Nineteenth-century
poets and painters celebrated the romantic charms
of the Provençal countryside. In 1834,
an English Lord Chancellor set out to take his
consumptive daughter to Italy, but was turned
back at the border because of a cholera epidemic.
He chose to stop in a tiny fishing village called
Cannes. His friends followed, and thus was founded
the French Riviera as it came to be known by cosmopolitans,
whose contemporary counterparts still spend part
of every year there. Monaco made its fortune by
opening a casino when the railroad was built in
the 1850s. Nice, a long-established city, belonged
to the house of Savoy until 1860, when a treaty
ceded the town to France. Its Italian connections
shine through in Niçois cuisine: here pesto
is pistou, and is usually stirred into a vegetable
soup rather than pasta. In the last hundred years,
southern light has drawn wave after wave of painters:
Van Gogh, Gauguin, Renoir, later Matisse, Dufy,
Picasso, Chagall... Cézanne, of course,
was a born Provençal, and devoted his life
to celebrating “Nature's infinite diversity”
in his native region. See also Provence...
THE RIVIERA GENERAL
CANNES
CANNES HOTEL PROMOTION
Cannes Tourist Board
The Cannes Tourist Board is launching a special 2008 hotel promotion exclusively for US citizens with prices guaranteed in US dollars. The offer includes a 3-night minimum stay, breakfast included, at one of 25 hotels affiliated with the promotion. For more information visit France Guide.
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TOP
SPAS HOTELS
Spa
Givenchy at Hotel Martinez
With
its soothing neutral interiors and tranquil
terrace, this pretty spa captures the light-hearted
glamour of the Côte d’Azur. It
is located on the hotel’s seventh floor,
along with the rooftop pool that overlooks
the Bay of Cannes. |
GRASSE
BASTION
OF DISTINCTION
Bastide
Saint Mathieu
This opulent stone
structure is nestled in the "Triangle
d'Or," just south of the city of perfumes,
Grasse. Inside, the 18th century building
reveals itself as a charming and luxurious
hideaway. |
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NICE
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72-HOUR VACATION
Nice
is Nice
Nice is a spectacular
fusion of French and Italian culture, customs
and cooking. In the summer months millions
of tourists flock to Nice's sun-baked shores.
But
regardless of the season you visit, you are
almost certain to witness a veritable extravaganza. |
A
SURE BET ON MODERN LUXURY
Palais
de la Méditerranée
In
1929 the Cannes News declared this
property "the most luxurious building
the world has ever known." After almost
three decades of abandonment, the Palais is
as grand as ever—with the right modern
touches. |
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