When tennis ace Rafael Nadal walked onto the Monte-Carlo Master Series dressed head to toe in Façonnable it confirmed that in exuding luxury and comfort, Façonnable is a favourite choice of clothing for sports men and women.

With the Euro football championships being held in Poland and the Olympic Games taking place in London, being the hosts to two of the world’s biggest sporting events, all eyes have been on Europe during summer 2012.

With such a vibrant and important sports scene taking place this summer in Europe, Façonnable’s summer sports collection has certainly excelled itself in the desirability stakes.

One particularly stylish and popular item of the Façonnable summer sports collection is its stretch cotton polo shirt. Combining a muscular athleticism with a classic ‘public school boy’ look, this classic polo shirt reveals a subtle glimmer of Façonnable’s French heritage with an French flag emblem and red and blue thin stripes on the sleeves and collar, set against dazzling white.

This breathable, comfortable and highly stylish polo shirt is proving to be popular amongst polo players and haute couture fashion enthusiasts alike –

But why was only water polo and not ‘conventional’ polo played in the 2012 Olympics?

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The Cote d’Azur has long been a favourite place to escape to for the world’s elite. Whilst aristocracy, movie stars and the super-rich from across the world, have found comfort, luxury and indulgence watching the yachts sparkle upon the Med, Russians, for decades, have been especially present on the French Riviera.

Whilst the British aristocracy were the first to sought solitude and pleasure by holidaying on the Cote d’Azur in the first half of the 19^th century, the penchant to travel to this glamorous stretch of French coastline was quickly followed by Russians, a habit that was predominantly popularised by Tsar Alexander II, Emperor of the Russian Empire until he was assassinated in 1881, who reached Nice by train in 1864 – Henceforth the seemingly inexorable love-affair between Russia and the Cote d’Azur was born.

In fact Tsar Alexander II fell so head over heels in love with the Cote d’Azur and Nice that the Russian Tsar funded the construction work for the St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Nice.

This unusual looking cathedral, comprising of several proud onion domes, which even today is still the largest Orthodox cathedral in Western Europe, was opened in 1912. The church was intended to serve as a place of worship for the increasingly growing Russian community that had settled in the city of Nice towards the end of the 19^th century.

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Champagne, beautiful bronzed bodies, thrilling art galleries, exceptional beaches and world-class marinas, the Cote d’Azur is notorious for many delights and treasures, including its legendary gardens.

In fact gardens are big business on the French Riviera and, similar to a house itself, are a symbol of taste, prosperity and wealth. Although it’s not just the many private gardens brimming with colour, exoticness, fertility and grandeur that line this exclusive region of southern France from east to west, as the Cote d’zur is also home to many stunningly beautiful public gardens of which a visit is a must.

Take a look at three of the most sensational public gardens on the Cote d’Azur.

The Parc Floral Phoenix

Being situated opposite Nice International Airport, there could not be a more tranquil, relaxing and picturesque place to unwind after a flight and begin your holiday on the Cote d’Azur.

With duck ponds, an aviary with a ‘musical’ fountain, many picnic tables positioned under the shade of a tree’s boughs, and an exhibition centre that is home to seven different climate zones and an exotic aquarium, the Parc Floral Phoenix provides a fantastic family day out

Le Jardin Exotique de Monaco

For those yearning to experience a truly exotic garden on the Cote d’Azur then look no further than the Jardin Exotique de Monaco.

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Both golf and polo are big names in the hectic sporting calendar of the French Riviera. The International Polo Cup was held in July at the Polo Club in Saint Tropez.

Several prominent annual golf tournaments are also taking place at various spots along this exquisite stretch of coastline each year, it is safe to say that if you are a fan of golf and polo than the Cote d’Azur will do more than quench any aspirations for an annual golf or polo fix.

Although satiating both polo and golf yearnings at once is the France India Business Cup, which takes place at the Gassin Golf & Country Club and the Polo Club of Saint Tropez.

This prominent annual event is now in its fourth year and is being held on 17^th and 18^th October, 2012.

Players at the 4^th France India Business Cup have to be of either French or Indian nationality and a CEO,VP,manager or director of a French or Indian company.

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