CÔTE D'AZUR
HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
It was the Greeks who first ‘discovered’ this coast in 600 BC, and traces of
their settlement still remain. But it is the Romans whose colonizing influence was the more important, and is the more evident today. At Climez there are arenas and, at La Turbie, a partly restored ruin. The Alpine Trophy is one of the few such Roman Trophies still in existence. Fortified hill-villages, a striking feature of the region, stand on crests or are terraced along mountain tops.
LANDSCAPE
Spectacularly beautiful and dramatically diverse. The coast around Toulon
is indented with sheltered harbours, there are long sweeping expanses
of almost vertical cliffs, interrupted only by some of France’s finest beaches.
Further east, where the Maures Massif meets the Mediterranean,
there are great promontories such as Cap Bénat and, of course, the St Tropez peninsula. A few miles inland the landscape is serene, empty and hazy with warmth. Villages are ancient, perched above gorges or gazing across limestone plateaux. The hills are often terraced with olives and vines, and the air is heavy with pine, lavender, wild thyme and rosemary.
For a holiday immersed in this enchanting landscape and rich in things to see and do, with Cuendet you can choose from holiday apartments and houses, villas with swimming pool and seaside properties selected one by one for their comfort and charm, for a holiday of complete freedom.
LEISURE AND SPORT
Most activity is centred upon the coast, where there is an abundance of
facilities. However, one can also enjoy the simple pleasures of strolling
into village squares to watch the locals play ‘boules’ or just relaxing, away
from the sun, in the shade of a plane tree.
CLIMATE
Summer is very hot, especially midday, when it is advisable to seek the
shade until mid-afternoon. Spring-time is punctuated by short but heavy
showers. Autumn is both brilliant and warm, and after the drought of
summer, the flowers re-emerge and burst upon the countryside.
FOOD AND WINE
Cuisine here owes much to the olive oil and garlic of the region.
Bouillabaisse (a robust garlic, herb and wine flavoured fish soup or stew),
is the most celebrated Provençal dish and can be enjoyed in its natural
environment. Fresh shellfish, lobster, sea urchins and Toulon mussels are
served all along the coast. Wine has been produced here for well over
2,000 years. The rosé wines are pleasant and fruity whilst the white wines
are quite dry, but nonetheless full of flavour.