|
The Enchantment of the Mediterranean
The French Riviera, the Cote d’Azur. Which ever name
you call this region, the images conjured up are sure to
include beautiful women, handsome men, glitzy casinos, ancient
villages, fast cars and beautiful yachts lining the quays.
Monaco was originally founded as a Greek
trading post in about 500BC. One can only imagine the looks
on their faces if they were transported into the future,
standing quayside as the Grand Prix cars zip past! The Principality
of Monaco is based on a treaty signed with France on Feb.
2,1861. The whole economy of Monaco as we know it today
was based on a small casino originally started in 1856 by
the Prince, who was short of funds. In 1862, it moved to
its current location, and rose to glory under the direction
of Francois Blanc, with the current casino built in 1878.
As the casino gained popularity, the
surrounding hills became covered with luxurious houses,
and as they say, the rest is history. Even if you do not
want to gamble, a visit to the casino is well worth it.
The magnificent gaming halls’ walls and ceilings are
decorated with carvings and paintings. The atmosphere is
hushed, but seems charged with suspense as the croupiers
announce “Faites vos jeux”…”lay
your bets”.
High on the hill on the opposite side
of the harbor from the casino is the royal palace. Every
day at 11:55AM sharp, the royal guards parade onto the palace’s
front square, some with swords drawn, other shouldering
rifles with bayonets. As the drums beat and the trumpets
blare, they change guards and march off just at the palace
clock strikes noon. The sight is well worth the short walk
up the hill. Remember, the whole Principality is only about
486 acres, which is smaller than New York’s Central
Park, so it is easy to get around on foot.
A short jaunt down the coast, brings
you Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, a small peninsula between Monaco
and Nice. Once there, one of the best ways to see and appreciate
its beauty is on foot by wandering along the coastal path,
which is divided into three parts. The entire length is
only about 6 miles long, a nice walk, and even nicer if
you get a ride back! The three parts include a tour of Cap
Ferrat, a stroll through a lovely pine forest and the Maurice
Rouvier walk which links Saint Jean Cap Ferrat to Beaulieu.
One of the highlights of Beaulieu is
the Greek villa “Kerylos”. This extravagant
reproduction of a luxurious Greek villa is filled with mosaics,
frescos and other treasures from the 6th to 10th Century
BC. Topping it off are the superb gardens and incredible
view of the sea – definitely a “must do”!
 Closer
to Nice is Villefranche, with its port, old town and gentle
curve of coastline. The old village has narrow streets and
stairways with covered passages leading down to carefully
restored houses with colorful facades. The old village seems
to be guarded by the Saint Elme citadel, dating back to
the 16th Century.
Nice is ancient. The Greeks established
it in the 5th Century as part of a string of trading posts,
and named it Nikaia. However, it was probably the Romans
who started it as the tourist destination that it is today
with their extensive baths on Cimiez. Cimiez sits on a hill
a couple of kilometers from the center of town. The grounds
include a large park filled with olive groves (olive trees
were introduced by the Greeks), the Archeological Museum,
Matisse Museum, Franciscan Museum and the Monastery. In
August the Nice Jazz Festival takes place here upon three
stages, set amidst the olive groves and the Roman Amphitheater.
The “Vieille Ville” (Old
Town) section of Nice is filled with narrow streets curving
in irregular fashion between buildings topped with red-tiled
roofs. The Cours Saleya has a daily flower market and food
market in the mornings. The length of the Cours Saleya is
lined with low buildings separating the “Cours”
from the seaside. These were once used by fishermen to hold
their catch, but now are mostly seafood restaurants, serving
the very freshest of fish. This area might just be the most
perfect spot in all of the French Riviera to linger at an
outdoor café with a lovely glass of wine, golden
sun warm on your face, letting the scent of the nearby ocean
and the smell of the myriad of flowers wash over you. Quintessential
Cote d’Azur!
Antibes was originally named “Antipolis”
by the Greeks, when they founded it in the 5th Century,
BC. Annexed by Rome in 43 BC, the town is full or Roman
artifacts (walls, aquaducts, amphora, etc.) from the ancient
town and nearby sea bottom. In 476, when the Roman Empire
fell, the barbarians invaded the region. Vandals, Visigoths,
Burgundians, Ostrogoths and Franks all had their turn, with
the central theme being destruction. The end of the 14th
Century began the start of French occupation, as the kings
of France realized the key military role that Antibes could
play with its location on the Franco-Savoyard frontier.
There are several museums to poke about
in, including the Musee Picasso (originally the Chateau
Grimaldi), Musee Archeologique, and just for fun, the Musee
de la Tour des Arts et Traditions Populaires (Museum of
Folk Arts and Tradition). Now, all this museum hopping is
sure to make you thirsty, so you might want to go visit
the Hop Store Irish Pub, located near one of the marinas.
Once used for storing salt, the impressive vaulted cellars
have been converted in an Irish pub that is a popular meeting
place for the English-speaking community.
Cannes is the “star” of the
French Riviera, famous for the International Film Festival
and its glitzy hotels, cars and sandy beaches. The city
of Cannes is centered around the old port and is very compact.
Le Suquet is the old section of town, overlooking the west
end of the port. The ramparts date back to the 12thCentury
and give a medieval flavor to the city, as do the narrow,
winding streets. The city was probably the site of a small
Ligurian port and later a Roman outpost situated on Le Suquet
hill, as Gallo-Roman and Roman tombs have been discovered
there.
The large harbor is a comfortable anchorage,
and the yachts anchoring here find both protection from
the wind and waves, not to mention admiring looks from the
people strolling along the Blvd. De la Croisette. In the
morning the Allees de la Liberte houses a flower market,
plus a popular flea market on Saturdays.
Most of the ancient activity in the area, especially for
protection of the settlements, was on the Iles de Lerins,
a small archipelago, just off the coast. The two main islands
are Sainte-Marguerite and Sainte Honorat and the two smaller
islands are Tradeliere and Sainte Fereol.
Ile Sainte-Marguerite is the larger,
closer island. Covered by forests of Allepo pine and eucalyptus,
it has wide paths that criss-cross it. All of the islands
are pedestrian-only, with no motor vehicles allowed. Like
all of the area, the islands came under various rules as
different tribes and nations invaded them and drove off
the former inhabitants. Though built by an earlier group,
the Fort Royal was fortified by the Spanish in 1635, and
they were subsequently chased out in 1637. Fort Royal is
of note as it was used as a prison in the 17th Century and
the Man in the Iron Mask was incarcerated there. The Fort
still stands and you can visit the small cell where he was
kept.
Ile Sainte-Honorat is smaller, however
the walks are still quite nice and there is a Cisterian
abbey there to visit. The passage between the two islands
is narrow and protected. Called the “Plateau du Mileu”,
it is a very popular anchorage.
Legend has it that the name of Saint-Tropez
came from Torpes, a martyr who refused to abjure his faith.
He was beheaded and his body placed in a boat and sent adrift.
The boat was last seen drifting in the Bay, heading towards
shore. Regardless of the dubious beginnings of its name,
Saint Tropez was the hot spot of the Cote d’Azur during
the 1950s and into the 60s, with its glittering jet-set
crowds. Still very popular with tourists, it is quieter
now that the crowds have moved on.
 Situated
on the lovely blue waters of the Bay of St. Tropez, the
quay is lined with terrace cafes, perfect places to linger
as the clientele admire the yachts docked there. Behind
the cafes, the small streets and old buildings are picturesque,
but more popular for the shopping than for the historical
value!
For a change of pace, a visit to a local
vineyard might be in order, as there are several close by,
including Domaine du Bourrian, Les Celliers des Vignerons
and Domaine de Pin Pinon.
A bit south of St. Tropez, located just
east of Toulon, are the three Hyeres Islands of Porquerolles
Island, Port-Cross Island and Levant Island. They are also
referred to as the Iles d’Or, or the “Golden
Islands”, the name given to them during the Renaissance
for the way the light reflected off the golden-brown mica
shale.
Porquerolles is a mostly uninhabited
island of Mediterranean forests, rocky coastlines, nature
preserves, beaches and one small village. The major part
of the island was acquired by the state in 1979 to protect
the natural heritage and is known as the Conservatoire Botanique
National Mediterraneen. Because of this, it is also an island
of “nos”…no camping, no smoking (outside
the village limits) and no drinking water (it is only available
in the village).
On the very positive side, Porquerolles
Island is a great place for walking and cycling. In addition
to the natural pines and pin parasol, myrtle, heather and
fields of white cistes, there is even a vineyard.
Port-Cros was called “Mese”, or Middle Island
by the Greeks. Higher and wider than Porquerolles, Port-Cros
gets its name from the deep, hollowed-out shape (creux)
of its small harbor. The entire area is thickly forested
and is designated a Parc National, together with Ile de
Bagaud and the neighboring islets, Rascas and La Gabiniere
and and area extend around the coastline.
 Levant
Island consists of a long, narrow rocky ridge, rimmed by
prodigious vertical cliffs inaccessible except for the two
ports, Avis Inlet to the North and Aiguade on the western
end. When the Lerins monks inhabited the islands, the Ile
du Levant was the abbey’s garden and granary. Unlike
the other two larger islands, it is not a National Park,
nor a Botanical Conservatory, however, 80% of the island
is occupied by the Marine Nationale, and access is forbidden!
The French Riviera. The Cote d’Azur.
Known for its beautiful women, handsome men, glitzy casinos,
ancient villages, fast cars and beautiful yachts lining
the quays. But now you know there is all that, but so much
more. Plenty of glitter and nightlife if that is what you
desire, but plenty of beautiful gardens and quiet, private
places to enjoy. Centuries of history and the very latest
in fashions.
The sparkle of the water as it laps against
the side of your yacht, the smell of fresh baguettes, the
whisper of the breeze as it brushes through the pines. Whatever
it is that you seek, you will find it here. Again and again.
back to top | Select
another destination |
Book a french riviera yacht charter
|
