Tag Archives: cannes

Picture of the Day: the legendary morning light of the French Riviera!

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After almost a month spent away from home and two weeks on a business trip in huge tropical cities of South East Asia with stormy weather, it was a blessing to land in Nice airport and to see the wonderful blue skies and blue sea of the French Riviera again early in the morning on the flight from Munich. This stunning view was taken whilst flying over Antibes where you can distinctly see the huge marina, the Fort Carré and the old town – to the left is the bay of Cannes with the Esterel mountains in the distance.

Picture of the Day: the red rocks of the Esterel mountains

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When you fly in to Nice airport from the west, it’s difficult not to notice the striking red rocks and bizarre shapes of the Esterel mountains, a volcanic mountain range that floated off Africa several million years ago and now forms the border between the Var and the Alpes Maritimes departments, just west of Cannes! Nowadays, in the absence of dinosaurs and other dodgy creatures, it’s a great place for hiking and also to relax on the lovely red beaches, the contrast with the blue of the Mediterranean makes it a truly magical spot. But this time of the year is perfect to visit when there are fewer crowds and it’s not too hot in the hills.

Picture of the Day: Ile Saint Honorat

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Despite appearances, this bucolic scene of vineyards and a monastery is not taken in the middle of the Provençal countryside but on an island off the coast of Cannes. Ile Saint Honorat, one of the two Lérins islands, has been populated by a community of Cistercian monks for hundreds of years and is well worth a day trip on a sunny day. Check out my detailed article to find out more and plan your visit of this stunning and surprising destination!

Picture of the Day: the beach in Cannes

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Monday morning motivation! Hope this lovely photo of the beach on the Croisette in Cannes and of the Esterel mountains in the distance will fill you up with positive energy for the coming week and help you achieve all your goals 🙂 To find out more about this beautiful city, check out my report about the Cannes Film Festival here

Discovering the beautiful Ile Saint Honorat, one of the Iles de Lérins: an unknown gem off the coast of Cannes

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The Abbey of Ile Saint Honorat

When enjoying the spectacular landing at Nice airport and approaching from the west, you are bound to notice the two small islands off the coast of Cannes, Ile Sainte Marguerite and Ile Saint Honorat, known collectively as the Iles de Lérins (along with two much smaller and uninhabited islands). Both car free islands offer a huge contrast to the hustle and bustle and frenetic pace of the French Riviera and in this article, I will focus on the smaller and less visited of the two, Ile Saint Honorat. Famed for its historical and still functioning medieval abbey run by Cistercian monks and for the special wines and liqueurs that they produce locally, this small island of just 40 hectares is full of bucolic charm and splendid views and can be visited all year round. Carry on reading this article to experience a total culture shock, just 25 minutes from the port of Cannes and for full photos of my visit, please visit the Ile Saint Honorat album on the French Riviera Blog Facebook page.

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On the golden trail of the mimosa trees in Tanneron: an early spring hike in the Var

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Tanneron (C) K. Hin

At the start of every year, from December to March, the sunny hills on the western side of the Alpes Maritimes spring alive in a golden explosion, thanks to the blooming of the mimosa trees, with their bright yellow flowers. The tiny village of Tanneron in the Var department is the hub of this “mimosa trail”. Having had a brief walk around there in 2004, I decided to go on a proper hike in the area and see this golden vision for myself…

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A week on the French Riviera: the essential sights of the Côte d’Azur with seven unmissable day trips

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Fireworks (C) K. Hin

The summer season is fully upon us and the French Riviera is filling up with tourists: this means fireworks, music festivals, farniente beach time and outdoor dinners, amongst plenty of other activities, so here’s a quick guide on how to enjoy a fun-filled week here.

Of course, plenty of visitors just want to relax and enjoy days at the beach, but feel free to pick and mix according to your centres of interest. These day-long excursions are ideal if undertaken from Nice, located bang in the centre of the French Riviera, but plenty of them are also feasible if you are based further down the coast, either east or west, as long as you have access to the main railway line.

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Cannes and its annual Film Festival: kicking off the summer season in style on the French Riviera

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Palais des Festivals May 2014 (C) K. Hin

Since 1946, the Cannes Film Festival has been synonymous with the glitz of the Riviera. Along with the Monaco Grand Prix, which takes place pretty at the same time in May each year, it is one of the major annual events of the French Riviera and really marks the beginning of the summer season.

Last week I had the opportunity to visit Cannes where the jewellery brand I work for, APM Monaco, was sponsoring several events at the 67th edition of the Festival and therefore managed to soak up some of the atmosphere of this legendary event, which I will be sharing in this article. So if you fancy discovering the lowdown on the Festival, finding out what else to see and do in the town and get some practical information on how to cope in Cannes during the festival amongst the crowds, just carry on reading!

The stunning sandy beach of Cannes, just underneath the Croisette promenade

The stunning sandy beach of Cannes, just underneath the Croisette promenade

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