A Snob's Guide to the French Riviera
The dazzling light. That Mediterranean sparkling like an aquamarine. Those umbrella pines. Some things on the French Riviera will never change (and blessedly so). But now more than ever, there is a palpable frisson of fresh energy swirling in the air. Century-old seafront palaces are being reinvented and reborn. New hotels are waking up sleepy villages. Young chefs and innovative pastry wizards are spining classic flavors into mouthwatering neo-Provençal delights. The Côte d’Azur is basking in the golden glow of a nouvelle époque.
But still, at its core, the Riviera remains the kind of Arcadian utopia-by-the-sea so treasured by artists like Signac, Matisse, Picassco, and Bonnard. Luxe, Calme et Volupté (also the title of Matisse's 1904 work) will always be the prevailing vibe—and this applies whether you're the type who likes to swan around in Chanel Cruise at the Hotel du Cap, or spend hours stuffing your straw tote with bounties from the markets in Nice. No matter your tastes and preferences, there is something in this effervescent swath of the Mediterranean for everyone. The only prerequisite: a little joie de vivre.
For the Sybarite
Once you're past the gates of the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, you'll immediately understand why celebrities, heads of state, artists, and royals have been seeking refuge in this Cap d'Antibes palace since the Belle Epoque. But a grande dame never rests on her laurels. The hotel’s latest additions include a contemporary revamp of the Eden Roc Pavilion’s sea-facing junior suites; a casual Italian restaurant, Giovanni's, open only to guests; a new pastry chef, Tarek Ahamada, whose last stint was at the Georges V in Paris; and a new Dior Spa with a private beach cabana for sumptuous alfresco massages with a view.
Further east is the aptly named Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons property, tucked away at the end of a quiet residential street lined with fabulous villas hiding behind soaring hedges. You can have your own, too. Choose from two meticulously restored 1900s-era landmarks: the 5-bedroom Villa Beauchamp, with a Cocteau-inspired mosaic-tiled bathroom that is the stuff of Instagram dreams, or the more intimate Provençal-style 2-bedroom Villa Clair Soleil.
And for a chic retro nautical vibe, head to the just-opened Arev Saint Tropez, a 24-room jewel box of a property located minutes away from Place des Lices (translation: prime St.-Tropez real estate). Each suite is uniquely designed in saturated hues of reds, blues, and yellows by Madrid-based designer Luis Bustamante. Highlights here include the revival of the Strand, St.-Tropez’s oldest eatery, a Padel court, plus a lovely spa featuring a fragrant range of products by Maison ST, a St.-Tropez brand that uses only natural ingredients like sea salt and herbs, all sourced locally.
For the Gourmand
Built into a rocky bluff on the scenic Grande Corniche, Ceto, the penthouse restaurant at the strikingly modernist Maybourne Riviera, is so much more than another gastronomic haunt. Helmed by Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco—the man behind the three-Michelin-starred Mirazur in Menton—this is a temple to seafood, complete with a state-of-the-art cold chamber lined with pink Himalayan salts specifically designed to mature fish for two months. Another reason to book a table: you'll get the most astonishing views of the coast this side of paradise.
Over in Nice's Antiques District, Onice, an intimate new bistro that just earned a Michelin star, is the place to go for impeccable creations featuring the freshest ingredients from the market, all masterminded by young chefs Florencia Montes and Lorenzo Ragni.
Nice has also become a veritable sweet tooth's paradise. In the vibrant Vieux Port neighborhood, which is humming with galleries, boutiques, and cafés, don’t miss a stop at Julien Dugourd, a tiny shop run by the former pastry chef at La Chèvre d’Or—yes, it's his signature trompe l’oeil lemons you have seen all over Instagram. Our tip: book in advance for the private pastry tastings he does on Sundays. And while you're perusing the famous open markets at Cours Saleya, check out Colagreco's sustainable Mitron Bakery to sample the fougasse filled with almonds, raisins, and pine nuts, and those irresistible tartes au citron.
For the Hedonist
Watch the orange and pink sunset at the remodeled Bar Fitzgerald in the Hôtel Belles Rives, an elegant Art Deco gem that, in its past life, was the villa where Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald spent the summer of 1926. Pay tribute to their spirits by ordering a gin fizz (Scott’s favorite) or the signature Zelda cocktail made with champagne and peach liqueur.
Across the bay, at the superbly restored Carlton Cannes, join the lively scene at Bar °58— in lieu of dessert, we suggest the Sazerac Cocoa, a heady mix of Pernod absinthe, Bourbon, and white chocolate liqueur. And the Carlton isn't the only Cannes legend to have been resurrected from the grave: after four years and a €120 million renovation, Palm Beach, a 1929 landmark on the tip of La Croisette, partially reopens this month with a brand new saltwater pool, a lavishly updated casino, luxury boutiques and buzzy restaurants, and a very exclusive members' club.
For the Nonconformist
In search of hidden gems? Go west! To the spectacular rugged red rock stretch of Esterel coastline, to be exact, where you can stay at the new Château de Théoule, a 44-room boutique hotel, spa, and private beach club. The place used to be a soap factory in the 17th century before it was transformed into a turreted castle that became home to various aristocrats. Now it's a charming seaside property, where the photogenic suites and spaces have dreamed up by interior designer Marie-Christine Mecoen, who handpicked the eclectic mix of antiques, gauzy linens, and shell-themed décor.
Alternatively, start on the east side in Menton, the charming town near the Italian border, where you can indulge in a languorous on-the-water lunch at Loulou Pirate, once a festive '50s celebrity haunt frequented by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Gregory Peck. The relaxed family atmosphere and varied menu—pasta, pizza, salads, grilled seafood and meats—will cater to all palates; that killer view is a nice bonus.
And come summer, all eyes will be on the opening of the Hotel du Couvent, which is bound to take the city of Nice by (quiet) storm. This 2.5-acre property, set back on a hilltop in the Old Town, is a painstakingly restored 17th-century convent with vaulted monastic-style rooms, Cloister suites, two restaurants, a bakery, Roman baths, two pools, and a holistic movement studio offering dance, yoga, and personalized herbal treatments.
For Art Aficionados
Hidden away in the vines less than an hour’s drive from Cannes, La Commanderie de Peyrassol was a hotspot on the sacred pilgrimage trail during the 13th century, when the Order of Knights of the Templars built a chapel there and called it home. Now it's a hotspot for oenophiles thanks to Belgian entrepreneur Philippe Austruy, who bought the property in 2001 and turned it into a sprawling wine estate—with museum-quality art (Austury is also an avid art collector). Peyrassol hosts seasonal exhibitions of renowned contemporary sculptors and artists, whose works are on display in the galleries or scattered throughout the estate.
Your perfect afternoon: a wine tasting of Peyrassol's superb vintages of Côtes de Provence, then see the new show by French artist Bertrand Lavier, and then savor a rosé-fueled lunch at Peyrassol's restaurant, Chez Jeannette, which is helmed by Michelin-starred chef Michel Portos.
The art and grapes theme continues on the idyllic government-protected island of Porquerolles (to get there, drive to Hyères and jump in a water taxi or ferry), home of Fondation Carmignac, a sleek exhibition space surrounded by vineyards that is owned by Parisian financier (and also avid art collector) Edouard Carmignac. This summer don't miss “Infinite Woman," an exhibition of female artists featuring masterpieces by the likes of Judy Chicago and Louise Bourgeois. Then pregame with a tasting of Carmignac's homegrown Domaine de la Courtade before an alfresco lunch under the pines at the restaurant.
And obligatory for architecture buffs (or anyone, really): a guided tour of the magnificently restored Villa E-1027, Irish designer Eileen Gray’s visionary 1929 holiday home in Roquebrune-Cap Martin that juts out over the rocky shore like an elegant ocean liner.
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