Unforgettable Itinerary through Cote d’Azur’s Hidden Gems
Côte d’Azur: these two words bring to mind, in the minds of the most creative people, a strip of green, happy land with rocky outcrops that reflects the Mediterranean Sea.
During the “Belle Époque,” princes and kings fell in love with exciting adventures there, but after World War II, it became famous for the pathetic tantrums of American billionaires that Scott Fitzgerald wrote about in “Tender Is the Night.”
More recently, beaches called “Tahiti” and the wealth of movie stars have brought new life to the Côte d’Azur.
The Côte d’Azur that we suggest in this guide, however, is the equally beautiful, green and happy inland one.
They are the villages that haven’t been ruined by mass tourism yet, the roads that don’t have the frustrating traffic of the coast, and the hotels and restaurants whose prices, while not cheap like everywhere else in France, haven’t reached the sky-high levels of places along the sea.
A trip to the hinterland, which is between the Côte d’Azur, the Maritime Alps, and the white hills of High Provence, could be a pleasant surprise for everyone. It could even be a fascinating vacation for art lovers, since Fragonard, Renoir, Matisse, Léger, and Picasso all lived, worked, and left their art in the folds of these hills.
It could also be interesting to people who like food, perfumes, good mountain honey, memories of Napoleon, the amazing sights of nature, museums, and the deep silences that make you feel like you’re on another planet or out of this world.
Route in the area around the French Riviera
So, a trip to the countryside behind the Côte d’Azur. People who cross the line between Italy and France should do so in the morning after spending the night on the Ligurian Riviera. The best time to drive the Grande Comice, one of the Cote d’Azur’s three scenic roads, right after Menton is in the morning, when the sun is behind you. Even though the road goes up high on the mountain, you shouldn’t be worried. The whole climb is in the first ramps that lead to the village of Roquebrune. Those who want to see the castle, which is one of the most beautiful in France, must be careful not to miss the bend on the right that goes to Piazza della Repubblica, the old barbican of the fortress that is now the only parking lot in the village.
The Nice area
The ride down to Nice is an important part of the trip. To avoid getting lost in the center’s maze of streets, it’s best to follow the signs to the port, take the famous English walkway, and follow it all the way to the end, past the airport and Gros de Cagnes. At the point where the highway meets the Nazionale 7, it’s best to take the Nazionale 7 to the left, go another 2 km, then go up and turn right toward Biot. About 300 meters before the town, on the right side of the road, is the Fernand Léger museum. There aren’t many places to park in Biot. If you don’t leave your car in the square at the town’s entrance, you might have a hard time getting out of the very narrow alleys with impossible turns or getting your car out of the square. Biot is also worth walking to, since it is only 500 meters away.
Cannes and the area around it
The best way to leave Biot is to take the highway up to Cannes and then get off at the Le Cannet toll booth and take the road to Grasse. After 3 km, signs show the route to Mougins, which could be the perfect place to stay for the first day of travel or even for a long vacation.
From Mougins again, the road to take is the one to Grasse. This is the same road that Napoleon took when he was on the run for his last hundred days of fame. Grasse is a hard place to drive in.
Those coming from Mougins, that is, from the road to Cannes, will die if they take the boulevards Leclerc and Victor Hugo up to the avenue De Gaulle. It is best to park here and walk to the Fragonard museum, the Notre-Dame chair, and the belvedere of the 24th August square. The painter Fragonard was born in Grasse in 1732.
Grasse is known as a “health resort” because Paolina Bonaparte came here to relax between 1807 and 1808. Her yard is 4 km away. It has beautiful plants and a beautiful view.
After getting on Avenue Baudoin, the road to Digne, you have to turn right almost right away onto Boulevard Cnarabot, keep going onto Boulevard Albert I, and follow the signs.
Route Napoleon and the Verdon Gorges
The path Napoléon is one of the most beautiful mountain roads that go from the south to the north of France. At its edges, there are many shops where you can buy honey and lavender water at reasonable prices. We recommend that you stay in Castellane for the night so that you can do the Verdon Grand Canyon tour the next morning. The river flows through Castellane, and you meet it again a little further on, where it is already bright green and fighting with the rocks it has dug over the years. For safety’s sake, we think you should take the northern road (towards Moustiers) first. Since the road isn’t very wide, it’s best to stay on the side of the cliff and never on the edge. There are many signs showing how to get to the views, almost all of which can be reached by car.
From Moustiers to Comps
Moustiers is known for the beautiful furniture in its museum. When Louis XIV needed to fix the country’s finances in 1672, he ordered all gold and silver dinnerware to be taken away. This helped Moustiers’ glazed earthenware spread all over France. Then, the nobles got rid of the trays and dishes and replaced them with things made in the local industries, which had the best masters until 1873. After being stopped for a long time, the practice started up again in 1925. From Moustiers, after crossing the bridge over the Verdon and getting to the town of Aiguines, which is controlled by an old castle, you can take the Corniche Sublime, which is the southern road that runs along the canyon. It’s a scary road with no guardrails in many places, so it’s best to be on the side of the mountain, just like in the other case.
Once you get to Comps, you should take the road that goes down from Draguignan. You can stay the night in Frejus, where all of the restaurants are on the beach and are open from June to September.
Vence, Saint-Paul, and the Moyenne Corniche
From here, a gorgeous road with great views goes over the Esterel hills and down to Cannes. If you keep going along the sea, you can go up to Vallauris, down to Antibes, and back inland once you reach Gros de Cagnes.
From Vence, it’s another 14 km through the town of Tourrettes to the canyon of the Loup. From there, you can take the secondary road D 6 to the beautiful St. Paul.
From St. Paul, back in Cagnes, take the National 7 up to Nice. When you get to the port, go up towards the Moyenne Corniche to avoid the heavy traffic that runs along the sea. Not only for this reason, but also to be able to visit the village of Eze before crossing the border. Starting at the Italian border and ending there, the route is 450 km long.