Introduction
“I wonder why they call it goat cheese?”
The French Riviera refers to a small strip of the Mediterranean coastline on France’s southeastern border. It
extends from the luxurious and trendy city of St. Tropez, to the quiet and peaceful city of Menton on the
Italian border, although there seems to be some dispute about exactly where it begins and ends.
The French call this area the Côte d’Azur, or “coast of azure.” Travelers may also refer to it as “the South of
France.” It includes the well-known cities of Nice and Cannes (of the famed red carpet), and the Principality of
Monaco, as well as the lesser known, but charming cities of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Eze. No matter what we
call this area of France - the Cote d’Azur, the French Riviera, the South of France - or argue about where it
begins or ends, one thing these lovely seaside towns and cities all have in common is their soul-filling views of
the sparkling azure-blue Mediterranean Sea, the coast of azure.
As a young girl, I dreamed of going to the French Riviera, a direct result of my infatuation with James Bond,
who I associated with all things sexy and luxurious. The casino of Monte Carlo, those beautiful Bond girls on
beautiful beaches, bikinis, and the sparkling blue Mediterranean, all of these were associated in my young mind
with the French Riviera, and rightly so. It does live up to its sexy and luxurious reputation.
I had my first real glimpse of this dazzling blue coastline in 1984 from the window of a small plane that landed
at the Nice airport, en route to the Democratic Republic of Congo with my fellow Peace Corps volunteers. As
it was just a short stopover for us, we had to wait on the plane on the tarmac. I remember gazing out the small
window of the plane, and quite desperately wanting to get off. There was my Bond dream. The sea looked so
lovely, so blue, a jewel. I wanted to go for a swim, sit in the sun, soak up the luxury, and get a touch of that
childhood fantasy.
In 2000, with a teenage daughter and my jazz musician husband, I finally returned to Nice, and this stretch of
heaven. It was to become a love affair for the three of us for the next 10 years. We returned as a family again
and again to take in the beauty, to swim in the sea, to eat, to drink, to dream, and to explore the French Riviera.
I continue to travel there every year, if possible, and it’s where my mind drifts when it needs a break from the
gray rainy days of a Seattle winter.
So now, after 15 years of traveling to the French Riviera, as both a tourist and a guide for friends and family, I
would like to share my suggestions for the novice traveler to this part of the world, perhaps that’s you. I would
like to help you avoid some of my mistakes, and to have the vacation of your dreams.
Of course, finding a travel guide to the French Riviera is not difficult. I have several on my bookshelves, and
when I planned my first trip to the South of France, I used each and every one of them. Many of these guides
are extensive, including all the towns and cities that dot the southern French coastline, along with reviews of all
the restaurants, museums, hotels, history and things to do. They were very helpful to me. Today, the Internet
also has an endless number of websites offering advice, and they’re great. Do use them all!
This little travel guide does not aim to replace these other guides for the French Riviera, but rather to
supplement them, and help you hone in on where and on what you want to spend your precious vacation time
and money. I would like to help you create your dream vacation on the French Riviera, to avoid the too touristy
or perhaps a bit ‘sketchy’ places, to tell you where you must spend at least a day, where you can get a fabulous
meal, and what places to maybe put on the back burner for another trip. I would like to help you narrow down
the choices a bit more, and take the guesswork, and the mistakes, which I’ve made, out of your vacation plans.
My book includes tips for what to take, how to pack, what you will and won’t need, health and safety
information, a list of my favorite hot spots (and secret beaches), what to expect in different seasons, and how to
order coffee like the French. I have researched the questions first-time visitors have, and I have tried to
anticipate the answers you will need to feel safe and secure. I have also tried to bring together some of the
valuable websites, to save you the time and energy of wading through them on your own.
I have visited each and every one of the cities, restaurants, and beaches included here, or have indicated
otherwise. After all these years, I still have things I would like to do on my next trip. So it is not an exhaustive
list, but it is a good place to start your own exploration.
Part of the joy and wonder of traveling in this beautiful location is that you will discover things along the way
that are not in this book. I hope you do! I hope you make your own discoveries of what you love, and that my
book acts as a jumping off point for your own exploration and adventures. That’s the beauty of traveling, after
all.
I can guarantee that a trip to the French Riviera is one that will make you long to return. It might be part of a
longer European trip for you, or a destination all by itself. The suggestions offered here should help you either
way.
So, my fellow traveler, here’s what this book promises: Tried and true travel ideas for a fabulous journey to the
land of James Bond, movie stars, and the lovely French seaside. My previous customers (those I have guided or
advised) have been 100% happy with these suggestions, and I know you will too.
I wish you a fabulous journey, and I would love to hear from you after your trip. So stop dreaming and start
packing.
Bon Voyage!
Mary Kay Seales
Quick note: In case you’re wondering about the subtitle for the Introduction, “I wonder why they call it goat
cheese,” let me explain. For a few years, I helped lead a study abroad program for the University of Washington
to Paris. Upon arriving with the students one year, my associate and I met with them and had a little French
snack together, which included some delicious goat cheese. When one of the students made this query about
goat cheese, we had a great laugh together. I tell this story because traveling requires a sense of humor. If you
can relax and laugh at your small mistakes, then your trip can be truly amazing. I should know. I’ve made every
mistake in my book.
Mary Kay on the Promenade des Anglais,
March 2015