent

If you do not want to limit yourself to one resort and are inevitably drawn to explore all the southern departments, it is wiser to rent a car. This can be done at the airport or in any city on the coast. In the same Cannes, Nice or Marseille, there are several large offices that are ready to conclude a rental agreement with a tourist. There are also such in small communes. Driver requirements are standard: age from 21 years old, driving experience of at least a year, international driving license and credit card (necessarily issued by a European bank).

Going on a trip to the Cote d'Azur at the height of the season, you should remember that loneliness on local roads does not threaten you, but the intense traffic flow and many kilometers of traffic jams - yes. The parking situation is typical for a fashionable resort: all of them are paid and are almost always overcrowded. We'll have to hurry up a little with fuel: refueling in the villages is rare. Most of the high-speed roads in the region are toll roads. You can identify such a track by the letter "A" on the index. Usually, at the entrance to the toll road, an electronic board is installed indicating the fare. Payment is made through a machine that issues a coupon for the onward journey. By the way, the ticket itself must be kept until the exit from the motorway.

Food

Provencal cuisine reigns on the Cote d'Azur, interspersed with Italian culinary masterpieces. The influence of the Apennine traditions is especially pronounced in Nice, which until the middle 19th century was part of Italy. So ravioli, pasta and corn polenta are regulars on local tables. Of the abundance of fish in this part of the Mediterranean, sardines and anchovies are preferred. The latter, by the way, are an indispensable component in nicoise salad - Nice's culinary business card. The famous Marseilles invention of bouillabaisse (fish soup with seafood) can be tasted today in any restaurant on the coast. Charcoal-baked fish is also easy to find: usually in local taverns, customers are treated to porpoise, ruff and red mullet, which can be diversified with freshly caught squid, octopus, mussels and unchanging oysters.

From meat delicacies, gourmets especially distinguish Sisteron lamb, Arles sausages and liver pies with spinach in a fat shell. All this yummy is generously flavored with herbs and served with an indispensable bottle of olive oil. And, of course, what is Provence without vegetables and fruits: ratatouille, mesclane, pisto sauce - at the heart of each of these dishes are only the gifts of the French land. It also grows the world's best lemons and melons of the "Cavaillon" variety, which the Provencal people love to eat with smoked ham. The pastries and sweets in the south are also peculiar. To understand this, it is enough to try a landmine cake stuffed with anchovies, olives and lard, a local hybrid of candied fruit and almond cake - calisson or a biscuit with custard - patisier.

There are plenty of restaurants on the Cote d'Azur where you can have a good lunch. For the elite on the coast, gourmet restaurants are open: Le Chantecler (Nice), Mantel (Cannes), Le Louis XV (Monte Carlo) and others. Budget gourmets should wander through the village taverns, or turn their attention to all kinds of bistros and brasserie cafes, where the food is almost as tasty as in a restaurant, and the bill is several times less.

7 things to do on the French Riviera

• Rent a boat in the harbor of Marseille and sail on an excursion to the Château d'If, where the most mysterious prisoner of France, the Iron Mask, was once held, and from where the Count of Monte Cristo so masterly escaped.
• Discover Russian Nice by visiting the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the Cocade cemetery.
• Taste local culinary business cards - baked artichokes, fried zucchini flowers and sea urchin fillets.
• Find the hotel "Oasis" (Nice), where Chekhov wrote his "Lady with the Dog".
• Wander through the corridors of the Golden Dove Hotel in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, which has promoted itself with a collection of paintings by Modigliani, Picasso, Chagall and Soutine, as well as star guests including Brigitte Bardot, Yves Montand and Sophia Loren.
• Walk around half of the clubs and eateries in Juan-les-Pins, the jazz capital of the coast, to listen to local and visiting jazz bands.
• Take a selfie in front of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, then post it on social networks with the hashtag #nothing_special.

Entertainment

The Cote d'Azur knows how not only to attract attention, but also to keep it for a long time. In any case, local casinos are very reluctant to part with their guests. There are gambling houses on the French Riviera in almost every city, so gambling vacationers will always find where to put their money on the line. If slot machines and roulette are not enough and you want more ambiance, visit the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco. This is a real gaming empire in which the European elite has been wasting money for more than a century and a half.

For those who crave simple family fun, we recommend an excursion to the Marineland Zoo (Antibes), where there is a marine circus. The pride of the establishment is a 30-meter walking tunnel with tiger sharks. The Aquasplash water park is located next to Antibes. This, of course, is not the only object of this kind on the coast, but one of the most interesting in terms of the variety of water attractions and thematic zones.

After you have plenty of water in the Aquasplash pools, move on to the heavy artillery and take a look at Antibes Park. This is the place where anyone can pump their vestibular apparatus on a booster or arrange a test drive for the nervous system in a falling elevator. If a drastic change of scenery is required, head to the Reserve des Monts d'Azur, where bison, Przewalski's horses, deer, and dozens of other mammals live. By the way, there is no need to chase the inhabitants of the park: the staff of the reserve regularly organize safaris for guests, so the animals have long been accustomed to people and are calm about daily photo sessions.

Beach holidays on the French Riviera

Travel guides describe the Cote d'Azur as a beachfront fairytale. Indeed, in terms of infrastructure, the local bathing places have something to be proud of: umbrellas, comfortable sun loungers, showers, changing cabins - all these attributes of civilized recreation are present even on small village beaches, not to mention Nice and Cannes. But the snow-white sand, on which advertising brochures like to focus their attention, is not present everywhere on the French Riviera. For example, in the same Nice, the coastline is dotted with large pebbles and pebbles polished by the sea.

In search of a sandy coast and azure sea, it is better to go to the area of \u200b\u200bAntibes - the city where oligarchs' yachts are most often moored. For example, the Gavett beach can be chosen not only for the absence of pebbles under your feet, but also for the gentle entrance to the sea. Salis offers poetic views of old city, and on Grania it's great to have fun on water attractions. Very soft sand in the Juan-les-Pins area, which has practically become a suburb of Antibes, as well as in Fréjus. Well, the most spectacular beach selfies are obtained in the calanques of Cassis - a kind of mini-fjords with mountain slopes overgrown with trees, in whose tiny bays ultramarine waters splash.

For your information: on the Cote d'Azur there are both public beaches and areas owned by hotels, the entrance to which is paid.

Young tourists should be taken to the beach of the village of La Ciotat: the water here is clear (the place is marked with the Blue Flag), and the shallow water area is extensive. Soft sand and relative tranquility can be found on the beaches of the town of San Maxima, of which the Elephant is especially popular. Quite good conditions for swimming are offered by the commune of La Londe-le-Maures, which is in the vicinity of Toulon: the coast is well-groomed and sandy, in addition, the village has a beach with a Blue Flag - Silver. Théoule-sur-Mer, with its deep sea, red cliffs covered with spruce and rocky-sandy slopes to the water, can offer a cardinal change of scenery.

Those who want to combine a beach holiday with a party will find the hype Saint-Tropez - a city with an overwhelming concentration of celebrities. De Pampelonne Beach is one of these places of the resort soaked through with glamor and pathos. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is also crowded, with Passable being recognized as the commune's most favored beach. For some reason, our compatriots especially adore him.

Diving

The diving season on the Cote d'Azur lasts from May to October, but the most desperate divers do not stop surfing the local bays during the winter months. Most often, they practice wreck diving at the resort, although the places of all kinds of disasters also have their fans. For example, scuba divers who come to the Riviera often hang out in the square where the Exupery plane allegedly crashed (in the Marseille region).

Note: not all Côte d'Azur diving clubs are ready to hand over equipment to beginners. In some centers, only tourists with CMAS and CEDIP certificates are trusted. So it is better for inexperienced divers to stay in Cannes, whose schools and diving clubs are focused specifically on novice explorers of the deep sea.

Cassis, Marseille and Saint-Raphael are recognized as the most popular dive sites on the coast. Nice does not lag behind these three: the favorite places of local divers are Villefranche Bay with its fantastic underwater cave and a bomber resting at the bottom, as well as Cape Nice.

As for the animal and flora, in this regard, the Mediterranean is inferior to its tropical counterparts. But for the unspoiled diver, there will always be an experience here. Giant perch groupers, snake fish, moray eels, rays, octopuses - with due diligence, it is not so difficult to catch all this company in the lens.

Holidays and events

You can break away and play pranks on the French Riviera at any time of the year: almost every month in different parts of the resort there are annual festivals and all kinds of celebrations. There are four events in January alone, including the Monte Carlo Rally and the International Circus Festival. The main event in February is the Carnival in Cannes, at the time of the passage of which the city turns into one large concert venue and is filled with tons of flower petals. In the same month, the Mimosa Festival opens its doors in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, and Menton prepares for the Lemon Festival.

In March, yachtsmen, singers and illusionists flock to the Cote d'Azur, as it is at the beginning of spring that such popular events as the Nice Boat Show, the World Music Awards, and the Golden Dove magic festival take place. In April-May, tourists will find the International Tennis Tournament, the Pumpkin Festival, the Film Festival, the rally of retro cars, as well as the good old Formula 1 races.

Summer on the south coast of France is a time of musical events, flower parades, wine-making and jazz concerts. In September, within the framework of the international exhibition "Yacht show", a "yacht defile" is held here, at which the latest shipbuilding innovations are announced. Well, somewhere in the middle of autumn, the resort plunges into an endless series of dance festivals, blues parties, car exhibitions and food fairs.

Ski resorts of the French Riviera

All ski resorts the regions are concentrated at the foot of the Alpes-Maritimes, so you can get to them from Cannes or Nice in about an hour and a half. The skiing season in these places begins in mid-December and lasts until April, so that especially active comrades manage to combine two types of recreation at once: beach and ski.

The French themselves prefer to book ski passes for Isola 2000, which is next to the Mercantour Nature Reserve, 100 km from Nice. The resort offers 46 ski slopes with a total length of about 120 km. For the opportunity to practice heli-skiing and night skiing, Izola is especially favored by extreme sports. Oron has a fairly good reputation, which is connected to Nice by an intensive bus service. In total, the resort owns 36 slopes, which are served by 18 lifts.

For your information: the average cost of a one-day ski pass in the Alpes-Maritimes for adults is about 35 EUR; for children - about 27 EUR.

Walberg is besieged mainly by supporters of family vacations. The resort has almost 50 km of slopes without major differences in elevation, ideal for beginners. Of the additional "buns" offered by the town, one can mention rails and a high-pipe. Well, and a calm atmosphere, relative seclusion and gentle slopes are better to look for at small ski resorts, for example, in Saint-Etienne-de-Tignes, La Colmian-Valdeblore or Rubyon-le-Bouis.

Shopping

The main points of attraction for all shopaholics of the coast are Cannes, Nice and Monaco, with the maximum concentration of malls and showrooms occurring in the streets of D'Antibes and Meinadier (Cannes), as well as Jean Madissin and De Verdun (Nice). Galleries and boutiques of Saint-Tropez are "sharpened" mainly for stylish snobs, while Marseilles shopping centers focus on goods from the middle market segment. In general, the price tags in the brand stores of the Cote d'Azur are too high, so it is wiser to visit them during the sales season. The most "delicious" sales start in July and the second half of January. All this action is accompanied by grandiose bustle and kilometer-long queues at the ticket offices, which, however, stops few people.

The classic working hours of the trading floors of the French Riviera are from 10:00 to 19:00. Sunday is almost universally considered a day off, although in large malls popular resorts this rule does not apply and shops are open, but according to a reduced schedule - until 13:00. Supermarkets and private shops of eastern emigrants are more hospitable in this regard, since they are open from 8:00 to 21:00.

The range of souvenirs and gastronomic delights at the resort is impressive, so it is not customary to leave the French Riviera without shopping. The top most popular hotels among our compatriots include sanctioned moldy cheeses, olive oil, lavender and cosmetics based on it, as well as Provencal wines and herbs. Of the cute little things, we can name various accessories with the image of a cicada - the official symbol of the Cote d'Azur, ceramic knick-knacks, tropezienne sandals and fragrant Marseilles soap.

Where to stay on the French Riviera

Since it was never accepted to save on the Cote d'Azur, housing prices are far from democratic. However, if you drive away from the "busy" resorts and move inland, you can count on relatively acceptable options. Those who have come to the south to have a good time in the casino and hunt with a camera for representatives of the world of show business will have to fork out.

Finding a room in resort "fives" in the high season for less than 300 EUR is an unheard of success. Four-star options have gone not far in this regard, the day of living in which starts from 160 EUR and gradually moves up to 200 EUR. The "three rubles" appetites are more modest - on average, from 100 EUR for a standard room. Those wishing to live in the bosom of Provencal nature can look for wooden bungalows with Wi-Fi, stuffed with household appliances and scattered in the most visually attractive areas of the Cote d'Azur. For adherents of economical rest, the only type of available accommodation is hostels, which estimate a bed in a common room at 30-40 EUR.

How to get there

The best way to go to conquer the beaches and ski resorts of the Côte d'Azur is by plane. The largest international airports in the region are located in Nice and Marseille (Cannes airport, which accepts exclusively private flights, does not count). Optimal options for direct routes: Moscow - Nice and St. Petersburg - Nice. But to Marseille you will have to fly in a roundabout way with transfers in Amsterdam or Paris.

You can get from the airport to the city by bus, train or taxi. In the case of Nice, these are buses No. 98, 99, as well as routes No. 23, 52, 59, 99, whose stop is located near the airport. At the Marseille airport, travelers are greeted by a free shuttle that delivers its passengers directly to the Vitrolles train station, from where trains are already leaving in the direction of the city Saint-Charles train station.

Lovers of travel in railroad it is worth looking at the Belorussky railway station in Moscow, from which a direct train leaves twice a week to Nice. Usually the journey takes about 2 days, the ticket price is from 315 EUR. There is also a combined version, when a tourist arrives in Paris and from the French capital travels to the south of the country by train. On average, such a trip lasts from 3.5 (Marseille) to 5 (Nice) hours and costs 35-40 EUR.