Its always exciting to come out of the bitter winter cold and in to the crisp and blossoming spring time, and what better way to celebrate this changing of the seasons than to spend it exploring? Delve in to a world of culture with these 2 events on the Riviera this spring.

Monte Carlo Spring Art Festival

Running from 18^th March – 10^th April 2011, the Spring Art Festival brings talented artists from around to world to entertain guests with art, music, theatres and dance. It is situated in a number of venues including the prestigious Grimaldi Forum. The festival includes everything from ballet to poetry readings, as well as performances by the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra and Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. To attend a concert it costs 20€ – 33€, and to get a festival pass it costs 150€.

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Marriot Hotels are world-renowned for exuding class, quality and architectural brilliance, and no more so than the company’s latest project in the south of France.

Located at the Cote d’ Azur’s most glamorous and exclusive hotspot at Juan-les-Pins, the US hotel chain’s newest gem is categorized as being one of the hotel group’s Renaissance Hotels brand and has been named the Renaissance Antibes Juan-les-Pins.

The hotel, which was previously known as the Hotel Ambassadeur, is not due to open until early 2012, as it continues to undergo some major design alterations. The multi-million euro reconstruction will ensure the Renaissance Antibes Juan-les-Pins boasts the most exquisite of modern interiors, including being fitted out with natural driftwood floors, and for those guests not wanting to spend the day on the hotel’s own private sandy beach, a height of elegance and sophistication outdoor and indoor pool.

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Until May 15 2011 art lovers on the Cote d’Azur will be able to visit , in the village of Saint Paul de Vence, a well-known haven for contemporary art, painting, sculpture and crafts.

The L’Artenciel Exhibition is in its third edition and includes the work of 25 artists’ and their views. This unique exhibition aims to ‘decompose the artistic spectrum’, which naturally provides an infinite number of visions, a prolific amount of colour and many unique and creative ways of expressing experiences and views of the world.

The Exhibition L’artenciel – translated as ‘Art in the Sky’, dismembers and scrutinizes the plurality of the world of art, ‘breaking the silence and boundaries’ and providing a landscape of discovery and exchange.

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Describing itself as the hosts of the only contemporary art show on the Riviera, Art Monaco gives up and coming artists a chance to shine in the dazzling backdrop of the Cote D’Azur.

Art Monaco is returning this year following the success of its 2010 edition, and is welcoming galleries from all over the world to show and sell their art. With art collectors, critics and the general public in attendance, the event provides a great way for new artists to network and potentially sell their artworks all under one roof. The exhibition is also an excellent opportunity for visitors to purchase exquisite art pieces from around the world.

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Veteran actor, Robert De Niro has been handed the prestigious title chair of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

The 67 year old actor is the 3^rd American in 3 years to lead the 9 member jury after director, Tim Burton in 2010 and actor, Sean Penn in 2008. De Niro has expressed his gratitude by saying “The Cannes Film Festival is a rare opportunity for me as it is one of the oldest and one of the best in the world.” The organisers of the festival have said that they wanted to honour him not only for his acting talent, but also for his work in co-founding the Tribeca Film Festival in his native New York back in 2002.

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