Travel Europe: Cote d’Azure – The South of France
If you are going to Travel Europe here are a few of my favourite places in the South of France that I would like to share with tripsology.
The South of France is without a doubt one of my favourite places to visit because of the sheer range of beautiful places to go and interesting things to do within a relatively small area. The largest area of the Côte d’Azur is the bustling coastal city of Nice and this is where I chose to stay on my visits to the south of France.
Nice
Nice is quite a large city with just under half a million inhabitants and has a beautiful setting on the coastline of the Mediterranean. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport serves the city and is around 20 minutes from the city centre with buses and taxis readily available at reasonable prices.
Place Massena, Nice
My hotel of choice is the Grand Aston Clarion, a recently refurbished hotel in the centre of the city. Its setting at the heart of a large square with lovely fountains and gardens on the Pl. Massena and the fact that it is only five minutes’ walk from the sea and just under ten minutes’ walk from the train station means that is it the perfect base to explore Nice. The location of the hotel on the square means that it is both quiet and incredibly central at the same time and this is just one of the reasons why I like it so much. It also has a rooftop pool which is great to cool down in the hot summer months and has a popular bar on the top floor which often has live music and features lovely views out over the city towards the sea. From the hotel the main street, Avenue Jean Médecin, which has many shops, restaurants and cafes, is less than a minutes’ walk and this street and leads to the train station.
From the train station many different places can be easily accessed including Cannes, Monte Carlo, and a particular of mine, Villefranche-sur-Mer. The trains in France are quick, efficient and, in my experience, almost always on time. They do run a reduced service on a Sunday though so make sure you check the timetables first.
Cannes
Cannes, home to the world famous film festival, lies to the west of the city of Nice and has its own train station around 5 minutes’ walk from the front promenade, the Boulevard de la Croisette. A stroll along this street is a perfect way to see the gorgeous speedboats and yachts in the harbour and will also take you past the venue of the world famous Cannes Film Festival which is held annually in May.
A great way to see more of Cannes is to take one of the train rides that leave from the front promenade throughout the day. This will take you past places such as the famous Carlton Hotel- the favourite of the rich and famous-, the chic boutique shopping areas and then up into the hills, with a stop for photographs of the city from above.
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Villefranche-sur-Mer is a small town to the east of Nice and is one of the most beautifully picturesque places I have ever been lucky enough to visit. The stunning (and very expensive!) homes perch on the side of the steep cliffs which rise out of the impossibly blue Mediterranean Sea. The train station is right above the shingle beach and two minutes from the heart of this small, quaint town.
Villefranche-sur-Mer
There are many cafes and restaurants along the waters edge that offer great food with the added bonus of the beautiful view out over the bay. This is a stop for some smaller cruise ships but the people from the cruises usually head straight for Cannes or Monaco and as such Villefranche is usually quiet even if there is a ship in. A nice place to have lunch or dinner is Les Corsaires which serves up everything from tapas-style starters to traditional French food and has the most delicious crepes for desert!
Monaco and Monte Carlo
No trip to the south of France would be complete without visiting Monaco and Monte-Carlo. A visit to the Café de Paris is a must and isn’t too expensive to have a coffee or a drink whilst watching the numerous Ferraris and Aston Martins which drive past and getting a glimpse of the rich and famous entering the casino or Hotel de Paris.
The marina here features even more impressive and luxurious boats than the marina in Cannes and often some of the smaller cruise ships dock here. A walk round the marina is a must do for any boat enthusiasts because of the sheer number of expensive boats and yachts that are docked here.
Monaco Marina
A walk around the famous Formula 1 circuit is a must for any car lover and for anyone who loves sports cars there are many places which offer Ferrari driving experiences- a once in a lifetime opportunity which I was lucky enough to have!
I’m Emma, a twenty-something Scottish girl who’s obsessed with travel.
I’ve been to 38 countries so far and had some incredible adventures around the world.
My passion for travel and writing led me to create my person blog Emma’s Travel Tales.