The French Riviera, or Cote d'Azur as it is also romantically named, is familiar to all of us from films. Famous for its festivals and beaches, it is still the favourite holiday spot for aristocrats and celebrities. In Saint-Tropez, in particular, if you see a crowd of people who have evidently been waiting around for hours and several cameramen mingled amongst them, you can be sure you are passing by either the house or yacht of someone famous, or a nightclub that they frequent. The size of the crowd gives a rough idea of how long they have been waiting and whether it is worth tagging on to get a glimpse of the famous name yourself. Crowds are inevitable anyway if you are visiting the Cote d'Azur in the summer months, so spring and autumn are preferable to enjoy the true flavour of a holiday here.

Despite being so well known from films and television, the Cote d'Azur still manages to surprise. For a start it is not as hot is one imagines, but just that pleasant temperature that makes one wish every day of the year were like that. It is built up without being defaced, and the old parts of the towns and cities along the coast are well preserved. This is where most visitors to the region congregate, and of course on the long sand beaches, where besides tourists many local people come at lunchtime for a swim, a spot of sunbathing and a snack before returning to work. The sea is astonishingly clean considering the proximity of so many industrialised countries.

Several festivals are held here at different times of year. Once you feel you have seen all Nice has to offer, then you can extend your explorations to Cannes and Saint-Tropez to the west. Saint-Tropez was once a small fishing village, and is still small enough to get around easily in a single day. Although the attractive old buildings remain, the fishing boats have now been replaced by expensive yachts, and most of the shops along the waterfront specialise in expensive goods to match. After this glimpse into how the other half lives, you can climb up to the citadel overlooking the picturesque harbour and the surrounding sea and countryside. The 16th century castle now houses a naval museum. Cannes has a similar citadel with an 11th century clocktower that commands an equally spectacular view, but is a more demanding climb.