By Gary Lawrence
Inland from Nice in southeastern France, situated along the bucolic rural roads of the Côte d’Azur, are countless rustic, picturesque villages just waiting to be explored. Here’s a guided tour by car, from the best-known spots to the overlooked gems.
Saint-Jean-de-Cap-Ferrat: A Billionaire’s Dream Villa
Once upon a time, there was a wealthy and eccentric heiress who decided to build a monument to beauty with Venetian accents on a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean. In 1912, when the palace was finished, Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild added her collection of 5,000 works of art while landscaping an astounding series of nine themed gardens (French, Spanish, Florentine, Japanese…). Today, the entire Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is a delight to explore and a feast for the senses, featuring bougainvillea, bamboo, and elegantly decorated rooms.
Èze: The Crown of the Côte d’Azur
Arriving in this lovely village, you’ll find that the phrase “balcony with sea view” comes to mind. Halfway between Nice and Monaco, this medieval gem twines around the summit of a rocky peak, rolling out narrow, winding streets that are a treat to explore. At the top, around the ruins of a castle, a panoramic plateau offers amazing 360-degree views of the coast and the Mediterranean. Just below, a surprising garden of cacti and other succulents forms a green crown of thorns atop the village outcrop.
After passing through the 14th-century fortified gate, visit Fragonard perfumery, found just below the village, or take the Nietzsche Path, named for the famous philosopher who liked to walk along it to reflect on the meaning of life. A stroll there is likely to have you thinking “Isn’t life beautiful?”
Saint-Paul-de-Vence: An Artist’s Life
If there’s one village not to be missed near Nice, this is it. Beautifully restored and boasting wonderful medieval alleyways, Saint-Paul-de-Vence abounds with 16th- and 17th-century dwellings, offers a gorgeous walkway that forms a loop around the village ramparts, and is home to a wide array of restaurants, shops, galleries, prestigious inns, and artists’ workshops.
Since the legendary restaurant La Colombe d’Or began accepting art in exchange for room and board in the 1920s, artists have flocked there, as the paintings and sculptures by Picasso, Matisse, Léger, and Mirò can attest. Not far away, the Maeght Foundation has an even vaster collection of 20th-century masterpieces, including some by Canadian artist Jean-Paul Riopelle, whose work was exhibited there last summer. Jacques Prévert lived in the village for 15 years, and Marc Chagall chose to be buried in its Saint-Michel cemetery.
In this gracious place, which many big names from the world of cinema (including Montand, Signoret, Ventura, and Carné) have visited, the signs of art-world celebrities are everywhere, and it’s a pleasure to follow them through the old cobblestone alleyways or trace The Artists’ Route by bike or by car to the next stop on our tour.
Tourrettes-sur-Loup: City of the Arts and Violets
Built on a rocky outcrop and surrounded by tall houses creating a rampart, this charming village was the target of many invasions throughout its history. Rebuilt in the 15th century, it remains beautifully preserved and enchanting to explore, with medieval streets that wind from squares to fountains and from arched passageways to stone porticos. Packed with small restaurants, shops, and workshops, Tourrettes is also the regional capital for growing violets, which are sold here in various forms, from liqueur to perfume to candied petals.
The term “eagle’s aerie” could have been coined for Gourdon, a village cling- ing to the tops of the cliffs that tower over the gorges of the Loup River 80 kilo- metres (50 miles) from the Mediterranean coast, which you can see from a large terrace while enjoying refreshing breezes. Indulge in violet ice cream or a zucchini flower as you admire the spectacular panorama unfurling all around you.
Gourdon: A High Perch
Located on the threshold of Préalpes d’Azur Regional National Park and a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, Gourdon has a population of barely 200 but is home to many architectural gems, including a 12th-century Romanesque church and a castle whose terraced gardens were designed by André Le Nôtre (who also designed those of Versailles).
The winding road that leads to the village is sprinkled with panoramic lookouts and is itself worth the detour, while the Chemin du Paradis is a path that starts at the village of Bar-sur-Loup and offers its share of breathtaking views.
Cabris: A Tourist-Free Zone
Farther from Nice than the destinations described above, this cute village in the Cannes countryside offers a bluff with an incredible view of the distant Mediterranean. Discreet and charming, it’s crisscrossed by a maze of small streets that you won’t tire of walking as you make your way to the ruins of the feudal castle and Place Mirabeau, as did several famous writers, such as Gide, Camus, and Saint-Exupéry, whose mother lived here until her death. As a bonus, Cabris makes a peaceful home base to explore popular surrounding areas, such as Grasse, the global perfume capital, and the pretty medieval village of Mougins, a French-cuisine hot spot. (It’s also where Picasso died in 1973.)
