Côte d'Azur (South of France) Edition, May 2023

Timeless traveler revisits Cannes, Saint Paul de Vence, Nice, Antibes, and "environs".

Cannes re-engages its glorious past, Saint Paul de Vence still one of the most charming places on the Cote d’Azur, Antibes, Mougins, Vence and Nice worth a side trip

Why the Côte d’Azur?

Since the 1970s I have been captivated by the Mediterranean colours and lifestyle and amazing natural beauty and light of the South of France. Since then I have visited “the Cote” numerous times including a trip this past May 2023 for 1 week to Cannes and Saint Paul de Vence as our base. From here we were also able to explore some of our other memorable haunts to see if they are still as magical as ever. Renting a car is well advised – it can be a challenge but after you learn a few key rules of the road you’re good to go. Below is a personal summary of our travel experiences which offered some “timeless” experiences that you might want to visit at least once.

So, here are some of our favourite things to do on the Cote d’Azur. I have tried all of the places I am recommending below and would actually be prepared to visit again and again!

By way of introduction to our personal biases in making recommendations, we generally love interesting historical and contemporary architecture and design, beautiful topography and vistas, ocean/sea and river views, great food and dining experiences – especially with great views and places where the locals are welcoming and easy to communicate with. We are just as happy with simple local inexpensive places as well as those higher end foodie places, as long as the food is great and the staff welcoming.

I have not received any incentives to recommend any of the places I am recommending.

Carlton Hotel, Cannes- where you can feel like a movie star… even if you’re not!

We started in Cannes and spent 2 nights at the Carlton Hotel only one month after the hotel reopened after being closed for a full 2 years for a complete renovation. Apparently the owners spent 350 million euros to restore and revive this grand dame in the heart of the famous La Croisette (the boardwalk along the sea) and you can really see the results of this investment.

The owners hired interior architect Tristan Auer to handle each and every detail and seem to have given him “carte blanche”. The attached pictures don’t do the transformation and restoration justice. Mr. Auer managed to create a stunning - almost contemporary effect - while preserving, restoring and even uncovering long lost original features – including the stunning marble columns in the main entry which had been covered with up coats of white paint and the beautiful ceiling frescoes covered up with drop ceilings. The lobby is spacious with many areas to enjoy with or without food and drink.

There is a beautiful Café / Restaurant called Riviera (what else?) that offers an amazing breakfast buffet and transforms to a high-end sophisticated restaurant at night. The breakfast offered everything you would expect from a fine French bakery and restaurant including the option of ordering custom eggs benedict. Of course there were freshly baked breads and pastries with amazing local spreads like jams made from Rose petals (actually delicious), luxurious French yogurts and unexpected delights like Caramel speculoos compote and so much more.

Dinner was also remarkable. The café at night is equally stunning and the staff so incredibly polished and professional it was surprising that they also took the time to interact and be responsive to our needs and be pleasant to interact with. We chose to share the grilled sea bass which was fresh from the Mediterranean –we also learned that Sea Bass is called “Loup” when caught in the Med but “Barre” when caught in the ocean even though it’s the same fish! At our table the waiter professionally prepared the whole grilled fish which allowed us to see how all the bones were removed and then when served with a “beurre blanc” sauce was absolutely delicious!

We also enjoyed the famous Carlton Hotel Beach Club bar and restaurant located right across the street from the hotel on the hotel’s private beach. Here we enjoyed a sunset drink and also lunch and also a casual dinner the next day- we couldn’t get enough – as you enter the private beach club you feel the world disappear and you are faced with a stunning view of the beach and Med but what is even nicer again is the welcome from the Beach Club staff. We were served by the head bartender and “cocktail drink creator” Quentin who personally mixed some of the most delicious cocktails we ever had including a personal creation made with fresh ginger, lemon gin, fresh rosemary picked from their own garden. Our Salad Niçoise was delicious (it is the traditional dish) as was the Club Sandwich and freshly cut fries. I don’t know why these European style luxury hotels do such a great job with Club Sandwiches but they do!

The rooms were given a thoroughly contemporary look and feel with beautiful furniture right out of a design magazine with all the comforts you would expect with a luxurious bed and sumptuous linens, and of course, a wonderful bathroom.

While the hotel had only been open for a month the whole team was clearly happy and passionate to be part of something so special. We were told that over 200 staff had been kept on at full compensation during the two-year renovation. Not only did we take away design and food ideas to take back home I also learned about how a corporate vision can be understood and followed while maintaining the ability for each employee to put on their personal stamp with their own clear passion!

If you like watching design shows like Million Dollar Listing LA, or reading Architectural Digest you will be able to live this same kind of experience without having to live through the whole renovation yourself. Add to that being treated like a movie star – even though you may not be – and you’ll start to understand the Carlton Cannes Experience!

It’s really fun to walk along la Croisette day or night and walk by the million dollar private yachts and then go up into the old town with winding streets and stunning views of Cannes and the Mediterranean.

Saint Paul de Vence

Saint Paul de Vence is fortified medieval town, located on a high hill inland between Nice and Antibes. In the early part of the 20th century Saint Paul attracted artists such as Picasso, Calder, Georges Braque, Tinguely, Matisse and Marc Chagall who lived in Saint Paul. Is it possible that a town so famous for artists and tourists could maintain its charm and still be great to spend a few days in? The answer is a resounding yes! Narrow winding pedestrian stone paths lead you to panoramic views over the entire region and to a town full of old monuments, beautiful shops, art galleries and some wonderful restaurants and hotels and even Air BnBs. What surprised us this time was the ubiquitous presence of French visitors as the primary tourists, which helped make the experience feel authentic.

Located just outside the walled town of Saint Paul is the famous Fondation Maeght Gallery, a fabulous mid-century museum that houses one of the world’s best collections of modern art in Europe. With its incredible sculpture garden, a complete inside / outside art experience is created that is NOT to be missed even if you don’t stay in Saint Paul de Vence. The museum was unfortunately closed for renovations and was scheduled to open July 2023.

We stayed at the charming La Colombe d’Or which has 24 guest rooms and a sought-after restaurant that serves lunch and dinner to hotel guests as well as outside guests with advance reservations. La Colombe is located just outside the town’s original fortress walls and the hotel has a gorgeous outdoor pool that is heated year-round, surrounded by a large Calder mobile and Braque mosaic. The hotel makes you feel like you are more in Provence than the bustling Riviera. What makes La Colombe so special is its history and relationship with some of the world’s most famous artists. Its remarkable collection - worth literally millions of dollars – is comprised of original works from many of these great artists, some of whom paid for their meals or lodgings with their art early on, but all of whom had a connection with the owners. Imagine the novel excitement of having a lovely French meal, in a classic yet unpretentious dining room, graced by original and priceless Picasso, Leger, Calder, Matisse works of art but filled with present day life, the dinner chatter of real people enhancing the enjoyment of art in a natural way. The hotel has its own organic design sense throughout, including on its large outdoor patio where during warmer months dinner and lunch is served as well as breakfast for hotel guests.

The rooms at La Colombe are not luxurious as other luxury hotels but the unique charm of the building and incredibly nice staff makes it worth going back to.

Some worthy side trips in the Cote D’Azur

Hotel du Cap d’Antibes, Eden Roc Grill for lunch

Along with the Carlton Cannes hotel, the Hotel du Cap d’Antibes is one of the most famous grand classic hotels on the Cote d’Azur. It is located in Antibes along the Mediterranean with huge private grounds, a beautiful hotel with gorgeous outdoor pools as well as a two level restaurant called the Eden Roc with outdoor terraces directly over the Mediterranean with stunning views. There is one fancier restaurant (the Eden Roc) and a more casual version called the Eden Roc Grill with an a la carte menu. Reservations are a must but the whole experience is quite magical. The Hotel is closed in the winter so check your dates.

Cap D’Antibes hike along the Mediterranean

There is a beautiful (and challenging hike) that offers stunning views. Make sure you have good walking / hiking shoes as the terrain can be rocky and challenging but worth it.

Vieux Antibes and the Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum celebrates perhaps the most famous and prolific south of France painter with an extensive and worthwhile collection in a stunning heritage building located along the Mediterranean in the charming heart of Vieux Antibes.

Matisse Chapel in Vence

One of the most enjoyable places to visit anywhere with an amazing marriage of the art of Henri Matisse and modern architecture. Near the end of his life Matisse became enthralled with building a modest chapel for the Dominican sisters located in Vence. The beauty and simplicity are mesmerizing and the effort and creative process that Matisse went through continues to instruct us all – he worked tirelessly achieving the simple essence of the deeply spiritual message he sought to convey. Once discovered the Matisse Chapel will be a place you will want to return to time and time again.

Mougins

This charming town not far from Cannes is certainly worth a visit and is a wonderful place to plan a meal. What we did not expect was the MACM (Musee D’Art Classique de Mougins), a beautiful private museum built right in the heart of Mougins by Christian Levett, a wealthy British trader who has housed his world class and very eclectic collection of antiquities and modern art there. www.MouginsMusee.com.

Nice

A large bustling city, Nice is the main metropolis of the Cote D’Azur and is serviced by a busy international airport.

The Chagall Museum

Nice – The Chagall Museum is well worth a visit or special detour even if you have no interest in Nice. This is the only French national museum that was dedicated during an artist’s lifetime, and it was planned with direct input from Marc Chagall. The large main gallery houses a series of twelve massive oil paintings depicting key classic Bible stories but layered in historical and personal references, all hanging exactly as Chagall had requested from the day the museum opened. It is hard not to get emotional when looking at these fantastic paintings and reading about the stories that inspired them.

The Negresco Hotel

If you wish to walk along the famous “Promenade des Anglais” or visit Vieux Nice, there is a famous hotel called The Negresco which contains a treasure trove of historic and contemporary art pieces and artifacts worth seeing. As the staff keep a watchful eye and don’t generally welcome gawkers, you might wish to have a coffee or drink first in one of the beautiful restaurants and then spend some time visiting the lobby.

Food go-to’s

Paul and Eric Kayser are two casual restaurant chains that will always offer great and not expensive food, including excellent sandwiches, salads and desserts and hot and cold drinks.

Driving notes

I recommend renting a car at the Nice airport since it’s great to drive on the Riviera roads and Corniche highways that connect the coastal communities. It is important to learn the key road signs as some basic rules are very different than those in North America. In France there is a general priority - “priorité a droite”- given to cars merging from the right. To see this in action, just go to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and watch how the madness as all the lanes converge on the main roundabout (“rond point”). As you approach the many roundabouts on French roads you will find that almost all of them will have a red triangle yield sign posted, which means that you do not have priority even if entering to the right of another vehicle and you have to wait for a break in traffic before entering the roundabout. This can be tricky so it is recommended that you pay close attention until you get the hang of it.

While we have been fortunate to visit the Cote D’Azur for over 40 years, it remains a place that we will keep returning to for many years to come…. hopefully!