Villas Holidays In the South of France

Things to do in South of France

BEACHES AND BEYOND

Beaches in the South of France come in different colours, shapes and sizes, but are generally well-deserving of their pristine reputation. Corsica boasts pretty sugar-white coves and palm-fringed bays, with standout areas like Palombaggia beach, a sun-drenched paradise, and Rondinara beach, with its calmer waters and loungers available to rent. Whether you love to swim, sunbathe, or just take in your surroundings, there are always options to enhance your experience, by renting a pedalo or catamaran to explore further out into the Mediterranean, or just with a refreshing ice cream from a local vendor. The serene and shallow waters here make this a perfect spot for snorkelling, ideal for a family day out. You can find similar features at the beautiful Fréjus’s St. Aygulf beach on the mainland's south coast, with its crystal clear, shallow waters. Ste. Marguerite island (Les Îles des Lérins) is another great option for families that’s just off the coast of Cannes, accessible via a fifteen minute boat ride, offering bike rentals and an array of forest trails to follow. Guests can also come to this serene spot to combine an island tour with some wine tasting. Similarly, Pampelonne Beach is another family friendly option, thanks to the playground and beach toys available at Plage des Jumeaux Beach Club.

GLITZ AND GLAMOUR

It wouldn’t feel like the South of France without the lights, glitz and glamour. In Cannes, most famous for its annual film festival, wander along the Croisette, a famous boulevard separating the beach from the city, and look out for big names on the Allée de Stars, France’s alternative to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where you’ll see the handprints of celebrities ranging from Quentin Tarantino to Meryl Streep. If you’re not out sunbathing on Plage de la Bocca, head to Cannes’ centre-ville, where shopping is more of a lifestyle than a simple activity. For those seeking luxury, Rue d’Antibes and La Croisette are the best options, where designer brands compete for the attention of the rich and famous. For a more affordable experience, Rue Meynadier has a great selection of shops, alongside plenty of cafés with outdoor seating.

For the best nightlife, St. Tropez is always a great option. You’re bound to meet people here who dress to impress and want to be noticed, while others are just happy being in their presence. There’s a casino in Saint-Maxime for the bold and the brave, where nights can go from good to great, or bad to worse, in just a matter of minutes. In the summertime, Château de la Mouette hosts an iconic musical festival, where artists perform on a floating jetty as the sun goes down.

For an elegant day out, drive up to the pretty town of Grasse, higher up in the hills between Cannes and Nice, known to many as the perfume capital of the world. Capture the picture-perfect fields of lavender that dominate the town’s surrounding hillsides, peruse pastel soap shops and colourful cafés, and attempt to craft a signature scent of your own at La Galimard, one of the world’s oldest perfumeries. For more enchanting days out like this, visit L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, known as the Venice of Provence. Here, you’re free to browse through the wide range of authentic market stalls and antique gems waiting to be found.

CULTURE / HISTORY / SIGHTSEEING

The French Riviera is made up of hundreds of pretty little towns and villages which are worthy of a visit on your next trip to the South of France. Antibes boasts a rich artistic and literary history, where Pablo Picasso once lived and worked back in the 1940s, and its neighbouring town of Juan-les-Pins was also once home to the author of The Great Gatsby and many more famous works, F. Scott Fitzgerald, who lived there in the 1920s.

Corsica is another area in the South of France with its own claim to fame, being both the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the place where Lord Nelson lost his eye, the latter being in the mediaeval citadel in the town of Calvi, loved by many for its cobbled streets, crescent-shaped bay and rich marina. Other famous sites in the area include Filitosa and Palaggiu, known for their mysterious rock art carvings, dating back several thousands of years - a must-see for history buffs.

Provence is another intriguing location when it comes to history, home to some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in all of Europe. Visit any of Vaison-la-Romaine, Arles, or Nîmes to see the ruins for yourself, with the latter boasting both a 2000-year-old Corinthian temple and an awe-inspiring amphitheatre that’s still to this day in great shape.

EATING AND DRINKING IN SOUTH OF FRANCE

The South of France is home to an array of popular cuisines. Whilst many areas by the coast love their seafood, with popular dishes like crab, fish and lobster, other areas follow more Mediterranean traditions, with meals consisting of lots of tomatoes, garlic and olive oil.

In certain areas with coastal access, such as Corsica, the culinary culture can vary depending on how far inland you go. The further from the sea you are, the less likely you’ll be having fresh fish each night, where it’s more likely you’ll be feasting upon meats, cheese, and chestnut delicacies - popular in Corsica due to the limitless supply of chestnuts that grow up in the mountains. Here, you can enjoy chestnut-flavoured ice cream, chestnut dumplings, and chestnut tarts. Provençal cuisine also follows the typical Mediterranean diet, and like many towns across the South of France, it’s filled with boulangeries, patisseries, Italian-inspired gelaterias, and specialist macaron shops. Further down south, the most prominent culinary specialties in St. Tropez include the tropézienne, a sticky, cream-filled sponge flavoured with orange-flower, and black truffles, popular in the winter season.

There are countless options for luxury dining across the South of France, with Michelin-starred restaurants located in all major towns throughout the region.

Whilst fresh food can be found all around the South of France, certain spots, like Antibes, Cannes and Nice, boast some of the most lively and enchanting markets in the entire region, perfect for those looking to source fresh produce for a hearty home-cooked evening meal. For the more laid-back traveller, savour authentic French cuisine at your villa with a private chef, either for an evening, or perhaps your entire holiday, and experience the epitome of culinary indulgence with divine meals cooked with locally sourced ingredients.