The French Riviera, where A-listers have called home for years is one of our favorite spots to visit. It will wrap you in glamour and make you feel like an old Hollywood movie star. Here are the five reasons this hot destination should be on your bucket list:
1 | The Glamour
When it comes to seeing and being seen, there is no other place in the world quite like the French Riviera. From the star-studded Cannes Film Festival to the glorious excess of summer yacht season, you are guaranteed world-class people-watching here, especially at the many Michelin-starred restaurants or chi-chi hotels that cater to the region’s glitterati.
2 | The Nightlife
Looking good is an art form on the Côte d'Azur. With a different hot spot for every hour of the day, you will never suffer from being ‘all dressed up with nowhere to go.’ Start your journey at Nikki Beach in Saint-Tropez, a go-to for international jet setters and celebrities of the world. Sip on cocktails at Le Meridien, an iconic establishment located on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, or dance the night away under the palm trees of the chic nightclub spot La Baoli in Cannes.
3 | The Shopping
From Chanel to Prada, the famed Cercle d’Or in Monte Carlo is a must for all things designer. Located under the Casino de Monte Carlo, it boasts one big fashion house after another. In Cannes, the infamous, La Croisette, houses some of the city’s best boutiques.
4 | The Art
Revolutionary painters like Picasso, Renoir, Chagall, Monet, and many more have all been drawn to the beauty of the Cote d’Azur, and their lasting impressions can be seen at numerous museums nearby. From the Picasso Museum in Antibes to the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul de Vence – which houses paintings by Chagall, Kandinsky, and Calder – the French Riviera has been immortalized at the hands of the impressionists and is an art-lovers dream.
5 | The Architecture
Across the French Riviera, palatial hotels and grand villas intermingle with early twentieth-century modernist dwellings along medieval streets. A feast for the eyes – don’t expect subtlety here. The region favors gorgeous Art Deco and Belle Époque buildings, along with statement constructions like the Monaco Cathedral and powder-pink Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.
OUR FAVORITE HOTELS:
See and be seen at these luxe hotels, frequented by celebrities and the world’s who’s-who:
- Hotel du Cap Eden Rock
- Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat
- Chateau Saint-Martin
- Hotel de Paris
- Hotel Byblos
- Residence de la Pinede
- The Tully Team
