A land of tourism for more than 150 years, the Côte d'Azur has displayed its art de vivre and its know-how for the benefit of the most demanding customers.
With its international reputation, Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Menton, it stretches its borders from Monaco to Saint-Tropez and is undoubtedly among IT-Destinations. The cocktail is energizing: culture, sport, nature, tradition, gastronomy, international festivals, shopping, sea, mountain, sun; A French art of living that loves to be shared !
There is no shortage of qualifiers to define the Côte d'Azur : glamorous, chic, multiple, authentic, sporting, eventful, active and creative. This destination open to the world thanks to its international airport plays diversity, let yourself be seduced.
Local specialties
It is the meeting between Provence and the Mediterranean that offers its diversity and the extent of its flavors to our local products : herbs, vegetables of the sun, olive and its oil classified AOC, wines, also labeled , Honey, fruits which are declined in fine confectionery ... up to the flowers that are inscribed here in the field of gluttony ...
Some specialties :
Pissaladière : Tart with onion covered with anchovy fillets and black olives.
Socca : Crepe made with chickpea flour, water and olive oil cooked in a charcoal oven.
"Salade Niçoise" : Anchovies, tuna, tomatoes, green peppers, celery, hard boiled eggs, black olives and a fillet of olive oil for seasoning (in season you can add hearts of artichokes and fevettes).
Le Pan-Bagnat : Round bread made with Niçoise salad and onions or cébettes.
La Bagna Cauda : Raw vegetables soaked in a fondue of hot olive oil, garlic and anchovies.
Pesto soup : Vegetable soup with basil (carrots, turnips, green cabbage, courgettes, white beans, leeks, potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and lean bacon).
Zucchini flower donuts
Les petits farcis : Tomatoes, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, zucchini flowers, peppers and eggplant stuffed with salty, egg, basil, garlic, parmesan, olive oil ...
Gnocchi : Semolina of durum wheat (Italian way) or potato.
The dumplings : Niçois stuffed with the daube and served with the juice of daube.
The tripe : A la niçoise, with tomato sauce.
The stockfish : Made from dried cod cooked with onions, tomatoes and white wine for two long hours and all decorated with some anchovies and black olives.
The porquetta : Stuffed pig of milk.
And the fish ... Red mullets, sea bream ...
Major events and venues
EVENTS :
The Côte d'Azur offers more than 6,500 events or events throughout the year whose diversity and notoriety cover a varied range to infinity. Festivals and Carnivals, exhibitions, concerts, major festivals, international fairs, sporting events, traditional events ...
TROPHY ANDROS in January - Isola 2000 : Stage of the race of cars on ice circuit, with the presence of famous pilots.
RALLYE AUTOMOBILE MONTE-CARLO in January - Monaco : Sporting event organized by the Automobile Club of Monaco and, the starting and ending frame of which is the Principality of Monaco
INTERNATIONAL CIRCUS FESTIVAL in January - Monaco : The biggest circus festival in the world. Created by S.A.S. Prince Rainier III, this festival brings together the most prestigious issues of the world's greatest circuses, culminating in the awarding of the "Golden Clown", considered the supreme distinction by all the artists of this discipline
CARNIVAL OF NICE in February - Nice : More than fifteen days of festivities animate the city: carnival parades, elegant flower battles, shows and fireworks
LEMON FESTIVAL February / March - Menton : Giant citrus motifs in the Biovès Gardens, corsi of golden fruit with tanks decorated with oranges and lemons ... these are some of the highlights of this festival. Not to be missed also the International Orchid Festival and the Craft Fair of the Pays Mentonnais which are held as every year at the Palais de l'Europe.
FESTIVAL DE CANNES (professional event) in May - Cannes : The most important cinematographic event in the world. Each year, the biggest international stars come to the famous steps of the Palais to present their films to the critics and professionals of the world. This festival is the most publicized event in the world after the Olympics
MONACO F1 GRAND PRIX in May - Monaco : One of the oldest and most prestigious car races on a circuit in the city, designed in 1929
LES VOILES D'ANTIBES in June - TROPHY PANERAI - Antibes : Regatta of the most beautiful boats in the world and the big names in sailing
IRONMAN FRANCE in July - Nice : Organized in the heart of the Côte d'Azur, the Ironman France - Nice attracts athletes every year from all over the world.
SALON DU PALAIS GOURMAND in November - Cagnes-sur-Mer : Lovers of wines and flavors are invited to a gourmet Tour de France to discover, taste, compare or buy the different regional specialties.
PLACES TO VISIT :
Sea and mountain : an amazing diversity.
First of all, geology has shaped extraordinary landscapes on the Cote d'Azur with a coastline a few centimeters of summits that touch the 3000 meters of altitude, offering an atypical topology and incredible landscapes that make this territory altogether original.
In winter, you are always surprised to see the beaches the snow-capped peaks of the Mercantour and you can experience, six months of the year (from December to April), skiing on snowy tracks in the morning, for Enjoy water skiing in the afternoons on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Land of sport and adventure.
It is, throughout the year, a land of sports, thanks to a weather often clemente and courses of trainings and remarkable competitions. New sports and recreational infrastructures are also taking place on the Département, for example in 2016 : The largest tyrolean in France at La Colmiane (2663km), the newly developed Sport Mountain cluster in Saint Martin Vésubie, the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Biot Sophia Antipolis.
Running events such as the Alpes-Maritimes Marathon Nice-Cannes, the UltraTrail Côte d'Azur Mercantour, the NICE IRONMAN generate an important attraction for the destination; Spectacular events such as the Royal Regattas, the Monaco Grand Prix, the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters ... punctuate the prestigious calendar of unavoidable events.
Creative Cote d'Azur.
Its history with the major artists of the 20th century is equally interesting. The Côte d'Azur was a land of inspiration for some, protection for others. It is full of testimonies in its museum, architectural, in its gardens. The greatest master-painters, sculptors, the most renowned filmmakers, the most influential architects, the most audacious botanists (Note : New : 1st Festival of Gardens of the Riviera from April 1 to May 1, 2017 ) Have marked their fingerprints this destination that opened their arms to them. The story continues today and visitors can enjoy all the imagination, creativity and inspiration it offers through events recognized around the world: the Cannes Film Festival, jazz festivals, the Carnival of Nice, the popular Festival of Lemons of Menton, exceptional exhibitions but also events such as the Festival of video art in Nice : UFO.
History of territories, encounters and transmission. Unbelievable diversity.
The story-telling is rich : the Mercantour National Park and its well-kept secrets are only to be shared by the visitors; The return to the roots of perfume manufacturing in Grasse and the Pays de Grasse, and the 400 million-year-old geological exception of rocks close to the sea, which has simply created the Mercantour mountain, Nice and its 500 years of artistic creation of the baroque with the chapel of the Mercy to the contemporary creation with the head square of Sosno, not to mention the Bay of Cannes constituted of the archipelago of the Islands of Lérins and the Croisette whose environmental characteristics, patrimonial And cultural traces 2300 years of history. These territories are part of a duty of preservation and memory and hope to receive the ultimate recognition of the labels, that of UNESCO.
Shopping and luxury on the French Riviera.
All in paradox, the Côte d'Azur is a real shopping destination. The big cities and malls shopping are registered in International Tourist Zones allowing to enjoy a very wide amplitude of time to discover fully the offer of the Côte d'Azur in the matter : Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Cagnes sur Mer for Polygone Riviera and Saint Laurent du Var for Cap 3000.
Surrounded by the most prestigious hotels, the large Houses are represented and the exclusive international clientele meet regularly to share business and leisure.
