French Riviera

The Cote d'Azur has been the ultimate luxury destination since the 1920s, when American expatriates and European aristocrats transformed this sun-drenched coastline into the world's most glamorous playground. From the Promenade des Anglais in Nice to the yacht-filled harbor of Saint-Tropez, the Riviera offers an unmatched combination of natural beauty, art, gastronomy, and glamour. The coastline is punctuated by legendary destinations, each with its own personality: Nice, the cultural capital with its Matisse and Chagall museums and vibrant Old Town; Antibes with its Picasso Museum perched above the ramparts; Cap Ferrat, where the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild houses one of the finest private art collections in France; Eze, a medieval eagle's nest village with panoramic views from the exotic garden; Monaco, the tiny principality packing maximum opulence into two square kilometers; and Cannes, whose Croisette promenade and Film Festival define cinematic glamour. For accommodation, the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons resort, is arguably the finest hotel on the Mediterranean, with its cliff-top infinity pool and private funicular to the sea. The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, where Fitzgerald set 'Tender Is the Night,' remains the most storied address on the coast. Beach clubs are a Riviera institution — from the legendary Club 55 in Pampelonne to the chic Paloma Beach in Cap Ferrat. Dining reaches extraordinary heights: Mirazur in Menton (three Michelin stars) has been named the best restaurant in the world, while Le Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco channels Alain Ducasse's Mediterranean vision. The corniche roads between Nice and Monaco — Basse, Moyenne, and Grande — offer some of the most spectacular coastal drives anywhere on the planet.

Highlights