|
The Côte d'Azur boasts an amazing mix of character-filled towns, hilltop villages, sunny Mediterranean shores, deep valleys, flowering fields, olive groves and high Alpine peaks. In 1888 Stéphen Liegeard made up the name “Côte d’Azur", which means “Azure Coast” and it became the place where the world’s elite had to meet and greet year round. An art of living that will forever be a part of the Côte d’Azur’s heritage still attests to the glittering Gilded Age.
The essential towns
Nice, capital of the Côte d’Azur and a town of art, history, architecture and creativity, stretches out between the sea and mountains. Nice has many natural and cultural assets, including an opera, national theatre, more museums than any other French city outside Paris, two convention centres, several concert halls and the world famous Promenade des Anglais. It also takes pride in a strong local identity, the outcome of a turbulent history and institutions that long remained independent.
Things to see:
- the musée Chagall (“Chagall Museum”), musée Matisse (“Matisse Museum”), MAMAC (Musée d’Art moderne et d’Art contemporain, “Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art”), musée des Beaux Arts (“Museum of Fine Arts”), musée des Arts Asiatiques (“Museum of Asian Arts”), musée des Arts Naïfs (“Museum of Naïve Arts”), etc.
- Old Nice: the flower market and Baroque heritage
- the Promenade des Anglais with magnificent views of the sea and mountains
- the colline du Château (“Castle Hill”)
- the Roman arènes de Cimiez (“Cimiez Arena”)
- the “Belle Epoque” itinerary
- Saint Nicolas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, considered the most beautiful in Western Europe
- the Palais de la Méditerranée (“Mediterranean Palace”), which houses a luxury hotel and a casino
- the Nice Opera House designed by Charles Garnier
- luxury hotels: Hotel Négresco (a listed historic monument), Hotel West-End (the oldest luxury hotel on the Promenade), Hotel Westminster, Hotel Royal, Hotel Le Méridien and its casino, “Le Ruhl”, etc.
Grasse, the world perfume capital, capital of eastern Provence and town of art and history. The name’s origins probably stem from Podium Grassum, which means “big hill” in Latin: the heart of the city has stood on a rise since the beginning. With time the Latin name became simpler, eventually turning into Grasse (Grassa in Provençal Occitan).
Things to see:
- the Romanesque cathedral, originally Our Lady of Puy or Santa Maria de Podio Church
- City Hall and Place du Petit-Puy
- the square, 30m tour Sarrasine (“Saracen Tower”)
- perfume-makers: Fragonard, Gallimard and Molinard offer free guided tours and let visitors create their perfume or eau de toilette by participating in every production stage from picking the flowers to bottling the product
- the Musée International de la Parfumerie (“International Perfume Museum”) focuses on 4,000 years of perfume-making
- the Musée Fragonard (“Fragonard Museum”), devoted to the painter
- the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence (“Museum of Art and History of Provence”), in the house of the Marquise de Cabris, presents the history of Grasse and the region
Cannes, city of luxury hotels, luxury shops and prestigious addresses, world famous for the film festival that takes place every year in mid-May, when international stars come to town. The legendary festival palace and lavish luxury hotels on the Croisette add to the city’s glamour. The seafront and its celebrated Promenade de la Croisette are important assets, but so are the Lérins Islands off the coast.
Things to see:
- the Castre castle and tower housing the Musée de la Castre (“Castre Museum”)
- église Notre-Dame de l'Espérance (“Our Lady of Hope Church”) and chapelle Sainte-Anne (“Saint Ann’s Chapel”)
- luxury hotels such as the Hôtel Carlton Intercontinental, Hôtel Martinez, Hôtel Majestic and Palais Stephanie (formerly the Noga Hilton)
Antibes has given its ancient name, Antipolis, to an important business area, Sophia Antipolis. But Antibes is also a historic place. The old town has an especially rich architectural and cultural heritage where past and present stand side by side.
Things to see:
- Cap d'Antibes
- the musée Picasso (“Picasso Museum”) in the Grimaldi château, musée d'Archéologie (“Archaeology Museum”), musée Napoléonien (“Napoleonic Museum”), musée de la Tour (“Tower Museum”) and musée Peynet (“Peynet Museum”)
- the square fort and Vauban ramparts, listed historic monuments in old Antibes
- port Vauban, one of Europe’s biggest marinas
- Salé Castle, where Bonaparte stayed
- Église Notre-Dame de la Garoupe (“Our Lady of La Garoupe Church”, the parish church): chapelle Saint-Esprit (“Holy Spirit Chapel”) and Tour Grimaldi (“Grimaldi Tower”), Chapelle Saint-Jean (“Saint John’s Chapel”) and Chapelle Saint-Bernardin (“Saint Bernardin’s Chapel”), all listed historic monuments
- the Roman fountain and column were listed as historic monuments by the decree of 31 March 1928.
- remains of the Clausonnes aqueduct (historic monument)
Antibes, Grasse, Nice, Vence, Menton and other towns have left their stamp on the history of the County of Nice and Provence, but the region has many more sites to explore as well.
Other essential sites
Frescoes and murals, which artists who are often still anonymous painted between the 12th and 14th centuries, can be found at several Côte d’Azur sites. Altarpiece art, represented in particular by the Bréas, is an integral part of Nice’s religious heritage. Places to see include the Vallée des Merveilles (“Valley of Wonders”), an exceptionally beautiful site nearly 2,800m above sea level with over 30,000 cave engravings.
Le Trophée d’Auguste à la Turbie (“Trophy of Augustus in La Turbie”), overlooking the coast and Monaco, celebrates the pax romana and Augustus’ victory over the rebels (6 BC).
La villa Grecque Kérylos (“Kerylos Greek Villa”), located between Nice and Monaco, is the world’s only reconstruction of a lavish, fully furnished and decorated ancient Greek palace
La Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rotschild (“Ephrussi de Rothschild Villa & Gardens”), between Nice and Monaco, is a magnificent palace surrounded by famous gardens overlooking the Mediterranean that Baroness Rothschild designed during the Gilded Age.
The remarkably rich Baroque heritage is another one of the Côte d'Azur’s and County of Nice’s major tourist point of interest. Explore over 80 monuments, churches, chapels, monasteries (Monastère de Saorge), palaces and citadels on the "route du Baroque Nisso-Ligure" (“Nice-Liguria Baroque Road”).
Monaco, a 2km² principality inside France on the shores of the Mediterranean near Nice, has been independent since 1297 and is the world’s second-smallest State after the Vatican. It hosts many international events (Formula 1 Grand Prix, Monte Carlo Tournament, Monte Carlo Masters, Monte Carlo Rally) and year-round attractions, such as the Monte Carlo Casino, Musée océanographique (“Oceanographic Museum”) and Palais princier (“Prince’s Palace”). The many luxury hotels in this fiscal paradise make it one of the coast’s most exclusive destinations.
Festivals and events that must not be missed
Menton Music Festival, 31 July to 20 August
Festival international d’art sacré d’Antibes (“Antibes International Sacred Art Festival”), 13 January to 9 February
Cannes Film Festival in mid-May
|