France | The beauties of the Côte d’Azur

More discreet than their star sisters, Nice, Cannes and Monaco, the destinations of L’Esterel, Eze and Menton will seduce you during your next vacation in France on the Côte d’Azur.

Esterel: when beauty is reflected in the blue of the Mediterranean

With its rugged and dramatic relief, its purple rock, its sheltered coves, the Esterel massif represents 32,000 hectares of contrasting landscapes and an incredible playground between the Mediterranean Sea and Provençal land. Emerging from the earth some 250 million years ago, this piece of land broke away from Africa as the Mediterranean was born. Legend has it that it takes its name from a fairy named Esterelle whom women in difficulty of childbearing came to consult on the heights of the cliffs to become fertile.

Whatever the case, this majestic massif attracts lovers of nature and panoramas. Sunday walkers, experienced hikers, cyclists, horse riders and photographers spread out on trails, circuits and routes scented with thyme, pines and broom. If families enjoy looking for the treasure hidden by Gaspard de Besse (the Provençal Robin Hood) and never found, we instead undertook the hike to the Pic du Cap Roux, with its extraordinary panoramas. A pure marvel.

Another magnificent hike with breathtaking views of the sea, the red rocks of Esterel, the bays of Cannes and Saint-Raphaël is that of Pic de l’Ours. Less long than that of the Pic du Cap Roux, it nevertheless offers a feast for the senses.

The Corniche d’Or, set between the purple of the Esterel and the azure of the Mediterranean, connects Saint-Raphaël to Cannes. You can take it by car, side-by-side vehicle or electric bike for a superb ride between land and sea.

Eze: always gain height

Picturesque village reputed to be the most beautiful on the Côte d’Azur, Eze looks towards infinity from the top of its rocky spur, 425 m high. Located between Nice and Monaco, above the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula, this little gem welcomes you to its intertwining cobbled streets and promises you a moment of relaxation and a change of scenery facing the Mediterranean.

People come to Eze to enjoy the view while sipping a cold drink, feast on the surrounding landscapes and the purple hue of the bougainvilleas, shop in the boutiques, get lost in the small winding streets and admire the decorated facades of the medieval houses, their old stone staircase and their garden.

Lovers of Baroque art will be charmed by the grandeur of the nave contained in the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church, slightly detached from the village. Built in the 18th century^e century, it seems to watch over Eze and its surroundings.

The botanical garden at the top of the village is classified as a remarkable garden because of the 400 kinds of cacti, agaves, aloes and succulents it houses, as well as Mediterranean, exotic and subtropical vegetation. An ideal stopover for a picnic and to enjoy an exceptional panorama of the Mediterranean.

Menton: at the gates of Italy

Love at first sight guaranteed for Menton, the city of citrus fruits (but not only that). If, in February, the city comes alive, during the lemon festival, with floats and gigantic constructions made of oranges and lemons from their local culture, the rest of the year, it offers a crazy and colorful charm to travelers.

Expelled from paradise, Adam and Eve stopped in a place which seduced them with the beauty of its gulf, the fertility of its soils, its radiant sun and the sweetness which reigned there. So many assets that reminded them of the lost Eden. Eve, who had taken a golden fruit with her from paradise, buried it on this earth. Thus was born Menton, city of lemons.

Classified as a “city of art and history” for its 17th century architecture^e century, Menton elegantly mixes palaces dating from the second half of the 19th^e century and the first of the 20th^e century to more popular streets in the old town and Les Halles where it is good to stop to savor local products. The ocher and red facades, the linen hung on the windows, the bell tower which dominates the city, the majestic staircase which descends towards the sea betray a Mediterranean heritage and give an undeniable aura to Menton.

You have to walk there, stop in a square to taste the local cuisine and enjoy a tart or a lemon liqueur, visit the magnificent basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange (1639-1653), discover the gardens which make Visit an open-air greenhouse, dive into the blue waves of the sea, walk in the footsteps of Cocteau who loved this city and who decorated the Bastion and the Wedding Hall there.

Living and breathing Menton means understanding why so many people stop here, even though Italy extends its arms to them just a few steps away.