Nestled in an opportune position between the world-famous and glitzy cities of Cannes and Nice is the town of Antibes, which is considered by many as being the ‘crown jewel of the Cote d’Azur’.

Despite its petite size, Antibes, with is rich history dating back as far as the 5^th century BC when it was a Greek fortified town named Antipolis, and be surrounded by spectacular natural beauty, has been the location for many a romantic, adventurous and historical film and novel, with F. Scott Fitzgerald writing his first novel “This Side of Paradise” from the luxury hotel Belle Rives.

Despite retaining a pleasant tone of traditionalism, nature and history, Antibes also maintains an underlying sense of luxury and opulence, presented inextricably through the town’s luxury hotels, top quality restaurants, exclusive shops and the many elite and wealthy individuals who choose to either holiday or become residents of Antibes.

Meder Beauty Centre is one such luxurious trait of this stunning southern France town. Opened in 2009, this magnetic beauty centre has been a popular pampering hub for many a well-heeled visitor and resident of Antibes and the Cote d’Azur.

This exclusive beauty centre includes aesthetic medical consultations, a spa and beauty salon and was founded by Doctor Tina Orasmae-Meder, an internationally acclaimed expert in beauty treatments and cosmetic products. Dr  Orasmae-Meder’s love for the Cote d’Azur obviously influenced her decision to open her beauty centre in Antibes.

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Stretching from Theoule-sur-Mer in the west to Menton and the Italian border on the right, running through the famous towns of Nice, Antibes and Cannes, the Cote d’Azur has, for decades, been ‘the place’ for winter vacations of the rich and famous, a place where artists have found inspiration in their brushes, and a place where writers find themselves unavoidably putting their pens to paper.

Asides its obvious charms of affluence, stateliness and grandeur which attracts the aristocracy to the Cote d’Azur, the vibrant scenes of colour, diversity and life that attracts the artists to this luscious stretch of coastline, the region’s remarkable history, untamed wildness, traditional and medieval villages, a stone’s throw from some of the most infamously glamorous cities in the world, attracts many a writer to write about this remarkably unique region of southern France.

Take a look at three such writers, whose desire to put the Cote d’Azur’s many charms onto paper, led them to create three fascinating books about a truly remarkable part of the world.

Cote d’Azur Le Reve / The Dream

Cote d’Azur Le Reve / The Dream is a tribute to what has become known as the ‘golden years’ of the Cote d’Azur, from around the beginning of the 20^th century until the 1970s.

This book provides a fascinating insight into what attracted the world’s most elite to winter on the Cote d’Azur, focusing on Le Prince Rainer de Monaco and Le Pricesse Grace, Madame Winston Churchill Jouant au Tennis, Queen Victoria and Bridget Bardot.

The words are accompanied with some great photographs and illustrations of the magic of the Cote d’Azur during its ‘golden years’.

Provence Cote d’Azur, Claude Herve-Bazin

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France is world renowned for its boulangeries, patisseries, chocolatiers, dulcet markets and cafes, all selling pastries, sweets, cakes and other sweet delicacies that make your mouth water by just looking at them!

The city of Marseille on the Cote d’Azur is particularly laden with a vibrant patisserie scene, and one does not have to wonder far without being tempted by the scent of freshly cooked sweets coming from the many delicious food establishments the city is home to.

If your trip to Marseille does come attached by a dark desire to sample some of the finest sweet delicacies in the whole of France then you may interested in reading about some of the best places to satisfy yearnings for pure confectionary gluttony in Marseille.

La Boutique du Chocolate

In the heart of Marseille you will stumble across ‘La Boutique du chocolate” located in the city’s Design Centre. Upon this ‘chocolate art gallery’s’ shelves is row upon row of chocolate delights, from chocolate lunch bags containing chocolate sausages, to boiled sweets surrounded by an envelope of chocolate – Absolutely heavenly!

Confiserie Leonard Parli

French confectioner Leonard Parli takes the confectionary industry extremely seriously, hence the popularity of his confiserie. From jars upon jars of jams, chocolates, almonds and sweets on display, Marseille’s Confiserie Leonard Parli is not the place to head to if you are on a diet!

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With its deliciously warm climate, laid back atmosphere, twisting streets leading to historical sites, exclusive shops and top-class restaurants, all backed by an emerald mass of densely wooded hillsides, the town of La Seyne sur Mer, sitting comfortably on the Mediterranean coast, is typical of southern France.

Given that the town was fortified and defended by a young Napoleon Bonaparte combined with its prime position of the Med, it is hardly surprising that La Seyne sur Mer became and continues to be one of the most important shipbuilding centres in France.

Its long and lustrous culture of the sea is still very much at the heart of this pleasant southern French town, and its harbour, known as the Port of Bregaillon, remains one of the most picturesque points of the French Riviera.

Like many of the harbours on the Cote d’Azur and throughout the south of France, the harbour of La Seyne sur Mer is a popular spot for rich and elite boat owners to anchor their beautiful, luxury vessels.

Epitomising the intense exclusivity of harbouring one’s yacht in a harbour on the French Riviera, is the fact that Charles Siimonyi, the American-Hungarian billionaire and former boss of Microsoft, recently dropped anchor at the Port of Bregaillon in his grand and obscenely luxurious superyacht.

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