Page 8 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur
P. 8
6 HOW T O USE THIS GUIDE
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
This guide will help you get the most from and detailed illustrations. Suggestions for
your stay in Provence. It provides both expert food, drink, accommodation, shopping and
recommendations and detailed practical entertainment are in Travellers’ Needs, and
information. Introducing Provence maps the the Survival Guide has tips on everything
region and sets it in its historical and cultural from the French telephone system to
context. Provence Area by Area describes the getting to Provence and travelling around
important sights, with maps, photographs the region.
PROVENCE AREA B Y AREA 65 1 Introduction
Provence Area by Area 1The landscape, history and
THE RIVIERA AND
In this guide, Provence has THE ALPES MARITIMES character of each region
been divided into five separate T The French Riviera is, without doubt, the most celebrated he French Riviera is, without doubt, the most celebrated is described here,
seaside in Europe. Just about everybody who has been urope. Just about everybody who has been
seaside in E
anybody for the past 100 years has succumbed to its nybody for the past 100 years has succumbed to its
a
showing how the area
glittering allure. This is the holiday playground of
regions, each of which has its kings and courtesans, movie stars and millionaires, has developed over the
where the seriously rich never stand out in the crowd.
own chapter. A map of these There is a continual complaint that the scenery of its shores and the rich
Riviera is not what it used to be, that the
en
environment of hill villages like St-Paul vironment of hill villages like St-Paul
Cannes Film Festival is mere hype, that de de Vence. This village has echoed to the Vence. This village has echoed to the centuries and what it has
regions can be found inside the grand old Monte-Carlo has lost all sense of voices of such luminaries as Bonnard and voices of such luminaries as Bonnard and to offer the visitor today.
taste and that Nice isn’t worth the trouble
Modigliani, F Scott Fitzgerald and Greta
Garbo. Today, its galleries still spill canvases
of finding a parking space. But look at the
front cover of the book. The most boats in Antibes harbour, glimpse a villa on to its medieval lanes.
The Alpes Maritimes, which incorporates
or two on Cap Martin, or observe the
baubles on the guests at the Hôtel de Paris the principality of Monaco, is renowned
interesting places to visit in each in Monte-Carlo. Money and class still rule. for its temperate winter climate. The
The Riviera is not just a millionaire’s
abundance of flowers here attracted the
perfume industry and the English – who
watering hole: a diversity of talent has
region have been numbered and visited, seeking patrons and taking advan- created some of the finest gardens on the
tage of the luminous Mediterranean light.
coast. Inland, the mountainous areas of
This coast is irrevocably linked with the life Provence offer a range of skiing activities
plotted on a Regional Map. and works of Matisse and Picasso, Chagall, in superb mountain scenery, and a chance A locator map shows the
to try traditional Alpine food.
Cocteau and Renoir. It lent them the
region in relation to the whole
of Provence.
Each area of Provence can
be quickly identified by its
colour coding.
66 PROVENCE AREA B Y AREA THE RIVIER A AND THE ALPES M ARITIMES 67
Exploring the Riviera and the Alpes Maritimes
The rocky heights of the pre-Alps lie in tiers, running
east to west and tumbling down to the Riviera’s
dramatic, Corniche-hemmed coast. On bluffs and
pinnacles, towns and villages keep a watchful eye on
the distant blue sea. Towards the Italian border, the
Alpine ridges run from north to south, cut by torrents Saint-Étienne- Regional Map
and gorges which provide snowy winter slopes for de-Tinée
skiers. Much of the higher ground is occupied by the Auron
Parc National du Mercantour (see p101), home of the 2This gives an illustrated
ibex and the chamoix. Its jewel is the prehistoric Entraunes Isola Isola 2000 View from Roquebrune towards Nice
Vallée des Merveilles, less than two hours from the V Va Var
contrasting bustle of the Riviera. L E overview of the whole region.
P A R C Réf éf é r fr f e re r i
Getting Around Valberg Beuil N A T I O N A L D U M E R C A N T O U R
The A8 from Italy runs in-land, Guillaumes M Me V TENDE All the sights are numbered
parallel to the coast. Between Saint-Sauveur- Saint-Martin- Merveil il i l ll l e le les Vall llé lée é des e s e Vallée des St-Dalmas
this highway and the sea, from sur-Tinée Vésubie de
Nice to Menton, are three and there are also useful tips
corniches. The Grande GO RGES DU CIANS Roquebillière Pointe de Roya oy o
Corniche follows the Roman Ti Ti T nee Trois-Communes
road, Julia Augusta, via La l'Authion SAORGE
Turbie. The Moyenne Corniche I IA on getting around by car
passes through Eze, and the PUGET- FO R Ê T
Corniche Inférieure visits all THÉNIERS Touët- VÉ V Lantosque DE T U R I N I Breil-sur-Roya
coastal resorts. The inland Digne-les- sur-Var Villars- sur-Var VALLÉE DE LA VÉSUBIE Peïra-Cava
Bains
roads are narrow and winding, St-Jean- and public transport.
so allow more time for your la-Rivière Ventimiglia
journey. Grasse and Cannes are LUCÉRAM SOSPEL
linked by a regular bus service, Roquesteron VA V
and bikes can be hired at some Plan-du-Var
railway stations. Other bus links Expensive yachts in the Es Es E te te t ron Escarène
are also good. The largest colourful harbour at Antibes PEILLE Ste- Remo San
airport in the region and Mont Cheiron Agnes
second busiest in France, is Sisteron GORBIO
at Nice, west of the city. Le Logis- PEILLON MENTON
du-Pin ROQUEBRUNE-
u Loup Va ar V V LA TURBIE CAP-MARTIN
Sights at a Glance up BEAULIEU- EZE MONACO
SUR-MER
1 Gorges du Cians o Villefranche-sur-Mer St-Vallier- GOURDON ST-PAUL VENCE NICE VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER
2 Puget-Théniers p Beaulieu-sur-Mer de-Thiey DE VENCE CAGNES-
3 St-Cézaire-sur-Siagne a Eze GRASSE SUR-MER ST-JEAN-
4 Gourdon s La Turbie Grottes de VILLENEUVE- CAP-FERRAT
St-Cézaire
LOUBET
5 Grasse d Monaco pp94–8 ST-CÉZAIRE- BIOT Cros-de-Cagnes
6 Mougins f Peillon SUR-SIAGNE Features and story boxes
7 Cannes pp72–3 g Peille Key
8 Iles de Lérins pp74–5 h Lucéram MOUGINS ANTIBES Motorway
9 Juan-les-Pins j Vallée de la Vésubie VALLAURIS Major road highlight special or unique aspects
0 Antibes k Forêt de Turini Secondary road
q Vallauris l Parc National du Golfe- JUAN-LES-PINS
w Biot Mercantour CANNES Juan Cap d'Antibes Minor road of a particular sight.
Scenic route
e Villeneuve-Loubet z Tende Draguignan
r Vence x Saorge La ILES DE LÉRINS Main railway
t St-Paul de Vence c Sospel Napoule Minor railway
y Cagnes-sur-Mer v Gorbio 0 kilometres 10 International border
u Nice pp84–5 b Roquebrune-Cap-Martin 0 miles 10 Regional border The sunshine and relaxing atmosphere
i St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat n Menton of a café in Nice
For additional map symbols see back flap 76 PROVENCE AREA B Y AREA THE RIVIER A AND THE ALPES M ARITIMES 77
9Juan-les-Pins
Road map E4. * 76,770. £ @ Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)
n Palais des Congres, 60 chemin Picasso, the giant of 20th-century art, spent most of his later life in Provence, inspired by its
des Sables (04 22 10 60 01).
∑ antibesjuanlespins.com luminous light and brilliant colours. He came first to Juan-les-Pins in 1920, and returned to
Antibes in 1946 with Françoise Gilot. He was given a studio in the seafront Grimaldi palace,
To the east of Cannes is the where, after wartime Paris, his work became infused with Mediterranean light and joyful
hammerhead peninsula of Cap images. No other artist has succeeded with so many art forms, and the Antibes collection
d’Antibes, a promontory of pines
and coves where millionaires’ is a taste of his versatility. He died at Mougins, aged 92.
mansions grow. Just next door
Detailed information is one of the finest beaches in
the area tucked in the west side
of the cape in GolfeJuan, where Spectacular pleasure yachts in Antibes harbour
3on each sight in 1815. This is a 20thcentury cours Masséna. The town’s high qVallauris
Napoleon came ashore from Elba
resort, promoted by American
railroad heir Frank Jay Gould,
points include the 12thcentury
All the important towns who attracted high society towers of the church and Grimaldi Road map E3. * 31,000. @ n 67
ave George Clemenceau (04 93 63 82 58)
& GolfeJuan Vieux Port (04 93 63 73 12).Juan Vieux Port (04 93 63 73 12).
castle on the site of Antipolis. The
in the 1920s and 1930s when
Cathédrale Notre-Dame, which
( Mon–Sat. ∑ vallauris-golfe-juan.fr
writers F Scott Fitzgerald and
and other places to visit are Ernest Hemingway stayed here. took over the town’s watchtower In summer, the wares of potters
as a belfry, has a wooden crucifix
Today, in the high season, it is
spill on to the avenue of
from 1447, a 16thcentury Christ
filled with a young crowd. The
and a fine Louis Bréa altarpiece
this pottery capital. Picasso
area at the junctions of boule
described individually. They vards Baudoin and Wilson is depicting the Virgin Mary. revitalized this industry, the Violin and Sheet of Music (1912),
history of which is traced in
The Château Grimaldi nearby
now in Paris, is a Cubist collage
filled with bars. Action centres
round the 1988 casino, the
houses the Musée Picasso,
from the period when Picasso
the Musée de la Ceramique,
Palais des Congrés, and Penedé
which displays over 50 drawings,
experimented with different forms.
together with a collection of
are listed in order, following Gould pine grove, which gives paintings, and ceramics created contemporary pieces. In the Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907),
shelter to the International Jazz
by the artist when he used the
square is Picasso’s sculpture
à Juan Festival (see p37) in July.
L’Homme au Mouton (1943).
museum as a studio during 1946.
now in New York, was the first
L L
The exceptional modern art La Guerre et la Paix (1952) is ina Guerre et la Paix (1952) is ina Guerre et la Paix the Cubist painting. Its bold style
the numbering on the collection includes works by Musée National Picasso, housed shocked the art world of the day.
Ernst, Modigliani, Léger, Miró
in the Romanesque chapel
of the Château de Vallauris.
and Nicolas de Staël in the last
Regional Map. Within each two years of his life. E Musée de la Ceramique
Further south, the Musée
d’Histoire et d’Archéologie in the
Pl de la Libération. Tel 04 93 64 71 83.
fortified Bastion StAndré houses Open Wed–Mon (Jul–Aug: daily).
Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 & 11 Nov,
town or city, there is A glimpse of nightlife in one of the vibrant Greek and Etruscan finds, including 25 Dec. &
a 3rdcentury BC inscription to the
spirit of Septentrion, a boy who
E Musée National Picasso
danced at the Antipolis theatre.
Pl de la Libération. Tel 04 93 64 71 83.
detailed information on streets of Juan-les-Pins of Antibes Open Wed–Mon (Jul–Aug: daily). La Joie de Vivre (1946), is
Marineland leisure park, north
Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 & 11 Nov,
of Antibes, includes a shark, includes a shark, includes a shark filled
of Antibes
25 Dec. & =
aquarium and other attractions
important buildings and 0Antibes such as polar bears and whales. one of Picasso’s main works
from the Antibes period,
Road map E3. * 76,770 (Commune
using favourite mytho
O Marineland
of Antibes). £ @ g n 42 ave
Robert Soleau (04 22 10 60 10). 306 ave Mozart. Tel 0892 426 226. logical themes. He is the
Open Feb–Dec: daily. & 7 = 0
bearded centaur playing
( Mon–Sun (daily Jul & Aug).
other major sights. ∑ antibesjuanlespins.com ∑ marineland.fr the flute, and Françoise
Gilot is the Maenad who
E Musée Picasso
Originally the ancient Greek Château Grimaldi, Place Mariejol. dances while two fauns
leap about and a satyr
trading post of Antipolis, Antibes Tel 04 93 95 85 98. Open Tue–Sun. plays a panpipe.
became heavily fortified over the Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 Nov, 25 Dec.
centuries, notably by Vauban in & 7 8 ^ = The Goat (1946), also in
the 17th century, who built the E Musée d’Histoire et Antibes, is one of his best L’Homme au Mouton (1943)
main port and Fort Carré, where d’Archéologie known images. In 1950 he was sculpted in an afternoon.
Napoleon was allegedly Bastion StAndré. Tel 04 93 95 85 98. made his famous goat It stands in the main square
temporarily imprisoned. Open Feb–Oct: Tue–Sun; Nov–Jan: sculpture using a wicker of Vallauris, also home of
The old town is pleasant, with Tue–Sat. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, Tourists inspect merchandise in Vallauris, basket as the ribcage. La Guerre et la Paix (1952).
a picturesque market place in 1 Nov, 25 Dec. & 7 = the pottery capital of Provence
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp198–9 and pp208–11
