Read reviews of restaurants, events, activities and vacation villas or apartments in the villages, towns and cities of the French and Italian Rivieras.
"There are so many restaurants in Nice that it's really hard to choose a good one. The Coeur de Saleya is the main tourist area so you kind of feel that you won't be able to find the best or the most authentic Nicoise food here. The competition is so hot though that actually the standard of the food and the quality of the service in Nice is pushing up and up all the time. Le Voglia arrived and with queues out the door each night they have set a new standard of service and dining experience.
Nice is getting chic. The French Riviera has always been known as being 'fabulous' but Nice has always been a little bit rough and ready, not so glamourous and definitely not as 'dressy' but there are some news places opening up that mean you can now actually get dressed up and go out for that 'South of France' experience.
If the queue at Le Voglia is too long then you could try Karré Noir on the Promenade instead. It is quieter but decor is similar in style, clean, modern and chic. The english and French speaking staff are very friendly and the food is modern mediterranean with an emphasis on presentation.
Karré Noir has the complete night out experience with the new nightclub 'base' operating on Friday and Saturday nights. Music is international hits, R&B, pop and a little bit of disco on occasion. It's a bit different from the usual dark and dingy French clubs which are hard to find and, if you do, you often regret it. It's great to have the choice."
"We thoroughly enjoyed our short stay in this stunning apartment. We felt very at home here and even chose to stay in and cook one night to make the most of it! You couldn't ask for a better holiday let website and all of our queries were answered promptly by the agent. The owner was there to greet us when we arrived which i thought was lovely - he was also extremely helpful. The best thing was the ease of it all as that's what makes it a holiday for me and i fully appreciated the high level of decor and attention to detail. The booking was easy, the location was perfect for the sea front and train station and i hope we will be able to stay again. Thoroughly recommended. Thank You !"
"If you are lucky enough to visit Nice in summer, I can recommend that you take the train ride from Nice through the mountains to Tende and back again. You will just go higher and higher into an almost different world of 100s of year ago. It is completely upspoiled.
The train goes through Peille, L'Escarene, Breil sur Roya and lots of other tiny little mountain towns and villages. The scenery is spectacular and the welcome extremely warm everywhere you go.
You can get off at any stop and explore, then catch a later train either up or down. The Carte Isabelle that you buy at the train station covers your trip for 12 euros for the day.
We went to Tende and had lunch and a few drinks, went to the loacl museum which is all about the Valley Des Merveilles (Marvels) in the Mercantour National Park which is accessed from the town. Brilliant!"
"Port Grimaud is an exceptional place. When you first arrive you almost can't believe it's real. It's so perfect and well maintained that you look around for signs that Disney have made a copy of Venice and behind every wall is lots of chipboard and paint cans.
But it's not so. When I looked carefully at the docksides, I commented to my wife that those huge granite blocks that form the dock were definitely NOT fake, and the paving slabs on the streets were clearly solid and very real and not made yesterday.
That's why Port Grimaud is such a lovely surprise, it's a Venice that you didn't know existed. It's one of the best kept secrets of the French Riviera and one I'm so glad we discovered. When the kids figured out that in order to get from the little villa to anywhere, we needed to take a boat, their eyes just lit up in astonishment.
We rented a little semi-rigid for the week and were able to explore all the little canals, go all around the Golfe of St Tropez and basically tie up just about anywhere. We even got to tie up onto a giant pro sailing yacht in St Tropez next yacht along from Nicole Kidmans party. I don't think you can do this with a bigger boat though.
Port Grimaud is small, but it's small size makes it manageable with a group. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and St Raphael and St Tropez and only minutes away either by sea if you have hired a boat or by road if terra firma is the choice of transport."
"Port Grimaud is an exceptional place. When you first arrive you almost can't believe it's real. It's so perfect and well maintained that you look around for signs that Disney have made a copy of Venice and behind every wall is lots of chipboard and paint cans.
But it's not so. When I looked carefully at the docksides, I commented to my wife that those huge granite blocks that form the dock were definitely NOT fake, and the paving slabs on the streets were clearly solid and very real and not made yesterday.
That's why Port Grimaud is such a lovely surprise, it's a Venice that you didn't know existed. It's one of the best kept secrets of the French Riviera and one I'm so glad we discovered. When the kids figured out that in order to get from the little villa to anywhere, we needed to take a boat, their eyes just lit up in astonishment.
We rented a little semi-rigid for the week and were able to explore all the little canals, go all around the Golfe of St Tropez and basically tie up just about anywhere. We even got to tie up onto a giant pro sailing yacht in St Tropez next yacht along from Nicole Kidmans party. I don't think you can do this with a bigger boat though.
Port Grimaud is small, but it's small size makes it manageable with a group. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and St Raphael and St Tropez and only minutes away either by sea if you have hired a boat or by road if terra firma is the choice of transport."
"Portofino is a very cute little place indeed. You can only get to it on a fairly narrow road that winds it way from St Margherita. When we were there it was really nice weather and there were a lot of Stars and celebrities around. Roman Abramovich's boat Le Grand Bleu was in the harbour and we also spotted Richard Branson, Kylie Minogue and her boyfirend Olivier Martinez on a boat and at a villa reputedly owned by Dolce & Gabbana.
Portofino is a magical place, it's so small and 'piccolo' that nobody is exlcuded from anything. It's weird to see tiny traditional fishing boats outside a Gucci shop! The very glamourous sales girl from Prada was busy having a cigarette and flirting with a young fisherman.
In high summer it can get very crowded, and parking is an absolute nightmare. In the centre of the village (it's really just a village) there's a multistorey underground car park, but because of the topography of the place, it's surprisingly small inside. If your car gets in you'll be lucky, and even luckier to get it out. The locals just pile their cars in, ignoring any car that looks like it's a tourists or a hire car. They figure that they've got enough time to wait I suppose. Problem is though that it's a very expensive car park. Ouch.
Take a walk through the many lanes overlooking the town and up tothe graveyard and church, it's truly beautiful. It's an amazingly beautiful place, so picture perfect, just try to stay out of town if you've got a car."
"L'Escalinada, suitably named due to its climbing terrace, is a definate must for any tourist interested in traditional French gourmet. Situated at the very back of the old town, this quaint and typically French restaurant serves some strange alternatives, yet curiously enticing dishes that will seldom fail to disappoint even the harshest critic.
As a resident of Vieux Nice, I find it difficult to break away from the uniform 'pizza-pasta' menu that is available in the majority of venues offered to the tourist in Nice. The Italian influence in the old town is undeniable, yet, l'Escalinada stands stoically by its' firm French roots, offering only a French menu while contradicting itself by offering a friendly and accommodating staff (the latter being a unique point in itself, especially within Nice).
The menu is predominantly meat-based, serving a surprising amount of red meat, rabbit and other heavy dishes. However, the vegetarian shall not be neglected, as most of the best meals on the menu are based on vegetables of the mediterranean variety, most notably, the fleurs de courgettes starters (also served as a main), a light yet very tasty introduction to what can be consumed as the experience continues. My personal choice of dish was rabbit served with a garlic and olive oil coating and the chef did not spare on the portion offered. My partner in crime chose veal with a heavy mushroom sauce, accompanied by tagliatelle and fresh warm bread. The dessert menu was recited to us by a very personable waiter, and I chose a strawberry tart that was light and deliciously summery.
And the food did not need to compensate for the small yet carefully chosen wine menu, which varied from light to medium white's and rose's to the heavier red's that fitted the beef dishes perfectly. The meal was also accompanied by apertifs and small nibbles to tempt the palette, aswell as subtle candle and flower arrangements so as to help the diner to relax and enjoy the soft atmosphere.
Overall, a very pleasurable experience that would satisfy any appetite. For me, the presence of genuine Nicois punters settled my questionning on whether it was definatly the real thing, or just a money-spinner to pull in the tourists. In short, a must-do if visiting Nice. "
"Driving in the South of France is one of my favourite things to do. Actually anywhere in France, from the point of view of how easy it is to get around but the views along the Riviera! They are just stunning. It's almost dangerous because you can hardly keep your eyes on the road.
The Basse Corniche out of Nice, towards Italy is one of the most beautiful drives. It's right by the sea and follows the shape of the coast and slices right through the mountains, through tunnels hacked out of the sheer rock face. Wow!
You hit Villefranche first, out of Nice. It runs along the top of the town so it's worth taking a little detour and dropping down into the port/seafront/beach/Citadel area. Amazing. There are two other roads that follow the same route but they are higher up the mountains, equally stunning. Just bring a chauffeur or keep your eyes on the road."
"Portofino is gorgeous. I was there for a wedding it was about as perfect as it could possibly be. Every picture came out stunning because the light and the scenery was so pretty. It made everyone look so happy and great looking.
It is weird though, the designer stores tucked into rustic buildings and the fishing village vibe. Great shopping though, you feel like one of the beautiful people. We went up the road to St Margherita too which was much more 'real', a little bit run down and dusty. We had such a good time."
Reviewed by: sarah
4.25 / 5 (4 votes)