Côte d’Azur: from Marseille to Cannes

We start our tour of the Côte d'Azur in Marseille. This beautiful city has a lot to offer. The symbol of the city is, without a doubt, the Notre-Dame de la Garde. Since its construction, this basilica has been watching over the sailors, fishermen and inhabitants of Marseille. It is also called "la Bonne Mère". From the top of the hill, you have a breathtaking panorama. The basilica can be seen from every corner of the city. Also the old port, the fish market, the old part of town "Le Panier", the Vieille Charité Museum and the Roman Docks Museum should not be missed on your visit. The coastline can be easily explored by bike. We leave Marseille and drive to Calanques National Park. The Calanques are nestled between Marseille and Cassis and is without doubt a unique and breathtaking landscape. Calanques are large rocky coves that form a steep and narrow valley inland. It is a geological formation of limestone that is mainly found around the Mediterranean Sea. In the Calanques National Park, you will find pebble and fine sand beaches, miniature fjords with turquoise water and extraordinary underwater flora. It is the perfect location for sunbathing, exploring the seabed, walking or venturing into water sports such as kayaking. A boat trip is also recommended. As you can hear, you can certainly fill a day in the Calanques.

Saint-Tropez, the city of the 'rich and famous'. In the harbour you will be overwhelmed by the most expensive and biggest boats, where you will undoubtedly feast your eyes. But Saint-Tropez also has another side. It is a very pleasant, artistic town with cosy streets and good food. Take a stroll through the authentic district of la Ponche. Saint-Tropez was the avant-garde of painting in the beginning of the 20th century. The Annonciade Museum houses a collection of the Pointillist, Fauvist and Nabist periods with painters such as Seurat, Signac, Cross, Matisse, Vlaminck, Van Dongen, Derain, Vuillard, Bonnard. Be sure to visit the impressive citadel and its museum. Also the Maison des papillons and of course the many beaches, the sea and nature make a day in Saint-Tropez unforgettable. You can not leave Saint-Tropez before you have tasted the famous tropézienne cake.

Near Saint-Tropez is Port Grimaud, the outport of Grimaud city. Because it has many canals, Port Grimaud is sometimes called the Venice of France. In the summer, you can buy local products such as wine and cheese in the small shops.

Located at the foot of the Esterel massif, Saint-Raphael is particularly popular for its sandy beaches and water sports. But the seaside resort also has many historical treasures to offer. The remains of the 12th century city walls and religious buildings are just the beginning. In the historic quarter, you can reach the Romanesque church of San Rafau through cobbled streets. From the watchtower, you have a wonderful view over the city, the bay and the Esterel massif. The vegetable and flower market is a true explosion of scents and colours. From Saint-Raphael, you can take the "Corniche d'Or", the winding road that connects Cannes with the coast. This road is 40 km long and takes you through beautiful landscapes. Ideal to leave your campervan, car or motorbike at the side and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea.

Grasse is the unofficial world capital of perfume! During the Middle Ages, Grasse was especially important because of its leather industry. The leather was exported to big cities like Genoa and Pisa. Because the tanning of leather did not smell very fresh, and the aristocracy did not like it, the local leather worker Galimard came up with the idea to perfume the leather gloves of the nobility. This was the start of the perfume industry. If you want to know everything about this scented goodness, you should definitely visit the International Museum of Perfume. Furthermore, Grasse has a cosy historical centre where the cathedral and the baroque chapels immediately catch the eye. Another nice museum to visit in Grasse is the well-known Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence. Here, you will learn everything about the (art) history of Provence. In the first week of August, the annual Fête du Jasmin takes place.