Here’s some great budget accommodation in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins on the Mediterranean coast. Both these places, located on either side of the Cap d’Antibes but a short distance apart, are particularly popular holiday destinations, so hotels tend to be relatively expensive. But there’s some good budget accommodation that I’ve discovered on my trips there.

Rates

Book as far in advance as you can to get the best rates. They will vary according to which season you choose. Generally the high season runs July and August and mostly into September. Some places give specific dates; others are vague. Remember that all prices these days are fluid, except for bed and breakfasts which have fixed prices throughout the year.

The prices shown here are for double rooms for 2 people per night; breakfast is per person. Most of the hotels, and some of the bed and breakfasts, will have triple and family rooms as well. So pick the accommodation you like the most and go from there.

I have included two hotels which are more expensive (Hôtel Juan Beach and Hôtel Mademoiselle, both in Juan-les-Pins). But they are excellent value out of season, and very enjoyable hotels at any time of the year so I’ve got these in this list as well.

Bed and Breakfast in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins

If you prefer something a little less hotel like, try a bed and breakfast. They provide good budget accommodation in Antibes/Juan-les-Pins

L’Air du Temps

There are 3 bedrooms and one small apartment in this pretty Provençal house with its sand coloured exterior and tiled floors. It was built by the present owners, the Scassus, and its delightful rooms have individual character. Mitsouko has a chandelier and a pink/red colour scheme; Vent vert’s green walls are echoed in the garden you step into from French doors. There’s a terrace to laze on, a garden to look at and a pool to swim in or take breakfast beside. Rates include breakfast.

Villa Plein Sol

This bed and breakfast has just three spacious, ground-floor rooms, elegantly decorated with antiques. Just five minutes on foot to the beaches of Juan-les-Pins, the stone-built house is restful and welcoming and has a terraced garden. Take a lazy breakfast outside, and if it rains there’s a communal room with books and games. Rates include breakfast.

Hotels in Antibes

La Jabotte

Tucked down a lane leading to the Salis beach, La Jabotte is a rare and unexpected one-off. It has just 9 rooms, 7 of them on a private terrace looking onto a shared patio, and 2 of them on the first floor of the main hotel. No TVs in the rooms around the terrace for peace and quiet, an attraction that is fiercely protected by the owner. Rooms are prettily decorated in rustic style; bathrooms are very good. There’s a delightful breakfast room which doubles as the reception area, full of odd objects on the walls. The musical can try the keyboard or take down one of the guitars hanging on the walls and don their inner folk star. They have a 24h/24h bar and snacks on site.

There’s a sauna (and also wellness massages), and private parking, plus free bicycle and kayak rental (subject to availability). They provide everything you need for the beach from parasols to towels. There’s a very cheap laundry service which is great if you’re staying some time.

Take their delightful little tuk tuk ride through Antibes. And for a late check-out, like the Hotel Cecil, there is a shower guests can use before setting off.

Hôtel La Place

Centrally located near the old town, but just enough off the main streets to be peaceful, this hotel is delightful. It’s owned by Bernadette Walberer who will probably be there to greet you. 14 rooms on three floors, each with its own fresh and muted colour scheme, are well sized and recently refurbished. Bathrooms are equally good. Book the corner bedroom with its balcony overlooking the street. Take breakfast in the downstairs restaurant or outside on the terrace. The restaurant also acts as a bar and has good plates of cheeses and charcuterie during the day. There is no lift in the hotel.

Modern Hôtel

Right in the heart of Antibes this is the place for a budget stay if you like being in the centre of the action. A few minutes from the outdoor market, the old town and the beaches, it’s near most of the small restaurants. 19 bedrooms are small, plain and functional, but pleasant; atmosphere is friendly and casual. There’s also a small bedroom with kitchenette and small bathroom on the top floor with its own entrance. It’s now run by the grandchildren of the original owners, so you’ll be greeted by Laurence, Jean-Marie or Vincent Fecheno.

Hotels in Juan-les-Pins

Beau Site

Near the small Garoupe beach on the Cap, the 29 rooms are simply but prettily decorated with old wooden furniture in a style dating back to the 18^th century. Views from the windows and balconies look to the sea or the mountains or onto the tree-filled garden. There’s a bar, a decent sized swimming pool and a shady terrace and bicycles to rent. There’s also a suite, plus a studio let by the week.

Eden Hôtel – La Baigneuse

A hop, skip and a jump from the beaches of Juan-les-Pins, the three-star Eden Hotel offers good value for money. The 1930s building looks just like a proper seaside hotel and has 17 refurbished, simply decorated bedrooms, with the ones at the front offering views down the street to the sea. You can take breakfast on the terrace. A major plus of the hotel is the warm welcome from the family who own it.

Hôtel Alexandra

Built at the end of the 19^th century, this 3-star family run hotel has high ceilings and a definite belle epoque feel. 20 good sized rooms are simply furnished in pretty colours. Some have garden views; others overlook the street. You can take breakfast in the pretty garden.

Hôtel Cecil

This is a real find and is my favourite of the small 3-star hotels in Juan-les-Pins. Bought by a Parisian couple five years ago, the hotel has been completely refurbished, re-opening as a boutique hotel a year ago. You’re welcomed by the owner, Delphine Boffy, whose expertise in décor is obvious as soon as you walk into the spacious breakfast room with its modern and quirky items. This is where you take a very good breakfast sourced from bio ingredients. Corridors are bright and airy with each room distinguished by specially commissioned wallpaper, which is echoed inside the room. Beds are a good size, there’s enough cupboard space and bathrooms are well done. One has a free-standing bath (all the rest have showers). There’s a little garden and a small terrace, and unusually for a small hotel here, an elevator.

Finally, there’s a small touch that other hotels should copy. A former single room is now a shower/WC with an iron and ironing board. Guests can use this if they arrive early when rooms are not ready or leave late after check-out. It’s free for guests and means you can have a last-minute swim, take a shower and leave for the airport on your final day. Genius!

Hôtel Des Mimosas

This pretty, three-storey hotel built in the early 1900s is surrounded by a delightful garden full of palm trees and flowering plants. The 34 bedrooms have been refurbished and are a good size and some have balconies overlooking the greenery. There’s an outdoor pool, bar and TV room. Free parking. Book for a minimum of 2 nights only.

Hôtel La Marjolaine

This modest two-star hotel has small rooms in a rather quirky building. It’s in a moderately quiet street and has a terrace-cum-garden in the front. The 16 rooms are old fashioned but delightful. There’s a small lounge and it has private parking.

Hôtel Mademoiselle

This small 3-star boutique hotel of 14 rooms is distinctive and quirky. It’s more expensive than the other hotels in this list, but worth it. Each room is different; some with bold colours; others with eccentric decorations like plaster rhino heads on the walls, or lamps that look like small clouds. It’s all done with style. There’s a small pool, an honesty bar and better than average in-room items like a Nespresso machine in each room. They can also provide meals as part of their room service, and special gluten free breakfasts.

Hôtel Juan Beach

White and blue, just like a seaside hotel should be, and close to the Juan-les-Pins beaches, this 3-star Art Deco 24-room hotel is bright, welcoming and just out of the main frenzy of the resort. Set back slightly from a quiet road, choose a room with a balcony overlooking the small heated swimming pool at the front. There’s no elevator but ground floor rooms. Take breakfast on the terrace in front of the pool or in the charming bar opposite where there’s an open log fire for chilly days. Again, it’s more expensive than most of the hotels here, and particularly during the big events like the Cannes Film Festival when it’s very popular and fully booked way in advance.

La Bastide du Bosquet

La Bastide du Bosquet is an 18^th-century, pink-washed house beautifully restored and now an elegant house to rent out for 4 to 7 nights. Pretty rooms overlook the garden of palm trees and laurels where you can take breakfast, and there’s a good library of books and family games making this a home from home, Provençale style. Guy de Maupassant wrote short stories and his novel Mont Orio while staying here in 1886.

And for a bit of sightseeing…

…You can’t come to this part of France without visiting the Queen of the Mediterranean. Here’s a short guide to what to do and see in Nice.

Check out the local Provence markets in Antibes and nearby

Guide to Provence

The French Riviera has always attracted the famous, literary, the outlandish and writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald. Read Lisa Gerard Sharp’s take on the Riviera – Great Gatsby Style and walk in their footsteps.

More on Hotels in France

Here is information on the best cheap and good value hotel chains in France.

And if you are in Normandy visiting the D-Day Landing beaches, these are the hotels to book.

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Shopping locally is one of the great pleasures of a French holiday and Provence has some of the best markets in the whole country.

Here’s my guide to the major markets in Provence, from fish to fresh flowers, from brocante and flea markets to antiques. You’ll discover more in or near where you’re staying (visit the local tourist office for detailed information).

Helpful Tips

Most markets are in the morning, starting at 7 or 8am and going on until 1pm when the traders pack away their stalls. You’ll find some markets (particularly antiques, bric-a-brac, books etc.) continue into the afternoon. And in summer many towns have an evening market. If there are no hours indicated, then they are 8am to 1pm.

If you don’t know where the market is, ask anybody for le marché (le mar-shay).

By law, price tags must state the origin of all produce. ‘Du pays’ means local, so look out for those products.

What to shop for in the markets of Provence

Lavender and Provence go hand in hand and you’ll find it everywhere in the local markets in all kinds of products. Who hasn’t bought those famous lavender bags to take home?

Marseille soap is world renowned. Check out all the different sizes, colours and perfumes.

Traditional crafts are found in all the main markets. In the run up to Christmas, look for little pottery santons (Christmas crèche figures).

Buy lengths of those famous Provençal textiles. Or find readymade tablecloths, napkins and bags (even Princess Diana had one). One of the best known names is Souleiado which also does mail order.

Food is the main reason most people shop in Provence markets. Fresh fruit and vegetables are piled high on the stalls; breads of every kind are on offer; herbs are tied into little bundles. Follow your nose to the cheese vans. Buy everything for a picnic, or if you’re in a self-catering apartment, shop for the ingredients for your meals.

Olive oil comes in pretty bottles or economically sensible litre cans (which you can use as vases or plant pots after the olive oil has been used up). If you’re in Provence make sure you visit one of the mills to see how this precious commodity is made.

Top Markets in Provence

Provence markets in Bouches-du-Rhône 

Aix-en-Provence

The main markets are in the old town where they fill the streets. Peak days like many of the Provence markets are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Food Market: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday on Place des Prêcheurs for top food and fish. Daily on Place Richelme.

Flower market: Daily on Place de la Mairie.

Antiques and Flea market: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday on Cours Mirabeau.

Clothing market: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday on Cours Mirabeau for good fashion and textiles.

Arles

The Roman town of Arles has good, large markets which have been going since King Henri III granted permission in 1584. He allowed everything from the Orient, Arabia, Assyria and Arles. Today there are around 300 stalls on Wednesday and 450 on Saturday.

General market with everything from food to clothes, textiles and crafts: Wednesday on Boulevard Émile-Combes. Saturday on Les boulevards des Lices, Georges-Clemenceau and Émile-Combes.

Brocante market: 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of each month, 8am-5.30pm on the Boulevard des Lices.

Local farmers market: May to October on Place Voltaire from 5pm to 8pm.

Marseille

As befits the major city of Marseille, there are markets aplenty. And for that whiff of authenticity, start off at the fish market.

Fish market (Le Marché de la Criée): Daily on the Old Port.

Food market: Known as La Canebière or Noailles, this is the place for exotic fruits and vegetables, spices and herbs with many stalls run by the local African and Asian community. It’s busy, noisy and colourful. Monday to Saturday 8am-7pm.

General market: Le Marché du Prado has everything from food to clothes, toys to books. It’s one of the biggest in France. Between Places Castellane and Périer. Monday to Saturday.

General Market: Le Marché de Castellane has much the same and is an extension of the Prado. Monday to Saturday.

Local product market: Wednesday at Le Cours Julien
Sunday: Stamp market
2^nd Saturday of the month: Second-hand book market
3^rd Sunday of the month: Brocante market.

Artisan and Bio market: Good market with local produce. Tuesday and Saturday in Place Léon Blum.

Flea market: Best known in Marseille and the surrounding the area and full of delightful surprises of just about everything. It’s more than a market with a covered area as well as outside stalls. Covered market is open daily except Monday 8.30am-7.30pm. The flea market is open Saturday and Sunday 7.30am-2pm.

Also look out for the Christmas santons market. It’s been selling those pottery nativity figures since 1803.

Provence markets in the Vaucluse

Avignon

The beautiful city of Avignon with its spectacular Pope’s Palace is the gateway to Provence. So expect top quality fruit and vegetables in its Provence markets.

Food market: Avignon’s covered market has around 40 stall holders selling meat, herbs, spices and more. Les Halles covered market is at Place Pie. Open daily except Monday 6am-2pm. Every Saturday there’s a free cookery demonstration by a local chef.

General market: Thursday on Place Charles David.

Local farmers market: Monday April 4 to September 26, 2021 from 4pm to 7pm on the Allées de l’Oulle.

Brocante market: Sunday morning on Place des Carmes.

Carpentras

The delightful market town has one of the largest markets in France.

Food market: Daily except Mondays at the Marché gare.
Food market: Friday in rue de Carpentras.

Puces-Brocante (flea market): Sunday in Parking des Platanes (Av. Jean-Jaurès). Good market, step above a vide grenier but not quite a brocante! 10am-4pm.

Truffle market: The truffle market runs from November to March on Fridays on pl. Aristide Briand, 8am to noon. There’s also a summer truffle market.

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is best known as France’s most prestigious antiques town. It’s to antiques what Hay-on-Wye in England is to books. But they also have to eat so check out the excellent markets.

Regional produce market: Thursday mornings from 9am to 12.30pm around the church.

Provençal market: Sunday 8am to 2pm throughout the city and along the river.

Floating market: 1^st Sunday of August when boats go between the banks, selling food, wine and more.

Brocante market: Sunday 8am to 6pm along the Avenue 4 Hostages.

There are also two famous weekend markets, over the Easter weekend, and in mid-August.

Vaison-la-Romaine

This former important Roman town has four main markets.

General market: Daily from 7am to 3pm in the centre of town.

General market: Saturday Place François Cevert.

Summer market: Thursday in Place François Cevert.

Provençal market: Tuesday combining local farmers’ produce alongside furniture and Provence items such as linen, oils, soaps, fabrics and more.

Provence markets in the Luberon

Apt

General market: Apt has the largest market in the Luberon. It’s only on a Saturday morning but has everything you could possibly want, and a few things you didn’t even know about. Comprehensive selection of fruit, vegetables, food and flowers. It’s all around the place de la Bouquerie and into the neigbouring street up to le cours Lauze de Perret.

Farmers market: Tuesday evening, April to December as a farmer’s market every Tuesday evening, from April to December, in the Cours Lauze de Perret.

Ceramics market: Mid August for an excellent selection of local pottery.

Provence markets in the Var

Aups

This pretty small village near the Verdon gorges comes alive on market days.

General market: Wednesdays and Saturdays with its markets held under the plane trees in Place de la Mairie.

The winter black truffle market is one of the biggest in France. Held from end of November to beginning of March every Thursday 9.30am-noon. Find out more about truffles at the Maison de la Truffe.

Salernes

General market: Sunday and Wednesday in the main square. It’s not as extensive as some of the others, but Salernes is known for its tiles and pottery so visit some of the manufacturers here. There’s also an excellent museum, Terra Rossa that is a must for all ceramic enthusiasts.

Sanary-sur-Mer

Sanary-sur-mer has some of the prettiest markets in France.

Daily markets including the fish market but the biggest is the Wednesday morning general market. Over 300 stalls under the plane trees in the alle d’Estienne d’Orves and down in the port on the quai Charles de Gaulle.

Saint-Tropez

There’s plenty going on in the markets in St Trop as you’d expect from this lively, chic resort.

General market: Huge range of food plus fashion at this popular market. Tuesday and Saturday. Place des Lices.

La Grande Braderie de Saint Tropez. In late October many of the boutiques take their clothes out onto racks in the streets and sell them off at bargain prices. Friday 29 October to Monday 1 November 2021 from 9am to 7pm.

Summer & Night Markets – Marche Nocturne: During the holiday season the night markets take over the street in the towns around St Tropez. In July and August look out for Ramatuelle Night Market, La Faviere Night Market in Bormes-les-Mimosas and La Croix-Valmer Night Market. They are open from 5pm to 7pm to midnight.

Toulon

Toulon isn’t the most popular town in the Var for tourists but on market days the streets fill up with stalls and people.

Fruit, vegetables and textiles: daily except Mondays at Cours Lafayette, Rue Paul Lendrin, Place Louis Blanc, Rue de Lorgues and Place Paul Comte.

Local farmers’ market: Tuesday, Friday, Saturday on Rue Paul Lendrin

Mourillon market for fruit & veg, fish, local cheeses and textile. Daily except Monday: Place Emile Claude & Place Monseigneur Deydier

General market: Daily except Monday in the Place Martin Bidouré

Provence markets in the Alpes-Maritimes

Antibes

You can’t miss the historic covered market that fills the Cours Masséna down by the port.

Food market: Here you’ll find everything you could want. The stalls running around the two outer sides are for professional growers and traders. People with smallholdings and large gardens occupy the stalls running down the middle. Daily June 1 to Sep 1. Other months daily except Mondays.

Craft market: This market takes over the Cours Masséna in the afternoons from 3pm after the food and vegetable market is cleared away.
Mid-June to end of September Tuesday to Sunday. October to mid-June: Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Clothing market: This is worth a browse; you’ll find some pretty ordinary items but there are good stalls with good clothes to seek out.
Tuesday, Saturday: Place Amiral Barnaud
Thursday:  Boulevard Albert 1er and Place Amiral Barnaud.

Brocante market: The second-hand market often has some very good buys, though you’ll have to search for the bargains. Antiques, china, glass, books, posters, post cards, jewellery and more.
Thursday, Saturday: Place Audiberti. Saturday: Place De Gaulle and Boulevard d’Aguillon. 

Cannes

There are plenty of interesting markets in Cannes which is something of a shopping destination.

Covered markets: There are three main covered markets in Cannes:
Forville (rue Gazagnaire close to the bus station): Flowers, fruit and veg, plus small shops for household goods. Open daily except Mondays.
Gambetta (place Gambetta): Fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese etc. plus clothes, shoes, jewellery and leather goods.
La Bocca (on bus lines 1, 2 and 20): General food market daily except Monday. Saturday’s market which is huge covering all foods, plus clothes etc. closes at 12.30pm.

Antiques and brocante market: Mondays at Forville 8am-6pm and La Bocca Thursdays 8am-12.30pm.

Nice

Nice really is a draw for market lovers. The best known and most popular is in the Cours Saleya in the Old Town designated a ‘Special Market’ by the National Council for the Culinary Arts.

Cours Saleya fruit and vegetable market. Daily except Mondays, from 6am to 1.30pm.
Running right next to the fruit and vegetables is the flower market, held every day except Mondays and Sunday afternoons from 6am to 5.30pm.

The Brocante market takes over the Cours Saleya when the produce market is closed. Find those second-hand bargains every Monday from 7.30am to 6pm.  If you miss that, try the place Garibaldi on the third Saturday of every month from 7am to 6pm.

Evening Craft market: Art, ceramics and jewellery from local crafts people. Mid May to mid September daily except Monday 6pm to midnight.

Fish Market: With a good variety of fish it’s on Place Jacques Toja daily except Monday from 6am to 1pm.  

At the Place du Palais de Justice:
Old, rare edition and used books: 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month
Artistic and craft products: The 2nd Saturday of the month
Post cards, old discs and newspapers: 4th Saturday of the month.

Winter hours for all these markets: 7am-5pm; Summer hours 7am-7pm.

More about shopping in France

Flea Markets and Brocante shopping in France
Discount, Malls and Sales shopping in France

More about Food in France

Regional French Food
Discover the top Food Festivals in France throughout the year
Read more about Food in Burgundy
Read more about the Food of Provence
French Christmas Food

The post Top Markets in Provence appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Provence is one of the most beautiful, and popular, regions of France. This Essential Travel Guide to Provence takes in the countryside, cities, coast, shopping, food, wine and more.

Why Provence?

This may seem a daft question…after all it is one of the most irresistible, and favorite, places in France to visit. Lavender fields; long lunches in pavement bistros and evening drinks in cafés; dappled olive groves and vineyards stretching into the distance; the deep blue of the Mediterranean, and lazy evenings watching the sunset. What’s not to like?

But because of its universal attractiveness, everyone has their own ideas of what is best about Provence. Here are a few of my suggestions; you will definitely have your own so please do join the conversation at the end!

So…Which part of Provence to visit?

That’s the first question to answer.

Provence is large…and varied, just part of the region technically called PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur), taking in the departments of Bouches du Rhône, Var, Vaulcuse, Alpes Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes Alpes.

But to most of us it’s really two different areas. The hinterland takes in Haute Alpes, Bouches du Rhône, Var, Vaulcuse and Alpes de Haute Provence.

Mediterranean Provence, which runs along the glorious blue sea from Menton to Marseille, takes in the Alpes-Maritimes as well as the coastal parts of the Var and the Bouches-du- Rhône.  

The geographical differences are only really interesting to the pedantic and to the frustratingly complicated French bureaucracy. But the visitor sees the two regions as separate – each to be cherished for contrasting pleasures.

North East Provence

North east Provence borders the snow-capped peaks of the southern Alps and Italy where you can ski in the winter and hike in the summer through spectacular landscapes.

West Provence

Lying between the Rhône and the Durance rivers, west Provence is the land of fruit, vegetables and vines ripening in the baking heat. The fertile landscape is punctuated by the beautiful range of Les Alpilles and the Dentelles; in total contrast, the south ends in the mysterious marshlands of the Camargue. The cities of Orange and Avignon dominate the Rhône valley.

Central Provence

Pretty hilltop villages built on stony outcrops bring the novels of Marcel Pagnol: Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources to life. The Gorges du Verdon, France’s answer to the Grand Canyon presents quite a challenge.

Mediterranean Provence

The south borders the Mediterranean with its famous resorts stretching from Nice to Marseille. It’s attracted the artistic, the dreamers, the great and the good in equal measure for centuries and still does today.

So what are you looking for?

If it’s nature in all its glory…

…Hike through the Parc National de Mercantour or the Vallée des Merveilles in Haute Provence.

Take to the waters of the massive Gorges du Verdon – or just drive around the rim for a pretty impressive trip (not for those nervous about small roads and long drops).

Visit the weird and wonderful marshlands of the Camargue with its cowboys, wild white horses and flamingos. You can hire a horse if you’re an adventurous type.

…Or one of the glorious inland cities…

…Aix-en-Provence has to be on everybody’s favorite list. You’ll be seduced by its maze of medieval lanes, today full of bistros and bars, boutiques and cafes that invite you to sit down, order a coffee and watch the world go by. Paul Cézanne’s city is quite delightful. 

…But have you been to Orange in west Provence? It’s a delightful small town with one of the best preserved Roman theatres in the world.

…And then there’s not-to-be-missed Avignon with its imposing Pope’s Palace, its strange bridge and great festivals.

…Hilltop fortified villages that dot the landscape

Standing high on a rocky outcrop in the Vaucluse looking out over the Luberon, Gordes is a gem of a village. Dominated by the 16^th-century Château de Gordens it’s easy to see why it’s attracted artists in the past and chic Parisians today. Catch the Tuesday market.

Walk the 20-minute stretch to the stunning waterfall, surprising in the area, in the sleepy village of Sillans-la-Cascade in the Haut-Var.

Down near the Mediterranean, St-Paul-de-Vence is another of those idyllic little villages much loved by the likes of Yves Montand and Simone Signoret. The nearby Fondation Maeght is stunning architecturally and contains a great art collection. Then, if you can afford it, stay, or eat, at the famous La Colombe d’Or hotel.

Quintessential Provence…What not to miss

Venture out to the one of the great historic abbey such as Sénanques surrounded by the lavender fields that give Provence so much of its charm and identity.

Walk in the footsteps of Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) in Aix-en-Provence then go out to Montagne Ste-Victoire to the east of Aix to see the mountain the artist painted so famously.

Swim in the Mediterranean at Nice in the morning then drive up to one of the ski resorts for an afternoon’s sport in winter.

Shop ’til you drop

South of France shopping is first and foremost about its markets. Don’t miss the covered market in Antibes, the Cours Saleya in Nice and the huge market in Vaison-la-Romaine every Tuesday morning.

If it’s antiques you’re after, check out the brocante markets in the main towns (the Tourist Offices will help here). But if you really are after antiques, visit the town of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue just outside Avignon. It’s full of antique shops selling just about everything; there’s a weekend brocante fair plus the best known antique/brocante/any old rubbish fairs at Easter and mid August.

Look for Provence specialties

Lavender is everywhere: in sachets, in oil, in soap and in liqueurs. You can’t get away from lavender but why would you want to?

Provençal textiles fill the shops and the market stalls. Great for table cloths, napkins and to use as gift wrap.

Santons (little saints), terracotta figures are found throughout Provence and are part of Christmas. Unlike the rather more austere Protestant Nativity tradition, there are up to 55 characters from the fishwife to the chestnut seller. The best ones are hand-made and painted, so cost from around 35 euros upwards.

Provençal Food

Mediterranean influences are dominant in the wonderful, and happily, healthy food of Provence. It starts with olives that you see growing in the stony soil of the region. Eat them with an aperitif or put them into sauces, salads, pizzas and tapénades (olive, caper and anchovies paste).

In restaurants, go for Provençal beef stew in winter and the freshest seafood in summer. Or order salt cod with aioli for that pungent garlic. Look out for cheeses such as Banon made from raw sheep’s milk and ripened in chestnut leaves, and St Marcellin.

More on Food of Provence

Regional Foods of France

And as for the wines…

Sitting on a terrace and sipping a glass of cool rosé is quintessential Provençal living though the area produces other good wines. Try Gigondas and the well-known Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Weather in Provence

Provence has a great climate. The best months are May, June and September when it’s very warm. But these months aren’t as blisteringly hot as it can get in July and August when all you want to do is head to the beach. In winter there’s snow in the Alps, and sun in the Mediterranean.

How to get to Provence

By Air
Marseille Provence Airport north of Marseille serves west Provence and is also closer to Languedoc-Roussillon.
Nice-Côte d’Azur (NCE) serves east Provence and offers the best value due to the number of competing cheap flights.
Nice is also my favorite airport. You fly in along the Côte d’Azur above the blue sea where mega yachts move at what seems a stately pace. I try to spot landmarks like the Cap d’Antibes, then the curving Marina Baie des Anges block of apartments, then suddenly you’re very close to the sea and land on a spur of the airport. Step out and the heat hits you. Heaven!

By Train
Paris to Nice takes on average just over 8 hours; the fastest TGV trains take 5 hours, 47 minutes. The cheapest fares involve a change at Lyon Part-Dieu.

By Car
France is a big country so if you’re going by car, it’s best to stop over. Otherwise take the A6 and A7 (with tolls), taking around 9 ½ hours to drive the 932 kms (580 miles).

By coach!
Only the adventurous, the impecunious or students take the coach from Paris to Nice. It can be done but takes a minimum of 13 hours. However, fares are from £22.
Check out Flixbus.

More to check out for an Essential Travel Guide to Provence

What to see and do on a visit to Nice

Great Budget Accommodation in Antibes/Juan-les-Pins

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Imagine the food of Provence and you’re sitting in cafés watching the world go by and enjoying leisurely meals in peaceful squares beside a fountain in the dappled sunlight. Or at least that’s what any mention of the food of Provence does for me.

Provence is one of France’s greatest regions for food. Its long coastline on the Mediterranean gives it the freshest fish and seafood; the hinterland that stretches behind offers pasture full of sheep, olive groves and fruit orchards. With its balmy climate, Provence became a wine-producing area after the Greeks founded Marseille, making it France’s oldest wine growing region. The food of Provence is truly inspiring.

Provençal cooking is, like the rest of life in this gorgeous region, simple. It concentrates on the best fresh ingredients in season like tomatoes, peppers, garlic and saffron, anchovies, wild herbs and olive oil…lots of it.

Food of Provence Ingredients

Fish and Seafood

With its long Mediterranean coast, and inland rivers and lakes, Provence is strong on fish. Along the coast, you’ll find fish markets from small to large so if you’re self-catering this is a great opportunity to try out new ingredients and new recipes. Or just light a barbecue and grill the sea’s harvest with bunches of rosemary and thyme. Marseille is one of the great harbors of the south with trawlers and small fishing boats supplying the fishmongers in Marseille’s Vielle Port.

Fruit

Provence is full of small market gardens, with the valleys of the Rhône and Durance the largest fruit- and vegetable-producing areas of France. Dessert grapes are produced in the Vaucluse; figs and almonds around Aix, and oranges and lemons everywhere in the Alpes-Maritimes region. The Menton lemon festival in February transforms the town into one vast citrus fest, celebrating the food of Provence.

Meat

Provence is not known for its meat as it has never been a big animal-rearing area. The goats of Provence are bred for providing cheese rather than meat. But if you’re in Sisteron in Haute-Provence, try the special lamb which is tender and sweet.

Olives and Olive Oil

Olive groves, many of which have been here for centuries, fill the landscape. Between April and June, the trees blossom then produce their fruit which becomes gorged with oil and goes from green to black.

Olive oil was considered so important that French kings were baptized with it from the 5^th century to the French Revolution. The Provence climate is perfect for olive trees, which is great as it takes 5 kilos of olives to make 1 litre of olive oil. The olive harvest for oil begins in early November; if you want to buy that season’s oil at the mill (the best way to buy it), March is the last month to shop for the previous year’s olive oil.

Garlic

Provence and garlic go hand in hand. Just think of the famous Provençal dish of aioli and its ton of garlic and you get the idea. It’s harvested in June and woven into garlands, piled high in the daily food markets.

Melons

There’s more to Cavaillon than melons, but that’s what the town is famous for. Check out the Cavaillon melon festival on the weekend before July 14^th each year.

Pâtisserie

Different town produce different specialities like the calisson of Aix and navettes of Marseille. Also try the soufflé cakes and croissants with pine nuts, which make up one of the celebrated thirteen desserts of the Provencal Christmas, celebrating the 12 apostles and Christ.

Provençal herbs

Imagine Provence and you conjure up aromatic plants like thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil and lavender. All these are more are used extensively in Provencal recipes.

Rice

Rice is grown extensively in the Camargue, Europe’s most northerly rice-growing region. The rice is planted in a flat field at the end of April and flooded with fresh water from the Rhône, which in turn helps keep the delta’s delicate ecological balance. While white and brown rice varieties are produced here, it’s the red rice that is regarded as particularly good. The result of cross-pollination of wild red and cultivated short-grain rice, it’s harvested in September. 

Tomatoes

Hundreds of different varieties are grown in Provence, including black tomatoes which are becoming increasingly popular. The tomato is a staple of Provençal cooking, from a simple tomato salad to sauces made with garlic and olive oil.

Typical Food of Provence: Dishes and Flavours

Aïoli, made with garlic and olive oil with egg yolks added to make it a mayonnaise, was first made in the 1^st century. It’s served with cold poached fish, in bourride, salad and cold meat.

Bouillabaisse comes from Marseille and each chef has his own particular take on this most Mediterranean of dishes. It’s all kinds of fish cooked with herbs, originally cooked on the beach by fishermen.

Bourride or fish soup originally came from Sète and is made with monkfish. After cooking, the strained liquid is bound with aioli (that famous garlic mayonnaise).

Daube of beef is a Provençal stew cooked for a long time in wine with inexpensive beef and vegetables.

Fruits de mer. Try one of the groaning platters of seafood at any good restaurant for a spectacular meal.

Gigot d’agneau is leg of mutton or lamb cooked with local herbs.

Pan Bagnat is a sandwich that is very common in Nice and around, using tuna, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and boiled eggs. If you’re in Antibes on the Salis beach, buy one from the little stall Chez Jose.

Pistou, made of fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese and olive oil, comes in various dishes, including soup and as a sauce with pasta.

Pizza. You might think this is Italian, but with the region around Nice once belonging to Italy, it’s regarded here as a French dish. Wander through the streets of Nice to find small pizzerias cooking with wood ovens.

Ratatouille is a vegetable stew made of eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgettes), onions, bell peppers and tomatoes, cooked in olive oil and flavoured with herbs and garlic.

Salade Niçoise is one of Provence’s most famous dishes, made with tuna, vegetables and anchovies.

Tapenade is olives and capers crushed into a paste, mixed with olive oil and lemon juice and then strongly spiced. Often served on toast with an apéritif.

Markets of Provence

Wandering around the open air fruit and vegetable markets in Provence is one of the great pleasures of a trip to the south of France.

Before you travel, check the local tourist office for details of the markets in the areas you’re visiting.

The major markets are in Aix-en-Provence (daily); Antibes (famous covered market daily); Arles (Wednesday and a bigger one on Saturdays); Avignon (covered market Tuesdays to Sundays); Cannes (3 big covered markets daily); Carpentras (one of the best farmer’s markets in France, Tuesdays to Sundays); Marseille (famous fish market Mondays to Saturdays); Nice (Cours Saleya is one of the best known and great markets in France, Tuesdays to Sundays); Vaison-la-Romaine (big Provençal market Tuesdays).

Read the Travel Guide to Provence for more information about the region

More about Food in France

The intriguing story of Food in France from Gauls to vegans
Discover the top Food Festivals in France throughout the year
Best Regional French Food
French Christmas Food
Surprisingly, the artist Toulouse-Lautrec was a great cook. He followed the seasons and local produce. More about this unexpected gourmet and the Art of Cuisine.
Compare Provence with Food in Burgundy
The Auvergne‘s food is far more earthy and rustic!

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Location

Getting to the Iles de Lérins is easy, it’s just a wonderful 15 to 20 minute ferry ride. And they are fabulous, these secret islands off Cannes. So here are the reasons to go! The Iles de Lérins represent the Mediterranean in miniature. The two islands are so near to chic but consumerist Cannes, yet so far away in spirit. This is the quiet Côte d’Azur before the cinema crowd moved in. Even the breezy crossing is cool Cannes – without the bling or billionaire company. While away an afternoon over a waterside picnic, enjoy a wine tasting with monks, or walk past creeks to the next dip in turquoise waters.

Both islands are made for walking, picnicking, swimming, snoozing and dreaming. Come for spiritual sustenance on the monastic island of Saint Honorat. The Cistercian brothers will also tempt you with their Bordeaux-style wines, monastic liqueurs and Mediterranean feasts in their island restaurant.

Whether picnicking or praying, come to clear your head of Cannes. There’s only so much chic boutique-hopping most mortals can take. And the unworldly Brothers are better salesmen too.

The article The Iles de Lérins off Cannes tells you all you need to know about visiting the islands: walking, swimming, wine tasting and dining.

Getting to the Iles de Lérins

It’s a short crossing to the car-free islands from Cannes (15-20 minutes) and slightly longer from La Napoule. You can’t visit both islands on one boat trip: return to Cannes for the second cruise or, even better, do it another day, combined with the ravishing Corniche d’Or cruise of the Esterel Coast.

Getting to Ile Sainte Marguerite

Ile Sainte Marguerite: do the boat trip from Cannes, Mandelieu La Napoule, Golfe Juan, or Nice. Different companies offer different ports of departure. It’s quickest (and cheapest) from Cannes, followed by La Napoule, Golfe Juan and Nice. If cruising from Nice, treat it as a day trip to include the Corniche d’Or (Esterel Coast) as well. Try a variant on the basic cruise, combining Sainte Marguerite with a dinner cruise, regatta, fireworks display, catamaran cruise, or a sail along the Corniche d’Or.

Compagnie Riviera Lines
Quai Laubeuf
06400 Cannes
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 98 71 31
Website

Cannes to Sainte Marguerite
Daily departures from 7.30am to 7pm (the crossing takes 15 minutes). Return services run from 7.45am to 6pm.
Return tickets: 15€ adults, 13.50 € for students, 11 to 14 years and seniors, 9.50€ for children 5 to 10 years; free for children under 5.

Cannes to Sainte Marguerite and the Corniche d’Or, the ‘Golden Coast’
Return tickets 34€ adults, 22€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Departures: April 4 to September 9: Wednesday and Friday
July 1 to August 30: Monday, Wednesday and Friday
This glorious trip combines the island and one of the loveliest stretches of coast on the Riviera.

Golfe Juan to Sainte Marguerite and the Corniche d’Or, the ‘Golden Coast’
Return tickets from Golfe Juan: 39€ adult, 28€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Same departure dates and times as for Cannes to Sainte Marguerite

Trans Côte d’Azur
Quai Laubeuf
06400 Cannes
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 98 71 30
Website

Cannes to Sainte Marguerite
Daily departures from Cannes run from 7.30am to 6pm (the crossing takes 15 minutes). Return services run from 7.45am to 6pm.
Return tickets: 15€ adults, 13.50€ students, 11 to 14 years and seniors, 9.50€ for the under 10, free for children under 5. Book online for a discount on these prices (tickets are valid for one month).

Nice to Sainte Marguerite
Departures from Nice run from 9am for 10am-6pm on Sainte Marguerite returning to Nice at 7pm for this full day cruising.
Dates: May 21 to June 30 and September 3 to 29: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
July 2 to September 1: daily except Mondays.
Return tickets: 41€ adults, 32€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Book online or by tel: (+33) (0)4 92 00 42 30

Nice to Sainte Marguerite and the Corniche d’Or
Departures from Nice 9am, return 7pm full day cruising to both islands
Dates: July 3 to August 30
Return tickets: 50€ adults, 40€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Book online or by tel: (+33) (0)4 92 00 42 30
Also cruises to see the fireworks off Cannes around Bastille Day, Monaco Grand Prix, Regattas and Flea Markets in St Tropez

Compagnie Maritime Napouloise
La Napoule Port
Tel: (+33) (0)6 25 33 40 84
Website

Mandelieu-La Napoule cruise to Sainte Marguerite
Departures: from 9.15am to 5.30pm returning from 9.40am to 6pm.
Dates: May 19 to September 22 daily except Mondays
Return ticket: 19€ adults, students, 11 to 14 years and seniors 17.50€. Under 4 years free

Mandelieu-La Napoule cruise to Sainte Marguerite and the Esteril
Catamaran cruise departures: May-September, Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm inc the chance to snorkel and bathe and meal on board.
Tickets: 108€ adults, 66€ children 4 to 10 years.
Half day afternoon tours are 3 to 5pm and cost 57€ adults and 47€ children 4 to 10 years.
See the website for more cruises.
They also depart from Théoule-sur-Mer.

Getting to Ile Saint Honorat

Ile Saint Honorat: there are fewer crossings to St Honorat as the resident monks value their privacy. Leave from Cannes on the island’s only ferry line, Planaria, and you can combine a visit with magnificent Corniche d’Or cruise.

Ile Saint Honorat
Planaria
Quai Laubeuf
06400 Cannes
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 98 71 38
Website

Cannes to St Honorat: (15 minute-crossing):
Daily departures hourly from 8am to 5pm. Return hourly from 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Return tickets booked online: 14.50€ adults; 14€ students, disabled and seniors; 13€ 13 to 18 year olds; 8.50€ 8 to 13 year olds, 5.50€ 4 to 8 year olds; children under 4 go free.
Check out the website for other possibilities like wine tastings.

Cannes – Office du Tourisme Palais des Festivals
1, Boulevard de la Croisette
06400 Cannes
Tel: (+) 33 (0)4 92 99 84 22
Website
Open daily, 9am-7pm, March-October
Cannes hotel booking on line

Walk to the hidden coves, go swimming off the rocks, take a picnic and chill out under the trees. Or see where The Man in the Iron Mask was incarcerated.
Check it all out here.

More about the South of France
Travel Guide to Nice
The Riviera – Great Gatsby Style
Essential Guide to Provence

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Two islands make up the Ile de Lérins off Cannes. Just a peaceful 15-minute boat ride from the glitzy resort, these islands are the place to unwind, enjoying a waterside picnic, swimming in hidden coves, wandering around the Abbey, and tasting monastic award-winning wines.

A little history

The islands have been occupied since Roman times but followed very different paths. While Saint Honorat has always been associated with peace and prayer, Sainte Marguerite has been more warlike.

In AD 410 St Honoratus landed on Saint Honorat, his private paradise, but word spread and soon the hermit had a successful monastery on his hands, including the future St Patrick as a disciple. By the fifth century, this was arguably the most illustrious monastery in Christendom. It eventually controlled abbeys and land stretching from the Cannes coast to the Loire Valley. A small community of Cistercian monks still runs the island.

Instead, the island of Sainte Marguerite chose war. In the 1630s, the island was occupied by the Spanish, who built a pentagonal fort on an ancient Roman site. Under French royal rule, the fort was finished and became a feared state prison, including for political prisoner and religious dissenters. The mysterious inmate known as ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ was held there for 11 years from 1687 to 1698. The so-called Fort Royal is still formidable today.

Touring Ile Sainte Marguerite

The island of Sainte Marguerite is the closest, largest and lushest of the secret Iles de Lérins off Cannes. From the ferry, it’s a gentle five-mile circuit around the shore, but there are lots of short cuts back to the fort and the ferry landing stage. To get a sense of the island as a place of pillage and plunder, visit the Fort Royal first. For a picnic, choose one of the wilder creeks on the southern side of the island, along the Allée de Ceinture, or the lofty grounds of the Fort Royal, looking across the bay towards Cannes.

Fort Royal

From the pier, take a left towards the pentagonal Fort Royal, the island’s star attraction. This cliff-top stronghold and former prison overlooks Cannes and the coast, with romantic views from the ramparts. The Fort Royal was built by Cardinal Richelieu but remodelled by Vauban, the great military architect. During World War Two, the occupying Nazis added bunkers and a look-out tower.

The fort is most famous for being the prison of ‘the Man in the Iron Mask’. The mysterious masked captive was confined here for 11 years and might conceivably have been Louis XIV’s twin brother, or even a woman. His cell is oddly moving.

Behind the former prison is the Maritime Museum (Musée de la Mer) with a Roman boat and a collection of pottery recovered from ancient shipwrecks.

From here, if feeling lazy, take the Allée des Eucalyptus, where stately trees line the way to the wilder, southern shore, with its rocky coastline and sea breezes. Cars are banned so you should have the coves, trails and turquoise waters mostly to yourself, except in summer. The perfect micro climate means that the island is often balmy in April, even when clouds hang over the Cannes hills.

Instead, if feeling more energetic, retrace your steps from the fort to the pier and follow the coastal path in an anti-clockwise direction. Pass the island’s only proper beaches, between the pier and Pointe de Batéguier, to the Etang du Batéguier nature reserve. In spring and autumn this brackish lake is a welcome landing stage for migratory birds. Even outside these times you might spot herons, stern and wild duck, or a kestrel overhead. All proof that the island is attuned to birdsong not bling.

From here, follow the Chemin de Ceinture path, which hugs the waterfront and runs west to east the 3km length of the island. It takes you to the wilder waterfront, facing the contemplative monks, not consumerist Cannes. The dizzyingly natural scents evoke Corsica not Cannes. Breathe in the scented bush, a mix of eucalyptus and thyme, lentisk and lavender, honeysuckle and heather.In the secluded coves, it’s hard to believe that Cannes’ star-studded Croisette is just over a mile away.

For swimming, sensible sorts choose one of the island’s rare sandy beaches, facing Cannes, close to Chemin du Batéguier. Romantics and yachties prefer the wilder southern shore facing away from the city. Here, the coastline is riddled with tiny, crooked coves made for sunbathing and swimming. Edged by Aleppo pines and scorched brush, the creeks fill up with smug yachties in high summer.

Keep following the trail east, rounding the windswept Pointe de la Convention to reach the tamer northern shore. After a picnic or gourmet lunch, amble back to the jetty and chug home to Cannes. If rushing for a boat, cut across the forested interior via the tunnel-like paths.

Where to eat

Ponder a Mediterranean picnic of ham, cheese and olives picked up at Forville market in Cannes, before the cruise. Or try these places restaurants.

Visiting Ile Saint Honorat

Saint Honorat is tucked behind Sainte Marguerite, and easily overlooked. It’s not quite as accessible as its big sister – exactly as the monks like it. Even so, in August, the flotilla of moored yachts almost makes a bridge between the two islands. Sadly, you can’t hop across, but need to take the ferry from Cannes. It’s all part of preserving the monks’ peaceful way of life. This serene, mile-long island has been a place of prayer for over 1,500 years, bar the odd piratical invasion.

Monastic Life

The island is still a heady mix of scented paths, swaying umbrella pines and wafting monks. Around twenty Cistercian brothers share their retreat with the world. These black-and-white cassocked monks are among the holiest and happiest you’ll ever meet. As Brother Marie-Paques, the abbey spokesman says, “a community life means joy and inner peace.”

The community is contemplative and cloistered, as St Benedict envisioned. Their tenets are work, love, pray and self-sufficiency, an extension of the Benedictines’ devotion to “ora e labora” (`work and prayer’). It’s about simplicity, stripping life down to its essence, including communal prayers seven times a day. But these austere monks also observe the ancient Benedictine tradition of hospitality. You are welcome to join them for Sunday Mass, Vespers or even a spiritual retreat.

Take a clockwise tour of the island, respecting the monks’ private domain, signalled by symbols of cassocked monks. Resisting their gated pathways strewn with wild geraniums, hug the coast and you can’t go wrong. From the jetty, head east, passing well-tended vineyards and olive groves. On the east of the island are tiny bays and ruined chapels, a reminder that some date back over a millennium. Curiously, the island is also dotted with furnaces that forged cannonballs in Napoleonic times.

The fortified monastery is the most romantic building, standing sentinel on the southern shore, facing the open sea. Soon to be restored, this stark medieval citadel defended the community against Saracen raids.It is without equal in the Mediterranean. Climb the eerie staircase to the roof terraces for views over the honey-tinted abbey and the mountains beyond across the water.

The Abbey

From here, a path leads to the handsome abbey, mostly dating from the 19^th century. The abbey complex is worked by the twenty-strong monks, who toil in the vineyards, lavender beds and herb gardens. The black-and-white cassocked Brothers can be wafting through the wisteria-hung cloisters towards the winery. As monastic tradition dictates, the fragrant herbs often end up in potent liqueurs, fortified by Menton lemons and secret brews.

The abbey church is most compelling at Easter Day Mass, when the simple but heartfelt `service of light’ justifies the crossing. If doing a retreat here, you can even join the monks in the Saturday night Easter Vigil, held before sunrise on Easter Day. Later, if you are lucky enough to bump into the beaming Frere Marie-Pacques, he might be toasting the Resurrection with a glass of abbey wine.

Spirits for the spiritual

There have probably been vineyards here since the foundation of the abbey as wine was needed for Holy Communion. Brother Marie-Pâques, in charge of wine-making, began as a beekeeper before God called him to serve. Today, the 8-hectare vineyards are renowned for their unique terroir that produces wines of great subtlety, helped by the temperate, maritime climate and the minerality of the soil. After tasting the abbey wines, whether St Honorat or St Saveur, sacrilegious visitors have been known to cry: “Hallelujah, there is a god!”

If keen on Bordeaux-style wines, toast the monks in their own brew: Brother Marie-Pâques is certain that the island vineyards offer a unique ‘terroir’ that is behind the striking freshness and minerality of the wines, reinforced by the salty air and marine breezes. Sample the renowned wines in the abbey boutique, bar or restaurant (see below). Instead, the affordable liqueurs include: Lérincello, made with Menton lemons; citrussy Lérina Jaune; and herby Lérina Verte, made with mint, aniseed and verbena.

Where to eat

La Tonnelle,  the charming waterfront restaurant, is only open for lunch. Choose from reasonably-priced grilled meats, seafood, shellfish, foie gras and salads, matched with (pricey but special) monastic wines. This is a proper restaurant but Les Canisses (11.45am-5pm, open year-round) serves snacks such as panini, sandwiches, ice cream, coffee and cakes (lemon tart and chocolate cake for tea); lounge bar too.

Shopping in the Iles de Lérins

The islands are a shopping-free zone. But if you’re pushing the boat out, buy the renowned abbey wines (or better-value liqueurs) which can be sampled at the Abbaye de Lérins, or over the water in Cannes.

How to get to the Isles de Lérins off Cannes

More about the South of France
Travel Guide to Nice
French Riviera – Great Gatsby Style
Essential Guide to Provence

The post The Iles de Lérins off Cannes appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

The Glamorous French Riviera

The French Riviera or the Côte d’Azur as we know it was invented by the arty expatriate set in the 1920s. Picasso painted it. Cole Porter crooned it. But no one celebrated the Côte d’Azur more tenderly than F Scott Fitzgerald. The legendary novelist lived it up on the Riviera and left his mark on the region. From the glamorous summer season to the glittering guest list, it’s still his Riviera party that we want to be part of. And the party is in full swing – even if you’re a gatecrasher.

The Jazz Age

It’s 90 years since Cole Porter and Scott Fitzgerald resided here, raised hell with their Hollywood friends and persuaded the glitterati the Côte d’Azur was the place to party. His great novel,The Great Gatsby captures the essence of the era fondly known as the ‘Roaring Twenties’, as does Tender is the Night. The French Riviera is still romancing the Jazz Age, from the glittering parties to the restless spirit that chimes with our times.

Scott Fitzgerald’s France

Midwesterner F Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) sought a change of scenery to spark his creativity. By burnishing that scenery, he sparked our imaginations – and the myth of the irrepressible French Riviera was born. F Scott Fitzgerald is best-known for The Great Gatsby, the novel which captures the spirit of the Jazz Age. For France lovers, Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night (1934) is the truest portrait of ‘the Roaring Twenties’,  and was inspired by his racy Riviera life, from the mid-1920s onwards.

Follow in Scott Fitzgerald’s Footsteps

The novelist who shaped the Côte d’Azur is still a legend on this glitzy coast. Following in Scott Fitzgerald’s footsteps reveals a glamorous route back to the Jazz Age. Cap d’Antibes and Juan Les Pins recall those Roaring Twenties.

The ravishing promontory of the Cap was the epicentre of ‘the Roaring Riviera’. Here, the summer season swept away memories of the coast as a winter sanatorium. Sunbathing and gambling, the twin 20th-century vices, were celebrated instead. This restless writer loved the Riviera, from the cheap rents to the fast women and hard partying: “One could get away with more on the summer Riviera, and whatever happened seemed to have something to do with art”.

A Little History of the French Riviera

In the 1920s, the Jazz Age was in full swing and the French Riviera became a summer playground in which “to forget or rejoice, to hide its face or have its fling.”

The pale English invalids who had retreated to the French Riviera in winter were replaced by the American expat party set. For them, it was always summer.

It Starts to Change

F Scott Fitzgerald’s Antibes and Juan Les Pins was on the cusp of change. As he enthused, “Lately it has become a summer resort of notable and fashionable people; a decade ago it was almost deserted after its English clientele went north in April”. Antibes had burst out of its medieval ramparts before the turn of the century.

But it was Juan Les Pins that really embraced the Jazz Age, with its villa-living and beach-life. Tender is the Night was a bitter-sweet tribute to the ‘Roaring Riviera’ but, not to be outdone, Woody Allen’s 2013 film, Magic in the Moonlight, is set in the same period and places.

Jazzy Juan les Pins

In Juan Les Pins, Fitzgerald fans should make a pilgrimage to the beachfront villa that was once Scott and Zelda’s Riviera retreat. It comes alive in Tender is the Night: “On the pleasant shore of the French Riviera, about half way between Marseilles and the Italian border, stands a large, proud, rose-colored hotel. Deferential palms cool its flushed façade, and before it stretches a short dazzling beach.” Now reborn as the Hotel des Belles Rives, the villa makes a wonderful escape, whether for the full Jazz Age fantasy or just a toast to the legendary writer.

Slip into the hotel’s Bar Scott Fitzgerald for a ravishingly retro Champagne afternoon tea but stay until sunset. Sit on a faux leopard-skin bar stool and sip a Jazz Age cocktail. If you’re lucky enough to be there during the Jazz a Juan summer festival, the Grand Piano might even be commandeered by a jazz legend. If not, simply remember F Scott Fitzgerald’s favourite toast: “Here’s to alcohol, the rose-colored glasses of life”.

Classy Cap d’Antibes

The Cap d’Antibes still represents the loveliest ramble in the Riviera, with plunging scenery matched by movie-star mansions and a smooth procession of mega yachts. 

So far, so Scott Fitzgerald. The glamour lingers on in the gorgeous villas where the ‘pyjama set’ partied themselves into the pages of a Jazz Age masterpiece. These are villas fit for Flappers. In Fitzgerald’s day, such beaded Flapper dresses were donned by Zelda, similar to the pearl-studded organza party-frocks Prada designed for the movie of The Great Gatsby.

Villas for millionaires

In Villa America, set below the Cap d’Antibes lighthouse at La Garoupe, the American socialite Murphys held court and staged the wildest parties, the crazier, the better.  In Tender is the Night, Dick Diver, modelled on Gerald Murphy, says, “I want to give a party where there’s a brawl and seductions and people going home with their feelings hurt and women passing out in the cabinette de toilette”.

And Villa Eilenroc

The Fitzgeralds danced the night away in in the Belle Epoque Villa Eilenroc, concocted by Garnier, the creator of Monte Carlo Casino. Nostalgics can visit both the Art Deco interior and the rose gardens, with a newly created path leading down to a sparkling cove.

Through the umbrella pines are glimpses of Villa de la Croe, once the palatial residence of the exiled Duke of Windsor, the former Edward VIII. Now owned by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovitch, the property proves that the higher the hedge, the steeper the price tag. Even so, the ‘billionaires’ bay’ beyond is framed by a ‘smugglers’ path’ which provides tantalising peeks of extravagant pools. If 1920s villas were judged by the grandeur of their gardens, 1930s villas were judged by the splendour of their swimming pools, marking a shift to a more ostentatious culture.

Laidback Antibes

By day, the carefree crowd moved to La Garoupe beach, where picnics and a portable phonograph were de rigueur. Summer friends such as Cole Porter and Picasso helped persuade the glitterati that the Côte d’Azur was the place to party.

The beach season became a craze after Coco Chanel’s light tan was deemed sexily desirable. Free-spirited Zelda Fitzgerald, often dubbed ‘the first Flapper’, was a semi-professional dancer while Sara Murphy posed for Picasso but spurned his advances. For Picasso, the beach was synonymous with sex, and his muses, mostly his mistresses, were mythologised into sultry goddesses. Even without Picasso, this sandy bay remains alluring.

Sunbathing comes into its own

On this coast, Coco Chanel made sunbathing fashionable. The couturier was famously refused entry to a Riviera casino for wearing ‘beach pyjamas.’ The so-called ‘Pyjama Set’ played on. Glittering villa parties welcomed Charlie Chaplin, Dorothy Parker and Ernest Hemingway.

Eat at La Garoupe

On La Garoupe, Plage Keller is the chicest sunbathing beach, with the pontoon restaurant perfect for idling over a bottle of rosé. Drinkers rather than foodies, the Fitzgeralds scorned French cuisine for club sandwiches. But Scott Fitzgerald happily splashed out on Champagne:  “Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right”.

Arty St Paul de Vence

Follow the Fitzgerald trail to St Paul de Vence and a leisurely lunch in La Colombe d’Or, one of the most celebrated spots on the Côte d’Azur.
Slip through the discreet hole in the wall to espy works by Picasso and Matisse, a mural by Leger, and a pool presided over by a Calder mobile.

Set in the hills towards Nice, St Paul is a bijou village with a bitter-sweet past. Walk past the plane trees and pétanque players, just as Picasso did, on his way to a Provençal lunch in the inn. Lose yourself down arty alleys.

Despite the beauty of the place, captured in Tender is the Night, there is a dark side to our tale. The Great Gatsby message about money not buying happiness rings true. Privilege becomes an excuse for cruelty. In real life, Zelda supposedly threw herself down a dark stairwell after seeing dancer Isadora Duncan flirting with her husband on the terrace. In the movie version of Gatsby, Leonardo di Caprio portrays the hero as a hopeless romantic, but Woody Allen might say that’s the truest version. “There’s only one kind of love that lasts – that’s unrequited love. It stays with you forever”.

Magic in the Moonlight

Hot on the heels of The Great Gatsby, Magic in the Moonlight, Woody Allen’s jazzy period piece, celebrates the Côte d’Azur. The locals loved spotting the stars, Colin Firth and Emma Stone, on location in Antibes, Menton and St Paul de Vence. 

The Jazz Age is Woody Allen’s spiritual home, and the accomplished jazz clarinettist even made time to perform during the legendary Jazz a Juan summer festival in 2012. Scott Fitzgerald would be toasting his compatriot’s shared sensibility.

Nostalgia has made the Riviera what it is today. Inscribed on Scott Fitzgerald’s tombstone is the final sentence of Gatsby: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past”. Time to return to the Bar Fitzgerald. When jazz is playing in and the cocktails flowing, the Roaring Twenties feel back in business.  As Jay Gatsby says: “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!”

Travel Guide to Nice

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Here’s a quick guide to Nice including weather, what to do, what to see, where to stay, day trips and where to eat.

Nice, the capital of the Côte d’Azur in the south of France, is a city with style. The fifth largest city in France sits majestically on the glittering blue Baie des Anges. Gracious 19^th century belle époque hotels take you back to its glamorous, sometimes racy past when English aristocrats began the fashion for summers on this stretch of the Mediterranean coast.

Getting to Nice

By Air

Nice-Cote d’Azur airport to the west of the city is an international airport, serving over 100 destinations including New York. There’s fierce competition, particularly from the UK, so check out cheap flights from London and regional British airports.

Getting into Nice and surrounding towns from the airport

Shuttle buses and local services run from surrounding cities to Nice Airport. Check out the Ligne d’Azur bus services here. The site is good and in English.

By Train

Paris to Nice
The average travel time between Paris and Nice is 7.09 hours. The quickest route is 5h 47 minutes. The first train leaving Paris Gare de Lyon is at 06.59 arriving in Nice at 14.30; the last at 16.57 arriving in Nice at 22.53. Trains run frequently each day between the two cities and prices vary hugely depending on when you book.

London to Nice
From London you have two choices. The first, and long, option is to take Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord then cross to Gare de Lyon for the Nice connection. The shortest journey time is 10 hrs 07 minutes; the longest around 18 hours.

There is another great option and that is to take a direct train from London St Pancras International to Marseille, then take the train to Nice. It doesn’t save a huge amount of time but it does cut out changing in Paris. The train stops at Lyon and Avignon.

Getting around Nice

Lignes d’Azur is the main bus line, operating within Nice and to nearby towns.  Other regional buses connect with nearby cities, with most stopping at the Gare Routière just north of Place Masséna in central Nice. There are 130 bus routes in the 49 towns within the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur.

It’s easy to get by rail to most neighboring cities. There are 3 rail stations in Nice, but the main one is Nice Ville station. 

A 9.2 km tramway crosses the city from north to east passing through the city centre along avenue Jean Medecin and through Place Massena daily from 4.25am to 1.35am. 
A single ticket for one journey allows changes with 75 minutes and costs €1.50.

The 100% Neige bus takes you to the winter sports resorts of Auron, Isola 2000, Valberg, La Colmiane, Roubion and Le Boréon.

Pick up a map and timetables at the Tourist Office in Nice and the main bus station in Place Masséna.

When to visit Nice?

Any time is the short answer. With its balmy Mediterranean climate, Nice is the perfect all year-round city. In winter you can eat lunch outdoors in the warm sunshine. Or take a day trip up to the ski resorts in the Mercantour National Park.
February sees the start of one of the world’s greatest carnivals.
Spring brings everyone out onto the streets while summer sees the city fill up with visitors lingering on the café terraces, shopping in the Cours Saleya fruit and flower market and keeping the city buzzing into the small hours.
The autumn weather is kind.

Nice Layout

Nice is easy to navigate, with distinct areas and good transport links (though most of the places you will want to visit are within walking distance).

The most famous address of all, and the starting point for Nice exploration is the Promenade des Anglais, a wide highway running beside the sea from west of Nice Airport to the Quai des Etats-Unis and into the old town. It’s separated from the sea by a stretch of pebbly beach. Most of the grand hotels like the famous Negresco line the Promenade, giving spectacular views out to sea.

Vieux Nice, the old medieval town where tiny cobbled street meander into and out of charming squares, runs from west of the Opera to the Parc de la Colline du Château (though there is no château there), the place where Nice originally began as the old Greek city of Nikaïa.

Beyond that lies the port, where mega yachts lie lazily at anchor and passengers gather for the ferry to Corsica.

Place Masséna is north of the Old Town, reached by steps and then crossing the wide Boulevard Jean Jaures which follows the old river Paillon. It’s a beautiful, mainly pedestrianised square.

To the east, the Promenade du Paillon offers a wonderful oasis, a 30-acre park opened in 2013 that creates a green lung running west through the Jardins Albert 1er to the sea and separating the old and new towns of Nice.

The modern city’s main street, the avenue Jean-Médecin runs to the north of Nice. It’s the main street for mid-price shopping with Galéries Lafayette at No 6 and the large Nice Etoile shopping mall at No 20.

Cimiez stands on the hills behind the centre. Full of grand belle époque mansions, it’s always been the posh residential area of Nice, right back to its Roman heyday as the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes. Worth visiting is the Musée Matisse, housing works by Henri Matisse (1860-1954), the Musée d’Archéoloqique with echoes of the ancient past, and the Roman ruins of an amphitheatre, public baths and streets.

What to see in Nice

There are museums galore for every interest from naïve art to Asian, from artists’ museums to an impressive Modern and Contemporary Art collection.

Markets are dangerously irresistible from the Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice with its daily market, alternating fruit, vegetables and flowers with antiques and arts and crafts to the morning Fish Market (except Mondays) with its flappingly fresh offerings.

What to eat in Nice

Like every city in France, Nice has its own specialities, easy to find in the small local bistros in the Old Town. The city  has a strong tradition of Provençal and Niçoise foods with a heavy Italian influence. So try socca (thin pancake of chickpea flour and olive oil, baked and crisped up in the oven and seasoned with black pepper, rather  like a crepe), the best pizzas, pissaladière (pizza-like onion tart), petits farcis(delicious stuffed Provençale vegetables), salade Niçoise, pan bagnat (fresh baps or bread filled with salade Niçoise), tourte aux blettes (tart of Swiss chard, raisins and pine nuts) and beignets de fleurs de courgettes (deep fried fritters with vegetables like courgettes flowers).

The best fish market in Nice is at the daily Marché de la Libération (Tram stop Vernier, just after the train station stop) where the energy is dynamic and the selection is vast.  This market also features produce and a covered meat market, and is a much more local experience than Cours Saleya, less expensive, and much less crowded. Open Tues-Sun, 8am-1pm.

Check out The French Riviera – Great Gatsby Style article for the story of F Scott Fitzgerald, his racy set and how to follow in his footsteps in this seductive part of France.

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