In this post I pick the most romantic places on the Côte d’Azur, worth staying up late for. Our love for the French Riviera or Côte d’Azur is no secret. The climate, the scenery, the sophistication and that French “Je ne sais quoi” charms me into returning at least twice a year. Out of season Monaco sparkles at Christmas (even though you don’t get snow you get great decorations!).
1. Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat
Follow in the footsteps of Winston Churchill and Liza Minelli and take a drink on the terrace of the historic Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel (pictured above). As day turns to night, enjoy drinks on the terrace to the sound of the live band. When you look out to sea, the pink flowers in the trees seem to contrast and then match the sky as the sun sets.
2. Chateau Eza
Eze’s darling medieval hilltop village is perched on the top of the coastal mountains that run between Nice and Monaco. At 427m above sea level, Eze looks down upon the deep blue waters of the Cote D’Azur and feels a world away.
Chateau Eza in the hilltop village of Eze is like stepping into a fairytale. Take a drink on the large terrace, which is dizzyingly high. Their gourmet restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows with extraordinary 180° panoramic views of Nice. In the very distance, you can see the planes circling and landing at Nice airport (you can even see the runway lights!). More immediately below, Cap Ferrat sits, sparkling into the night. The food is equally breathtaking, with a well-deserved Michelin Star. It is an unmissable evening- you’ll never eat anywhere else quite like this.
3. Monaco
There is no better place for me to enjoy a beer and an olive and watch the world pass by. Everyone dresses up in the latest designer outfits and promenades under the night sky. The crowd stays up well past midnight, and Jimmyz nightclub stays open into the early morning. The supercar ballet that circulates around Casino Square is mesmerizing and never ends.
4. Villa Belrose
At the other end of the Cote D’Azur, enjoy hillside meal at the Michelin Star restaurant at Villa Belrose, taking in the vista of Saint Tropez bay. With over 500 exclusive French wines, indulge in a seven-course dinner paired with exceptional wines chosen by the restaurant’s sommelier. Even if you are not staying here, you must pop up to the Hôtel Villa Belrose for drinks on their magnificent terrace and to absorb the amazing views.
5. Promenade La Croisette, Cannes
Promenade the palm tree lined “La Croisette” boulevard in Cannes which runs from one end of this pretty town to the other. Here you’ll find high end designer shops mixed with many beachside restaurants where you can enjoy fish any way you like, next to the sea.
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