Budget, treat, splurge on the Côte d’Azur: where to stay, eat and explore

Budget, treat, splurge on the Côte d’Azur: where to stay, eat and explore

It’s still warm-enough to swim in the sea until the end of October on the Côte d’Azur, and you can enjoy meals on an outdoor terrace into December. On the sea, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez regatta runs this year from 24 September to 8 October, while Monaco’s prestigious yacht show is open from 28 September to 1 October. There are food festivals, sports events and a full calendar of concerts running right through the autumn at a time when airlines and hotels have reduced their prices.

Whether you’re looking to holiday on a shoestring, or blow the budget, here’s where to stay, eat and explore on the Côte d’Azur this autumn/winter …

Dining patio at the Belle Rives hotel overlooking the sea
The Belle Rives hotel in Juan-les-Pins offers 1920s glamour

Accommodation

Budget: Villa Saint Exupéry Beach, Nice
A big, lively hostel bang in the centre of Nice, which provides free beach mats for guests, as well as table tennis, a gym, sauna, laundry and buzzing bar and cafe. The hostel also organises scuba diving, canyoning, skiing and yoga classes … and there’s no age limit.

Treat : Les Ecrins du Belvédère, Belvédère
Spend the weekend in a treehouse, a shepherd’s cabin or a Hobbit hut at the edge of the Mercantour national park, one hour’s drive from the Riviera coast. It’s a great location for hiking, water sports, mountain biking or just spending time in nature.

Splurge: Belles Rives, Juan-les-Pins
The first hotel on the Juan-les-Pins waterfront, the Belles Rives still offers an ambiance of 1920s glamour. F Scott Fitzgerald began Tender is the Night in an upstairs room and the hotel reception is dedicated to him with the art-deco-inspired Fitzgerald piano bar, a terrace overlooking a private beach and La Passagère restaurant.

Fine art in La Colombe d’Or restaurant
Dine surrounded by fine art at La Colombe d’Or

Food

Budget: Le Bar des Oiseaux, Nice
In a backstreet in Nice’s old town, this pop-art-inspired bistro serves great value, inventive takes on classic French dishes, in addition to artisan pasta – nodding to the region’s shared cultural and culinary heritage with Italy. Think: magret de canard à la plancha with gnocchi or a tuna ceviche with sweet potatoes followed by a bourride fish stew.

Treat: Le Cabanon, Roquebrune-cap-Martin
Down 100 steps to the beach, Le Cabanon is named after Le Corbusier’s beach hut on the coastal path opposite. It serves Mediterranean seafood and Italian cuisine, all prepared in an open kitchen.

Splurge: La Colombe d’Or, Saint-Paul de Vence
No restaurant in the world has an artistic pedigree as impressive as La Colombe d’Or. A magnet for artists, poets and film stars since the 1940s, its walls are covered in fine art from Matisse, Braque and Picasso, and guests can swim under an Alexander Calder mobile and a Sean Scully ceramic. Booking is required.

View of Èze with Cap Ferrat in the distance
Climb up to the village of Èze for spectacular views of the coastline. Photograph: francois-roux/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Nature

Budget: Parc Forestier du Mont Boron, Nice
The 57-hectare park covers the hillside to the east of Nice, where criss-crossing hiking trails lead through a forest of green oaks, wild olive trees and Aleppo pines. At the top is the imposing Mont Alban fort, granting panoramic views across to Villefranche bay, it’s a great spot for a picnic and game of pétanque.

Treat: Sentier Nietzsche, Èze
It takes about an hour to climb up Nietzsche’s footpath from the beach to Èze village. The philosopher used to do it regularly in the mid-1880s when he stayed on the coast. It’s a tough walk, very steep with boulders and some paved sections, but the views of the Côte d’Azur coastline are more than worth the effort … and it only takes 30 minutes to descend.

Splurge: Ile Sainte-Marguerite
A 20-minute ferry ride from Cannes takes you to the largest of the four Lérins islands, Sainte-Marguerite – a haven of rocky bays, criss-crossing pathways and canopy pines. The island has a lagoon, royal fort and dense forests, making it the perfect destination for a seriously picturesque picnic.

The famous pink mansion, Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Photograph: mirefa/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Culture

Budget: La Trophée des Alpes, La Turbie
Built on the highest point of the via Julia Augusta in 6BC, the 35-metre-high monument celebrated Roman emperor Augustus’s victory over the local Alpine tribes. The ruins of the huge white marble “trophy” dominate the village of La Turbie high above Monaco and provide panoramic views to the Alps and along the coast to Italy.

Treat: Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
This sumptuous pink and ivory belle epoque palace was built for socialite and art collector Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild in the early 1900s. Surrounded by nine themed gardens featuring rare rose bushes, musical fountains and lily ponds, it’s a feast for the senses. Make a day of it by taking tea in the salon before examining the exceptional porcelain, furniture and art collections.

Splurge: Molinard perfume creation workshop, Nice
Awaken your olfactory senses at parfumerie Molinard’s Nice workshop, where fragrance experts help you create your own personalised scent. Molinard offers individual, group and children’s workshops – Le Petit Parfumeur – as well as the chance to take home your own creation.

Green neon sign of Bar Absinthe, Antibes
Make a night of it at Absinthe bar. Photograph: Hemis/Alamy

Going out

Budget: Absinthe bar, Antibes
This quirky bar – tucked away in a ninth-century cave just behind Antibes’ covered market – is the perfect spot for a memorable night out. Live music and a selection of hats to wear make Absinthe bar a fun and unique experience, while art nouveau posters, turn-of-the-century cabinets and glass absinthe dispensers add to the period atmosphere.

Treat: Pam Pam, Juan-les-Pins
Live bands, a fabulous array of ice-cream sundaes and colourful cocktails have made Pam Pam an institution in Juan-les-Pins. The Brazilian-style rhumerie sparkles with smiling staff, grass skirts, headdresses and carved wooden parrots.

Splurge: Le Bar in the Negresco hotel, Nice
If seasonal cocktails in luxurious surroundings sound appealing, then Le Bar at Nice’s iconic Negresco Hotel won’t disappoint. While its terrace is the place to be in the summer, when the weather cools head inside for warming spirits and laid back jazz sessions in one of their gold-velvet banquettes, surrounded by the walnut panels of the saloon.

Huge platter of bouillabaisse at market in Antibes.
The Provençal market in Antibes serves up the full range of regional delicacies. Photograph: Silvrshootr/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Budget: Le Marché Provençal, Antibes
Antibes’ covered Provençal market is open every day (except Monday in the winter) with a huge selection of the region’s fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, spices and charcuterie. After lunch, it turns into a craft fair of stalls selling jewellery, leather goods, paintings and ceramics.

Treat: Polygone Riviera, Cagnes-sur-Mer
An easy place to while away the day, this indoor-outdoor shopping centre has more than 100 stores and nearly 30 restaurants, as well as a cinema complex, casino and water gardens.

Splurge: Avenue de Verdun and rue Paradis, Nice
The world’s top fashion brands have their boutiques along Nice’s Avenue de Verdun, just north of the Jardin Albert I and a two-minutes walk from the sea. One of the Riviera’s premier luxury shopping parades intersects with the rue Paradis where Chanel, Sandro, Emporio Armani and Zadig & Voltaire lead up to the city’s main pedestrianised zone.

Discover a new side to the south of France with an off-season trip to the Côte d’Azur. With EasyJet flights from various UK airports, it’s never been easier to catch some autumn/winter sun. Find out more at easyjet.com

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